Perfect Day Foods

Launching the world’s first company to grow milk from cell cultures instead of cows

2014

Overview

For decades, humanity has produced proteins, enzymes, and small molecules via cell cultures. What if we leveraged those same industrial fermentation techniques to produce milk proteins?

That was the idea New Harvest community members Ryan Pandya and Perumal Gandhi pitched to Isha, our executive director, in 2014—entirely independently of one another.

She connected the two of them and encouraged the team to apply for funding as the New Harvest Dairy Project. That project eventually turned into Perfect Day Foods, the world’s first company to grow milk from cell cultures instead of cows.

Behind-the-scenes

From 2014–2017, we documented updates about Perfect Day Foods here. It began with Isha Datar, our executive director and at the time, co-founder of Perfect Day (back when it was known as Muufri) blogging about the team’s first three months at an accelerator in Ireland.

Perfect Day Foods is now too big for us to keep track of what they’re up to. They are also an independent company! To stay up-to-date on Perfect Day’s latest developments, please visit their website.

: Isha with Natalie Rubio, a New Harvest intern-turned-research fellow who traveled to Ireland to help out with Perfect Day Foods (then Muufri) during their first few months in Ireland.

: Ryan and Perumal with an initial sample of milk, sporting Muufri’s old logo!

Updates

March, 2015 – In light of growing independent interest among investors in cellular agriculture, New Harvest moves away from founding companies. Instead, we focus on more neglected aspects of ecosystem building and supporting pre-competitive research.

July, 2014 – Isha Datar donates her shares in Muufri to New Harvest and gives up any formal role in the company.

May, 2014 – New Harvest volunteer Natalie Rubio interviews Perumal Gandhi about his experience co-founding the world’s first cell-cultured milk company. Read it here.

April, 2014 – New Harvest Dairy Project is accepted into the accelerator and incorporates as a company under the name “Muufri.” Ryan, Perumal, and Isha are co-founders with equal shares.

April, 2014 – Ryan Pandya, Peruma Gandhi, and Isha Datar apply to an accelerator in Cork, Ireland as the New Harvest Dairy Project.

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It is the first resource of its kind to take a practical approach to review the design, feasibility, and implementation of cellular agriculture techniques. With additional chapters on life cycle analyses and ideal transition scenarios, this book provides a resource for aspiring technology developers and academics alike seeking evidence-based assessments of the industry and its disruptive potential. The textbook was written by industry and academic experts for a balanced perspective of the field today and to inspire and shed light on a path forward.