Leaft Foods Ltd

Leaft Foods Ltd. is a pioneering company based in New Zealand, founded by John Penno and Maury Leyland Penno, with the mission to reduce the environmental impact of food production. By harnessing the most abundant protein on the planet, Rubisco, found in green leaves, Leaft Foods produces high-quality plant-based protein using innovative and food-safe technology that ensures digestibility for humans. The concept originated at a hackathon, leading to kitchen experiments and extensive research on leaf protein and Rubisco. Since its launch in August 2019, Leaft Foods has been dedicated to creating sustainable food systems that benefit both humanity and the environment. The company’s research indicates that producing Rubisco protein from leafy crops has a carbon footprint ten times lower per hectare than conventional dairy protein. Understanding the challenges faced by agriculture, the founders, being farmers themselves, designed a model that enables farmers to diversify into plant protein production. Leaft Foods recognizes that most greenhouse gas emissions from food production occur on the farm, making it crucial to adopt sustainable farming practices. While the company acknowledges that further data collection is necessary to fully define the impact of their system, they remain optimistic about its potential for transforming the future of food.