Ash Tea Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer by Nitricity: status and timeline

Ash Tea Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer

Provide cost-competitive organic nitrogen fertilizer with 92% lower emissions than conventional fertilizer, replacing fossil-fuel-based production.

PilotStage 3 of 5

Delhi, CA facility breaking ground 2026; trials show 30% yield increases.

Updated Sep 2025Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Delhi, California facility groundbreaking

Stanford research foundation and prototype development2018Complete.
Initial field trials with positive yield results2023Complete.
Series B funding closedSep 2025Complete.
Delhi, California facility groundbreakingTarget 2026Current milestone.
Commercial production begins and scales capacityTarget 2027Not yet reached.
Midwest US expansion (corn, wheat) and European operationsTarget 2028Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Nitricity breaks ground on first commercial Ash Tea production facility in Delhi, CaliforniaSep 2025

Upcoming

2026Delhi, California facility groundbreaking (next)
2027Commercial production begins and scales capacity
2027US agricultural partnerships expand; first corn/wheat applications deployed
2027European facility groundbreaking (wood and olive-waste feedstocks)
2028Midwest US expansion (corn, wheat) and European operations

Current obstacles

Regional waste availability and logisticsNew crops require local waste feedstock supply chains.
Farmer adoptionFarmers must see consistent yields despite unfamiliarity with the product.
Capital efficiency at scaleDelhi facility is 100x scale-up from pilot; cost targets determine expansion confidence.

Physics limits

Feedstock carbon content limits nitrogen yield per unitRegional biomass availability and nitrogen content determine maximum production capacity.
Energy input cannot be reduced below thermodynamic requirementsBreaking N₂ triple bonds requires energy; renewable power is cheaper but still a core cost.

How it works

3 parts

Feedstock collection

Agricultural waste valorization

Almond shells and crop residues replace landfill or burning.

Nitrogen fixation

Powered by renewable electricity

Biomass + air nitrogen + water + renewable power = liquid fertilizer.

Product quality

Organic-certified, pathogen-free

Certified organic, animal-free, pathogen-free, cost-competitive.

Spec sheet

Spec	Ash Tea Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer
Emissions reduction vs. conventional	92%^R (reported)
Yield increase in field trials	Up to 30%^R (reported)
Production committed through	2028^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

1 update

Sep 2025

Major: Nitricity breaks ground on first commercial Ash Tea production facility in Delhi, CaliforniaPressManufacturing

About Nitricity

The team behind Ash Tea Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer

Nitricity

Organic nitrogen fertilizer from almond waste, Ash Tea

Organic nitrogen fertilizer from recycled almond shells, air, water and renewable energy. Founded by Stanford PhDs; Delhi, CA facility begins 2026.

Ash Tea organic nitrogen from almond shells, renewable energy, air and water; 92% lower emissions.
Closed $50M Series B (Sept 2025, World Fund + Khosla); field trials show 30% yield increases.
Delhi, CA facility breaking ground 2026; sold out through 2028; corn and wheat planned.

nitricity.com (opens nitricity.com)Company profile →

Founded: 20188 yrs
Headquarters: United States
Status: Private
Valuation: private
Raised: $75M4 rounds
Last round: Series B · $50MSep 2025
Works in: AgricultureMicrobes & soil
Coverage: 1 program · 2 updateslatest 1 Sep 2025checked 11 Oct
Lead investors: World FundKhosla VenturesChipotle Cultivate NextFine Structure VenturesEnergy Impact Partners
Investors: World Fund (opens worldfund.vc)Khosla Ventures (opens khoslaventures.com)Chipotle Cultivate Next (opens chipotle.com)King Philanthropies (opens kingphilanthropies.org)
People: Dr. Nicolas Pinkowski (opens linkedin.com)Co-founder and CEODr. Joshua McEnaney (opens linkedin.com)Co-founder, President and CTODr. Jay Schwalbe (opens linkedin.com)Co-founder and Chief Science Officer

Spec

Ash Tea Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer

Emissions reduction vs. conventional

92%^R (reported)

Yield increase in field trials

Up to 30%^R (reported)

Production committed through

2028^R (reported)