BMC Ingredients Eyes 2027 India Launch of Rhiza Mycoprotein After FSSAI Approval
US food tech startup BMC Ingredients has secured regulatory approval to sell its Rhiza mycoprotein in India, where it plans to launch in Q2 2027.
BMC Ingredients is hoping to capitalise on India’s appetite for microbial proteins after obtaining the regulatory green light to sell its Rhiza mycelium ingredient in the country.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued an approval letter for the Californian startup’s flagship protein, which is derived from the fermentation of fungal strain Neurospora crassa.
It represents the fourth market where Rhiza mycoprotein has been cleared for sale, joining the US, Singapore and Canada, with BMC Ingredients targeting an Indian launch in Q2 2027.
“India has extraordinary culinary traditions that lend themselves well to a new high-protein mycelium ingredient,” said co-founder and CEO Paul Shapiro. “Indians want more protein, but they don’t have to get it from meat or processed isolates like whey, and can instead enjoy this all-natural whole food.”
Rhiza mycelium combines protein and fibre with longevity compounds
Formerly known as The Better Meat Co, the startup produces Rhiza via submerged fermentation of Neurospora crassa, which has a long history of human consumption in foods like oncom (a fermented Indonesian staple made from byproducts like soy pulp) and Roquefort cheese.
During fermentation, the microbes naturally form a dense network of microscopic fibres that create a chewy texture, eschewing the need for fractionation, isolation or extraction.
At the end of the process, the wet biomass is separated from the growth medium via filtration, and the resulting moist cake is diced into small pieces and dehydrated using a heat treatment step. The dried and shredded biomass is then sieved and packaged.
Rhiza contains 45-51% protein (more than eggs) and 30% fibre (more than oats), with a protein digestibility score of 0.87-0.96 (close to casein, beef and eggs). It also has more iron and zinc than beef, and more potassium than bananas, with no cholesterol and virtually no saturated fat.
It has also been found to contain longevity-linked compounds ergothioneine and spermidine, which promote cell renewal and protect mitochondria and DNA, respectively.
BMC Ingredients sells Rhiza to B2B customers in two formats. The first, RhizaTex, comprises mycelium chunks specifically designed for applications where texture is critical, such as meat analogues and blended meat.
The second is RhizaPro, a powdered mycelium ingredient for products that require solubility, emulsification, and gelation, including dairy alternatives, smoothies, bars, pasta, and baked goods.
Capitalising on India’s (fermented) protein boom
BMC Ingredients’s latest regulatory milestone is set to advance its plans to expand its international business and serve Indian food manufacturers at a time when high-protein products, especially fermentation-derived options, are on the ascendancy.
This stems from fears of a protein deficit in the country, with one survey suggesting that 73% of citizens don’t get enough of the nutrient. However, a separate analysis of household food intakes reveals that the risk of protein deficiency, when adjusted for digestible quality, is low in adults and non-existent in young Indians.
In any case, India’s per capita protein consumption is set to triple from 9.5kg in 2025 to 30kg in 2070. And a 2025 poll showed that 37% of Indians want to add more plant proteins to their diets, and a greater share want to increase their protein intake from plant-based sources than from animal products. Plus, 49% have been buying more high-fibre foods.
This shift is being driven by Gen Z, 82% of whom say it’s important to consume protein, and 91% are open to adopting plant-based foods (mainly to increase protein intake). Moreover, close to a third of consumers (32%) in this market are willing to pay a premium on protein-boosted foods.
That’s a space rapidly being captured by fermented alternative proteins. Brands like SuperYou, Yoga Bar, Cosmix, Sugarfit, BeastLife, Fuel One, Mille, and Unilever-owned Horlicks now all sell yeast protein powders, each supplied by Arboreal Bioinnovations, which raised $24.2M in Series A funding in July.
BMC Ingredients, which itself closed a $31M Series A round last year, operates a 9,000-litre bioreactor that can produce thousands of pounds of mycelium at its demo plant in Sacramento, and is working with a contract manufacturer in Asia to scale up to 100 dry tonnes each month. The latter facility is set to open in Q2 2027, when Rhiza is set to enter the Indian and Canadian markets.
The startup has already secured five agreements with major meat producers in North America, South America and Asia, collectively projected to generate $13M in annual revenue.