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Category: Alt Protein

  • Hungarian Parliament Votes to Ban Cultivated Meat, Despite EU Criticism & Legal Uncertainties

    lab grown meat hungary
    5 Mins Read

    Lawmakers in Hungary have overwhelmingly voted in favour of banning cultivated meat, even though the EU Commission has called the move “unjustified” and experts have questioned its legality.

    After nearly two years of attempts, the Hungarian government has succeeded in its attempt to stifle a food product that isn’t even on the market yet.

    In a vote on Tuesday (November 18), Hungary’s parliament voted to ban the production, distribution and marketing of cultivated meat, with 140 in favour, 10 against, and 18 abstentions. Exceptions to the ban are only applicable for medical and veterinary purposes.

    In his justification for the ban, the bill cited the need to protect “traditional rural lifestyles and human health” (as well as the environment), warning against the “potential dangers of non-traditional technologies”.

    “Food production [must] be linked to the land, as this is the basis of our traditions and culture, and if we move away from this, we will lose our identity,” agriculture minister István Nagy said a day before the vote. “The spread of meat produced in laboratory conditions would result in a lifestyle change that would completely upset European culture, which we cannot allow.”

    Hungary is the second European country to vote for a ban on cultivated meat, after Italy in 2023. Its efforts have been directly opposed by fellow EU member states, as well as the European Commission, which has said a ban would damage the free market and was “unnecessary” and “unjustified”.

    How Hungary’s ban on cultivated meat materialised

    Hungary’s path to the cultured meat ban began in January 2024, when Nagy publicly attacked the industry after meeting Ettore Prandini, president of the Italian farmers’ association Coldiretti, one of the loudest opponents of cultivated meat.

    Months later, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán weighed in on the issue in his annual state-of-the-nation speech, stating that the EU “talks nonsense” and is “dumping artificial meat and poor-quality GMO products on us”.

    In July, at the EU’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting, Hungary used its presidency to call for efforts to “protect” Europe’s culinary traditions from novel foods like cultivated meat – in other words, it sought to outlaw these proteins.

    That sparked an EU-wide debate, including widespread backlash from countries like the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Sweden. The latter, for instance, said justifying the move by calling cultivated meat harmful to human health was “unacceptable”, highlighting that Hungary hadn’t provided any risk evaluations or demonstrated that these products might threaten human or planetary health.

    One of the top criticisms is that Hungary’s ban goes against EU law. The country submitted a Technical Regulations Information System (TRIS) notification to the EU Commission (a procedure aimed at preventing barriers to the free movement of goods among member states) detailing why it was prohibiting this industry, though its explanation was rejected by the executive body and several member states.

    Still, in March this year, Hungary’s deputy prime minister, Zsolt Semjén, submitted a bill to the parliament to attempt to ban cultivated meat, which policymakers voted to adopt yesterday.

    “Our country has examined the issue of cultured meat from all sides and has also subjected the regulation to the necessary EU procedures. Our position has not changed, even after these procedures were concluded, and the strictest possible regulation is needed,” said Nagy.

    “We only allow its use for medical and veterinary purposes, and in all other cases, we strictly prohibit the production and distribution of cultured meat in our country.”

    Hungary’s ban goes against consumers’ wishes

    lab grown meat ban
    Courtesy: Mosa Meat

    “It is undeniable that traditional food production has a positive impact on agriculture and rural living conditions as a whole,” Semjén writes in the bill, which is now awaiting a final signature from the president (who has five days to do so).

    “Technologies and production methods that differ from traditional ones contain potential dangers that threaten our fundamental values. We do not yet have a satisfactory answer to these challenges,” the text adds. “The presumed negative effects justify a general ban on the production and marketing of laboratory-grown meat.”

    Along similar lines, Nagy added: “The national government is committed to food production linked to the farmland and strengthening the countryside. Some people have become distant from nature, and a false romanticism is developing regarding wildlife. The majority of society must understand that without farmers, there is no food and no future. Artificial meat is a fabrication, and we insist on our culture.”

    Cultivated meat has been proven to be better for the planet (especially when produced via renewable energy), in addition to supporting animal welfare and, in the longer term, food security. Even farmers are embracing the technology, so to ban it on “presumed negative effects” is befuddling.

    Cultural protectionism has been cited as a justification for the ban in Italy, too. At the same time, the safeguarding of livestock producers is the bedrock of the seven state-level bans on cultivated meat in the US. Still, these farmers welcome the competition and have spoken out against placing restrictions on cultured meat.

    lab grown meat survey
    Courtesy: GFI Europe

    That sentiment isn’t just confined to the farmers. Most European consumers are also against banning cultivated meat, including over 60% of Hungarians. In fact, around 55% of the latter group support the sale of these proteins if they pass safety assessments from food regulators.

    So far, only two companies have filed to sell cultivated meat for human food in the EU: Parima (for cultivated duck) and Mosa Meat (beef fat). Since they’re at least a year away from entering the market, prohibitive decisions like Hungary’s are unnecessary, according to the EU Commission

    “A ban is therefore unjustified, since it could pre-empt the harmonised authorisation procedure for novel foods at EU level, which includes a scientific assessment by EFSA,” it said last year.

    The post Hungarian Parliament Votes to Ban Cultivated Meat, Despite EU Criticism & Legal Uncertainties appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • What Does the Non-UPF Verified Standard Mean for Plant-Based Meat & Dairy?

    impossible burger eu
    6 Mins Read

    The Non-GMO Project has published the first version of its Non-UPF Verified Standard to help companies label foods that are not ultra-processed.

    What makes a food non-ultra-processed?

    It’s a question the folks at the Non-GMO Project have spent months answering, as part of a pilot scheme with 16 food manufacturers.

    At the start of the year, the organisation unveiled the Non-UPF Verified programme, under the Food Integrity Collective group, which brands can use as an on-pack label to definitively highlight a product’s status as an unprocessed or minimally processed food.

    Now, it has published the first version of the Non-UPF Verified Standard, which will enter its full implementation phase. Independent technical administrators will act as impartial evaluators separate from both the Non-GMO Project and applicant brands, and assess each product seeking the label against the core criteria developed over the previous months.

    “This is about reconciling the false divide between ‘real food’ and packaged food,” said Megan Westgate, CEO and founder of the Non-GMO Project. “The Non-UPF Standard defines a middle ground where convenience and nourishment can genuinely coexist, giving brands a path to make better food and shoppers a reason to trust it.”

    What are UPFs, and how does the new standard define them?

    nova classification
    Courtesy: Springer

    First, a quick primer. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) were first defined by the Nova classification developed by researchers in Brazil in 2009, denoting products as those made with industrial formulations and techniques or containing cosmetic additives thought to be of little culinary use. Colloquially, they’re thought of as foods you can’t make in your home kitchen.

    Americans now get 55% of their calories from UPFs, which many experts have linked to a multitude of health ailments (and even premature death). Others, however, argue that this claim is misleading because the category is too broad.

    For instance, everything from that tub of ice cream in your freezer to the canned soup in your drawer is a UPF. So are the chicken nuggets you eat at McDonald’s, the Beyond Burger you buy at supermarkets, and the slice of whole-grain bread you have for breakfast.

    The American Heart Association has stated that not all UPFs are equal, and several such products can actually be good for you, including plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, which have been bundled in the same category as Oreos, Lay’s and Pepsi.

    That has led to a consistent drop-off in sales of these products over the last couple of years. After all, 72% of Americans are trying to avoid UPFs in their diets, and 79% feel they’re a “significant threat” to public health, according to research commissioned by Food Integrity Collective.

    non ultra processed foods
    Courtesy: Food Integrity Collective

    To its credit, the Non-GMO Project recognises the nuance. Its criteria for the Non-UPF Verified Standard nod to the “not all processing is equal” argument, distinguishing between minimal, conditional, and prohibited processing methods. In other words, products must primarily contain minimally processed ingredients and be free from “high-impact chemical, structural, thermal, and biological modification”.

    Foods produced via methods deemed prohibited cannot bear the non-UPF label, but conditional methods may be used if they meet “explicitly defined conditions”. Permissible processes, meanwhile, can be used without restrictions, as long as they either preserve the food’s natural structure and integrity, or maintain its fundamental characteristics.

    Further, the standard restricts ingredients either “widely recognised as harmful or characteristic of ultra-processed formulations”, especially those used to create hyperpalatable textures and flavours. This includes a prohibition on non-nutritive sweeteners (like aspartame, monkfruit extract, xylitol, or erythritol) and limits on refined added sugar.

    How will plant-based alternatives be impacted?

    plant based upf
    Courtesy: Oumph

    So what does this mean for plant-based food manufacturers? It’s worth noting that among the 16 brands involved in the trial, several have meat-free or vegan portfolios, such as Califia Farms, Amy’s Kitchen, Simple Mills, and Caulipower.

    The Non-GMO Project has published an extensive list of processed ingredients that may be prohibited or used conditionally, many of which appear in plant-based meat and dairy products. The standard states that even some gums, thickeners and texturisers produced through conditional processing methods, including industrial fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis processes, are prohibited ingredients.

    Among these is methycellulose, a gelling and binding agent made by heating cellulose and treating it with methyl chloride. It is part of many plant-based meat products, including those from giants like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Morningstar Farms, and Lightlife Foods.

    Similarly, xanthan and gellan gum are part of this prohibited list. Gellan gum is widely used in non-dairy milk products, including by brands like Califia Farms (which was part of the pilot), Silk, and Ripple Foods. Xanthan gum is widely used in the food manufacturing and restaurant sectors – it’s present in everything from a Beyond Sausage to a Ben & Jerry’s non-dairy ice cream.

    califia farms organic
    Courtesy: Califia Farms

    That said, some gums and thickeners are still fair game, if they’re only used when functionally necessary, specifically to “suspend or stabilise added vitamins, minerals, or other essential nutrients in liquid products” where no alternative is viable. This group includes guar gum, locust bean gum, pectin and agar-agar.

    Plant-based dairy products with more than 7% of added sugar by weight will also not be eligible for Non-UPF Verified status, nor will vegan protein powders with over 5% of free sugars.

    Most packaged foods use ‘natural flavours’ as an umbrella term for a whole host of things, and the opaqueness of the system led the Non-GMO Project to keep compliance with its rules on this section optional.

    There’s a section on the use of fats too. Hydrogenated and interestified oils, which may appear in some plant-based butters, margarine, or ghee alternatives, are prohibited. Refined and deodorised fats such as coconut oil (widely used in vegan cheese from brands like Violife and Daiya) are allowed on the condition that they don’t make up more than 30% of a product’s formulation.

    daiya cheese
    Courtesy: Daiya

    Other prohibited ingredients that may appear in plant-based meat and products include sugar esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (common in non-dairy creams), monosodium glutamate (MSG), and soy leghemoglobin (the signature ingredient in the Impossible Burger).

    So a ton of vegan products will not pass the Non-UPF Verified Standard, and that could mean further financial misery for the industry. If this label witnesses the same success as the Non-GMO Butterfly mark, it might be wise for companies to consider reformulating their products.

    “Processing itself isn’t the enemy, it’s how and why it’s done that matters,” said Westgate.

    The post What Does the Non-UPF Verified Standard Mean for Plant-Based Meat & Dairy? appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • UK Vegan Cheese Brand Julienne Bruno Acquired Out of Administration by The Compleat Food Group

    julienne bruno
    4 Mins Read

    Julienne Bruno, known for its dairy-free Italian cheeses, has been rescued out of insolvency by The Compleat Food Group’s Harvey & Brockless.

    In yet another instance of consolidation in the plant-based category, British non-dairy cheese maker Julienne Bruno’s brand and assets have been acquired by Harvey & Brockless, the artisan foodservice subsidiary of The Compleat Food Group.

    The sale came just two days after the loss-making startup fell into administration after failing to secure sufficient investment, laying off all 14 employees.

    Founder Axel Katalan declined to comment on the firm’s sale and challenges when approached by Green Queen: in a post on social media, he remarked: “This ensures the brand and products sit with a partner that can give them the scale, resources and support to realise their full potential.”

    He added that he will continue to support Julienne Bruno as a consultant to Compleat, which also owns fellow vegan cheese brand Palace Culture, for the next few months.

    As losses mounted, Julienne Bruno sought investors and buyers

    julienne bruno burella
    Courtesy: Julienne Bruno/Green Queen

    Katalan, a chef, founded Julienne Bruno in 2020, bringing a range of ultra-realistic vegan cheeses to the market. Its current lineup includes Crematta (a ricotta alternative), Superstraccia (stracciatella), Burrella (burrata), and Mozzafiore Pearls (mini mozzarella balls).

    All the cheeses are made with soy milk and coconut oil, and naturally fermented through a bespoke method. They’ve been listed by premium retailers like Whole Foods Market, Harrods and Selfridges, online grocer Ocado, and restaurants and cafés including Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, Soho House, Gauthier, and Pizza Pilgrims.

    Despite raising over £6M across two funding rounds, the brand has been incurring heavy losses since the beginning. In 2022, its net losses amounted to £1.6M, more than doubling in 2023, and rising by another 34% in 2024, totalling £5.1M, according to its filing at Companies House, the UK’s public business registry.

    Insolvency firm Interpath, which was appointed administrator last week, noted that the company had “grown significantly” since its formation, with a reputation for producing “market-pioneering plant-based products”.

    However, to reach a scale large enough to enable profitability, Julienne Bruno needed additional funding, so it kickstarted a process to explore different sale and investment options.

    “Unfortunately, despite a competitive process with a number of parties showing interest in the brand, a solvent outcome could not be found, and as a result, the company was placed into administration,” said Interpath.

    “Our immediate priority is to support those employees who have been made redundant, including supporting them with claims for redundancy pay and other monies owed,” said Howard Smith, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator of Julienne Bruno.

    Compleat acquisition will help Julienne Bruno ‘truly win’

    julienne bruno cheese
    Courtesy: Julienne Bruno

    It only took two days for Interpath to find a new home for Julienne Bruno’s vegan cheeses, joining Compleat’s expanding portfolio of chilled foods. Formed in 2021 from the merger of Winterbotham Darby and Addo Food, it owns meat-free brand Squeaky Bean and fermented condiment maker Vadasz (among others) as well, and recorded £786M in revenue last year.

    “Since its launch, Julienne Bruno had developed a great reputation for its innovative and high-quality plant-based products. Known as a pioneer within the sector, it had generated a loyal customer base both in the UK and internationally,” said Tom Swiers, head of food and drink for Interpath.

    “We’re pleased to have achieved this sale, which will enable the brand to continue under new ownership and deliver to its customers.”

    In his online post, Katalan wrote: “We set out to create products that could challenge the sensory quality of dairy and in many ways we did. The market has shown that to truly win, you need deep operational strength and the right long-term partner. I genuinely believe […] this new combination is the strongest in Europe to deliver that.”

    Julienne Bruno is one of many alternative protein brands that have either fallen into insolvency, been acquired, or shut down, as the sector struggles with a lack of investment and sales. In the UK, sales of plant-based food fell by 4% in 2024, with vegan cheese purchases flatlining but volumes down by 2%.

    Here, pea milk brand Mighty Drinks entered administration this summer, before being rescued by Cypriot firm The Mighty Kitchen, while Beastly Brews, the maker of oat milk liqueur Panther M*lk, ceased operations. Ready meal startup Allplants went bankrupt last year, before Plants and Grubby bought off its assets.

    With Compleat’s purchase, Julienne Bruno’s brand lives on. “We built a factory from zero in the heart of Covid and scaled into more than one thousand locations in the UK, with listings in Switzerland and the UAE,” said Katalan.

    “We learned, hired, fired, raised funds, launched new products in new markets, and built a brand now regularly cited as a leader in this space. I am incredibly proud of that work and grateful for the support we’ve received along the way.”

    The post UK Vegan Cheese Brand Julienne Bruno Acquired Out of Administration by The Compleat Food Group appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • ‘GLP-1 is Raising the Bar’: How Danone’s Kate Farms is Embracing the Ozempic Boom

    danone glp 1
    6 Mins Read

    As GLP-1 users become “more label-literate and science-minded”, Danone’s plant-based nutrition brand Kate Farms is busting its gut to meet the moment with “truly better-for-you” products.

    Ozempic has led the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) clan to turn on its leader.

    US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has cheered on the Trump administration’s recent deal to lower the cost of obesity medications, putting him at odds with supporters who have been critical of the pharma sector and its weight-loss drugs.

    However, there are some commonalities between MAHA and GLP-1 medications: they’ve both increased public focus on metabolic health in the US. That, in turn, has accelerated consumer awareness of the adage that “nutrition is foundational to wellbeing”.

    Or at least that’s how Kate Farms, a plant-based nutrition brand recently acquired by dairy giant Danone, looks at it. “Kate Farms has always operated at the intersection of healthcare and wellness, bridging clinical integrity and consumer access,” its CMO, Catherine Hayden, tells Green Queen.

    “These movements amplify what we’ve long championed: science-based, truly better-for-you nutrition that supports long-term health.”

    The firm makes a range of nutrition products for kids and adults, including a dairy-free baby formula without the top nine most common allergens, pea protein shakes, pediatric blended meals, and shakes for glucose and renal support.

    But with nine in 10 healthcare patients preferring to rely more on healthy eating than on medications to manage their conditions, Kate Farms doubled down on its food-as-medicine approach with the launch of a High Protein Nutrition Shake this year, specifically designed to address “critical nutrition gaps” from GLP-1 use.

    kate farms nutrition shake
    Courtesy: Kate Farms

    Now, that product has entered the country’s largest retailer, Walmart, whose stores are within 10 miles of 90% of Americans, expanding access to clinically-designed nutrition products and boosting food security amid the government’s funding cuts to food assistance programmes.

    “Many Kate Farms formulas and shakes are SNAP-eligible and covered by Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and WIC in 33 states. Expanding access to clinically designed, plant-based nutrition is central to our mission,” says Hayden.

    “We continue to advocate for funding stability and policy support to ensure families maintain access to high-integrity, truly better-for-you products during periods of federal uncertainty.”

    GLP-1 users are more focused on science and labels

    One in eight Americans has used a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro, and this could rise to up to 70 million people by 2028, when they’ll likely have boosted the national GDP by 1%.

    These medications have left the food industry scrambling, as demand for foods high in sugar, fat and calories dissipates, while protein and fibre become more popular than ever.

    In response, Nestlé has a new brand dedicated to GLP-1 users, Coca-Cola and Pepsi have both launched prebiotic sodas (the latter acquired Poppi for nearly $2B earlier this year), Conagra Brands has introduced ‘GLP-1 friendly’ labels on packaging for some ready meals, and Daily Harvest (now owned by Chobani) has rolled out a line of high-protein, high-fibre smoothies.

    The GLP-1 boom is tangible in the food industry. “It’s raising the bar. GLP-1 users are more label-literate and science-minded, and that’s driving demand for clean, clinically backed, and effective nutrition,” says Hayden.

    “This shift validates what we’ve done from the start: developing purpose-built, medically informed, plant-based products that deliver real nutritional outcomes, not marketing promises,” she adds. “The GLP-1 moment is helping separate proof from hype, reinforcing our belief that ‘truly better-for-you’ must mean clinically proven and responsibly made.”

    kate farms high protein nutrition shake
    Courtesy: Kate Farms

    Analysis shows that GLP-1 users spend 11% less on most categories of food, and over half (56%) look to make healthier food choices. Why would they choose protein shakes over whole foods?

    “For many, appetite suppression makes it challenging to consume enough nutrient-dense food. Our shake offers a simple way to get complete, balanced nutrition in one serving, supporting muscle health and filling key nutrient gaps,” suggests Hayden.

    “It’s not a replacement for whole foods; it’s a bridge that helps people stay nourished when appetite or schedule makes balanced meals harder to manage,” she adds. “Fibre is also central to that balance: to aid in digestion and fullness in a format that’s easy to tolerate when appetite is reduced.”

    Kate Farms spotlights proof over buzzwords

    Hayden believes the key to capitalising on the GLP-1 moment is to “never retrofit”. “Most products entering this space are retrofitted or relabeled from other categories – such as diabetes or sports nutrition – and often rely on artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or common allergens,” she explains.

    “Kate Farms’s High Protein Nutrition Shake was designed from the ground up with direct input from GLP-1 users and healthcare professionals, then refined through multiple rounds of sensory testing to ensure it’s satisfying even with a reduced appetite.”

    Research shows that GLP-1 use can lead to a 25-40% decrease in muscle mass over eight to 16 months, several times greater than non-medicated weight loss approaches and age-related muscle loss. It’s why each shake packs 25g of protein, alongside 6g of fibre, and 27 vitamins and minerals.

    “The 6g of organic fibre play a key role in supporting gut health and satiety – two areas GLP-1 users consistently identify as challenges – making it both functional and filling,” says Hayden. “This is what truly better-for-you looks like: nutrition built with clinical precision and clean, transparent ingredients, not marketing claims.”

    kate farms glp 1
    Courtesy: Kate Farms

    Then there’s the labelling element. Does slapping a ‘GLP-1 friendly’ label risk putting off loyal consumers who don’t use Ozempic? “Yes, if it’s treated as a trend,” answers Hayden.

    “We don’t chase labels; we design around needs backed by clinical precision,” she says, noting how the High Protein Nutrition Shake was crafted to serve the unique needs of GLP-1 users, yet is still optimised for anyone seeking balanced, clinically designed nutrition. “Our approach is inclusive and transparent: proof-based rather than buzzword-based.”

    Kate Farms boasts ‘strong year of growth’ amid Danone takeover

    As Kate Farms is leaning into the GLP-1 space, its products are also part of an ailing plant-based sector, which has seen sales slow over the last couple of years in the US. Consumers’ willingness to consume plant protein hasn’t been helped by studies like the Consumer Reports analysis that found high levels of lead content in vegan protein powders, however misguided the findings may be.

    “Ingredient integrity has been part of Kate Farms’s DNA from day one. All our shakes are USDA Organic, plant-based, and routinely tested to meet Federal and State standards, including Proposition 65, which is among the most stringent in the US,” says Hayden.

    “We never use artificial sweeteners, colours, or flavours” – wink wink, MAHA – “and our products are free from the top nine allergens. That’s why Kate Farms is the number-one doctor-recommended plant-based brand, trusted in more than 1,400 US hospitals.”

    In a market crowded with vague claims, she adds, Kate Farms “continues to set the benchmark” for nutrition grounded in clinical proof.

    glp 1 shake
    Courtesy: Kate Farms

    When it comes to sales, Hayden suggests that Kate Farms has been bucking the plant-based trend: “2025 has been a strong year of growth, driven by new retail partnerships and expansion across both medical and consumer channels.”

    It’s likely what caught Danone’s eye when it decided to buy the company earlier this year. The French owner of Silk and Alpro has a big horse in the GLP-1 race, with its yoghurt portfolio hitting the protein-fibre sweet spot.

    Following the acquisition, Kate Farms now joins Nutricia, Real Food Blends and Functional Formularies in Danone’s medical nutrition business in North America. The transition from startup to Big Food subsidiary has “been seamless and mission-aligned”, according to Hayden.

    “This partnership expands our reach while maintaining the leadership, standards, and values that define Kate Farms,” she says. “It’s a merger of missions: scaling our shared belief that good nutrition and truly better-for-you food are essential to better health.

    The post ‘GLP-1 is Raising the Bar’: How Danone’s Kate Farms is Embracing the Ozempic Boom appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Sweden’s Re:meat Rebrands to Curve to Enable Low-Cost, Large-Scale Biomanufacturing

    4 Mins Read

    Swedish food tech startup Re:meat has evolved from a cultivated meat producer to a sustainable protein biomanufacturer, now called Curve.

    Two months after signing a deal to establish Scandinavia’s first cultivated meat facility, Re:meat is expanding its cellular agriculture platform to enable cost-efficient manufacturing of novel proteins.

    The company has announced a strategic rebrand to Curve, shifting focus away from producing its own ingredients and opening up its production platform to help other sustainable food manufacturers speed up their processes and path to market.

    The pivot came from what we learned firsthand: the real bottleneck in biomanufacturing isn’t scientific — it’s technical and economic scalability. We realised our greatest impact wouldn’t come from producing a single end-product, but from enabling many companies to scale their own,” co-founder and CEO Jacob Schaldemose Peterson told Green Queen.

    “Curve exists to provide the infrastructure – the production systems and process intelligence – that make scalable biomanufacturing possible.”

    How Curve overcomes scale and cost challenges

    curve bio
    Courtesy: Curve

    Peterson founded Curve with Gittan Schiöld in 2022, producing cultivated meat by growing immortalised cells of free-range livestock in bioreactors. Its process currently takes three weeks, with an initial focus on minced meat.

    The company claims its patented core technology radically lowers the cost of hardware for cultivated meat, an important step towards scaling cultivated proteins and enabling mass adoption. Curve says proteins are the foundation of future nutrition and healthcare, and today’s production systems weren’t built for these new markets.

    That’s because they’re resource-heavy, slow to scale, and economically misaligned. Instead, the next era of biotech requires tech that can produce complex proteins at industrial scale, with minimal cost and climate impact.

    Analysis suggests that the cultivated meat industry has lowered production costs by 99% in a decade. However, it’ll still take until at least 2030 for these proteins to begin approaching price parity with conventional meat.

    Many cellular agriculture startups are still reliant on the bioreactors of the pharmaceutical industry. However, these are not purpose-built for the lower-margin cultivated meat sector, and hence are much more expensive.

    “Traditional bioreactors were designed for pharma, where cost per unit isn’t the main driver. We’ve re-engineered the system from the ground up for industrial biotech — optimising fluid dynamics, control systems, and material use,” explained Peterson.

    Curve is looking to usher in smarter biomanufacturing practices, having developed modular production systems that “close the gap between basic food-grade fermenters and costly pharma-grade setups”. It has developed an alternative to the controversial and expensive fetal bovine serum, which makes up a big chunk of production costs.

    This is an approach used by a growing number of food tech firms, including cultured pork producer Mission Barns, cultivated pet food startup Meatly, and AI-led biotech firm Arsenale Bioyards.

    Curve’s platform can reduce costs by 70%

    lab grown meat expensive
    Courtesy: Curve

    Curve’s core Biobric platform combines physical hardware with data simulations to enable optimised conditions, strain learning, and automated process refinement. It’s designed for “cost leadership”, reducing capital and operational expenditure by up to 70%, accelerating process optimisation, and enabling commercially viable precision fermentation and cultivated meat.

    “Cost-efficient cultivated meat production has always been the ambition for Re:meat,” said Torbjörn Sahlén, an investor and board member at Curve. “However, experience shows that if we focus exclusively on that, we are not maximising our ability to scale and leave significant potential untapped. This shift – and consequently the name Curve – reflects this strategic opportunity.”

    The refreshed entity is working closely with precision fermentation and biotech companies to jointly run scale-up trials and optimise strains, media and processes before licensing validated systems to industrial producers. It marks a shift from a single vertical into a multi-category protein platform.

    The company secured $1.1M in funding earlier this year, and in September, it teamed up with Biotech Heights, a biotech innovation in Lund, to launch the region’s first cultivated meat facility. The pilot plant, titled Re:meatery at the time, will be installed by the end of 2025 and validated with partners and clients in spring 2026.

    “The pilot facility is progressing well,” said Peterson. “Here, we will validate systems and run joint upscaling trials with partners. While it’s no longer branded ‘Re:meatery’, it continues to play a key role in scaling and validating our technology before full industrial rollout.”

    Curve’s systems are designed to meet food-grade standards and are aligned with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards to simplify regulatory pathways for its clients, whose responsibility it will be to seek regulatory approval for end products.

    Peterson said the B2B model isn’t the only way to success for cultivated meat, but it’s “probably the most scalable path” for now. “The economics and infrastructure challenges of biomanufacturing are simply too great for most ingredient brands to solve alone,” he said.

    “By building shared tools and production systems, B2B models accelerate the entire field. Once the underlying technology and cost base are established, B2C innovation can flourish on top.”

    The post Sweden’s Re:meat Rebrands to Curve to Enable Low-Cost, Large-Scale Biomanufacturing appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Experts Propose Plan to Create EU-Wide Regulatory Sandbox for Novel Foods

    eu regulatory sandboxes
    6 Mins Read

    The EU is losing out to other regions on the biotechnology front, thanks to an outdated novel food framework. A regulatory sandbox could reinstate its leadership.

    Europe is home to some of the world’s most avant-garde food tech startups. So why do they end up leaving?

    The problem, according to a new report by think tank the Ministry of Future Affairs, lies with the EU’s outdated system to assess the safety of new products before they can launch into the market.

    The bloc’s novel food regulatory framework is competitive with others in terms of the timeline and robustness. However, the length of assessments is twice as long as promised, raising costs for startups and driving away investors from the region.

    These regulatory inefficiencies have put Europe’s position as a biotech leader “under threat”, harming its strategic autonomy and food security. For instance, companies like Onego Bio (which makes fermentation-derived egg proteins) and cultivated meat player Meatable have chosen to apply for approval in the US or Singapore first, respectively, where the framework is clearer and timelines shorter.

    The startups that opted to file novel food dossiers in Europe first, like Finland’s Solar Foods, say the move has “come at a significant cost”.

    solar foods solein
    Courtesy: Solar Foods

    “Our regulatory journey has taken more than twice as long as the EU’s own market approval timeline anticipates. In the meantime, we’ve had to enter other global markets just to remain viable while waiting for approval at home,” says Juha-Pekka Pitkänen, co-founder and CSO of the Solein protein maker.

    “We’re not asking for lower food safety standards, but for a regulatory process in our home market that is efficient, predictable, and enables innovation to thrive,” he adds.

    In response, the Ministry of Future Affairs has convened food safety, regulatory, and legal experts, who analysed regulatory pain points experienced by applicants and have formed a Framework for a Pan-European Regulatory Sandbox for Novel Foods.

    “We fund innovative European food scientists and entrepreneurs, only to see them leave for other markets due to the EU’s unpredictable regulatory approval process. This further strengthens the geopolitical power and competitiveness of other countries, such as China, which benefit from the lack of an efficient regulatory pathway to market in Europe,” says Anna Handschuh, the organisation’s managing director.

    “Member states that wish to support and benefit from the growing food biomanufacturing market should collaborate on setting up regulatory sandboxes.”

    What’s wrong with the EU’s novel food framework?

    The report, titled Closing the Food Innovation Gap, suggests that though the EU’s novel food regulation is often seen as a barrier, it does offer some unique benefits.

    For instance, it covers a wide range of technologies, including cell cultivation and precision fermentation, and follows a centralised procedure – once approved, companies can sell in all 27 member states. Applicants can also require five years of protection for the data they’ve generated during the period they are putting their dossiers together, as well as confidential treatment of certain information.

    Plus, once approved, the decision is valid indefinitely, meaning that companies don’t have to go through any renewal process (unlike feed additives and smoke flavourings).

    To get the green light, applicants generate data and gather studies to support their dossiers, which are then validated by the European Commission, before being passed on to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to perform a suitability check (which takes 30 days).

    eu novel foods
    Courtesy: European Food Safety Authority

    The EFSA then performs a scientific risk assessment before publishing its opinion, a process that can take nine months (and can be extended if the agency wants more information). Based on this opinion, the EU Commission prepares a draft implementing regulation, which 55% of member states (representing 65% of the bloc’s population) must approve. The legal timeline for this process is seven months.

    In actuality, the average time it takes for a novel food product to be approved in the EU currently is 30 months, far higher than the stipulated 18-month timeline – and this can stretch to as long as five years. In comparison, average timelines in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand are 12 to 24 months.

    “The costs of generating data to support a novel food application in the EU are higher, and there is more uncertainty due to the cost of additional data requests that occur during the risk-assessment period,” the report suggests.

    Indeed, a novel food dossier in the EU could set a company back €250,000, on par with Australia and New Zealand, though far higher than the €100,000 expected in Singapore and €75,000 needed for a self-affirmed GRAS determination in the US.

    This is because the EFSA requires data from at least five independent batches of the novel food ingredient, whereas the other regions require a minimum of three. The EU regulator further asks for data on shelf life and stability in relevant food matrices, adding extra costs and complexity.

    How a regulatory sandbox can break the EU’s innovation deadlock

    The Ministry of Future Affairs suggests that food tech investors have been recommending European companies to launch in the US, and have deprioritised the EU as an investment destination. Its solution to this situation is inspired by a former EU member state.

    In March, the UK opened a regulatory sandbox for cultivated meat, connecting eight startups (three of which are from the EU) with scientists, regulatory experts, and academic bodies to overhaul the regulatory framework and fast-track their path to market.

    This enables British regulators to “generate the information needed to answer outstanding questions and increase the efficiency of the regulatory process”, without compromising on existing food standards, according to the sandbox’s head, Joshua Ravenhill. “Sandboxes like ours facilitate innovation whilst ensuring citizens’ safety,” he said.

    Sandboxes are time-bound regulatory environments in which innovative products can be tested under supervision, and often with temporary exemptions from standard rules. The report outlines that they can streamline approvals, reduce costs, shorten timelines and remove administrative burdens.

    lab grown meat uk
    Mosa Meat is part of the UK FSA’s cultivated meat regulatory sandbox | Courtesy: Mosa Meat

    Through its pan-European sandbox framework, the Ministry of Food Affairs aims to inspire a transparent pre-market approval process, create high-quality dossiers that demystify requirements, streamline and fast-track procedures, foster cross-border collaborations, and restore investor trust.

    Aside from the regulatory testbed, its framework proposes a Living Lab to host public tastings of novel foods, an experimental regulatory learning space to reduce fragmentation across borders, and shared AI and digital tools to improve efficiency.

    This sandbox would last for 2.5 years and comprise 10 food tech companies planning to file a dossier in the next 12 months, with the key result being the submission of at least two applications by the end.

    “The framework aims to transform the regulatory process from what is currently viewed as a barrier into a strategic enabler. With the process laid out, we aim to demonstrate that novel foods approval can be completed within the regulated timeline while upholding safety,” notes Hannah Lester, CEO of Atova Regulatory Consulting.

    Fortunately for the alternative protein industry, the EU has shown it is willing to modernise its novel food framework. Its new life sciences strategy will introduce the Biotech Act next year, which aims to speed up approvals for these innovations by mobilising investments and creating an AI-led supportive tool. In addition, the EU Parliament has recommended the use of sandboxes to assess applications, while helping companies transition from this testbed regime to full market access.

    The post Experts Propose Plan to Create EU-Wide Regulatory Sandbox for Novel Foods appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • US Wellness Brand to Debut CO2 Protein Bars with Solar Foods’s Solein Ingredient

    solein protein bar
    4 Mins Read

    Wellness company Fermenta will roll out limited-edition protein bars featuring Solar Foods’s gas-fermented protein, Solein, in the US early next year.

    As Americans sink their teeth into everything protein, companies are scrambling to boost this macronutrient in their products from a range of sources.

    One startup has turned to air. Fermenta, a health and performance nutrition startup, has tapped the Solein protein developed by Finnish firm Solar Foods, which is made by fermenting carbon dioxide, hydrogen and oxygen.

    Fermenta will release a line of gluten-free Solein-powered protein bars under its Gutsy brand, marking one of the first times the ingredient will be available in the US. It is set to roll out in Q1 2026.

    “We want to create delightful moments for consumers and offer sustainable and clean products that support digestive wellness and are high in protein, vegan-friendly and contain less sugar,” said Fermenta CEO John Gibb. “Solein is a groundbreaking new ingredient which supports our sustainability ambition and offers exceptional nutritional values with no compromise on taste.”

    Why Solein makes the perfect base for Fermenta’s protein bars

    solein protein
    Courtesy: Solar Foods

    Solar Foods produces Solein by feeding microbes on gases instead of sugar, eschewing the need for farmland, water for irrigation, and fertilisers and pesticides. The microbes are grown in a liquid form, and later dried into a flavourless powder that has 78% protein, 6% fat, and 10% dietary fibre. Its macronutrient profile is said to be akin to dried soy or algae, and it contains iron and B vitamins.

    The company calls Solein the “most sustainable protein” on Earth. The main raw materials for production are carbon dioxide and renewable energy, resulting in emissions equal to just 1% of those generated by conventional meat, and 20% of plant proteins.

    Aside from the environmental wins, Solar Foods’s deep-yellow ingredient also delivers on the nutrition front. It has all nine essential amino acids, zero cholesterol or saturated fat, and is packed with iron and vitamin B12. Plus, the powder has a mild flavour, making it an ideal base for a variety of products.

    “Solein is an extremely versatile ingredient, and Fermenta’s functional protein bars are one example of how Solein works in final products,” said Troels Nørgaard, chief commercial and product officer at Solar Foods.

    “As an agile startup, Fermenta will be among the first to bring products made with Solein available for consumers in the US. We are very excited to see what kinds of products Solein will be used in in the future.”

    Solar Foods bets big on health and performance nutrition

    solein
    Courtesy: Solar Foods

    Solar Foods, which notified the US FDA of its self-affirmed GRAS status this year, has already commercialised Solein in a bunch of products in Singapore, including mooncakes, ice cream sandwiches, chocolate snack bars, and beanless lattes. It has also debuted an egg- and dairy-free mayo using Solein.

    But earlier this year, it made clear that its strategy in the US is to target the health and performance nutrition market, having recently unveiled a ready-to-mix protein shake powder for athletes and gymgoers looking to enhance their performance and recovery.

    “The consumer demand for different health and performance nutrition products is growing rapidly. Solein excels as an ingredient in this category, offering customers a highly versatile ingredient with exceptional nutrition, functionality, and taste, while drastically reducing environmental impact,” said Nørgaard.

    It comes as 70% of Americans try to consume protein this year, and one in three increased their intake, spawning protein-spiked coffee syrups, cup noodles, Doritos, and water, as well as an expletive-laden rant on late-night TV.

    The publicly-listed company has raised around €83M in equity and debt funding, and signed several supply and product development agreements, including a €1.39M deal with US-based GLP-1 wellness company Superb Food. Italian food firm KelpEat has also signed a €500,000 agreement, while three other commercialisation deals could account for half of the production capacity of its upcoming large-scale facility, dubbed Factory 02.

    This facility, expected to begin operations in 2028, will be able to churn out 12,800 tonnes of Solein annually at €4.30-5.20 per kg. Its current demo plant, Factory 01, has a capacity of 160 tonnes of Solein per year, which is set to increase to 230 tonnes by 2026.

    “Produced via an innovative gas fermentation method, a highly efficient and scalable technology, Solein can address the significant global protein supply challenge while minimising the risk for supply restraints,” said Nørgaard.

    The post US Wellness Brand to Debut CO2 Protein Bars with Solar Foods’s Solein Ingredient appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Future Food Quick Bites: Heura Recipe, Sunflower Seed Protein & Just Egg Sales

    just egg sales
    4 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Heura’s frankfurter recipe, Eat Just’s sector-leading sales, and Beyond Meat’s legal victory.

    New products and launches

    Spanish plant-based meat maker Heura has introduced a new clean-label frankfurter with 18 times fewer saturated fat and 58% more protein than animal-based versions. And in an unprecedented move, it has made the recipe available to meat giants in Spain, including Oscar Mayer, Argal, and Elpozo.

    heura frankfurter
    Courtesy: Heura Foods

    British oat milk brand Oato has expanded into nearly 300 Tesco stores, which will carry its one-pint and one-litre bottles nationwide.

    UK plant-based company Sunflower Family has launched a line of sunflower seed protein products, including a mince SKU, chunks, a Bolognese mix, and a burger mix.

    sunflower seed protein
    Courtesy: Sunflower Family

    Scottish firm Kingdom Five, meanwhile, has introduced K5 Radical Protein, a solid-state fermentation platform that grows whole-food mycoprotein products for animal-free sausages, fillets, nuggets and seafood.

    Across the Atlantic, US firm Barvecue has rolled out a vegan Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken in the freezers of Harris Teeter stores across the Southeast.

    Fresh from its acquisition by v2food, Daring Foods has unveiled a range of microwaveable vegan chicken products in diced and shredded formats, which can be cooked in just four minutes and pack 45g of protein 8z pack. They’re available at Walmart and Albertsons stores across the US.

    And pecan milk maker Pecana has announced a major expansion, landing at nearly 4,500 stores nationwide, including 3,800 Walmart locations, as well as Natural Grocers, Harmons, and Sprouts Farmers Market.

    Company and finance updates

    As the egg crisis rages on, Eat Just’s mung-bean-based Just Egg has achieved the highest sales velocity of any plant-based product in the US, based on SPINS data from the last four weeks.

    oddball
    Courtesy: Oddball

    Oddball, a US startup making vegan jelly snacks, has raised $2M in a seed funding round to expand its product line and footprint, and support its launch into Whole Foods this month.

    In France, plant-based meat maker La Vie has announced it will soon open a crowdfunding round, a year after securing €25M from VCs and crowd investors.

    la vie funding
    Courtesy: La Vie

    British chocolate company Made Uncommon, which owns Otherly Oatml*lk, Seed & Bean, and other brands, has expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of Love Cocoa and vegan brand HiP, both founded by James Cadbury (yes, that Cadbury family).

    South Korean tofu giant Pulmuone is planning a European expansion by setting up a subsidiary in Amsterdam, which will source products from its US facilities to supply to key markets like France, Germany, and Spain

    Policy, research and awards

    Starbucks is being urged to trial oat milk as its default milk option in the UK, as part of the Animal Justice Project’s Udderly Kind campaign, with signatories to its open letter including VBites’s Heather Mills, Ecotricity’s Dale Vince, Veg Capital Matthew Glover, and journalist George Monbiot.

    starbucks non dairy milk
    Courtesy: Starbucks

    Beyond Meat has won a legal dispute against a former co-manufacturer over the termination of a production agreement, with a judge validating the plant-based meat maker’s decision to end the deal and denying the latter’s request to reopen the arbitration.

    US corn milk maker Maïzly has won the 2025 GAMA Innovation Award for SMEs, beating entries from over 50 countries to be recognised as one of the “most groundbreaking new products” globally.

    maizly corn milk
    Courtesy: Maïzly

    Australian cultivated pork producer Magic Valley is among the winners of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein Singapore and Enterprise Singapore’s Sustainable Protein Startup Competition at the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit. It will receive S$175,000 ($134,000) in funding and in-kind support.

    US cell-based collagen maker Jellatech has been named a finalist in the Sustainable Tech Innovation category for the 2025 NC TECH Awards.

    this is super superfood
    Courtesy: This

    Finally, Redefine Meat’s Flank Steak, This’s Super Superfood and Nomo’s Salted Popcorn Chocolate Bar secured the top prizes at The Grocer’s New Product & Packaging Awards 2025.

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: Heura Recipe, Sunflower Seed Protein & Just Egg Sales appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Beyond Meat Cuts Yearly Forecast As Sales Continue to Fall in Q3

    beyond meat q3 2025
    4 Mins Read

    After weeks of stock uncertainty, Beyond Meat has posted a 13% revenue decline in Q3 2025 and has adjusted its expectations for the next quarter, too.

    In a rollercoaster Q3, Beyond Meat saw its sales shrink despite exceeding expectations, with the plant-based giant now cutting its forecast for the upcoming year.

    The Californian company recorded revenues of $70M, down by 13.3% from the corresponding period in 2024, but slightly above analysts’ predictions of $69M, with company CEO Ethan Brown attributing it to “category headwinds and an accompanying softer top-line continue”.

    It’s the third consecutive quarter of declining revenue for Beyond Meat, and comes amid volatile shifts in its stock price due to a debt restructuring deal, a meme stock frenzy, and rumours of bankruptcy, as well as expanded distribution in retailers like Walmart and Erewhon.

    As losses widen, Beyond Meat blames weak category demand and China suspension

    beyond meat debt
    Courtesy: Beyond Meat

    The Beyond Burger maker’s loss from operations swelled to $112M, compared to $31M in Q3 2024. This was thanks to large non-cash impairment charges related to its long-lived assets, as well as smaller expenses from legal fees, a lease termination, and the closure of its China operations. Overall, the company’s net loss was at $111M, a 316% increase from the year-ago period.

    Meanwhile, Beyond Meat’s gross profit reached $7M in Q3 2025, nearly half of its value in the July to September period in 2024. Its gross margin also narrowed from 18% in Q3 last year to 10% in 2025. These included $1.7M in expenses related to its China withdrawal.

    Its decrease in revenue was primarily driven by a 10% decline in product volumes, which in turn was a result of “weak category demand”, reduced retail distribution in the US, and lower sales of burger products to international quick-service restaurant consumers.

    And Beyond Meat’s 3.5% drop in net revenue per lb was primarily a result of higher trade discounts, changes in product sales mix and price decreases of certain products, partially offset by favourable changes in foreign currency exchange rates.

    These challenges have prompted the firm to revise its sales forecast for Q4, which is now expected to be between $60M and $65M, compared to analysts’ estimates of $70M.

    US sales a major concern for Beyond Meat

    beyond test kitchen
    Courtesy: Beyond Meat/Green Queen

    The US remains its biggest market by far and the drop-off in sales has been alarming in this quarter. In the retail channel, Beyond Meat’s year-over-year revenues slimmed by over 18% in Q3 2025, totalling just $28M, thanks to weakening demand and distribution.

    Things were even worse in the foodservice segment, where sales fell by 27% to just $10.5M, with the company citing a decrease in volumes due to low demand and the lapping of sales of its vegan chicken to a QSR customer in the year-ago period.

    Internationally, retail sales decreased by nearly 5% to reach $16M, thanks largely to reduced sales of its burger, dinner sausage and chicken products. In the foodservice channel outside the US, Beyond Meat’s revenues were up by 2% to 15M, with the company citing higher sales of its chicken products to a QSR customer, which were partially offset by reduced sales of the Beyond Burger to others.

    So far this year, Beyond Meat’s sales are down by 14% compared to the first nine months of 2024. And if its sales forecast for Q4 comes true, it’s set to record a 14.5-16% drop in full-year revenue for 2025.

    Beyond Meat CEO strikes optimistic tone about company’s future

    beyond meat stock
    Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown at the company’s IPO in May 2019 | Courtesy: Mark Lennihan/AP

    “As we approach the end of 2025, we’ve achieved three important building blocks for our broader transformation efforts,” said Beyond Meat co-founder and CEO Ethan Brown.

    “These are significantly reducing our overall leverage in connection with the previously announced exchange of substantially all of our 2027 convertible notes; meaningfully extending our debt maturity; and finally, adding substantial liquidity to our balance sheet.”

    He added that the company was taking “equally strong measures” to accelerate its path to sustainable operations, including pursuing further and sizeable cost reductions, gross margin expansion investments, and targeted strategic growth initiatives.

    “Though category headwinds and an accompanying softer top-line continue to weigh on and reverberate throughout our current performance, including our Q3 results, we are closing out the year with a much improved balance sheet, important transformation spadework underway, and genuine optimism and excitement regarding our future,” he said.

    The post Beyond Meat Cuts Yearly Forecast As Sales Continue to Fall in Q3 appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Op-Ed: After the Hype, Signs That Complementary Proteins Are Entering A New Phase

    aleph farms
    5 Mins Read

    Didier Toubia, co-founder and CEO of cultivated meat pioneer Aleph Farms, believes alternative proteins are bouncing back as business models mature and regulators take notice.

    For several years, complementary proteins have followed a familiar pattern described by the Gartner Hype Cycle, a framework that maps how emerging technologies rise through early excitement, fall into disillusionment, and eventually mature through practical progress.

    The sector’s early surge of enthusiasm was followed by a steep correction. Investment slowed, companies consolidated, and critics questioned whether the field could deliver on its promise. What is emerging now is a smaller, stronger cohort building on firmer ground.

    Recent developments suggest that complementary proteins, including plant-based, fermentation and other fungi-based, cultivated, and blended products, are beginning to climb what Gartner calls the slope of enlightenment.

    Pressure on the old system, momentum in the new

    lab grown beef
    Courtesy: Aleph Farms

    Outbreaks of animal disease, climate shocks, water scarcity, and geopolitical volatility are creating mounting pressure on conventional supply chains. Natural-resource scarcity and a shrinking national cattle herd (the US herd fell to 86.7 million head in 2025, the lowest since 1951) are steadily driving meat prices upward.

    These risks are opening space for alternative protein production systems and reinforcing the strategic imperative for diversification in global protein production.

    Public-sector support is expanding in key markets such as the UK, Switzerland, the UAE, Japan, and South Korea through government-backed strategies and innovation programs, to name a few.

    In the UAE, Abu Dhabi launched the AGWA agrifood cluster last year, with the goal of adding $24.5B to GDP and creating 60,000 jobs. Both South Korea and Japan have explicitly integrated alternative proteins into their national food security strategies, signalling growing alignment between innovation and policy.

    Consumers shifting behaviours as regulators catch up

    believer meats usda approval
    Believer Meats is the latest to receive US approval to sell cultivated meat | Courtesy: Believer Meats

    GLP-1 medications are accelerating a broader trend toward protein density, healthy indulgence and portion control. Market analyses show that menu items highlighting ‘protein’ or offering smaller portions resonate with both GLP-1 users and mainstream diners.

    Governments and regulators around the world are moving from theory into practice. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) have cleared five cultivated meat producers, including three within the past six months, which is a notable acceleration.

    Israel, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand have also approved cultivated meat products for marketing, while South Korea inaugurated a regulation-free special zone for cultivated meat development in 2024.

    At the same time, regulators across the UK, the UAE, Switzerland, and Japan are finalising frameworks for novel proteins, paving the way for initial local market clearances.

    In parallel, international efforts to harmonise standards are accelerating, with regulatory agencies collaborating through working groups to develop shared definitions, labelling requirements, and safety protocols.

    As realism replaces hype, business models are maturing

    impossible heme patent
    Impossible Foods has teased a move into blended meat | Courtesy: Impossible Foods

    The focus has shifted from branding and rapid scale to solving real unmet needs, whether at the protein supply or consumer level. Companies that once prioritised growth at any cost are now emphasising operational discipline, profitability, rigorous attention to food safety, and a sharper articulation of consumer value.

    The industry is moving toward clearer value propositions and more deliberate product segmentation. Instead of trying to replace all conventional meat, leading companies are identifying where they can create distinctive value and meet specific consumer needs.

    Blended products combining plant proteins and ingredients such as mushrooms are gaining traction by offering balance: the familiarity of traditional meat with the nutritional and environmental advantages of plants.

    Precision fermentation players are concentrating on high-end applications where functionality, flavour performance, and nutrition justify premium positioning. Some leading cultivated meat producers, including Aleph Farms, are focusing on healthy indulgence products crafted for today’s conscious consumer seeking taste, quality, and alignment with personal values

    The sector is entering a phase of greater realism. Market projections and timelines are being revised to reflect lessons learned across the alternative protein landscape.

    For plant-based products – whose inflated ambitions triggered the initial hype – early growth forecasts have been tempered as the category matures. The right products are now growing steadily in well-defined categories.

    Valuations across the alternative protein ecosystem have also undergone a necessary correction. Average pre-money valuations for Series B and later-stage alternative protein startups fell by 30-40% between 2021 and 2024, according to PitchBook data, as investors prioritised capital efficiency and clearer paths to profitability. 

    Early signs of a rebound, and the road ahead

    plant based meat funding
    Nxtfood raised Europe’s largest plant-based funding round since 2022 | Courtesy: Nxtfood

    As a result, and after two years of retrenchment, investment is flowing again to companies with proven technology and solid fundamentals. According to PitchBook, late-stage leaders in alternative proteins and novel ingredients are attracting larger checks as early-stage valuations remain under pressure.

    We’ve seen five complementary protein companies with strong growth prospects and value propositions raise significant funding in the last few months, from plant-based to fermentation and fungi-based innovations.

    We can prudently say that together, these trends suggest that the sector is regaining its footing and entering a more pragmatic phase of growth.

    Since late 2022, many voices in the field have viewed cellular agriculture and other complementary proteins as stalled in the trough of disillusionment, the low point that follows the initial hype.

    That perspective captured the mood of the moment. But the data emerging over the past year, and especially in recent months, across public support, regulatory progress, refinement of product strategies and business models, and consumer trends, suggest that the inflexion point may already be underway. The recent industry consolidation trend and investments rebound could indicate signs of maturation.

    The path from disillusionment to maturity will not be automatic. It will require discipline, focus, continued technical progress, thoughtful regulation, and new models of collaboration between the public and private sectors. But the foundations are stronger today than they were two years ago.

    The next phase of growth will be defined not by hype cycles but by prudent execution, relevance, and credibility. Companies delivering real value will ultimately carry the sector to the plateau of productivity, where complementary proteins become a lasting part of a secure and sustainable global food system.

    The post Op-Ed: After the Hype, Signs That Complementary Proteins Are Entering A New Phase appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Miyoko’s Creamery Founder Raises $100,000 to Buy Back Liquidated Vegan Cheese Company

    miyoko schinner
    6 Mins Read

    Miyoko Schinner has mobilised over $100,000 from crowd investors to help mount a winning bid for the vegan cheese firm she founded, Miyoko’s Creamery, though she calls it “highly unlikely”.

    Three years after being forced out of the company she created, plant-based cheese pioneer Miyoko Schinner has spent the last week working to buy it back.

    As reported by AgFunderNews, Miyoko’s Creamery entered the assignment for the benefit of creditors process last month. This allows financially distressed companies to sell their assets to third parties, serving as an alternative to formal bankruptcy.

    It opened up a bidding process for interested parties, and Schinner entered the fray to reinstate her ownership of the business she founded 11 years ago. To help her cause, she kickstarted a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe with Rick LeBeau, co-founder of vegan energy bar maker Rickaroons.

    In a sign of Schinner’s enduring popularity, the public came through. In around 48 hours, she raised more than $100,000 of her $140,000 goal from over 1,600 crowd investors.

    It has all the bones of a feel-good story: a female founder taking back the reins of a company she was forced out of after raising complaints about new male executives who “mansplained” the business to her and “openly denigrated women”.

    However, the effort may not be enough. “It is highly unlikely I will be the winning bidder, as the liquidator has a fiduciary responsibility to accept the highest bid. I don’t believe mine was. There simply wasn’t enough time,” Schinner said.

    Miyoko Schinner promises to ‘clean up’ product line

    rancho compasion
    Courtesy: Matt Lever/Miyoko’s Creamery

    Bidding to win back her company wasn’t part of Schinner’s plan this year. She had just released her seventh cookbook, and had been preparing to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of her animal sanctuary, Rancho Compasión, in Nicasio, California.

    But news about the company’s liquidation presented an opportunity she could not miss. “My hope is to make an impact not just for animals, but the food system – to take it back from the venture capitalists, private equity, and the multi-national corporations that are now running the food system and determining what we eat,” she wrote on the GoFundMe page.

    As part of her plans, she formed a group of people who would manufacture the products and run the company, including a co-packer and executives with more than 30 years of industry experience. Schinner promised a lean, grassroots-style approach if the bid was successful.

    “The idea is to form an organisation that is more lateral and collaborative than top-down,” she said. “In all transparency, we don’t have time to research and decide because all of this is coming together so quickly, but it could be a co-op, a federation, or other more lateral organisation that is more equitable.”

    Outlining her strategy for Miyoko’s Creamery, Schinner wanted to marry the brand’s mission with its products. “I would re-infuse the brand with the bold activism that made it famous and hope to inspire the world to make better food choices, not just for health but for the betterment of humanity and animals,” she stated.

    “In terms of product selection, I would try to clean up what’s out there right now, and add to the line by launching clean, nutrient-dense products, such as the cottage cheese that has been discussed, as well as some improved formulas for favourites such as the mozzarella. This will take time because getting product to shelf isn’t done overnight, but that is the direction we’d take.”

    Why Schinner exited Miyoko’s Creamery

    miyoko's creamery
    Courtesy: Miyoko’s Creamery

    But how did we get here? Miyoko’s Creamery’s products (which include cheeses and butters made from cashew or oat milk) are available in over 20,000 retail doors in the US. But in June 2022, when the company was worth $260M, Schinner was ousted from her role as CEO by the board.

    The news wasn’t made public until months later, when Miyoko’s Creamery sued its founder for an alleged breach of contract, a violation of trade secrets, and stealing company IP. Schinner, in turn, countersued, saying she was “blindsided” and alleging that sexism led to her dismissal.

    She claimed that recently hired male executives discriminated against women in the company, and that multiple HR complaints about the same are what led to her being forced out. She accused then-COO René Weber of having “openly denigrated women, their expertise and their contributions at Miyoko’s”.

    Schinner added that after raising an HR complaint about an operational consultant hired at an investor’s request, the company “swiftly retaliated against [Schinner] by demoting her and then terminating her”.

    Publicly, the board claimed Schinner’s exit came as she lacked the necessary skills to take Miyoko’s Creamery to the next level as its CEO. However, two months later, there was a resolution between the company and its founder, with both withdrawing legal claims and settling their disputes.

    The company hired former Coca-Cola and Beyond Meat executive Stuart Kronauger as its new CEO, whom Schinner later threw her weight behind. As part of her revitalisation plan, the company closed its Petaluma factory in Sonoma County, with 30-40 jobs being affected as it moved to a co-manufacturing setup.

    According to Bloomberg, the company was already aiming to raise funds and prepare for a potential sale in late 2023, after sales fell by 24% on the back of sustained deficits for years.

    Schinner doubtful of bid success, but ‘might start something new’

    miyoko's cheese
    Courtesy: Eva Kolenko

    Despite the outpouring of public support, Schinner’s effort to win back her namesake company may be unsuccessful.

    “48 hours wasn’t enough to solidify deals, figure out the structure of a new entity, and make sure that the funds would not be a simple spin on a roulette wheel,” she wrote in a social media post, adding that she would find out on Monday (November 10) if she had won, and begin refunding the donations if her bid wasn’t accepted.

    “Had the company approached me at the outset and offered to sell it back to me, this might have been a different story. Instead, I found out about the auction through word of mouth, through the public sphere. It was shock, and honestly, PTSD for me,” noted Schinner.

    “But at the same time, the last few days have been the most exhilarating experience as well, one that showed me how much love there is out there. It has encouraged me to become bolder in speaking my thoughts about food, the food system, animals, and what we as humans need to do to be truthful to ourselves and others.”

    In an interview with Green Queen last month, Schinner had said she did not miss running Miyoko’s Creamery. “My thinking about food systems has evolved much in the years since, and in many ways, I am grateful for this,” she said. “We have a big problem to tackle for the animals, humanity, and the planet, and I feel better situated now to do so than if I were running a company.”

    True to this, the entrepreneur told AgFunderNews she didn’t plan on being CEO or running operations if she won Miyoko’s Creamery back. But in her latest social media post, she reflected on her evolving views about how best to serve the food system.

    “And although I thought I wouldn’t consider it, I might yet start something anew – a different sort of food company. The kind I envision wouldn’t exist in the current consolidated food system, so I have to think deeply about how I can live my ethics within the one we currently have. Finding the right partners – to work with and to invest in me – is also key,” she said.

    “You can take the product out of the person, but you can’t take the person out of the product.”

    The post Miyoko’s Creamery Founder Raises $100,000 to Buy Back Liquidated Vegan Cheese Company appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Impossible Foods Offers Free Plant-Based Meat to SNAP Recipients Amid Uncertainty

    impossible foods snap
    4 Mins Read

    As the government shutdown leaves millions of Americans potentially hungry, Impossible Foods has kickstarted a relief programme for SNAP recipients and those facing food insecurity.

    Hunger has been front and centre of American media in recent weeks, starting from the Trump administration’s decision to end the annual food insecurity survey, to the ongoing government shutdown that has left low-income families on food stamps scrambling.

    Around 12% of the population, or 41.7 million Americans, rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a federal initiative that supplements the grocery budgets of food-insecure households to ensure they can afford nutritious food.

    The federal shutdown, the longest in US history, was cited by the Trump administration when it said it would not pay benefits at all for November. However, last week, judges ordered the government to use emergency funds to pay at least part of the benefits in two separate rulings.

    And on Thursday, a federal judge asked the administration to fully fund SNAP benefits for all recipients by the next day – though the Justice Department said it would appeal the ruling, continuing to delay aid and potentially deepen hunger across the nation.

    As food banks now face unprecedented demand, there are plenty of things people can do to provide relief, including hosting food drives, organising funds for neighbours in need, and donating food and money if they’re able.

    Many businesses are also taking charge, offering free meals and eliminating delivery charges to anyone who needs them. California-based Impossible Foods, known for its plant-based meat alternatives, is joining that list with a coupon relief programme and an initiative to mobilise donations.

    snap benefits
    Courtesy: Impossible Foods

    A coupon programme and partnership with an anti-hunger charity

    Impossible Foods’s nationwide initiative is geared towards Americans facing food insecurity, including those impacted by the uncertainty around SNAP benefits. It’s offering two coupons per household, each redeemable for a free product up to $10 in value at eligible grocery stores.

    The initiative began on November 5 and will run through November 30 (or until coupon supplies last). Eligible participants can submit a form on the company’s website, which is limited to one per household.

    People don’t need to provide government documentation or proof of SNAP enrollment, but they’re asked to confirm that they meet the eligibility requirements, that their household has been impacted by the pause in SNAP benefits, or that they’re otherwise experiencing food insecurity.

    In addition to the coupon programme, Impossible Foods has teamed up with anti-hunger charity Feed the Children to provide plant-based protein to 100,000 Americans affected by hunger.

    impossible sliders
    Courtesy: Impossible Foods

    “We’re continuing to work with our network of restaurants, grocery stores, and non-profit organisations to make additional food donations. We’re grateful to work with such amazing partners who are quick to mobilise in times of need,” Impossible Foods CEO Peter McGuinness said in a blog post.

    “Food insecurity – and the stress and anxiety that come with it – is a burden that no one should have to live with, especially in 2025. This hits close to home for us at Impossible Foods,” he explained.

    “It’s a challenge bigger than one company, but as a business that exists to feed people, we recognise that we’re in a unique position to give back and play a small part in helping put nourishing food on the table.”

    ‘Food has the power to bring people together,’ says Impossible Foods CEO

    SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program, has been credited by researchers as being “successful in reducing food insecurity”. And with hunger sharply increasing after years of gradual decline – thanks to inflation and the end of pandemic aid initiatives – food stamps are becoming more significant than ever.

    Food banks have continued to witness more visits nationwide, with reports suggesting that this is the case even as immigrants are staying away out of concerns that their information could be shared or the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may detain them.

    The Republican government’s controversial budget bill, passed in July, had already cut SNAP funding by around 20%, totalling $187B through to 2034, the largest reductions in the programme’s history. This is estimated to affect four million Americans (or over 10% of those enrolled in the initiative), who will lose some or all of the aid.

    gfi state of the industry
    Courtesy: GFI

    It comes as climate change pushes grocery prices to unprecedented highs, with some commodities – like beef and eggs – recording never-before-seen prices. As plant-based proteins go, beef alternatives were closest to their conventional counterparts on the price front last year, so there’s an opportunity for vegan producers to fill this gap.

    “Everyone deserves access to delicious and nutritious food, plain and simple,” said McGuinness. “We know this isn’t a perfect solution – it’s about doing what we can, where we can, to help people access the kind of food they deserve. If we can help relieve any amount of pressure during an already high-stress time for so many families, that’s reason enough to act.”

    He added: “Food has the power to bring people together. We hope we can provide some comfort during these challenging times.”

    The post Impossible Foods Offers Free Plant-Based Meat to SNAP Recipients Amid Uncertainty appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • This Study Shows How Apple Waste Can Help You Eat Less Meat

    apple pomace uses
    5 Mins Read

    Food waste and meat consumption are major drivers of the climate crisis. But a blended meat approach could provide a win-win solution.

    What do apples, TikTok and waste have in common?

    According to researchers at Cornell University, they could help you eat less meat. In a study published in the Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, they have proposed a way to repurpose the waste left by the apple industry into a meatball enhancer that lowers beef content and keeps social media’s fibremaxxers happy.

    Animal agriculture accounts for up to a fifth of all global emissions, while food waste is responsible for as much as 10%, so this approach could help lower consumption emissions. Reducing one’s intake of red meat – high in saturated fat and cholesterol – and adding fibre can reduce cardiovascular risk and boost gut wellness. And replacing beef content with a food industry byproduct will help lower the cost of meatballs.

    “It’s a win-win-win,” said Elad Tako, associate food science professor at Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “It could mean more natural, better-for-you products for meat companies and the people who care about getting enough protein and other nutrients, but also provide a new income stream for apple and cider producers.”

    Meatballs blended with apple waste no different from 100% meat

    food waste protein
    Courtesy: Journal of Food Science and Nutrition

    When apples are pressed into cider or juice, only about 70-75% of the fruit is used. The rest – comprising the skins, seeds, core and pulp – is collectively called pomace, and its recovery rate is low. Most of this goes either to animal feed, compost or landfill.

    These byproducts are rich in dietary fibre, antioxidants, and micronutrients so the team at Cornell sought to find a way to save the millions of tonnes of apple pomace produced every year.

    They bought three kinds of apples at wholesale, pressed them in a commercial juice press, and freeze-dried the leftovers for 48 hours. They then milled the dried material into a powder with uniform particle size, before rehydrating and blending it into ground beef at 10% and 20% inclusion rates.

    These were then fed to a sensory panel of over 100 untrained testers, which revealed that the meatballs with apple pomace were indistinguishable in aroma, taste, texture and overall preference from 100% beef versions.

    Beyond the sensory attributes, the researchers found that the 20% meatballs exhibited a decline in cooking yields and a shift in internal colour, which may matter to manufacturers who need to meet specification standards. For the taste-testers, there was no cause for concern at the higher inclusion level, indicating that consumers may accept small changes if the product is otherwise familiar.

    “It’s a great source of fibre and bioactives,” Tako said of apple pomace. “But as an ingredient, it also has an antioxidant effect and contributes to a longer shelf life for food products.”

    Indeed, chemical analysis showed that there were polyphenols and fibre present in the apple pomace. However, the protein content was reduced slightly, and the study said further research to investigate how this would affect perceptions of blended meat is warranted.

    That said, Americans already overconsume protein, and are vastly deficient in fibre –  only 5% of adults meet the daily requirement of fibre intake (25g for women and 38g for men), with the average person consuming half the recommended amount. This is another reason why fibremaxxing has exploded on TikTok – a trend this approach could neatly fit into.

    Blended meat approach can fill fibre gap and create revenue stream

    apple waste protein content
    Courtesy: Sreang Hok/Cornell University

    The researchers noted how global apple production surpassed 97 million metric tonnes in 2023, leaving behind a volume of mass that’s expensive to handle. Transportation and disposal costs can eat into already tight margins, especially for smaller processors.

    So turning pomace into a dry, shelf-stable ingredient could mean less waste-hauling and a marketable ingredient. Regional apple and cider producers could sell it as a value-added product to meatpackers, snack food manufacturers, or specialty food producers, opening up a new revenue stream and enabling a closed-loop manufacturing system.

    In terms of benefits for livestock producers, apple pomace adds pectin, fibre, polyphenols and micronutrients to meat. Adding fruit-derived fibre could close the fibre consumption gap through popular processed foods and modestly reduce the share of animal protein without altering the eating experience or asking consumers to change their habits.

    The researchers added that this blended meat approach could be useful in schools, hospitals and workplaces, where familiar comfort foods are served at scale. Plus, it could reduce methane emissions from both landfills and beef consumption.

    The exact size of the potential market depends on a range of issues, including the quantity of pomace that can be dried, the pace at which producers can supply it, and whether food manufacturers will invest in reformulation and labelling changes. Freeze-drying is also energy-intensive and requires capital equipment or third-party services.

    The study comes amid a rise in consumer interest in blended meat. Sensory testing shows that some of these ‘balanced protein’ products score higher than 100% meat amid omnivores. These products have been launched at Disneyland, found success on Shark Tank, and even appeared in kids’ meals.

    In October, Central Market began carrying five meat products blended with shiitake mushrooms from Fable Food Co, with promising early results – one in two people who sampled the innovations have bought them on the spot.

    Blended meats are very much here to stay. If we can curb waste and create revenue for local processors at the same time, that’s an important bonus. Apples aren’t the only fruits that could be valuable for the protein transition – in South Korea, one startup is creating animal-free dairy proteins by fermenting a yeast strain derived from locally grown grapes.

    The post This Study Shows How Apple Waste Can Help You Eat Less Meat appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • ‘Oat Couture’: Why Oatly is Betting on Fashion to Turn Its Fortunes Around

    oatly lookbook
    9 Mins Read

    With seasonal lookbooks and a flavour trend report that feels like it came from the fashion industry, Oatly is courting Gen Z to take its oat milk to newer heights. Here’s an exclusive peek behind its strategy.

    Fashion, flavour and fibre may as well be Oatly’s new buzzwords.

    The Swedish oat milk giant has long been lauded for its innovative marketing and ‘wackaging’ – who can forget that unhinged Super Bowl ad? Some may turn their noses up, but this approach gets people talking.

    The problem, though, is that after taking over supermarket shelves and specialty coffee shops across the world at the turn of the decade, Oatly’s momentum has slowed. Its China and US operations have struggled particularly, and while it just recorded its first quarter of profitable growth since its 2021 IPO, the company had been forced to revise its full-year guidance for 2025.

    Its performance stateside is symptomatic of the cooling demand for non-dairy alternatives, whose overall sales fell by 5% last year. “It is true that the plant-based category has softened in the US,” concedes Bryan Carroll, UK general manager for Oatly.

    “But if you look at the data, this is down to a number of reasons, and actually not because of a resurgence back towards cow’s dairy (or raw milk trends) as has been portrayed,” he tells Green Queen.

    So let’s look at the data, then. According to Nielsen retail scanner data, the volume growth of dairy drinks was flat in the 52 weeks to September 6, and declined by 0.7% in the month prior. And though there were pockets of value growth, thanks in part to rising prices of high-protein products, that is slowing too, from 4% in the previous 12 months to less than 2% in the preceding four weeks.

    oatly fashion
    Courtesy: Oatly

    Still, Oatly’s business could do with a strategy boost, which has materialised in the form of its new taste-first approach, inspired by the food-fashion nexus.

    The firm has produced two ‘lookbooks’ featuring innovative recipes that showcase the versatility of its products, and published a Future of Taste report highlighting the industry’s biggest trends for 2026. On the menu: fibremaxxing, decaf, East-inspired ingredients, and – of course – matcha.

    “We see taste as much more than just flavour. Sure, it’s literally another word for it – but for us, taste represents a frontier for innovation, identity and impact,” says Carroll. “It’s also long been a sticking point for consumers, and we’ve been on a mission to prove that choosing dairy-free doesn’t have to mean compromising on taste.

    “We are yet to fully execute the new taste strategy in the US and instead are focused on fixing areas like our structural operations. That being said, Oatly’s volume is still performing better than competitors and the categories. We see our taste strategy working in Europe, and we’re excited to bring this momentum to our US customers.”

    How the Oatly lookbooks came to life

    oatly revenue
    Courtesy: Oatly

    Aside from putting taste at the heart of things, Oatly had been looking to connect more deeply with lifestyle and culture, beyond just food and drink. “The coffee scene is transforming radically and we believe Oatly is uniquely positioned at the heart of this,” says Carroll.

    Enter the lookbooks, which COO Daniel Ordonez said were breaking down barriers with “quotes reminiscent of fashion and unexpected recipes that totally change the way in which consumers view oat milk”.

    The Spring/Summer 2025 lookbook featured drinks like a maple-miso latte, a salty banana split, and a lacto-fermented blueberry matcha. This month, Oatly released the Autumn/Winter 2025/26 version, offering recipes for a gochujang hot chocolate, a sticky toffee Irish coffee, a carrot cake matcha latte, and a clarified pumpkin spice latte.

    “The idea for the Oatly Lookbook came from merging the worlds of food and fashion: a recipe book inspired by the fashion playbook. Oat Couture, if you will,” says Carroll.

    “It’s a collection of explorative, Oatly-based serves that tap into both current and emerging flavour trends, giving partners and baristas inspiration and consumers fun, accessible ways to experiment at home. It’s all about showing the versatility of Oatly beyond the everyday flat white and reimagining how people experience flavour.”

    The trend report was produced with AI-driven intelligence platform CultureLab and is based on insights from over 200 baristas and industry experts globally. Things kicked off when blind taste tests this year showed that dairy drinkers prefer oat milk in their coffee up to four times more.

    “That told us two things,” says Carroll. “First, we really do taste better than cow’s milk, and second, there’s still a big gap between perception and reality around taste. So, we wanted to take our commitment to taste a step further, to show that we don’t just make products that taste great, but that we understand how taste itself is evolving.”

    That resulted in the Future of Taste report, which he says is for “anyone with a stake in taste”, from baristas and café owners to those curious about the next wave of flavour innovation: “It explores the trends we believe will define what’s on high-street menus, and in your coffee cup and cupboards, in the months and years ahead.”

    Trend report will shape Oatly’s product development and partnerships

    oatly look book
    Courtesy: Oatly

    The recipes in the lookbooks are developed by an in-house team led by barista development director Toby Weedon and head of food and drinks experience Rowena Roos. They work with a team of 60 barista market development managers, who spend “hundreds of hours in coffee shops” and attend global food and drink events to keep their finger “on the taste and flavour pulse”.

    “From this, they pull recipes together by testing, tasting and iterating to land recipes that are both trend and flavour-led and accessible,” Carroll explains.

    The company is taking a “multi-pronged approach” to promote the lookbook, amplifying it through an earned, owned and paid campaign. It began with a flagship event in Berlin in early October, convening members from all its Europe, Middle East and Africa markets.

    “It was an immersive experience built around our signature drinks, launching the taste report and the A/W Lookbook and featuring masterclasses led by our in-house Barista team, giving guests the chance to taste the trends and see the lineup in action,” recalls Carroll.

    “The insights are a really valuable tool to help us stay ahead of emerging trends. We’ll be using them to guide everything from product innovation to the development of our signature drinks, and to inform brand partnerships that align with where taste and culture are heading next,” he says.

    Some of the lookbook recipes have already appeared on coffee shop menus and Oatly’s own product portfolio – for instance, it launched a popcorn-flavoured barista oat milk inspired by the sweet and salty popcorn latte in the S/S 25 lookbook.

    “Our #1-selling barista edition continues to give baristas and home drinkers the tools to craft indulgent, creative drinks at home,” says Carroll. The full barista range – from an organic version and jiggers to the Lighter Taste edition and the 1.5-litre multipacks – is “designed to be a versatile base for thousands of drink combinations”.

    “We’re now building on that versatility by developing more flavour-forward drinks, like our new Oatly Matcha Latte, making big out-of-home trends easier to recreate in-home or serve quickly in high-paced out-of-home environments,” he highlights.

    Is Oatly working on a protein oat milk?

    oatly trend report
    Courtesy: Oatly

    One of the major trends highlighted in Oatly’s report revolves around fibremaxxing, the TikTok-fuelled Gen Z movement to, well, max out on fibre in food and drinks.

    Fibre, Oatly says, is “coming for protein’s crown”. “Thanks to the gut health boom, we’re seeing fibre experiencing a glow-up. And it’s now the nutrient everyone’s talking about,” its report states. “We know where the protein trend took us… protein in everything! Considering prebiotics are just one subgroup within the fibre umbrella, this would suggest a breakout trend is on the cards.”

    But protein is very much the macronutrient of the moment. This year, 70% of Americans are trying to consume it, with one in three increasing their intake. That demand has spawned protein-spiked coffee syrups, cup noodles, Doritos, and water, as well as an expletive-laden rant on late-night TV.

    Protein has been a thorn in the side of oat milk, and some brands are now adding pea protein to make up the difference. Has Oatly, whose oat milk contains 1g of protein per 100ml, been tempted to hop on the bandwagon?

    “This isn’t something in our plans,” says Carroll. “But we never say never in terms of product innovation.”

    He acknowledges that oat milk contains less protein than dairy, but points to the fact that “most people already meet or in some cases even exceed their protein needs through a balanced diet”.

    “For now, our focus is on delivering great-tasting, fibre-rich, fortified oat drinks with a lower climate impact, while continuing to explore new opportunities as consumer needs evolve,” he says.

    “Our drinks already offer a great balance of nutrients, including fibre, vitamins, and minerals, while being low in salt and saturated fats, and free from added sugars or additives. Oats are also a source of high-quality protein compared with many other grains and have well-documented health benefits, from supporting heart health to maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.”

    Matcha latte sells well as Oatly targets Gen Z

    oatly matcha
    Courtesy: Oatly

    Looking to the future of its taste strategy, Carroll states that Oatly will “keep prioritising café partnerships”, as well as exploring “where the next big flavour trends might take us”.

    A product born out of this plan was the aforementioned matcha latte, which combines its oat milk with finely ground Tencha matcha. This followed the launch of the Lighter Taste barista milk earlier this year, designed specifically to have a more neutral flavour and let your coffee’s natural tasting notes shine.

    Asked about the performance of these products thus far, Carroll says: “Matcha has exceeded all expectations and is selling well in all the markets it has launched in. The Lighter Taste product is a key part of our barista portfolio, which aims to give consumers and baristas a range of flavours and formats.”

    Oatly has not been shy about its focus on Gen Z. Speaking to investors in an earnings call this year, Ordonez said of the lookbook: “These are premium signature drinks that tap into Gen Z’s obsession with flavour and cold drinks. Can you imagine any of these drinks with cow’s milk? We don’t think so.”

    The trend report builds on this. “People’s daily drink choices, especially younger generations, are being shaped by a world in flux. Drink trends go viral and are seen from London to Seoul, and technology is making it easier to order, customise and share,” it states.

    “Tighter budgets mean value matters, but a unique drink is still worth the splurge. Health, sustainability trends and global flavours are blending as a generation raised online is seeking both identity and connection in every cup. What’s popular today provides an insight into a constantly evolving, global, digital culture.”

    This will inform how Oatly builds its brand over the next 12 months. “Taste will continue to be our top priority – it’s what people know and love us for. While we already taste great, we’re always exploring new ways to innovate and improve our range as we grow,” says Carroll.

    “You can expect to see us keep pushing boundaries with products that make plant-based choices even more delicious, accessible, and of course, sustainable.”

    The post ‘Oat Couture’: Why Oatly is Betting on Fashion to Turn Its Fortunes Around appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Future Food Quick Bites: British Oatly, Just Egg Pancakes & Beyond Meat x BrewDog

    just egg pancakes
    4 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Oatly’s switch to British oats, Eat Just’s pancake mixes, and NotCo’s Stranger Things collab.

    New products and launches

    In the US, Eat Just has rolled out a range of pancake mixes, called Power Jacks, in original, chocolate-chop and cinnamon roll flavours. They contain its signature mung bean protein, and have been spotted at Target and Hannaford.

    eat just power jacks
    Courtesy: La Vie/Oatly/Eat Just

    Beyond Meat has launched a value pack of its vegan ground beef at over 1,300 retailers across Canada, including Walmart, Sobeys, Safeway, Loblaws, and more.

    Fresh from a packaging refresh in the UK, Beyond Meat has also returned to the menu of British pub chain BrewDog, gaining a nationwide listing at 54 outlets.

    la vie croquettes
    Courtesy: La Vie

    Also in the UK, French plant-based meat leader La Vie has launched Vegan Sharer Croquettes in ham and cheese and bacon variants. They’re available at Morrisons, Ocado and Tesco for £3.50 per 140g pack.

    Meanwhile, Rollagranola is foraying into the children’s breakfast space with Little Rollas, a line of premium vegan granolas in vanilla, berry and cocoa variants. They can be found on its website for £4.99 per 350g box, and will soon enter supermarkets.

    notco stranger thinigs
    Courtesy: NotCo

    In Mexico, NotCo has released NotChicken Hellfire Spicy Nuggets and NotSnack Bars Upside Down Waffle in collaboration with TV series Stranger Things, which will begin airing its final season on Netflix this month.

    Indian plant-based dairy startup 1.5 Degree has launched a retail kiosk at two locations of multiplex chain PVR Cinemas in New Delhi and Gurgaon, featuring dairy-free gelato, shakes, and sundaes.

    promeat india
    Courtesy: Debabrata Das/LinkedIn

    Fellow Indian plant-based brand ProMeat has partnered with British Brewing Company in Mumbai to introduce an 11-strong menu of dishes making use of its meat alternatives.

    Company and finance updates

    Oatly has announced that eight of its barista oat milk SKUs are now made from 100% British-grown oats, which will help lower its climate footprint by 7-13% by 2026. The company estimates it will have tripled its investment in these crops by next year, while also doubling the volume of British oats from supplying products across EMEA markets. Alpro made a similar move earlier this year.

    oatly british oats
    Courtesy: La Vie/Oatly/Eat Just

    Speaking of plant-based milk, Starbucks has dropped the surcharge on non-dairy milks in Italy, echoing its policy in several markets. The decision was announced by the company’s local licensing partner, Percassi.

    Japanese vegan egg producer Umami United has secured ¥310M ($2M) in further pre-Series A funding, adding to the $1.64M it raised in 2023. The startup will use the funds to deepen R&D, expand capacity, and accelerate international expansion, with a focus on North America.

    japan plant based meat
    Courtesy: IntegriCulture

    US startup Caulipower, known for its cauliflower-crust pizzas, has been acquired by Urban Farmer, a portfolio company of private equity firm Paine Schwartz Partners.

    Minnesota-based food coalition Mbold has kicked off Protein Catalyst, a pre-competitive, collaborative effort to drive sustainable protein innovation in the state, in partnership with industry giants like General Mills, Target, Bühler Group, and more.

    kesko plant based
    Courtesy: Kesko

    Finnish retailer Kesko has seen sales of plant-based meat alternatives increase by 4% over the past year, rising to a 10% growth for dry soy protein products, 15% for canned beans, chickpeas and lentils, and 20% for tofu.

    Research, policy and awards

    Two weeks out from COP30, seven MEPs from Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Denmark signed the Belém Declaration on Plant-Rich Diets, which will call on UN member states to create national plans to promote healthy and sustainable diets at the climate summit this month.

    In Australia, plant-based dairy is growing at 5.2% this year, outpacing the growth of the overall dairy category (which is expanding by 3.6%). According to Euromonitor, the former will continue this momentum through to 2030.

    pluri kokomodo
    Courtesy: Kokomodo

    Cocoa-free chocolate maker Kokomodo (now part of Pluri) has won 20,000 Swiss francs ($24,700) in non-dilutive funding as part of the Gold Prize at MassChallenge Switzerland.

    Finally, trade show Fi Europe has announced the finalists of its 2025 Innovation Awards, selecting 23 companies across categories like dairy alternatives, future food tech, plant-based, health, sustainability, and more.

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: British Oatly, Just Egg Pancakes & Beyond Meat x BrewDog appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Atlantic Fish Co Nets $1.2M to Advance Regulatory Efforts for Cultivated Seafood

    atlantic fish co
    4 Mins Read

    US food tech startup Atlantic Fish Co has raised $1.2M in new funding, which it will use to optimise its cultivated seafood fillets, scope out partnerships, and prepare regulatory filings.

    In its bid to “actually move the needle” in the $400B global seafood market, Atlantic Fish Co has attracted fresh funding for its high-value cultivated white fish.

    The North Carolina-based startup has secured seed investment from Katapult Ocean, Alwyn Capital, DMV Capital, and the Georgetown Angel Investment Network (among others). In addition, it has received $305,000 as part of a Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Science Foundation.

    Combined, the company has hooked $1.2M in financing for this round, taking its total raised to $2.3M to date. It will use the capital to make progress on technical, regulatory and commercialisation efforts.

    “This $1.2M enables us to finalise our go-to-market product and secure the regulatory greenlights to launch in the US,” said co-founder and CEO Doug Grant.

    ‘We can’t make more ocean’

    lab grown seafood
    Courtesy: Atlantic Fish Co

    Founded in 2022 by Grant and CSO Trevor Ham, Atlantic Fish Co’s cell culture platform works across any species, having demonstrated the technology with both seafood and terrestrial proteins. But its initial focus is on high-value whitefish, specifically black sea bass.

    The startup takes a small sample from fish muscles and selects the healthier cells. These are then fed on the same food-grade nutrients they’d receive inside fish, enabling them to grow into lean muscle in a bioreactor.

    Atlantic Fish Co’s end products are “restaurant-quality” fillets that do away with the harmful contaminants found in conventional seafood, like mercury, microplastics, antibiotics or parasites.

    The firm first developed a black sea bass prototype in partnership with the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab last year, hosting a tasting event at the latter’s facility in Kannapolis.

    The product is targeting an overstretched seafood industry – nearly 90% of global fish stocks are at maximum capacity or overfished. One study suggests that we could be heading towards a complete collapse of ocean life by 2048, driven primarily by overfishing. Climate change is worsening things, pushing fish to the high seas where they’re likely to be overexploited, causing diseases, and driving up prices.

    “We’re solving a huge problem. Seafood is under real pressure,” said Grant. “We can make a lot of things, but we can’t make more ocean.”

    And consumers recognise this. A 2024 survey by the Marine Stewardship Council found that 30% of people had been eating less seafood in the last two years, with 48% concerned about overfishing and 35% worried about climate change impacts. Over 80%, meanwhile, had changed their dietary habits in this period, and 43% did so for sustainability reasons.

    Atlantic Fish Co preps FDA submission and chef collaborations

    cultivated seafood
    Courtesy: Atlantic Fish Co

    Sam Selig, investment manager at Katapult Ocean, said his firm was impressed by Atlantic Fish Co’s technical milestones and its advancements of a “breakthrough technology in cultivated protein”.

    “Supporting the initial commercialisation of their sustainable white fish filet – and their broader vision to expand across proteins – aligns perfectly with our mission to back ocean- and health-friendly blue foods with meaningful market opportunity and impact,” he remarked.

    The $1.2M round may seem small at first, but given the trials of the cultivated protein sector, it’s a notable achievement. Startups in this space have seen investment fall off a cliff in recent years, down from $1.3B in 2021 to just $139M in 2024 (and a mere $36M so far this year).

    “The cultivated meat sector has learned expensive lessons, and there are still only a handful of products on the market,” said Grant. “We’ve stayed capital-efficient with disciplined milestones and focused on seafood, the category best positioned to break through.”

    Atlantic Fish Co will use the funds to optimise its whitefish fillets and refine their texture, flavour and nutritional profile, prepare for its regulatory submissions (including pre-market consultation with the US Food and Drug Administration), and establish partnerships with chefs to validate product market fit and open up initial distribution channels.

    Despite fish innovations accounting for a fraction of the overall alternative protein market, it has been a milestone year for cultivated seafood. In the US, Wildtype received the green light to sell its salmon, which is now available on restaurant menus in several states. Meanwhile, BlueNalu filed for FDA approval for its bluefin tuna, while also eyeing the European market.

    Speaking of which, Germany’s Bluu Seafood teamed up with spice manufacturer Van Hees to create hybrid proteins combining cultured fish cells with plant-based ingredients. And in India, Biokraft Foods debuted cultivated seafood prototypes in collaboration with a government-based research institute.

    The post Atlantic Fish Co Nets $1.2M to Advance Regulatory Efforts for Cultivated Seafood appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • For Singapore’s Meat-Eaters, Blended Proteins Are Way More Inviting Than Plant-Based Alternatives

    blended meat
    6 Mins Read

    Over nine in 10 Singaporeans say they’d replace a portion of their meat with blended proteins, with one product outperforming 100% chicken mince on taste.

    Combining meat with plants in a best-of-both-worlds approach is gaining favour in the west, and a new study signals a growing appetite for these proteins in Asia too.

    For 88% of omnivores in Singapore, eating meat is a critical part of their normal routine. Yet 91% say they would replace at least some portion of their consumption with blended proteins – and taste is the most important lever.

    The state’s Agency of Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation institute conducted the blind taste test, which was commissioned by the Good Food Institute (GFI) APAC and sensory research firm Nectar.

    Though only 58% of participants said they would likely buy “balanced proteins” (versus 95% who echoed the sentiment for meat), this is significantly higher than the interest in plant-based meat (38%).

    balanced proteins singapore
    Courtesy: Nectar/GFI APAC

    “Balanced proteins appeal far beyond the current plant-based audience,” Nectar director Caroline Cotto tells Green Queen. “93% of Southeast Asian consumers are interested in trying balanced products, including three-quarters who had no intention to buy fully plant-based meat again.

    “The category unlocks a markedly wider segment: 50% of likely balanced protein buyers had low intent to purchase plant-based meat. The APAC data illustrates that by leveraging familiarity – upgrading traditional meat formats rather than swapping them out – companies can attract mainstream consumers, including flexitarians and “meat eaters” who wouldn’t typically consider pure plant-based alternatives.

    “This incremental approach fits Asia’s rising protein demand and culinary culture, where dishes often blend plant and animal proteins naturally.”

    Q Protein’s blended meat outperforms 100% chicken mince

    hybrid meat
    Courtesy: GFI APAC

    The research included 20 blended meat products and 10 animal and plant proteins each. It found that 81% of consumers liked the 100% meat option, and this rose to 85% for the leading balanced protein SKU.

    This is the chicken-soy mince product created by Q Protein, a collaboration between Quality Meat, Cremer Sustainable Foods, and Temasek subsidiary Nurasa. In taste tests, 41% of Singaporeans preferred it over 100% chicken mince, compared to 29% who liked the latter more.

    “The success reveals the potential for achieving not just parity, but sensory advantage through blending. This is a compelling argument for incremental ‘step changes’ rather than radical innovation.
    The optimal blend ratio (30–50% plant proteins) preserves the sensory familiarity of meat, while embedding nutritional upgrades,” says Cotto.

    “Co-development between conventional and alternative protein experts, plus strong local manufacturing, ensures better regional flavour and ingredient alignment. Q Protein’s case highlights that with modest R&D investment, balanced proteins can win on taste, drive health benefits, and unlock sustainable growth in meat-centric markets.”

    Several other blended meats were close to taste parity with their conventional counterparts, including chicken chunks and beef mince, both of which were within 0.2 points of liking with the 100% animal version on a seven-point scale.

    How should plant-based meat producers respond?

    balanced proteins
    Courtesy: Nectar/GFI APAC

    Even the average blended protein product performed better overall than plant-based alternatives, liked by 59% versus 44%, respectively. When compared directly, 71% of taste-testers said balanced proteins taste better than vegan meat analogues. 51% find the former better for health and 40% believe they’re more economical.

    This is perhaps why a third of consumers said they would buy products to reduce their meat consumption once blended proteins were added to the fray, higher than the 19% who’d do so when plant-based meat was the only alternative.

    So should vegan producers reformulate their offerings to fill the sensory gap, or begin supplying their ingredients to meat companies for blended protein innovations?

    “Both paths hold value, but the collaboration model may unlock faster market growth and scale in Asia. Partnering as ingredient or innovation suppliers gives alternative protein companies access to established processing lines, distribution networks, and trusted retail channels,” says Cotto.

    “Reformulation for local flavour or texture alignment remains important, but pure direct-to-consumer strategies have lower traction.”

    R&D needed to fill gap between average and leading balanced proteins

    blended meat
    Courtesy: Nectar/GFI APAC

    The research highlighted a likeability gap between the average and leading blended meat products, which were embraced by 37% and 44% of participants, respectively – in comparison, conventional meat was liked by 60%.

    “Improvements in balanced protein flavour and appearance are the highest priorities: in categories like chicken mince and beef, the leading balanced proteins matched or outperformed conventional benchmarks in overall liking, pointing towards attainable parity with continued R&D,” Cotto explains.

    Another top driver is health, with 69% of consumers rating blended proteins as better for their wellbeing than conventional meat. “This perception led to a 0.5-point increase in purchase intent, equal to the benefit of being perceived as tastier or better priced. Lower cholesterol, more fibre, and reduced fat are the main benefits cited,” she says.

    “While sustainability strengthens that choice, it’s a multiplier rather than the initial hook. The awareness of up to 50% lower greenhouse gas emissions bolsters the narrative for climate-conscious buyers. However, environmental benefits boost purchase intent only marginally unless paired with health and taste.”

    According to GFI APAC, some of the tested products were pre-commercial prototypes that are being fine-tuned, so the results “represent the floor for enhanced meat performance, not the ceiling”.

    So how can companies make these products better? It seems blending meat with savoury vegetables or mushrooms is far more popular (cited by 49-52%) than with plant-based analogues (16%) or ingredients like pea protein (7%). Chicken is the most appealing balanced protein format, and the most preferred ratio (chosen by 57% of consumers) comprised 75% meat and 25% plant-based ingredients.

    How blended meat attitudes differ in Singapore and US

    blended meat singapore
    Courtesy: Nectar/GFI APAC

    The research comes as retailers bring out private-label blended meat products in Europe and offer branded innovations in the US. In fact, Nectar’s research shows that four blended meat SKUs match or outperform 100% animal products on taste among Americans.

    Cotto outlines that taste is the strongest purchase driver of blended meat in both the US and Singapore. However, motivations differ. “In the US, interest in blended proteins skews more toward health motivations, with cholesterol and nutrition leading drivers, and with slightly lower overall intent to repeatedly substitute conventional meat,” she says.

    “In Singapore, curiosity around innovation and alignment with cultural eating habits played a stronger role,” she notes. This is helped by the prevailing regional familiarity with mixed-protein dishes such as mapo tofu or sambal tempeh.

    “Importantly, Singapore consumers showed higher openness overall: nine in 10 said they’d replace a portion of their meals with meat enhanced with plant proteins, compared to about seven in 10 in recent US tests,” adds Cotto.

    “While both US and Singaporean consumers cited flavour as the biggest opportunity for improvement in BP products, appearance was a bigger issue for Singaporean consumers than texture, a marked difference from the US study of balanced proteins. Almost all top R&D opportunities for balanced proteins in APAC were related to flavour (six out of seven), with only one for appearance and none for texture.”

    “Integrating plant proteins with conventional meat has the potential to enhance product nutrition, boost protein content, lower prices, and increase food-industry profit margins,” says Jennifer Morton, head of corporate engagement at GFI APAC.

    “Such products could also create a virtuous cycle in which plant-protein producers can rapidly scale up their manufacturing capacity, leverage economies of scale, drive down costs, and expand the accessibility of sustainable proteins, including fully plant-based products,” she adds.

    The post For Singapore’s Meat-Eaters, Blended Proteins Are Way More Inviting Than Plant-Based Alternatives appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Exclusive: Hoxton Farms Files for Singapore Approval of Cultivated Pork Fat

    hoxton farms
    6 Mins Read

    British cultivated meat startup Hoxton Farms has submitted a regulatory dossier to the Singapore Food Agency, with filings in the UK, North America and other Asian countries to follow soon.

    Amid a wave of regulatory successes for cultivated meat, UK startup Hoxton Farms is getting in on the act with an application in Singapore, the first of several submissions planned globally.

    The London-based food tech firm filed a dossier for its cultivated pork fat with the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), which has already doled out approvals to three startups in the space. It expects to receive the green light between late 2026 to early 2027.

    Hoxton Farms’s submission was overseen by CSO Vitor Espírito Santo, who played a key role in helping Eat Just’s Good Meat division achieve the industry’s first regulatory approval back in 2020, also from the SFA.

    “The SFA remains a world leader in regulation for cultivated products. While the team has evolved, their commitment to safety, transparency and collaboration hasn’t changed,” co-founder and CEO Max Jamilly tells Green Queen when asked about how the regulatory landscape has evolved in the five years since.

    “We also benefit from clearer guidance and more precedent today, which makes the process more predictable and improves our chances of success,” he tells Green Queen.

    Jamilly first teased the Singapore filing in an interview with this publication earlier this year, when Hoxton Farms set its stall out in Asia through manufacturing and commercialisation partnerships with Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation and Mitsui Chemicals.

    Hoxton Farms to build commercial-scale cultivated meat facility

    lab grown pork
    A mortadella prototype using Hoxton Farms’s cultivated fat | Courtesy: Hoxton Farms

    Founded in 2020 by Jamilly and COO Ed Steele, Hoxton Farms leverages cell biology and machine learning to grow fat from pig cells in modular bioreactors. The ingredient is a drop-in replacement for animal fats and plant-based oils, and can be mixed with plant proteins to create products like soups, sauces, and hybrid pork.

    “We start with stem cells from a pig, specifically mesenchymal stem cells, grow them in proprietary cell culture media (made of proteins, vitamins and sugars, much like you would feed a conventional pig), and differentiate them into real pork fat, or adipocytes,” explains Jamilly.

    “Not only are we making real fat tissue – not biomass – but our proprietary cell lines, optimised bioprocess and patented bioreactors are all designed for cost efficiency and scale. Using AI to fine-tune growth and differentiation, we can produce delicious, high-quality fat at low cost – real animal fat made for food manufacturing.”

    That said, Jamilly notes that its current costs are high due to limited scale. “But our technology is designed to bring these costs down rapidly. At industrial volumes, our process and reactor design allow us to reach a cost in use competitive with conventional pork fat while maintaining excellent quality, so food manufacturers can make delicious products,” he highlights.

    Hoxton Farms currently operates a 14,000 sq ft pilot facility in London, running 500-litre bioreactors. “Our next facility, in the 10kL range, will be built next year and commissioned in early 2027,” the CEO reveals. “This expansion will enable us to move from pilot to early commercial scale and meet the huge demand we have from major food manufacturers.”

    Cultivated fat more efficient to grow than muscle

    hoxton farms company
    Tonkotsu ramen with Hoxton Farms’s cultivated fat | Courtesy: Hoxton Farms

    Hoxton Farms is one of several companies spotlighting fat as a more viable way to bring cultivated meat to market. This includes Mission Barns (which has begun selling its hybrid pork products in the US), Mosa Meat (which is seeking approval for beef fat in multiple markets), Steakholder Foods, and Genuine Taste.

    So why the focus on fat? “First, fat is what makes food taste delicious. A small amount of fat can be transformative to any dish – it’s a low inclusion, high-impact ingredient,” says Jamilly. “Second, and we know this as humans, fat is easier and faster to grow than muscle.

    “Most importantly, demand for meat (and the fat that makes it taste amazing) is growing, prices are increasing, and there’s more and more uncertainty with tariffs and climate change.”

    Speaking of which, pig farming is a highly emissive industry that requires excessive amounts of water and land. And plant-based hard fats like coconut or palm oil – preferred by many manufacturers for their functionality – are the primary drivers of tropical deforestation.

    “Cultivated fat delivers taste, nutrition and performance, while reducing dependence on volatile animal and commodity oil markets,” says Jamilly. “Even at low inclusion rates, Hoxton Fat transforms flavour, juiciness and cooking performance.”

    He adds: “Our model is fully B2B. We supply cultivated fat as an ingredient to food manufacturers – primarily processed meat producers looking for healthier, scalable, more reliable and sustainable fats, and to plant-based brands seeking authentic taste and performance.”

    Hoxton Farms lays out global regulatory and funding plans

    lab grown meat approved
    Graphic by Green Queen

    Hoxton Farms chose to begin its regulatory journey in Singapore thanks to its reputation as a food tech powerhouse. The startup suggests the city-state has set a global benchmark for science-based food regulation, citing its “forward-thinking, collaborative regulatory environment” and “transparent and supportive framework”

    When it comes to cell-cultured proteins, the SFA has so far greenlit Good Meat’s chicken, Vow’s quail, and Parima’s chicken for use in human food. Moreover, the Singapore Animal & Veterinary Service has approved Friends & Family Pet Food Co‘s Kampung bird products for pet food applications.

    Hoxton Farms’s Singapore application is a precursor to regulatory filings in a whole host of regions over the coming months, with Asia-Pacific a central focus. “Japan is firmly on the radar, along with a small number of other Asian markets, such as Thailand, South Korea, and Hong Kong, where regulators are taking proactive, science-driven approaches,” says Jamilly.

    “Our partnerships with Sumitomo Corporation and with Mitsui Chemicals give us an ideal foundation to explore these opportunities as we scale production and commercial readiness across the region,” he adds.

    In addition, the company is part of the cultivated meat regulatory sandbox launched by the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) this year, which aims to help companies get approval and enter the market faster.

    hoxton farms funding
    A pork belly prototype using Hoxton Farms’s cultivated fat | Courtesy: Hoxton Farms

    “The sandbox has been enormously helpful. It’s a genuinely constructive initiative from the UK government that’s helping shape regulation suited to cell-cultivated products,” Jamilly says. “The recent tasting guidelines and pre-submission advice reflect real feedback from companies like ours, showing that the UK is becoming one of the next great leaders in food tech and biomanufacturing.”

    Hoxton Farms will submit its dossier to the FSA later this year. “Our launch will be B2B, supplying cultivated fat as an ingredient to manufacturers, though we may partner with chefs and restaurants for initial showcase events,” he outlines.

    To date, his firm has raised $35M, and it’s planning a new funding round in early 2026. Investors’ appetite for cultivated meat has receded rapidly, with capital flows down from $1.3B in 2021 to just $139M in 2024 (and a mere $36M so far this year).

    Still, Jamilly remains confident. “We’ve built proprietary technology, a de-risked regulatory path and a clear route to profitability at scale,” he says. “With low-cost reactors, efficient processes and a strong AI-driven manufacturing platform, we’re confident in both our position and our ability to attract new investment.”

    The post Exclusive: Hoxton Farms Files for Singapore Approval of Cultivated Pork Fat appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Believer Meats Secures USDA Approval to Begin Sales of Cultivated Chicken

    believer meats usda approval
    4 Mins Read

    Israel’s Believer Meats has received official clearance from the USDA to produce and sell its cultivated chicken in the country, becoming the first non-US startup to reach the milestone.

    Months after receiving a ‘no questions’ letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Believer Meats has now completed the regulatory path for its cultivated chicken with approval from the Department of Agriculture (USDA).

    The firm has received the latter’s green light for its product label and factory in North Carolina, which was completed earlier this year and is the world’s largest cultivated meat facility.

    In a post on LinkedIn, CEO Gustavo Burger called it “a major milestone that authorises us to begin commercial production and sales of our cultivated chicken products in the US and export to international markets”.

    Formerly called Future Meat Technologies, Believer Meats is the third startup to be cleared to sell cultivated meat in the US this year, following the regulatory success of Wildtype and Mission Barns. It’s also the first overseas company to accomplish the feat in the country.

    Burger did not respond to Green Queen’s queries about Believer Meats’s launch plans.

    How Believer Meats produces its cultivated chicken

    believer meats chicken
    Courtesy: Believer Meats

    Founded in 2018 by Yaakov Nahmias, a biomedical engineering professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Believer Meats employs centrifuge-based perfusion and a cell media rejuvenation process to produce its cultivated meat.

    The startup uses spontaneously immortalised fibroblast cells from fertilised eggs of domestic chickens. The cell lines are adapted to grow in suspension culture and serum-free media, and are stored in cell banks. These cells are then seeded into bioreactors and expanded until a sufficient volume of cultured chicken mass is produced.

    The cells are filtered out from the media and washed in a sodium chloride solution. The harvested material is described as cultured chicken fibroblasts, which are similar in composition and nutritional characteristics to conventional chicken.

    Last year, it demonstrated how tangential flow filtration (TFF), an efficient way to separate and purify biomolecules, can be an effective method for the continuous manufacturing of cultivated meat. It also introduced an animal-free culture medium that cost just $0.63 per litre, further allowing the startup to lower production costs.

    Inspired by how Ford’s automated assembly line transformed the auto industry in the early 20th century, its new bioreactor assembly method allowed biomass expansion of 130 billion cells per litre, with a yield of 43% weight per volume. This process of cultivating the chicken cells was carried out continuously for over 20 days, leading to daily harvests of the biomass.

    Believer Meats’s technology can optimise cell performance and save water, nutrients, and resources, allowing it to reduce production costs by eliminating byproducts and enabling the reuse of media. The resulting cultivated mass can be mixed with plant-based ingredients to be extruded into finished food products, like chicken breast.

    The company claims its tech breakthroughs can bring the cost of cultivated chicken down to $6.20 per lb on a 50,000-litre scale, in line with the retail price of conventional USDA organic chicken.

    Despite the bans, five companies can now sell cultivated meat in the US

    believer meats wilson nc
    Courtesy: Believer Meats

    Fuelled by a $123M investment, Believer Meats’s 200,000 sq ft plant is located in Wilson County, North Carolina. It features an innovation centre and tasting kitchen, and will be able to churn out 12,000 tonnes of cultivated chicken every year.

    “We are the first and only large-scale cultivated meat facility to have earned this approval from USDA. This achievement is a testament to the dedication, innovation, and integrity of our entire team,” said Burger.

    In the US, cultivated protein products (excluding seafood) are jointly regulated by the FDA and the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The former oversees cell collection, cell banks, and cell growth and differentiation, before handing over to the latter during the harvesting stage. FSIS also inspects the further production and labelling of these products.

    “With both FDA and USDA regulatory milestones behind us, we are one step closer to bringing cultivated meat to consumers around the world and to advancing our vision to lead food innovations that care for the planet,” noted Burger.

    lab grown meat approved
    Graphic by Green Queen

    Believer Meats is the fifth company to be allowed to sell cultivated meat in the US, joining Upside Foods, Eat Just (both approved for chicken), Wildtype (salmon), and Mission Barns (pork).

    The cultivated meat industry may have struggled to attract investors lately and had to contend with bans in seven US states, but on a regulatory front, it has been a watershed year. Globally, eight startups have received some form of approval for their products in 2025.

    Vow has been selling its cultured quail products in Australia after securing the green light in June. And this week, Parima announced it had earned the go-ahead from the Singapore Food Agency for its Vital Meat chicken.

    Also in Singapore, Friends & Family Pet Food Co got the nod for its cat and dog treats. And in the EU, Biocraft Pet Nutrition and Umami Bioworks registered their cultivated meat innovations as feed materials, which can now be sold as pet food ingredients.

    The post Believer Meats Secures USDA Approval to Begin Sales of Cultivated Chicken appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Exclusive: Fork & Good Acquires Orbillion to Take Cultivated Red Meat Platform Global

    fork and good
    7 Mins Read

    US startup Fork & Good has acquired fellow cultivated meat producer Orbillion Bio to combine their global operations and fast-track the launch of their proteins.

    Waiting a decade to find supply chain solutions to meat shortages and price hikes isn’t an option. We need immediate fixes that can make our protein systems resilient to climate shocks and trade disputes.

    That’s the thesis that convinced New Jersey-based startup Fork & Good to snap up California’s Orbillion Bio, marrying their B2B platforms to produce cultivated red meat and taking their merged operations to four crucial regions across the world.

    “We’re already working with customers in North America and East Asia, and are excited to bring Orbillion’s relationships in Europe and the Middle East online,” says Niya Gupta, co-founder and CEO of Fork & Good. The latter two regions have been working to advance their novel food regulation, so this is timely.

    “This consolidation brings together technical and commercial expertise from both companies in one location to accelerate production,” Orbillion founder and CEO Patricia Bubner, who is now Fork & Good’s co-founder and COO, tells Green Queen.

    “The teams have been integrated at Fork & Good’s headquarters in Jersey City, which houses a pilot plant capable of producing several tonnes of cultivated meat per year,” she explains. “The combined company also maintains a subsidiary in Abu Dhabi, supporting growth in the Middle East and beyond.”

    Asked why the two firms decided to join forces, she says: “Both companies share a B2B focus, proven customer traction, and complementary technology platforms, product focus and markets. This combination immediately expands both companies’ product range and global reach while uniting industry-seasoned talent to deliver on existing contracts.”

    Fork & Good boasts ‘most comprehensive’ IP in cultivated meat

    lab grown pork
    Courtesy: Fork & Good

    Gupta founded Fork & Good with Gabor and Andras Forgacs, co-founders of cellular agriculture firm Modern Meadow, in 2018. The startup produces cultivated pork using a patented integrated cell manufacturing platform, which lets it grow a large number of cells in a cost-effective manner.

    Its pilot facility can produce about seven tonnes of product in less than 800 sq ft of space. As it scales up, Fork & Good is targeting a cost of $5 per lb of biomass at commercial levels, eventually bringing it to parity with commodity pork at $2 per lb. And last year, it became the first startup to host a public tasting for cultivated meat in Europe, serving dumplings with 30% cultured pork in Davos.

    Orbillion, meanwhile, has developed an algorithm that can transform 2D culture into 3D culture in record time and at low costs. It has completed a 200-litre production run for its cultivated Wagyu beef, and teamed up with Dutch premium meat manufacturer Luiten Food, opening up access to its 1,200 distribution points.

    “Orbillion has successfully scaled beef, and Fork & Good has developed highly efficient pork cell lines. The two platforms are compatible,” says Bubner. “Both centre on producing mammalian muscle cells – the core of what makes meat ‘meat’ – and the main source of its protein. This differentiates [us] from other companies in the space that use fat cells, fibroblasts or undifferentiated stem cells.”

    According to Fork & Good, the entity now has the biggest IP portfolio in cultivated meat. “Fork & Good was founded on and expanded the foundational IP developed by Modern Meadow, the first cultivated meat company, adding multiple new patent families covering its own innovations,” notes Gabor Forgacs.

    “With Orbillion’s complementary portfolio, the combined company now holds the most comprehensive and defensible IP in cultivated meat (i.e., the greatest number of issued patents), covering core production methods, cell lines, and bioprocess technologies essential for scalable manufacturing.”

    Meat producers look to cultivated meat amid supply shocks

    orbillion bio
    Courtesy: Fork & Good

    The meat industry is at an inflexion point. Its impact on the planet – already outsized – is only deepening as demand rises, but the climate crisis it’s helping fuel is wreaking havoc on livestock systems.

    Meat prices reached an all-time high in July, becoming the primary driver of worldwide food inflation. It came as cattle numbers fell to their lowest in 70 years in the US, and high grain prices and rising interest rates raised beef production costs. The pork industry itself has taken several hits due to repeated cases of African swine fever – in 2018-19 alone, it wiped out a quarter of the global hog population.

    Red meat relies on multi-year livestock lead times, so keeping up with rising demand is only getting harder. Cultivated meat can cut the production periods to weeks. USDA data shows that four countries are responsible for 70% of the world’s pork imports and 40% of beef imports – China, Japan, South Korea and Mexico – and it Fork & Good has operations in each of them.

    “We work exclusively in B2B, partnering with food manufacturers and meat companies to address their key needs: value‑added ingredients, supply chain stability, and local production,” says Gupta.

    “Our ingredients enhance clean‑label, nutritious, and functional properties in a variety of ground red meat products like burgers, sausages, and dumplings, replacing multiple ingredients with a single one. By producing locally, we provide a reliable supply and reduce dependency on traditional meat sources.

    “Our approach also enables cost-competitive solutions, helping partners compete today and in the future by delivering scalable, high-quality ingredients that create tangible value in their products and supply chains.”

    This is why the company has signed offtakes and paid development agreements with leading producers like Luiten Food, Sigma Alimentos, and several undisclosed “multibillion-dollar food companies”. Fork & Good itself earned its first revenue earlier this year, courtesy of a joint development agreement with an $8B global food manufacturer.

    “Serving the customer of the future requires innovation,” says Lennert Luiten, CEO of Luiten Food. “Our vision is to integrate Fork and Good’s cultivated meat with familiar meat and plant-based options, paving the way for a new generation of products that satisfy our taste buds and support a sustainable future.”

    A ‘margin-first’ focus as investor ‘patience wears thin’

    orbillion bio funding
    Courtesy: Fork & Good

    Following the acquisition, Fork & Good said it is taking a “margin-first” approach, centred on proving techno-economic viability at mid-scale before pursuing larger expansion. This will help demonstrate sustainable unit economics, an area where the sector has struggled. A B2B business model that does not involve building massive factories, therefore, is a winning strategy.

    “We focus on building a business that can deliver high-quality cultivated meat products at competitive cost while maintaining healthy profit margins,” says Gupta. “To reach a mass market, products must be both excellent and affordable. That requires constant attention to efficiency – optimising production, reducing input costs, and scaling smartly – without compromising quality or safety.

    “In practice, this means we designed our system based on unit economics at a factory level, rather than building a tech platform and then reducing cost. Thus, we ensure that cultivated meat can compete directly with conventional meat.”

    The acquisition comes amid a volatile time for cultivated meat – several companies have shuttered since 2024, and others have resorted to the M&A route (like Uncommon Bio and Parima). Funding, meanwhile, has plummeted from $1.3B in 2021 to just $139M in 2024 (and only $36M so far this year), as investors pivoted to AI and sectors with faster returns.

    “Building real-world solutions, especially in cultivated meat, takes time for science, engineering, and scale, and patience has worn thin where fundamentals lag. Still, meat remains a growing $2T opportunity, and overcoming early hurdles, such as in Fork and Good’s case, creates a strong moat,” argues Bubner.

    “Partners and strategic investors who understand this value and focus on long-term impact remain highly engaged, even as short-term ‘tourist’ investors move on.”

    Fork & Good eyeing cultivated meat approval in several markets

    lab grown beef
    Courtesy: Fork & Good

    Highlighting the regulatory success of cultivated meat this year, Bubner says the industry has reached a stage where companies can deliver to customers, and the funding environment clarifies who the strongest players are.

    “Mergers and acquisitions reflect this maturation, consolidating talent and technology to accelerate commercialisation. We expect strategic consolidation to continue as the industry scales and focuses on delivering products reliably to market,” Gupta predicts.

    The merged entity will accelerate commercialisation and regulatory approvals for Fork & Good, which has filed a dossier with the US Food and Drug Administration and previously earmarked Q2 2026 as the earliest launch date for its cultivated pork. Gupta told Green Queen in February that it is pursuing the green light in Singapore too.

    Integrating Orbillion’s platform will create a “unified, scalable system applicable to both red meat types”, according to Bubner. The company is actively preparing submissions and engaging with authorities, but she declined to comment on product formats or timelines.

    “We work with global customers and are ready to supply as soon as regulatory approval is granted; we’re pursuing regulatory approval where our customers are,” she notes. “Our focus remains on ensuring our products meet all safety and compliance standards to support broad commercial availability once approvals are in place.”

    The post Exclusive: Fork & Good Acquires Orbillion to Take Cultivated Red Meat Platform Global appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • In Australia, You Can Now Cook Cultivated Meat at Home

    vow lab grown meat
    4 Mins Read

    Australian food tech leader Vow has made its cultivated meat products available for at-home use, including foie gras, a smoked spread, and croquettes.

    After months of Vow-ing diners at some of Australia’s top restaurants, the cultivated meat startup is making its retail debut.

    Under its consumer brand Forged, Vow has launched three direct-to-consumer products powered by its cultured quail, marking the first time consumers can buy multiple cultivated meat products for at-home use.

    The Japanese cultured quail offerings are being rolled out in fashion-industry-style ‘drops’, starting with the firm’s hometown of Sydney. Its residents can order foie gras, croquettes, and a smoked spread to level up the innovation in their kitchens. These will soon be followed by the parfait product that put Vow on the foodservice map.

    Vow’s Forged brand brings cultured meat to home kitchens

    lab grown meat where is it sold
    Courtesy: Vow

    The smoked cultured quail spread is described as rich and buttery, made with “the holy trinity of flavour – smoke, salt, and meat”. It contains unsalted butter, 40% cultivated meat, water, glucose and salt, and costs A$14.99 per 180g jar.

    “Legally we can’t call it butter, but it is butter, and we recommend you use it like butter,” the Forged webshop proclaims. The Hickory-smoked spread can be folded into pastries and mash, lathered atop warm bread, or whipped into sauces, for instance.

    Speaking of rich ingredients, foie gras is one of the most prized (and most problematic) delicacies out there. Vow’s version takes an axe to the animal cruelty, with 51% of the lobe containing its cultured quail, complemented by ingredients like herb-infused coconut oil, sunflower oil, fava bean protein, konjac, and more.

    The foie gras can be pan-seared for a golden crust and molten centre, roasted in the oven for a crisp exterior, shaved frozen over warm dishes, or even deep-fried. It’s sold in packs of five (for $25) or 10 ($50).

    Meanwhile, the crumbed croquettes come frozen and ready-to-fry. They combine 30% cultured quail parfait with mashed Désirée potatoes, shallots, port wine, and a host of flavourings, which are encased in a panko crust. They pair well with aioli, shaved truffle, pickled chillies, and crisp wines, and are available in a case of 20 (for $30) or 40 ($60).

    To make its cultivated meat, Vow uses a small selection of cells from a Japanese quail and places them in a nutrient-rich broth, which is transferred into fermentation tanks that recreate the conditions inside a quail’s body and allow the cells to grow and multiply naturally. The meat is ready for harvest in 79 days, when it is separated from the broth and incorporated into delicacies like parfait and foie gras.

    Retail debut comes amid production scale-up for Vow

    lab grown meat australia
    Courtesy: Vow

    Vow co-founder and CEO George Peppou had first teased the company’s plans to move into retail in a statement sent to Green Queen in April, after receiving preliminary approval from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). The regulator’s food code changes were authorised by food ministers across the two countries in June, clearing the way for commercialisation.

    It has already been selling the ingredient to restaurants in Singapore, after receiving the regulatory green light in April 2024. It debuted in its home country this July, with its cultured quail available in dishes at 12 restaurants across Sydney and Melbourne.

    The company has raised $55M to date, and cut back 30% of its workforce earlier this year, a decision that stemmed from a longer-than-expected timeline for regulatory clearance, but one Peppou described as coming from a “position of strength as the industry leader, not a position of weakness”.

    vow cultured meat
    Courtesy: Vow

    Its cell cultivation capacity has extended to 35,000 litres within its second factory, which it says was 20 to 50 times cheaper to build than competitors. It operates the largest food-grade cell culture bioreactor at 20,000 litres, and claims to have completed the largest cultivated meat harvest in history (538 kg).

    By the end of the year, Vow expects to reach production levels of up to 900 kg per harvest, scaling to 10,800 kg monthly. Longer-term improvements that utilise the full factory capacity will allow it to eventually surpass 20,000 kg a month.

    Its foray into retail comes days before US startup Mission Barns debuts its cultivated pork meatballs at Berkeley Bowl West in California, offering Americans the first chance to buy cultured meat in a supermarket. It will later expand to Sprouts Farmers Market. Vow and Mission Barns’s retail rollouts have only been preceded by Eat Just, which listed its Good Meat cultivated chicken at Huber’s Butchery in Singapore last year.

    The post In Australia, You Can Now Cook Cultivated Meat at Home appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Oatly Records First Profitable Quarter Since IPO, As European Growth Offsets US Slump

    oatly revenue
    6 Mins Read

    Swedish oat milk pioneer Oatly delivered profitable growth for the first time in its four years as a public company in Q3 2025, thanks to its “Gen Z-driven flavour bonanza” strategy.

    With a taste-forward strategy that’s already bearing fruit in Europe, Oatly has posted its first quarter of profitable growth since its Summer 2021 IPO.

    The oat milk maker’s revenue for the July to September period reached $222.8M, a 7% increase from Q3 2024, and its highest quarterly total ever. After adjusting for foreign exchange impact, its constant currency revenue still expanded by 3.8%.

    Its adjusted EBITDA – revenue excluding all non-operational and one-time expenses – was $3.1M, compared to a loss of $5M in the corresponding period a year ago. This was primarily driven by a near-7% rise in gross profit, and lower R&D, selling, general and administrative costs.

    This success came largely on the back of consistent performance in Europe and a strong quarter in the Greater China segment, which was partially offset by weakening sales in the US.

    That said, Oatly still reported a $65.3M net loss for Q3 2025, nearly doubling from the same period last year, largely due to fair value losses on convertible notes.

    “To be clear, profitability is not our finish line. It’s a marker of progress, a crucial credibility milestone, and even more important, a ramp-up for future profitable growth,” said Oatly CEO Jean-Christophe Flatin, who has overseen a 20% hike in sales since joining the company three years ago.

    “We see significant potential ahead of us, and we are confident that we are taking the right steps to drive durable, scalable, and profitable growth as we execute on our mission,” he said.

    Why Oatly is thriving in Europe

    oatly sales
    Courtesy: Oatly

    The highlight of Oatly’s Q3 success was its Europe and International segment, where revenue increased by 12% to reach $123.3M, and volumes were up by 8.4%. Much like previous quarters, most of its sales in this region (79%) came from the retail channel.

    Oatly attributed the European performance to its refresh playbook, which aims to drive relevance, attack barriers to conversion, and increase distribution. “To do so, we’re partnering with our customers to make their menus and shelves much more relevant for the taste and flavour-obsessed Gen Z,” COO Daniel Ordonez told analysts in an earnings call.

    He noted that the company’s 60+ barista market developers look to renovate foodservice menus by being ahead of the trend curve with drinks that use Oatly as a “default experience canvas”, not just as an alternative to cow’s milk: “As these drinks generate vast awareness, consumer engagement and trial, our growth naturally shows up first in the foodservice channel, with retail following.”

    Oatly’s foodservice performance began accelerating late last year, and drove a 28% year-on-year increase in Q3. At the same time, the retail business shifted from a 4% growth in the last two quarters to 11% in the July to September period, surpassing the overall plant-based milk category.

    “As consumers engage with our products in the foodservice channel, they naturally look for our products in retail,” Ordonez said. That dynamic can be seen in Germany, which was home to the launch of Oatly’s new Future of Taste trends report this month, and saw cafés introduce drinks inspired by its ‘lookbooks’ to capitalise on what he termed “the Gen Z-driven flavour bonanza”.

    These actions have driven over 45% foodservice growth for five straight quarters, which, according to Ordonez, led to strong retail performance (with revenue up by 14% in the last 12 weeks). “Germany is our success story and an example of how this strategy can and will drive repeatable, consistent results,” he said.

    Oatly is witnessing similar trends across its other large European markets, like the UK and Sweden, where year-on-year retail sales rose by about 4.5% in Q3. “In a nutshell, we see that our experience and taste-driven strategy hits the bull’s eye of what young and not-so-young generations are expecting,” the COO said. “Oatly is creating relevance and generating category demand again.”

    oatly q3 2025
    Courtesy: Oatly

    Oatly doubles down on taste-led approach in ‘complex’ US market

    Outside Europe, Oatly enjoyed a good quarter in Greater China too, following years of struggles in the region, which led the company to kickstart a strategic review earlier this year. Here, revenues were up by 29% to $37.4M, two-thirds of which came from the foodservice sector.

    “The strategic review is ongoing, and we continue to evaluate a range of options, including a potential carve-out with the goal of accelerating growth and maximising the value of this business,” Flatin said in the earnings call.

    However, the oat milk giant’s trials in the US continued, reflective of trends in the overall plant-based category. Last week, Flatin blamed the decline in non-dairy milk sales in the country on consumer indifference to sustainability claims and “too much greenwashing”.

    Oatly’s North America revenue decreased by 10% in Q3 225, reaching $62.1M. And its volumes were down by 12.8%, which it ascribed to a “reduction in sales to the segment’s largest foodservice customer” and the discontinuation of certain frozen products.

    As Ordonez pointed out, though, there has been some underlying progress. Excluding the impact of these headwinds, the company’s revenue grew by 5% in Q3 and by 4% year-to-date in this region. Its biggest foodservice client also only represents 10% of its business now, versus 30% three years ago.

    oatly revenue
    Courtesy: Oatly

    “We are being thoughtful, deliberate, and disciplined in rolling out our playbook in North America. Given the success in Europe and International, we know what’s possible,” said Ordonez. “The underlying category, coffee, and consumer trends are extremely similar in both regions. However, our execution is a few steps behind.”

    He added that the US market is also “more complex”, and the company doesn’t expect to grow as quickly here as it is in Europe. “Make no mistake, though: we are committed to driving the performance that we expect in these critical segments,” he said. “With sharp, locally relevant execution, our playbook can drive strong, profitable growth in North America, but step-by-step.”

    Here, too, it’s betting on younger consumers like Gen Z and Alpha, who are “obsessed with flavour and taste”. “We do believe the taste-focused approach is the right approach for the US,” Ordonez said. “Of course, we’re adapting to the nuances of taste and […] formats. We are under no illusion that things are identical when it comes to the product offering in both markets.”

    Reflecting on Oatly’s overall performance and profitable growth in Q3, he wrote on social media: “This milestone signals that our strategy is working while building a stronger, more focused business. A growth strategy that sees us operate in a much bigger playground, making menus in foodservice and shelves in retail more relevant and exciting. An ‘an alternative to milk’ no more, but a drinks-experience canvas that is relevant to all, not just for a few.”

    The post Oatly Records First Profitable Quarter Since IPO, As European Growth Offsets US Slump appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Plant-Based Alternatives Are Now Cheaper Than Meat & Dairy Across German Supermarkets

    rewe voll pflanzlich
    5 Mins Read

    In Germany, a vegan shopping basket is now 5% more affordable than one with meat, dairy and seafood, reversing a trend that has long plagued the adoption of plant-based alternatives.

    Following a year when sales of plant-based food rose by 1.5% (compared to much wider losses in other markets), and consumption of meat and milk hit historic lows, Germany is now offering a further incentive for people to eat vegan.

    In the era of inflation, the cost of plant-based alternatives is now lower than meat, dairy and seafood across seven of the country’s eight biggest supermarkets.

    The data, compiled from 153 stores by ProVeg International, reveals that a vegan shopping basket is 5% cheaper than one containing animal products today. That’s a big shift from 2024, when the former carried a 16% price premium.

    Lidl, which has pledged to increase its share of plant-based food sales by 20% by 2030, offers the best cost savings. The cheapest non-dairy and meat-free products here are 18% cheaper than their conventional counterparts. This is no surprise, given that the retailer introduced price parity for vegan products under its private-label Vemondo brand back in 2023, and the cost advantage of a plant-based basket was already 3% last year.

    The only retailer where being vegan is more expensive is Netto, where meat and dairy alternatives are still 11% costlier.

    “Within three years, the price ratio for plant-based shopping has reversed: what was once a 52% surcharge [in 2022] has become a 5% price advantage,” noted ProVeg market expert Virginia Cecchini Kuskow.

    plant based price parity
    Graphic by Green Queen

    Plant-based milk more affordable everywhere, even with higher VAT

    ProVeg found that half of the 12 plant-based categories assessed are cheaper than their animal equivalents, up from just a third in 2024. That rises to seven out of 12 at Edeka, Rewe, and Lidl. Even at Netto, five product segments are more economical than animal proteins.

    Consistent with the previous two years, non-dairy milk is the only plant-based category less expensive across all supermarkets analysed, offering a nine-cent advantage over cow’s milk.

    That said, the cheapest milk alternatives aren’t fortified with essential micronutrients or suited to coffee drinks, making them less nutritionally and functionally complete than dairy. Fortified or barista-style plant-based milks are usually much more expensive.

    There is a caveat here. Cow’s milk only carries a 7% VAT in Germany, while plant-based milk suffers from a 19% surcharge. Retailers like Rewe have been calling on the government to introduce a more equitable tax rate, and if it does, private-label non-dairy milks will become significantly cheaper than cow’s milk, while the rest will likely reach parity.

    Vegan burgers are also more wallet-friendly wherever they’re available, as are cold cuts, sausages, sliced cheese and schnitzels in seven of the eight supermarkets.

    Yoghurt, fish sticks and cream cheese are the only products that are more expensive than animal-derived versions in all retailers – though the latter category saw the largest average price decrease this year (€2 cheaper than 2024). In fact, vegan mince and pizzas were the only categories where prices were hiked up this year.

    The overall reductions in prices can usher in a big shift towards plant-based alternatives. A study earlier this year found that price parity is no longer enough – undercutting the cost of animal proteins is crucial for greater uptake of vegan products.

    “Many people only turn to plant-based alternatives more frequently when they are significantly cheaper than animal products. The fact that the plant-based basket of goods is now cheaper on average is a strong signal that a plant-based diet can also be economically attractive,” said lead author Steffen Jahn.

    plant based meat price
    Graphic by Green Queen

    Availability and pack sizes are key price levers

    Aside from price, access to products is crucial for consumers to actually enjoy the benefits. ProVeg found that plant-based alternatives had an average availability of 75% in the survey period, indicating that many stores don’t carry a retailer’s full vegan range.

    Some fare better than others. At Kaufland and Rewe, the average availability was 94%, while Aldi Süd (53%) and Aldi Nord (52%) were on the opposite end of the spectrum. In terms of products, plant-based milk (99%), cold cuts (98%) and sausages (93%) were the most readily available across Germany, which is Europe’s largest market for plant-based food.

    The pricing of plant-based products is also significantly influenced by the packaging size, which is often smaller than animal proteins. For instance, vegan sausages are often available in 200g packs, but pork sausages can be found in 300-540g packs.

    “The fact that the plant-based basket is, on average, cheaper is true under the condition of similar package sizes. However, if the price per kilo were considered without considering the packaging size, a different picture would emerge,” ProVeg said.

    The organisation noted that the price of a plant-based basket is therefore particularly attractive for smaller households, but the benefits are less clear for more populated ones.

    plant based milk vat
    Courtesy: Anay Mridul/Green Queen

    “Packaging sizes can significantly influence purchasing and eating habits,” said Cecchini Kuskow. “Oversized packaging should be avoided for animal products, while larger packages are perfectly acceptable for plant-based alternatives.”

    ProVeg advised retailers to actively communicate the price advantages of plant-based alternatives, increase product availability, introduce larger packs and more SKUs, and optimise nutritional profiles.

    It also called on the German government to reduce the VAT on dairy-free milk to 7% and work to permanently exempt vegan products from tax (aligning with the national dietary guidelines), support protein diversification and plant protein cultivation, and strengthen R&D capabilities through investment.

    The ProVeg study comes weeks after research showed that climate-change-induced price hikes for meat mean plant-based analogues are now priced the same or cheaper in the UK.

    The post Plant-Based Alternatives Are Now Cheaper Than Meat & Dairy Across German Supermarkets appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Future Food Quick Bites: Cultured Quail At Home, Beyond Meat Packaging & Zero-Sugar Oat Milk

    beyond meat packaging
    4 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Vow’s retail debut of cultivated meat, Beyond Meat’s new European packaging, and India’s plant-based dairy launches.

    New products and launches

    Australian cultured meat firm Vow has announced the retail debut of its smoked Japanese quail spread under the Forged brand. It will be available to order online from October 30 in Sydney, marking only the second time consumers can buy cultivated meat for at-home use (on Saturday, Mission Barns will join the list in the US).

    In a week full of meme stock frenzy and a Walmart expansion, plant-based giant Beyond Meat has now gained even more distribution in the US, with its signature beef mince and burger landing at celeb-favourite retailer Erewhon Market.

    Across the Atlantic, Beyond Meat has unveiled new-look packaging for its entire product range in Europe. The light-green packs now use fewer materials for labelling and have more recycled content, while the trays use 35% less plastic and are recyclable. They’ve already begun rolling out, starting with the Netherlands, followed by the UK in November.

    beyond meat new packaging
    Courtesy: Beyond Meat

    British player Squeaky Bean has launched Salmon Style Flakes in a Sweet Chilli Marinade at Sainsbury’s stores, with each 125g pack priced at £3.25.

    UK plant-based milk brand Plenish, owned by Carlsberg Britvic, has introduced an oil- and additive-free oat milk with zero sugar, using a process that does away with breaking down the oats into natural sugars. It’s available at Waitrose for £2.35 per litre.

    zero sugar oat milk
    Courtesy: Plenish

    And Indian plant-based dairy startup 1.5 Degrees has expanded its range with cafe-style beverages, frozen sundaes, a collection of kulfis, and popsicles and sorbets.

    Company and finance developments

    US fermentation biomanufacturer Cellibre has received funding from German chemicals firm Symrise, which will focus on the scalable production of high-value ingredients across food, cosmetics and neutracuticals, starting with taste solutions and cosmetic actives.

    nomy mycelium
    Courtesy: Norwegian Mycelium

    NoMy Japan, the Hokkaido-based subsidiary of Norwegian Mycelium, has partnered with local food processor Kagome Co to explore the technical feasibility, sensory characteristics, and commercial viability of developing products with its koji-derived protein.

    Portuguese-New Zealand company Nutrition from Water, known for its Marine Whey line of proteins, has received a €446,000 grant via the Algarve Recruitment of Highly Qualified Human Resources by Companies initiative, as part of the government’s Portugal 2030 plan.

    next generation pet food program
    Courtesy: Imágenes de Patricio Daniel Nahuelhual Obreque

    Big Idea Ventures, Mars Petcare, AAK, Bühler, and Givaudan have selected three companies for the 2025 Next Generation Pet Food Program: Canadian microalgae nutrition startup Alt-Pro Advantage, Swedish fungi-based aquafeed producer Seaqure Labs, and Indian upcycled fermented ingredient maker Terramatter.

    Research, policy and awards

    Canadian government cluster Protein Industries Canada has appointed Tyler Groeneveld as its new CEO. He was previously the board chairman.

    opalia
    Courtesy: Josh Bruneski/Overtime Marketing

    Also in Canada, Jennifer Côté, co-founder and CEO of cell-based dairy startup Opalia, has been named the Clean Tech Young Entrepreneur of the Year in an event hosted by the League of Innovators Accelerator and Manitoba Innovates.

    In New Zealand, the share of citizens identifying as vegan or vegetarian collectively dropped by 12% in 2023 to 8% in 2024, with the gap even wider among Gen Z. In fact, only 22% of people said they want to reduce meat consumption, compared to 25% the year before.

    lab grown eel
    Courtesy: Anatoly Michaello

    Finally, Israeli cultivated seafood firm Forsea Foods has filed a patent with the European Patent Office covering a method to isolate fish embryonic stem cells and grow them into 3D organoids that can form both muscle and fat tissue, giving a glimpse into consistent, scalable production.

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: Cultured Quail At Home, Beyond Meat Packaging & Zero-Sugar Oat Milk appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • The World’s Largest Food Companies Are Missing the Future Protein Opportunity

    8 Mins Read

    By failing to invest and innovate in plant-based foods, global food giants including Nestlé, Unilever and Walmart risk losing out on the protein race.

    Political sensitivities, a lack of research, and low specialised expertise are driving the plant-based innovation gap and putting the global food system under increased pressure, according to a new report by a $90B-backed investor network.

    The FAIRR Initiative’s protein diversification report pulls the curtain back on investor engagement with 20 of the world’s largest food retailers and manufacturers, outlining how a declining corporate investment into alternative proteins is creating supply chain, climate, and public health risks.

    Almost all companies in the report – including Nestlé, Ahold Delhaize, Unilever, Walmart, Tesco, Kraft Heinz, and Amazon – overlook the supply chain implications of protein diversification. And only 40% have assessed the transition risks of failing to meet evolving consumer preferences for plant-based products and the climate impact of livestock-heavy portfolios.

    For instance, 90% of companies continue to launch and promote new plant-based products, but 77% said concerns over taste, cost and nutrition are hindering consumer uptake.

    Yet, just 60% of companies are working to improve access and affordability of these proteins. In fact, only 40% have dedicated resources to increase product innovation in 2025 (versus 45% last year).

    Dana Wilson, research and engagement manager for protein diversification at FAIRR, argues that most companies struggle to understand their consumer base and preferences well enough to address plant-based product concerns.

    “Companies may have identified that consumers are dissatisfied with the taste of plant-based meat alternatives, for example, but not identified which specific aspects could improve product performance, such as mouthfeel, tenderness or removing specific off-flavours,” she tells Green Queen. “There is also not one type of consumer, and more detailed segmentation could help identify innovation priorities for the plant-based category.”

    Wilson notes that 55% of companies are reliant on desk research to find general consumer trends (like the boom in health and nutrition), and only 25% have conducted surveys to tailor their product and marketing approaches. “The remaining 15% of companies are yet to utilise consumer research related to either healthy diets or alternative protein sources to target marketing efforts,” she says.

    Misguided UPF fear has pushed consumers to whole foods

    fairr protein producer index
    Courtesy: FAIRR

    FAIRR’s research found that two of the companies analysed have already discontinued new plant-based products launched in the last 12 months, citing low sales.

    “The products that have been discontinued are in the processed meat alternative category and did not cater to current consumer preferences for less processed products with shorter lists of more familiar ingredients,” says Wilson.

    Indeed, the fear around ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has hit meat alternatives harder than most other categories. With governments looking to impose restrictions on UPFs, this will only continue, despite experts warning against linking processing with nutrition.

    “The definition of ultra-processed foods remains under contention without a universally recognised standard, so the ambiguous narrative has caused confusion and concern among consumers about their food choices,” Wilson highlights.

    “Foods high in nutrients such as salt, sugar and saturated fat, or additives known to be harmful, can be less healthy. However, food processing levels do not necessarily correlate with nutritional value, as some processes, such as pasteurisation, canning, freezing or vitamin fortification, can have public health benefits. Overall, there is increasing academic consensus that some processing of foods is essential to ensure food safety.

    “Although most animal-sourced foods are also processed, news and social media outlets have focused disproportionately on processing levels of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, leading to consumer wariness around the healthiness of these products.”

    The consumer focus has swiftly shifted to whole foods, just as 88% of global dietary guidelines advise people to eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. Over half of the companies in FAIRR’s engagement cohort see an opportunity in whole-food plant-based products, and 60% have launched at least one such offering in the past year. This, however, falls to just 38% among brand manufacturers (which tend to favour more processed alternatives).

    “Although health and nutrition trends are increasing consumer interest in whole foods, there are also other factors influencing actual consumer purchasing behaviour, such as convenience, price and taste,” says Wilson.

    Companies need to put more resources into product innovation

    fairr protein index
    Courtesy: FAIRR

    “While 60% of companies in FAIRR’s engagement are dedicating resources to increasing the accessibility and affordability of their alternative protein portfolios, through initiatives such as multi-buy offers, discounts, loyalty cards, ceiling prices, and collaboration with government nutritional programmes, many of these efforts are short-term,” Wilson notes.

    According to the companies in the report, traditional plant-based proteins more familiar to consumers, such as tofu and legumes, are the strongest-performing. “Plant-based dairy products are also a popular category, although the performance of individual products has varied between companies and regions,” she says.

    “Companies that allocate more resources to product innovation to improve performance and conduct consumer research to effectively meet their needs and market a value proposition, such as a nutritional benefit, tend to perform better in the segment.”

    French retailer Carrefour exceeded its target of reaching €500M in plant-based sales two years ahead of the 2026 timeline by focusing on plant-based whole foods (it has since extended the goal to €650M). And in the Netherlands, Ahold Delhaize pledged to achieve 50% plant-based protein sales across all its European supermarkets by 2030.

    “Both companies incentivise their boards to deliver their Scope 3 emission reduction targets through linked executive compensation metrics,” notes Wilson. “They have also undertaken consumer research related to alternative protein sources and healthy diets to understand their customer base, and have taken actions to promote plant-based products, such as through dedicated marketing campaigns, events, product tastings, shelf markings, partnerships, recipe inspirations and social media content.”

    In terms of innovation, Danone has dug deep into health and wellness with a focus on fibre, gut health and protein in its plant-based dairy expansion this year. “The company utilises reformulation and blended products to improve the nutritional profile of plant-based options,” says Wilson. “It has also invested in the Biotech Open Platform, in partnership with Michelin, Crédit Agricole and DMC Biotechnologies, to help scale manufacturing in the precision fermentation sector.”

    Despite the evidence, food giants fail to grasp protein diversification’s potential

    fairr sustainable proteins
    Courtesy: FAIRR

    The report comes weeks after the Eat-Lancet Commission reinforced the Planetary Health Diet to safeguard the food system, suggesting that plant-rich eating patterns can prevent 15 million premature deaths and reduce emissions by 15% by 2050.

    With plant protein’s potential more and more evident, why is the food industry failing to recognise it? “Companies are primarily approaching protein diversification as a business opportunity, but consumer demand is variable, and product launches do not always reflect their preferences,” says Wilson.

    Most are unaware of how it can support their climate goals.”The number of companies setting 1.5°C-aligned Scope 3 emission reduction targets that include FLAG emissions has increased, from 35% in 2024 to 55% in 2025. However, it is unclear how most companies will meet these targets, as only 25% have developed clear roadmaps quantifying the emissions mitigation potential of their decarbonisation interventions,” she explains.

    “Ahold Delhaize, Carrefour, Danone, Nestlé, and Unilever are the only companies that have developed roadmaps quantifying the carbon mitigation potential of their chosen decarbonisation levers, and they also recognise protein diversification as a lever to achieve their Scope 3 targets.

    “This suggests that undertaking such analysis can support companies in understanding how protein diversification can help them meet their climate goals, aligning with the latest scientific evidence published by organisations such as the IPCC and the Eat-Lancet Commission.”

    Danone, meanwhile, is the only business reskilling its workers to support a transition to more sustainable and healthy diets. It is helping its factory staff in Villecomtal-sur-Arros produce oat milk after shifting away from producing dairy yoghurt.

    The report further highlights the role of government policy and regulation in accelerating the protein transition, such as the UK’s 10-year health plan, which mandates supermarkets to disclose sales of healthy products.

    “If implemented, such disclosure standards could be a step towards healthy sales targets and incentivise companies to allocate more resources to innovation in healthier, more sustainable categories, such as diversified protein sources,” Wilson says.

    Why investors fell out of love with plant-based proteins

    alternative protein investment
    Graphic by Green Queen

    It has been tough going for plant-based companies. Consumer purchases have seen a constant dip in some of the largest markets too, including the US and the UK.

    One reason behind the slowdown in sales is a lack of specific marketing commitment. Asked why they don’t employ direct marketing strategies, some companies in the FAIRR report cited potential backlash from “politically sensitive topics” like diets and sustainability, and 30% said they were moving away from messaging that could isolate consumers, like prominent vegan labelling.

    But the decline hasn’t just been at a consumer or business level. After investments in plant-based startups peaked at $3.8B in 2021, they have fallen by 61%, 43% and 64% in each year since. Wilson says capital has been less readily available in these years, thanks to a host of factors, including “general market issues that have reduced liquidity and increased the cost of investing, such as rising interest and high inflation rates”.

    “However, there are also issues specific to the sector, including initial overvaluation of consumer-facing plant-based and novel protein companies as technology firms rather than food companies. The performance of early plant-based meat alternatives also varied, leading to disappointment among willing consumers, and slower-than-expected market uptake rates and returns on investment,” she points out.

    “This was broadly reported in the media with a negative sentiment towards the category as a whole, further deterring consumers. Ultimately, without a track record of reliable cash flows, companies are considered high-risk investments.”

    Regulatory risks are also a factor, with novel food approval pathways moving more slowly than expected in regions like Europe and Singapore. Unclear guidelines and negative press around bans on cultivated proteins and plant-based product labelling in Europe and US states haven’t helped either.

    “As a result of these factors and losses on previous investments, in their due diligence, investors are now prioritising especially unique innovations that have intellectual property potential, or can also be applied across sectors beyond food for risk mitigation,” says Wilson.

    In the first nine months of 2025, plant-based companies have already surpassed their investment totals from last year. Can it sustain this momentum? “Investors are primarily focused on returns and, therefore, a clear pathway to achieving profitability,” she says. “As with any company an investor backs, this comes down to a combination of technology, product performance, a clear target consumer, strong governance and a scale-up plan to reduce unit economics.”

    The post The World’s Largest Food Companies Are Missing the Future Protein Opportunity appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Parima Earns Singapore Approval for Cultivated Chicken After Vital Meat Merger

    vital meat approval
    5 Mins Read

    France’s Parima, formed this month after Gourmey’s acquisition of Vital Meat, has received regulatory approval to sell cultivated chicken in Singapore, a first for a European startup.

    Parima has become the first European startup to be cleared to sell cultivated meat for human food anywhere in the world, following approval from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

    The French startup was formed as a result of cultivated meat maker Gourmey’s acquisition of Vital Meat, which developed the cultivated chicken product now greenlit in Singapore.

    It marks the Southeast Asian country’s second authorisation for cultivated meat this year, with Friends & Family Pet Food Co getting the nod for its Kampung bird products, and the first for human applications since Vow‘s cultured quail in 2024.

    The development also brings an end to a long regulatory saga for Parima in the city-state. “We submitted our chicken regulatory dossier to the SFA at the end of 2023,” Étienne Duthoit, founder of Vital Meat and now part of Parima’s leadership team, tells Green Queen.

    Parima did not respond to questions about its launch plans or potential retail distribution in Singapore. That said, the company did host a public tasting for its innovation at Hue restaurant, featuring dishes like cultivated chicken skin chips, handmade chicken ravioli in a chicken broth, and chicken rice.

    Parima promises ‘meaningful’ inclusion rate of cultivated meat

    singapore lab grown meat
    Courtesy: Parima

    Vital Meat uses cell-line technology developed from nearly 25 years of avian cell research at Groupe Grimaud, a global animal genetics leader, turning cells from fertilised chicken eggs into cultivated meat.

    It already operated a pilot plant near Nantes, equipped with 2,000-litre bioreactors, but as part of Parima, it’s joined forces with Gourmey’s innovation centre and a pilot facility in central Paris, where it runs multiple 400-litre bioreactors. The combined bioreactor capacity reaches several thousand litres.

    Like most companies in the space, Parima is taking the hybrid meat route, combining its cell-cultured protein with plant-based ingredients to form meat products. The firm hasn’t disclosed the exact share of different ingredients, but Duthoit notes it is a strong proponent of “meaningful inclusion rates” of cultivated meat.

    “It’s the only way to truly meet consumers’ expectations for authentic taste, texture, and nutrition, and to clearly stand apart from first-generation plant-based options,” he explains. “Our technology also gives us flexibility: we can adjust the proportion of cultivated cells depending on the recipe, always aiming for the highest-quality products.”

    Parima isn’t revealing how much the product will cost, though Duthoit promises it has “a clear path toward viable unit economics, not only for premium products, but also for high-volume applications like chicken”.

    “Our strategy remains the same: start with premium segments where quality and differentiation matter most, then progressively expand towards broader market access as we scale,” he says.

    A breakthrough for Singapore’s delayed approvals

    vital meat
    Courtesy: Vital Meat/Parima

    Singapore is widely recognised as a hub for future food tech, thanks to a robust R&D ecosystem, highly skilled workforce, strong government support and investment, and heightened consumer acceptance.

    As Parima notes, the SFA’s rigorous science-based regulatory framework for novel foods is recognised as amongst the most advanced globally. And the agency granted the world’s first approval of cultivated meat to Eat Just’s Good Meat division back in 2020.

    All this led a host of cultivated meat players to focus their attention on the island nation and file for regulatory clearance, but their success has been sparse. Vow only became the second company to earn the regulator’s green light, three-and-a-half years after Good Meat.

    “After being the first country to approve cultivated meat at the time, they really want to make sure that they are not perceived as a country where it is easy to get approvals,” Didier Toubia, co-founder and CEO of Israeli cultivated beef maker Aleph Farms (which is also awaiting the SFA’s go-ahead), told Green Queen last month.

    This is why Parima’s approval is a breakthrough. Its team worked closely with the SFA to demonstrate compliance with the regulator’s food safety, quality, and transparency requirements. The extensive and collaborative review eventually confirmed the cultivated chicken as safe for human consumption.

    “It validates the safety and robustness of the core foundation of our multi-species platform and strengthens our position to lead the market introduction of high-quality, economically viable cultivated proteins across multiple markets,” says Parima CEO and Gourmey co-founder Nicolas Morin-Forest.

    Parima eyes global dominance in cultivated meat’s milestone year

    parima cultivated meat
    Courtesy: Parima

    Parima has another application with the SFA, which is reviewing the safety of Gourmey’s cultivated duck. In addition, the startup has seven other active filings across the globe, including the EU, the UK (it is the most advanced in both jurisdictions), Switzerland, the US, Australia and New Zealand, and another undisclosed country.

    It has repeatedly signalled its goal to become the first cultivated meat company to be cleared to get the regulatory nod for two animal species. And Morin-Forest has indicated that the first approval for the Gourmey brand could come in Singapore too.

    “We’re fuelling close collaborations with regulators worldwide on multiple dossiers, including our cultivated duck,” Duthoit says. “The dialogue continues to advance constructively, and we’re confident the next approvals will follow soon. Each milestone brings cultivated foods closer to consumers, safely, reliably, and at scale.”

    Some businesses are hoping to use Singaporean approval as a benchmark for regulatory clearance in other countries, including the UK. Will Parima take that approach too?

    “While there’s currently no formal equivalence between Singapore’s framework and other regulatory agencies, this approval sets a strong precedent. It reinforces confidence in the safety and robustness of our technology, which supports all our ongoing submissions,” says Duthoit.

    lab grown meat approved
    Graphic by Green Queen

    Parima is the latest in a growing list of cultivated meat startups cleared to sell their proteins this year. In addition to Vow and Friends & Family’s approvals, Wildtype and Mission Barns are selling their salmon and pork products in the US, respectively, and Believer Meats has earned FDA approval for cultivated chicken. In the EU, Biocraft Pet Nutrition and Umami Bioworks registered their cultivated meat innovations as feed materials, which can now be sold as pet food ingredients.

    Parima suggests that the Singapore clearance provides a launchpad for its broader Asian go-to-market strategy, with culinary partners and major agrifood groups already showing interest in its protein portfolio.

    “Our strategy has always been global from day one, with eight active dossiers progressing in parallel across major markets,” notes Duthoit. “Singapore’s green light is an important signal for those upcoming approvals.”

    The post Parima Earns Singapore Approval for Cultivated Chicken After Vital Meat Merger appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Shanghai’s JSBio Expands Into Cultivated Meat to Tap China’s Future Food Opportunity

    jsbio
    5 Mins Read

    Jianshun Biosciences, a Shanghai-based culture media supplier, has expanded from biopharma to the cellular agriculture field to join China’s booming alternative protein industry.

    With more patents than any other region in the world, and an ecosystem boosted by government investment, it’d be a mistake not to look at China’s alternative protein industry as anything but world-beating.

    And homegrown companies are recognising the opportunity. Based in Shanghai, Jianshun Biosciences (JSBio) is one of them. The firm is a leading cell culture media manufacturer for the biopharma sector, with operations in the US and South Korea too. But now, it is building on that expertise to cater to the cultivated meat industry.

    “JSBio has expanded into cultivated meat to leverage its biopharma expertise and large-scale cell culture capabilities,” founder Shun Luo tells Green Queen. “This move aligns with our mission to promote sustainable food innovation and the health of both people and the planet.”

    The company will deliver serum-free formulations, food-grade components, and process development support to help cultivated meat producers scale up efficiently, with Luo describing the cellular agriculture focus as a “natural next step” from advancing human health to supporting long-term wellbeing.

    Asia’s largest dry powder culture media network

    jsbiosciences
    Courtesy: JSBio

    Founded in 2011, JSBio has developed over 200 serum-free culture media products tailored to various cell types. Additionally, it provides process optimisation support to help businesses improve yields, maintain cell health, and scale efficiently.

    In recent years, the firm has collaborated closely with trailblazing cultivated meat companies, leading to the development of its CellKey Series of culture media. This supports the unique demands of cultured meat production while incorporating food-grade components at an industrial scale.

    “JSBio works with top cultivated meat companies globally, including several that have already achieved important regulatory milestones,” explains COO Louis Cheung, without disclosing the names of the companies.

    “JSBio produces cell culture media from high-quality, food-grade materials,” he adds. “Dry-powder media are made with an automated pin-milling system, while liquid media use single-use preparation and terminal filtration. Each batch undergoes strict quality checks before aseptic filling and traceable delivery.”

    In fact, the firm operates Asia’s largest dry powder culture media network, with an annual capacity exceeding 6,000 tonnes across several sites. This, Cheung says, positions JSBio to deliver both scale and affordability to partner companies.

    JSBio’s culture media costs under $1 per litre

    lab grown meat china
    Courtesy: JSBio

    “JSBio integrates its services into cultivated meat production by providing end-to-end support, including food-grade raw materials, culture media at various scales, and formula optimisation to meet companies’ operational needs,” says Cheung. “Regulatory support is a core focus, with strict quality controls helping streamline approvals and accelerate market entry.”

    Culture media are essential to the production of cultivated meat, entailing a mix of nutrients to facilitate the growth of animal cells. These components account for the majority of the costs involved in the entire process, and reducing this is key to reaching price parity with conventional meat.

    Typically, culture medium costs hundreds of dollars per litre, thanks to expensive animal inputs like bovine serum albumin and fetal bovine serum, as well as growth factors and basal media (such as amino acids, vitamins, and glucose).

    Globally, more and more cultivated meat companies are shifting to serum-free media formulations to drive down production costs, with US startup Clever Carnivore bringing this to just $0.07 per litre at pilot scale.

    “Media remains a major cost driver in cultivated meat production. We work to understand what cells truly need, streamline formulations, secure cost-efficient raw materials, and enable processes like high-temperature-short-time (HTST) sterilisation – and that’s just a glimpse of how we help partners scale cultivated meat more cost-effectively,” says Cheung.

    “For existing cultivated meat clients, JSBio offers culture media at less than $1 per litre,” he adds. “As we expand our supply chain and adopt new technologies to boost productivity, we anticipate further reductions in cost.”

    China embraces cultivated meat

    jianshun biosciences
    Courtesy: JSBio

    With its expansion into cellular agriculture, JSBio has joined the APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture to build strategic partnerships and drive regional innovation.

    “JSBio is among the most capable players in Asia for culture media innovation and scalable bioprocess support,” said program director Peter Yu. “With their regional leadership and solid expertise, JSBio will help global players scale efficiently in Asia and advance commercialisation.”

    The company’s shift towards cultivated meat comes amid growing public acceptance and government backing for these proteins. A recent survey found that 77% of citizens in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen are open to trying cultured meat, and 45% are likely to replace conventional meat and seafood with these.

    Meanwhile, the current five-year agriculture plan encourages research in cultivated meat, while the bioeconomy development strategy aims to advance novel foods. China is already home to eight of the top 20 patent applicants for these novel proteins.

    This year, the country saw its first alternative protein innovation centre open in Beijing, fuelled by an $11M investment from public and private investors to develop novel foods like cultivated meat. And in the Guangdong province, officials are planning to build a biomanufacturing hub for plant-based, microbial and cultivated proteins.

    At the annual Two Sessions summit, top government officials called for a deeper integration of strategic emerging industries like biomanufacturing, and the agriculture ministry outlined the safety and nutritional efficacy of alternative proteins as a key priority. And a document signalling China’s top goals for the year underscored the importance of protein diversification, including efforts “to explore novel food resources”.

    The post Shanghai’s JSBio Expands Into Cultivated Meat to Tap China’s Future Food Opportunity appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Bezos Earth Fund Pumps $2M in Project to Use AI for Better-Tasting Sustainable Proteins

    bezos earth fund ai grand challenge
    4 Mins Read

    Protein transition platform Food System Innovations has received a $2M grant from the Bezos Earth Fund to create an open-source AI model for sustainable food products with Stanford University.

    The Bezos Earth Fund is doubling down on its alternative protein bet, investing in an effort to accelerate the development of future foods with artificial intelligence (AI).

    It has awarded a $2M grant to Food System Innovations (FSI), a philanthropic impact platform investing in the transition to a sustainable agrifood system, as part of its $30M AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge.

    The financing will support a collaboration between FSI’s sensory analysis programme, Nectar, and computer scientists at Stanford University to develop an open-source AI model to drive alternative protein product development.

    It comes amid growing calls from experts to shift away from a food system reliant on industrial livestock farming, and towards low-emission proteins that use significantly less land and water.

    Algorithms will predict sensory attributes and optimise product formulations

    best vegan meat
    Courtesy: Nectar

    FSI aims to fast-track food systems transformation by marrying science, markets and society to enable more sustainable food choices. It has a diversity of programmes to do so, and among these is Nectar, which has built the world’s largest publicly available database on the sensory performance of plant-based and blended meat products.

    This online repository has been built on taste tests with thousands of meat-eating consumers in the US, and revealed that several alternative protein products outperform 100% animal-derived alternatives on a range of attributes.

    Armed with the Bezos Earth Fund grant, FSI and Stanford researchers are now developing algorithms that predict sensory attributes and optimise ingredient formulations for sustainable proteins.

    They will use a combination of Nectar’s sensory data and molecular flavour databases to build an AI model that connects molecular structure, flavour, texture, and consumer preferences. This, FSI says, will help accelerate alternative protein product development and deepen their market penetration.

    “Taste is the gateway to consumer adoption. Nectar’s data helps the sustainable protein industry refine formulations and enhance flavour, making climate-friendly foods truly irresistible,” said Nectar director Caroline Cotto, who is also the co-principal investigator of the grant.

    “Partnering with the Bezos Earth Fund allows us to translate AI innovation into real-world climate and conservation impact, one bite at a time,” she added.

    Bezos Earth Fund looks to ‘make AI work for the environment’

    bezos earth fund
    Courtesy: Rocío Lower/Bezos Earth Fund

    Stanford PhD candidate Anna Thomas, the project’s technical lead and fellow principal investigator, outlined that developing AI tools for sustainable protein design was “a critical step for human and planetary health”.

    “Our early research shows that large language models can help revise formulations based on sensory feedback. With this grant, we can deliver actionable insights that improve taste and speed the protein transition,” she said.

    Thomas’s research has found that collaborating with a large language model to devise sustainable proteins reduces time spent by 45%, compared to 22% when teaming up with another human food scientist. The paper also designed an AI approach that can decrease emissions by 79% in restaurants while keeping consumer satisfaction intact.

    AI has been criticised for its impact on the climate. Experts warn that skyrocketing demand is leading to a rise in energy and water use to run data centres and keep them cool. Most of that power use comes from fossil fuels, which are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.

    But some investors argue that advancements in alternative proteins could be the key to winning the AI race. And Bezos Earth Fund’s AI director, Amen Ra Mashariki, suggests the organisation is “focused on making AI work for the environment – not the other way around”.

    FSI was one of 15 entities that won a grant under the second phase of its AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge, a $100M initiative launched last year to develop AI-enabled solutions that address climate change and biodiversity loss. In the first phase, nine organisations won $50,000 grants for sustainable proteins, including FSI.

    “These projects show how AI, when developed responsibly and guided by science, can strengthen environmental action, support communities, and ensure its overall impact on the planet is net positive,” said Mashariki.

    Aside from its AI initiatives, Bezos Earth Fund has also invested $100M to set up three Centers for Sustainable Protein at universities in North Carolina, London and Singapore, as part of its $1B commitment towards food systems transformation.

    The post Bezos Earth Fund Pumps $2M in Project to Use AI for Better-Tasting Sustainable Proteins appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Abu Dhabi to Launch Framework for Regulatory Approval of Cultivated Meat & Novel Proteins

    abu dhabi novel food
    4 Mins Read

    The UAE’s capital has begun work on establishing a framework for novel food approvals aligned with best practices from international regulators.

    Abu Dhabi is doubling down on its promise to boost food security through future-friendly food, launching a new strategic initiative to develop a regulatory framework for novel proteins like cultivated meat and animal-free dairy.

    The endeavour was born out of a collaboration between the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), the Quality and Conformity Council (QCC), and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO).

    The move aims to position the Emirati capital as a global leader in food innovation, reducing approval timelines by six to nine months and accelerating market entry for novel foods.

    It comes just a day after ADIO teamed up with Vivici and The Every Company to explore the establishment of a four-million-litre precision fermentation facility. The partnership was also said to support the creation of a regulatory pathway for these animal-free proteins.

    Abu Dhabi’s regulatory framework to align with ‘international best practices’

    believer meats chicken
    Courtesy: Believer Meats

    The development of this regulatory framework “embodies Abu Dhabi’s commitment to adopting the highest global standards for food safety and innovation”, according to Dr Tariq Ahmed Al Ameri, acting director-general of the ADAFSA. “It enhances the readiness of our regulatory ecosystem to embrace emerging technologies such as cultivated proteins and precision fermentation-based foods.”

    The framework will put in place a comprehensive and streamlined system for novel foods, in alignment with international best practices, including those adopted by the UAE, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the EU, Singapore, and the US.

    As part of the initiative, the Abu Dhabi government will look to simplify procedures and speed up commercialisation by unifying registration requirements for new food products, halal certification, and production and import permits through a single-point contact system.

    It will further introduce a science-based risk assessment approach based on the type and maturity of technologies, and update the halal certification system to align with modern advancements and global benchmarks, particularly those of Malaysia and Indonesia. This, in turn, will strengthen international recognition of UAE halal certificates and boost the competitiveness of national food exports.

    In addition to these elements, Abu Dhabi will develop a national database of approved food products, alongside detailed technical and regulatory guidelines, in an effort to ensure transparency and reliability.

    “This agreement underscores the Council’s commitment to supporting the industrial and regulatory sectors through robust quality infrastructure services that ensure product conformity, particularly halal products, to the highest safety and quality standards,” said Fahad Gharib Al Shamsi, acting secretary-general of the QCC.

    The novel food sector’s focus on halal certification extends beyond Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Leading Islamic authorities in Singapore, South Korea and Qatar have all issued fatwas supporting Muslims’ consumption of cultivated meat. Shariah scholars in Saudi Arabia and the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America have also made similar conclusions.

    Food security driving Abu Dhabi’s novel food regulation

    cultivated meat regulatory approval
    Courtesy: Aleph Farms

    The Abu Dhabi government noted that the initiative aims to drive economic growth and food system resilience by leveraging cutting-edge food technologies and attracting high-value agrifood and biotech investments.

    But at the heart of the UAE’s regulatory advancements for novel food is its bid to become the world’s most food-secure nation by 2051. Currently, it relies heavily on food imports to meet 90% of its population’s needs.

    Last year, the capital established an AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance (AGWA) cluster to bolster food and water security with advanced technologies. It’s set to contribute Dhs 90 billion ($24.5B) in additional GDP to Abu Dhabi’s economy and create 60,000 new jobs by 2045, with an expected investment of Dhs 128 billion ($34.8B).

    “With a focus on accelerating the adoption of advanced solutions such as alternative proteins and precision fermentation, this collaboration reflects our commitment to the UAE National Food Security Strategy 2051 and reinforces Abu Dhabi’s role as a global centre for food innovation,” said ADIO director-general Badr Al-Olama.

    “This partnership is designed to build a connected business ecosystem that combines forward-thinking regulations with Abu Dhabi’s strong investment ecosystem and solid support for technological innovation,” he added.

    Food security is also the target of alternative protein companies eyeing the UAE market. As revealed by Green Queen, Israel’s Aleph Farms is planning to file for regulatory approval of its cultivated beef in the country.

    “We have a strong agenda in terms of food security at Aleph Farms, which is raising a lot of interest, essentially because of the geopolitical tensions, tariffs and disruptions of supply chains globally, especially for animal proteins,” its co-founder and CEO Didier Toubia said last month.

    In 2024, AGWA also partnered with fellow Israeli cultivated meat firm Believer Meats to establish a regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi, with the two entities working together to establish a regulatory pathway and halal certification standards.

    The post Abu Dhabi to Launch Framework for Regulatory Approval of Cultivated Meat & Novel Proteins appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Dutch Food Regulator Bans Use of ‘Plant-Based Mince’ on Product Labels, Citing A 1998 Law

    nvwa vegetarische slager
    4 Mins Read

    Plant-based companies are no longer allowed to label ground meat products as ‘mince’ in the Netherlands, according to a new ruling by the government’s food regulator.

    The Dutch government’s goal to make half of the national protein intake come from plants by 2030 is already in motion, with meat consumption falling to its lowest levels since records began. But its food regulator has just made things harder.

    In a new ruling, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has instructed vegan protein makers to stop using the term ‘plant-based mince’ on ground meat alternatives.

    The regulator is asking companies to change how they label these long-standing products, or risk facing fines. But critics argue that the decision is based on a 27-year-old law that did not mention and does not apply to plant-based products.

    “This sudden enforcement contradicts earlier guidance and risks confusing – rather than protecting – consumers, who clearly understand the meaning of ‘plant-based mince’. And the worst thing? It could hinder national goals for the protein transition,” said Rutger Rozendaal, CEO of The Vegetarian Butcher, part of the JBS-owned The Vegetarian Butcher Collective with fellow plant protein leader Vivera.

    NVWA decision invokes 1998 law not meant for plant-based category

    vegetarische slager gehakt
    Courtesy: The Vegetarian Butcher

    The NVWA issued the warning in a letter to six manufacturers and retailers, who sell plant-based mince from major brands or their private labels. That includes The Vegetarian Butcher and Vivera, which have been using the term for 15 years.

    The announcement is being seen as a surprise, especially since the ban exclusively impacts plant-based mince products – vegan burgers, chicken pieces, and sausages are still all fair game.

    “We didn’t see this coming. We never get complaints about it from consumers,” Rozendaal told EenVandaag, which first reported the news. “So it was a shock when the letter with the warning arrived. We immediately called everyone together and said: ‘What’s going on here?’”

    The NVWA’s decision is based on a Commodities Act Decree on meat products from 1998, in which ‘minced meat’ was deemed a protected designation only to be used on animal proteins. The regulator said it came across the term ‘plant-based mince’ during an investigation into the use and labelling of additives in meat alternatives.

    “Checking and enforcing the designation ‘vegetarian mince’ isn’t a high priority for the NVWA. That’s why we haven’t done so in recent years,” an NVWA spokesperson told NU.nl. “But now that we’ve encountered violations during the project, we can’t ignore them.”

    But industry representatives believe the NVWA is nitpicking by citing the decree. As The Vegetarian Butcher points out, the law was published at a time when plant-based alternatives were virtually non-existent, and so wasn’t intended to ban the use of the term on these products.

    “At the time, there were specific issues surrounding the composition of ground meat,” said Rozendaal. “These rules are intended to ensure the food safety of meat. This doesn’t apply to the plant-based sector and therefore shouldn’t apply to this category.”

    He added: “The term ‘plant-based mince’ clearly indicates a plant-based alternative and doesn’t infringe on that. [It] has become commonplace, and research shows that consumers are well aware of whether a product is vegetarian or vegan. A name change would actually create more confusion.”

    Plant-based industry calls for government talks to modernise labelling laws

    the vegetarian butcher vivera
    Courtesy: Vivera

    All inspections and correspondence have been completed by NVWA, and if companies fail to make the change now, the agency can enforce it via penalties, including daily fines.

    The Green Protein Alliance, a sustainability-led association representing supermarkets and meat-free producers, noted that other meat terms, like schnitzels, aren’t listed as protected designations under Dutch law. It’s why companies can continue to use them.

    “We actually believe the term ‘plant-based mince’ should also be valid, as it clearly indicates it’s made from plant-based sources,” Jessie van Hattum, a protein transition specialist at the alliance, told EenVandaag.

    The organisation has helped develop a Protein Tracker for supermarkets, in line with the government’s goal to bring a balance between animal and plant protein intake. Currently, 85% of retailers in the country are using the tool to drive up sales of plant-based food towards a 60% share by 2030.

    “A name change will make achieving these goals more difficult, as familiar words like ‘gehakt’ [minced meat] contribute to the transition,” argued Rozendaal, calling for talks with the NVWA and the government to collaborate on clear and modern labelling regulations.

    The company has been in a similar situation before. In 2012, the NVWA cited the same law to ask it to stop using the term ‘gehakt’ on its vegan mince – in response, the brand changed the label to ‘gehackt’. And in 2017, the regulator issued a warning against its use of terms like ‘fish-free tuna’ and ‘smoked bacon bits’, but withdrew the complaint after public and media outcry.

    The Dutch crackdown on vegan minced meat comes weeks after the EU Parliament voted in favour of a ban on meat-like terms across a wide range of plant-based alternatives, in direct contrast with the body’s decision against the measure in 2020. The proposal will now be brought to the EU Commission and Council, and needs approval from all member states – some are already rallying against it.

    The post Dutch Food Regulator Bans Use of ‘Plant-Based Mince’ on Product Labels, Citing A 1998 Law appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.