Exclusive: What's the key to better vegan cheese? Microbreweries, one startup says | TechCrunch

"Vegan cheese is widely considered a poor simulacrum of the dairy version. The key missing ingredient is casein, a protein from mammalian milk that gives cheese its structure and helps it melt."

"AuX is using bioreactors to make casein, but it isn't the first to do so. Still, the startup hopes its cheese can be produced just as cheaply as with dairy thanks to its secret weapon: Struggling microbreweries."

"AuX says it has developed its microbial strains and its fermentation process with microbreweries in mind. Both sides benefit: Brewers get another business line to help support their operations, and AuX gets access to fermenters without having to pony up capital."

AuX Labs is developing a method to produce casein, a key cheese protein, using bioreactors, which could enhance vegan cheese quality. The startup collaborates with struggling microbreweries to utilize their excess fermentation capacity, providing a new revenue stream for brewers while keeping production costs low. AuX has raised $4 million to commercialize its cheese product, aiming to create a vegan cheese that melts and stretches like traditional cheese, addressing the common shortcomings of current vegan alternatives.

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