Dhampur Bio Organics Licenses Planetary’s BioBlocks to Produce Mycoprotein in India
Indian sugar producer Dhampur Bio Organics has signed a binding 10-year technology licence with Swiss fermentation company Planetary, opening a new route into mycoprotein production for domestic and international markets
The agreement will see Dhampur Bio Organics (DBO) use sugar and molasses from its existing operations to produce mycoprotein through Planetary’s BioBlocks fermentation platform. Planetary will provide the technology and act as an offtaker for the resulting products, while DBO will build and operate the production infrastructure
The deal marks a significant step towards commercialising Planetary’s technology beyond Europe. It also offers a case study in how established sugar processors could diversify into higher-value ingredients without developing fermentation technology entirely in-house
Credit: David Brandes, LinkedIn post
From a term sheet to a 10 year licensing agreement
The agreement, signed on 19 October 2026, formalises discussions that began in January, when the two companies signed a non-binding term sheet. At the time, Planetary described India as a potential first step in its expansion beyond Europe; and stated that they are targeting mycoprotein production costs below $1 per kilogram via this partnership.
Under the new agreement, DBO receives exclusive rights to produce mycoprotein in India using Planetary’s licensed technology. The arrangement gives the Swiss company a route into a new geography while allowing DBO to build on its existing sugar and molasses operations.
Planetary’s BioBlocks platform encompasses bioprocess design, scale-up and industrial manufacturing. DBO will be responsible for establishing and operating the production infrastructure, while Planetary provides the intellectual property, engineering and technical support.
The companies also plan to sign separate commercialisation and offtake agreements and establish a joint venture to commercialise mycoprotein in India.
How the licensing model works
The partnership follows a model that Planetary is developing with established sugar processors: pair its fermentation technology with existing industrial infrastructure and access to sugar-rich feedstocks.
For DBO, the move represents forward integration by extending its business further along the value chain, from producing sugar and molasses to manufacturing higher-value ingredients.
Instead of entering fermentation as a standalone biotechnology company, DBO can build on its existing industrial operations. Planetary, meanwhile, can expand its technology into a new market without taking sole responsibility for constructing and operating the production facility.
DBO will pay Planetary a quarterly royalty equivalent to 10% of after-tax revenue, as defined in the agreement. Planetary will also receive a one-time fee for engineering, project launch, installation, commissioning, process training and handover support. This fee will be determined on an open-book basis and agreed between the parties. A separate one-time fee will cover configuration of Planetary’s data platform. Neither fee has been disclosed.
The licence runs for an initial 10 years, with successive five-year renewals possible by mutual written agreement. DBO may use the licensed intellectual property only at an approved facility and is responsible for securing the necessary regulatory approvals.
The company has also stated that the agreement is not a related-party transaction.
Credit: Planetary
A broader shift: sugar processors as protein producers
The DBO agreement builds on a model Planetary already operates in Switzerland, where its industrial mycoprotein production in Aarberg is co-located with sugar producer Schweizer Zucker. The Indian partnership extends that approach into a new geography, where DBO’s access to sugar and molasses could provide a foundation for local production.
Planetary has been building its business around this licensing strategy. In April 2026, the company raised $28 million to support the commercialisation of its technology and product portfolio, with Dutch sugar cooperative Royal Cosun among its investors. Its partnership with DBO adds India to a growing network of sugar-industry relationships.
In this same week, Israel’s Brevel and The Wave Group announced a joint venture to build a 300,000-litre microalgae fermentation plant in Uttar Pradesh, fed by sugar-mill sidestreams.
The economics for both partnerships will depend on the specific process, feedstock quality, capital requirements and downstream processing needs. Industrial integration alone does not guarantee competitive production, but it may offer an alternative to building entirely standalone manufacturing operations.
India as a growing focal point for biomanufacturing
India pairs a large agricultural processing sector with a push to build domestic biomanufacturing. Its BioE3 policy, approved in August 2024, funds shared biomanufacturing hubs, Bio-AI hubs and biofoundries, and names smart proteins as one of six priority sectors. By July 2026, 17 facilities had received funding. The government targets a $300bn bioeconomy by 2030, and a NITI Aayog roadmap sets out ambitions of $2.6trn by 2047.
In a recent LinkedIn post, Planetary co-founder and chief executive David Brandes also pointed to India’s potential as a production base for international markets, citing protein supply gaps, reliance on imported ingredients and the possibility of lower production costs.
What to watch for
Several important milestones remain ahead. DBO has yet to disclose the production location, planned capacity, capital investment or timeline for commissioning. The separate commercialisation and offtake agreements and proposed joint venture also remain outstanding.
Regulatory approvals will be required, and the target of producing mycoprotein for less than $1 per kilogram has yet to be demonstrated in India.
These details will be important in assessing the project's eventual scale and commercial viability.
For now, the agreement marks a concrete step in Planetary’s expansion strategy and for India’s alternative protein sector. Whether licensing fermentation technology to established agro-industrial players makes ingredients like mycoprotein more competitive will depend on facility development, production costs, regulatory progress and customer demand.
