Brazil’s Ocean Sugar targets global food market with algae-based sweetener

From laboratory research to commercial production

Brazilian foodtech Ocean Sugar has begun selling a seaweed-derived alternative to conventional sugar, positioning the ingredient for use in retail products and industrial food manufacturing. According to Startups, the company was founded in May 2026 and started commercial sales in Brazil in September. Its factory is located in Belém, in the northern state of Pará.

The company says its ingredient has up to 100 times the sweetening power of cane sugar and contains no calories. Its core technology is EPS Algalyte, a natural molecule extracted from seaweed and patented exclusively by the brand. The compound belongs to the exopolysaccharide class, which comprises chains of sugars produced by microorganisms and released into their surrounding environment. Ocean Sugar also says the ingredient contains magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron and copper.

The technology was developed by scientist Edson Paiva following more than two decades of research. According to CEO Marcelo Callegari, Paiva first encountered a sweet-tasting algae-derived product during a work trip to China around 20 years ago. He subsequently studied its composition, tested extraction methods and reverse-engineered the molecule before isolating the exopolysaccharide used by Ocean Sugar.

R$25 million investment supports retail and industrial strategy

Ocean Sugar received R$25 million from US venture-capital firm Maias Partners, founded by Callegari, who also serves as the foodtech’s CEO. He told Startups that the business recorded revenue of R$600,000 in its first month of commercial operation. Before the formal launch of the Ocean Sugar brand, the company developed Non Sugar with a network of more than 300 nutritionists in northeastern Brazil.

The company is initially selling directly to consumers through its website and intends to expand into supermarkets and stores specializing in natural products. A 40-gram package is expected to cost about R$42, while a box containing 100 individual sachets will cost approximately R$38. Callegari said the prices were converted from US dollars and could change with exchange-rate movements.

For food and beverage manufacturers, Ocean Sugar is offering an ingredient designed to replace some or all of the conventional sugar in formulations. The company identifies chocolate, ice cream, beverages and dairy products as potential applications. It is also pursuing the pharmaceutical industry, where sugar is used in syrups and tablets. Alongside the main calorie-free product, the startup has developed Smart Sugar, a blend containing 90% Ocean Sugar and 10% other sugars. The company says its algae ingredient avoids the bitter aftertaste associated with some conventional sweeteners, although the source report does not cite independent product testing.

Export-focused capacity and overseas expansion

Ocean Sugar selected Belém because of access to raw materials and the potential to use the facility as an export-oriented production hub. The company also plans factories in the state of São Paulo and in West Palm Beach, Florida. No production capacities, construction schedules or additional investment figures for these plants were disclosed.

Callegari said the foodtech has started commercial discussions with potential partners in the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria and intends to pursue opportunities in Europe. Its international prospects will depend on converting those discussions into distribution or manufacturing agreements and meeting the regulatory requirements applied to novel ingredients in each market. For producers and food processors, the commercial test will be whether the ingredient’s high sweetening intensity can offset its retail price and support reformulation at scale while maintaining taste and product performance.