Calysta

What Calysta does

Calysta, Inc. is a San Mateo-based biotechnology company that produces single-cell protein ingredients via a patented gas fermentation platform using naturally occurring methanotrophic microorganisms. The platform converts carbon sources (methane/natural gas) into nutritionally complete, non-GMO protein in a high-capacity patented u-loop reactor, requiring no arable land, plant matter, or animal inputs, and capable of being powered by renewable energy. Its product family includes FeedKind Aqua (aquaculture feed), FeedKind Pet (dog and cat nutrition), FeedKind Terra (early-life livestock), FeedKind Net Zero (carbon-neutral variant), and Positive Protein (human food ingredients).

The company's go-to-market is a hybrid model combining direct enterprise ingredient sales with a 50/50 joint venture, Calysseo, established in February 2020 with Adisseo to commercialize FeedKind in Asia. Calysseo owns and operates the world's first industrial-scale FeedKind facility in Chongqing, China, producing 20,000 tonnes annually (with planned expansion to 80,000 tonnes); distribution leverages Adisseo's global sales network. In Europe, Calysta operates a GMP+ warehouse in Poland for pet food distribution and has launched commercial pet food products with Marsapet (MicroBell, 2025) and Dr. Clauder's (Trainee Snack, 2024). Multi-jurisdictional regulatory approvals (FDA GRAS for US salmonid feeds, MARA for China aquaculture, EU and UK approvals, V-Label vegan accreditation) underpin commercial entry across feed, pet food, livestock, and potential human food segments.

Revenue is generated from sales of protein ingredients to feed and food manufacturers under multi-year contracts priced competitively against fishmeal and soy protein; commercial-stage volumes began flowing from the Chongqing plant in 2022. As of November 2025, Calysta restructured to focus on manufacturing and sales, closing its US and UK R&D labs and pilot plants while exploring additional facilities in the Middle East (a planned 100,000-tonne Saudi Arabia plant with Food Caravan) and North America.

Name

Calysta

Legal name

Calysta, Inc.

Website

https://calysta.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Calysta produces scalable single-cell protein ingredients via patented gas fermentation for aquaculture, pet food, livestock, and human food markets, selling FeedKind-branded ingredients globally through its Calysseo joint venture with Adisseo and direct channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Single-cell protein ingredients

NAICS

Animal Food Manufacturing (31111), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Fermentation-Derived Proteins (Precision Fermentation, Biomass Fermentation) (AFAJAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fermentation-Derived Alternative Proteins Manufacturing (Precision Fermentation) (AFAKAGAH), Bio-based Animal Feed Ingredients & Nutrition Co-products (e.g., DDGS, protein meals, yeast) (EUAAAIAI)

Keywords

• Single-cell protein
• Alternative protein ingredients
• Gas fermentation platform
• Aquaculture feed ingredients
• Sustainable microbial protein

Headquarters

HQ city

San Mateo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. FeedKind Protein Ingredients Sales: Sale of FeedKind protein as ingredients to feed and food manufacturers for use in aquaculture feeds, pet foods, and livestock feeds. Revenue generated from selling protein ingredients in commercial quantities.
2. Joint Venture Production (Calysseo): 50/50 joint venture with Adisseo operates the production facility in China. Revenue shared through the JV structure, with Calysseo selling FeedKind protein through Adisseo's global distribution network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Calysta produces and sells a family of single-cell protein ingredients (the FeedKind brand) manufactured via a patented gas fermentation platform that uses naturally-occurring methanotrophic microorganisms to convert methane/natural gas into high-quality, non-GMO protein. Products are sold as B2B ingredients to aquaculture, pet food, livestock feed, and human food manufacturers, with industrial-scale production operated through the Calysseo joint venture with Adisseo in China.

Product overview

Calysta offers a family of protein ingredients produced via a patented gas fermentation platform that creates single-cell protein without arable land, plant, or animal products. The core products are FeedKind Aqua (for aquaculture), FeedKind Pet (for pet nutrition), FeedKind Net Zero (sustainable/net-zero variant), FeedKind Terra (for early animal nutrition), and Positive Protein (for human foods). Production is managed through Calysseo, a 50/50 joint venture with Adisseo, operating the world's first industrial-scale FeedKind facility in Chongqing, China (20,000 tonnes/year capacity), with plans for expansion in Saudi Arabia. The platform uses naturally-occurring, non-GMO microorganisms to convert carbon sources into nutritionally complete protein ingredients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FeedKind: Family of feed ingredients for aquaculture and livestock species, including FeedKind Aqua, FeedKind Net Zero, and FeedKind Terra
• FeedKind Pet
• FeedKind Net Zero
• FeedKind Terra
• Positive Protein

Products and services

• FeedKind Aqua A single-cell protein feed ingredient for aquaculture species including shrimp, salmon, seabass, bream, Japanese yellowtail, and warmwater carnivorous finfish. Produced via natural gas fermentation using a naturally-occurring microorganism that converts carbon into protein without arable land, plant, or animal matter.
• FeedKind Net Zero A microbial protein product powered by renewable energy and Calysta's circular fermentation platform, designed to achieve net-zero carbon emissions through CO2 capture and methanation processes used to convert waste back into usable carbon and energy.
• FeedKind Terra A high-value protein ingredient designed for early animal nutrition applications including post-weaning piglet diets and chick starter feeds. Approved for sale in several markets including throughout the EU.
• FeedKind Pet A single-cell protein ingredient for pet food applications including dry kibble, wet food, and treats for dogs and cats. Non-GMO with vegan accreditation from V-Label, offering industry-leading nutrition, palatability, and postbiotic gut-health benefits. Approved for use in pet foods across the EU, UK, Canada, and other countries.
• Positive Protein A highly-nutritious microbial protein ingredient for human food applications, produced using Calysta's patented fermentation platform. Offers the highest digestibility rating for protein ingredients and is naturally rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), suitable for use in plant-based meat and other human food products.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000 tonnes production capacity operational in China, expanding to 80,000 tonnes
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• MarsapetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2025Launched MicroBell complete dog food featuring FeedKind Pet protein - first complete dog food with FeedKind Pet. Partnership to bring sustainable pet food to European market.
• Dr. Clauder'scoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2024World's first dog treats launched featuring FeedKind Pet protein at Interzoo trade fair. Dr. Clauder's Trainee Snack cultivated protein air-dried treats for dogs.
• Food CaravanflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2022Partnership to build 100,000-tonne FeedKind production facility in Al Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Food Caravan provides local market access and regulatory support in KSA and MENA region. Supported by Saudi Ministry of Investment and National Industrial Development Centre.
• AdisseocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 February 202050/50 joint venture Calysseo established to commercialize FeedKind for Asian aquaculture market. Adisseo provides global distribution network and capital. JV building world's first commercial FeedKind production facility in Chongqing, China with 20,000 tonnes initial capacity, expanding to 80,000 tonnes.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Novonesis (formerly Novozymes): Global leader in industrial enzymes and microbial fermentation with extensive food and feed ingredient portfolio. Adjacent incumbent leveraging similar fermentation platforms at much greater scale.
• Adisseo: Global animal-feed additive company (methionine specialist) and Calysta's 50/50 JV partner in Calysseo. Critical channel partner whose global distribution network underwrites Calysta's commercial reach in aquaculture feed.
• Cargill: One of the world's largest agricultural commodity and animal-nutrition companies; an existing Calysta investor. Represents the established incumbent channel that Calysta's FeedKind must displace or partner with in feed markets.

Direct peers

• InnovaFeed: Produces insect-based protein (Hermetia illucens) for aquaculture feed and pet food. Competes with Calysta's FeedKind for the same aquaculture and pet-food ingredient customer base on sustainability grounds.
• Quorn Foods: Produces mycoprotein (single-cell/microbial protein) via large-scale fermentation for food and (historically) feed applications. Closest analog to Calysta on fermentation-derived protein at industrial scale, though Quorn uses a different organism and target end-markets.
• Air Protein: US-based company using gas fermentation (hydrogenotrophs) to produce single-cell protein for human food. Directly comparable to Calysta on the core gas-fermentation platform and 'land-free protein' value proposition.
• String Bio: India-based gas fermentation company converting methane to single-cell protein for feed. Uses the same methanotrophic fermentation approach as Calysta and targets aquaculture and animal feed end-markets.
• Protix: Dutch insect-protein producer supplying aquaculture and pet-food ingredients. Competes with FeedKind in alternative protein for feed applications, particularly in the European market where both have regulatory traction.

Emerging players

• Arbiom: US-based company developing fermentation-derived protein (SylPro) from wood-derived sugars for aquaculture and pet food. Comparable alternative-protein-for-feed business using a different fermentation feedstock.
• Deep Branch Biotechnology: UK-based gas-fermentation startup producing single-cell protein for aquaculture feed from industrial CO2 emissions. Emerging competitor with overlapping technology and target market but earlier stage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/feedkind?lang=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calysta

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds12 records

Investors13 records

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Calysta