Farm-to-table eGrocery startup, Urban Tiller, is venturing into the fast-growing alternative proteins market with its new product range, OLERI.

The OLERI range of products offers high quality Rubisco and other Leaf Protein Concentrates (LPC) to food processing companies that make plant-based protein products. Rubisco is not only the most abundant protein on earth but is also, arguably, the most complete plant-derived protein with a digestibility quotient equivalent to that of egg whites and animal proteins.

Urban Tiller already aggregates fresh leafy greens from over 25 urban farms in Singapore, offering them a high value route to market. This new strategy improves our ability to further enhance economic outcomes for them through bulk offtake arrangements and contract farming opportunities.

“Our OLERI range of products enables us to serve a completely new category of customers and also creates new sources of value for our partner farms. We expect to address challenges associated with taste, texture and nutritive profile of conventional plant-derived proteins in Singapore, the epicentre of global foodtech innovation,” said Co-Founder Vaibhaw Dwivedi.

Rubisco is an enzyme that occurs in all plants and plays a key role in the photosynthesis process, allowing plants to convert carbon-di-oxide into usable energy. Rubisco naturally occurs in the leaf structure of all plants and, when isolated and processed well, results in a versatile colourless, odourless and neutral tasting ingredient that could replace the use of even egg whites in food products.

By developing a fractionation process that can isolate and extract Rubisco and other leaf protein fractions, Urban Tiller is unlocking a new pathway to food security in Singapore and contributing to Singapore’s 30*30 food production goals.

“Our expertise in controlled environment farming allows us to quickly develop protocols that enhance the protein content, especially that of Rubisco, in the plants. I am excited about unlocking this new, high value, product line at Urban Tiller. We are now fully focused on scaling our fractionation process without compromising the key attributes of the product,” said Co-Founder Arjun Ayyagari.

The OLERI range of products combines deep plant science to maximize Rubisco concentration in the plants with sophisticated biotechnology to isolate and extract the protein without denaturing it.

“OLERI marks Urban Tiller’s evolution into a deep technology startup. We are seeking advice from the best experts in plant science and biotechnology and now looking to partner with investors who have the expertise in scaling up businesses like ours,” said Shiva Susarla Co-Founder of Urban Tiller and CEO of RENERGII Ventures.