We need to go beyond the old way of making things.
Primary engineers spirulina to replace harmful petrochemicals — starting with color.
CRISPR-engineered spirulina producing thermostable natural blues, greens, and reds that survive heat, acid, and real food manufacturing conditions.
Engineered to work as delicious edible plant-based ingredients, elegant biomaterials, or essential industrial enzymes.
Our algae feed on CO₂ as they grow. Every kilogram of pigment produced is carbon-negative — and we offer CO₂ capture, mineral accumulation, and wastewater treatment as services.
Research-grade phycocyanin for diagnostics, biomarkers, and therapeutic applications. Coming soon.
We use CRISPR gene drives to engineer spirulina at the genome level — introducing thermostability mutations into phycocyanin proteins that make them stable at 85°C and in acidic conditions. The same technology that agricultural giants used to reshape food, repurposed for a sustainable future.
A fully circular process that uses every part of the algae for maximum sustainability. Biomass → pigment extraction → protein recovery → spent media recycling. Zero waste. Net carbon-negative.
Container-based photobioreactor units that can be deployed anywhere. From 100L bench scale to 100,000L commercial operations — the same biology, the same quality, just more of it.
Every color in the Primary palette is derived from living algae — no petroleum, no synthetic chemistry. Clean label ingredients that perform in real food and cosmetics manufacturing conditions.
What it is: C-phycocyanin is a biliprotein pigment naturally found in spirulina, giving it its signature brilliant cyan-blue color. Primary's engineered strain produces a thermostabilized variant that retains vivid color through heat and acid — conditions that destroy conventional phycocyanin.
Why it's special: Standard phycocyanin denatures above 55°C and fades below pH 5.5, making it unusable in most processed foods. Primary Blue™ remains stable to 85°C and pH 3.5 — opening up beverages, confectionery, baked goods, and acidic sauces for the first time.
What it is: Chlorophyll-rich spirulina biomass producing a deep, vivid natural green. Spirulina is one of the densest sources of chlorophyll on Earth — up to 1% by dry weight — along with phycocyanin that shifts the tone toward a brilliant blue-green.
Why it's special: Spirulina green is the cleanest, most versatile natural green available. Unlike chlorophyll extracts that require copper-complexing to be stable, spirulina whole biomass is heat-stable, water-dispersible, and labels simply as "spirulina."
What it is: Lutein is a xanthophyll carotenoid that produces warm golden-yellow tones. Primary Yellow™ is derived from fermented "golden" Chlorella — a heterotrophic fermentation process that produces exceptionally concentrated, consistent lutein without dependence on sunlight or seasons.
Why it's special: Most commercial lutein comes from marigold flowers — seasonal, geographically constrained, and requiring heavy solvent extraction. Fermented Chlorella lutein is produced year-round in closed bioreactors with higher consistency, lower solvent use, and a cleaner ingredient profile. Also clinically recognized for eye health (macular support), adding nutraceutical positioning.
What it is: Beta-carotene is the pigment responsible for the orange-red colors of carrots, mangoes, and sunset skies. Dunaliella salina is a halophilic green microalgae that accumulates extraordinary concentrations of beta-carotene — up to 10–14% of dry weight — as a stress response to high salinity and intense light.
Why it's special: Dunaliella-derived beta-carotene is all-trans, natural provitamin A — the most bioavailable form. Unlike synthetic beta-carotene (from petroleum petrochemical synthesis), ours carries the full complement of carotenoid isomers found in nature, with superior absorption and recognized health benefits.
What it is: R-Phycoerythrin is a biliprotein pigment from red macroalgae (Gracilaria), producing brilliant pink-to-red fluorescent color. It is structurally similar to phycocyanin but absorbs in the green wavelength range, emitting vivid red-pink.
Why it's special: Phycoerythrin is among the most intensely colored natural pigments known — 34 times more colorful per gram than rhodamine B. Currently used primarily in biomedical research as a fluorescent label. Primary is developing food-grade applications as regulatory pathways mature. Research-grade available now.
Don't see what you need?
Work With Us to Create ItEach sample kit includes 10g of food-grade pigment, a technical data sheet, regulatory documentation (FDA GRAS status / EU Novel Food status), and suggested usage rates for your application. $75 flat per sample, shipped within 5–7 business days.
Select a sample above to get started.
"Loved all shades of Primary Blue. Easy to incorporate into simple food. Makes any monotone dessert stand out instantly!"
"The vibrancy of Primary Blue catches people's eyes, so they notice our recipe and are more likely to make it. It helps more people eat more vegan doughnuts."
"I would normally have to use half a bottle to achieve the same color using gels. I would highly recommend Primary to anyone looking for a natural colorant!"
From napkin to commercial production — we guide every step of turning your ingredient challenge into an algae-powered solution.
Meet to begin the collaboration. We understand your need, application, and constraints.
Determine fit with the ask, overall strategy, timeline, and budget.
Survey existing literature, methods, and patents to begin development of a design plan.
Create an overall plan and patent proposal, including timeline, budget, and outcomes.
Test the proposal at small scale to demonstrate effectiveness and validate the biology.
Further development and fine-tuning of the identified compound for your project.
Move into production with our partners and produce your compound at commercial scale.
Primary is an algae biomanufacturing company using CRISPR genetic engineering to produce the next generation of natural pigments. We grew out of Spira — a decade of algae cultivation, product development, and hard-won lessons about what it takes to make biology work at scale.
Our spirulina feeds on CO₂ as it grows. Every product we make is a carbon sink, not a carbon source. We work with farmers, food manufacturers, cosmetics brands, and research institutions to replace petroleum-derived ingredients with living ones.
Founded by Elliot Roth, former biotech entrepreneur and synthetic biology practitioner, Primary is backed by deep technical expertise in cyanobacteria engineering and commercial-scale bioprocess design.
Partner With UsWhether you're a food manufacturer looking for a stable natural blue, an investor interested in the future of biomanufacturing, or a researcher wanting to collaborate — we'd love to talk.
Or reach us directly: er.creates@gmail.com