Ones to Watch: Whey ahead

26 FOOD TECHS TO WATCH IN 2026

‍Stéphane Mac Millan reveals how Verley is reshaping dairy proteins for a high-performance, low-impact future

Innovation in dairy rarely starts with a blank slate, but Verley is treating it like an invitation rather than a constraint, with the French startup approaching whey protein not as something to copy, but as something to re-engineer for a food system under pressure. It is a mindset captured by Co-founder, Stéphane Mac Millan, who says, “Verley is a French food biotechnology company pioneering the next generation of dairy ingredients through precision fermentation. We produce high-performance whey proteins designed for food and beverage manufacturers looking to combine functionality, nutrition, and sustainability, without compromise.”

As global demand for high-quality protein rises, pressure on conventional dairy systems is intensifying. High-protein diets, active nutrition, and the GLP-1 wave are reshaping consumer expectations faster than traditional livestock and land can scale. Mac Millan sees this clearly. “As demand grows, conventional dairy production struggles to expand without increasing pressure on animals, land, and the climate,” he explains. “Verley addresses this gap with functional precision fermentation whey proteins that help manufacturers meet consumer needs in a scalable, sustainable way.”

Much of the precision fermentation field is oriented toward molecular replication. Verley is instead focused on building whey proteins that behave better than their conventional equivalents. “We focus on functionalization, tailoring the structure of precision-fermented whey proteins to match specific application needs,” Mac Millan says. “Our proprietary ingredients go beyond molecular replication by offering enhanced performance in areas like solubility, thermal stability, and acid resistance.”

By going beyond basic beta-lactoglobulin replication, Verley aims to serve the more demanding end of food and beverage innovation. From acidic ready-to-drink formats to high-protein baked goods and medical nutrition applications, its proteins promise more predictable behavior. “Verley is the first to commercialize functionalized whey proteins produced via precision fermentation, giving our partners a broader and more reliable toolkit than basic recombinant BLG,” Mac Millan says.

Milestones that set a foundation

Verley’s 2025 achievements reflect a company building decisively toward scale. Securing an FDA GRAS No Questions Letter for its lead ingredient created a viable pathway into the US market. The launch of FermWhey, its branded portfolio of functionalized dairy proteins, signaled a strategic shift toward clear product families. The company also produced more than a ton of commercial-grade protein at pilot scale, filed two patent families, and rebranded from Bon Vivant to Verley.

That momentum shapes the year ahead. “We are building on our protein portfolio, notably with our latest ingredient, FermWhey Native 100, a high-purity BLG whey protein with industry-leading leucine scores,” Mac Millan says. Commercialization in the USA is targeted for mid-2026, supported by increased industrial production capacity and regulatory filings in the EU and selected APAC markets. Verley is also expanding partnerships across North America, Europe, and the Middle East to accelerate market entry.

Commercial traction is emerging quickly. Mac Millan confirms that Verley has signed multiple agreements with major food-sector players. “We are proud to have already signed six collaboration agreements with top players from the food industry,” he says. These collaboration efforts are amplified by public-private networks such as France 2030 and Ferments du Futur, as well as research ties with CNRS. The company’s visibility received an additional boost at VivaTech, where Hélène Briand, Co-founder & CEO, won the Female Founder Challenge.

Verley is finalizing its next financing round to support industrial scale-up and commercialization in the USA and EU. Previous backing from Sofinnova, Sparkfood (Sonae), and major French innovation programs has supported its transition from development to commercial production.

Precision fermentation has largely proven that proteins can be produced at scale. The harder challenge is making them perform reliably across real formulations. Mac Millan frames this as the sector’s defining hurdle. “Many fermentation companies can produce a protein, but ensuring consistent performance in complex food formulations is another story,” he says. This insight shaped Verley’s strategy from its earliest days. “We invested early in functionalization and application testing, so our partners do not need to compromise between innovation and usability.”

A persistent misunderstanding still follows the category. Mac Millan addresses it directly. “The biggest misconception is that precision fermentation proteins are all the same, or that they are just a vegan copy of dairy,” he says. “Our proteins are not alternatives. They are identical, sustainable dairy ingredients with tailored functionality and nutritional profiles designed for real food applications. Precision fermentation enables innovation, not just imitation.”

Impact, sovereignty, and future potential

Mac Millan sees that clarity around what precision fermentation can deliver also matters when discussing its real-world impact. Verley measures its environmental footprint through peer-reviewed LCAs, reporting 72% lower greenhouse gas emissions, 99% less arable land use, and 60% less fossil energy than conventional dairy. Nutritionally, the company focuses on digestibility and leucine content, supporting performance-oriented applications such as sports nutrition, healthy aging, and clinical formulations.

The company sees social impact as equally important. “We enable global food manufacturers to reduce dependency on animal supply chains and strengthen food sovereignty,” Mac Millan says.

Looking five years ahead, he offers a clear target. “Success is Verley becoming the leading B2B partner for sustainable and innovative dairy ingredients,” he says. “Our proteins will be used in millions of products globally. We will have helped reduce pressure on livestock and enabled manufacturers to meet demand for sustainable, high-performance proteins.”

Verley expects 2026 to bring continued growth in protein-fortified everyday foods, a rise in clean-label performance nutrition, deeper ties between food tech and health, and regulatory clarity that unlocks new markets. But Mac Millan sees one barrier as urgent. “The science is ready, and consumer interest is rising, but approval delays in key markets are slowing down deployment,” he says. “Clear, science-based frameworks are essential for translating biotech into real-world food solutions.”

The company’s pace reflects this ambition. “We achieved our first industrial-grade production milestone less than three years after founding, a rare pace in precision fermentation,” Mac Millan says. With a 30-person team representing seven nationalities, Verley is building with global scale in mind. That breadth also shapes the way Mac Millan thinks about the future. “I recently read La vie rêvée de Nikola Tesla, which inspired me a lot. He was an amazing visionary who sought to revolutionize the world through advanced technology.” It is the kind of perspective that feeds into his own long-term view. “Thanks to Verley’s work and breakthrough technology we are about to fix the protein gap while reducing the pressure our food system is putting on our earth.”