AAK and Checkerspot are joining forces to develop, scale, and commercially produce an alternative source of structuring fats and oils. As consumers and global brands continue to push for new plant-based options, developments for new fats and oils need to meet three criteria: they can be produced at scale, provide unique consumer experience, and are less vulnerable to climate change, Checkerspot highlights in an announcement.

“Checkerspot’s growing portfolio of unique oils and their expertise in microalgae fermentation make them the ideal partner for us to collaborate with to meet the growing demand for alternatives that are both functional and sustainable. Checkerspot is clearly a leader in this area and we’re excited to tap into their innovation platform to develop and commercialize new oils using microalgae. The collaboration fits perfectly with our goal of offering our partners value-added and sustainable solutions,” said Kim Olofsson, Global Head of R&D at AAK.

AAK’s plant-based oils and fats are used in a wide variety of applications in the food, confectionery, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical and animal feed industries. “With forward-thinking partners like AAK, we can bring new solutions to the table. Our team at Checkerspot is able to identify and bring a strain of microalgae all the way through product development and scale up, for a cost-effective, market-ready solution that meets demanding consumer expectations. Everything we do, including our strategic partnerships, is in service of our mission to positively impact people and the planet,” said Scott Franklin, Co-founder & CSO of Checkerspot.

Photo: Microalgae oil produced through fermentation. Credit: Karl Nielsen