MeliBio
 | |
| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
| Parent | FoodYoung Labs |
| Website | www |
MeliBio is an American food tech company that replaces the use of honeybees with microorganisms as a medium for honey production.[1][2][3] The company was founded in 2020 by Darko Mandich and Aaron Schaller.[4][5]
MeliBio is based in Oakland, California.[6]
History
[edit]MeliBio was founded in 2020 by Darko Mandich and Aaron Schaller in Berkeley, California.[7][8][9] The company uses plant science and precision fermentation to create a product molecularly identical to honey without the need for bees.[10][11][12]
In March 2022, MeliBio raised $5.7 million in seed funding. The round was led by Astanor Ventures.[13]
In March 2023, MeliBio launched Mellody, its plant-based honey product.[14]
MeliBio was affected by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in 2023, with up to 90% of the company's assets reportedly held at the bank.[15][16]
In May 2025, MeliBio was acquired by FoodYoung Labs, a Swiss innovation lab and venture studio based in Balerna, Switzerland. The deal covered the Mellody brand along with MeliBio's plant-based honey technology and related intellectual property, but did not include the company's precision fermentation technology.[17][18]
References
[edit]- ↑ Hall, Christine. "MeliBio's honey production, minus bees, will get you buzzing". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ Starostinetskaya, Anna. "New Startup MeliBio Uses Technology, Not Bees, to Make Real Honey". VegNews.com. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ "What's the buzz on beeless honey?". KCCI. 2022-06-08. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ Ho, Sally (2021-10-01). "We Tasted the World's First Real Honey Made Without Bees From MeliBio and We Couldn't Taste the Difference". Green Queen. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ "Darko u SAD radi na proizvodnji meda bez pčela: Za B92.net o tome šta ćemo jesti za 20 godina". B92.net (in Serbian). Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ "Vegan "Honey" Tastes Like the Real Thing. But Will It Save the Bees?". Bon Appétit. 2022-06-16. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ Peters, Adele (2020-10-20). "This honey is real—but it wasn't made by bees". Fast Company. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ Axworthy, Nicole. "Butterfinger Copycat, Bee-Free Honey, and More Vegan Food News of the Week". VegNews.com. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ Fuchs, Liliana (2021-10-26). "La miel vegana llega al mercado: sabe igual, pero no intervienen las abejas". Directo al Paladar (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ "Making honey without bees and milk without cows". BBC News. 2021-03-23. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ↑ admin (2021-04-22). "Honey without bees?". The Western Producer. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ "Así es la primera miel vegana en la que no intervienen las abejas". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 2021-10-27. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ Lakhani-Kanji, Riya (2022-04-07). "World's First Bee-Free Honey Company MeliBio Secures $5.7M In Funding". Plant Based News. Retrieved 2022-08-19.
- ↑ "MeliBio Launches Mellody, the 'World's First' Realistic Plant-Based Honey". vegconomist. 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
- ↑ "How the Silicon Valley Bank Crash Impacts Food Businesses". Xtalks. 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ↑ ""That's how capitalism works," SVB collapse and nutrition and food start-ups take a hit". .nutritioninsight.com. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ↑ Watson, Elaine (2025-05-27). "Honey-without-bees startup MeliBio acquired by FoodYoung Labs: 'Founders need to adapt, but investors should not back away'". AgFunderNews. Retrieved 2026-08-01.
- ↑ Mridul, Anay (2025-05-28). "Bee-Free Honey Startup MeliBio Acquired by Switzerland's FoodYoung Labs". Green Queen. Retrieved 2026-08-01.