Originally published by Foodstuffs on December 16, 2025
Author: Foodstuffs South Island
Original article:
Why this matters
This Foodstuffs South Island partnership is a major commercial validation of Leaf Rubisco Protein as a functional ingredient, not just a nutrition story. Working directly with FSSI’s bakery teams to trial Rubisco in products like cakes and muffins tests what matters in-market: taste, texture, quality, and consistency at scale, in a real production environment.
For Leaft this collaboration strengthens the ingredient’s commercial pathway and accelerates adoption by proving performance where functionality is non-negotiable—baking.
Excerpt from the article
“This really grabbed our attention,” said Daniel Te Raki, FSSI’s Bakery Operations Manager. “It’s great local innovation with the potential to change how some baked goods are made here.
“We wanted to get involved because it could help diversify where our ingredients come from and ultimately give more choice to our customers across the South Island.
“This partnership ticks those boxes and also presents the potential to strengthen the overall sustainability of baking and bakery products.”
(Excerpt reproduced for commentary purposes. All rights remain with the original publisher.)
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About Leaft Foods
Leaft Foods harnesses the planet's most plentiful protein, extracted directly from green leaves, to make industry-defining products with a fraction of the carbon footprint of conventional dairy protein. Leaft's allergen-free Rubisco protein matches animal proteins in digestibility and nutritional profile and allows their farmer-growers to diversify how they use their land. Founded in New Zealand by highly experienced corporate leaders John Penno and Maury Leyland, who bring deep expertise in food and farming, and led by food industry veteran Ross Milne, Leaft has evolved from a kitchen experiment into a proven sustainable protein solution for pasture-based agricultural economies worldwide. Now accelerating its expansion with a focus on the United States, the company's transformative approach has attracted diverse backers including prominent Silicon Valley firm Khosla Ventures, NBA basketball star Steven Adams, indigenous investor Ngāi Tahu and ACC. Learn more at LeaftFoods.com and LeaftBlade.com
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