Japanese food giant continues expanding product portfolio with air-based protein from Solar Foods
Ajinomoto's Atlr.72™ brand GRe:en Drop Coffee in Singapore features Solein® protein from Solar Foods in a dairy-free iced latte format. Uses 70% regular coffee + 30% beanless coffee (from rice and chickpeas), plus oat milk. Solein's natural emulsification creates creamy texture without dairy. 25% less CO2 than regular coffee.
Ajinomoto, the Japanese food manufacturing giant, has launched GRe:en Drop Coffee, a dairy-free iced latte featuring Solein® protein from Finnish company Solar Foods. The new beverage marks Ajinomoto's continued expansion of its sustainable food brand Atlr.72™ and represents the brand's first move beyond desserts into the beverage category.
First available in Singapore starting October 27 for a limited one-week preview, GRe:en Drop Coffee demonstrates how Solein®'s unique functional properties enable dairy replacement applications while delivering complete protein nutrition in a familiar beverage format.
Understanding Atlr.72™: Ajinomoto's Conscious Food Brand
Before diving into the coffee launch, it's worth understanding what Atlr.72™ represents in Ajinomoto's product strategy.
Launched in August 2024, Atlr.72™ (Atelier Seven Two) is Ajinomoto's "conscious brand" that proposes new food lifestyles incorporating the blessings and beauty of nature while actively utilizing environmentally-conscious ingredients through what they call their "Green Food business". And as we've seen from our coverage of Solein®, this is a perfect place to test the upstart dairy-free protein powder.
The 72 Microseasons Philosophy
The brand's concept draws from the 72 microseasons (shichijūni kō) of the traditional Japanese calendar. In ancient times, people sensed subtle changes in the seasons from the appearance of birds, insects, plants, and weather, which provided daily pleasures and connection to nature. Ajinomoto aims to nurture this reverence for nature among today's consumers while addressing their growing demand for healthy and sustainable products.
The year was historically divided into four seasons, 24 solar terms, and 72 microseasons. The distinctive feature of the 72 microseasons is that they constitute a calendar highlighting detailed changes in nature, expressing the seasons through natural phenomena such as birds, flowers, and weather patterns.
Product Evolution: From Mooncakes to Coffee
Atlr.72™ launched with Flowering Mooncakes and Ice Cream Sandwiches in August 2024, both featuring Solein® and sold through pop-up stores at Takashimaya and One Holland Village in Singapore. The mooncakes were designed for the Mid-Autumn Festival, offering environmentally conscious gifts that express stronger feelings between givers and receivers.
Earlier in 2025, Ajinomoto introduced Atlr.72™ Flowering Ice Cream in three flavors (vanilla with mochi, chocolate with lemon peel, and salty caramel with nuts), all powered by Solein®. The ice creams feature a sunny yellow hue derived from the natural carotenoids in Solein® and are adorned with colorful cookies shaped like flowers and birds to convey the brand's message of leaving a beautiful nature and planet for the future.
The products were also showcased during the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, demonstrating Solein®'s versatility in both sweet and savory applications to an international audience.
GRe:en Drop Coffee: Sustainability Meets Indulgence
The new GRe:en Drop Coffee represents Atlr.72™'s expansion into beverages with a product that addresses multiple sustainability concerns while maintaining the rich, satisfying experience consumers expect from premium coffee drinks.
Finnish company Solar Foods just made protein powder from literal air! Solein® uses microbes that eat hydrogen + CO2 to produce 78% protein with all essential amino acids. It's also already GRAS self-affirmed and in production.
The Coffee Blend Innovation
GRe:en Drop Coffee combines two coffee sources:
- 70% regular coffee from traditional coffee beans
- 30% beanless coffee produced from rice and chickpeas
This blending approach reduces reliance on conventional coffee beans, a crop associated with deforestation and water scarcity concerns, while maintaining the depth and complexity of flavor that coffee drinkers expect. Ajinomoto claims the blend delivers a 25% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to regular coffee.
But they can take the sustainability even further:
Solein® as Dairy Replacement
Rather than using traditional dairy cream, GRe:en Drop Coffee is made with oat milk and Solein®. This is where the application gets interesting from a protein technology perspective.
Solein® Cream: Emulsification Properties Create Dairy-Like Texture
One of Solein®'s most valuable functional properties is its natural ability to emulsify fats, creating rich, creamy textures without requiring additional emulsifiers or stabilizers. When Solein® is combined with vegetable oil and water -- the same basic elements found in traditional cream -- it forms what Solar Foods calls "Solein® cream".
This Solein® cream application brings several advantages to beverage and food formulations:
- Rich, indulgent consistency that mimics dairy cream's mouthfeel
- Deep, round flavor that complements rather than competes with other ingredients
- Protein boost (remember, Solein® is approximately 80% protein with complete amino acid profiles)
- Natural creamy characteristics from the microbe's inherent properties
- Functional versatility for use in smoothies, ice cream, coffee, cooking, and baking
Solein's secret? A Finnish microbe that turns air into 80% protein. Not extracted, not isolated -- you're eating the whole dried cell with natural B12, iron, fiber, and whey-level amino acids. Ancient biological tech meets modern scale.
As we detailed in our article on how the ancient microbes inside Solein® become complete protein, the whole dried cells contain natural lipids, carbohydrates, and other components that contribute to these functional properties beyond just the protein content.
"The demand for non-dairy coffee creamers has increased significantly," said Juan Benítez-García, Chief Commercial Officer at Solar Foods, in Solar Foods' press release announcing the launch. "Solein® cream brings rich, indulgent consistency and deep, round flavor for coffee, adding a protein boost at the same time."
Why Dairy Alternative Applications Matter
The beverage category represents a significant opportunity for Solein® because it showcases the protein's excellent solubility and clean taste profile. As we discussed with Juan and Sini from Solar Foods on Episode #175 of the PricePlow Podcast, Solein® dissolves completely in cold water within 30 seconds, creating smooth textures without the grittiness that plagues many plant proteins.
This solubility advantage, combined with the natural emulsification properties, makes Solein® ideal for ready-to-drink applications where consumers expect smooth, premium textures without any chalky mouthfeel or separation issues.
The Partnership: From Strategic Alliance to Consumer Products
Ajinomoto and Solar Foods announced their strategic alliance in May 2023, positioning the partnership as a way to "actively utilize environmentally-conscious ingredients (plant-based, cell-based, microbial-based, etc.)" through Ajinomoto's Green Food business initiative.
The partnership has proven productive, with multiple commercial products reaching consumers within 18 months of the announcement. This rapid product development cycle demonstrates both companies' commitment to bringing Solein® to market and Ajinomoto's expertise in translating novel ingredients into consumer-appealing products.
"Solar Foods and Ajinomoto started a strategic product development partnership already in 2023, and we are very excited to support them when they innovate products to consumers, answering the demand for healthier and more environmentally friendly products," Benítez-García said. "The Atlr.72™ products showcase Solein®'s versatility from replacing dairy or egg yolk to being a nutritious protein ingredient. Solein® brings superior nutritional values, taste, and functionality, with minimal environmental impact."
Why Singapore?
Solein® has received novel food regulatory approval, granted by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in September 2022. This historic approval, as Solar Foods CEO Pasi Vainikka noted at the time, was "comparable to the discovery of the potato" in terms of introducing an entirely new ingredient to the world of food.
Solar Foods' Factory 01 in Finland produces Solein® protein from air molecules using chemosynthesis microbes. 20x more efficient than photosynthesis, no farms needed. Commercial protein production from literal air is now reality.
As we covered in our comprehensive article on how Solar Foods turns air into protein, Solar Foods has since obtained self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status in the United States in September 2024, with novel food applications pending in the European Union and United Kingdom.
The Supplement Industry Connection
While GRe:en Drop Coffee targets the general consumer market rather than the sports nutrition industry directly, the application demonstrates principles that will translate well to supplement formulations:
Functional Benefits for Sports Nutrition
The coffee application showcases several characteristics relevant to supplement developers:
- Protein fortification in familiar formats - Adding complete protein to popular beverages without altering taste or texture
- Clean label appeal - Single-ingredient protein source rather than complex blends with multiple additives
- Natural emulsification - Creating creamy textures without requiring additional stabilizers or emulsifiers
- Excellent solubility - Critical for ready-to-mix protein powders and ready-to-drink beverages
- Neutral flavor profile - Won't compete with or mask desired flavor systems
Nutritional Advantages
As we detailed in our article on the living technology inside Solein®, the protein offers several nutritional advantages for active individuals:
- 80% protein content with complete amino acid profiles
- 20% BCAA content including high leucine levels for muscle protein synthesis
- Natural vitamin B12 from the microbe's biological processes (not fortification)
- Naturally high iron content, addressing a common deficiency among female endurance athletes
- Dietary fiber from the whole cell composition
- No major allergens (dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free)
Looking Ahead: From Sweets to Daily Meals
Ajinomoto has stated that Atlr.72™ will continue expanding beyond sweets and beverages into daily meal applications. The company plans to develop and verify optimal sales channels, including directly managed stores, with the business model created in Singapore potentially being deployed to other countries and regions.
Through the limited-period sales strategy, Ajinomoto is testing whether they can offer "new food lifestyles" to wider consumer audiences by using healthful and environmentally conscious ingredients in products that prioritize taste, appearance, and affordability.
The Sensapure Connection?
Eagle-eyed industry observers may note an interesting connection: At IFT First 2025 in Chicago, where we interviewed Juan and Sini about Solein®, the Ajinomoto booth was located near the Sensapure Flavors booth. Sensapure has been working with Solar Foods to develop optimized flavor systems that showcase Solein®'s versatility across applications, as we covered in our article on how Sensapure Flavors conquers novel protein challenges.
These types of industry connections at major trade shows often lead to collaborative innovation. It shows how networking within the industry's top events creates opportunities for breakthrough applications.
Conclusion: Air-Based Protein Reaches Coffee Shops
Juan Benítez-García and Sini Möttönen from Solar Foods reveal how ancient Finnish microbes and renewable electricity create Solein®, the revolutionary protein made "out of thin air" on Episode #175 of the PricePlow Podcast.
The GRe:en Drop Coffee launch represents another milestone in Solein®'s journey from revolutionary production technology to consumer products. By demonstrating dairy replacement capabilities in a familiar beverage format, Ajinomoto is helping normalize the concept of protein "out of thin air" for mainstream consumers.
For the supplement industry watching this space, the coffee application provides valuable proof points: Solein® works in liquid applications, provides natural creaming functionality, adds protein nutrition without sensory compromises, and appeals to consumers seeking sustainable alternatives without sacrificing indulgence.
As Solar Foods continues expanding regulatory approvals and production capacity, we expect to see similar innovations reaching markets beyond Singapore. The foundation is being laid for air-based protein to become as ubiquitous as the potato—another seemingly strange food that eventually became a dietary staple.
GRe:en Drop Coffee is available in Singapore for a limited one-week preview starting October 27, 2025. For more information about Ajinomoto's Atlr.72™ brand, visit their Instagram account @atlr.72_sg_official.
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