South Korean food tech startup Soyft Biome has received fresh financing to expand the reach of its plant-based products, which are derived from fermented soybean waste.
Turning plant-based waste into non-dairy products, South Korea’s Soyft Biome is looking to take its climate-friendly alternatives to more coffee shops and bakeries across the country.
The effort is being backed by a new round of funding from MY Social Company’s (MYSC) Extramile Lycon Fund, which is betting on the startup’s waste-to-value AquaProtein and Soyft technologies.
The firm operates three verticals: Ja:yu sells low-sugar condensed milks, KetoYou produces tempeh products, and Fermax markets protein-boosted energy drinks.
“Through this investment, we will strengthen our product competitiveness and production systems to provide healthy plant-based alternatives to more consumers and corporate clients,” said Yoon Seo-yeon, CEO of Soyft Biome.
Combining plant-based protein and emulsion tech
Soyft Biome produces AquaProtein by upcycling byproducts generated during the steaming and fermenting of soybeans to make tempeh.
The functional protein is rich in amino acids and saponins, and has excellent viscosity, moisture retention, and foam-holding capacity. This makes it suitable for use in a range of wellness-focused products, including egg substitutes, plant-based sauce bases, and high-protein formulations.
Currently, Soyft Biome uses AquaProtein to make its plant-based cream and sauce formulations under the Ja:yu brand and the functional drinks under the Fermax label.
The namesake Sofyft formula is an emulsion-stabilised plant-based innovation that ensures superior viscosity and texture without any dairy or sugar. It’s described as a clean-label technology that can be applied to various sauce-like products, such as cream, condensed milk and dressings.
While Soyft Biome’s ingredients power dairy-based condensed milks, they also form the base of a low-sugar, dairy-free Veggie Cream Condensed product. This range has entered major distribution channels, like Coupang Rocket Fresh, Olive Young, Baemin B Mart, as well as department stores.
With the new funds, the company plans to boost the competitiveness of the Ja:yu brand and accelerate its expansion into the foodservice channel, particularly with café and bakery franchises, as well as the low-sugar and wellness markets.
Soyft Biome eyes cosmetics and medical nutrition markets
“The existing dessert and sauce market had limitations as it could not break away from a structure centred on high-sugar and dairy products,” said a spokesperson from MYSC.
They added: “We determined that Soyftbiome is competitive because it has solved technical challenges through the upcycling of fermentation byproducts and low-sugar, plant-based formulation technology.”
Soyft Biome is participating in MYSC’s 2026 Agri-Food Technology Startup Accelerator Support Program, which is being backed by the national agriculture ministry. The firm will receive support for advancing its business model and verifying its global market presence.
“We will grow into a technology platform company that expands beyond food into various industries based on a sustainable food system,” said Yoon.
This strategy involves applying its proprietary emulsion formulation technology to other sectors. The company explains that its microemulsion structure, which ensures temperature and pH tolerance and long-term storage stability, is well-suited for expansion into medical nutrition and cosmetics (including skincare).
