Onego Bio and Zen Waffles Announce Commercial Partnership to Bring Bioalbumen® to the High-Protein Breakfast Category

Partnership brings Bioalbumen® to Zen Waffles as consumer demand for convenient, high-protein foods continues to grow

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Onego Bio, a food ingredient company producing non-animal egg protein through precision fermentation, today announced a commercial partnership with Zen Waffles, the Brooklyn-based producer of high-protein waffles, to supply Bioalbumen® for use in Zen Waffles products.

The partnership brings Bioalbumen® into the rapidly growing high-protein breakfast and convenience food category and marks an important step in Onego Bio’s commercial expansion in the U.S. market.

Zen Waffles has built a growing consumer brand around convenient, protein-forward foods that combine nutrition, taste and simplicity. Its high-protein waffles are available direct-to-consumer across all 50 states and through a growing network of retail and wholesale partners, including grocery stores, fitness centers and specialty retailers such as Citarella Gourmet Market.

Bioalbumen® is Onego Bio’s non-animal egg protein. Bioalbumen® provides high-quality protein and the functional properties of conventional egg white protein while offering food manufacturers a resilient source of protein with an environmental impact around 90% smaller than conventional egg protein (Nature Food 2021).

“At Zen Waffles, our goal is to make high-protein foods convenient and delicious. Bioalbumen® offers a great source of high-quality protein, helping us make products consumers already love nutritious and satisfying. We’re excited to partner with Onego Bio as we continue to grow Zen Waffles and reach more customers across the country,” said Eugene Komissarov, co-founder of Zen Waffles.

The partnership comes as protein continues to move beyond traditional sports nutrition and into everyday foods. U.S. retail sales of high-protein packaged foods have grown 25% since 2021, reaching nearly $24 billion in 2025, while high-protein baked goods have grown nearly 46% over the same period, according to Euromonitor International.

“In a waffle, egg protein does a lot of work: it provides structure for a light, tender interior and supports browning for a golden, crisp exterior, all while delivering high-quality protein. Bioalbumen® brings that multifunctionality together, giving food manufacturers a new way to meet growing demand for protein. Zen Waffles has built a brand with incredible customer loyalty by showing that high-protein foods can be both nutritious and delicious, and we’re thrilled to partner with them as they continue to grow nationwide,” said Maija Itkonen, co-founder and CEO of Onego Bio.

Produced through precision fermentation, Bioalbumen® delivers the taste, nutrition and functionality of the main protein in eggs without the need for animals. Its versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of food applications, including bakery, snacks, nutrition products and other protein-forward foods.

About Zen Waffles

Zen Waffles is a Brooklyn-based food brand creating high-protein waffles that combine nutrition, taste and convenience. Born from Zen Kitchen in Brooklyn, the company has grown from serving local consumers to shipping its protein waffles nationwide and working with a growing network of wholesale and retail partners. Learn more at https://proteinwaffles.com.

About Onego Bio

Onego Bio is a food ingredient company on a mission to create a more resilient food system through its product Bioalbumen®—a non-animal egg protein with an amino acid sequence identical to conventional ovalbumin. Made through precision fermentation, Bioalbumen® matches the taste, nutrition, and functionality of the main protein from traditional eggs with an environmental impact around 90% smaller. Its unmatched versatility makes it ideal across a wide range of applications while providing greater cost and supply stability for food manufacturers. Learn more at www.onego.bio.