UMeWorld Advances Project Verdant™ SCO Feedstock Deployment Strategy Through Strategic Investment
Agreement formalizes UMeWorld’s previously announced SCO strategy and advances its southern China initiative from technology validation toward commercial deployment
MIAMI, July 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UMeWorld Inc. (OTCID: UMEW) (“UMeWorld” or the “Company”) today announced that it has signed an agreement to establish a China-based microbial oil company focused on the commercialization and deployment of single-cell oil (“SCO”). UMeWorld intends to establish SCO as an important future feedstock for Project Verdant™, the Company’s planned Sustainable Aviation Fuel (“SAF”) hub in Malaysia.
Under the agreement, UMeWorld, through a wholly owned subsidiary, will hold a 30% equity interest in the new company. The remaining interests will be held by the new company’s China-based investment and technology partners.
The parties will now proceed with the company’s incorporation, registration and commencement of its commercialization program.
UMeWorld will remain focused on advancing Project Verdant, while the new company will commercialize and deploy SCO technology and expand potential future feedstock supply. The strategic minority investment complements UMeWorld’s primary management and capital focus on Project Verdant by providing direct participation in SCO commercialization through a dedicated platform.
From Pilot Validation to Commercial Deployment
The new company will be based at an existing research and pilot facility of approximately 10,000 square meters in Foshan, Guangdong Province. The facility provides established infrastructure for process optimization and pilot-scale validation, where the technical team has completed multiple pilot runs using 3,000-liter fermentation systems.
Building on this foundation, the new company has been established to commercialize and deploy its SCO technology at scale. Its deployment strategy will include working with strategic and industrial partners, establishing production projects and licensing its technology to qualified independent producers.
This model is designed to support the deployment of SCO capacity across multiple independently financed and operated facilities without requiring UMeWorld or the new company to fund and own every production plant.
“This agreement moves SCO from a strategic feedstock initiative into an active commercialization platform for UMeWorld,” said Michael Lee, Chief Executive Officer of UMeWorld. “Through our ownership in the new company, UMeWorld now has direct participation in the commercialization and deployment of SCO technology. Our long-term objective is to secure access to sufficient volumes of SCO to support both phases of Project Verdant and progressively reduce—and potentially replace—Project Verdant’s reliance on used cooking oil.”
A Scalable Alternative to UCO
SCO is a renewable oil produced from biomass-derived sugars and can serve as a feedstock for SAF through the established HEFA pathway.
Used cooking oil (“UCO”) is an important SAF feedstock, but its availability is limited and demand is increasing. Under the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive, UCO is classified under Annex IX Part B, whose contribution toward EU transport targets is generally capped at 1.7%. SCO produced from eligible agricultural and industrial residues offers a potentially more scalable alternative, subject to applicable traceability, greenhouse-gas and sustainability requirements.
Together, the China commercialization platform and UMeWorld’s planned SCO capabilities in Malaysia are intended to diversify Project Verdant’s future feedstock supply, reduce its long-term reliance on UCO and establish SCO as a primary renewable lipid feedstock for the SAF hub.
Two Revenue Streams for Licensees
The SCO licensing model is designed to provide producers with two potential revenue streams. In addition to renewable oil for the SAF supply chain, the production process generates a protein-rich fermentation co-product intended for regional fish and shrimp feed markets. Based on current process estimates, SCO and the protein-rich co-product are expected to be produced in broadly comparable quantities by mass.
The ability to commercialize both products is intended to diversify licensee revenue, reduce dependence on SCO pricing alone and strengthen plant-level economics. This two-product model is expected to improve the commercial attractiveness of future licensed production facilities by providing access to China and Southeast Asia’s large aquaculture industries and their continuing demand for alternative protein ingredients. Commercial value will depend on the co-product’s nutritional profile, feed performance and applicable regulatory approvals.
The establishment of the new company remains subject to completion of applicable incorporation, registration and other customary administrative procedures. UMeWorld will provide further updates as the company commences operations and advances its commercialization and deployment program.
About Project Verdant™
Project Verdant™ is UMeWorld’s planned Sustainable Aviation Fuel hub in Malaysia, targeting an initial production capacity of approximately 200,000 metric tonnes per annum, with potential expansion to approximately 400,000 metric tonnes per annum. The project is being advanced around a diversified feedstock strategy that includes conventional renewable lipids and scalable alternative feedstocks such as SCO.
About UMeWorld Inc.
UMeWorld Inc. (OTCID: UMEW) is focused on the convergence of industrial biotechnology and renewable fuels. The Company advances feedstock, fermentation and commercialization strategies designed to support the growing demand for Sustainable Aviation Fuel and other low-carbon energy solutions.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events or the Company’s future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements.
Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding the incorporation and proposed activities of the new company; UMeWorld’s expected 30% equity interest; the commercialization, financing and deployment of SCO; the intended licensing strategy; the establishment of independently financed production facilities; the suitability of SCO for SAF production; the expected benefits of SCO for Project Verdant; feedstock diversification and scalability; UMeWorld’s planned SCO capabilities in Malaysia; the reduction or potential replacement of UCO; the production, applications and commercial value of the protein-rich co-product; demand for alternative protein ingredients; and the future timing and capacity of Project Verdant.
Forward-looking statements may include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “target,” “objective,” “designed” or similar expressions. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks described in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by law.
Contact
Michael Lee
Chief Executive Officer
UMeWorld Inc.
investors@umeworld.com
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