​​Food innovator launches ethical chocolate for global markets

Originally from India, Azhar is a respected biotechnology expert and the driving force behind an international group of bio-engineering companies, working with strategic partners across the global food industry to bring to market new, truly sustainable, healthy foods that are both affordable and accessible.

In addition to the cacao alternative, Azhar is also involved in the REVIVE platform which transforms various forms of carbohydrates, hemicellulose, and cellulose into complete proteins with high digestibility through a natural fermentation process.

Applications include clean label meat alternatives.

The ElegNT platform, also created by the collaboration, helps to create healthy snack foods that offer nutritional content and reduce bloating.

Azhar describes Born Maverick, which is based at the Innovation Factory in west Belfast, as “a forward-thinking biotech company pioneering in the field of food science, with a particular focus on creating affordable, clean-label food products using proprietary fermentation platforms”.

He continues: “Born Maverick aims to enhance the nutritional profile of food, making it not only healthier but also more accessible to a broad consumer base.

“The company’s mission is rooted in the belief that nutritious, high-quality food should be both sustainable and available to everyone, bridging the gap between advanced biotechnology and everyday food choices,” adds Azhar, who holds a post-graduate qualification from Queen’s University in Belfast (QUB).

“For sustainability initiatives to truly impact climate change, they must reach a broad consumer base, not just the affluent. As inflation pressures increase, it’s even more vital that sustainable food products remain affordable and practical. Otherwise, they

fail to serve the larger population that ultimately drives demand and production in the food industry.”

He says that many sustainable food products, like lab-grown meat or fermentation techniques, require complex manufacturing processes.

“For these innovations to reach more consumers, the industry must streamline production methods to lower costs, which is very difficult,” he adds.

"Sustainable solutions must fit within the economic realities of the average consumer, “especially during periods of rising inflation”.

Companies should focus on adapting sustainable products to fit familiar, widely accepted price points. “At Born Maverick, we are persistent in bringing technology that can be easily adapted.,” he adds.

Born Maverick, he says, is “driven by the power of collaboration, working with strategic partners who bring expertise in their respective areas”.

“This approach allows us to accelerate our market entry, ensuring consumers have access to healthy and sustainable alternatives for meat, cocoa, and fish, along with ‘greens’ that deliver high nutritional value.

His commitment to pioneering food projects is matched by business expertise from an International MBA from QUB. This unique blend of scientific knowledge and business acumen enables him to bridge the gap between science and business, leading Born Maverick in creating impactful, sustainable food solutions for a broad consumer base.

“Our focus is on meeting the fundamental needs of everyday consumers, rather than catering solely to niche segments like vegans or flexitarians. By making sustainable choices more accessible to the masses, Born Maverick aims to foster a broad shift toward healthier lifestyles and a more sustainable planet,” adds Azhar.

Born Maverick has developed four unique biotech platforms, each designed to deliver innovative, sustainable food solutions. These platforms have successfully moved beyond the prototyping phase, and we are now seeking strategic partnerships to bring these breakthrough products to the global marketplace.

Another platform developed is W’ish, “focused on recreating the texture and nutritional benefits of seafood”.

“This platform provides fish-like alternatives that offer similar nutrition to seafood, supporting a sustainable and nutritious choice for consumers,” he adds.

E-Leg-Nt is designed to “enhance the versatility of legumes by breaking down oligosaccharides, allowing for a wider range of applications in food products. E-Leg-Nt increases the value of legumes by making them more digestible and usable across diverse food categories.”

Born Maverick was aware of “the challenges facing companies that aimed to capitalise on the plant-based trend without addressing critical aspects like sustainability, cost-effectiveness, nutrition, taste, and texture”.

The decline in demand for some plant-based brands reflected “a misalignment with consumers’ expectations and the reality of sustainable practices”.

“Over-reliance on heavily processed ingredients, stabilisers, and gelling agents has led to ingredient lists that undermine the goals of health and transparency, forcing the failure of approximately 60-70% of these brands.

“At Born Maverick, we are committed to transparency and to providing real, accessible solutions that consumers can seamlessly integrate into their everyday lives.”

The collaboration prioritised “eco-innovative methods to ensure our products don’t compromise on taste, texture, or nutrition, while maintaining affordability. We believe sustainable living shouldn’t be a privilege, and our mission is to make high-quality, sustainable choices available to everyone, without straining their budgets”.