Checkerspot Taps French Partner to Launch Algal Oils in Europe

PARIS, FRANCE – January 13, 2026 – A new partnership announced today at the Cosmet’Agora trade show aims to introduce a novel class of sustainable ingredients to the European personal care market, leveraging microalgae and fermentation to challenge the dominance of traditional plant-based oils. US biotechnology firm Checkerspot and French cosmetic ingredient specialist La Fabrique Végétale (LFV) have joined forces to commercialize Checkerspot’s high-performance algal oils, starting with a high-oleic algal oil (HOAO) designed for superior function and a fully traceable supply chain.

The collaboration, formally launched at the Parisian cosmetics event, marks a significant strategic entry for Checkerspot into the European market, a region increasingly defined by its demand for green chemistry and transparent sourcing.

Europe's Insatiable Appetite for Sustainable Beauty

The timing of this partnership is no coincidence. It lands squarely in the middle of a profound shift within Europe’s massive beauty and personal care industry, a market valued at over €96 billion. Today's consumers are more educated and environmentally conscious than ever, with studies indicating that over 70% of European shoppers actively prefer brands with demonstrable eco-friendly practices. This consumer-led movement is amplified by stringent regulatory pressures, including the European Green Deal, which is tightening requirements for ingredient safety, substantiation of environmental claims, and supply chain transparency.

This evolving landscape has created significant challenges for conventional ingredients, particularly plant-derived oils like palm, coconut, and olive oil. While popular, these agricultural mainstays are often linked to complex, opaque supply chains, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and climate-related crop volatility. Brands are increasingly seeking alternatives that offer not only a compelling sustainability story but also supply chain resilience and consistent quality—a trifecta that is difficult for traditional agriculture to guarantee.

It is this market gap that the Checkerspot-LFV alliance intends to fill. By producing oils through a controlled fermentation process using microalgae, Checkerspot can deliver ingredients with a precise, reproducible composition, free from the contaminants and variability associated with agricultural crops. This bio-manufacturing approach offers a secure, continuous supply independent of weather, pests, or geographical constraints, directly addressing the vulnerabilities that plague many popular natural ingredients.

The Science of High-Performance Algal Lipids

At the heart of the collaboration is Checkerspot's high-oleic algal oil (HOAO). This ingredient is not merely a sustainable substitute but is engineered for superior performance in cosmetic formulations. Produced from a non-genetically modified strain of microalgae, the oil is created in fermentation tanks, a process similar to brewing beer. The microalgae consume renewable feedstocks, like sugars, and convert them into specific, targeted oils.

This precision fermentation allows Checkerspot to design lipids at a molecular level, creating a unique triglyceride composition that is difficult to source from nature. The resulting HOAO boasts a rich, silky sensorial profile that imparts a luxurious feel to creams and lotions without greasiness. Its high concentration of oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid, gives it excellent oxidative stability. This means products formulated with it are less prone to spoilage and have a longer shelf life, a critical factor for formulators.

"Algal oils open new formulation opportunities by combining a unique triglyceride composition with outstanding sensory performance," noted Caroline Rousseau of La Fabrique Végétale in the announcement. "They offer a sustainable and contaminant-free alternative with a reduced environmental footprint."

Furthermore, the controlled production environment ensures the oil has a neutral impact on a product's final color and odor, a significant advantage over many plant oils that require additional refining or masking agents. For product developers, this translates to greater creative freedom and a cleaner, simpler ingredient deck.

A Strategic Alliance for Market Penetration

For Checkerspot, entering the sophisticated and highly regulated European market required more than just an innovative product. The partnership with La Fabrique Végétale provides the crucial on-the-ground expertise needed to translate advanced biotechnology into market-ready solutions. LFV, a specialist in innovating and commercializing bio-based cosmetic ingredients, will take the lead in formulation development and customer engagement.

"This partnership allows us to take a focused, market-led approach in Europe," said Checkerspot CEO John Krzywicki. "By working directly with La Fabrique Végétale, we can collaborate closely with leading European brands and generate application-ready data and formulations that are directly aligned with their needs."

LFV's role will be to create tangible prototypes—creams, serums, and other personal care products—that vividly demonstrate HOAO's real-world functionality. These prototypes will serve as the central vehicle for engaging with brands and distributors, allowing formulators to see and feel the performance benefits firsthand. This hands-on strategy is designed to accelerate adoption by removing the guesswork and extensive R&D that often accompanies the integration of a novel ingredient. The alliance effectively pairs Checkerspot’s deep-tech capabilities with LFV’s market-facing formulation and commercialization prowess, creating a streamlined path from the fermenter to the cosmetic counter.

As the launch kicks off at Cosmet’Agora, LFV is set to begin direct engagement with European brands, armed with the science of Checkerspot's platform and the tangible evidence of their formulation work. The collaboration represents a modern model for ingredient innovation, where technology developers and market experts unite to meet the converging demands for performance, sustainability, and transparency. The European beauty industry, known for setting global trends, will be watching closely to see if microalgae can truly become the new gold standard for its next generation of products.