Ingredion Inc. (NYSE: INGR) has entered into a global research and development partnership with Shiru, a California‑based startup that was named a TIME Best Invention of 2024 for its AI‑powered ingredient discovery platform. The collaboration is designed to speed the discovery and commercialization of novel functional proteins for food, beverage, supplements and specialized nutrition, leveraging Shiru’s proprietary AI platform, Flourish™, which catalogs and analyzes more than 77 million natural protein sequences.
The partnership expands Ingredion’s Texture & Healthful Solutions portfolio, particularly in clean‑label and gut‑health segments. Shiru has already launched AI‑discovered ingredients such as uPro™—a structured potato protein with emulsifying and texturizing properties—and OleoPro™, a protein‑enabled fat alternative that reduces saturated fat content. Shiru’s platform has moved from research to commercial production, and the partnership will combine Shiru’s rapid discovery capabilities with Ingredion’s global manufacturing scale and customer relationships to bring new prebiotic and protein‑based ingredients to market faster and at scale.
Michael Leonard, Ingredion’s chief innovation officer, said the partnership "strengthen[s] how new ingredients are identified, evaluated and advanced for use in food." He added that Shiru helps Ingredion discover better natural ingredients more quickly so the company can help customers deliver new products at a pace the market expects. Dr. Jasmin Hume, founder and CEO of Shiru, noted that the company has "broken the mold on how ingredient discovery is done" and that the speed of identifying high‑performance natural proteins has opened the floodgates for healthy, targeted nutrition. She emphasized that pairing Shiru’s capability with Ingredion’s scale creates a direct path from discovery to market.
The collaboration signals Ingredion’s continued shift toward higher‑margin specialty ingredients and supports its long‑term margin expansion goals. By integrating AI‑driven discovery with its manufacturing and distribution network, Ingredion aims to strengthen its competitive positioning in the specialty ingredient market and accelerate the development of clean‑label, gut‑health‑focused products.
The content on EveryTicker is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. We are not financial advisors. Consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. Any actions you take based on information from this site are solely at your own risk.