How far would you go to pursue a hobby? What if this pursuit led you to an opportunity that could change the world and make a positive impact on others? Find out how Fengru’s avocation turned into a vocation that would provide millions around the world with access to sustainable and high-quality dairy products.
“I started cheese making as a hobby”, says Lin Fengru (BSc (ISM) 2011), Founder and CEO of TurtleTree. Like many others, Fengru is part of a growing community of cheese lovers who started making their own cheese at home.
In comparison to commercially produced cheese, amongst the reasons fuelling this trend are that homemade cheese is healthier, more cost
As she pursued her hobby and became more appreciative of the craft, Fengru’s passion for cheese making grew as well. Sparked by an interest to learn more about the science and art behind cheese making, Fengru flew to Vermont, US
A state located in the north-eastern region of
As more people successfully try their hands at homemade cheese, many do not realise that it is not about perfecting the techniques nor using high-end equipment that makes high - quality cheese. Instead, “the key component to making high - quality cheese is to use good quality milk, and they are not the ones sold on shelves“, shares Fengru.
Returning from Vermont, Fengru’s quest to source good quality milk saw her travelling to many dairy farms in Asia. However, unbeknownst to many people and Fengru, she witnessed disturbing scenes of farming malpractices and cattle mistreatment happening at the farms. “Not only were the cows kept in areas with extremely poor hygiene and fed with contaminated water, but they were also pumped with growth-promoting hormones,” describes Fengru. “Breeding cows in such conditions will invariably impact the quality of milk,” she adds.
Fengru decided to look for milk from other sources. She believes,
"If food can be produced from non-animal sources, then milk can be produced in a sustainable way."
By a stroke of good luck or pure coincidence, Fengru met Max Rye at a Google Conference. At a sharing session on food technology, Max described how companies have begun to produce meat using cell-based technologies.
Intrigued, Fengru approached Max and shared her idea with him. Encouraged by the possibility of inventing a product that would radically change food systems, they assembled a team and began their research into producing cell-based milk. After several research breakthroughs, Fengru and Max founded TurtleTree, a biotech company pioneering the use of cell-based technologies in food production.
Like many others before her, Fengru's path to founding TurtleTree was not easy. As a first-time founder without any background or experience in scientific research, she had to go through a steep learning curve to figure out how to raise money and deal with investors who doubted her ability to lead research teams.
Undeterred and determined to make her idea a reality, Fengru persevered and now leads TurtleTree’s operations and research teams. Today, TurtleTree is preparing to launch their first-ever commercially scalable product which is made from human-optimized protein – Human Lactoferrin, known for its properties for
In addition to making cellular agriculture a reality by building partnerships with cell-based food companies and talking with key players in the infant nutrition industry, TurtleTree will also establish a research and development facility in Davis, California to work with
"The entire alternative protein industry, which consists of cell- and plant-based companies, has grown tremendously in biotechnology in recent years," Fengru shares.
"Being a part of an ecosystem that will transform food systems and promote a sustainable future with a lower carbon footprint, TurtleTree will leverage the strengths of our partners to jointly develop solutions and overcome obstacles," she adds.
Through her love for cheese making, Fengru not only discovered alternate ways to get good quality milk, she has also found her purpose in life: to feed millions of people all over the world with nutritious food produced using sustainable methods.
Connect with Fengru on LinkedIn.