- Dutch ingredients company turns the vast potential of lactoferrin, known as “pink gold”, into commercial reality.
- Dubbed “The Breakthrough Protein Whose Time Has Come,” Vivici’s lactoferrin ingredient Vivitein™ LF achieves self-affirmed GRAS in the US.
- Vivici will showcase its game-changing Vivitein™ portfolio of functional protein ingredients at Expo West 2026 in Anaheim.
LEIDEN, Netherlands, Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — For years, the consensus amongst nutrition innovators was that lactoferrin, a whey protein, had vast potential as an ingredient to unlock product innovation, but that it was too rare and expensive to be commercially viable. That changes today, with Dutch ingredients company Vivici launching Vivitein™ LF in the US market.
Often referred to as “pink gold,” lactoferrin has long been prized for its role in supporting the body’s natural balance and resilience, but until now has remained scarce and costly due to its low abundance in milk.
With Vivitein™ LF, Vivici provides nutrition innovators with a lactoferrin ingredient that solves the supply and cost issues associated with traditionally produced lactoferrin and enables health and wellness brands to develop transformational consumer products.
Vivitein™ LF is produced through precision fermentation, unlocking access to one of dairy’s most valuable bioactives. The high purity multi-functional protein ingredient enables a range of consumer product innovations for health and wellness companies in gut health, performance recovery and sustained vitality.
It supports gut health by optimising the microbiome balance and strengthening the gut barrier. It also helps manage the body’s inflammatory response, particularly relevant where repeated exercise drives chronic low-grade inflammation. In addition, it gently mobilises iron to improve utilisation in the body, offering millions of women with low iron levels the potential for sustained, day-long vitality.
Vivitein™ LF is positioned within the rapidly expanding health and wellness food market, valued at approximately US $938 billion in 2024 and projected to reach US $2.2 trillion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 9.8%1, with the health benefits most sought by consumers being energy and gut health2.
“The question that will define the health and wellness industry for years to come, is how can we help the body’s own system maintain health from within,” said Stephan van Sint Fiet, CEO of Vivici. “Innovators who effectively fulfill this unmet consumer demand with innovative and transformative health products leveraging breakthrough proteins, such as Vivitein™ LF, will succeed.
Vivici has obtained self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognised as Safe) in the US for this breakthrough ingredient, marking a significant milestone in the expansion of the Vivitein™ ingredient portfolio.
A game-changing portfolio of functional protein ingredients, Vivitein™ gives nutrition innovators the ability to offer premium products that satisfy consumer demand for greater strength and performance, greater vitality and the ability to stay active for longer.
Vivitein™ LF is the second ingredient to be launched by Vivici under the Vivitein™ banner, following the successful commercialisation of their flagship beta-lactoglobulin ingredient, Vivitein™ BLG.
The launch of Vivitein™ LF builds on Vivici’s rapid progress to date. Founded in 2023 to deliver on the commercial potential of precision fermentation, Vivici combines deep ingredient-application expertise with strong commercial and technical leadership.
The company is expanding its manufacturing footprint to establish a global supply network while accelerating market access across geographies and segments for its ingredient portfolio.
Vivici will showcase Vivitein™ LF and Vivitein™ BLG at Expo West in Anaheim, CA. On-site, visitors will be able to sample and learn more about the portfolio of functional protein ingredients by visiting Booth #3894 at the Anaheim Convention Center from March 4-6, 2026.
References
1 Credence Research, Inc., Health and Wellness Food Market by Type, 2024–2032, 27 November 2025, https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/health-and-wellness-food-market.
2 McKinsey & Company, The Future of Wellness Trends Survey 2025, 29 May 2025, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/future-of-wellness-trends.
About Vivici
Vivici was founded in 2023 with the mission of making the promise of dairy protein from precision fermentation a commercial reality. Based in the Netherlands, Vivici combines breakthrough innovation and unrivalled ingredients industry experience to help food companies unlock new commercial potential, sustainably. Vivitein™, the company’s game-changing portfolio of functional protein ingredients, enables nutrition innovators to offer exciting new premium products that satisfy the demands of modern consumers like never before.
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SOURCE Vivici
