Wilk is developing cultured animal milk and human milk at its labs in Rehovot. (Courtesy)
French dairy giant Danone has entered into a strategic investment agreement with Israeli startup Wilk, which could lead to a collaboration with the food tech firm to develop cultured breast milk components for infant formula based on its cell technology.
Danone Manifesto Ventures (DMV), the corporate venture arm set up by the Paris-based food giant, will invest $2 million, leading a $3.5 million financing round announced by Wilk, in a filing to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange on Monday.
Following the investment, the venture arm of the dairy company, which makes Activia yogurt, Aptamil infant formula and Evian water, will hold at least 2% of Wilk’s share capital.
Dr. Nurit Argov-Argaman of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem founded Wilk (as Biomilk) in 2018, and has since developed cell-based technology to produce cultured human breast and animal milk. Argov-Argaman took it public on the TASE in 2021 in a SPAC (special-purpose acquisition company) merger deal.
For the animal-derived cultured milk, Wilk isolates the milk-producing cells from cows’ udders and transfers them to a bioreactor, where they are exposed to materials patented by the firm to produce milk ingredients, but without needing a cow in the final milk-producing process.