Bee-Free Honey · Project-based
Honey’s taste, made by fermentation.
We recreate the steps bees use to turn nectar into honey, with enzymes made by fermentation.
What is bee-free honey?
Bee-free honey is a honey-like sweetener made by precision fermentation. Enzymes made by microorganisms turn a plant-based sugar solution into it, as bees do with nectar.
We love honey and we love bees. Bee-free honey adds a second source of honey, next to the beekeeper.
Our focus is on the sweetener and non-animal casein. We develop bee-free honey in partner projects, when a food maker brings a product and a market.
How it is made
We didn’t replace the bee. We recreated its process.
We studied how bees turn nectar into honey, then rebuilt those steps with precision fermentation.
Why a second source of honey
Functions
What bee-free honey does in your product
| Function | What it does, and why it matters | Where to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Honey-like sweetness | Enzymes turn a plant-based sugar solution into a honey-like product, as bees do with nectar. | Products that use honey today |
| New flavours | Different plant-based "nectars" can open new honey flavours and functions. | New product development |
| Animal-free | A honey-like ingredient made without animal-derived inputs. | Vegan products |
| Year-round supply | Production runs all year, whatever the season, weather or colony health. | Steady supply for food makers |
We confirm each function with the licensee, in trials on its own product.
The process
How is it made?
- The blueprint. We identified the four key enzymes bees use to turn nectar into honey.
- The production organism. A well-characterised E. coli strain, engineered to make those enzymes.
- The process. In a fermenter, the enzymes turn a plant-based sugar solution into a honey-like product.
The result is a controlled process that gives the sweetness we love and leaves the bees to pollinate.
Project-based
From lab proof to partnership
Where we are
A proof of concept in the laboratory. We have:
- Built microorganisms that make the four key honey enzymes.
- Tested them in a controlled laboratory setting.
- Shown that fermentation can turn a plant-based substrate into a honey-like product.
What comes next
Licensees work with us on:
- Application development. Test and tune bee-free honey in your products.
- Scale-up. Take the process from pilot scale to industrial production.
- Safety work. Build the safety data a market launch needs, together.
Good to know
How can I work with bee-free honey?
Through a partner project. We develop it in your products with you, when you bring a product and a market.
How does it relate to beekeeping?
We love honey and we love bees. Bee-free honey adds a second source next to beekeeping, and beekeepers are welcome partners.
What makes the enzymes?
A well-characterised E. coli strain makes the enzymes. The enzymes then turn a plant-based sugar solution into a honey-like product.
How can my company take part?
We look for partners in application development, scale-up and safety work. Tell us about your products and plant.
Develop bee-free honey with us.
Bring your products and your questions. We bring the science and the process.