Creating clean-label, animal-free fats involves balancing multiple factors: functional properties, sensory attributes, and ingredient transparency.
For ingredient manufacturers, the main challenges include replicating the mouthfeel, melting behavior and flavor release of animal fats, which are structurally complex.
Meanwhile, consumers demand products free from artificial stabilizers, emulsifiers, or heavily processed inputs.
All this complicates the task of formulating ingredients that deliver on taste and functionality without impinging on clean label requirements.
Over the years, the industry has addressed these challenges by leveraging plant-based oils, using technologies such as encapsulation; exploring structured fat systems to mimic animal fat properties; and utilizing processing techniques and ingredient fermentation for cleaner solutions.
But despite the progress made, achieving scalability, affordability and widespread acceptance remains a hurdle.
Israeli foodtech start-up Gavan Technologies is hoping to address this and more with its dairy-free fat replacer Fatrix, which the company claims is a ‘scalable and cost-efficient fat solution’ with applications across bakery (brioche and croissants in particular) and dairy (whipping creams, ice cream, cooking creams, cream cheeses and puddings); all without the need for added thickeners or stabilizers.
The ingredient is claimed to be neutral in flavor and odorless, and maintains stability and water- and fat-holding capacity even when heat or pressure is applied.
Importantly for food brands wanting to achieve a more favorable Nutri-Score, this butter alternative can reduce total fat content by around 30%.
Itai Cohen, Gavan co-founder and CEO, said: “Fatrix is unique because it uses the natural properties of plant-based proteins to create a stable emulsion, providing superior functionality and clean-label appeal. This approach avoids reliance on synthetic stabilizers or highly processed methods, offering smoothness, stability, and flavor neutrality.
“In comparison to competitors, Fatrix delivers an unmatched balance of affordability, sustainability, and sensory quality.”
Fatrix a like-for-like replacement for butter, he added. “It is a stable emulsion that resists breakdown under high heat and delivers consistent results in pastries, laminated doughs, and other applications. It has additional advantages for bakers as it has more water activity than butter, which saves time and energy.”
Compared to other dairy-free alternatives, the ingredient addresses challenges like greasy textures, limited stability, and flavor inconsistencies, we were told. As for what it’s made of, it’s the company’s proprietary protein-based formulation plus non-dairy milk.
“Fatrix has a higher water content, enabling a ~30% reduction in total fat in formulations, depending on the application and recipe,” Cohen told us. “Saturated fat content can be lowered by 80-90% as we use plant-based oils instead of butter or margarine on one hand, or replace tropical oils such as palm oil on the other.”
The company recently secured $8m investment in a funding round led by Israeli venture capital firm MoreVC. The proceeds will be put towards expanding Gavan’s commercial presence in Europe, with a focus on serving the bakery and dairy sectors. To achieve that, a production plant is set to commence operations on the continent in April 2025. Fatrix is already approved for market and does not require novel foods regulatory approval, the company said.
“This funding round opens the door for Gavan to enter the European food market, where we can quickly make a positive impact. Our new, fully EU-certified facility is planned to go commercial as early as April next year,” Cohen said.
