Gavan Technologies has appointed former ChickP chief executive Liat Lachish Levy to lead its next phase of commercial expansion, as the Israeli foodtech firm looks to scale production of its plant-based fat system in Europe and compete directly with conventional butter on cost.

The leadership change follows the launch of the company’s first European production facility and signals a shift from technology development to industrial execution, targeting large bakery and dairy manufacturers seeking clean label fat alternatives.

Lachish Levy replaces co-founder Itai Cohen and will focus on scaling output, expanding partnerships with multinational food producers and accelerating adoption of the company’s flagship ingredient, Fatrix.

Gavan says Fatrix, a protein-based fat system made from vegetable oil, water and plant protein isolate, is designed as a 'drop-in' replacement for butter and animal fats, replicating their texture and functionality in applications such as brioche, pound cakes, cooking creams and cream cheese.

In a potentially significant claim for manufacturers facing ongoing dairy price volatility, the company said the product is already cost-competitive with conventional butter at the current production scale.

Gavan’s newly launched European facility, which has an initial capacity of hundreds of tonnes annually, is built on a modular model that allows for incremental expansion as demand increases.

The company says its production approach requires lower capital expenditure than some fermentation-based or structured lipid alternatives, a factor that could improve unit economics and speed deployment in additional markets.

The company is initially targeting the bakery and dairy sectors, where manufacturers are under pressure to reduce saturated fat and eliminate hydrogenation while maintaining processing performance and margin. Fatrix contains very low saturated fat, zero trans fats and requires no hydrogenation.

Lachish Levy brings more than 20 years of experience across FMCG and food ingredients. At ChickP, she led the commercialisation and international expansion of chickpea protein ingredients through partnerships with global food groups.

Board chair Rony Patishi-Chillim said the appointment reflects a transition “from innovation to execution” as the company seeks to build what it describes as a category-defining functional fats platform.

Founded in 2018, Gavan develops plant-based protein extraction and structured fat systems positioned as alternatives to animal-derived ingredients, using what it calls a zero-waste production model.