Novella, Metaphor Foods unite to commercialize cell–based natural preservatives

Biotech start-up Novella Innovative Technology, Ltd. and leading functional ingredient innovators Metaphor Foods, Braeside Victoria, Australia, announce a strategic partnership to spearhead a new paradigm for natural preservation in food applications.

Plant-cell platform

Novella creates pure compounds from plant cells, but outside of the plant using novel, precision-controlled environmental technology. The company is a pioneer in precision botanical ingredients, leveraging its proprietary AuraCell™ plant cell technology. This platform enables the growth of bioactive compounds directly from the plant cells, slashing resource use by 99%. The result is a pure, powerful bioactive ingredient with guaranteed consistency and zero waste.

Joint initiative

The collaboration will leverage Novella’s AuraCell technology to deliver natural antioxidant and anti-microbial compounds via a waste-free, resource-efficient supply. These compositions will be part of Metaphor Foods’ Hela Natvance® range of natural food-protection solutions. Metaphor Foods is the innovation and accelerator arm of Hela APAC, dedicated to bridging gaps in the food industry across the Asia-Pacific.

“This is a long-term strategic commitment in a market with high demand for natural solutions,” assures Geoff Gordon, CEO of Metaphor Foods. “We’re integrating Novella’s solution into our natural food-protection systems to bring it to market quickly, responsibly, and effectively. While the initial focus is on meat and poultry preservation, the strategic potential of this partnership extends across dozens of revenue-generating categories, including seafood, dairy, baked goods, alternative protein products, and pet food.”

With a mature and efficient food processing sector that has a growing demand for natural, clean-label ingredients, the APAC region is currently ripe with opportunity. Metaphor foods’ deep regional presence and distribution capabilities ideally position the partnership to tap into these markets with speed and precision.

“We’re not just offering an ingredient—we’re reshaping the very definition of natural preservation for food products,” affirms Itay Dana, CBDO and co-founder of Novella. “This partnership energizes the mutual vision to deliver cleaner, cost-parity solutions to the food and nutraceutical industries. Our technology platform and the diverse range of products currently in development address some of the most pressing challenges the food manufacturing industries face today.”

Through their alliance, Metaphor Foods is supporting Novella in finalizing application studies and regulatory pathways while advancing a commercialization plan. The agreement outlines a long-term supply relationship designed to secure ingredient availability, establish manufacturing readiness, and ensure consistent quality at scale. Valued at USD10 million over seven years based on meat industry projections alone, the agreement holds wider potential across APAC’s food and pet sector.

Market size and challenges

The food preservatives market has been valued at USD3.18 Billion and is projected to reach more than USD4.51 Billion by 2033. With consumers paying greater attention to the ingredients in their foods and beverages, developers and manufacturers are working diligently to clean up labels. They increasingly are shifting away from synthetic preservatives, turning to natural sources of antioxidants, antimicrobials, and natural preservatives. Most manufacturers now rely on natural options such as tocopherols (vitamin E) and rosemary extract. These have been crucial in supporting clean-label formulations but come with notable limitations for some formulations—including off-flavors, inconsistent efficacy, low compatibility, cost barriers, and supply chain limitations for these valuable raw materials.

Lab test results

Multiple trials with meat products were conducted at the state-of-the-art Hela-Schwarz application labs. “We received impressive results,” notes Gordon. “Novella successfully replaced natural antioxidants currently in use, reduced the overall cost, and extended shelf life by 30%. Compared to synthetic optionsꟷwhich face growing consumer resistanceꟷNovella’s products not only offer clean-label benefits but also promote minimal footprint.”

Commercial scale and cost parity 

“We are in the final stages of scaling up production and validating batch-to-batch consistency,” acknowledges Dana. “These activities are part of our execution plan to guarantee full readiness for the commercial launch of our product by beginning of 2026.”

The global supply chain for natural ingredients is increasingly unstable, driven by fluctuations in crop quality, climate-related disruptions, limited harvesting windows, and recurring raw material shortages. These factors contribute to unpredictable pricing and unreliable sourcing for manufacturers. Novella offers a consistent and scalableꟷyet natural alternative.