What Hinoman does

Hinoman Ltd. is an Israel-based agricultural biotechnology company (founded circa 2010–2015, headquartered in Or Yehuda) that cultivates Mankai®, a proprietary cultivar of the duckweed Wolffia globosa, using an indoor hydroponics-based precision aquaculture system in controlled greenhouses. The company's single core product is a complete-protein plant ingredient (~45% protein on a dry-weight basis) containing all nine essential amino acids plus iron, vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, and 60+ other nutrients, sold to food and beverage manufacturers in fresh-frozen or dry forms for incorporation into shakes, supplements, functional foods, and beverages.

Hinoman operates a hybrid go-to-market model: a B2B ingredient channel supplying food manufacturers with predictable, year-round supply shielded from weather and seasonality, and a direct-to-consumer channel via eatmankai.com offering Mankai-based shakes and prepared products to health-conscious consumers focused on glycemic control, weight management, and complete plant-based nutrition. The company's value proposition is anchored in peer-reviewed clinical validation of Mankai's benefits, including glycemic control (Diabetes Care, 2019) and cardiometabolic outcomes (Heart, 2020), produced via an ongoing research partnership with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

The business is capital-light in footprint (11–50 employees) and has raised a single disclosed funding round — a $15 million strategic investment from Ajinomoto in March 2017 — while generating revenue primarily through ingredient sales and licensing-like arrangements to manufacturers. The company is positioned in the global duckweed protein market (valued at USD 89.4M in 2024, projected 10.6% CAGR to USD 244.8M by 2034) as one of the named key players alongside Barentz, Lempro, Parabel, Plantible Foods, and Seta Organics.

Name

Hinoman

Legal name

Hinoman Ltd.

Website

https://hinoman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hinoman Ltd. is an Israeli agtech company that cultivates Mankai®, a proprietary duckweed (Wolffia globosa) ingredient providing complete plant-based protein (~45% dry matter) with B12 and iron, sold to food manufacturers as an ingredient and to health-conscious consumers via eatmankai.com.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-Based Protein Ingredients

NAICS

Other Aquaculture (112519), Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing (311423)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Algae & Seaweed Proteins (Microalgae/Spirulina, Macroalgae) (AFAJAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plant-Based Protein Ingredient Producers (Isolates, Concentrates, Texturates) (AFANAKAB), Hydroponic & Soilless Greenhouse Production (NFT, DWC, Substrate Grow Bags) (AFAGAHAI), Plant-Based Protein Shakes & Nutritional RTD (Non-Dairy) (AFAFAEAH)

Keywords

• Plant-based protein ingredient
• Duckweed cultivation
• Hydroponic aquaculture
• Specialty food ingredients
• Sustainable protein production

Headquarters

HQ city

Or Yehuda

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Duckweed Protein Ingredients: Hinoman supplies Mankai as a whole-leaf vegetable ingredient to food manufacturers. The product is sold in fresh-frozen or dry forms and can be used in various food applications including shakes, supplements, and as a protein ingredient.
2. Direct-to-Consumer Mankai Products: The company sells Mankai products directly to consumers through eatmankai.com, including shakes and other prepared Mankai-based food products for health-conscious consumers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hinoman cultivates Mankai®, its proprietary Wolffia globosa duckweed cultivar, using indoor hydroponics precision aquaculture in controlled greenhouses that enable year-round daily harvests. The company sells the resulting complete-protein vegetable ingredient (≈45% protein by dry matter, all nine essential amino acids, vitamin B12, iron, omega-3, 60+ nutrients) in fresh-frozen and dry formats to food and beverage manufacturers, and offers finished Mankai-based shakes and supplements directly to consumers via eatmankai.com.

Product overview

Hinoman operates as an agricultural biotechnology company cultivating Mankai®, a proprietary Wolffia globosa duckweed cultivar, using indoor hydroponics precision agriculture in controlled greenhouse environments. The company's single-product offering is a complete-protein plant ingredient marketed to food manufacturers as a sustainable, non-GMO nutritional supplement with documented health benefits including glycemic control and protein bioavailability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mankai® Hinoman's proprietary Wolffia globosa duckweed plant cultivar sold as a whole-leaf vegetable protein ingredient (~45% protein on dry-weight basis) containing all nine essential amino acids, iron, vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, and more than 60 nutrients. Available in fresh-frozen or dry forms for food manufacturers, and as finished shakes and supplements for consumers via eatmankai.com.

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants drinking Mankai shake showed lower glucose peak levels, later peak time, faster glucose evacuation, and lower morning fasting glucose compared to yogurt shake equivalent
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Plantible Foods: Plantible Foods is a US-based duckweed (Lemna) protein producer using precision aquaculture — the most direct competitor to Hinoman's Mankai duckweed protein ingredient business, targeting the same food and beverage manufacturers.
• Parabel USA: Parabel USA produces water lentil (duckweed/Lemna) protein ingredients and is explicitly named alongside Hinoman as a key player in the global duckweed protein market, competing head-to-head for plant-based protein ingredient customers.
• Lempro Inc: Lempro is a duckweed protein ingredient producer explicitly listed alongside Hinoman as a key player in the global duckweed protein market, competing in the same water-plant protein ingredient category.
• Seta Organics: Seta Organics is a duckweed protein producer named alongside Hinoman as a key player in the global duckweed protein market, directly competing for the same alternative protein ingredient customers.

Emerging players

• Barentz Bio Healthife: Barentz Bio Healthife is named alongside Hinoman as a key player in the duckweed protein market. Barentz is a global ingredient distributor that has expanded into specialty/alternative protein, making it both a competitor and a potential distribution channel for Hinoman.
• Quorn: Quorn is a mycoprotein (fungal protein) food brand and ingredient producer — adjacent alternative protein competitor using fermentation rather than duckweed, targeting the same plant-based protein shopper and CPG ingredient buyer as Hinoman.
• Perfect Day: Perfect Day produces animal-identical dairy proteins via precision fermentation — an alternative protein company using a different production technology but addressing the same complete-protein, sustainable-ingredient thesis that underpins Hinoman's Mankai.
• NotCo: NotCo is an AI-driven plant-based food company producing dairy and meat alternatives from multiple plant proteins — an emerging alternative protein player addressing the same plant-based consumer and food manufacturer demand that Hinoman targets with Mankai.

Broad incumbents

• Roquette: Roquette is a global leader in plant-based ingredients including pea protein isolates, supplying the same food and beverage manufacturers that Hinoman targets — a broad incumbent competitor with established supply contracts that Hinoman must displace.
• Cargill: Cargill is one of the largest global suppliers of plant proteins (pea, soy, wheat) serving the same food manufacturers targeted by Hinoman, representing the incumbent scale competitor that alt-protein startups must displace in CPG ingredient supply.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hinoman