Luya is a new era of plant-based protein: Real ingredients, 100% organic & naturally fermented. We offer full flavor and nutrition with zero additives.
Rethinking plant-based!
We love plant-based. But not if it’s artificial and bad for our health. Because, let’s be real: fake meat is exactly that… fake. It’s ultra-processed, made from chemical protein isolates and countless additives and artificial flavors. We’re here to rethink plant-based.
Because Luya is different – really different!
Made from whole organic pulses
No additives
Naturally fermented
100% Swiss organic
100% plant-based
Versatile & creative
Good food comes from good ingredients and that means, keep it simple, keep it natural – every step of the way!
Juicy & delicious: It’s fermentation!
Wholesome
Whole organic pulses, rich in protein & fiber. No protein isolates.
Natural
Naturally fermented instead of ultra-processed and artificially enhanced.
Delicious
Tada! Juicy & delicious, let Luya unleash your creative cravings in the kitchen!
Sustainability matters!
The climate crisis is the biggest challenge of our time, and embracing plant-based nutrition is a crucial part of the solution. With Luya, we are not only making an essential and super tasty contribution. Bite by bite, we are laying the foundation for a sustainable future and diet. A good food revolution!
Okara is the nutrient-rich (yet often overlooked) pulp extracted from soybeans. In Switzerland alone, the annual production of soy milk and tofu generates 2,000 tons of this by-product. What’s worse, it often finds its way into animal feed, biogas, or landfills. What a waste!
A win-waste situation
By rescuing this valuable resource and integrating it into a circular production process, we’re literally turning scraps into gold nuggets. Using natural fermentation, we transform Swiss organic okara together with whole organic chickpeas from an Italian cooperative into the delicious superfood Luya!
Since 2021, we’ve saved
22.791 kg
of Okara
A win-waste situation
By rescuing this valuable resource and integrating it into a circular production process, we’re literally turning scraps into gold nuggets. Using natural fermentation, we transform Swiss organic okara together with whole organic chickpeas from an Italian cooperative into the delicious superfood Luya!
Since 2021, we’ve saved
22.791 kg
of Okara
The Luya story
Luya was founded in 2021 by Flavio, Tobias, and Mike. It is the result of a shared passion, vision, and a good dose of nerdiness. Nina joined in 2024 and completed the founding team. Find out exactly how it came about here.
2019
In 2019, Tobias, a food scientist, and Mike, a trained chef and microbiologist, met at the Bern University of Applied Sciences HAFL. Both were interested in how by-products from the food industry could be utilized. It quickly became clear that okara could be transformed into a tasty, juicy, and wholesome vegan source of protein with the help of traditional fermentation. The first prototypes were created.
2020
Flavio, a financial advisor, passionate foodie, and hobby fermenter, met Mike and Tobias by chance during the pandemic. The first joint projects, from which Luya gradually matured, were already born in the summer. The first taste test took place in the same year at a Zurich Christmas market – with great success.
2021
In 2021, they became we. Drawing on feedback from various restaurateurs, we quickly elevated our products to the next level. Success was not long in coming, and by the summer, the first restaurants wanted to include our products on their menus. We needed a company: Luya was born.
2022
In April 2022, we left the HAFL laboratories behind and moved into our own production facility in a former chocolate factory in Bern-Bümpliz. This was followed in June by the launch of the first Luya products in Swiss retail.
2023
Step by step, we continued to expand our production, launching new product formats, and exciting ever more people with Luya.
2024
In 2024, Nina joined Luya and completed the founding team. Want to become a part of the good food revolution? Sign up to our newsletter and stay up to date with all things Luya.
Our Team
Foodies, scientists, social media wizards… you name it! Our talents are many but our mission is one: the good food revolution for everyone! Become part of our team and apply now!
