SAN MATEO, CALIF. — Alternative protein producer Calysta Inc., announced the appointment of Herman Sloot to vice president of commercial development on July 14.

Prior to Calysta, Sloot served as global vice president of fats, proteins and minerals at Gelita, a pet food ingredient supplier. He also worked for Dupont Nutrition and Health, formerly Danisco, for 10 years.

In his new position at Calysta, Sloot will focus on the European alternative protein market, where the company’s proteins are currently approved for use in pet food products through Calysseo, the company’s joint venture with Adisseo.

“I am thrilled with the challenge, I want to do something that makes a real difference — and Calysta truly is a game changer,” Sloot said. “It has a technology that addresses one of the biggest challenges in food production; how do we feed the world? It’s been such a big question for the industry for years.

“We can’t all become vegetarian — there’s not enough land,” Sloot added. “We can’t keep flattening rainforests for soy. We can’t all just eat meat. We need additional options. Calysta’s technology is part of the answer to that and it’s enormously exciting to be a part of that story.”

Sloot will officially join the company on Sept. 1, 2022.

“Herman is a really important addition to Calysta’s global team,” said Alan Shaw, Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer of Calysta. “With Calysseo, we are addressing at scale the opportunity in aquaculture, but our technology can address multiple needs in the food supply chain. Herman’s recruitment is part of our strategy to develop our proposition firstly in the pet food market, then also in human food products.”

Recently, Calysseo debuted its new FeedKind facility in China. The facility is the world’s first commercial, industrial-scale plant to produce sustainable protein ingredients that are neither plant- nor animal-based, according to Adisseo and Calysta. The new facility specializes in sustainable proteins for aquaculture but can also produce proteins for use in pet food and livestock feed.

The company’s Calysseo venture uses microorganisms to create more environmentally friendly proteins.

“Our technology means we can produce a sustainable protein with no impact on biodiversity,” Shaw explained. “Importantly, it is also non-GMO and unaffected by many of the issues experienced by other proteins in the food space, such as seasonal production challenges, or impurities in the final product.

“Herman will help us explore how these unique attributes can benefit these markets and we’re delighted to welcome him to Calysta,” Shaw added.

Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.