Boston-based Brown Foods is set to debut UnReal Milk, the world’s first lab-grown whole cow’s milk, in the U.S. on February 26, 2025. The company claims its mammalian cell culture technology replicates traditional dairy while reducing environmental impact.
Boston-based Brown Foods, a food-tech startup specializing in sustainable dairy alternatives, is set to debut UnReal Milk, the world’s first lab-grown whole cow’s milk produced without cows. The company uses mammalian cell culture technology to replicate the composition of traditional dairy while significantly reducing environmental impact.
According to Brown Foods, UnReal Milk contains all essential dairy proteins, milk fats, and carbohydrates found in conventional milk. This means it can be processed into butter, cheese, and ice cream, making it a viable alternative to traditional dairy. The company claims its process reduces carbon emissions by 82%, water usage by 90%, and land use by 95% compared to conventional dairy farming.
A Solution to Dairy’s Environmental Challenges
Co-founder and CEO Sohail Gupta, who launched Brown Foods in 2021 alongside Bhavna Tandon and Avhijeet Kapoor, emphasized the pressing challenges facing dairy farming.
Cattle farming accounts for 30% of global methane emissions, and supply chain disruptions make milk production difficult to regulate, With UnReal Milk, we aim to provide a scalable, animal-free, and sustainable alternative that is safer and more controllable.”
Sohail Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of Brown Foods
The startup has secured $2.36 million in seed funding from investors such as Y Combinator, AgFunder, SRI Capital, Amino Capital, and Collaborative Fund. With operations in both the U.S. and India, Brown Foods is now moving toward commercial production.
Scientific Validation and Market Potential
UnReal Milk is currently undergoing lab validation, with independent testing from the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, affiliated with MIT, confirming its structural similarity to traditional milk.
Brown Foods has achieved a scientific and technological milestone by producing the first test tube of lab-grown whole cow’s milk. Their approach using mammalian cell culture allows for full milk composition, making it a true dairy alternative.”
Dr. Richard Braatz, a professor of chemical engineering at MIT and an advisor to Brown Foods
As the dairy alternatives market is projected to grow from $31.13 billion in 2023 to $70.60 billion by 2031, lab-grown dairy could capture a significant share of the $893 billion global dairy industry.
Challenges and the Future of Lab-Grown Dairy
While lab-grown meat has received $2 billion in investments and USDA approval in 2023, lab-grown dairy is still navigating regulatory and consumer acceptance challenges. In June 2023, the National Milk Producers Federation urged the FDA to prevent precision fermentation startups from labeling their products as “milk.” Meanwhile, some farmers see lab-grown dairy as a competitive threat.
However, Brown Foods differentiates itself by fully replicating whole milk composition, unlike precision fermentation-based alternatives such as Perfect Day and Remilk, which produce only select dairy proteins. This allows UnReal Milk to be transformed into cheese, butter, and ice cream without additives.
Our technology can be scaled using bioreactor systems to produce mass volumes of milk, independent of climate or geography”
Sohail Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of Brown Foods
Pioneering the Future of Dairy
With taste tests planned for 2025 and a market pilot by 2026, Brown Foods is positioning itself as a leader in cellular agriculture. The company is also exploring AI-driven bioprocessing to optimize efficiency and lower production costs.
Looking ahead, Gupta sees potential beyond cow’s milk:
Using our technology, we can produce milk from any mammalian species, including human milk,”
He hinted, suggesting applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and even space travel.
As the food industry evolves, Brown Foods aims to redefine dairy—delivering real milk without cows.
