Pacifico Biolabs raises €7 million Series A to turn idle German breweries into alternative protein factories

Pacifico Biolabs, a Berlin-based mycelium-fermentation protein company, has closed a €7 million Series A funding round to scale production to 200 tonnes per month and to support commercial launches across DACH and Nordic Europe, with production anchored in Saxony, Germany.

The round was backed by Stray Dog Capital, TGFS, Sprout & About Ventures, Simon Capital, FoodLabs, and a regional brewery partner.

Andres Manzanares, Principal at Stray Dog Capital, states, “After a decade backing alternative protein companies, we see Pacifico as a clear leader in overcoming the bottlenecks that have held back the category. By using existing infrastructure to produce clean-label, nutritious, and affordable meat alternatives that are indistinguishable from their animal counterparts, Pacifico offers a credible solution to a broken protein supply chain.”

Founded in 2022 by Zac Austin and Washington Logroño, Pacifico Biolabs grows meat using its mycelium fermentation biotechnology. 

According to the company, alternative proteins have long struggled to compete on three fronts simultaneously: cost, texture, and nutrition. Pacifico claims its fermented mycelium addresses all three. It has a natural meat-like structure and neutral flavour, making it a practical ingredient for food manufacturers, reducing the need for additives and providing a solid foundation for private label products.

Pacifico also points out that achieving cost parity with traditional meat has been the key missing element for alternative proteins. The company states that it is targeting cost parity from day one by running production through existing brewery infrastructure. 

Its fermentation process runs directly in standard beer brewery tanks, removing the need for purpose-built bioreactors and multimillion-euro expenditure. As beer and alcohol consumption decrease across Europe, many breweries have idle fermentation tanks. Pacifico sees this as an opportunity, avoiding the lengthy process of constructing new facilities and establishing a quick, cost-effective way to scale up production for mass markets. 

“We aren’t just building a food ingredient company, we’re putting European industrial infrastructure to work for the future of food. German brewing heritage meets modern industrial biotechnology. We’re using the hardware of the past to power the nutrition of the future,” said Zac Austin, co-founder and CEO of Pacifico Biolabs. 

The company emphasises its role in supporting European protein sovereignty by producing high-quality protein locally, close to where it is consumed, using existing regional industrial capacity.

Sören Schuster (TGFS) commented, “Pacifico solves the industry’s scaling problem with an elegant, asset-light model. The combination of European sovereignty and high capital efficiency makes them a key player in the emerging bio-economy. Saxony provides the perfect ecosystem of skilled labour and industrial backbone to anchor this transition.”

With additional funding obtained, Pacifico plans to grow its Leipzig team and speed up its initial commercial partnerships. The products are anticipated to be available on retail shelves through brand and retailer partners by late 2026.

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