Noma and Novonesis join forces to redefine flavor through biology

Noma, one of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants, has announced a partnership with global biosolutions leader Novonesis to fuse cutting-edge science with culinary artistry. The collaboration aims to create foods that are not only healthier and more sustainable, but also more flavorful than ever before.

For centuries, food traditions have been shaped by biology – from fermentation and brewing to baking and cheese-making. Now, two of the most influential names in their fields are revisiting those roots in a modern context, blending Noma’s culinary imagination with Novonesis’ scientific expertise to “scale deliciousness” and inspire a global rethink of how food is made.

René Redzepi, Founder & Co-Owner of Noma, said the partnership was about unlocking new flavor possibilities. “We need to inspire the world to eat in new ways, and I believe that flavor is the change factor for this,” he said. “Deliciousness is our superpower at Noma, and in partnership with Novonesis, we can take our imagination, our knowledge, to unlock incredible new flavors and bring them to people’s homes around the world.”

The collaboration will see chefs and scientists working side by side at the intersection of biology, science, and food innovation. Together, they aim to turn ideas from lab benches and test kitchens into real-world products. These will include new creations under the Noma Projects line, which extends the restaurant’s boundary-pushing approach into accessible consumer products.

Both partners bring deep expertise in fermentation – a process that sits at the heart of their work. Novonesis, which has more than a century of fermentation experience, helps global food companies develop biosolutions that enhance flavor, texture, and nutritional value. Noma, meanwhile, has made fermentation central to its culinary identity, pioneering techniques that have shaped the evolution of modern cuisine.

“Without fermentation, Noma would be a very limited version of itself,” Redzepi said. The restaurant’s famed fermentation lab has become an incubator for flavor innovation, producing misos, garums, and vinegars from local ingredients that define its distinctive Nordic style.

Novonesis brings a global perspective to that local craft. Its biosolutions help customers tailor foods to regional tastes by adjusting sweetness, umami, and bitterness through microbiology. The partnership, said Andrew Taylor, Executive Vice President of Food & Beverage Biosolutions at Novonesis, will combine those insights with Noma’s culinary creativity.

“What it means to be delicious varies by location,” Taylor said. “That’s why we have local labs all over the world. By teaming up with Noma, we are taking our knowledge of taste and texture to the next level, creating foods that are healthier, more flavorful, and better for the planet.”

At its core, the partnership is about connecting food science with sensory experience. Noma’s approach to foraging, fermentation, and storytelling in cuisine will be complemented by Novonesis’ biotechnological precision. Together, they will explore new ways to enhance nutritional profiles, create novel textures, and extract greater value from local ingredients.

Beyond product development, the collaboration signals a broader shift in how innovation can flow between gastronomy and industrial food production. It demonstrates how fine dining’s experimental mindset can accelerate sustainable transformation across the food system.

By merging the creativity of chefs with the analytical rigor of scientists, Noma and Novonesis hope to show that sustainability and deliciousness are not opposing forces but natural partners. Both organizations share a deep respect for place and provenance – values that have guided their work for decades. Noma’s emphasis on rediscovering local ingredients mirrors Novonesis’ commitment to developing biosolutions adapted to regional tastes and resources.

The partnership’s first tangible results will be unveiled at Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai, taking place from November 4–6, 2025, where a series of co-developed prototypes will showcase how biology and gastronomy can come together to redefine the future of food.

With this collaboration, Noma extends its influence far beyond the dining room, transforming the way flavor itself is imagined, produced, and shared. And for Novonesis, it’s an opportunity to show that science, too, can be a creative act – one that starts with microbes and ends with a meal worth remembering.