A mid-sized Irish dairy processor approached NBPP with a challenge familiar to many in the sector — significant volumes of whey permeate were being treated as waste, despite their known potential for valorisation. Working through NBPP’s Scale Up Suite, the company ran a series of pilot-scale trials using our fermentation and downstream processing infrastructure.

Within 12 weeks, the team had validated a process for extracting high-value bioactives and producing biomethane from the remaining organic fraction. The results spoke for themselves: a 40% reduction in waste treatment costs and a clear pathway to two new revenue streams — all before committing to full commercial investment. “The ability to test at 500L scale, with expert support on-site, completely changed our approach to innovation. We de-risked the process in months, not years.” NBPP provided end-to-end support throughout — from initial feedstock characterisation and process design through to TEA/LCA assessment and market-readiness evaluation.

This project is a strong example of how NBPP bridges the gap between promising lab-scale research and commercially viable bio-based products.