US beverage company Sazerac has partnered with biotech company Meridian Biotech to convert the by-products from its Buffalo Trace distillery into alternative proteins.  

The collaboration will see both Meridian and Sazerac inject $40m into the construction of a "conversion facility" near the distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, a statement from Meridian said.   

Work on the new site is expected to begin later in 2025.

Kentucky-headquartered Meridian said the new facility will use “novel technology” to transform Buffalo Trace stillage into alternative proteins. 

Stillage is a by-product of the distilling process. It will be piped directly from the Frankfort distillery to the conversion facility. 

According to Meridian, the processed stillage will be suitable for various industries, including aquaculture, pet foods, and organic fertiliser production.  

Harlen Wheatley, master distiller at Buffalo Trace distillery, said the partnership takes the journey from grain to glass “even further by transforming stillage into something with extended value and purpose”.  

He added that the “partnership is a natural extension of our craft”. 

Brandon Corace, president of Meridian Biotech, said: “By reimagining distillery stillage as a resource rather than a by-product, we are pioneering new pathways in biotechnology that have the potential to transform the spirits industry.  

“We believe our technology will play a pivotal role in enhancing Buffalo Trace’s commitment to innovation, as well as setting a new standard for the spirits industry.” 

Sazerac acquired the Buffalo Trace distillery in 1992. The site produces several of the company's whiskey brands, such as Buffalo Trace, W.L. Weller, Eagle Rare, and Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon.  

In April, the distillery, which has a history spanning over 200 years, was temporarily shut due to “historic levels of rain”. 

In 2023, Sazerac commissioned a new 40ft still at the Frankfort site to double its liquid production capacity. 

The new still can produce 60,000 gallons (2,720 hl) of liquid daily and mirrors Buffalo Trace's existing still.  

The expansion formed part of Sazerac's $1.2bn investment announced in 2018, aimed at meeting the increasing demand for its Bourbon whiskies, with the investment expected to continue until 2028. 

Sazerac, headquartered in Louisville, also operates a distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky.