Leeds-based MicroLub raises €8.7 million to help food makers cut fat without sacrificing taste and texture

MicroLub, a Leeds-based DeepTech ingredient solutions company that develops protein-based biolubricant technologies to replace fats and oils in food and personal care products, has completed an €8.7 million ($10 million) funding round. 

The round was led by Northern Gritstone, with participation from all of MicroLub’s existing investors, including NPIF II – PXN Equity Finance, which is managed by PXN Ventures as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).

Duncan Johnson, CEO of Northern Gritstone, said, “MicroLub is addressing one of the food industry’s biggest scientific and commercial challenges. Its proprietary technology enables manufacturers to reformulate products in response to changing consumer expectations without compromising the sensory experience that drives purchasing decisions.”

Founded in 2023 by Professor Anwesha Sarkar from the School of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds, MicroLub develops protein-based technologies that enhance mouthfeel, texture, and nutrition in food, beverage, and personal care products. 

The company states that its patented technologies enable consumer brands and food service suppliers to reduce fat content and increase protein content in their products while maintaining the sensory experience consumers demand.

According to the company, food manufacturers are under growing pressure to improve the nutritional profile of their products. It notes that tighter regulation and changing eating habits are driving reformulation across food categories. The widespread adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss medicines is accelerating this shift, with consumers increasingly seeking higher-protein, lower-calorie foods. 

However, MicroLub highlights that reducing fat, increasing protein or developing plant-based alternatives often compromises the taste, texture and mouthfeel that consumers expect, limiting repeat purchases.

The UK startup claims to solve this challenge through its patented protein-based ingredient technology. Rather than replacing fat with starches, gums or alternative fats, MicroLub replicates this lubrication using water, enabling manufacturers to reduce fat and calorie content by up to 75% while maintaining the sensory experience consumers demand. 

“MicroLub’s technology reduces molecular friction in food and personal care products, delivering oil-like sensory performance without adding fat or oil. By coating protein microgels with polysaccharides in precisely calibrated ratios, MicroLub creates biolubricant molecules that replicate the mouthfeel of fat and the skinfeel of oil. This enables manufacturers to reduce fat content, increase protein, or incorporate micronutrients — all while maintaining the quality and sensory experience consumers expect,” the company explained. 

The company states that, in many applications, the technology can also increase protein content and clean up the ingredients list by removing the need for ingredients such as emulsifiers and thickeners, which consumers are increasingly rejecting. 

David Peters, CEO of MicroLub, said, “For too long, consumers have had to choose between food products that taste great, but are unhealthy, and those that are nutritious but compromise on the eating experience. With MicroLub’s technology, that’s no longer the case – they can now literally have their cake and eat it! Our technology enables manufacturers to reduce fat, increase protein and simplify ingredient lists while delivering the indulgent mouthfeel and texture consumers expect. This investment supports our international scale-up, team growth, and getting MicroLub powered on shelves very soon.”

MicroLub states that it has progressed from lab-scale to industrial-scale manufacturing and is now working with some of the world’s largest food and ingredient companies. It continues to collaborate closely with the University of Leeds, using its research facilities while also operating its own food innovation laboratory at Nexus in Leeds.

“Since emerging from the University of Leeds, the company has made exceptional progress, scaling its technology and attracting interest from global food manufacturers. This is exactly the kind of world-class university spinout Northern Gritstone was created to support, and we’re excited to back the team as they build what we believe can become a globally significant ingredient technology company,” added Johnson.

The company plans to use this capital to support its next phase of growth, including expanding the team and accelerating its expansion into the US and Asian markets. It will also help convert existing customer trials into commercial agreements and further develop its proprietary ingredient technology.

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