Verley secures $38 million Series A to commercialize high-performance whey protein ingredients through precision fermentation

Lyon, France – February 24, 2026 – Verley, a French nutrition-focused ingredient company developing high-performance whey proteins through precision fermentation, has secured an oversubscribed $38 million Series A financing round, only four years after its inception. The round brings together top European players: new investors, including Alven leading the round, Blast and BpiFrance, and historical investors Sofinnova, Sparkfood, Captech and Founders Future. With additional non-dilutive support from Bpifrance, this funding round supports Verley’s next phase of industrial execution and market deployment.

This milestone comes at a critical time, as global protein demand accelerates under multiple converging factors. In 2026, the global protein market is expected to continue posting record figures, after reaching a value of $31.8 billion in 2025. High-protein nutrition has become a mainstream expectation across categories, while demographic growth, evolving dietary habits and the rapid expansion of GLP-1 treatments (1 in 8 adults in the US were taking a GLP-1 drug in 2025) are further increasing demand for high-quality, digestible protein ingredients. At the same time, conventional whey protein production is facing structural constraints, limiting its ability to meet these needs at scale while reducing environmental pressure.

Addressing a growing gap in protein supply

In this context, Verley develops functional whey protein ingredients, more precisely beta lactoglobuline (BLG) designed to deliver the nutritional and functional performance expected by food and nutrition manufacturers. Verley has built its approach to integrate seamlessly into existing food value chains, responding to concrete industrial and market requirements.Verley’s ingredients made through precision fermentation only require a fraction of the natural resources used in conventional production, addressing a growing demand from manufacturers and consumers for reduced-impact products. 

The company focuses exclusively on B2B ingredient solutions, supporting manufacturers developing high-protein, clean-label and digestible products across multiple applications. Verley’s portfolio, marketed under the FermWhey™ range, consists of functionalized whey proteins engineered for performance in real-world formulations (protein shots, high-protein ready to drink…), combining high purity, advanced solubility, emulsification, gelling properties and optimized nutritional profiles.

From technological validation to industrial readiness

Since its creation, Verley has followed a methodical development path, combining rapid execution with industrial discipline. In less than four years, the company has secured key regulatory milestones, including a self-affirmed GRAS status in 2024 followed by a FDA “No Questions” letter in 2025, validating the safety and robustness of its approach for the U.S. market.

Beyond regulation, Verley has built a strong intellectual property portfolio around both fermentation and proprietary protein functionalization technologies. These technologies do not aim solely to replicate dairy proteins, but to enhance their performance, unlocking new formulation possibilities for manufacturers.

This combination of regulatory clearance, IP depth, industrial scalability and strong commercial traction remains rare in the sector at this stage of maturity.

A Series A driven by execution, not promise

The $38 million Series A reflects this level of derisking and execution. Demand for Verley’s ingredients already exceeds current production capacity, underlining a strong product-market fit in a sector where many innovations struggle to move beyond pilot scale.

The proceeds of the round will primarily support Verley’s U.S. market entry, including commercial deployment and early customer scale-up, alongside a ramp-up of production capacities. The company will also continue investing in R&D to further strengthen the performance, efficiency and sustainability of its technologies. Following the U.S. launch, Europe and the Middle East will be priority regions for expansion, reinforcing Europe’s position in the development of strategic food and nutrition technologies.

A European FoodTech company with global ambitions

By building scalable protein production capabilities, Verley contributes to strengthening food sovereignty in a market increasingly exposed to supply constraints and geopolitical uncertainty. Its approach, along with this fundraising, is proof that Europe is a competitive player in the key future food technologies of tomorrow, combining scientific excellence, industrial rigor and market relevance.

Stéphane Mac Millan, CEO and co-founder of Verley, said: “Verley’s mission is to address the growing global demand for high-quality nutrition while preserving the planet’s natural resources. Verley is now ready to help alleviate the pressure the dairy industry is facing. We are very proud to be building a European champion leveraging decades of know-how in the dairy industry.”

Hélène Briand, Co-founder and Chief Innovation & Commercial Officer, added:
“This financing allows us to scale not only our production, but the performance promise behind our ingredients. Our functionalization technologies are designed to meet real industrial constraints and application needs. That focus on performance is what makes precision fermentation relevant and viable at scale.”

About Verley

Verley is a food and nutrition ingredient company based in Lyon, France, developing high-purity, functionalized whey proteins through precision fermentation. By combining nutritional performance, industrial scalability and sustainability, Verley supports food and beverage manufacturers in developing next-generation high-protein products aligned with evolving consumer and market expectations.

🌐 www.verley-food.com

Press contacts

Thibaut Elijah Lafargue
Head of Marketing & Communication – Verley
thibaut.lafargue@verleyfood.com
+33 7 86 85 05 80

Raphaël Abensour
Backbone Consulting
raphael.abensour@backbone.consulting
+33 6 58 96 29 30