Grazing on a good conscience

Modern consumers are not eating more. They are eating more often. People increasingly “graze” rather than sit down for full meals, eating small amounts throughout the day, between meetings, after workouts, or while on the move. Snacks used to be an indulgence, something to avoid if you wanted to maintain a healthy way of life. The modern protein snack, however, has become much more than a filler between meals. The reasons are numerous: busy, active lifestyles, health trends such as boosting metabolism, the growing demand for functional food and products for for example GLP-1 users or people on a weight-management journey. Protein has emerged as a proxy for health, performance and even virtue. Protein-rich muffins, bars, cookies, pancakes and chips now line supermarket shelves. 

Solein, a microbial protein developed by Solar Foods, offers a proposition that is both radical and pragmatic: In practical terms, Solein is made with carbon dioxide and hydrogen, gases derived from the air, using just a fraction of the land and water needed for traditional protein production. It is also a nutritionally exceptional, highly versatile protein source with no artificial ingredients, combining the best characteristics of plant-based and animal-based proteins. 

The new snack lab 

In Solar Foods’ “Solein Kitchen”, Head Chef at Solar Foods Miikka Manninen and his colleagues have been reimagining familiar snacks with added protein, fewer ingredients, and a smaller environmental footprint, without relying on animal-based ingredients. Rather than recreating what already exists, they’re asking how Solein can improve both the experience and nutrition of everyday snacks. The only difference to the eye is the energetic, golden yellow hue, which derives from carotenoids, just like in carrots.  

“We’ve tested Solein in muffins, cookies, bagels, protein shakes, and even savoury nachos and dips”, Manninen explains. “It performs beautifully: adding creaminess, binding moisture, and significantly boosting protein content without the typical chalky texture of plant proteins.”   

Here are a few recent experiments from the Solein Kitchen: 

• Solein Muffins 
  A reduced-sugar snack where Solein provides up to 10% protein content, adding structure, nutrition, and flavour balance without the need for dairy. 
• Solein Bagels 
  In one internal favourite, a protein-rich bagel features a completely animal-free cream cheese made with Solein. Rich, slightly tangy, and full of umami. 
• Solein Nachos & Dips 
  A high-protein twist on corn-based nachos, oven-baked rather than deep-fried. One batch delivered 10g of protein per 100g, compared to zero in standard nachos. Served with a rich and creamy dip made from Solein. 
• Solein Frappé 
  A modern twist on the classic coffee drink, the Solein Frappé gets a protein kick from Solein. “It is an indulgent iced coffee, rich, smooth, and completely dairy-free,” Manninen says. 
• Solein Cookies  
  A soft-baked cookie format developed to match mainstream texture expectations without added dairy and with low sugar content. “Cookies are all about texture and taste,” says Manninen. “We were able to get that sweet bite without eggs or dairy, which is usually a challenge in plant-based baking.” 
• Solein Ice Cream: Sugar-free Solein Frozen Delight 
  Just like ice cream, a stand-out success with a short ingredient list – just Solein, water, vegetable oil, and flavours. “We found a great base recipe,” Manninen says. “Just mix and freeze, no need for stabilisers or artificial textures.” 

The innovations tested in the Solein Kitchen don’t end at the tasting table. Many of these trials, from savoury snacks to sweet indulgences, serve as jumping-off points for customer collaborations. “Every experiment here inspires product development”, Manninen explains.

Raising the bar for protein snacks 

Although Solein is not produced in a traditional way, its single-cell origin and lack of additives make it as natural as it can be.  

Solein’s attributes make it well-suited to the shifting demands of functional nutrition. It offers: 

• Sustainability: It is produced without land, animals, or traditional agriculture. 
• Nutrition: All nine essential amino acids, iron, and vitamin B12, critical for metabolic support. 
• Functionality: Solein emulsifies, retains moisture, and lends creamy structure without added fats or dairy. 
• Versatility: Applicable in both savoury and sweet formats, from baked goods to beverages. 

GLP-1 drugs and the grazing effect 

One reason for the rapidly growing grazing trend is the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are effective for weight management and type 2 diabetes. This is transforming how people manage appetite, weight, and metabolic health. As food intake shrinks, the nutritional quality of every bite becomes more important, especially protein, which preserves muscle mass and makes you feel full. 

Yet many protein snacks remain bulky, sugary, or nutritionally hollow. Solein, by contrast, offers high-quality, compact nutrition in small formats, muffins, shakes, dips, and even ice creams, designed for people who eat less but demand more from what they consume. It allows for indulgent textures and familiar experiences without compromising health goals. 

“When people eat less, every bite has to do more,” says Manninen. “You want fewer ingredients, better nutrition, and no wasted space. That’s where Solein really delivers.” 

As the GLP-1 category grows, so does the need for nutrient-rich, convenient, and functional foods. Solein is not a supplement. It’s a foundational ingredient for a new kind of eating. 

Snacking away the scepticism 

What distinguishes Solar Foods’ approach is not only the novelty of Solein itself, but the methodical effort to convert a scientific breakthrough into consumer-ready formats. In a field often dominated by technologists, Manninen brings a culinary sensibility. “If we say it’s sugar-free or high in protein, it must be true. And it must taste good too,” he insists. He is not working alone. Together with Solar Foods’ R&D team, new snack formats can be rapidly tested and refined for commercial viability, turning early ideas into shelf-ready solutions demonstrating Solein’s potential to customers.  

When served to visiting customers, including leading food companies in Asia, Europe, and Northern America, snacks powered by Solein have sparked enthusiasm, and inspired innovation. “You can watch the scepticism melt away after the first bite,” says Manninen. 

As Solein becomes commercially available in more regions and production scales up, Solar Foods is ready to support brands looking to reimagine the protein snack category. Solein-based snacks may soon offer consumers a rare combination of gastronomic grazing and next-generation nutrition.