Cauldron Ferm has an unlikely origin story, as startups go. Its core technology can be traced back to the 1960s, or maybe the 1970s. The exact start is a bit hazy, actually. What is known is that David and Polly McLennan had a dream of feeding the world using protein grown from microbes.
The pair knew they needed to improve the process, which was pricy and time consuming. Most fermentation happens in batches. Picture a brewery or a vineyard. Ingredients go in and the microbes work for a while, but then the process stops when it’s time to take out the finished product. It works for alcohol because booze commands a premium price. Food, though? That needs to be cheaper.