Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Violife’s protein-packed Cheddar alternative, Petaluma’s plant-based dehydrated dog food, and the EU’s vegan labelling war.
New products and launches
Vegan cheese giant Violife has launched Supreme Cheddarton in the UK. It’s a Cheddar alternative with at least 30% less fat and over 9g of plant protein (a rarity for coconut-oil-based cheeses), and is available at all major supermarkets for £2.95 per 200g block.
British frozen vegan pizza startup One Planet Pizza has revamped its recipe to add a bigger sourdough base, hand-stretched cheese, and more toppings.
Still in the UK, the ongoing heatwave has led to plant-based meat firm This witnessing a 21% hike in sales of its vegan burgers and sausages over the past two weeks.
German ingredient producer Raps has introduced Compound Vegan Roast, a functional solution to enhance the flavour of plant-based roast meat analogues.
Likewise, French plant-based ingredient supplier Roquette has expanded its Nutralys line with two new textured solutions from wheat and pea protein.
Following its success in the Netherlands, discount retailer Lidl has launched blended burger and mince SKUs with 60% beef and 40% plants in Belgium.
In the UK, meanwhile, Lidl has unveiled high-protein vegan pudding pots in chocolate, caramel and hazelnut flavours under its Vemondo brand. They’re priced at £1.29 per 200g pack, each of which contains 20g of protein.
South Korean plant-based brand Unlimeat has launched two desserts in the US. The Oat Cream Buns and Hotteok will be sold under the new Bbang label.
Speaking of the US, plant-based chicken maker Rebellyous Foods has expanded its offerings with Spicy Kickin’ Nuggets, Tenders and Kickin’ Popcorn, which are now being served in over 390 school districts.
Californian vegan pet food firm Petaluma has introduced the Whole Food Mixer, a dehydrated dog food topper with organic kale, spinach, and antioxidant-rich fruits.
And Indian vegan startup Plant Yum has released a millet-based, protein-packed mango shake premix as part of a new suite of instant drink powders aimed at the health-forward consumer segment.
Company and finance updates
Greek functional dairy-free ice cream maker Plan(e)t Foods has scooped up €1.05M to fuel its product development and expand into other European countries.
Univer Solutions Belgium has expanded the distribution deal between its Foodology division and ingredient giant Ingredion to introduce plant proteins, functional native starches, and a range of stevia sweeteners to the Benelux region.
Dutch startup Proeon Foods is scaling up the production of its mung and peanut protein isolates in Pune, India, through funding from Invest International and national government agencies.
Canada’s Burcon NutraScience Corporation, meanwhile, has signed a multi-year deal worth $6.8M to supply a leading provider of clean-label plant-based ingredients from its facility in Galesburg, Illinois. The first year is set to generate at least $1.4M in revenue for the manufacturer, which is set to increase every year.
Swiss giant Nestlé will let go of 80 employees at its Krupka factory in Czechia, representing a fifth of the workforce. The move is in response to slowing demand for plant-based meat products in Europe.
The University of Edinburgh is leading the £14M state-backed Carbon-Loop Sustainable Biomanufacturing Hub, which aims to turn carbon-based waste into next-gen pharmaceuticals and cosmetics via microbial fermentation.
Singaporean deep tech startup KosmodeHealth has shut its pilot plant for the production of its upcycled, high-protein W0W Noodle range, and shrunk its team by 80% as it is “trimming to grow”, its founder has announced.
Belgian early-stage investor Biotope Ventures has announced the first close of €5M for its Biotope Ventures 2 fund, with an additional €4M set to be raised over the next 12 months to allow the fir to invest in up to 30 early-stage biotech startups.
Research and policy developments
The ‘veggie burger’ debate has cropped up again in the EU, with a group of ministers looking to introduce new rules to ban the use of meaty terms on plant-based products. It comes just months after the EU’s top court rejected a similar effort by France.
Belgium has released its new food-based dietary guidelines, advising citizens to limit unprocessed red meat intake to 300g a week and promoting plant proteins, but there’s a lack of focus on dairy alternatives and sustainability-based recommendations.
Researchers from South Korea have developed a scaffolding technology that can achieve precise marbling textures in cultivated meat. They used self-healing hydrogens that achieve robust, reversible bonding at a neutral pH.
A report by tech forecasting firm GetFocus suggests that cultivated meat technologies are advancing faster than livestock farming, potentially accelerating the path to price parity.
Food awareness organisation ProVeg International has rolled out Future Plates, a catering guide to help large-scale event organisers offer plant-based meals to attendees.
Events and awards
Dutch cultivated pork startup Meatable is continuing its outreach efforts by participating in the Blue Earth Forum at the ongoing London Climate Action Week 2025 (June 21-29).
On International Picnic Day, animal rights charity PETA unveiled a 23-metre-long vegan ham and butter sandwich at Place de la Bastille in partnership with La Vie, to symbolise the 23 million pigs killed for meat each year in France.
World Animal Protection, meanwhile, has launched the first Dine Vegan Nashville event. Running from June 22-28, it will promote vegan dining across the Music City via partnerships with local restaurants.
In Hong Kong, animal welfare organisation Planet for All partnered with cruelty-free beauty pioneer Lush to promote Cage-Free Hong Kong, the city’s first welfare campaign for laying hens.
In the US, organic plant milk brand Mooala‘s Simple Almond Milk has been named the Best Almond Milk in Good Housekeeping’s 2025 Snack Awards and Self Magazine’s 2025 Pantry Awards.
The World Economic Forum has recognised Australian fermentation manufacturer Cauldron as a 2025 Technology Pioneer.
Finally, ClimateCats Studios, the film studio run by the influencer duo Root the Future, has won the Best TV Series 2025 for its upcoming docuseries, Culturally Plant-Based, at the Milan Independent Awards.
Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.
The post Future Food Quick Bites: Supreme Cheddarton, Vegan Dog Food & Nestlé Layoffs appeared first on Green Queen.
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