Israel — April 29, 2026 — PhenOlives, the Israeli food-tech startup pioneering sustainable ingredient innovation from olive by-products, announced that it is entering a significant new phase of growth with 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 $270,000 in PhenOlives as part of the PhenOlives’ ongoing $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.
The investment will support several near-term priorities:
- 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
- Advancing R&D into blackwater-derived ingredients as a future product line
“This investment is a meaningful milestone for PhenOlives,” said Chen Lev-Ari, CEO of PhenOlives. “OurCrowd’s support demonstrates confidence in our proprietary technology, the market opportunity, and the commercial traction we’re already seeing.”
Itzik Saig Joins as PhenOlives Chairman
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 CEO of Nestlé New Zealand.
Saig’s appointment reflects PhenOlives’ readiness to scale beyond Israel and establish a network of international installations. His expertise in manufacturing, supply chains, and global growth will be instrumental as the company accelerates its commercialisation strategy.
“PhenOlives has demonstrated a scalable, proven solution to one of the olive industry’s most persistent operational challenges,” said Itzik Saig, newly appointed Chairman of the Board. “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 long‑standing 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. I look forward to helping guide the company as we scale this important technology across global markets.”
Turning Liability into a Revenue Stream
These strategic developments follow the company’s most significant accomplishment to date: the operation of the world’s first commercial, fully automated olive flour production line, announced in February 2026.
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, marking the transition from pilot-scale validation to true commercial production. With full-season operation beginning in 2026/27, the line is expected to reach up to 400 tons of annual production.
This milestone marked the industry’s first real proof that olive pomace, which has traditionally been a costly and regulated waste stream, can be transformed into a profitable market-ready food ingredient at industrial scale.
“Out of roughly 25,000 olive mills worldwide, only one today is turning its waste into a commercially viable product,” said Lev-Ari. “That milestone changes the economic conversation for mills everywhere.”
PhenOlives’ patented, chemical-free process stops oxidation in olive byproducts, including pulp, seeds, and black water, allowing the full stream to be converted into nutritious ingredients such as olive flour and concentrated polyphenols.
The model offers olive mills:
- Lower disposal costs
- A new recurring revenue stream
- An automated add-on line requiring only minimal staffing
- A solution aligned with global clean label, circular economy, and sustainability trends.
For food manufacturers, PhenOlives’ ingredients offer high-fibre, gluten-free, low-calorie options that meet growing consumer demand for upcycled and environmentally responsible products.
Market Context
Wet and dry olive pomace prices vary widely by region and end use. Historically, pomace has traded into low-margin markets such as animal feed, compost, and biomass energy, and in some regions has been treated primarily as a disposal liability. Food-grade valorisation pathways such as olive flour represent a structural step-change in value creation for this by-product stream.