Sunbloom Proteins – proteins from the sunflower

More plants, less meat, dairy and eggs: The world urgently needs a rethink of how and what people eat. How start-up Sunbloom Proteins plans to make that a tastier proposition.

Sunflowers are her favorite flowers, as it happens. “I loved them even before I started Sunbloom Proteins,” Amandine Perez says. “And I can still enjoy looking at them without immediately thinking about nutritional value.” Sunflowers are a happy sight, whether growing in a field or arranged in a vase. “Or on your plate!” Perez says with a laugh. Her employer, Avril, acquired the start-up Sunbloom Proteins a little over a year ago. Perez, now the company’s managing director, has been advancing its vision since July: “To incorporate plant protein into our diet as casually and with as much versatility and good taste as possible.”

Developed at Fraunhofer IVV

To achieve this, Sunbloom Proteins uses sunflowers, which have long been prized in Europe for their oil and seeds. A technique developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Freising, near Munich, also makes it possible to produce a protein concentrate from the plants. The sunflower seeds are shelled and pressed, the oil is extracted, and then the seeds are dried and finally finely ground. “The final product is a powder with a consistency similar to that of flour, but with a protein content of 60 percent,” Perez says. It has a number of advantages over other plant proteins like soy, wheat or pea protein: “Sunf lower protein has a completely neutral taste, is light in color, has a pleasant consistency and can be processed in a wide variety of ways.” In short, the extract is a sustainable and healthy source of protein that can easily be incorporated into many foods.

The texture of the protein is extremely variable. “We supply a natural ingredient that can effortlessly substitute for meat, dairy and eggs in many products,” Perez says, pointing to the product’s key benefits. Whipped, like cream or egg whites? No problem. Dissolved in water? Yes, and with no residue. Dissolved in emulsions? The perfect combination. Foamed, like milk? Pass the coffee! Sunflower seed protein is also a good meat substitute, either with a high proportion of water like in burger patties or emulsified sausages, in plant-based pâté or as dried chunks. “Sunflower protein doesn’t have an aftertaste, like pea protein, or give foods an unpleasant color, and it has outstanding texturizing properties,” Perez explains. And all that is crucial in making it attractive for broad-based use in the food industry. “We need to give manufacturers maximum freedom to design their products.” So far, it’s a winning recipe: Sunbloom Proteins GmbH has grown steadily ever since it was founded as a spin-off of Fraunhofer IVV in Freising in 2017.

The goal of the company’s acquisition by the global Avril Group, in April 2023, was to raise the profile of plant-based proteins on the market. Sunbloom Proteins continues to work closely with Fraunhofer IVV. “Avril looks for innovative and sustainable solutions to feed people. That’s why dialogue with the research sector is hugely important to us.” Products that use the sunflower protein as an ingredient are now on store shelves not just in Germany, but also in France, Italy and Brazil. “We’re working on a plantbased chocolate mousse right now,” Perez says from her office in Paris. A French native herself, she is following the development of the creamy dessert with an especially critical eye. She laughs, but she’s serious: “Enjoyment is really important to me. I firmly believe change is only possible if we can offer really tasty, delicious alternatives without compromising on flavor.” She’s literally working to “sweeten” the shift for people, if you will. And she is no exception herself. Like most people, Perez is not a vegan or a vegetarian, but she is concerned about the planet and wants to add more plants to her own and her family’s diet. That can be a real challenge in daily life with her fouryear- old son. “A lot of people are curious, so they try plant-based alternatives. But they haven’t really caught on so far. It would be wonderful to be a part of that transformation.”