Savor Raises $33M to Create Animal-Free Butter

San Jose-based food startup Savor has secured $33 million in funding to revolutionize cooking fats by creating butter and other products without animals or plants. Backed by billionaire Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Synthesis Capital, the startup manufactures cooking fats from carbon in a laboratory setting, closely mimicking the taste and texture of traditional animal and plant-based products.

Environmental Impact of Lab-Grown Fats

The company’s mission addresses a critical environmental challenge: agriculture accounts for significant global pollution, with fats contributing 7% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Over one-third of U.S. agricultural land is dedicated to feeding cattle, which Savor’s technology could help alleviate by reducing dairy cow demand and freeing land for crop cultivation. Additionally, the startup aims to combat tropical deforestation linked to palm oil production.

Challenges on the Road to Market

Co-founders Kathleen Alexander and Ian McKay, both 38, have achieved remarkable scientific breakthroughs using 1920s-era carbon conversion methods. However, significant obstacles remain. Operating at only 1% capacity of their 25,000-square-foot facility in Batavia, Illinois, Savor currently produces limited batches for partnerships rather than direct retail sales. Products likely won’t reach grocery store shelves until 2029 or later.

The startup has adopted a B2B model, supplying ingredients to established food brands and Michelin-starred restaurants like SingleThread and Dirt Candy. Currently pursuing FDA approval through a “no questions” letter expected by late 2026, Savor must prove affordability and commercial scalability to succeed in an increasingly skeptical food technology investment landscape.