Swedish firm Cirkulär has been awarded funding to upscale forest-based industry waste into multiple product outputs.
The Lund-based business recently launched its first product, Mycomeal, a protein-based ingredient for fish feed produced through a fungal process using forest-based industry side streams.
Following this launch, Cirkulär, alongside the University of Borås and Kitcoat, has received €226,000 in funding from FORMAS, to investigate how additional high-value materials can be developed using the same process.
Unlocking value
“This project will demonstrate how much value can be unlocked simply by making better use of existing side streams,” commented Eric Öste, founder and CEO of Cirkulär.
“Until now, our focus has mainly been on the protein component for fish feed, but we will now evaluate other valuable compounds and identify where they offer the strongest impact. This is not just R&D, it’s a strategic move toward long-term growth and a more circular bioeconomy.”
Long-term targets
Cirkulär’s long-term vision is to operate a full-scale integrated fungal biorefinery, where a single bioprocess supports multiple product lines, with the new project enabling the company to explore other compounds produced during the process.
This includes the production of protein isolates for food and feed ingredients; chitin-glucan complexes for food and beverages, cosmetic and skincare ingredients; chitosan for biodegradable packaging coatings and treatment applications; and beta-glucans for immune-supporting ingredients in animal and functional food components.
Its current research builds on a previous VINNOVA-funded project, enabling Cirkulär to shift from a single-product path to a wider set of outputs.
Initial testing will take place at the company’s demonstration facility, producing small quantities of each ingredient to evaluate their performance and market potential.
Cirkulär launched Mycomeal, a whole-mycelium protein ingredient for aquafeed, in October.
‘By transforming low-value industrial byproducts into high-value functional ingredients. Cirkulär contributes to a more resource-efficient and circular bio-based industry,’ it said. Read more here.
