Korean Startup Turns Tofu Waste Into Dairy-Free Cream

What once got poured down the drain is now becoming your next favorite cream alternative.

Soyft Biome, a South Korean food tech startup, has secured new funding to expand its clever approach to plant-based dairy. The company captures the liquid byproduct created when steaming and fermenting soybeans for tempeh, then transforms it into a protein-rich ingredient called AquaProtein.

This rescued liquid is packed with amino acids and has natural properties that make it thick, creamy, and able to hold foam. Those qualities make it perfect for creating dairy alternatives that actually perform like the real thing.

The company now sells three product lines. Ja:yu offers low-sugar condensed milk alternatives, KetoYou produces tempeh products, and Fermax markets protein-boosted energy drinks. The dairy-free Veggie Cream Condensed product has already landed on shelves at major retailers including Coupang Rocket Fresh, Olive Young, and department stores across South Korea.

CEO Yoon Seo-yeon says the fresh investment from MY Social Company's Extramile Lycon Fund will strengthen production systems and help provide healthy plant-based alternatives to more consumers and businesses. The startup is now targeting café and bakery franchises, where creamy condensed milk is a staple ingredient.

The Ripple Effect

Soyft Biome's approach tackles two problems at once: food waste and the environmental impact of dairy production. By rescuing a byproduct that would otherwise be discarded, the company creates value from waste while offering alternatives to high-sugar, dairy-based products.

The technology behind their products uses emulsion stabilization to achieve superior texture and viscosity without any dairy or added sugar. This clean-label approach resonates with wellness-focused consumers looking for healthier options.

The company isn't stopping at food. Yoon plans to expand the technology into medical nutrition and cosmetics, where the stable microemulsion structure could benefit skincare products. The startup is currently participating in South Korea's 2026 Agri-Food Technology Startup Accelerator Support Program, receiving government backing to verify its global market potential.

MYSC investors praised Soyft Biome for solving technical challenges through innovation, noting that the dessert and sauce market had been locked into high-sugar and dairy-dependent formulations.

One company's waste stream is becoming another industry's ingredient innovation.