4Mins Read Imperfect Foods, one of the first startups to slash food waste with “ugly” produce boxes, has pledged to double down on its sustainability efforts by slashing its carbon footprint. Pledging to reach net-zero emissions by the end of the decade, the company says it will convert to 100% renewable energy, improve regional sourcing and eliminate […]
5Mins Read When it comes to the foods that plant-based folk miss, bacon never fails to make it on the list. Let’s face it: who doesn’t love bacon? From topping maple syrup-covered pancakes, to making the perfect breakfast fry-up and simply being the irreplaceable B in the classic B.L.T. sandwich, it’s pretty much a consensus that we’re […]
When it comes to the foods that plant-based folk miss, bacon never fails to make it on the list. Let’s face it: who doesn’t love bacon?
From topping maple syrup-covered pancakes, to making the perfect breakfast fry-up and simply being the irreplaceable B in the classic B.L.T. sandwich, it’s pretty much a consensus that we’re not going to be able to convince a meat-lover to ditch meat without innovating a delicious animal-free alternative that can truly rival bacon.
Enter the below food tech innovators, who are tapping different technologies to develop mind-blowingly real pork-free bacon (in some cases, literally real on a molecular level), to make sure that all of us can sustainably and ethically enjoy everything bacon from rashers and seasonings. Let’s take a look.
THIS Isn’t Bacon (Source: THIS)
1. THIS Isn’t Bacon
London-based food tech THIS, founded by self-professed meat-lovers Andy Shovel and Pete Sharman who left their jobs at a burger chain, uses soy and pea protein to make its vegan bacon rashers. Dubbed THIS Isn’t Bacon, the ready-to-cook high-protein alternative, which is fortified with vitamin B12 and iron, is already selling across 2,000 outlets in the U.K., including major retailers like Tesco and Waitrose. With its strong fanbase, the startup recently smashed crowdfunding records, bagging US$5.2 million in just two days to continue expanding its crave-worthy range.
AtLast MyBacon (Source: AtLast)
2. MyForest Foods’ MyBacon
MyForest Foods via MyEats is making bacon “without the oink” using its super ingredient: mycelium. It’s the filament-like roots of mushrooms, which MyEats is using to create the 3D textures and structures that resemble whole cuts of meat. In total, the whole process from “spore to slab” takes mere days to grow. MyBacon, made from just six ingredients, is now available at Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany, New York with more launches coming soon.
Prime Roots Superprotein Bacon (Source: Prime Roots)
3. Prime Roots Koji Superprotein Bacon
California’s Prime Roots is all about its super-protein koji, and to date, is the only startup using the ingredient to create its range of plant-based proteins and meaty-tasting ready meals. Founded by the daughter of a chef and restaurateur, Prime Roots grows koji with microscopic fibres identical to the real whole muscle cuts of meat, and it tastes exceptionally real too because of its natural umami qualities. Aside from its 100% vegan bacon retail package, consumers can also try the product in Prime Roots’ line of plant-based meals like its new (bacon-filled) ravioli.
Mission Barns is one of the few cell-based protein startups focused on culturing real fats directly from cells that have been isolated, placed in a warm cultivator feeding it the right nutrients to grow. It sounds a bit like science fiction, but they’ve really done it, debuting cell-based bacon last year in a taste test. The bacon itself is “hybrid”, meaning it contains cultivated pork fat with plant-based proteins, and according to the startup, the fat is really what gives that distinctive meaty, pork and rich sensory experience that people want.
Another cell-based startup culturing bacon is Higher Steaks, who revealed its prototype last year. Like Mission Barns, the food tech uses a hybrid approach to develop its bacon. It took around a month to culture, using induced pluripotent stem cells grown in a bioreactor, and then Mission Barns combined its cultivated animal muscle cells with around 30% of plant-based proteins and fats for the final product.
Raging Pig Vegan Bacon Bits (Source: Raging Pig)
6. Raging Pig Bacon Bits & Seasoning
Swedish startup Raging Pig, who also showcased their innovation at the recent Future Food-Tech Summit, is all about solving the flavour of delicious bacon. They’ve come up with two products – 100% plant-based bacon bits and seasoning – using only natural flavourings and ingredients, and it’s soy-free, allergen-free and GMO-free too. So far, the shelf-stable product by Raging Pig has been huge hit with consumers, with its first batch already sold out.
Burger King has embraced vegan bacon from France’s La Vie | Courtesy
7. La Vie
Getting the Natalie Portman stamp of approval should be enough to tell you that La Vie (formerly 77 Foods) is making worthy vegan bacon. Add to that the company is based in France — a culture known for its unapologetic love for meat – and this may be the most exciting advancement in the bacon realm. For fast-food lovers, Burger King has also given the bacon its nod, too, adding it to menus across Europe.
4Mins Read Triton Algae Innovations, a startup leveraging freshwater algae species, is preparing to launch its plant-based algae ingredients and its first retail product – a tuna analogue – to show consumers the potential of the underwater crop in alternative proteins. The single-celled algae species that Triton uses, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, can express plant proteins, and the startup […]
4Mins Read Triton Algae Innovations, a startup leveraging freshwater algae species, is preparing to launch its plant-based algae ingredients and its first retail product – a tuna analogue – to show consumers the potential of the underwater crop in alternative proteins. The single-celled algae species that Triton uses, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, can express plant proteins, and the startup […]
3Mins Read Lia, the women-founded startup developing eco-friendly reproductive health and wellness products, has just launched the world’s first biodegradable and flushable pregnancy test. After years of research and development, the much-anticipated 100% plastic-free product that takes aim at the 20 million pregnancy tests thrown away annually in the U.S. alone, is now available to consumers. Lia […]
3Mins Read Chilean AI-driven alternative protein startup NotCo has set its sights on becoming the country’s first to achieve the prestigious “unicorn” status. Speaking in a recent interview, the NotCo CEO Matias Muchnick revealed the goal of topping a US$1 billion valuation in its next financing round, as its sales continue to surge triple-digits in the wake […]
5Mins Read Declining sperm counts and changing reproductive development is leading to a fertility crisis that could endanger human life, says leading epidemiologist Dr. Shanna Swan. Driving the trend is our growing exposure to “everywhere chemicals” and environmental toxins found in everything from plastic containers to beauty products, which are damaging the planet as well as the […]
3Mins Read In a move to keep up with conscious consumerism, Nestlé Australia has debuted a brand new line of upcycled drinks. Made from upcycled coffee berry husks, the caffeinated “social beverage” Nescafé Nativ Cascara uses up the discards from coffee harvesting, slashing food waste while also providing growers with a new business opportunity. Nestlé Australia has […]
5Mins Read While the city is teaming with plant-based meat and milk alternatives, animal-free cheese is still a novetly for most Hong Kongers, so it’s hugely significant that the city will welcome its first-ever 100% plant-based cheese shop, soft-opening this Friday (March 26). Featuring handcrafted dairy-free cheeses crafted by raw vegan Chef Tina Barrat and the best […]
4Mins Read While organic agriculture has long been hailed as key to building a sustainable food system, a new study pinpoints the critical role that it could play in combating climate change. In a meta-analysis of over 4,000 studies, researchers found that best management organic farming practices could lead to a significant double-digit increase in the amount […]
4Mins Read Berkeley, California-based food tech Prime Roots, whose unique plant-based meat alternatives range uses the Japanese fungus koji as its “super-protein” ingredient, has debuted a new line of vegan-friendly ravioli. The new fresh plant-based meat and seafood pasta will feature its koji-based proteins, including 100% animal-free bacon, chicken, sausage and lobster analogues, with a goal of […]
5Mins Read Oil firms were aware of the dangers that fossil fuel burning posed to human health for at least half a decade, reveals a new investigation by the Guardian. Documents showed companies fighting clean air regulations, despite knowing that air pollution caused by their operations were driving grave ill effects, from birth defects to asthma in […]
4Mins Read Stella McCartney has showcased the world’s first garments made using Mylo, the mushroom-based vegan leather developed by biomaterials startup Bolt Threads. Having previously created an animal-free bag with the innovative material, this time, the renowned British vegetarian designer has launched a black bustier top and utilitarian trousers. While the garments won’t be for sale, they […]
5Mins Read Globally, US$3.1 billion was invested into alternative proteins in what was a record year for the industry in 2020, marking a tripling of the figure in 2019. The data, published by the Good Food Institute (GFI), also showed the enormous growth of the sector in Asia-Pacific, with the capital raised in the region increasing more […]
4Mins Read Nutritional information, dietary advice and scientific information on health has never been more accessible and available to us. Why then, are we still making bad choices when it comes to food? In his new book, food psychology expert Jack Bobo takes on this question. A former senior advisor of global food policy at the U.S. […]
3Mins Read In its latest sustainability push, Singapore authorities are considering a new policy to require commercial and industrial firms to measure and report how much food waste they produce and segregate for treatment. While industry consultations are due to take place in the second half of 2021, the proposed reporting rule will likely come into effect […]
4Mins Read Have you ever wondered how much your grocery store trips contribute to climate change? There’s an app for that now. To help measure your supermarket shopping impact – and all you have to do is to take a photo of your receipt from the store and then Evocco will calculate the environmental footprint of your […]
3Mins Read Watsons Hong Kong, the health, beauty and pharmacy chain, has rolled out a new territory-wide plastic container recycling campaign. Partnering with multinational CPG industry giant P&G, Watsons will provide convenient collection points across the city and work with Hong Kong-based circular economy service The Loops to send plastic personal care containers to a local recycling […]
3Mins Read Partnering up with Vegan Business Tribe, the U.K.-based online community of plant-based business owners, popular fundraising platform Crowdfunder has created a new initiative dedicated to support animal-free startups. More than 20 businesses are part of the Vegan Start-up Scale-up to collectively raise money through rewards-based funding campaigns on dedicated portals featured on both Crowdfunder and […]
4Mins Read Self-described “bitcoin skeptic” Bill Gates has made his views clear on the cryptocurrency, calling it “not a great climate thing”. The billionaire Microsoft founder made his remarks in a recent New York Times interview, and recent data revealing the enormous energy usage of bitcoin mining seems to back that up. But proponents of digital currencies, […]
4Mins Read Singapore-based startup Next Gen Foods has officially launched its plant-based chicken brand Tindle, debuting at 11 restaurants across the city. The foodservice roll out will include establishments run by Michelin-starred chefs, with dishes inspired from cuisines all over the world, from Mediterranean to Japanese, as well as American-style food truck takeout classics. Next Gen Foods […]
3Mins Read A consensus is building around the term “cell-cultured” as the best description of seafood grown directly from cells in a lab, in comments published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The document contains feedback and discussion about regulations to label cell-based seafood from industry stakeholders, including food tech players such as BlueNalu, Memphis […]
3Mins Read Nabati Foods, a Canadian plant-based food tech, has announced that it has raised CA$7.7 million (approx. US$6.2 million) in a private placement financing. The funds will be used to expand the brand’s range, launch into international markets and fuel its go-public plans after a record year of sales driven by mainstream demand for plant-based offerings. […]
3Mins Read Swedish food tech Stockeld Dreamery has rebranded from Noquo Foods, ahead of its upcoming plant-based feta cheese launch this Spring, initially through foodservice channels in Stockholm. According to the startup, the new name is a better representation of its “values and bold vision to the world” and its mission to “imagining everything that a creamery […]
12Mins Read Lisa Feria is CEO and General Partner at Stray Dog Capital, an impact venture capital firm investing in startups innovating healthier, sustainable and ethical solutions across the food and protein supply chain. After working at big firms like P&G and General Mills, Feria took her experience and expertise to Stray Dog Capital, where she has […]
4Mins Read ESG-forward investing seems to be taking over the financial industry, but ex-BlackRock chief investment officer for sustainable investing Tariq Fancy warns that this is simply another form of greenwashing. In an opinion article, Fancy says that the Wall Street is “greenwashing the public with deadly distraction in sustainable investing practices” instead of getting to the […]
3Mins Read New York and Singapore-based venture capital firm Big Idea Ventures (BIV) and AAK, the Swedish-Danish specialty oils and fats giant, has forged a new partnership to speed up the development of alternative protein ingredient solutions. Investing in BIV’s early-stage food tech fund, AAK will provide capital and its expertise to support the fast-growing cell-based and […]
3Mins Read Monde Nissin Corporation, the Philippine-based food conglomerate, has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) aiming to raise ₱63 billion (approx. US$1.3 billion), the country’s largest-ever first-time share sale. The firm, who acquired British legacy vegan and vegetarian brand Quorn in 2015, says the fundraising will fuel its international expansion as it pivots towards the […]
3Mins Read A new competition has launched to award European startups who are making a positive impact on society and the environment. Created by Impact Shakers, an organisation supporting impact entrepreneurship, an international jury will award winners across twelve categories, from food to energy, gender equality and peace. Open for submission this month, the Impact Shakers Awards […]
