Novella, Metaphor team up on cell-based natural preservatives for clean-label foods

ISRAEL – Biotech startup, Novella, and Australian ingredient specialist, Metaphor Foods, have entered a strategic partnership to introduce cell-based natural preservatives aimed at the food industry’s growing demand for clean-label solutions.

The collaboration combines Novella’s precision-controlled, AuraCell technology with Metaphor’s Hela Natvance range of natural food protection solutions.

Novella’s AuraCell plant cell technology for precision botanical ingredients enables the direct growth of bioactive compounds from plant cells, reducing resource use by 99 per cent, resulting in pure bioactive ingredients with guaranteed consistency and zero waste.

“This is a long-term strategic commitment in a market with high demand for natural solutions,” commented Geoff Gordon, CEO of Metaphor Foods. “We’re integrating Novella’s solution into our natural food-protection systems to bring it to market quickly, responsibly, and effectively.”

The goal of this partnership is therefore to deliver plant-derived antioxidant and antimicrobial ingredients that are resource-efficient, consistent, and waste-free, starting with meat and poultry applications, with plans to expand into seafood, dairy, baked goods, alternative proteins, and pet food.

“We’re not just offering an ingredient – we’re reshaping the very definition of natural preservation for food products,” Itay Dana, Novella’s Chief Business Development Officer & Co-founder, stated.

According to the companies, initial lab trials carried out in Hela-Schwarz application labs showed promising results. 

Novella’s plant cell-derived compounds were able to replace current natural antioxidants, reduce costs, and extend shelf life by 30% in meat products. 

“We received impressive results,” said Gordon. “Compared to synthetic options – which face growing consumer resistance – Novella’s products not only offer clean-label benefits but also promote minimal footprint.”

The agreement between the companies includes a long-term supply plan, regulatory support, application studies, and commercialization strategy. 

It is valued at US$10 million over seven years based on projections for the meat industry alone. 

Dana said the team is in the final stages of scaling production and validating batch-to-batch consistency, with plans to launch commercially by early 2026. “These activities are part of our execution plan to guarantee full readiness,” he noted.

Metaphor Foods

Meanwhile, Metaphor Foods serves as the innovation and accelerator arm of Hela APAC, drawing on the experience of its affiliated companies, Schwarz and Hela,

Metaphor’s core mission is to connect advanced food technologies to evolving needs across the APAC region, where the demand for natural, clean-label ingredients is growing rapidly.

The natural food preservatives market

This collaboration comes at a pivotal time for the natural food preservatives market, which is valued at US$3.18 billion and projected to surpass US$4.5 billion by 2033.

As food manufacturers respond to consumer calls for transparency and simpler ingredient lists, many are shifting away from synthetic preservatives toward natural solutions like tocopherols and rosemary extract. 

However, these traditional natural preservatives can be expensive, produce off-flavors, or lack consistency, creating an opening for new alternatives like Novella’s.

By combining Novella’s scalable, precision-controlled production with Metaphor’s market reach, the partnership is well-positioned to meet the rising demand for consistent, cost-effective, and clean-label preservation solutions across the broader food and pet sectors in the Asia-Pacific region.

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