Key points
- CompaniCalm and CSIRO co-developed Australia's first local manufacturing process for alpha-casozepine, making a calming ingredient available as an affordable solution for anxious pets.
- Through our Kick-Start program, the collaboration leveraged CSIRO's food science and process development expertise to overcome complex challenges associated with processing of bioactive ingredients.
Veterinary behaviourist Dr Dennis Wormald spent his PhD exploring why so many dogs struggle with anxiety.
Common symptoms include excessive barking, destructive behaviour, aggression, and separation distress – issues that affect many Australian dogs and their owners.
His findings revealed a critical gap: effective, science-based calming aids were scarce and often expensive. Determined to change that, he co-founded CompaniCalm, a start-up dedicated to affordable, evidence-backed supplements.
The company's flagship product, AC for Dogs™, delivers alpha-casozepine as a behavioural supplement widely recommended by Australian veterinary behaviourists.
Cracking the bioactive production puzzle
To establish CompaniCalm as a trusted name the company needed to develop a robust, cost-effective local manufacturing process for its calming ingredient.
Local manufacture would need to not only meet high quality standards for activity, stability and flavour, but also reduce lengthy supply chains typical of imported alternatives.
Through CSIRO's Kick-Start program, CompaniCalm collaborated with food scientists at our Food Innovation Centre in Werribee to overcome the complex raw material identification and manufacturing challenges of producing alpha-casozepine, the active protein derivative.
The bioactive is then incorporated into the propriety supplement formation owned by CompaniCalm.
Laboratory-based work unlocked the processing steps to transform proteins into the natural bioactive form. Pilot-scale trials using a range of unit operations led to the development of a quality-assured manufacturing process with favourable operating costs, positioning the product competitively against international alternatives.
Dr Wormald, Veterinary Technical Advisor & Co-Founder, CompaniCalm said the Kick-Start program connected them with essential expertise and guidance from CSIRO scientists and engineers.
"This connection enabled us to successfully navigate the highly complex and technical world of natural bioactives manufacturing," Dennis said.
Without this support, developing a reliable, cost-effective, and quality-assured manufacturing process in Australia simply would not have been possible for us."
Market impact: calm tails, thriving sales
The collaboration produced Australia's first domestically manufactured alpha-casozepine with initial batches already commercially available as AC for Dogs™.
Veterinary clinics and positive-reinforcement trainers recommend the powder, while direct-to-consumer sales continue to climb.
Local manufacturing has cut lead times ensuring anxious dogs get relief sooner while keeping manufacturing investments and know-how onshore.
What's next for CompaniCalm?
The company is actively seeking partnerships with other Australian companies interested in incorporating alpha-casozepine into their pet food and wellness products.
This strategy supports the broader Australian pet industry, fostering innovation and expanding the local market with science-backed calming pet products.
"By manufacturing locally, we've transformed what was once an expensive imported product into an accessible solution for Australian pet owners,"
Dr Dennis Wormald, Veterinary behaviourist
"This isn't just about cutting costs – it's about creating sustainable pathways for science to reach the pets who need it most."
Find out how your business can benefit from CSIRO’s support – explore our programs today.
Key points
- CompaniCalm and CSIRO co-developed Australia's first local manufacturing process for alpha-casozepine, making a calming ingredient available as an affordable solution for anxious pets.
- Through our Kick-Start program, the collaboration leveraged CSIRO's food science and process development expertise to overcome complex challenges associated with processing of bioactive ingredients.
Veterinary behaviourist Dr Dennis Wormald spent his PhD exploring why so many dogs struggle with anxiety.
Common symptoms include excessive barking, destructive behaviour, aggression, and separation distress – issues that affect many Australian dogs and their owners.
His findings revealed a critical gap: effective, science-based calming aids were scarce and often expensive. Determined to change that, he co-founded CompaniCalm, a start-up dedicated to affordable, evidence-backed supplements.
The company's flagship product, AC for Dogs™, delivers alpha-casozepine as a behavioural supplement widely recommended by Australian veterinary behaviourists.
Cracking the bioactive production puzzle
To establish CompaniCalm as a trusted name the company needed to develop a robust, cost-effective local manufacturing process for its calming ingredient.
Local manufacture would need to not only meet high quality standards for activity, stability and flavour, but also reduce lengthy supply chains typical of imported alternatives.
Through CSIRO's Kick-Start program, CompaniCalm collaborated with food scientists at our Food Innovation Centre in Werribee to overcome the complex raw material identification and manufacturing challenges of producing alpha-casozepine, the active protein derivative.
The bioactive is then incorporated into the propriety supplement formation owned by CompaniCalm.
Laboratory-based work unlocked the processing steps to transform proteins into the natural bioactive form. Pilot-scale trials using a range of unit operations led to the development of a quality-assured manufacturing process with favourable operating costs, positioning the product competitively against international alternatives.
Dr Wormald, Veterinary Technical Advisor & Co-Founder, CompaniCalm said the Kick-Start program connected them with essential expertise and guidance from CSIRO scientists and engineers.
"This connection enabled us to successfully navigate the highly complex and technical world of natural bioactives manufacturing," Dennis said.
Without this support, developing a reliable, cost-effective, and quality-assured manufacturing process in Australia simply would not have been possible for us."
Market impact: calm tails, thriving sales
The collaboration produced Australia's first domestically manufactured alpha-casozepine with initial batches already commercially available as AC for Dogs™.
Veterinary clinics and positive-reinforcement trainers recommend the powder, while direct-to-consumer sales continue to climb.
Local manufacturing has cut lead times ensuring anxious dogs get relief sooner while keeping manufacturing investments and know-how onshore.
What's next for CompaniCalm?
The company is actively seeking partnerships with other Australian companies interested in incorporating alpha-casozepine into their pet food and wellness products.
This strategy supports the broader Australian pet industry, fostering innovation and expanding the local market with science-backed calming pet products.
"By manufacturing locally, we've transformed what was once an expensive imported product into an accessible solution for Australian pet owners,"
Dr Dennis Wormald, Veterinary behaviourist
"This isn't just about cutting costs – it's about creating sustainable pathways for science to reach the pets who need it most."
Find out how your business can benefit from CSIRO’s support – explore our programs today.