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Paragon Pure develops plant-based food ingredients through fat structuring and precision sprouting. Its key product, OléPBM, is a structured fat replacing palm oil in plant-based meat, dairy, and bakery, offering animal fat characteristics with less saturated fat. The company also produces SproutedByNature, precision-sprouted wholegrain rice flours, providing superior bulking and binding for products without added sugar.
Christopher Gregson (CEO) and Matthew Sillick (CTO) co-founded Paragon Pure in February 2019. They identified a market need for nutritious, clean-label, and sustainable food ingredients. Gregson, leveraging his food science expertise, transitioned from a scientific role to lead the company, driving innovation in natural ingredient solutions.
Paragon Pure serves business-to-business clients in the food industry, especially plant-based and health-focused product manufacturers. The company’s vision is to advance a wholesome and sustainable food system by supplying genuine, nature-derived ingredients. These improve nutrition, simplify processing, and reduce environmental impact, aiming to shape the future of food.
Paragon Pure has raised $4.5M across 2 funding rounds.
Paragon Pure has raised $4.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Paragon Pure has raised $4.5M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Seed in July 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2022 | $4M Seed | — | Bullpen Capital, Outsized Ventures, Gary Benitt, SOSV | Announced |
| Sep 1, 2021 | $500K Seed | — | Bullpen Capital, Outsized Ventures, Gary Benitt, SOSV | Announced |
Paragon Pure has raised $4.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Paragon Pure's investors include Bullpen Capital, Outsized Ventures, Gary Benitt, SOSV.
Paragon Pure is a food tech company specializing in plant-based, sustainable ingredients for retail food products, focusing on natural alternatives that enhance health, taste, and environmental impact.[1][2][3][5] It develops products like OléBK and OléPBM (palm oil alternatives from upcycled rice bran), CaptaClean (encapsulation using sprouted whole grain rice), and SproutedByNature (wholegrain rice flour as a 1:1 replacement for maltodextrin or corn syrup).[3][4][5] Serving food manufacturers in bakery, meats, beverages, and functional foods, Paragon Pure solves challenges around clean-label ingredients, nutrition, and reduced CO2 emissions through minimal-processing techniques centered on brown rice flour.[1][2][3] Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Rocky Hill, New Jersey, it has raised $4.13M across seed rounds and remains in active growth.[1]
Paragon Pure emerged in 2019 from Paragon Flavors, evolving its proprietary clean-label drying technology for natural flavors, colors, and nutraceuticals into high-performance encapsulated food ingredients.[1][2] CEO Chris Gregson-PhD, a food scientist and vegan tech entrepreneur, leads with expertise in sustainable food systems, driving the mission to harness nature's science for nutrition and lower CO2 impact.[3] CTO Matt Sillick, a material scientist, complements this by innovating at the molecular level to create practical, climate-friendly ingredients.[3] Early traction built on upcycled rice bran applications, securing seed funding up to Seed - III and partnerships like SOSV, positioning it as a sprouted food innovator.[1][2]
Paragon Pure rides the plant-based and clean-label food trend, capitalizing on rising consumer demand for sustainable, healthful alternatives amid palm oil deforestation concerns and clean eating movements.[1][3][5] Timing aligns with global shifts toward upcycled ingredients and reduced-emission supply chains, fueled by regulatory pressures on food sustainability and investor interest in food tech (e.g., SOSV backing).[2] Market forces like retail growth in functional foods and vegan products favor its rice-based innovations, which lower CO2 equivalence while maintaining taste and texture.[3] It influences the ecosystem by enabling CPG manufacturers to meet "have you tasted this!" product standards, bridging food science with climate tech.[5]
Paragon Pure is poised to scale its rice-derived platform amid accelerating demand for upcycled, plant-based ingredients, potentially expanding into new categories like beverages and snacks.[1][5] Trends in CO2-focused supply chains, AI-optimized food formulation, and global clean-label regulations will shape its path, with recent Seed - III funding signaling momentum for production growth.[1] Its influence may evolve from niche innovator to key enabler in sustainable CPG, partnering deeper with majors to redefine "natural" at scale—building on its mission to make superior plant-based ingredients the industry norm.[3]
