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Leaf Rubisco Protein Enters the New Zealand Bakery Aisle

Leaf Protein Enters the New Zealand Bakery Aisle visual media slide

Eggs are quietly becoming optional in South Island bakeries. Foodstuffs South Island, NZ is trialling Leaf Rubisco Protein as an egg replacement across more than 200 New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square stores, marking the first major retail test for the Canterbury-based ingredient maker Leaft Foods. Cakes, muffins and fresh bakery staples are the proving ground, exactly where eggs normally do the heavy lifting on structure, binding and lift.


What makes this trial notable isn’t novelty, it’s function. Leaf Rubisco Protein, extracted from alfalfa leaves, delivers egg-like emulsifying and gelling properties without requiring complex reformulation. Unlike soy or pea proteins, biological “storage units, Rubisco is an enzyme protein evolved for photosynthesis, and that dynamic structure translates directly into real-world bakery performance.


There’s also a climate and supply story baked in. An independent life cycle assessment shows 97% lower carbon emissions than whey protein, while New Zealand’s egg supply continues to face cost pressure and production constraints. For retailers, the appeal is resilience. For consumers, the shift may be invisible, but the implications for how everyday food is made are anything but.



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