Investment opportunity · New Zealand biotech

Turning dairy by-product into a better kind of sweetener.

WheyTech Bionics NZ is developing natural sweeteners from whey and whey permeate, with the potential to support better sugar choices and create value from an underused dairy by-product.

Explore the technology View the investment opportunity →
462Mpeople living with Type 2 diabetes worldwide
~3M testimated whey produced annually in New Zealand
$700kcapital raise sought via SAFE

The opportunity

Two large problems. One circular-economy opportunity.

WheyTech's proposition connects the global need to reduce sugar intake with a New Zealand dairy by-product that can be costly and environmentally contentious to dispose of.

Whey pouring from a pipe
02

Whey is an abundant dairy by-product

New Zealand cheese production is estimated to generate around 3 million tonnes of whey annually. Smaller manufacturers may need to dispose of tens of thousands of litres each week.

Our solution

A natural sweetener derived from whey.

WheyTech is a New Zealand-based biotech start-up developing natural sweeteners from whey and whey permeate, with lab trials completed for pre-production.

  • Potential anti-diabetic properties, subject to validation
  • Alternative to sugars used in food, beverage and pharmaceutical products
  • Liquid and powder formats for a broad range of commercial applications
  • Potential to create additional IP using sheep, goat and camel milk
  • Supported by Ministry for Primary Industries and Callaghan Innovation
A mound of white sweetener powder
Product ambition Food · Pharma · Health
Golden sweetener being poured into chocolate

Market opportunity

Built for a very large sugar and sweetener market.

$39.95B+annual global sales of food products containing high amounts of industrial sugar
170M+ tannual sugar and glucose syrup volume
NZ-madepositioning around a locally developed natural sweetener option

Technology & product development

From whey stream to versatile sweetener.

1

Whey sourcing

Collected from local dairy manufacturers.

2

Filtration & extraction

Multi-step filtration removes lactose and unwanted elements while retaining the target whey stream.

3

Enzymatic treatment

Lactose is broken down to create a natural, lactose-free sweetener.

4

Concentration & drying

Liquid concentrate can be converted into a versatile powder.

Designed for scale. The process is intended for large-scale production and global market demand.

Industry feedback

Recognised by manufacturers, regulators and research partners.

Fox Peak Dairy

Manufacturers of WheyTech products.

FSANZ

Approved as a novel food in Australia and New Zealand.

NZFIN

Internationally recognised research institute and main research partner.

Strategic roadmap

Validate, commercialise, partner, expand.

The next phase centres on trials and validation, followed by commercial launch, channel partnerships, international expansion and further R&D.

01

Clinical trials

Validate the proposed anti-diabetic properties of the whey-based sweetener.

02

Product commercialisation

Launch into food, pharmaceutical and health supplement markets following trials.

03

Channel partners

Build manufacturing, marketing and distribution partnerships.

04

Global expansion

Scale internationally after a successful New Zealand launch.

05

Additional R&D

Develop new IP from additional milk sources including sheep, goat and camel.

Capital raise

$700,000 sought via SAFE.

The raise is intended to fund product development and trials, manufacturing scale-up, market development, future research and operational costs.

Current company valuation$2.0M
3-year sales prognosis$5.4M

Use of funds

Product development & trials50%
Marketing & distribution21%
Manufacturing & scale-up15%
Future research7%
Operational costs7%

Team

Experienced across food science, trade and governance.

Ben Van Rooy

Ben Van Rooy

Founder / Director

40+ years' experience importing and exporting products for the food industry.

Dr Mike Boland

Dr Mike Boland

Lead Scientist

50+ years in agricultural and food biochemistry, with extensive research and dairy-sector experience.

Dr Grant MacDonald

Dr Grant MacDonald

Food Technologist

Food science and refrigeration technology specialist with research and advisory experience.

Daniel Taylor

Daniel Taylor

Marketing and IT

20+ years' experience in IT and marketing.

Join us

Help transform a dairy by-product into a global health opportunity.

WheyTech is seeking forward-thinking investors and partners to support validation, scale-up and commercialisation.

Ben Van Rooy · Founder ben@wheytech.com +64 21 028 72271