We think vegetable proteins as food pretty new

Our goal is to rethink non-animal proteins as food. Alver stands for a sustainable and nutritious diet that is fun and for everyone. Our goal is to improve the daily meals of our customers with microalgae. Because each dish is as individual as its chef, we make sure that our products can be easily added to any dish, without affecting the taste of your favourite foods. Unlike conventional microalgae, Golden Chlorella is neutral in taste and has a natural golden colour

The principle behind our products is:
«Good for you and our planet».

This idea is central to us at Alver. We want to appeal to people from young to old who are also committed to responsible consumption.
Our diverse product range, from high protein pasta with Golden Chlorella and mung bean protein powder to granola, have one element in common: all Alver products are natural and have no additives. We stand for a resource-conserving development of food for the entire world population and the future of our planet.

Our Mission

With our sustainable products based on microalgae, we want to contribute to the nutrition of the world’s ever-growing population. We believe that only sustainable and nutritious foods can reduce the consumption of water and agricultural land, which is why we rely on our microalgae Golden Chlorella. Our products are vegan, natural and high in essential nutrients. Only our protein bars (Cranberries; Almond & Fig) contain some honey to help bind the other ingredients into a bar.

Our values

Together with our team, we have defined three fundamental values that are central to our product development and that guide us in our daily work:
  • Vegan
    We stand for sustainable products and a convincing alternative source of protein. That’s why we do not use animal ingredients in our products.
  • High Protein
    A protein-rich diet is especially important for people who do not eat animal products. We make sure that all our products contain a high protein content.
  • Clean Recipe
    Our products contain important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals – nothing more and nothing less. They consist of natural ingredients and are without additives.

Our history

Mine Uran, the founder and CEO of Alver, has been working and researching alternative proteins for the past 30 years – always looking for the perfect protein source. She was in search of a protein that does not originate from animals or consume large amounts of resources. This search eventually led Mine to the subject of algae. In 2014, Mine was invited to the White House in Washington to discuss food security. It was there she realised that the growing world population urgently needs protein-rich food that contains all the important nutrients and at the same time can be produced with fewer resources.

After years of working with different types of proteins, Mine discovered the Golden Chlorella algae strain and quickly realised that this algae combined all the desirable properties.

Mine eventually brought Majbritt Byskov-Bridges on board and together the two women founded Alver in 2016. Mine and Majbritt’s goal is to contribute to a sustainable and natural way of eating. Inspired by Norse mythology, the company was christened “Alver”, with alver meaning “elves” in Old Scandinavian. Elves are spirits of nature and therefore the perfect ambassadors and namesakes for a brand that has the well-being of the world and its inhabitants as its goal.

Mine and Majbritt quickly realized that there was a need among consumers for sustainable and healthy food. For example, the first crowdfunding was successfully completed back in 2017, allowing the first product to be launched in 2018. After two successful years in Switzerland, Alver is set off to conquer the rest of Europe.

Who we are

Mine Uran
Founder | CEO
For over 20 years, Mine Uran has been searching for the perfect alternative to animal protein. As a food engineer, Mine led teams at Unilever and DuPont, among others, and finally as Head of Protein at Nestlé. As a globally recognised protein expert, her initial focus was on plant proteins, such as those from soy or peas. However, due to the high demand for arable land and water, Mine finally realised that the path to sustainable nutrition could only be taken by the oldest living creatures on earth: microalgae. So Mine left Nestlé and founded Alver together with Majbritt Byskov-Bridges. Their aim is to provide healthy and sustainable food for the society of today and tomorrow. “I have a lot of faith in the young and have no doubt that future generations will be able to cope with the environmental problems. This can already be seen in the conscious handling of their own food. We want to support this striving for more sustainable eating habits and contribute to the food security of the future with our products”, Mine describes her goals with Alver.
Majbritt Byskov-Bridges
Co-founder | COO
Raised in Ecuador and Switzerland, Majbritt studied in Copenhagen, Paris, Glasgow and Oxford. After graduating, Majbritt began her career on the trading floor at Morgan Stanley in London. She later moved on to Deloitte in strategy consulting and finally headed the Guardian Wealth Management Office in Switzerland for ten years. In her search for sustainable, environmentally friendly and ethical investment opportunities for her clients, she got to know 2012 Mine and quickly became convinced of Alver’s potential. Together with Mine, Majbritt finally took the plunge into entrepreneurship: “I am convinced that small companies are capable of driving innovation and thereby bringing about the change needed for a healthier planet. To play our part in this change, Mine and I founded Alver. With our two backgrounds, Mine, as an experienced scientist, and I, as an economist, with experience in investor relations, we will make Alver a success”.
Helene Konstantinides
Logistics and Customer Service Director
Helene is a sales and logistics expert who gained her know-how in multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Ciba and Novartis. She has helped companies gain market access for new treatments and therapies in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. As a proven pharmaceutical expert, working in the food sector is a challenge for her. For Helene, a modern lifestyle means paying attention to a balanced and healthy diet: “The vision of the founders to contribute to the nutrition of the world’s population with vegetable proteins and the concept of sustainability are the decisive factors why I believe in the future of Alver. I can bring my personal passion for sustainability and the environment to bear perfectly and at the same time contribute to the sustainable nutrition of a growing world population by introducing innovative, alternative proteins”.
Dr. Vladas Snieckus
Sales Director
After more than 20 years of sales experience in the pharmaceutical and food industry, Vladas decided to leave the giants of the food industry to support a young, agile and innovative company with its knowledge. Vladas holds a PhD in medicine and a master’s degree in business management. The vision of the two founders convinced him to commit himself to a sustainable nutrition of the world population. For Vladas, it is crucial to combine innovation and sustainability in order to guarantee food safety in the long term. “Alternative sources of protein and meat-free nutrition are already highly valued today. But that alone is not enough. The future lies in sustainable superfoods, i.e. foods that contain many important nutrients but rely on minimal resources for production,” says Vladas, describing his motivation to actively support Alver.
Ana Mihelić
Digital Marketing Manager

Ana grew up abroad, graduated from the école hôtelière de Lausanne and then left the hospitality industry to pursue issues that are close to her heart. She wants to educate people about a more sustainable, nutritious and healthier lifestyle. In addition to her work in the hospitality industry, Ana has also gained experience in marketing for start-ups that specialize in food and events.

“I was impressed with Alver and the use of microalgae, which contain the most sustainable proteins on the planet, and most importantly, how easy they are to use. The resulting product offers so many possibilities that I just had to be a part of it! As the world moves on and people look for more alternative sources of protein, Alver will continue to grow and expand as we educate people about what matters most – which is to gradually save our planet. “

Aslin Sarikaya
R&D Manager

After working as a dietitian, Aslin decided to merge her nutritional background with food science and got a master’s degree in Food, Nutrition, and Health. During her scientific studies at Bern University of Applied Sciences, Aslin focused more on alternative protein sources to understand better how to feed the future population without harming the environment. Aslin believes in the idea of Chlorella being a future protein source as a superfood like the founders Mine and Majbritt. Aslin describes her motivation for working in Alver as: “I was amazed by all the innovative Alver products consisting of a sustainable protein source rich in nutrients. I appreciate being a part of the company, which promises good food for everyone, to be involved in the hidden part of the iceberg. The merge of research, development, and production in an ambitious small company is a great chance to use creativity for expanding the business. I am excited to participate in various projects from the idea to the end-product every day under the roof of Alver.”