Ecovative Acquisition to Boost Leather Alternative Production
Ecovative says the purchase of the Lambert Europa Spawn and Substrate facility will bring the company greater global vertical integration as it expands international production of mycelium materials in fashion, packaging, and food.
The purchase vertically integrates a major source of mushroom substrate — mixtures of raw agricultural products inoculated with specialised mushroom strains — within the operations of the world’s premier developer of mycelium materials and products. The new line of supply will enable and support Ecovative’s consistent and rapid expansion internationally and across all categories as both a producer and supplier to other mycelium companies.
Under Ecovative’s ownership, the facility will continue producing spawn to serve its list of existing clients, including mushroom growers and producers of mycelium materials. It will also produce proprietary blends of substrate used to grow mycelium materials. These materials support Ecovative’s Forager and Mushroom Packaging divisions, as well as MyForest Foods and its popular MyBacon, alongside a growing list of licensee companies. Forager will use the substrate to supply natural mycelium materials for the fashion and apparel industries, such as leather-like hides and high performance foams, and Mushroom Packaging will use the substrate to produce composite materials used to replace plastic foam packaging.
“Ecovative is committed to providing the world’s best mycelium technologies,” says Eben Bayer, Ecovative’s CEO and co-founder. “We’re working closely with Lambert and the facility’s incredible team of industry professionals to continue providing existing clients with the same quality products they know and love. This acquisition also positions our company to ensure the highest quality of feedstock for a wide range of new mycelium materials, enabling the best possible products and the capacity to supply our quickly growing global network of customers and licensees as they continue to expand over the coming years.”
Scott McIntyre, executive vice president and co-owner of Lambert Spawn, adds: “We are proud of the state-of-the-art facility we built in Venlo, and the team we gathered to operate it. Since collaborating with Ecovative, it has become clear that they are the ideal team with the right expertise of stewarding the facility and caring for its customers, while also creating exciting new opportunities as Lambert continues to focus on serving and growing our North American markets. The Lambert name was built on quality and innovation, and we are glad that Ecovative will bring this same commitment to Lambert Spawn Europa, for everyone’s continued success.”
The Netherlands-based team and facility will continue to produce the same high-quality spawn and substrate, servicing existing mushroom growers and new clients, serving markets in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and South America. The facility employs 17 people and is capable of producing approximately 20 million pounds of spawn and substrate per year, with the capacity to grow significantly in the near future.
Ecovative says it already operates the largest production plant for mycelium materials in the world, at its base of operations in Green Island, New York. The acquisition of Lambert Spawn Europa makes it possible to supply high-quality raw materials and mycelium strains to a global network of customers and licensees, in addition to the company’s own brands. It also reflects an ongoing investment in the mycelium materials supply chain.
Source: JUST STYLE
https://www.just-style.com/news/ecovative-acquisition-to-boost-leather-alternative-production/