At Leaft Foods, we’re innovating from the ground up. We’re tackling the challenges that New Zealand’s food and fibre sector are facing. Our paddock to product solution meets the needs of global customers and changing diets, providing real options to diversity farming and supporting the changes needed to reduce the environmental issues caused by excess agricultural nitrogen.
We’re doing this by producing a high-quality plant-based protein that will allow thousands of other companies create sustainable, amazing tasting food products. Our innovative approach extracts this protein straight from ordinary green leaves, a highly abundant and sustainable source.
Because we’re here to create a sustainable future for New Zealand, we’re also integrated with existing farming systems, producing a high-quality silage feed for farming operations and forage cropping options that together reduce the total nitrogen loading in the farming system.
The time is now. Get in touch with us to learn more.
We’re doing this by producing a high-quality plant-based protein that will allow thousands of other companies create sustainable, amazing tasting food products. Our innovative approach extracts this protein straight from ordinary green leaves, a highly abundant and sustainable source.
Because we’re here to create a sustainable future for New Zealand, we’re also integrated with existing farming systems, producing a high-quality silage feed for farming operations and forage cropping options that together reduce the total nitrogen loading in the farming system.
The time is now. Get in touch with us to learn more.
Location: New Zealand, Canterbury, Lincoln
Employees: 11-50
Total raised: $15M
Founded date: 2019
Investors 2
| Date | Name | Website |
| - | Agnition | agnition.v... |
| 17.04.2022 | Khosla Ven... | khoslavent... |
Funding Rounds 1
| Date | Series | Amount | Investors |
| 16.05.2022 | - | $15M | - |
Mentions in press and media 7
| Date | Title | Description |
| 09.09.2025 | Leaft Foods Partners with Lacto Japan to Introduce Revolutionary Leaf Rubisco Protein to Japanese Market | Strategic partnership leverages Lacto's market expertise to bring next-generation protein to Japan's innovation-driven food manufacturers ROLLESTON, New Zealand and TOKYO, Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaft Foods, a company that harnesses ... |
| 15.08.2025 | Leaft Foods Unveils Leaft Blade, Performance Nutrition from Green Leaf Protein | Leaft Foods, a company based in New Zealand, has made a significant development in protein extraction, successfully commercializing Rubisco protein sourced from green leaves. The company claims that this breakthrough addresses a challenge t... |
| 21.02.2024 | ‘World’s Most Abundant Protein’ Cheap Enough to Replace Soy: Upcycled Rubisco Protein Startup Day 8 Nabs $750K Pre-Seed | 5 Mins Read Israeli startup Day 8, which produces upcycled plant-based proteins from Rubisco, has secured a pre-seed investment of $750,000 from food tech incubator and investor The Kitchen Hub. Day 8 has closed a $750,000 pre-seed financin... |
| 28.04.2022 | Startup Wire | Bring the Ruckus | Hi everyone. Taro here. Elon Musk has been getting a lot of press recently because of his acquisition of Twitter and the subsequent dip in Tesla’s share price, causing a huge ruckus across online discourse channels. This makes one realize t... |
| 12.04.2022 | Leaft Foods Raises $15M for Leaf-Derived Protein With Similar Profile to Beef | New Zealand-based Leaft Foods has secured $15 million in funding for its leaf-derived protein. Participants in the round included Khosla Ventures, NBA star Steven Adams, and New Zealand indigenous investor Ngāi Tahu. Leaft plans to use the ... |
| 11.04.2022 | Paradigm, Andreessen Horowitz, and Union Square Ventures sued over alleged ‘rampant fraud’ on Uniswap exchange | This is the web version of Term Sheet, a daily newsletter on the biggest deals and dealmakers. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox. The most successful crypto funds have taken a hands-on approach with the founders they work with.... |
| 11.04.2022 | Leaft Foods Nets $15 Million To Create Global Value Chain For Leaf-Sourced Protein | 4 Mins Read New Zealand-based Leaft Foods is taking a new approach to plant-based protein development. The company, led by Maury Leyland Penno and Dr John Penno, is extracting protein from a plant’s most abundant element: its leaves. Proof ... |