PhenOlives secures strategic investment and appoints new Board Chairman
These developments follow the successful launch of the world’s first commercial-scale production line dedicated to transforming olive waste into high-value nutritional ingredients.
ISRAEL – PhenOlives, an innovative Israeli food-tech start-up, has entered a significant new phase of growth, announcing a strategic investment from OurCrowd and the appointment of veteran industry executive Itzik Saig as Chairman of the Board.
These developments follow the company’s recent milestone: the launch of the world’s first commercial-scale production line converting olive pomace into market-ready olive flour, turning a longstanding waste challenge into a high-value ingredient opportunity.
OurCrowd, Israel’s most active venture investor, has invested US$270,000 in PhenOlives as part of an ongoing US$1 million fundraising round.
Beyond capital, the investment signals strong validation from one of Israel’s most respected investment platforms and an important endorsement as PhenOlives prepares to scale its technology and operations across multiple markets.
To help guide this next stage of growth, the company has appointed Itzik Saig as Chairman.
Saig brings deep leadership experience in the global food and consumer goods industries, including serving as CEO of Nestlé Israel (Osem) and Nestlé New Zealand.
His appointment reflects PhenOlives’ readiness to scale beyond Israel and establish an international network of installations.
“PhenOlives has demonstrated a scalable, proven solution to one of the olive industry’s most persistent operational challenges,” said Saig.
“Having spent decades in the food industry, I have seen very few innovations with the potential to reshape an entire value chain the way olive flour can. Transforming a longstanding waste challenge into a high-quality, nutritional ingredient is not only a breakthrough in sustainability, but a real commercial opportunity for mills, manufacturers, and consumers worldwide.”
Installed at the award-winning ASSI Olive Mill in the Valley of Springs, the system successfully produced 10 tons of olive flour during its inaugural season.
With full-season operations beginning in 2026/27, the production line is expected to reach up to 400 tons per year.
PhenOlives uses a patented, chemical-free process to halt oxidation in the pomace and convert it into ingredients such as high-fiber, gluten-free olive flour and concentrated polyphenols.
The new investment will fund several near-term strategic priorities. These include launching global go-to-market efforts and securing orders for more than 100 tons of olive flour in 2026; operating the Israel-based system at full commercial capacity; selecting the first European mill for a 2027 system installation; and advancing research and development into blackwater-derived ingredients as a future product line.
CEO Chen Lev-Ari expressed optimism about the road ahead.
“OurCrowd’s support demonstrates confidence in our proprietary technology, the market opportunity, and the commercial traction we’re already seeing,” he said, adding that out of roughly 25,000 olive mills worldwide, only one today is turning its waste into a commercially viable product. This milestone changes the economic conversation for mills everywhere.
Sign up to HERE receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
