Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services, has announced it has acquired Proteus Industries, Inc. This acquisition adds sustainable clean label yield enhancement technology to the global Kemin Food Technologies portfolio of ingredient solutions.

Proteus Industries, Inc. was founded in 2001 in Gloucester, Mass. as a privately owned food technology and ingredient company that created, developed, and patented novel clean label protein ingredients and applications to improve yield, nutrition, and quality in a variety of meat and poultry and protein-based applications. Kemin will rebrand the ingredient technology as Proteus, which is now available to Kemin customers in the United States to help commercial food processors improve retention of moisture and texture without reliance on artificial ingredients. This provides manufacturers the opportunity to meet the label claims and product attributes consumers desire, while reducing input costs and achieving greater yields.

“Kemin Food Technologies is excited to welcome Proteus to the Kemin family,” said Marc Scantlin, president, Kemin Food Technologies – Americas. “We have retained the entire Proteus team, with Bill Fielding, current Proteus CEO, being named as general business manager, and Dr. Stephen Kelleher being named Research Fellow. We look forward to Bill, Steve and the entire Proteus team of experts becoming an integral part of our organization. Together, we will work to further develop this exciting technology, providing a sustainable protein source and new solution for our customers, while meeting an important need in the marketplace.”

The acquisition adds several new technologies to the existing Kemin portfolio of ingredient solutions in the United States, including:

• Clean label phosphate alternative to meet consumer demand while also increasing yield and water-holding capacity 
• Meat block replacement used in conjunction with phosphate, for additional yield and water retention while meeting USDA formulation regulations 
• Fat block for fried foods forming a protein crust around items that inhibits frying oil from being absorbed into breading 

“This acquisition is timely, as this technology allows us to provide the industry with additional product offerings and expanded production capabilities,” said Giuseppe Abrate, group president Kemin Food and Human Nutrition. “It is also a game changer, as it enables us to achieve the Kemin mission to sustainably transform the quality of life for consumers. This is critical as the growing world population continues to increase the demand on our food supplies. Consumers are also demanding improved nutrition and cleaner label ingredients. One of the larger challenges facing the industry today is how to meet the rising demand for protein, better nutrition and cleaner labels, without negatively impacting cost or quality.”

“We are excited for the future, as Kemin and Proteus bring together the dedication, technology, innovation, manufacturing and human resources to offer solutions on a larger scale,” said Bill Fielding, former Proteus CEO, now general manager within Kemin Food Technologies. “By providing sustainably sourced, functional, muscle-based protein ingredients in various forms for easier application and greater industry reach, we can help processors more naturally retain moisture and protein typically lost in process. This means we can accomplish so much—protecting margins with cleaner ingredients, while enhancing quality and nutrition, as well as improving the way the world eats.” 

To learn more about the Kemin portfolio of ingredient solutions for yield enhancement and moisture control, shelf-life extension, flavor and color retention, and food safety, click here.