Northern Gritstone invests £4 million in MicroLub

MicroLub replicates lubrication using water, enabling food manufacturers to reduce fat and calorie content by up to 75%

Northern Gritstone has made a £4 million investment into MicroLub, a a deeptech ingredient solutions company spun out from the University of Leeds, as part of a £7 million round.

Food manufacturers are under growing pressure to improve the nutritional profile of their products. Tighter regulation and changing eating habits are driving reformulation across food categories. The widespread adoption of GLP-1 weight-loss medicines is accelerating this shift, with consumers increasingly seeking higher-protein, lower-calorie foods. But reducing fat, increasing protein or developing plant-based alternatives often compromises the taste, texture and mouthfeel that consumers expect, limiting repeat purchases.

MicroLub is solving this challenge through its patented protein-based ingredient technology. Rather than replacing fat with starches, gums or alternative fats, MicroLub replicates this lubrication using water, enabling manufacturers to reduce fat and calorie content by up to 75% while maintaining the sensory experience consumers demand. In many applications, the technology can also increase protein content and clean up the ingredients list, removing the need for ingredients such as emulsifiers and thickeners, which consumers are increasingly rejecting.

Founded by Professor Anwesha Sarkar from the School of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds, the company has progressed from lab-scale to industrial-scale manufacturing and is now working with some of the world's largest food and ingredient companies. It continues to collaborate closely with the University of Leeds, using its world-class research facilities while also operating its own food innovation laboratory at Nexus in Leeds.

All of MicroLub's existing investors from their 2024 round participated in this new round, including NPIF II - PXN Equity Finance, which is managed by PXN Ventures as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II). The investment will support the company's next phase of growth, including expanding the team and accelerating its expansion into the US and Asian markets. It will also help convert existing customer trials into commercial agreements and further develop its proprietary ingredient technology.

David Peters, CEO of MicroLub said: “For too long, consumers have had to choose between food products that taste great, but are unhealthy, and those that are nutritious but compromise on the eating experience. With MicroLub’s technology, that’s no longer the case - they can now literally have their cake and eat it! Our technology enables manufacturers to reduce fat, increase protein and simplify ingredient lists while delivering the indulgent mouthfeel and texture consumers expect. This investment supports our international scale-up, team growth, and getting MicroLub powered on shelves very soon.”

Duncan Johnson, CEO of Northern Gritstone, said: "MicroLub is addressing one of the food industry's biggest scientific and commercial challenges. Its proprietary technology enables manufacturers to reformulate products in response to changing consumer expectations without compromising the sensory experience that drives purchasing decisions.