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
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
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’
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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
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
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.
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.
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 thatunhinged 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.
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
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
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?
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
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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’
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
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.
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%).
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.”
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?
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
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
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.
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
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.”
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
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”
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.
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.”
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
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’
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
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.”
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
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
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”.
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.
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
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Courtesy: Josh Bruneski/Overtime Marketing
Also in Canada, Jennifer Côté, co-founder and CEO of cell-based dairy startupOpalia, 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.
Courtesy: Anatoly Michaello
Finally, Israeli cultivated seafood firmForsea 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.
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
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.
“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
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
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
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.”
“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.”
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
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
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
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.
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.”
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
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
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
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”.
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
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’
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 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’
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.
Food security driving Abu Dhabi’s novel food regulation
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.
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
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
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.
A new study from France suggests that nutritious plant-based diets high in UPFs don’t lower the risk of heart disease more than minimally processed, meat-rich diets. But experts warn it is highly misleading.
Does highly processed equal bad for you?
It’s a question that has had health experts sparring with each other ever since the idea of ultra-processed foods (UPF) hit the mainstream.
According to the Nova classification, devised in 2009, UPFs are made via industrial formulations and techniques like extrusion or pre-frying, featuring cosmetic additives and substances deemed to be of little culinary use. Basically, if you can’t make it in your kitchen, there’s a good chance it’s a UPF.
That definition, however, has been criticised as too broad and arbitrary and it has spawned an entire movement against processed foods – there’s now a Non-UPF Verified label for companies to put on their products, and California has banned these products from school cafeterias. Even the Trump administration is being called upon to regulate UPFs as part of its Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.
All this has stemmed from research linking UPFs with a variety of health conditions, heart disease among them. Plant-based products like meat and cheese alternatives have been caught in the crossfire too, with consumers voting with their wallets and sales dropping by 7% and 4% in the US in 2024, respectively.
Many of these studies are highly misleading and serve as a launchpad for attention-grabbing headlines that completely miss the point. For example, in a widely covered study last year, plant-based meat products accounted for only 0.2% of all UPF calories eaten; media coverage sought to blame “fake meats” instead of the real culprits.
That seems to have happened again with newly published research from France, which argues that even nutritious plant-based diets don’t pose any cardiovascular benefits if they’re high in UPFs, compared to meat-heavy diets with low intake of ultra-processed products. However, read between the lines, and the truth is somewhat skewed.
What does the study say about plant-based UPFs?
Courtesy: VegFather
The study, published in The Lancet Regional Health, was conducted by researchers at public research bodies INRAE and Inserm, and education institutes CNAM and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord. They analysed health data from nearly 64,000 adults participating in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort, and followed up with them after 9.1 years on average.
Their findings suggest that people whose diets were rich in nutritious plant-based foods – those low in sugar, salt and fat – with little to no industrial processing had a 40% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who eat high amounts of animal products and fewer plant-based ones.
That is consistent with a range of other studies, which have found that plant-rich diets – thanks to their lower saturated fat and cholesterol content – are much more beneficial for heart health than meat-based diets.
Even among people who predominantly ate plant-based foods, the French researchers found that diets that were lower in nutritional quality and ultra-processed were linked with a 40% greater risk of cardiovascular disease than diets rich in nutritious products with minimal processing.
However, diets rich in both plants and UPFs did not lower cardiovascular risk more than diets heavy on meat and low on UPFs. That, the authors argued, highlights the need to consider both the nutritional quality and degree of processing in health discourse, and can support policies that promote nutritious, non-UPF plant-based foods.
“Future research could usefully explore the impact on health of different categories of ultra-processed foods, particularly plant-based substitutes,” they wrote.
The problem is, the researchers take a singular brush to plant-based foods, bundling ready-to-eat pastas, store-bought soups, and confectionery items with meat alternatives. Without reading the fine print, it leaves the impression that all plant-based UPFs are bad, which – as multiple other studies have revealed – is decidedly not the case.
Why the research is misleading about plant-based meat
Courtesy: Physicians Association for Nutrition/GFI Europe
There are several shortcomings and misleading elements in the study, according to Amy Williams, nutrition lead at the Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe. For instance, definitions of what comprises a ‘plant-based UPF’ were not standard, since this category included cakes and pastries containing animal products.
Moreover, the matrices ‘UPF healthy plant-based diet’ and ‘UPF unhealthy plant-based diet’ were confusingly named, as a majority of the participants in the study were meat-eaters – these matrices only tell us how much healthy or unhealthy plant foods people were eating relative to the rest of the group. Plant-based meat, incidentally, veered towards the healthy side, as it was generally made of legumes.
Speaking of which, meat alternatives were more commonly eaten in diets scoring highly on the ‘unprocessed healthy plant-based diet’ metric than any other diet, so the limited associations the paper does find likely do not bear much relevance.
“This study has nothing to tell us about the nutritional benefits of plant-based meat, which made up 0.1% of the food eaten by participants. It is based on food diaries taken an average of nine years ago – long before many of today’s plant-based meat products entered the market,” Williams tells Green Queen.
“Instead, as we see in other UPF studies, processed conventional meat was eaten far more widely, and featured most heavily in the ‘unhealthy UPF diet’ compared to any of the others. This food, which plant-based meat generally replaces, is consistently associated with adverse health outcomes.
“Anyone looking for a more robust source of evidence about plant-based meat should examine the randomised controlled trials, which have found that replacing conventional meat with this food can reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, and support weight management,” notes Williams.
Research by GFI Europe and the Physicians Association for Nutrition has contended that most studies overlook important nuances of plant-based meat, which has a very different nutritional profile from most UPFs, potentially misleading consumers about their health impact.
And in a recent scientific advisory, the American Heart Association punctuated this point, stating that not all UPFs are unhealthy, and policymakers should nudge people towards healthier UPFs, which include whole plant foods, whole-grain breads, and meat and dairy alternatives low in sugar, salt, and fat.
Following a dismal first half of 2025, funding for alternative protein startups bounced back in Q3 as investors rallied around differentiated tech and financial credibility.
Plant-based and fermentation-derived proteins enjoyed a resurgence in VC flows in Q3 2025, a departure from the sector’s recent struggles to attract investors.
Alternative protein startups collectively raised $247M between July and September, nearly double the $130M total from the previous quarter, according to the Good Food Institute’s (GFI) analysis of data from Net Zero Insights.
There are caveats, though: investments were highly concentrated in Europe, and cultivated meat companies still struggled to attract funding, despite having their most successful year in terms of regulatory approvals yet.
Those working with plant-based proteins and ingredients derived from biomass fermentation, however, emerged as the biggest winners in this period. Still, barring a miracle fourth quarter, the overall sector is on course for a fourth consecutive year of investment decline.
Plant-based startups ride on unique tech and commercial traction
Courtesy: GFI
According to GFI’s analysis, plant-based companies attracted $142M in Q3 2025, surpassing the entire alternative protein sector’s Q2 total. This was led by a $58M round for France’s Nxtfood, which owns the Accro brand of meat alternatives and tripled its revenue last year.
It means this segment has attracted more capital in the first nine months of 2025 ($322M) than it did in all 2024, when annual capital flows declined by 64% to reach just $309M. This aligns with investment trends in the larger climate tech sector, which has surpassed its 2024 totals in this period too.
“Capital continues to flow to select, well-positioned companies with differentiated tech, credible paths toward progress on taste and price, and commercial traction,” said Daniel Gertner, GFI’s lead economic and industry analyst.
“In Q3, nearly three-quarters of plant-based deal value was secured by companies based in Europe, where retailers are driving protein diversification initiatives and private-label expansion, and where pockets of retail sales growth persist,” he added.
This speaks to a larger trend. Over two-thirds of alternative protein capital flows went to companies headquartered in Western Europe. US businesses captured less than one-fifth of the total.
Meanwhile, fermentation startups bagged $105M in Q3, most of which ($93M) went towards biomass fermentation technologies, specifically The Protein Brewery ($35M), The Better Meat Co ($31M) and Revyve ($28M). But while that takes the segment’s total to $253M so far this year, this is less than half of the $651M it raised in 2024.
Courtesy: The Better Meat Co
Investors seeking ‘near-term proof points’ for cultivated meat
Cultivated meat has had a milestone year – seven companies have received some form of regulatory clearance in different jurisdictions to sell their proteins for human or pet food. But investor enthusiasm has not matched the regulatory success.
Startups in this sector received only $227,000 in Q3. And no deals were publicly disclosed in Q2 either, putting cultivated meat’s total investment at just $36M for the first nine months of this year. In contrast, this technology attracted $139M in 2024, itself a 40% decline from the previous year.
“Cultivated meat is capital-intensive and milestone-driven, so funding is likely to cluster around key technical and commercial advancements,” Gertner pointed out.
“Right now, investors seem to be watching for additional near-term proof points such as favourable unit economics, further regulatory approvals, and consumer traction. We’ve seen meaningful progress on these fronts in 2025, but bridging the scale-up phase will still require additional capital from public, private, and philanthropic sources.”
Can the alternative protein industry build on this?
Courtesy: Bettani Farms
The uneven access to funding across regions and technologies has pushed companies to tap into large corporations, foundations and the public sector, in the form of partnerships, acquisitions, grants, and research consortia. These mechanisms will be increasingly important in extending runway as VC dollars flow to fewer companies and in smaller checks until the sector delivers high-multiple exits, GFI said.
Compared to Q3 2024, investments in plant-based companies doubled in the corresponding period this year, but declined by 43% for fermentation startups and 92% for cultivated protein firms.
But Gertner warned against looking too much into quarter-to-quarter variations in a sector where just a small number of deals can significantly influence overall totals. Multi-year progress on “scale-up, product innovation, and corporate involvement” is more informative.
Can the industry sustain this bit of momentum? Is it past the trough of illusionment? It’s worth noting that investors pumped $1.1B into alternative proteins last year – as of Q3 2025, that cumulative total sits at just $611M thus far.
“A sustained upswing in private investments in alternative protein companies will rely on companies demonstrating credible paths to profitability and achieving tangible exits such as IPOs and strategic acquisitions,” argued Gartner. “In the near term, capital will likely continue to concentrate around firms that hit technical and scale milestones and demonstrate strong market performance.”
Californian startup Mission Barns will hold the US’s first retail sale of cultivated meat on November 1, selling pork meatballs at Berkeley Bowl West.
Next week, Americans can walk into a grocery store and buy cultivated meat off the shelf for the first time.
The product in question is made by Mission Barns, a San Francisco-based startup that has received FDA and USDA approval to sell its cultivated pork fat in the US.
Its pork meatballs will be sold at Berkeley Bowl West, an independent grocery store on Heinz Avenue, on November 1, with each 304g tray priced at $13.99. The one-time sale will be held at 3pm in aisle 16 of the store, and the limited stock means shoppers can only buy one pack each.
The retail debut comes nearly two months after Mission Barns introduced its cultivated meatballs and bacon to diners at Fiorella restaurant in San Francisco’s Sunset District. Now, it is hosting a four-part tasting series at Berkeley Bowl West, titled Bites from the Barn, starting the same day as the sale.
Public tasting series to spotlight cultivated meatballs and salami
Courtesy: Mission Barns
Bites from the Barn is being billed as the “largest free-to-the-public cultivated meat tasting series ever held”, and will offer consumers a chance to taste the future-facing products and engage directly with Mission Barns’s team.
Each event will feature live cooking demonstrations and opportunities to meet the company’s scientists to learn about the tech used to produce its cultivated pork products.
The tastings will be held once per month. The first, on November 1, will spotlight the meatballs, while the second will feature Mission Barns’s Italian-style dry-cured salami on December 12. The final two events, on January 16 and February 21, will give consumers a taste of the meatballs too.
On launch day, one of the meatball packs will contain a golden ticket, the recipient of which will be invited to a private tasting and tour at the startup’s facility in San Francisco.
“We’ve been excited to work with Mission Barns for many years, and these meatballs – made with their cultivated pork fat – deliver the same flavour and texture as conventional pork while offering an option for our meat-loving and flexitarian customers,” said Anthony LeBlanc, head meat buyer at Berkeley Bowl.
“Berkeley Bowl has long been a launchpad for innovative food brands,” he added. “We’re proud to be the first US grocery store to offer cultivated pork to our customers.”
The company’s CEO, Cecilia Chang, said the tasting series is an open invitation to join the mission to make meat tastier and healthier than the market standard. “We talk about scaling technology, but real change scales through people voting with their plates. That’s why this series matters: it’s where health meets flavour, innovation meets community, and the movement truly begins to grow,” she noted.
Mission Barns partners with Tufts to gauge consumer acceptance
Courtesy: Mission Barns
Mission Barns uses belly fat cells from American Yorkshire pigs and grows them in bioreactors to make its Mission Fat. This fat is then mixed with plant-based ingredients to make products like meatballs, bacon, sausages, and salami.
This hybrid approach allows the startup to keep costs from soaring too high and scale production in an efficient manner. And since fat is the primary flavour carrier in food, even a little bit goes a long way in replicating conventional meat.
Mission Fat will appear on the label as a composition of purified water, cell-cultivated pork fat cells, and kosher salt. It’s mixed with pea protein, coconut oil, Italian seasonings, methylcellulose and other ingredients to make the meatballs.
Now, the company is collaborating with researchers at the Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture, who will capture real-world feedback and consumer attitudes at the tasting series, in a bid to inform future study design and public acceptance frameworks.
“This partnership gives us a unique opportunity to study how consumers encounter cultivated meat outside the R&D lab or focus group setting,” said Sean Cash, an economist and professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. “Understanding how people experience and talk about these novel products in everyday environments will be key to shaping responsible and transparent innovation across the food system.”
Mission Barns has also earned a listing at Sprouts Farmers Market, and was aiming to hit shelves in Oakland in Q3. Green Queen has contacted the startup for updates on this partnership.
The sale at Berkeley Bowl West will only be the second instance of a cultivated meat product being available in retail. Last year, fellow Californian firm Eat Just launched its Good Meat cultivated chicken at Huber’s Butchery in Singapore.
Plant-based company Beyond Meat’s share price has been on a rollercoaster ride over the last week – short sellers, meme stocks, and a Walmart deal are all at play.
On Thursday, October 16, Beyond Meat’s share price crashed to an all-time low of 50 cents on Nasdaq, valuing the company at just $19M. Six days later, the plant-based burger maker was worth $3.5B.
That was courtesy of a more than 1,000% climb, which sent the Californian firm’s stock soaring to a high of $7.69 on Wednesday, before finishing the day at $3.58.
The rapid and volatile shift has kept Beyond Meat’s name in the headlines all week long, amid a backdrop of a sales slowdown that has forced the company to quit certain markets, conduct layoffs, restructure its debt, and deny rumours of a bankruptcy filing.
How Beyond Meat entered meme-stock territory
Courtesy: Nasdaq
The momentum for Beyond Meat’s rally began last week on Reddit, when Dubai-based real estate developer Dimitri Seminikhin (who goes by Capybara Stocks on social media), fuelled a large volume of purchases. He told Business Insider that he bought 4% of the company’s stock and felt the company’s recent debt swap deal is a better sign than what most investors have made it out to be.
He added that he saw the company’s recent moves – which include appointing a corporate restructuring consultant as interim chief transformation officer to become EBITDA-positive within the second half of 2026 – as buying time for growth or an acquisition. Seminikhin also said he wasn’t concerned about the declining sales of plant-based meat in the US.
What ensued has been compared to previous rallies of meme stocks like GameStop – in 2021, a trader rallied a group of online traders to send its stock price skyrocketing. Meme stocks are so called because they gain popularity based on social media hype, rather than a business’s financial performance.
The gains continued on Monday after Roundhill Investments added Beyond Meat to its Meme Stock ETF (exchange-traded fund), which helped fuel a short-squeeze. This phenomenon occurs when investors who bet against the company, by selling borrowed stock in hopes of buying it back on the cheap later, are forced to rush that process to protect themselves from losing more money.
Then, on Tuesday, the company announced an expanded distribution deal with Walmart, making its chicken pieces, Korean BBQ-style steak, and burger six-packs available at over 2,000 of the retailer’s stores nationwide. That got investors excited further, with Beyond Meat’s stock price closing at $3.62, its highest in nearly three months.
Still, the firm is very much in the weeds, with demand weakening and its stock price a far cry from the high of $234.90 in 2019, its debut year on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
Beyond Meat’s recent moves exhibit ‘road to profitability’
Courtesy: Beyond Meat/Karola G/Pexels
The BYND stock’s rollercoaster journey on the capital market comes amid a testing period for plant-based meat’s poster child.
The firm recorded its lowest quarterly revenue in Q1 2025, reaching $69M and it secured $100M in debt financing from Unprocessed Foods, a subsidiary of Ahimsa Foundation, a non-profit advancing plant-based diets. In the ensuing three months, Beyond Meat’s sales fell by 20% compared to the year-ago period.
In February, it announced that it would lay off 9% of its global workforce, or 64 employees, which included all its staff in China, where it has suspended operations. And in August, it said it would let go of 44 employees in North America, though it isn’t clear if this is part of the same job cuts as above, or an additional round of layoffs.
The stock has been declining steadily, and the crash accelerated last month, when Beyond Meat proposed an exchange offer for convertible bonds to eliminate over $800M of debt. The company’s current debt amounts to $1.15B, thanks to 0% convertible notes that will mature in 2027.
Under its proposal, these would be swapped for higher-interest 7% notes that are due in 2030, plus stock shares. The firm needed 85% of its holders to agree to this by the end of October, but 97% did so by last week, which took the stock to an all-time low.
This is the action Seminikhin is bullish about. Speaking to Business Insider, he outlined his thesis of investing in the company: a “fundamentally misunderstood” conversion event, a technical setup leading to a short squeeze, and a strong balance sheet and book value post-conversion”.
Beyond Meat’s recent move to move, well, beyond meat and spotlight traditional plant proteins was also praised by the online trader. The company this week launched Beyond Test Kitchen, a marketplace where it’s selling limited-edition drops of new products, including a four-ingredient Beyond Ground and a whole-cut mycelium steak.
“For the first time in a long time for Beyond Meat, there’s a road to profitability and growth that’s being written,” said Seminikhin.
Amid the slowdown in sales of plant-based meat and investment in alternative proteins, innovation is losing a little momentum too, according to a new patent analysis.
Patent filings for plant-based and cultivated meat are mirroring the trends seen in the retail and investment sectors, with the number of applications on a downward correction after years of sustained growth.
That’s the takeaway from the fifth edition of IP firm Appleyard Lees’s Inside Green Innovation: Progress Report, which reviewed global patent filings in the energy, AI, materials and food sectors in 2022.
The analysis revealed that patent applications for cultivated meat fell by nearly 10% from 125 in 2022 to 113 in 2023, a far cry from the 9% increase in the former year. Meanwhile, the decline in plant-based meat filings continued for a second consecutive year, falling by 20% from 280 to 223.
“In the cultivated meat sector, funding, regulation, and consumer uptake remain key challenges for innovators, alongside upscaling and production efficiency,” said Emily Bevan-Smith, a patent attorney at Appleyard Lees.
James Myatt, a partner at the firm, added: “In plant-based meats, sales fell by 12% and some manufacturers have either reduced operations or gone into administration.”
Plant-based meat patent filings fell, but consumer interest may be renewing
Courtesy: Appleyard Lees
The decline in new priority filings (the first patent application for a unique invention) for plant-based meat was largely driven by a 37% dip in the US. European applications were more stable, with the number of filings 30% higher than the US – this is in stark contrast with previous years, where the two regions have competed closely on innovation, and is reflective of a stronger market for these products in Europe.
Unique assignees, which indicate the number of individual patent applicants or owners who have filed a patent for a given technology, for vegan meat alternatives decreased in 2023. This suggests that fewer entities are filing patents and that the industry is becoming more challenging for smaller businesses.
While the flavour and texture of these products were key focuses for companies in 2022, there was an equal decrease in the number of filings in each of these areas in 2023. The reduction was also consistent across all protein types, with applications for tofu and tempeh showing the largest decrease
In terms of companies, Cargill and Unilever made a record number of applications in 2023. The former spotlighted wheat gluten, lentil flour, pea protein and corn protein, while the latter’s surge reflected the eventual sale of The Vegetarian Butcher to JBS-owned Vivera. Fuji Oil and Roquette Frères were also among the top filers, though their totals fell slightly from 2022. And Nestlé had the most significant decrease among the major applicants.
Courtesy: Appleyard Lees
The report suggests that the drop in plant-based meat innovation was possibly due to “continuing commercial difficulties in the industry”, alongside consumer concerns around ultra-processing and unsatisfactory taste and texture. Plus, these products can cost up to 82% more, making them less appealing to shoppers.
That said, the number of filings in 2023 was the third highest ever recorded, and remained higher than at any point before 2020, showcasing continued R&D in the space despite the “apparent wavering of consumer interest in plant-based meat products”.
Appleyard Lees says there are causes for optimism. Plant-based meat products held their own in taste tests with omnivores, just as recent evidence suggests public concerns over the health ills of plant-based meat are largely unsubstantiated.
“It seems possible that a renewed wave of consumer interest in plant-based meat could be approaching, driven by innovations improving the quality of plant-based meats and reducing the cost of their manufacture,” the report reads.
Cultivated meat innovation needs government and investor support
Courtesy: Appleyard Lees
The IP firm argues that patent filings for cultivated meat may have peaked in 2022 – for now. The lack of investment and regulatory uncertainties in the US likely contributed to the 40% fall in applications in the US in 2023. It is now only marginally ahead of Europe and South Korea.
Speaking of which, Europe also saw a 25% decline in patent activity, which Appleyard Lees ascribed partly to a split between pro- and anti-cultivated-meat regulations, along with growing apprehension about the industry’s effect on farmers.
In Asia, though, things were more positive. Japan experienced a doubling in application numbers after then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida publicly endorsed cultivated meat. South Korea witnessed an increase too, thanks in large part to government support for industry innovation.
There was a decrease in the share of unique patent applicants for cultivated meat in 2023. Dutch cultured pork producer Meatable was the top filer, with applications related to the methods of culturing and maturing cells and increasing fat accumulation to tune flavours.
South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Solutions Corporation was the second busiest applicant. And in the longer term, Ivy Farm Technologies, Upside Foods, Korea Food Research Institute, and Ajinomoto have all been prominent patent filers in this segment since 2019.
Courtesy: Appleyard Lees
“Global patent activity in the cultivated meat sector shows a strong push to appeal to consumers by creating products that closely resemble conventional meat in flavour, texture, nutritional value and cooking behaviour,” said Myatt.
“A significant hurdle for this sector is securing investment and navigating local regulatory environments, which in some geographies (and key markets) are uncertain and polarising,” the report states. “Despite these issues, patent filings are increasing, and may continue to increase, in countries where this technology has government support.”
Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Eat Just’s vegan chicken, Beyond Meat’s Walmart expansion, and Tesco’s collab with La Vie.
New products and launches
Californian startup Eat Just has launched its plant-based Just Meat into US foodservice. The vegan chicken is being tested by Texas-based Franklin Barbecue’s Aaron Franklin.
Courtesy: Eat Just
Beyond Meat, meanwhile, has boosted its distribution significantly, rolling out its chicken pieces, Korean BBQ-style steak, and six-pack of burgers into more than 2,000 Walmart stores.
New Zealand-based rubisco protein playerLeaft Foods has teamed up with Meateor Pet Foods to offer its Alfalfa Protein Concentrate to pet food producers in the US.
Courtesy: Alpine Bio
US molecular farming startup Alpine Bio has expanded its tech to produce lactoferrin in soybeans with over 3.5 times more iron than bovine sources, and a highly soluble non-GMO fractionated soy protein isolate with whey-like characteristics.
In the UK, Tesco has introduced a new festive wrap under its Plant Chef own-label brand, featuring La Vie’s vegan bacon.
Courtesy: Emily Giles/LinkedIn
British supplements brand Dr.Vegan has launched MenoFriend, a plant-based menopause formula in 53 Waitrose stores.
Also in the UK, frozen foods maker One Planet Pizza has released its Margherita Pizzetta and Cheezy Garlic Flatbread into Morrisons stores.
Courtesy: Joe Hill/LinkedIn
German chocolate maker Jokolade has rolled out a vegan product with Planet A Foods’s cocoa-free chocolate, ChoViva.
ChoViva is also featured in a new Salted Caramel with Hazelnut Crunch ice cream stick launched by retail giant Rewe’s Best Wahle private-label brand.
Courtesy: Shalom Daniel
Shalom Daniel, founder of blended meat players Joyn Foods and 50/50 Foods, has released a new book, Cut the Bull, to advocate for halving meat consumption.
And oat milk giant Oatly will debut its exclusive signature drinks at the My Coffee Awards in Barcelona (November 7-9), which will also release a Coffee Michelin Guide.
Company and finance developments
Plant Futures Collective‘s Meat Free Made Easy campaign has featured in the Tesco magazine, the UK’s most-read print title.
After sparking online furore for axing several vegan menu favourites in the UK, including the Vegatsu, the CEO of Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group has defended the decision.
Revo Foods founder Robin Simsa | Courtesy: Revo Foods
Austrian mycoprotein player Revo Foods has hired David Petuzzi as CEO, with founder Robin Simsa moving to the role of commercial director.
Italian vegan fast-food chain Flower Burger has kicked off a €1M equity crowdfunding campaign on CrowdFundMe to celebrate its 10-year anniversary.
Courtesy: Sunday Supper
In the US, vegan frozen foods maker Sunday Supper has begun a $625,000 crowd investment drive on WeFunder, after recording 300% year-on-year growth.
In similar news, HumaneCheck has launched a $25,000 Kickstarter campaign for its app, which lets grocery shoppers scan product barcodes for animal welfare grades. Its prototype, FindHumane, is a database of all animal products deemed meaningfully more humane by the ASPCA, which supports the project.
Courtesy: HumaneCheck
US functional wellness company Laird Superfood is the latest to quit the 100% plant-based space, announcing that it will now offer dairy and potentially other animal-based ingredients.
Research, policy and awards
The APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture has teamed up with Beyond Impact VC and Beyond Animal to accelerate capital flows into the cellular agriculture and future food sector.
US animal-free collagen maker Jellatech has been named a finalist in the Sustainable Tech Innovation category for the 2025 NC Tech Awards.
Courtesy: Better Nature
UK tempeh maker Better Nature has been awarded full three stars from the Nourish Awards.
Finally, the World Economic Forum and media publisher Frontiers have named precision fermentation among the top 10 emerging technologies to accelerate planetary health solutions.
Food Standards Australia and New Zealand has formally accepted a dossier by French firm Parima to sell cultivated duck products, which is expected to be approved next year.
Parima, a cultivated meat company formed last week, could be selling cultured foie gras and pâté to consumers in Australia and New Zealand by August 2026.
The startup’s regulatory dossier for cultivated duck, made under its Gourmey brand, has been officially accepted by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ). Now, the application will enter the scientific risk assessment process.
Parima emerged as a new entity after Gourmey acquired French cultivated chicken firm Vital Meat, marrying their tech, regulatory and manufacturing prowess, with a combined 15 patent families and more than 70 applications. The company is seeking regulatory clearance for its cultivated meat products in seven markets.
Its FSANZ filing comes months after the regulator gave the green light to Sydney-based cultivated quail maker Vow, which has been selling its protein in the form of parfait and foie gras in restaurants across Australia since July.
How Gourmey makes its cultivated duck
Courtesy: Sherry Hack
The standout feature of Parima’s application is that it will be assessed under FSANZ’s General (Level 5) Procedure, as opposed to its Major Procedure. It means the process is expected to take less than a year, since it only requires one round of public consultation. It’s also around A$40,000 cheaper.
It’s important to note that the late August 2026 timeline underlined by FSANZ is not set in stone. Vow’s application was meant to take around 15 months and be approved by June 2024, but was delayed by a year as the regulator amended its Food Standards Code.
Parima submitted its application in August. In its dossier, the startup explains that it employs non-GM cell lines and a semi-continuous process using shake flasks. Duck cells are grown in controlled conditions until the viable density is reached – after this, the majority of the culture volume is inoculated in a suspension bioreactor, and a small amount is retained to maintain a continuous process.
Once the culture in the bioreactor reaches the desired density, the biomass is harvested and separated from the culture media by centrifugation, before being washed with a saline solution. It is then packed and frozen until it’s ready to be used to make a final product, in combination with other food-safe ingredients.
“Cell-cultured duck is proposed for use by the general population, without sensitivities to duck or other avian species, as a food ingredient for further processing to be used [in] duck meat analogues at an inclusion rate of 5-80% by weight of the finished food,” the company says.
The cultivated duck can be turned into meat analogues, spreadable specialties, and fats and oils. Gourmey has already unveiled its foie gras application, which has been endorsed by a group of Michelin-starred chefs.
Parima’s regulatory progress latest in milestone year for cultivated meat
Courtesy: Parima
According to a document released by the FSANZ, the scientific risk assessment report will take about six months, followed by a six-week public consultation period starting in March. The FSANZ board will then make its approval decision, before being discussed by ministers in both countries in June.
“We look forward to working transparently and constructively with FSANZ as the review progresses, bringing cultivated foods one step closer to consumers’ plates,” Parima said in a statement.
It currently operates an innovation centre and a pilot facility in central Paris, where it runs multiple 400-litre bioreactors, and a pilot plant near Nantes, equipped with 2,000-litre bioreactors run daily. It also has a dedicated setup with a 5,000-litre fermenter, which analysis shows can bring costs down to $3.43 per lb. And in June, it partnered with AI specialist DeepLife to develop an avian digital twin to optimise production of its cultivated meat.
Aside from Australia and New Zealand, Parima has filed for approval in the EU (where it is the most advanced), the UK (also the most advanced here), Switzerland, Singapore, the US, and another undisclosed country.
In an interview with Green Queen this summer, Gourmey co-founder and Parima CEO Nicolas Morin-Forest had said it was expecting approval in Singapore first.
“We anticipate the first market authorisations within the next few months,” he said last week. “We’re aiming to become the first European cultivated meat company to get approved, and the first ever company with approval for two species: duck and chicken.”
Friends & Family Pet Food Company, meanwhile, was cleared to sell cultivated pet food in Singapore, and Biocraft Pet Nutrition and Umami Bioworks registered their cultivated meat innovations as feed materials in the EU, allowing them to sell the products as pet food ingredients.
Plant-based giant Beyond Meat has kicked off the Beyond Test Kitchen, releasing its clean-label Ground products and whole-cut mycelium steak to quick success.
As it works to turn around its sales and eliminate its debt, US plant-based pioneer Beyond Meat has debuted a new strategy to launch its innovations.
The company has unveiled Beyond Test Kitchen, a customer-led approach to product development, gi giving them an exclusive first taste of its new proteins before wider rollout.
Each product is produced in limited quantities and sold in fashion-industry-style ‘drops exclusively on Beyond Test Kitchen’s direct-to-consumer website.
Its first products are the much-anticipated Beyond Ground and the mycelium-based steak that has only been available in restaurants, and they’ve been selling fast.
Beyond Test Kitchen debuts Ground range and mycelium steak for home use
Courtesy: Beyond Meat/Titus Group
Beyond Ground was first announced in July, when CEO Ethan Brown announced that the company would begin dropping the word ‘Meat’ from its brand name to spotlight traditional plant proteins that go beyond replicating animal-based foods.
In its original form, the product contains just four ingredients: water, fava bean protein, potato protein, and psyllium husk. It is intended as a response to the category’s biggest criticisms, from ultra-processing and long ingredient lists.
The mince-like protein will boost the nutritional perceptions of plant proteins. Each 4oz serving of the uneasoned Beyond Ground contains 140 calories, 4g of fibre, 1.5g of fat, and 27g of protein (higher than beef). Plus, it has zero cholesterol, saturated fat, or added oils. Home cooks can add any seasonings, marinades, or sauces to build their meals around the product.
As part of the Beyond Test Kitchen, the company has also launched the Ground product in three flavours: Chipotle Pineapple, Korean BBQ Style, and Tuscan Style Tomato. These do contain more fat, saturated fat, and sodium, but don’t need further seasoning during cooking.
Meanwhile, the whole-cut Beyond Steak Filet has so far been confined to eateries like Boa Steakhouse, Ladybird, and Next Level Veggie Grill. But after feedback from its custmers, Beyond Meat is opening up the mycelium-derived protein to home cooks for the first time through this approach.
The whole-cut steak is comprised of a base of wheat gluten, fava bean protein, avocado oil and mycelium, with a small amount of brown rice powder, oat bran, malted barley flour, beet juice colour, apple extract, spices and natural flavours, starter culture, and salt. Each 127g fillet delivers 28g of protein and 3g of fibre, with just 1g of saturated fat.
Most Beyond Test Kitchen bundles sold out amid financial unrest
Courtesy: Beyond Meat/Karola G/Pexels
On the Beyond Test Kitchen, the products are available in four bundles. Three of them – comprising an eight-pack of the steak or combining it with the Beyond Ground products – have already sold out. A variety pack of the latter is still up for grabs.
The products are priced similarly to Beyond Meat’s existing range, with the eight-packs starting from $71.20. The bundle with just the Beyond Ground is $72.50, putting each product at just over $9, while the all-steak option costs $84 (or $10.50 per fillet).
Beyond Meat said information on future Test Kitchen products, including how customers can get involved with feedback on new ideas and tasting products early, will be available on its social channels. Brown has previously teased products like chickpea hot dogs and lentil sausages.
The move comes amid a media storm for the company. Its stock fell to an all-time low of 85 cents last week, after announcing the early settlement of an exchange offer for convertible bonds to eliminate over $800M of debt.
Beyond Meat is currently $1.15B in debt, thanks to 0% convertible notes that will mature in 2027. But the proposal would see them swapped for higher-interest 7% notes that are due in 2030, plus stock shares. The firm needed 85% of its holders to agree to this by the end of October, but 97% did so by last week.
The firm recorded its lowest quarterly revenue in Q1 2025, reaching $69M. It also secured $100M in debt financing from Unprocessed Foods, a subsidiary of Ahimsa Foundation, a non-profit advancing plant-based diets. In the ensuing three months, Beyond Meat’s sales fell by 20% compared to the year-ago period.
In February, it announced that it would lay off 9% of its global workforce, or 64 employees, which included all its staff in China, where it has suspended operations. And in August, it said it would let go of 44 employees in North America, though it isn’t clear if this is part of the same job cuts as above, or an additional round of layoffs.
However, Brown said the “opportunity to potentially live outside some of the confines we’ve been in recently”, with Beyond Ground and “the use of the Beyond brand and protein occasions for consumers”, makes him “very optimistic” about the future. With Beyond Test Kitchen, the company is doubling down on this approach.
Sanah Baig, who has years of experience working for the US government, explains why she chose to join the Plant Based Foods Institute, and her thoughts on the MAHA and livestock lobby.
Few people know about agricultural policy in the US as well as Sanah Baig.
She spent years working for the government, beginning with a stint at President Barack Obama’s US Department of Agriculture (USDA) between 2011 and 2016, before returning to the agency under Joe Biden’s administration in 2022. During this time, Baig also served as a senior policy advisor for agriculture and nutrition to the White House.
She left the government this January at the end of the Democrats’ term, and five months later, joined the Plant Based Foods Institute (PBFI) as its new executive director.
Her tenure has dovetailed with the chaos that has come with Donald Trump’s second presidency. The administration has erased any mentions of climate change from the USDA website, reduced funding for the food stamps programme by around 20% (the largest reduction in its history), and scrapped the annual food security survey to stave off criticism of the budget cuts.
With a few months under her belt at PBFI, Baig speaks to Green Queen in an extensive interview about her role, the government’s view on plant-based eating, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, the influence of meat lobby groups, and the proposed changes to the national dietary guidelines.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Green Queen: What compelled you to join PBFI? What has your focus been for the first few months?
Courtesy: Plant Based Foods Institute
Sanah Baig: I was drawn to PBFI’s mission to architect a food system where plants take centre stage, meaning food is produced using dramatically fewer resources and less land, farmers and rural communities thrive through new market opportunities, and families have delicious options that nourish and delight them.
I saw an opportunity to link actors across the food value chain, from researchers to companies to consumers, as well as to partner with unconventional allies like economic development and public health groups.
Since my career has been focused on agricultural development, I bring a natural passion for working with producers, the research and extension communities, government officials and industry to scale innovative food systems. To that end, we’ve just secured philanthropic funding to advance our domestic sourcing and upstream value chain development work.
Since starting as executive director in June, I’ve been focused on ensuring PBFI can maximise its unique role as the sister organisation to the Plant Based Foods Association, and fill gaps in a robust NGO ecosystem that has made huge strides to increase R&D funding, public procurement policies, institutional foodservice adoption, and menu and behavioural change efforts that advance plant-based foods.
In the coming months, we’re launching a new effort that will build regional plant-based agricultural networks, starting in the Midwest. We’re also in the process of building out our team and developing strategic workgroups that will tackle key challenges around plant protein production, market development, and consumer education.
GQ: What are the biggest challenges facing you in your new role? What are your goals going forward?
SB: The exciting challenge is to come in as PBFI’s first executive director and translate the strong foundation of impressive knowledge, research, and relationships into action. That means new programmes that build upon our learnings, including from our signature domestic sourcing initiative, which connects plant-based food companies with American farmers to build resilient domestic supply chains.
The level of interest in the organisation these first few months has been extraordinary – we received 1,000+ applications for two new positions, which tells me there’s significant buy-in for this work and recognition that plant-based foods are a critical piece of the giant food systems transformation puzzle.
We also just secured two new grants to support our domestic value chain development efforts and to strengthen the Plant Based Foods Global Alliance, which will enhance collaboration across emerging markets like Turkey and Argentina, and more established markets like Canada and the EU.
As the global market for plant-based foods continues to grow, so do our shared challenges, especially in terms of labelling, infrastructure, and positioning. Especially against the backdrop of a polarised world, with food issues in the crosshairs, maintaining clarity and progress requires ecosystem-level coordination.
We face uphill challenges around shifting both agricultural incentives and narratives. On the incentive side, we need to create pathways for farmers to grow more diversified inputs like oats, peas, chickpeas, small grains and a range of emerging crops with functional and nutritional benefits that meet consumers’ needs.
We need to ensure they have the agronomic support, insurance coverage, infrastructure support, market connections, and long-term contracts to sustain economic viability. Farmers need to know the demand is there. This requires working with governments at all levels, research institutions, and the private sector. This is not a domestic issue, but a global one. The new Eat-Lancet report notes that we must increase the production of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts by 9% annually, and up to 150% by 2050.
On the narrative side, we’re working to reframe how people think about plant-based foods. Mindset shifts are not easy, and incredibly context-dependent. But we see an opportunity to tell a better story about plant-based foods that highlight choice, abundance, deliciousness, wellness, and local tradition.
In the policy space, we can strengthen our message about rural opportunity, public health improvement, and climate resilience as our evidence grows. My main goals are to build the partnerships, programmes, and policy frameworks that make this vision a reality – connecting farmers to markets, advancing the research agenda, and creating spaces for collaborative problem-solving across the entire value chain.
Courtesy: Plant Based Foods Institute
GQ: As a political insider, how do you think government agencies like the USDA view plant-based eating?
SB: Nearly two decades ago, I got an internship at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service HQ. That experience lit a fire in my belly because it introduced me to a set of wickedly complex challenges around food production, not just in the faraway places I focused on as an international relations student, but right here at home.
It was astounding to see how much public R&D and global cooperation were required to produce safe, nourishing, affordable food with fewer resources, booming population growth, and new pests and diseases constantly emerging. I knew these problems were not just worth solving, but absolutely existential. At such a formative stage, it was deeply motivating to be surrounded by the world’s foremost agricultural scientists working to stay ahead of these crises.
It also opened my eyes to the realisation that government agencies are not monolithic entities with single viewpoints. The USDA alone is made up of nearly 30 distinct agencies and offices with differing missions (for example, resource conservation, rural development, forest management, food safety, innovation, and foreign trade).
And it depends greatly on the leadership at the top. We had a saying that “people are policy”, which I saw firsthand at both the USDA and the White House. It’s more apparent than ever in today’s political reality.
During this time, I had a growing interest in nutrition as a widening circle of family members began suffering from diet-related chronic diseases. In a different corner of the USDA, the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americanswere developed and I read it closely. Even then, the 2005 report underscored the crucial role of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes as foundational to our health.
When I looked at the USDA’s research, marketing, and farm production programs, I was shocked that these programs did not focus on incentivising the very foods that the department itself said were most beneficial for us. I set out on a mission to understand why, and to do my best to close the gap. Ultimately, it depends on the agency’s mission, what its leadership prioritises, and what resources are available.
Throughout my decade in government, I was pleasantly surprised to see interest in plant-based foods from different angles. The science community especially understood that meeting global demand for protein by 2050 was not possible within the current system and that we needed to embrace innovation to fill the growing supply gap.
The USDA allocated at least $30M for plant protein R&D in just the past few years, with much of the innovation driven through interest by land grant university partners who recognised the need for US competitiveness. This was complemented by historic investments in the USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program supporting state-level fruit, vegetable, and nut production.
The Food is Medicine movement championed by the HHS embraced plant-forward eating through produce prescriptions and medically-tailored meals. NIH Research Grants funded clinical trials on plant-based diets for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and inflammation.
Courtesy: Touacha Her
The Department of Defense piloted plant-based MREs (Meals, Ready-to-Eat) in collaboration with private suppliers. Small Business Innovation Research Grants via the USDA, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Education fund plant-based protein startups.
To me, these are clear signs of progress that policy officials acted on the overwhelming body of evidence that plant-based foods advance human and planetary health, and expand economic opportunity. That said, progress is not linear, and we have to work harder than ever to sustain these efforts, especially with hundreds of thousands of federal workers exiting government service this year alone.
GQ: How do you view the rise of meat and dairy consumption in the US, and animal protein’s winning role in the culture wars, especially in the context of your role and goals at PBFI?
SB: Looking at the data, meat and dairy consumption has seen a steady long-term rise, and this is happening against a backdrop where the median US farm-only income was negative $900 in 2023. This indicates the current agricultural system isn’t working for many producers, regardless of long-standing cultural narratives around it.
PBFI is working to offer an on-ramp for producers to get to true profitability and stability through the production of crops needed for a growing global plant-based market, especially in alignment with the Planetary Health Diet. Whether it’s growing beans, mushrooms, or almonds, there’s real economic potential here that spans both whole and value-added foods.
And it’s not an all-or-nothing approach; we’re seeing corn growers adding legumes into their rotations for nitrogen-fixing, soil health and yield benefits. I’m excited to work with commodity producers to see how they can integrate new crops into their systems and generate more economic and environmental value.
As for the culture war aspect, there’s a really compelling and untapped story about the power of plants. The plant-based movement is about abundance, choice, opportunity, and tradition. Plants have been at the centre of human diets and agricultural traditions for millennia.
The more we can celebrate the deliciousness, versatility, and nutritional benefits of plant-based foods, and connect that to the economic opportunities for growers and rural communities, the more we can move beyond divisive rhetoric and toward practical solutions that benefit everyone.
GQ: What are your thoughts on the proposed US dietary guidelines? Do you believe the recommendation to increase plant protein intake and reduce red meat will make it to the final document?
Courtesy: National Institutes of Health
SB: I am hopeful that the final report will reflect the recommendations from the Advisory Committee’s scientific report issued late last year. The committee proposed emphasising beans, peas, and lentils and moving them to the top of the “protein foods” subgroup.
One of our main goals is to ensure the revised US dietary guidelines recognise the nutritional benefits of plant-based foods and diets. They provide the basis of many federal food procurement programmes, including nutritional assistance programs, and are a pathway to ensure increased access to plant-based options that many rely on to meet specific dietary needs and preferences.
GQ: Do you believe government bodies and public policy are under the influence of the livestock lobby to some extent, as several investigations have claimed?
SB: Policymakers respond to the groups that engage them most. As public servants, their job is to seek input and feedback when advancing new programs, policies or laws.
Groups that represent conventional agricultural producers have a long history of advocating for their interests at both the national and federal levels. For example, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association was founded in 1898, which means they have had a more than 125-year history of building relationships with public officials. They formed because of clear challenges they were facing, like a monopoly in the packer market. And they understood the power of collective action at the national level.
Fast-forward to 1985, and groups like the Organic Trade Association emerged with their own set of clearly defined goals around creating uniform standards, certification, and marketing programs. In five years, they and a coalition of like-minded groups pushed forward the passage of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 to directly address those needs. We should learn from those lessons.
There has never been a larger coalition of organisations calling for plant-forward food systems. But this ecosystem is still in its emergent stage. We must urgently align on our core goals in order to present unified asks to policymakers.
As the trade group representing US companies that make plant-based foods, PBFA has been advocating on behalf of the industry for a fair and transparent playing field for many years. PBFI is focused on welcoming US farmers into the supply chain to catalyse more domestic production, and unlocking policy incentives to make this feasible.
But we can’t do it alone, and I’m excited to have so many allies working together to set a clear policy agenda that we can unite around.
Courtesy: Plant Based Foods Institute
GQ: What opportunities and challenges do you see with the MAHA movement? Do you see a chance to align on certain issues?
SB: There is common ground in wanting to do everything we can to make healthy foods more affordable, more accessible, and more delicious than junk foods as a way to combat chronic diet-related diseases.
The delicious part is getting better: plant-based innovation has come so far in terms of taste and variety. Accessibility is advancing through foodservice, especially getting nutritious plant-based options into schools, hospitals, workplaces, and communities that want and need options that align with their dietary needs and preferences.
Part of the affordability challenge goes back to the farm level, and this is where the opportunity gets really interesting. The majority of what we grow in this country does not go to feeding people directly.
If we can begin to change the upstream supply chain by incentivising farmers to grow more diverse crops for direct human consumption, including the ingredients needed for plant-based foods, we can improve the downstream cost for consumers.
Of course, there’s a lot of creativity needed in the middle of the supply chain, too. Plant-based foods span an incredible spectrum, from whole grains and legumes to innovative products. Our focus should be on supporting farmers, advancing research, improving nutrition access, and giving consumers better choices that fit their budget.
These are goals that can resonate across many different political perspectives and seek to unite us around what to advance, versus solely on what to ban.
GQ: Do you believe more Americans can, after all, become flexitarians or meat reducers?
Courtesy: PBFA
SB: Absolutely. We know from our research that 59% of US households purchase plant-based products, and 79% of those households are repeat buyers. At the same time, taste concerns (historically the biggest barrier) have dropped significantly, from 41% in 2023 to just 27% this year.
There is a big opportunity gap in access. People may be willing and interested in plant-based foods, but it’s not always easy to find the options that align with their needs/preferences in retail or foodservice settings.
Our research indicates plant-based options are still hard to find, and variety doesn’t always align with growing interest areas – for example, culturally diverse flavors or cleaner labels. Our role is to be the convener and catalyst, bringing together stakeholders across the entire value chain to identify barriers and co-create solutions.
We’ll work with farmers to diversify into plant-based ingredient crops, support manufacturers in scaling innovation (and we’ve already seen rapid progress), partner with retailers and foodservice operators on accessibility, and connect into the research community advancing ingredient science and consumer insights.
When these value chain partners are aligned and supported, flexitarian eating becomes an easier choice. It’s not about convincing people to change; it’s about building a system that makes it easy for them to put more plants on the table.
SB: Overall, the UPF discourse is driven by the good/correct desire to improve diet quality and public health outcomes in America and beyond. The public and decision-makers alike have coalesced around the term ‘ultra-processed’ as shorthand for foods that shouldn’t be consumed.
But the idea that a food is unhealthy or unsustainable just because it is processed lacks scientific backing and confuses consumers. To lead to the positive public health outcomes we all desire, UPF policies should target foods that do not provide positive contributions to the diet – that is, true junk foods – and not lump in nutrient-dense foods like plant-based meat, dairy, and eggs. That is to say, the focus should be on championing nutrition, not punishing processing.
Thankfully, health organisations, including the American Heart Association, are also calling for nuance in the UPF space and recognising that plant-based products contribute positively to healthy dietary patterns.
We are hard at work to prevent nutritious plant-based foods from being lumped into state and federal definitions of UPFs and to ensure that consumers who rely on these products to get the nutrition that they need will continue to have access to them.
Courtesy: Plant Based Foods Institute
GQ: What has the plant-based sector done wrong over the last five years? What’s it gotten right?
SB: As an ecosystem, we can tell a better story and challenge oversimplified narratives, especially about overall VC funding or one company’s sales being the only measures of success. We can embrace both whole foods and value-added products as part of a diversity of options available to consumers.
Beyond the bright spots in foodservice, things are steady and improving in some dimensions of retail, despite narrative challenges. Plant-based sales have stayed steady or grown in many pockets (milk, protein powders, and tofu) and in terms of household penetration and repeat purchases.
Visibility and proper merchandising matter: plant-based doubles its share in e-commerce (6% of sales) versus in-store (3% of sales). Based on 2024 migration analyses from Kroger’s 84.51 data arm, we are seeing that consumers are growing happier with the taste and texture of plant-based products.
Manufacturers are innovating on the R&D side. Consumers are noticing and responding positively, but they want more. Specifically, more variety, better prices, and convenient formats.
I think it’s most productive to focus on lessons learned throughout the evolution of this relatively new sector. Innovation has been our greatest strength. Plant-based manufacturers have pushed R&D at a pace rarely seen in the food sector, responding to consumer insights in real time.
The results are promising: taste and texture are no longer the barriers they once were, and more consumers are choosing plant-based options. This is underpinned by agility: when consumers ask for cleaner labels, higher protein, or ingredients sourced through regenerative practices, plant-based companies have been able to pivot more quickly.
In a world where consumer preferences are shifting rapidly, this responsiveness is a powerful differentiator.
Spain’s alternative protein ecosystem is thriving, with investments rising by nearly 550% in 2024. Now, experts are calling for public funding and a national plant-based action plan.
Plant-based, microbial, and cell-cultured protein startups are the main focus of Spain’s agtech sector, with 42% of startups working on these innovations.
Research by the Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe shows that Spain is the second most attractive country for alternative protein investors in Europe (behind Denmark), as the sector’s fundraising efforts became wildly successful last year.
Funding for alternative proteins reached €64.7M in 2024, a 547% jump from the year before (albeit from a small base), led by Heura’s €40M Series B round. This came as sales of plant-based food hit €491M in supermarkets, representing a 10% increase in volume.
Additionally, one in five Spanish households bought a plant-based meat product at least once last year. The data shows that the country has all the ingredients to become a regional future food leader, though it will need strong financial and policy support from the government to get there.
Spain’s R&D prowess is hampered by a lack of government support
Courtesy: GFI Europe
GFI Europe’s report reveals that 71% of Spain’s alternative protein startups are focused on plant-based ingredients, while 19% are working on fermentation and 10% on cultivated meat.
This industry is built on a strong and rapidly growing R&D ecosystem – between 2020 and 2024, Spain had the fifth-highest number of researchers in this field in Europe, and the sixth-largest number of publications.
It sits 14th on the list of researchers and publications per capita, and 11th on productivity, churning out 0.51 papers per researcher. Moreover, Spain ranks fourth in publications when adjusted for purchasing power parity.
Catalonia is highlighted as a global innovation hub, led by IRTA’s Centre d’Innovació en Proteïnes Alternatives (CiPA), Spain’s first public research centre dedicated to alternative proteins. This hub is coordinating research projects with universities, startups, and businesses. Other clusters are also being developed at Navarre, the Basque Country, the Madrid and Valencia regions, Galicia, and Andalusia.
According to GFI Europe, climate change causes annual losses of €550M to Spain’s agriculture sector, underscoring the need for alternative sources that use fewer resources and generate less pollution.
There have been some positive signs: the National Food Strategy, published earlier this year, acknowledged the role alternative proteins can play in the food system. But the government needs to go further to truly reap this industry’s economic benefits.
“Spain has the opportunity to become the benchmark for alternative proteins in Southern Europe,” said Carlos Campillos Martínez, public affairs manager for GFI Europe in Spain. “Our country has the scientific talent and business ecosystem to merge culinary tradition with agri-food innovation – but it needs the right support to consolidate itself as an economic, sustainable, and industrial innovation driver.”
How policymakers can bolster Spain’s future food sector
Courtesy: Novameat
The report reveals that alternative protein firms face significant barriers to realising their full potential, including limited access to production-scale infrastructure and a lack of R&D funding from the government.
GFI Europe has made nine recommendations for policymakers with varying complexity levels. Two of the easiest ones involve ensuring funding instruments for R&D and the commercialisation of alternative proteins. Just as with AI, the government should allocate specific research financing for these foods, like other European countries have. Further, strict requirements for existing funding instruments have become a barrier for the sector.
The other low-complexity recommendations are to provide pre-submission guidance to streamline the regulatory approval process for novel foods, and include alternative proteins in the Mediterranean diet guidelines. Plant-based alternatives can help replace processed meat intake to allow consumers to more closely adhere to the guidelines.
In terms of solutions with medium complexity, Spain should ensure that the agrifood tech sandbox focuses more specifically on regulatory challenges, like those stemming from the EU’s novel food regulations.
At the same time, some industrial facilities are currently underutilised or abandoned, so Spain should explore their potential for retrofitting to reduce costs for the sector and revitalise local communities. The government is also advised to mobilise private funding to support infrastructure development.
And as for the most complex actions, Spain should facilitate food diversification by encouraging investments from traditional Spanish industries like wineries, breweries or olive oil producers (in addition to meat and dairy companies).
Finally, GFI Europe is asking the Spanish government to develop a national action plan to boost the production and consumption of plant-based food, the way Denmark has done and is encouraging other EU members to do. Failure to do so would raise the risk of Spain being left behind in Europe’s future food race.
