He will focus on Proton™ and explore alternative applications

Deep Branch has appointed John Hays as its new Vice President of Commercial and Sales. Thereby, Hays will focus on the development and distribution of Proton™ and explore alternative applications and potential products using (R)evolve™.

In addition, the company confirmed in a press release he will take part in the management team. Besides, he will act as a key spokesperson for the company. In more detail, for the application and market development topics for Proton.

Before, the new Vice President was Head of Business Development at Cefetra Group where he established partnerships in the venture food scene with industry platforms, university institutions, and corporate venture capital firms. Also, he was a Project Manager in BayWa AG’s Corporate Finance team for over three years.

Alternative proteins

To clarify, Proton is a single-cell protein for the animal feed industry. It came from locally sourced ingredients and has a bespoke nutritional profile produced from microbes grown on clean and sustainable carbon dioxide.

According to Deep Branch, Proton provides security, transparency, and traceability and is 60% less carbon-intensive than conventional proteins.

Regarding his appointment, Hays said: “I’ve been following the alternative protein space for a while, and Deep Branch was one of the standout companies with both the technology and vision to make a real difference. The sustainability savings are significant, the scalability makes it a needle-mover, and the economics prove it is a viable option. However, meeting the management team truly sold me on the company. I’m thrilled to join such a passionate team.”

On the other hand, Pete Rowe, Deep Branch’s CEO, added: “This is a very exciting time for Deep Branch as we get ready to create Proton on a large scale. Our commercial plants will produce over 100,000 tons of Proton every year.

“It will bring the protein-rich powder to market and will not only tackle the climate emergency but reduce the food industry’s impact on biodiversity loss. I’m delighted that John has joined our team. I believe he will play a vital role in the commercialization of Proton,” he ended.