Sweetpotato milk startup Rootsii lands $1.82M grant to tackle NC crop waste
What's the deal? Appalachian State University professor Dr. Brett Taubman and his research team have secured a $1.82 million grant from NCInnovationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to develop RootsiiDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — a plant-based milk made from surplus North Carolina sweetpotatoes. The startup, co-founded with fermentation sciences lab manager Daniel Parker, plans to produce milk, creamers, ice cream, yogurt, and fermented foods like sweetpotato-based miso and hot sauce.
The project uses a bi-regional production model: bulk processing in eastern North Carolina, where most sweetpotatoes are grown, and a production facility in Boone. It also gives undergraduate researchers hands-on experience in agricultural product development.
Why now? North Carolina farmers lose roughly 63 million pounds of sweetpotatoes to field rot each year, costing an estimated $13.2 million annually. Rootsii aims to turn that waste into a revenue stream.
"Rootsii offers a new pathway to revitalize demand for sweetpotatoes and stabilize the regional agricultural economy," Taubman said. "This is 100% a North Carolina product."
The project has been in development since June 2024 and is currently at the proof-of-concept stage, with a goal of reaching store shelves within two years.
What could go wrong? Plant-based milk is a crowded category. Oat, almond, soy, and other alternatives already compete fiercely for shelf space and consumer loyalty. Rootsii will need to carve out a niche — its allergy-friendly profile and local sourcing story could help, but scaling from a university lab to commercial production is never straightforward.
The signal: Rootsii sits at the intersection of two accelerating themes — upcycled food innovation and state-level economic development funds channelling capital into university spin-outs. NCInnovation, classified as a corporate investor, is positioning itself as a bridge between North Carolina's agricultural base and early-stage food-tech ventures. If the model proves out, expect other surplus-crop states to replicate the playbook, pairing regional innovation grants with academic R&D to commercialise waste streams.
Read more: today.appstate.edu
