Precision fermentation food ingredient company Onego Bio has announced a commercial partnership with Brooklyn-based Zen Waffles to supply its non-animal egg protein, Bioalbumen®, for use across Zen Waffles' product portfolio.
The commercial agreement integrates Bioalbumen into the expanding high-protein breakfast and convenience food category, representing an operational milestone in Onego Bio's commercial expansion across the United States.
Zen Waffles produces protein-forward baked items distributed nationwide direct-to-consumer across all 50 US states, alongside a wholesale and physical retail stockist network encompassing fitness centres, grocery multiples, and speciality retailers including Citarella Gourmet Market.
Precision-Fermented Protein
Bioalbumen is Onego Bio’s bio-identical, non-animal egg protein produced via precision fermentation. Engineered to replicate the nutritional density and technical functionality of traditional ovalbumin, the ingredient delivers functional aeration, binding, and structural properties without relying on animal agriculture.
Key technical specifications and sustainability benchmarks of the ingredient include:
🍳 Functional Egg White Match: Delivers the structural binding, crumb aeration, and browning properties of conventional egg whites during high-temperature baking.
🌱 Reduced Environmental Footprint: Achieves an environmental impact estimated to be 90 per cent lower than conventional egg protein production, according to data published in Nature Food (2021).
🌾 Broad Category Application: Formulated for integration across bakery, snacks, sports nutrition formulations, and adjacent protein-forward consumer packaged goods.
Eugene Komissarov, co-founder of Zen Waffles, stated that the brand's core focus centres on making high-protein convenience foods nutritious and approachable, adding that incorporating Bioalbumen supplies a reliable source of protein while supporting the company's retail growth nationwide.
Maija Itkonen, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Onego Bio, explained that egg protein provides multiple processing functions in waffle production, including tender interior crumb formation and exterior crispness and browning. Itkonen noted that Bioalbumen combines this multifunctionality with elevated protein density, allowing commercial bakers to meet demand for convenient protein fortification.
High-Protein Bakery
The commercial deployment coincides with the migration of high-protein claims from dedicated athletic supplements into everyday grocery fixtures.
According to retail market research from Euromonitor International:
US High-Protein Packaged Foods:Â Retail sales expanded 25 per cent between 2021 and 2025, reaching nearly $24 billion.
High-Protein Baked Goods:Â Surged nearly 46 per cent over the identical four-year trading period.
The partnership demonstrates how precision fermentation ingredient suppliers can transition from pilot-stage development into commercial food production, partnering with agile consumer brands to establish market visibility within high-growth retail categories.
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