Based in Fribourg and with a team of 21 full-time employees, Seprify developed a proprietary extraction technology that produces particles inspired by natural structures that scatter light in a particular way to create a bright white appearance. With this technology the startup can deliver safe, plant-based, high-performance ingredients to businesses.

Their first product is a natural cellulose white pigment intended to replace titanium dioxide as a food colorant. The new white is produced from microcrystalline cellulose sourced from FSC-certified and 100% renewable virgin wood pulp and is estimated to produce 80% less CO2 emissions versus titanium dioxide. The white colorant is nano-compliant and food safe, applicable across a wide spectrum of food categories, including bakery, confectionery, dairy, beverages, and beyond – for products such as coffee creamers, donut glazes and plant-based milk products.

Over the past two years, Seprify has collaborated with Oterra – a global leader in natural food colors, serving the food, beverage, dietary supplement, and pet food industries – testing their white cellulose coating in more than 15 food applications. Building on their fruitful partnership, the two companies are transitioning into the commercial phase, with Oterra aiming to integrate the product in their offering.

“Oterra’s scale and formulation expertise make them the ideal partner to bring our cellulose innovation into mainstream food applications,” said Lukas Schertel, CEO & Co-founder of Seprify.

“This partnership marks the next chapter in Seprify’s growth – translating scientific validation into commercial momentum,” said Oliver Polcher, Chief Business Officer and co-founder of Seprify. “By combining Oterra’s global reach with our scalable cellulose platform, we’re accelerating market adoption and building the commercial infrastructure for Seprify’s next growth phase. It’s a clear signal that sustainable ingredients can compete – and win – at industrial scale.”

More than 100 customers testing Seprify’s products
Oterra is the first publicly announced customer for Seprify, marking the startup’s official market debut. Besides Oterra, Seprify is already working with other customers in pet food, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals under similar progress-to-commercial traces, with additional partnerships anticipated to materialize soon. Additionally, Seprify is scaling across industries, with over 100 customers and around 10 active collaborations. One notable partnership includes IKEA, where Seprify’s materials are being explored forfurniture applications.

Funding and a new facility enable mass production
To date, Seprify has secured a total of CHF 11 million in capital, including CHF 4 million in non-dilutive funding through awards and grants. In early 2024, following its positive performance, the company received an additional CHF 4 million via a convertible round from existing investors to build a pilot plant at the Marly Innovation Center in Fribourg.

Having reached commercial production readiness, Seprify plans to initiate large-scale manufacturing in 2026 through toll manufacturers in Europe, aiming to produce hundreds of tons annually. The next phase involves generating revenue across food, pet food, cosmetics, and personal care sectors, paving the way for scaling production to thousands of tons.

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