Leaft Foods announced its entry into the pet nutrition market with Alfalfa Protein Concentrate (APC), a protein ingredient extracted from green leaves. The company also announced a distribution partnership with Meateor Pet Food Ingredients New Zealand for the U.S. market, with European expansion planned for 2026.
Leaft Foods extracts Rubisco protein directly from green leaves. The company's system processes multiple nutrient streams from harvested alfalfa plants. While Leaft Foods has introduced Rubisco Protein Isolate for human nutrition, APC was developed specifically for pet food applications.
"Our total utilization approach was always designed to create value from the entire leaf, and pet nutrition represents the perfect application for our Alfalfa Protein Concentrate," said Ross Milne, CEO of Leaft Foods. "We're not just adding another ingredient to the market. We're providing pet food manufacturers with a way to maintain their premium meat-forward positioning while significantly reducing their environmental footprint."
Distribution partnership
The partnership with Meateor provides Leaft Foods access to distribution networks across the U.S. Meateor is part of Scales Corporation's Global Proteins Division, operating in Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and Europe.
"Meateor's operational excellence and reputation in bringing New Zealand pasture-raised proteins to global markets makes them the ideal partner for APC," said Milne. "We've built a strong relationship with them, and their focus on pet food ingredients alongside their understanding of protein scarcity and sustainability challenges aligns perfectly with our approach. We're proud to work together to provide manufacturers with solutions that address both nutritional and environmental goals."
Tim Harty, general manager, Meateor Pet Food Ingredients New Zealand, said his company is excited to bring this innovative ingredient to the U.S. pet food market.
"American pet owners increasingly demand premium nutrition with minimal environmental impact, and APC enables manufacturers to deliver on both fronts," said Harty. "They can maintain their meat-forward positioning while achieving meaningful greenhouse gas reduction. This partnership aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing solutions that address the ever-changing protein landscape and support our customers' sustainability goals."
Product specifications
APC is produced in a frozen block format designed for integration into existing manufacturing processes. According to an independent life cycle assessment (LCA), the ingredient provides 99% lower carbon emissions than beef and lamb.
According to the company, when substituted at 5% of recipe formulation, APC can reduce a product's embedded carbon by up to 20% for beef-based formulations. The ingredient contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamin K.
Market adoption
Three companies in the Asia-Pacific region currently feature APC in products. Hitowan, a pet retailer in Japan, launched a freeze-dried range featuring APC in September 2025. The three-product range includes lamb and salmon, venison, and beef varieties.
GoodNoze, a New Zealand-based company, is developing a kibble product with freeze-dried inclusions featuring APC for a January 2026 launch. Fourflax, a pet supplements business in Canterbury, New Zealand, is developing a supplement for cats focused on immune health, blending APC with flax seed. The company plans to launch in New Zealand in early 2026, with expansion into Taiwan, Hong Kong and other Asian markets planned.
Leaft Foods is based in Rolleston, New Zealand. The company was founded by John Penno and Maury Leyland and is led by Ross Milne.
