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Category: Alt Protein

  • German Plant-Based Meat Like Returns to the UK with Eye on ‘Gen Z Flexitarians’

    like meat
    4 Mins Read

    Like, the plant protein brand owned by Livekindly Collective, is returning to UK shelves with three SKUs across all major supermarkets.

    Livekindly Collective is bringing back its Like brand of plant-based meat to the UK, around three years after it quietly exited the market.

    The German brand’s vegan chicken nuggets, popcorn chicken, and hot dogs will debut at Tesco on September 8, followed by a wider rollout at Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Asda and Iceland.

    Its products were previously available in the UK, through retailers including Tesco and Iceland, but had been discontinued around 2022. While there was no official explanation, the move was likely due to post-Brexit import and shipping costs.

    Now, Like is targeting young Brits who are looking to reduce their meat intake, but will face challenges in a market that has altered significantly since it was last there.

    High in protein, low in saturated fat

    vegan chicken nuggets
    Courtesy: Like

    Like was co-founded in 2013 by Robert Haub and Timo Recker (the latter went on to co-found fellow plant protein startup Tindle Foods). The firm was acquired by Livekindly Collective, a roll-up company owned by investment firm Blue Horizon, in 2020.

    According to the company, it is the second-largest plant-based food brand in Germany. With products also available in the Nordics, the Netherlands, and the US, it is now moving to the second-largest market for vegan food in Europe.

    Like offers frozen products that can be cooked and eaten on their own as snacks, but also work as ingredients in protein bowls, salads, pastas and wraps. All the SKUs are priced at £2.75.

    The hot dogs are made from wheat gluten, textured soy protein, soy protein isolate and sunflower oil, alongside starches, seasonings, and methylcellulose. Each 360g pack contains eight links, which have 7g of protein and 4.5g of fat (with only 0.6g of saturated fat).

    The chicken burger also contains textured soy protein and wheat gluten, alongside more than 30 other ingredients. Each 80g patty has 9.6g of protein, 4.7g of fibre, and 3.2g of fat (of which only 0.3g is saturated). They come in 320g packs of four.

    Finally, the nuggets also have a rather long ingredient list, and comprise textured soy protein, textured soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, and sunflower oil. They come in 300g packs, with 11g of protein, 4.5g of fibre and 9g of fat (1.2g saturated) per 100g.

    “Like recipes are HFSS-compliant, high in protein, low in saturated fat and a source of fibre. With sustainability KPIs, the retailers also welcomed the news that all Like packaging is fully recyclable,” said Emma Herring, Livekindly Collective’s UK marketing manager.

    Like takes on UK’s conflicted appetite for plant-based meat

    like meat uk
    Courtesy: Like

    Moving into the UK market in 2025 brings about both opportunities and obstacles for plant-based meat producers. Meat purchases fell by 13% between 2018-19 and 2022-23, leading some to suggest that the country has reached “peak meat”. But it’s unclear whether this is a temporary response to the cost-of-living crisis or the beginning of a longer-term trend.

    And while 47% of Brits believe eating less meat and dairy would help reduce climate harm, only 27% are consuming fewer animal proteins to benefit the planet. Similarly, despite three in five consumers being willing to cut back on meat, the share of those who eat it at least five times a week rose from 43% in 2022 to 50% in 2024.

    Sales of meat alternatives, meanwhile, fell by 7% last year, as Brits opted for traditional plant proteins like tofu and beans, leading even meat alternative makers to develop whole-food options. At the same time, 9% of Brits are either vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian, and another 31% identify as flexitarians. And half of them want to further change their diets by either eating less meat and dairy (33%) and/or more plant-based foods (38%).

    “Gen Z flexitarians are an important consumer segment in the meat-free category, and with its bold, impactful look, feel and appetite appeal, combined with our exciting marketing plans, [the] Like brand is well placed to engage this audience,” argued Herring.

    But Like’s appeal to younger generations may prove to be tricky, especially when it comes to Gen Z men. In the UK, men aged 16-24 are twice as likely to have increased their annual meat intake as men of all other ages, and 17% of young men feel uncomfortable eating plant-based food in public (versus 11% of all men).

    In fact, this demographic has the lowest percentage of people who have reduced their meat intake in the last year (16%) and the highest of those who have been eating more (19%), according to the Food Foundation.

    However, Like’s frozen-only approach could pay off. The freezer accounts for 57% of plant-based meat volume sales in the UK, where it is 40% cheaper per kg than the fridge. “We believe we have found a sweet spot in this category, ticking taste and health credentials, two key drivers for attracting a younger audience, but at a more accessible price point than other taste-led brands in the category,” said Herring.

    The LiveKindly Collective-owned brand will hope that these enable it to compete with established breaded vegan chicken players like Quorn, Bird’s Eye, Moving Mountains, and VFC, as well as hot dog alternative makers like Fry’s Family Foods.

    The post German Plant-Based Meat Like Returns to the UK with Eye on ‘Gen Z Flexitarians’ appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Inside India’s First Cultivated Chicken Competition for Chefs

    great indian cultivated chicken cook off
    5 Mins Read

    Biokraft Foods held a Great Indian Cultivated Chicken Cook-Off last week, with young chefs showcasing the future of food in the Navi Mumbai event.

    For the most part, cultivated meat companies have relied on chefs to flaunt the full potential of their products. The majority of launches have been held at innovative restaurants in the US, Singapore and Australia. Only two of these innovations have entered a supermarket, and one was for pets.

    Biokraft Foods is taking the same approach in India. The Mumbai-based maker of cultivated chicken held a cooking competition for its product, dubbed the Great Indian Cultivated Chicken Cook-Off, at the DY Patil School of Hospitality & Tourism Studies last week.

    The final involved 10 culinary students, who were tasked to create an appetiser using the cultivated meat as a hero ingredient for a four-strong panel of leading chefs.

    “We wanted to show that cultivated chicken is real food with real culinary potential. By bringing cultivated chicken meat to young chefs, we encouraged them to reimagine cultivated chicken through creativity, culture, and tast,,” Biokraft Foods founder and CEO Kamalnayan Tibrewal tells Green Queen.

    “These young chefs represent the future of the food ecosystem, and it is important that they engage with ideas that go beyond cooking and that sustainability, ethics, and delicious new ingredients are equally important,” he adds. “The cook-off was our way of making the idea tangible and sparking conversations about how cultivated meat could fit into India’s food future.”

    lab grown meat india
    Courtesy: Biokraft Foods

    The cook-off’s winning cultivated chicken dishes

    The competition saw participants from some of India’s leading culinary schools, and the dishes were judged with several criteria in mind, including hygiene and food waste management, taste and texture, innovation and creativity, and presentation.

    The winning dish, called Masalon ka Safar (Hindi for ‘A Journey of Spices’), came courtesy of Issa Patel, a student at the Patkar-Varde College Department of Hospitality and Catering. He won a prize of ₹40,000 ($455). It brought together flavours from across India: saffron naan from the north, Champaran chicken from the east, tangy tomato chutney from the south, and green chilli thecha from the West.

    “Cultivated chicken felt no different from conventional chicken, tasty, tender, and satisfying. The real plus is that it’s an ethical and sustainable way to enjoy meat,” Patel tells Green Queen.

    cultivated meat india
    Issa Patel’s winning dish, Masalon ka Safar | Courtesy: Biokraft Foods

    Another student from the same institute, Shlok Khedekar, secured second place and ₹30,000 ($340) for his creation, Nawabi Yakitori with Miso-Caramel Sauce. “For me, cultivated chicken represents a step towards modern gastronomy, meeting protein needs, delighting taste palettes, and offering a humane, cruelty-free way to enjoy meat,” he says.

    The third prize (worth ₹20,000/$230) went to Vedika Sakpal, a student from the host institute, who made Malai Rose Dumplings. The Kohinoor College of Hotel and Tourism Management Studies’s Shravan Kadam, meanwhile, won ₹10,000 ($115) as part of a special innovation prize for his dish, called Sanjeevani Jugalbandi.

    “As a chef, it is inspiring to see cultivated chicken, just like farmed chicken, being marinated, grilled, spiced, and plated with pride, using different techniques, in a commercial environment,” says Demetrius Cordeiro D’Souza, new product development chef at Biokraft Foods.

    “This competition proves that innovation and tradition can share the same plate, thus opening doors to a revolutionary culinary experience in the future,” he adds.

    biokraft foods
    Courtesy: Biokraft Foods

    Biokraft Foods charts path to market for cultivated meat

    The winners of Biokraft Foods’s cook-off will receive a sponsored visit to the Merck Life Science facility in Bangalore, giving them a glimpse of the food science behind cultivated meat.

    “This is just the beginning. We see the winners as ambassadors of what is possible with cultivated meat,” says Tibrewal. “We would love to involve them in future collaborations, whether through recipe development, showcasing cultivated chicken at pop-ups, or even supporting our eventual market entry. Their creativity helps us connect with consumers in ways science [or] food tech alone cannot.”

    In addition to the cook-off, Biokraft Foods also hosted Forkward, a series of panels highlighting the views of stakeholders across the food industry. They included discussions about modernising menus with cultivated meat, the health and sustainability potential of these proteins, and the bridge between innovation and consumer trust.

    lab grown meat chefs
    Courtesy: Biokraft Foods

    This series of talks gave chefs the chance to “learn directly from diverse voices across the food ecosystem, including non-profits, foodtech pioneers, founders, and leaders from hospitality”, according to Tibrewal. “This is just the beginning of many such conversations that will shape India’s journey towards sustainable proteins,” he said.

    Speaking to Green Queen after hosting India’s first public tasting for cultivated meat in April, he said the two-year-old startup planned to file for regulatory approval with the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) of India this year.

    “The approval pathway calls for thorough safety evaluations, detailed scientific evidence, and transparency in production practices, with the dual aim of safeguarding consumers and fostering innovation,” he says now.

    biokraft india
    Courtesy: Biokraft Foods

    “FSSAI has already set up a scientific working group to create clear evaluation frameworks for cultivated meat, and these frameworks reflect the country’s forward-looking stance on regulation and willingness to engage with next-generation food solutions. This is also complemented by industry efforts to provide strong data on safety, nutrition, and sustainability.”

    An update on its regulatory progress is expected soon, but in the meantime, Biokraft Foods is already plotting its path into the market. “Chefs, hotels and restaurants are the best partners to introduce cultivated meat to consumers because they shape taste experiences and build trust,” says Tibrewal. “Once acceptance grows, we would then look at retail formats.”

    The post Inside India’s First Cultivated Chicken Competition for Chefs appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Cultivated Meat Can Usher In A Just Transition of Protein Systems

    lab grown meat environmental impact
    4 Mins Read

    Cultivated meat, plant-based proteins and regenerative agriculture can facilitate a “just transition” of the protein industry, but factory farming needs to stop, a new study shows.

    In the energy industry, a just transition means replacing coal with renewable power. But when it comes to the agrifood sector, one system can’t simply be replaced with another, according to a new study.

    This is because food systems are “deeply embedded in culturally sensitive social structures and practices”, so a combination of methods is the key to ensuring a just transition of protein production. The answer may lie in a shift to regenerative agriculture and an increase in cultivated meat and plant-based proteins, alongside a rapid descaling of factory farming.

    The study, published in the Plos One journal, is the result of a four-year collaboration between Federation University Australia and Israeli cultivated beef producer Aleph Farms. The researchers evaluated 13 protein systems against 25 social, environmental, economic and governance indicators – these included seven beef production methods, one industrial pork system, two poultry systems, one plant-based alternative, and two types of cultivated meat (made via both conventional and renewable energy).

    The findings – built on a review of 285 studies – show that novel proteins like cultivated meat have a positive impact across several areas, and are a better way to produce proteins than most.

    Cultivated meat a positive lever for the protein transition

    just protein transition
    Courtesy: Plos One

    The researchers ranked each production system based on its impact on the indicators, with each category assigned a maximum positive and negative score.

    For example, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in the US had a score of -43 in the natural capital category (two above the lowest possible score), which included impacts like greenhouse gas emissions, land use change, on-farm waste, and water pollution.

    Industrial pork and caged poultry both scored -14 (the lowest possible total being -25) on human capital indicators, which refer to farmers’ and consumers’ health, workplace safety, and more.

    Cultivated meat performed positively across key environmental and social measures. When produced from sustainable energy, it had a combined score of six for GHG emissions, water and air pollution, land use change, and land degradation.

    It had an extremely positive impact on governance structures (a score of five) and workplace safety (four), and is beneficial for greater opportunities for youth (three), policy influence (three), and worker skills and knowledge (two). Aside from the net emissions, the impact was nearly identical across both conventional and green energy production systems for cultivated meat.

    Nine systems had overall positive impacts, led by regenerative farming (a score of 63 on a scale of -125 to 125), followed by organic systems (45). Cultivated meat from sustainable energy came in fifth position (24 points), three points ahead of the same from fossil-derived energy.

    Plant-based systems had an overall score of two, with lower scores on water pollution, soil contamination and other natural capital indicators due to their association with on-farm primary production. “This is because large amounts of lentils, grains, oilseed crops, etc., that form the key ingredients of highly processed plant-based food are grown using conventional farming methods,” the researchers explained.

    Four protein production methods had negative impacts: CAFOs (-46), industrial pork (-45), poultry (-35) and small-scale beef (-25).

    Cultivated meat would earn 33% market share in ideal just transition scenario

    just food system transition
    Courtesy: Plos One

    The authors then developed five “what if” scenarios for a just transition of protein production. The current scenario assumes business as usual, followed by situations outlining slow, moderate, fast and aggressive change.

    The fast-change scenario had the highest impact score, entailing a rapid reduction of industrial animal farming to 1% of the global market by 2040 (it currently occupies a 69% share). Simultaneously, plant-based proteins and cultivated meat each make up a third of the protein market by 2050 in this case.

    Regenerative agriculture emerged as the most effective approach for a just transition, with the authors highlighting its “enormous potential to contribute to climate-resilient, equitable and economically sustainable protein production systems”. “However, negative impacts associated with greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater extraction and livestock diversity need to be addressed,” they added.

    With cultivated meat, meanwhile, concerns about net emissions, energy use, and water consumption “remain unaddressed”. But there’s a caveat. “If the production of cultivated meat grows significantly in the future, it may effectively reduce the overall negative impacts of the protein production systems,” the study stated.

    The researchers point out how a large number of negative impacts could lead to adverse regulatory responses to certain protein systems, attracting heavy penalties, consumer backlash, and investor fallout. “Livestock farmers and protein producers can target short-, medium- and long-term responses to avoid risks arising from negative impacts,” they wrote.

    It is the first of a series of reports being produced by the Federation University and Aleph Farms, and comes at a time when politicians in the US and the EU are attempting to restrain cultivated meat with bans and proposed restrictions. One of the chief drivers of the efforts is the potential impact on farmers, despite livestock producers being open to the technology and speaking out against policy restrictions on it.

    The post Cultivated Meat Can Usher In A Just Transition of Protein Systems appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • In China, Nearly Half of Consumers Would Replace Meat with Cultivated Proteins

    lab grown meat china
    5 Mins Read

    Nearly half of citizens in China’s tier 1 cities would choose cultivated meat and seafood over conventional options – but health and safety remain the main concern.

    As China’s government ramps up support for cultivated meat, people in its major metropolises are all for it too.

    The country is the world’s largest producer, consumer, and importer of meat, and the appetite for these proteins will continue to rise as urbanisation and affluence make them more accessible. However, where that meat comes from may change, since 60% of China’s protein supply needs to come from alternative sources by 2060 for a realistic chance of decarbonisation.

    Cultivated meat, grown by culturing real animal cells in bioreactors, can drastically lower the greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and land use associated with meat production. China is already at the forefront of this shift, home to eight of the top 20 patent applicants for these novel proteins.

    Its protein diversification drive is bolstered by public support. According to a 1,000-person survey by the APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA), 77% of people in four tier 1 cities – Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen – are willing to try cultivated meat and seafood.

    Health and food safety top of mind for China’s consumers

    china cultivated meat
    Courtesy: APAC-SCA

    The poll reveals that the interest in cultivated meat stems from the appeal of trying new and innovative foods, and comes despite relatively little understanding about these proteins.

    A third (34%) of Chinese consumers aren’t familiar with the term at all. And while 63% have heard of cultivated meat, just one in 10 knows what the concept means. But even among the latter group of respondents, only about half can provide an accurate technical definition.

    Still, the positive outlook towards these proteins persists, with 45% of consumers saying they’re likely to replace conventional meat and seafood with cell-cultured versions.

    This is primarily due to “the new and innovative aspects of cultivated meat and seafood, and the health benefits these products may bring when compared to their conventional counterparts”, APAC-SCA project manager Calisa Lim told Green Queen.

    That said, health is a recurring concern too. A perceived unnaturalness, food safety worries, and doubts over health are the top three hurdles for cultivated meat. “When it comes to a new food product, especially novel foods, safety aspects will always be at the top of consumers’ minds, due to their unfamiliarity,” said Lim.

    “For China, in particular, healthy living has been consistently promoted by the Chinese government and adopted by its citizens, with healthy eating playing a huge role. What we see in terms of the presence of health and food safety aligns with what Chinese consumers already tend to prioritise when purchasing ordinary foods.”

    The respondents also place a lot of emphasis on local government laws, regulations, and safety standards, and indicate that these would also shape their perceptions of cultivated proteins. Streamlined messaging about the safety and health benefits of these foods, both from regulators and the industry, are thus critical to building consumer trust.

    “Assurance on health and safety cannot come solely from the alternative protein industry,” explained Lim. “As consumers place a strong belief and trust in food safety regulators, unified messages from government stakeholders and industry players would be most effective to provide assurance on health and safety.”

    lab grown meat consumer acceptance
    Courtesy: APAC-SCA/Marco Livolsi/Green Queen

    APAC-SCA lauds Chinese government support for cultivated meat

    Speaking of which, the government is already betting big on future foods. The current five-year agriculture plan encourages research in cultivated meat, while the bioeconomy development strategy aims to advance novel foods.

    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, China’s most populous region, local officials are planning to build a biomanufacturing hub to pioneer tech breakthroughs in plant-based, microbial and cultivated proteins.

    At the annual Two Sessions summit, top government officials called for a deeper integration of strategic emerging industries (which included biomanufacturing), shortly after the agriculture ministry highlighted the safety and nutritional efficacy of alternative proteins as a key priority. Meanwhile, No. 1 Central Document (which signals China’s top goals for the year), underscored the importance of protein diversification, including efforts “to explore novel food resources”.

    “We are excited by the decision of the Chinese government to ramp up support for the cultivated meat and seafood sector, especially with China’s declaration that food security is a top national priority,” said Lim.

    “China’s lead in cultivated meat patent filings globally illustrates the deep interest from the scientific community and the rich scientific knowledge of the local industry and research centres that have accumulated thus far. Once the pathways for commercialisation are set in place, China would be a formidable marketplace for such products,” she added.

    lab grown meat patents
    Graphic by Green Queen

    APAC-SCA is calling for the creation of coherent, consistent regulatory guidelines and international alignment on the risk assessment frameworks of cultivated meat. Lim noted that the country introduced a novel food framework back in 2013. “However, a clear guideline for the preparation of cultivated meat and seafood dossiers remains in the works,” she said.

    The organisation further noted that engagement with regulators through tools like virtual clinics and sandboxes can provide clarity to companies looking to commercialise their products. Tasting sessions on pre-approved products are also crucial to get public feedback and fine-tune taste and texture ahead of market launch, it said.

    “As one of the world’s largest meat consumers, China is very susceptible to livestock diseases such as the African swine fever,” outlined Lim. “The production process of cultivated meat and seafood thus provides a stable alternative for the growing affluent Chinese population (which is eating more meat), from the point of shifting trade relations and climate change.”

    The post In China, Nearly Half of Consumers Would Replace Meat with Cultivated Proteins appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Meatable Acquires Cultivated Meat Platform from Uncommon Bio, Which Turns to Therapeutics

    5 Mins Read

    Dutch food tech startup Meatable has acquired UK-based Uncommon Bio’s cultivated meat platform and key staff, as the latter shifts focus to therapeutics.

    As it works to secure regulatory approval in multiple markets, Dutch cultivated pork startup Meatable is expanding its future food portfolio with the acquisition of several critical assets from Uncommon Bio.

    Meatable has taken over the UK firm’s cultivated meat platform, including key technology, several IP assets and high-performing cell lines, and expert staff. The move will allow the former to expand into new species and accelerate its regulatory and market launch efforts.

    “The acquisition opens up exciting possibilities for diversification. Pork has always been our starting point, but this additional platform enables us to respond more flexibly to customer demand, whether that’s beef, chicken, or other species,” Meatable CTO Aris de Rijke told Green Queen.

    Uncommon Bio, meanwhile, is spinning out to therapeutics in stealth mode, building on the non-GMO mRNA reprogramming and saRNA differentiation technologies it has developed. It is “focusing on changing medicine through multi-targeting”, it said on a job posting on its website.

    Its “polysaccharide-based delivery platform enables multi-pathway cell programming, offering a safe, efficient and scalable alternative to multi-target therapies”, the startup added, noting that it was initially targeting severe lung diseases like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

    “We wanted to find the best home for our technology and it’s exciting to see Meatable carry our work forward and apply it at scale,” said Uncommon Bio CEO Benjamina Bollag. “I look forward to continuing our collaboration and watching their continued success and global impact in the years ahead.”

    uncommon bio
    Uncommon Bio founders Ruth Faram and Benjamina Bollag | Courtesy: Uncommon Bio

    Meatable eyes new products like cultivated chicken and lamb

    Meatable operates one of the fastest cell differentiation processes in the cultivated meat industry. Its Opti-ox technology uses pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), which – unlike immortalised cell lines that need to be altered to multiply indefinitely – have the natural ability to continue multiplying, and do so rapidly.

    This is coupled with a perfusion process that enables a continuous cycle to generate very high cell densities and produce fully differentiated muscle and fat cells in just four days.

    The acquisition of Uncommon Bio’s platform will allow Meatable to rapidly expand across species, markets, and consumer segments. “The main advantage of acquiring an additional technique lies in the added versatility it brings, enabling us to broaden product lines and work with more breeds,” said de Rijke.

    He added that the major attraction was a diversification across possible GMO and non-GMO product lines – until now, Meatable only had the GMO option. “From our conversations with meat companies, it’s clear that speed to market is critical, and achieving this is often easier with a non-GMO product since it typically involves fewer regulatory hurdles,” he explained.

    “While our core focus will remain on pork and beef, we are seeing growing demand for other species such as chicken and lamb, areas where Uncommon’s technology will be especially valuable.”

    meatable opti ox
    Courtesy: Meatable

    The acquisition further boosts Meatable’s IP portfolio with additional patents and proprietary assets. “The value of the IP is strengthened by the calibre of investors who have supported Uncommon’s mission from the start,” said de Rijke.

    Uncommon Bio, formerly called Higher Steaks, raised $30M in Series A funding in 2023, bringing in investors like OpenAI founder Sam Altman, his brother Max, and film producer Sebastiano Castiglioni. “We’re proud to carry forward technology that has earned the trust of such respected backers… further fueling our path toward success at scale,” de Rijke noted.

    Meatable CEO Jeff Tripician added: “By combining two highly complementary platforms, Meatable is now equipped to reliably deliver high-quality cultivated meat at a global scale. This enables us to support the meat industry with a stable, secure, and future-proof supply of species like pork, beef, lamb, and poultry, ensuring business continuity and resilience in the face of increasingly uncertain times.”

    Uncommon Bio acquisition will fast-track regulatory approval for Meatable

    In addition to the non-GMO status, Uncommon Bio’s “regulatory-ready dossier” was a big attraction for Meatable, paving the way for faster regulatory approval in multiple regions.

    “We have ongoing, constructive conversations with regulators worldwide for our current process, but we recognise that approvals are often faster for non-GMO products,” said de Rijke. “Uncommon has already done impressive work compiling the necessary data for a regulatory dossier, and we look forward to finalising and submitting this in the coming months to accelerate our commercial rollout.”

    In a wide-ranging interview with Green Queen last year, Tripician indicated the company planned to file dossiers in the six geographies, with Singapore its first market. The firm, which is building a large-scale facility in the city-state, was expecting approval here by Q1 2025. Though this has been delayed, its strategy is to use the approval as a proxy to get clearance in other countries, as a form of international cooperation for novel food authorisation.

    “I see us moving with pretty good speed through 2025,” Tripician said in October. “At the end, I would be very disappointed in our team if we don’t have approval in five, six countries by this time or the end of next year.”

    meatable lab grown meat
    Courtesy: Meatable

    The company did not elaborate on its regulatory progress when asked by Green Queen; however, it acknowledged that it was essential before moving forward on its commercial plans. Tripician had noted how Meatable’s approach had shifted to becoming a supplier to the meat industry, which would use its cultivated ingredients in blended protein products: “They take raw material – meat – they turn it into food, and they sell it. We now provide them with some of the meat. Very simple.”

    Expanding on this, de Rijke added: “We’ve been in discussions with forward-looking meat companies globally, including in Southeast Asia, the UK, and the Middle East. These partners are eager to establish reliable product lines in today’s volatile market while also making a positive impact on the planet.”

    Having raised $95M to date, Meatable is looking to secure around $35M in a Series C raise. In February, it diversified beyond food through a partnership with fellow Dutch firm Pelagen, which specialises in cell-based leather. The two will work to enhance the production, efficiency and scalability of the material for use in a variety of industries, including fashion, automotive, and interiors.

    The post Meatable Acquires Cultivated Meat Platform from Uncommon Bio, Which Turns to Therapeutics appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • In the Netherlands, Plant-Based Meat Products Are Getting Healthier

    is plant based meat healthy
    4 Mins Read

    The number of vegan meat alternatives meeting the Netherlands’s national nutrition guidelines has tripled in the last two years, a new study has found.

    Despite fears that ultra-processing makes plant-based meat bad for you, these products are getting healthier by the year.

    A new report by ProVeg International has found that the share of vegan meat analogues that meet the Dutch dietary guidelines, also known as the Wheel of Five, has tripled in the last two years, from 9% in 2023 to 26% this year.

    In contrast, only 11% of animal-derived meat products meet the Netherlands Nutrition Centre’s criteria for ready-made meat alternatives.

    The number of plant-based foods that fit the evidence-based guidelines is even greater. “We conducted research at six supermarket chains. There, we found 83 meat alternatives that fit within the Wheel of Five,” said Martine van Haperen, nutrition and health expert at ProVeg Netherlands. “These include not only products that resemble meat, but also many products made from tofu, tempeh, vegetables, and legumes.”

    Which products and criteria informed the study?

    wheel of five netherlands
    Courtesy: Voedingscentrum

    The Wheel of Five is the centrepiece of the Dutch nutritional guidelines, described as an ideal dietary pattern that ensures both nutrient provision and health benefits.

    It comprises five broad segments, containing food groups that are nutrient-dense or boost health. The general recommendations include eating lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, limiting meat and consuming more plant-based food and sufficient dairy products, eating a handful of unsalted nuts and soft or liquid fats, and sufficient amounts of fluids like water, tea or coffee.

    These recommendations build on evidence-based nutritional criteria, entailing foods that are high in fibre, low in saturated fat (less than 10% of energy intake) and salt, and have no added sugar.

    For its analysis, ProVeg compared the nutritional values of 129 meat alternatives found in supermarkets with 54 animal-derived products, across categories like ground meat, burgers, chicken pieces, fillets and nuggets, sausages, bacon, and shawarma.

    It excluded veggie burgers, cheeseburgers, tofu, tempeh and seitan as there was no direct animal-based equivalent to compare them with. The study included all branded and private-label meat analogues found at Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl, Aldi, Plus, and Ekoplaza.

    Its researchers determined the nutritional values of vegan alternatives using on-pack labels, and meat from standard values from the Netherlands Nutrient Database. The plant-based products were assessed for saturated fat, salt, added sugar, and fibre (as is the case with the Wheel of Five), as well as protein content and vitamin B12 and iron fortification.

    For ideal comparability, the animal-derived meat products were also assessed against the criteria for ready-made meat substitutes, rather than the criteria for meat.

    Over half of plant-based meat products under salt limit

    lidl plant based meat
    Courtesy: Lidl Nederland

    Of the plant-based meat alternatives tested by ProVeg, 84% were high in protein and 83% low in saturated fat. Around two-thirds of these products were also deemed to be a source of fibre (65%), vitamin B12 (67%), and iron (68%).

    The majority of conventional meat offerings (85%), meanwhile, contain too much saturated fat, which is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and cancers. All of them have little to no fibre, a macronutrient key for good gut health, while also containing significantly higher calories (255 kcal per 100g, versus 187 kcal for plant-based alternatives).

    A common complaint against vegan products is the high sodium content. According to the Consumers’ Association, two-thirds of veggie burgers in 2023 contained too much salt. “This is one of the reasons why the perception persists that ready-made meat substitutes are often unhealthy,” explained van Haperen.

    The reason why these products often contain more salt than conventional meat is that they’re pre-seasoned, eschewing the need to add salt when cooking at home. “Consumers are generally accustomed to adding salt or a seasoning mix containing salt during the preparation of unprocessed meat,” ProVeg noted. “It is therefore unclear whether consumers who eat meat have a lower salt intake than consumers who choose plant-based substitutes.”

    Regardless, ProVeg’s research shows that more than half (56%) of meat-free products now fall below the maximum limit of 1.1g of salt per 100g. “Manufacturers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of good nutritional value and are taking steps to improve it,” said van Haperen.

    Reacting to the study on social media, Amy Williams, nutrition lead at the Good Food Institute Europe, said there are still some ways to go to build consistency in the category, but the pace of improvements is “really striking”.

    “We know we need to increase the proportion of plants in people’s diets, and we know that’s easier said than done. Moves to build consistency and improve the nutritional quality of a wide variety of options to help do this seem to be the most leveraged approach to making this a reality,” she said. “Plant-based meat seems to be particularly promising as a way to help target and reduce intake of processed meat – a win-win both for health and sustainability.”

    The post In the Netherlands, Plant-Based Meat Products Are Getting Healthier appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • UK Plant-Based Brand Grubby Brings Back Allplants’s Frozen Ready Meals

    grubby allplants
    4 Mins Read

    British vegan meal kit startup Grubby has introduced its debut frozen ready meal range, bringing back the Allplants recipes it acquired earlier this year.

    UK meal delivery firm Grubby has brought back the vegan ready meal range of Allplants, nearly six months after buying its recipe and manufacturing IP.

    The line of nine products marks Grubby’s first foray into the frozen meal space, and is a recreation of the original Allplants recipes, with a clean and bold packaging refresh. Each of the meals is high in protein, fibre and plant diversity, aligning with the UK’s appetite for whole-food options and the ‘30 plants a week‘ movement.

    “We promised to bring the much-loved allplants products back to life for customers and, after months of hard work, we are delighted to deliver on our commitment,” said Grubby founder and CEO Martin Holden-White.

    grubby meal kits
    Courtesy: Grubby/Green Queen

    Grubby goes big on protein, fibre, and plant points

    Allplants had raised £67M, amassed nearly 200,000 Instagram followers, and sold six million meals within the first three months of its retail debut in November 2022. But losses mounted for the firm due to inflation, supply chain disruptions, and rising interest rates, forcing it into administration last November.

    In February, Ella and Matthew Mills – who sold their Deliciously Ella brand to Hero Group in 2024 – took over Allplants’s brand assets and merged it with their Plants label. But the deal did not include Allplants’s products, recipes or manufacturing methods, which were bought by Grubby shortly after.

    “The incredible work [Allplants co-founder] Jonathan Petrides and his team did in developing these dishes was a true asset of the brand, and we’re delighted that they will live on, with a refreshed Grubby spin as part of our exciting expansion into ready meals,” said Holden-White.

    allplants
    Courtesy: Allplants/Grubby/Green Queen

    Five of the relaunched meals – cashew mac and greens, Tex Mex protein bowl, tofu saag curry, miso-tamari Buddha bowl, and spicy Szechuan noodles – have been soft-launched on Grubby’s website this week. The other four include a harissa cauliflower grain bowl, chickpea apricot tagine, tempeh rainbow buddha bowl, and creamy ‘nduja rigatoni.

    The meals can be cooked in the microwave, oven or pan in minutes, and are targeted towards “busy, health-conscious urban professionals”. They have an average of 23g of protein, 13 plant points, and 10g of fibre (though the protein content ranges from 18g all the way up to 33g).

    They can be added to existing Grubby meal kit subscriptions as extras, or purchased as a standalone frozen meal subscription. They start from £4.84 per serving for 15–16 meals, with 25% off for new subscribers, and will begin shipping on August 22.

    Grubby competes with Plants on Allplants revival

    grubby vegan
    Courtesy: Grubby

    “This launch represents an exciting evolution for Grubby,” said Holden-White. “We’ve always believed eating more plants should be effortless, delicious, and genuinely impactful. With our new ready meals, we’re making it easier than ever for people to enjoy exceptional plant-powered food without compromising on taste or convenience.”

    The 2019-founded startup has sold over 100,000 meal kits. In March, it reported year-to-date revenue growth of 21%, thanks mainly to improved customer retention, with one-year retention up by 140% in the previous 12 months. Grubby’s EBITDA – revenue excluding all non-operational expenses – also improved by 56% year-on-year.

    The company is set to expand to 15 frozen meal products by the end of the year, and also has plans for a retail launch in motion. These moves are intended to bring Grubby closer to its goal of breaking even in 2026.

    Allplants’s revival is in full flow, with Plants also announcing a frozen meal range with a new-look Allplants logo, which will be available from August 26. The 10-strong lineup includes aubergine parmigiana, canellini bean mac and greens, and a spicy harissa and chickpea stew, with each product priced between £4.50 and £6.

    “You’ll be able to get them from some of your favourite retailers, as well as coming straight to your door, and we have been cooking, tasting, testing, experimenting with all sorts of amazing flavours to get a range that really is so delicious,” Mills said on Instagram earlier this month. “But we’ve also been working on our branding as well, and how we bring Plants and Allplants together.”

    Grubby and Allplants have unique strategies to build on Allplants’s success, but will there be space for both brands? It remains to be seen, but with veg-based ready meals being the most frequently consumed plant-based products in the UK, the tide is in their favour.

    “A bit of healthy competition is great for the category,” Holden-White said. “And ultimately, it just means more plant-based options on more plates. I’m looking forward to the friendly fight.”

    The post UK Plant-Based Brand Grubby Brings Back Allplants’s Frozen Ready Meals appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Future Food Quick Bites: Cultivated Pork Debut, QuornPro & Cheaper Oat Milk

    fiorella mission barns
    4 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Mission Barns’s cultivated pork launch, Quorn’s new foodservice range, and a cocoa-free chocolate cheesecake.

    New products and launches

    Having secured full regulatory approval for its cultivated pork fat, Mission Barns is finally kicking off its launch partnership with Fiorella Sunset in San Francisco. The restaurant is hosting its first pop-up dinner with the brand on September 9, followed by another event on September 23. Those interested in joining can enter the lottery.

    lab grown meat restaurant
    Courtesy: Mission Barns

    Vegan nutritional shake maker Ka’Chava has unveiled a new strawberry flavour that blends freeze-dried organic strawberries with over 85 superfoods, nutrients and plant-based ingredients, including adaptogens, omega-3s and probiotics.

    US non-dairy milk brand Malk Organics has reintroduced its pumpkin-spice-flavoured almond milk for the fall season, made with sprouted almonds, organic pumpkin, maple syrup, and spice blend including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.

    malk organics pumpkin spice
    Courtesy: Malk Organics

    Also in the US, vegan wellness brand Univera has introduced a new format of its joint support supplement, RegeniCare. The Mango Stick Pack is a portable, on-the-go version available on its website for $34.99 per 30 sticks.

    Portland-based ice cream company Salt & Straw has launched a dairy-free hazelnut cookies and cream to its lineup. It’s made from bourbon-vanilla-infused coconut cream, crushed sandwich cookies, and hazelnut butter fudge.

    quorn professionals
    Courtesy: QuornPro

    Across the Atlantic, Quorn‘s foodservice arm, QuornPro, has launched Kitchen Kings, a range of plant-based and gluten-free products to simplify menu planning for commercial kitchens, in the UK. Its inaugural products are savoury bites and vegan pieces.

    And Danish cocoa-free chocolate maker Endless Food Co has teamed up with Stockholm eatery Urban Deli to roll out a chocolate cheesecake using its This Isn’t Chocolate (THIC) ingredient.

    Company and finance updates

    Global food giant Bunge has agreed to acquire the assets of International Flavors & Fragrances‘s (IFF) lecithin, soy protein concentrate, and soy crush businesses. The terms of the deal – set to close this year – were not disclosed, and it is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

    In New Zealand, Grater Goods owner Flip Grater has acquired plant-based meal delivery service Green Dinner Table, with the latter’s team staying on.

    vegan dha omega 3
    Courtesy: Better Origin Ingredients

    Canadian algal oil company Better Origin Ingredients has raised $1.25M in funding to become the go-to supplier of plant-based DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid. The firm claims it delivers the highest natural concentrations of DHA on the market.

    Austrian 3D-printed mycoprotein startup Revo Foods has secured €1.6M ($1.86M) via its crowdfunding round on FunderNation, with 212 investors participating.

    revo foods prime cut
    Courtesy: Revo Foods/Green Queen

    Swedish pea milk maker Sproud has achieved B Corp certification, having met “rigorous social and environmental standards”. It comes shortly after the brand’s rollout in Sainsbury’s stores across the UK.

    UK startup Clean Food Group, which is using fermentation to make a palm oil alternative, has successfully completed a 60,000-litre commercial-scale production run, without building any new infrastructure.

    oatside price
    Courtesy: Oatside

    Asian oat milk leader Oatside has lowered its suggested retail price by 25% in the Philippines to make plant-based milk more accessible. The one-litre Barista pack is now priced at ₱120 ($2.10) and the 200ml original variant costs ₱29 (50 cents) in supermarkets.

    In the US, Paradox Cafe, regarded as Portland, Oregon’s first vegan diner, has shut its doors after more than 30 years in business, citing “many contributing factors that have been intensifying since Covid”.

    Research and policy developments

    The University of Reading has launched the Reading Alt Protein Project, a student-led initiative selected by the Good Food Institute, joining a global network of university projects advancing the future of sustainable proteins among students.

    integriculture
    Courtesy: IntegriCulture

    Speaking of universities, Japanese cellular agriculture leader IntergriCulture has shipped its cultivated meat starter kits to several institutes to make the tech more accessible to students. These include the National University of Singapore, Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, and the Polytechnic University of Turin.

    Finally, a 3,000-person survey by Germany’s Max Rubner Institute has found that only 1% of its citizens follow a vegan diet. A slightly larger share (4%) are vegetarian, while 28% are flexitarian.

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: Cultivated Pork Debut, QuornPro & Cheaper Oat Milk appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Hot Dog Summer: Oscar Mayer Combines Meat & Plant-Based Wieners in Flexitarian-Targeting Packs

    oscar mayer everybun pack
    3 Mins Read

    Chicago-based meat giant Oscar Mayer, a subsidiary of Kraft Heinz, has launched the EveryBun Pack, combining its meat and vegan hot dogs in the same packaging without cross-contamination.

    While many companies are leaning into the demand for flexitarian options by blending meat with plants in the same product, Oscar Mayer is taking a novel packaging approach.

    The Kraft Heinz-owned legacy meat producer is rolling out the dual EveryBun Pack on a limited trial basis, combining its signature wieners with the plant-based Not Hot Dogs it released last year.

    The offering is the brand’s response to hot dogs’ popularity in the grilling season. This year alone, wieners have featured in over 1.5 million social media posts this summer and gone viral through fashion collaborations.

    Trial will gauge interest for potential nationwide launch

    oscar mayer not hot dogs
    Courtesy: Kraft Heinz

    Oscar Mayer’s packaging innovation seeks to please hosts who struggle to satisfy both meat-eaters and plant-based guests alike, and the 17 million-odd Americans who identify as vegan or vegetarian.

    Each EveryBun Pack contains eight Oscar Mayer wieners and four meat-free Not Hot Dogs, packaged in a way that avoids cross-contamination.

    The product is being rolled out in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Dallas, the country’s top hot-dog-consuming cities, on a test basis to gauge consumer demand for a potential nationwide rollout. Residents in these cities can order the EveryBun Pack via GoPuff at 12pm ET until Sunday (August 24), while supplies last.

    “As a brand obsessed with hot dogs, summer is our most important season, and we understand that not everyone can enjoy our iconic Oscar Mayer Wieners,” said Oscar Mayer brand manager Anna James.

    She added: “With plant-based eating becoming more popular, we wanted to provide one easy, delicious solution for all, no matter what’s in the bun.”

    To promote the launch, Oscar Mayer is also pushing out its iconic Wienermobile to Los Angeles, which possesses one of the highest concentrations of both hot dog lovers and plant-based eaters, to give away free EveryBun Packs to fans.

    Is this Kraft Heinz’s answer to blended meat?

    oscar mayer vegan hot dogs
    Courtesy: Kraft Heinz Not Company

    The Not Hot Dog was unveiled in 2024 as part of the joint venture between Kraft Heinz and Chilean food tech company NotCo. Accompanied by two Not Sausages, the products are said to replicate the ‘snap’ of the outer casing and the savoury, smoky taste experience associated with Oscar Mayer’s conventional products.

    Most vegan hot dogs fail to convince meat-eaters, with the average plant-based alternative impressing only 25% of omnivores in a large taste test this year. In contrast, 55% liked the animal-based benchmark.

    This is why Oscar Mayer has taken a taste-first approach with its vegan wieners, which are made from wheat gluten, potato starch, bamboo fibre, and more. That said, health has also become more important for Americans. Hot dogs fit both the red meat and processed meat categories, which are linked to a host of chronic conditions.

    The Not Hot Dog has 31% less fat, 75% less saturated fat), and 43% more protein than Oscar Mayer’s traditional wieners, keying into America’s heightened demand for protein.

    The new EveryBun Pack is Kraft Heinz’s alternative to the blended meat category, which has become many companies’ go-to response to the struggle of plant-based meat. Globally, 64% of consumers are interested in blended protein options. And in the US, 74% of omnivores are interested in the concept, and two-thirds are likely to purchase them (versus 57% who say the same for plant-based meat).

    The post Hot Dog Summer: Oscar Mayer Combines Meat & Plant-Based Wieners in Flexitarian-Targeting Packs appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Australia Must Develop National Strategy for Plant Protein Production to Meet Future Food Potential

    australian plant proteins
    4 Mins Read

    Without assertive policy changes and a national strategy, Australia risks being outpaced by other countries on plant protein manufacturing, says a new report.

    Australia possesses strong crop production and an existing global footprint in wheat protein ingredients, but it is missing out on high-value manufacturing of protein-rich crops. What it needs is a national strategy to boost production and become a leader in the international market for these products.

    That’s according to a new report by think tank Food Frontier, which argues that Australia is at risk of conceding its future market share in plant protein manufacturing to countries with better policies and an established national plan.

    Australia produces around 59 million tonnes of protein-rich cereals, pulses and oilseeds every year, including a vast majority of the crops used for plant proteins. It’s the global leader in lupin production, and is a major producer of wheat, barley and canola, with high growth potential for fava beans, lentils and chickpeas too.

    Yet, the country exports roughly 65% of its grain into global commodity markets annually. In 2023, Australia shipped out 41 million tonnes of protein-rich source crops, but imported 118,000 tonnes of plant protein ingredients.

    “This disconnect points to a critical missed opportunity: a shift from bulk exports to high-value processing could enable greater domestic economic return, support regional resilience and meet growing demand for quality ingredients,” the report notes.

    The challenges plaguing Australia’s plant protein manufacturing

    plant based news
    Courtesy: Wide Open Agriculture

    Food Frontier suggests that the demand for plant proteins is high among domestic manufacturers, with 12% of nearly 3,000 audited products including such ingredients, from isolates to concentrates. Consumers, meanwhile, want options high in protein and rich in fibre, with clean-label and allergen-free formulations. And shifting dietary patterns are fuelling the adoption of plant-based foods.

    Global buyers (especially in Asia) are increasingly looking for sustainable and traceable ingredients aligned with Australia’s production strengths. Its plant protein manufacturing sector includes six firms, with Manildra Group the largest and oldest. It’s joined by Essantis, Integra Foods and Australian Plant Proteins, Wide Open Agriculture and Hemp Harvests.

    “Compared to global peers, Australia’s capacity remains limited, with significant barriers to achieving the scale and efficiency needed to compete on cost,” the report says.

    Uptake of plant proteins is hindered by limited awareness or understanding among food manufacturers and a lack of technical support, while high costs and supply chain gaps make it difficult for ingredient producers to compete with cheap imports.

    Infrastructure and R&D are costly, and companies are financially constrained. But financing is a. challenge, as investors are cautious without catalytic public co-funding. There are also supply chain gaps, inconsistent logistics and utility services, and fluctuating raw commodity markets to contend with.

    Plant protein manufacturers also face some key regulatory hurdles, particularly those working with industrial hemp, which faces outdated and inconsistent regulations that restrict adoption, marketing and investment.

    What Australia’s government must do to support this industry

    australian plant proteins
    Courtesy: Food Frontier

    Despite the challenges, a host of opportunities exist for Australia’s plant protein manufacturing sector. It can supply high-quality, functional ingredients that meet shifting consumer and company priorities, especially in Asia-Pacific, where provenance is a key differentiator.

    Replacing imported ingredients with local alternatives can enhance supply chain resilience and reduce exposure to trade volatility. Domestic production can also add significant value to otherwise unprocessed crops, providing greater economic certainty for farmers.

    Secondary ingredients could serve as feedstock for biomanufacturing applications to link plant protein production to the country’s broader bioeconomy goals. Moreover, strategically located facilities can reduce freight costs, valorise co-products and build supply chain resilience.

    To meet these opportunities, the report identifies five strategic priorities for the Australian government:

    1. Establish a national taskforce of government members, industry stakeholders, farmers, investors and researchers to set a country-wide strategy for plant protein manufacturing. This would help align jurisdictional policy, infrastructure and investment and mitigate risks.
    2. Invest in shared R&D platforms for crop breeding, processing optimisation, ingredient functionality, product application, and byproduct valorisation to accelerate innovation, generate technical evidence, and reduce the financial burden on individual manufacturers.
    3. Drive demand generation and reduce adoption barriers via targeted marketing, reformulation incentives, traceability systems, and data on ingredient usage and trade flows. This would build market confidence and position Australia’s ingredients competitively.
    4. Scale up manufacturing by strategically investing in regional hubs, shared infrastructure and capital co-investment frameworks, which would help overcome capital intensity barriers, support food security, and deliver regional value.
    5. Build the workforce and regional supply chains through targeted training, farmer engagement and regional ecosystem development, an effort that will address critical skills shortages and ensure growers are equipped to meet evolving demand.

    “With national leadership and coordinated implementation, Australia can realise the dual opportunity set out in this report: to position Australian-made ingredients as premium, provenance-led products, and to secure a leading role in the next wave of global plant protein diversification,” reads the report.

    The post Australia Must Develop National Strategy for Plant Protein Production to Meet Future Food Potential appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Exclusive: Merck Spinout Banks on Edible Membrane Tech to Produce Whole-Cut Cultivated Meat

    edimembre
    7 Mins Read

    EdiMembre has spun off from Merck’s MilliporeSigma to commercialise an edible membrane technology for sustainable foods, starting with whole-cut cultivated meat and high-protein pasta.

    In Massachusetts, EdiMembre is a new startup hoping to enable scalable manufacturing for future food companies with hollow fibre membrane technology.

    The food tech firm has spun out from MilliporeSigma, the US life sciences arm of Germany’s Merck Group, with an exclusive licence to commercialise its edible membrane platform.

    “Inspired by traditional membrane formation techniques, EdiMembre uses a patented phase-inversion approach to form micro- and nanoporous membranes from legume protein isolates. These membranes have the ability to pass large molecules through them, while promoting cell attachment,” co-founder and CSO Ryan Sylvia tells Green Queen.

    EdiMembre has already developed countertop bioreactors to create whole-cut pieces of cultivated meat and high-protein pasta made with legume protein isolate. “Beyond this, we can tune the physical properties of the membrane, opening up a range of culinary experiences and applications,” adds Sylvia.

    As it transfers the tech from MilliporeSigma, the startup has raised $500,000 in pre-seed investment from Siddhi Capital, Replicator VC, Meach Cove Capital, Alwyn Capital, and Cellular Agriculture Ltd, among others.

    “Over the next few weeks, we will be unpacking and building our beta pilot machine to start manufacturing edible fibres in our new headquarters at the Atlas Commercial Kitchen in Woburn, Massachusetts,” notes co-founder and CEO Timothy Ryan Olsen. “Two key members from the technical project team at MilliporeSigma have been hired and are onboarded.”

    How edible membrane tech can transform future food manufacturing

    edimembre cultivated meat
    Courtesy: EdiMembre

    MilliporeSigma’s cultivated meat programme led to the development of a strong IP portfolio and alternative protein partnerships, which presented an externalisation opportunity to fine-tune the tech further with AI-led company builder Mantro.

    The latter is managing MilliporeSigma’s stake in EdiMembre, which will develop and commercialise the patent-protected edible membrane tech to deliver efficient solutions for future food manufacturing.

    “EdiMembre’s flagship technology is CraftRidge, which is the patent-protected edible hollow fibre bioreactor for growing structured whole-cut cultivated meat at scale,” explains Sylvia. “Thus far, we have worked with partners to demonstrate application for multiple cell types and species, while using single-cell, aggregate, and adherent cell bioprocess modalities. Today, we can offer bench-top devices for growing a few grams, but are actively working towards kilogram scales.”

    The startup has demonstrated membranes with several off-the-shelf legume protein isolates, with soy, mung or lentil-derived options preferred most. “From a labelling standpoint, this becomes very attractive, since the membrane is composed of a single material: legume protein isolate,” he says.

    The isolates can result in pasta with plant protein content higher than 80%, well above the market standard of 15-40%. They can also help make whole cuts of cultivated meat. Scaling up these novel proteins is a major challenge that requires large amounts of capital expenditure.

    “Our scaled-out edible hollow fibre bioprocess approach alleviates this capex burden for the industry while solving the harvest and whole-cut formation challenges,” Sylvia outlines. “The technology platform has been shown to accommodate multiple cell types, species and bioprocess modalities. To use our device is straightforward – you put your cells in, use your bioprocess, harvest, cook, then eat.”

    He adds: “Depending on the end user’s preference, we can easily control the amount of hollow fibre membrane that goes into the bioreactor. For most users, our protein hollow fibres are expected to be in the bulk range of 30-50% of the final product, which is great as it will contribute to the final protein content of the cultivated meat.

    “The cultivated meat companies can fill the lumen of the fibres with fat content as a post-processing step, allowing for homogenous distribution of fat content throughout the whole-cut meat.”

    EdiMembre targets cultivated protein startups and Big Meat

    hollow fiber bioreactor cultured meat
    Courtesy: EdiMembre

    EdiMembre plans to leverage a B2B consumables model. “CraftRidge is a single-use edible hollow fibre bioreactor consumable part that will be manufactured and available off the shelf, or made to order for custom cultivated meat products,” explains Olsen.

    He expects cultivated meat and seafood startups that are bringing products to market today as its initial customers, with future clients including large meat producers that have integrated cell-cultured protein into their supply chain.

    “Over the last few years, we have already built partnerships with the leading cultivated meat startups to kickstart industry-relevant testing of our prototypes. They are the true experts with their cells and bioprocess, while also having the vision for the product concept they are bringing to market,” he says.

    “As cultivated meat companies are successful in creating products 2.0 and 3.0 with CraftRidge over the next few years, licensing opportunities will naturally present themselves both for access to the consumable for production of cultivated meat and also the equipment used for manufacturing the edible hollow fibres and single-use devices.”

    Olsen acknowledges that to enter the market, CraftRidge would need to show strong bioprocess performance, regulatory alignment and seamless integration into existing cultured protein workflows. So it’s critical to work closely with its partners to secure feedback and technical insights at each development stage.

    “The go-to-market strategy began with industry testing of our prototypes over the last year. EdiMembre provided the device with a basic protocol, and the cultivated meat startups shared data and bioprocess feedback. We use feedback to set our product specifications with the vision of allowing the launch of a product that can be used by as many customers as possible,” the CEO says.

    “As with all biotechnology, scaling sizes are required for the manufacturers to build their bioprocess. After the prototype stage, EdiMembre is targeting a 1kg device as the first ‘usable’ device for making significant quantities of structured cultured meat,” he adds.

    “We are planning to have the first version of the 1kg device in our hands by the end of 2025. In the future, we envision a 30kg device being the industrial workhorse for large meat producers.”

    Gearing up for $5M seed round

    edible membrane technology
    Courtesy: EdiMembre

    The edible membrane technology enables a broad range of applications, including substrates for cell-based leather and encapsulation of biologics. Right now, though, EdiMembre is “laser-focused” on cultivated meat, with some of its priorities including the optimisation of protein solutions, formation of bath chemistries, increase of fibre-spinning speeds, and the design of scaled versions of its spinning machines.

    “As we build for the cultivated meat industry, we are anticipating opportunistic commercial opportunities for protein pasta via licensing of our manufacturing capabilities. Early wins here would help to advance our technology readiness level across the platform, validate our capabilities, and provide early revenues for our company,” says Olsen.

    With the new funds, EdiMembre is working to improve its edible hollow fibre spinning process at the benchtop scale and developing plans to make its manufacturing commercially relevant. It’s not stopping at the pre-seed round, though.

    “We have already started our seed round fundraising, and are targeting $5M. These funds will be directed at building out the full pilot machine to enable production of the 1kg CraftRidge devices for delivery to customers, partnering to demonstrate a bioprocess run at the 1kg scale to produce structured whole-cut meat, advancing patent applications on scalable production processes and equipment, and continuing to build out a world-class team,” Olsen says.

    The startup will now get its lab up and running and ready its platform, while forging new partnerships that multiply its existing capabilities and create early revenue opportunities. Success in the first six months would allow it to showcase both the tech and its ability to move quickly with a strong yet lean team. “This was key for securing EdiMembre’s first investors, and we know it will be absolutely paramount for our seed fundraising success, especially given the current environment.”

    Funding for alternative proteins has dipped dramatically. Cultivated meat companies raised more in 2021 than in the following three years combined. And this year, the sector had only secured $35M by the first half. In the US, where EdiMembre operates, seven states have banned these proteins, and plenty of others are hoping to do the same.

    Olsen, however, remains optimistic about the industry’s future, pointing to the host of regulatory wins this year. Three companies received some form of regulatory clearance in the US (one’s products are already on sale), while one startup went on sale in Australia, and another was approved to sell cultivated meat for pets in Singapore.

    “The cultured meat market has seemed to ‘correct’ itself in terms of valuations and expectations from a few years ago, which has led to the current funding environment. EdiMembre’s first investors and our team are aligned in that cultivated meat is still a huge opportunity, but will just take time and hard work,” Olsen contends.

    “As cultured meat companies continue to make progress with cost, scale, product development, infrastructure, regulatory, and beyond, we will do our part to be a key enabling technology partner to accelerate their efforts in bringing delicious cultured products to the global market.”

    The post Exclusive: Merck Spinout Banks on Edible Membrane Tech to Produce Whole-Cut Cultivated Meat appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • British Plant-Based Egg Crackd Rolls Out in US to Take on Eat Just

    crackd egg
    4 Mins Read

    UK startup Plant Heads has taken its vegan liquid egg, Crackd, to the US, starting with retailers in Chicago and several Texas cities.

    As Just Egg rolls out in the UK, another plant-based egg is crossing the Atlantic.

    This time, it’s going from Britain to the US, taking on the dominance of Just Egg in its home market. Crackd, the No-Egg Egg – the pourable vegan alternative produced by Plant Heads – has secured its first set of retail listings stateside.

    The product is available at Jewel-Osco stores in Chicago, and at Albertsons, Randalls and Tom Thumb in Dallas, Houston, Austin and other major Texas cities. Together, these cities represent six of the 12 largest metropolitan areas in the US.

    “The US offers a larger single language market with high purchasing power and consumer demand,” Jonathan Traub, president of Plant Heads’s US business, tells Green Queen when asked why the firm chose the country as its second market. “It aligned better with our long-term strategic goals, for our brand positioning, innovation adoption, and scalability.”

    Plant Heads teases new Crackd products by 2025-end

    crackd vegan egg
    Courtesy: Plant Heads

    First appearing on shelves in late 2020, Crackd has won several taste, free-from and packaging awards over the years, and established itself as the leading plant-based liquid egg alternative in the UK.

    It’s made from a base of water, pea protein, corn oil, methycellulose, and pea starch, and is free from the 14 top allergens. It contains 2.7g of protein per 100g, 2g of fat (less than 0.2g of which is saturated), and zero cholesterol, while also being rich in vitamins B12 and D.

    Unlike in the UK, where Crackd comes in a bottle with the equivalent of six eggs, the US version is packed in pourable pouches enough to replace seven eggs.

    The product can be cooked in a pan or microwave, and used in baking applications as well. Crackd can be used to make scrambles, omelettes, breakfast burritos, pancakes, and more. Plant Heads says the launch will appeal to Americans looking to eat healthier without sacrificing taste.

    “When they try Crackd, consumers will find superior taste and texture in a healthier, all-natural, freezeable, microwaveable version of America’s breakfast staple,” says Traub.

    In the US, Just Egg accounts for 99% of the plant-based egg market. How does Crackd plan to compete? “The introduction of a quality-competitive product will change that landscape and grow the category,” he argues.

    “Crackd is made from pea protein, is free from 14 major allergens, [has] zero cholesterol, non-GMO, and mimics real egg when cooking and baking. It tastes delicious, and we have some amazing line extensions launching towards the end of 2025.”

    Crackd ‘well-positioned’ to compete with Just Egg in the UK

    vegan egg substitute
    Courtesy: Plant Heads

    It comes amid an avian flu crisis that has pushed US egg prices to record highs – in some cities, Americans were paying $1 per egg this year. Now, three in five consumers are concerned about the affordability of eggs, 44% about their availability, and 31% about their safety.

    Plant-based alternatives have been a major beneficiary as a result. In January alone, Just Egg’s sales grew five times faster than in the past year, and 56% of shoppers returned to buy more (a three-point increase from 2024).

    Plant Heads, whose vegan egg is priced at $6.99 to $7.49 per 12oz pack, has not disclosed its revenues for over the previous year, but Traub offers: “We had a very soft year-end launch for 2024 and first half of 2025 as we prepared for mass production in the US, ensuring quality and supply for our customers as we head into the second half of 2025.”

    As part of this expansion plan, it is now in discussions with foodservice operators too. “Our retail brokers are in contact with most major retailers on a weekly basis and will be available in new doors very soon,” he adds.

    Back home in the UK, the vegan egg category has had a shake-up with the arrival of Just Egg. Traub calls its entry “bold”, but notes that Crackd, as its main rival, is “well-positioned to compete effectively”.

    “We started as a home-grown UK brand with deep ties to local sustainability and food innovation efforts,” he says. “It’s business as usual for the Crackd team, and [we] believe our US expansion will build even more trust in our brand in the UK. Competition is healthy and gives the consumer a choice.”

    The post British Plant-Based Egg Crackd Rolls Out in US to Take on Eat Just appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • No, Beyond Meat Has Not Filed for Bankruptcy

    beyond meat bankruptcy
    4 Mins Read

    Rumours suggest that Beyond Meat is considering a bankruptcy filing amid falling sales, but the plant-based giant has vehemently denied the claim.

    Beyond Meat, the company that put plant-based meat as we know it today on the map, has come out strongly against media reports alleging that it has filed for bankruptcy.

    The Californian vegan pioneer has had a tough couple of years, with sales falling further this year and its stock price at a fraction of its IPO value six years ago. Its year-on-year revenue slimmed by 20% in Q2 2025, prompting the company to announce a new round of layoffs and appoint John Boken, managing director of corporate restructuring consultancy AlixPartners, as its interim chief transformation officer.

    But the latter development has led some media outlets to speculate (or declare) that the company is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Financial news site The Street‘s headline states Beyond Meat “is headed” towards bankruptcy, while UK newspaper The Independent also nodded to the rumour in its URL.

    Indian publications The Economic Times and Hindustan Times also reported on the claim. They based their reporting on lawyer John T Orcutt’s blog, which said “reports confirmed” the news, but did not post a source. A host of other outlets have disseminated the rumour, including a vegan news publication.

    But before the story spiralled, Beyond Meat came out with a strong statement refuting the reports. “Recent media stories suggesting that Beyond Meat filed for bankruptcy are unequivocally false,” the company tweeted.

    “We have not filed nor are we planning to file for bankruptcy. Go Beyond.”

    Beyond Meat hired restructuring expert amid layoff plans

    In 2024, Beyond Meat recorded its lowest revenue in five years, reaching just $326M. But in the first six months of 2025, it has posted just $144M in sales, a near-15% drop from the same period a year ago.

    The company’s continued struggles have forced it to cut back its workforce. 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 this month, 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.

    Beyond Meat blamed its poor sales performance on softening demand and reduced distribution in US retail, and low sales of its burger products to restaurants internationally. It also hired Boken to drive its operational footprint into the current revenue environment and accelerate margin improvements, with the goal of becoming EBITDA-positive within the second half of 2026.

    “It’s a pretty broadly skilled position. I can’t comment on how much time he has. We’re really enjoying him being here. So hopefully, we’ll get some good work done together,” founder and CEO Ethan Brown said in an earnings call.

    beyond mycelium steak
    Courtesy: Beyond Meat

    Could going beyond meat mimics help pay off its debt by 2027?

    Beyond Meat has an outstanding debt of $1.1B, owing to convertible notes (a type of investment that begins as a loan and turns into equity) that are due to be paid back in 2027.

    The company has been working on several solutions to address the debt. It was reportedly in talks with bondholders to restructure its debt in 2024. And this year, it secured a $100M debt financing facility to enhance its liquidity from Unprocessed Foods,  a wholly owned subsidiary of Ahimsa Foundation, a non-profit advancing plant-based diets.

    So you’d think Beyond Meat has at least until 2027 to pay off its debt and avoid bankruptcy. The firm has made a radical move to turn its fortunes around: it’s dropping the word ‘Meat’ from its name to focus on traditional plant proteins.

    Its next product, Beyond Ground, features just four ingredients – fava bean protein, potato protein, water and psyllium husk – and isn’t intended to mimic meat. “Going forward, we intend to increasingly use ‘Beyond’ as the primary brand,” Brown confirmed in the Q2 earnings call.

    beyond meat rebrand
    Courtesy: Beyond Meat/Green Queen

    “We have been formally using the shortened mark in certain instances for some time now, and believe it provides for reduced emphasis on facsimile, a now-complicated frame that overshadows the real high-quality protein offerings we provide to consumers, and a widening of our aperture beyond animal protein replicates,” he said.

    There have been several bankruptcies and acquisitions in the plant-based industry over the last 18 months, and more consolidation is expected. Aside from low sales, a lack of investment is also to blame. In Q2, plant-based companies only raised $127M, and this included the $100M secured by Beyond Meat.

    That deal shows that the company still has some clout amid a dire investment landscape, and it will hope to use this to return to success before it’s too late.

    Green Queen has contacted Beyond Meat for comment on the bankruptcy rumours.

    The post No, Beyond Meat Has Not Filed for Bankruptcy appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Meet the Pakistani Meat-Lover Who Created the Country’s First Plant-Based Kebabs

    pakistan vegan food
    5 Mins Read

    In a country where veganism is confined to health stores and imported products, Ghaas Phoos is spearheading the fledgling plant-based movement in Pakistan.

    Ailya Khan grew up on kebabs and tikkas, and hated vegetables. But her love for animals made her give up meat eventually.

    The vegetarian samosas didn’t satisfy the strong cravings for the meat-rich dishes she was familiar with in Pakistan. There were barely any plant-based alternatives, and nothing satisfied her from a cultural, sensory, or emotional perspective.

    “I struggled a lot to find affordable vegan food and realised that here in Pakistan, even people who want to go vegan, eat plant-based, or host plant-based events often can’t find ready-to-go vegan options or accessible plant-based catering services,” she says.

    “It really hit me that most Pakistanis – and many people around the world – don’t have access to plant-based options that connect with our culture.”

    That’s when she decided to take things into her own hands. In 2022, Khan founded Ghaas Phoos Plant-Based Foods, Pakistan’s first vegan meat startup. “The whole idea behind Ghaas Phoos (which literally means grass) was to reclaim the phrase, to make ‘grass’ common and even celebrated,” she explains.

    In the subcontinent, ‘ghaas phoos’ is often used as a derogatory term for vegetarian food – it’s the South Asian equivalent of rabbit food, or the narrative that vegan food is just salads. “We take a fun and proud approach: feeding everyone ‘grass’, showing how creative and joyful plant-based food can be,” says Khan.

    Ghaas Phoos has retail and foodservice expansion in sight

    ghaas phoos foods
    Courtesy: Ghaas Phoos Foods

    Ghaas Phoos, though, is much more than grass. The startup’s offerings include soy-based kebabs and patties, mushroom biryani, and green pea kebabs, all infused with familiar Pakistani spices.

    “We’ve also experimented with over 50 versions of local dishes behind the scenes, things like kulfi (a local ice cream), gulab jamun (milk-based doughballs in rose-cardamom syrup), haleem (a thick, low-cooked stew), dum kebab, makhni kebab, and more,” says Khan.

    The startup operates a meal delivery model and is still in its beta-tasting phase, currently operating two to three days a week, based on pre-booked orders. Currently, it’s a team of three, with Khan joined by her sister and a cook.

    “We personally handle deliveries within a 20km radius in Karachi, but we’re hoping to expand soon. Our meals are pre-cooked and served hot, and another revenue stream we’re developing is consulting for restaurants that want to add plant-based items to their menus,” she says.

    “The response has been overwhelmingly positive. We have had organic reach on digital. We’ve had a lot of organic reviews – customers have been posting on their own accord on different food groups,” she says. “People have been very supportive of us with regard to a new, budding business.”

    Phase two of its expansion plan concerns retail, with Ghaas Phoos aiming to start with frozen products within Karachi. “But for that, we’ll need a larger kitchen,” she notes.

    Over the next 12 months, the startup is planning to open a small-scale café/kitchen to facilitate grab-n-go and in-house meals. “We’re not trying to compete with meat,” says Khan. “We’re here to showcase what kind of food innovation is possible with local ingredients and plants.”

    ‘Pakistanis are open to trying different foods’

    Khan dismisses the idea that Pakistan is a meat-rich country, except for the three major cities of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. “Most local dishes are plant-based or vegetarian, due to the country’s agricultural nature,” she explains.

    “In the last decade, we’ve seen a surge in the meatification of recipes and heavy dairy infiltration in the market. Even though most menus are now filled with meat and dairy items, people do want to try plant alternatives,” she adds.

    To create demand, Khan says you have to help people find the right food: “We did one soft launch in 2022, and we’ve done R&D for two years. With our final launch in 2025, what we’ve seen is that people do show interest and buy the food, and most of our clients are consistent and repeat customers. This shows people are open to trying different cuisines, whether they are vegan or not.

    “Pakistan has a very rich and diverse food landscape. Luckily, we are still connected to our traditions through food. Every celebration, every tradition revolves around food. If you give us a well-curated meal with the right spices, honesty, and tradition, it will be loved.”

    She reiterates that the business isn’t mimicking meat, but instead banking on unique flavours, textures, and natural colours as its selling point: “We also like calling our products what they are, which has been received positively. We say mushroom biryani, mushroom qeema (mince), pea cutlets, plant-based kebabs, soy patties, egg-inspired plant-based eggs, and so on.”

    Ghaas Phoos seeks investors as plant-based awareness grows

    plant based meat pakistan
    Courtesy: Ghaas Phoos Foods

    Pakistan, for now, has few plant-based protein options. Some companies import international brands of non-dairy milk, while a few independent stores make their own. Accessibility is a major barrier to vegan eating in the country, according to Khan.

    “Tofu and soy are not easily available. I only know five vegans, who make their own seitan. Beans are accessible, but turning them into plant-based meats like the ones available in the Middle East requires awareness, both in the investor community and among restaurants,” she explains.

    “Mushrooms are accessible to a certain class or those with access to land and wild areas,” she adds. “The pre-conceived notion that meat sells creates a sense of risk around plant-based food innovation. I believe there’s limited food knowledge around plant-based foods. I’ve trained three cooks so far, all of whom have been surprised by how much we can experiment with different plants, their textures, and their flavours.”

    But awareness is growing. “We haven’t been met with any hostility so far. In fact, we’ve seen some restaurants add plant-based items to their menus. Pakistani people have been very open to exploring different taste palettes,” she says.

    And a few weeks ago, Jacked Nutrition introduced a vegan brown rice protein powder range with 24g of protein and 2g of fibre per 30g scoop, indicating the burgeoning demand for plant-based options.

    To deliver on its expansion plans, Ghaas Phoos is looking for support from a range of parties. “Finance is definitely important, but we’re also open to support in alternative protein food knowledge, training, and partnerships with international brands who want to explore the Pakistan market through us,” says Khan. “We are also looking for funders and investors who believe in a plant-based future and will help keep the business sustainable for the long term.

    “Ghaas Phoos is here to open people’s minds to what we can do with plants, and challenge the existing limitations of culinary arts. You don’t always need meat to enjoy desi flavours.”

    The post Meet the Pakistani Meat-Lover Who Created the Country’s First Plant-Based Kebabs appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • New Zealand’s Leaft Foods Unveils Pre-Workout Rubisco Protein Drink

    leaft blade
    4 Mins Read

    New Zealand startup Leaft Foods has introduced its first consumer product, a pre-workout drink made from Rubisco and delivering 17g of complete protein.

    Targeting the performance nutrition sector, a New Zealand-based food tech firm is bringing the world’s most abundant protein to market in liquid form.

    Unlike most plant proteins, which are derived from the seeds, Rubisco is found in the leaves of green plants, and is a complete protein with significant functional, nutritional and environmental benefits.

    The concept is what lends Leaft Foods its name. The startup has introduced its first consumer product, Leaft Blade, a ready-to-drink offering featuring 17g of Rubisco protein that digests up to six times faster than traditional proteins.

    Available on its website for NZ$35 ($21) per 100ml pack, the product subverts the status quo of recovery-focused protein drinks by targeting the pre-workout period instead. Leaft Foods suggests consuming it 20 minutes before training to get peak performance from every session.

    Leaft Foods’s Rubisco outperforms whey and plant proteins

    rubisco protein
    Courtesy: Leaft Foods

    Founded in 2019 by husband-and-wife duo John Penno and Maury Leyland Penno, Leaft Foods leverages an enzyme found in every plant on Earth. We’ve all consumed a lot of Rubisco without even knowing it.

    Nutritionally, it is a complete protein, with high amounts of essential amino acids, resulting in a PDCAAS score similar to beef, egg whites, and dairy proteins. It’s also rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and micronutrients, and easily digestible.

    From a functionality viewpoint, Rubisco offers foaming, gelling and emulsification properties, setting just like egg whites in baked goods and posing as an alternative to methylcellulose in plant-based meat. Moreover, it is responsible for carbon fixation and has been targeted in studies looking to increase crop yields, which represents its positive potential to produce climate-friendly foods that preserve food security.

    Scientists have been attempting to extract Rubisco from green leaves for over a century, but most efforts destroyed its delicate structure and rendered it worthless. Leaft Foods says it has developed a gentle, food-safe process that preserves protein integrity and unlocks its full potential, leveraging alfalfa as the source crop.

    Its ingredient, termed Leaf Rubisco, outperforms other plant proteins like pea and soy, and has a superior amino acid profile to whey protein. It also generates 97% fewer emissions than the latter.

    Leaft Blade focuses on ‘proactive’ protein delivery

    leaft foods
    Courtesy: Leaft Foods

    Leaft Blade contains 50,000 green leaves in each 100ml serving, alongside L-tyrosine to sharpen focus and support brain function, leucine to trigger growth, and tryptophan to restore balance.

    The company argues that most protein options are “reactive” as they’re taken after a workout, but its offering is “proactive”. “When you train hard, your muscles send a ‘build’ signal that works best when leucine and other essential amino acids are already in your bloodstream, ready to go,” it explained in a LinkedIn post.

    The drink can be taken before or during training to support that critical anabolic window and help you get more from every session, it added. It is meant to be kept in the freezer and consumed just frozen or chilled.

    Aside from Leaft Blade, the firm is already delivering commercial-grade Leaf Rubisco protein to multiple markets. “Our technology platform doesn’t just deliver Leaf Rubisco protein; it unlocks value from 100% of the raw material we harvest, creating multiple revenue streams from a single leaf,” it said.

    “We’re also working with B2B ingredient customers to formulate Leaf Rubisco protein isolate into their applications, leveraging its unique nutritional, emulsifying, foaming, and gelling properties,” the company added.

    Leaft Foods, which raised $15M in Series A funding in 2022, validated its extraction process at pilot scale last year and moved to a 30,000 sq ft commercial-scale demo plant in Canterbury, New Zealand. This facility has the capacity to produce a tonne of Leaf Rubisco products per week.

    Others innovating with Rubisco protein include Plantible Foods, which this week opened its own factory to produce hundreds of tonnes of the protein from duckweed in Texas, Israel’s Day 8, and Dutch startup Rubisco Foods.

    The post New Zealand’s Leaft Foods Unveils Pre-Workout Rubisco Protein Drink appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Century Pacific Buys Loma Linda, Tuno from Plant-Based Meat Maker for Under $10M

    atlantic natural foods acquisition
    4 Mins Read

    Filipino giant Century Pacific Food has acquired the assets of plant-based meat company Atlantic Natural Foods for less than $10M.

    Atlantic Natural Foods, a 135-year-old company behind plant-based brands like Loma Linda and Tuno, has sold off its assets to a Filipino food conglomerate for under $10M.

    The deal is the latest example of consolidation in the vegan category, and comes weeks after the firm signed an asset purchase agreement with Century Pacific Food’s North American arm (CPNA).

    Owned by the Philippines’s Po family, Century Pacific was first founded as a food canning company in 1978, and is now a global processor of meat, seafood, dairy, pet food, and plant-based products.

    “The acquisition reflects CPNA’s measured and profitable growth strategy: tapping into established markets while accelerating momentum for plant-based food adoption across diverse geographies,” said Century Pacific COO Greg Banzon.

    Loma Linda, Tuno and other brands to bring immediate benefits

    loma linda foods
    Courtesy: Atlantic Natural Foods

    Atlantic Natural Foods was founded in 2008, but its portfolio brand Loma Linda has been around since 1890, when it was established by John Harvey Kellogg, the creator of corn flakes and brother of Kellanova founder WK Kellogg.

    In 2014, the firm bought Loma Linda from what was then called Kellogg’s, and has since expanded its brands’ presence to over 25,000 stores in the US, plus 30 other countries.

    However, the sales and investment challenges facing the plant-based industry, combined with Covid-19 disruptions, supply chain volatility and rising inflation, hit Atlantic Natural Foods hard. It shut its US manufacturing site in March and began shifting production to Century Pacific, months after withdrawing from an acquisition deal with Above Food, which had been in the works for three years.

    Then, in May, Atlantic Natural Foods filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, listing $10-50M in assets and $1-10M in liabilities, with 100 to 199 creditors. “The restructuring of government tariffs, inflation, price pressures from government and others, labour, insurance – coupled with cybersecurity attacks which have created IT cost to increase three times – showed no relief on the near horizon,” explained chairman Doug Hines.

    It entered a purchase agreement with Century Pacific shortly after, and has now sold off its entire portfolio of brands to the Filipino company. These include Loma Linda, Tuno, Neat, and Kaffree Roma.

    Banzon suggested that the acquisition would bring immediate financial benefits to the business, with operational integration expected to be a seamless, bolt-on match to CPNA’s existing plant-based business, allowing it to scale up without disruption.

    It aligns with the acquisition strategy outlined by CEO Teodoro Po. “There are a few bolt-ons, so those are of smaller sizes that we can just bolt on to our existing platforms,” he told the Philippine Star last month.

    Atlantic Natural Foods becomes latest plant-based acquisition

    century pacific atlantic natural foods
    Courtesy: Unmeat

    With the transaction, Atlantic Natural Foods’s brands join CNPA’s Unmeat brand of plant proteins. The latter offers shelf-stable products in over 13,000 stores globally, including Walmart, Albertsons, HEB, and Meijer in the US.

    In a press release, Century Pacific said its advanced R&D capabilities and world-class manufacturing attracted Atlantic Natural Foods as a supply partner, which eventually led to the acquisition.

    “This is a strategic and synergistic move for CPNA. We are bringing together a trusted heritage brand and a disruptor brand under one roof, leveraging decades of consumer trust with bold innovation,” said Banzon. “This allows us to serve both loyal customers and new generations seeking accessible, nutritious, and sustainable food choices.”

    The initial move to shift production to Century Pacific positioned the Philippines as the primary supply location for Loma Linda’s shelf-stable products, targeting Seventh-day Adventists in the country.

    The company has a long history with the church. Kellogg was brought up in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which was the owner of the Loma Linda brand until 1990. Its products are considered a staple for those transitioning to a meat-free diet when joining the church.

    The takeover seeks to reinforce CNPA’s “broader mission of building a healthier, more sustainable portfolio that provides affordable nutrition to the consumers we serve”, Banzon said.

    It is the latest in a long list of M&A deals in the plant-based sector. Vegan pet food maker Wild Earth was recently acquired by InvenTel after filing for bankruptcy, while Daring Foods was bought by Australia’s v2food last week. Also in the US, Wicked Kitchen, Simulate, and Blackbird Foods have all been taken over by Ahimsa Companies in the last year or so, while dairy-free cheesemaker Vertage was snapped up by Misha’s Inc in January.

    The post Century Pacific Buys Loma Linda, Tuno from Plant-Based Meat Maker for Under $10M appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Future Food Quick Bites: Pamela Anderson, Oatly x Häagen-Dazs & Domino’s Peta

    pamela anderson flamingo estate
    4 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Pamela Anderson’s vegan pickles, Oatly and Häagen-Dazs’s ice cream collab, and Actual Veggies’s Indian-inspired burger.

    New products and launches

    Hollywood actress Pamela Anderson has partnered with Los Angeles-based Flamingo Estate to launch a limited-edition batch of Pamela’s Pickles. They are based on a family recipe and described as smoky and spicy, and can be found on the brand’s website for $38 a pop. All proceeds go to California Wildlife Center, a non-profit veterinary hospital.

    pamela anderson pickles
    Courtesy: Flamingo Estate

    Mr Charlie’s Told Me So, dubbed a ‘vegan McDonald’s’, has opened a new location in Brentwood, Santa Monica, and is offering free Not A Cheeseburger and fries to the first 111 visitors on its launch on August 16.

    Oat milk leader Oatly‘s limited-edition collaboration with ice-cream maker Häagen-Dazs Shops is now live at the latter’s US stores. The Blueberry Lemon Non-Dairy Freeze blends the Summer Blueberry & Lemon Sorbet with Oatly’s milk and real blueberry preserve, and is available until the end of the month.

    oatly haagen dazs
    Courtesy: Häagen-Dazs Shops

    Baked by Sticky, the vegan dessert brand owned by Washington DC bakery Sticky Fingers, has launched a high-protein range of cookies and brownies using Eat Just‘s single-ingredient mung bean protein powder. They’re available at hundreds of stores in the US, and can be shipped nationwide.

    Minnesota-based vegan bakery Front Porch Pies‘s products have been rolled out at all Dogwood Coffee and Backstory Coffee locations.

    Animal rights charity Peta is giving out free vegan ice cream on its first annual i Scream truck tour, covering New York, Boston, Burlington, Philadelphia, Providence, and other cities nationwide over the next eight weeks.

    In South Africa, Fry Family Foods is targeting meat reducers with a newly released Flexi Range, comprising a Smash Burger, Classic Sizzler, and Braai Sizzler.

    UK plant-based meat brand Moving Mountains has secured a listing at online retailer Ocado for its vegetable-led Superfood range, comprising a spicy burger, crispy dippers, and spicy bites. Each product contains almost 15 ‘plant points‘ and costs £3.50.

    actual veggies chickpea masala
    Courtesy: Actual Veggies

    Whole-food brand Actual Veggies has unveiled its first collaboration product, a Chickpea Masala Burger made in partnership with award-winning Indian chef Maya Kaimal. It will roll out in the freezers of Sprouts Farmers Market stores this month.

    Company and research developments

    Actual Veggies has also been named on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the US, debuting at number 563 overall and number 23 in the food and beverage category.

    solar foods solein
    Courtesy: Solar Foods

    Finnish gas protein startup Solar Foods is working with the city of Lappeenranta to reserve a site to carry out preliminary studies for the construction of its Factory 02, which would be able to produce 12,800 tonnes of its Solein protein every year.

    Amid talk of a foray into blended meat, Impossible Foods has reached a major milestone: six years of its Impossible Whopper partnership with Burger King, a deal that helped put the plant-based meat giant on the map.

    impossible whopper
    Courtesy: Peter McGuinness/LinkedIn

    Livekindly Collective‘s Anja Grunefeld has stepped down from her role as CEO and head of its Europe operations to pursue other opportunities, with CEO David Suarez taking over management of the region.

    Canadian publicly listed company Planet Based Foods has appointed Supreet Sidhu as CFO, who will take over from Emrah Petorak. The move is part of an operational turnaround to rebuild investor confidence.

    Policy and research developments

    Peta has become a shareholder of Domino’s Pizza as part of its Vegan Cheese, Please campaign. The move will allow it to attend annual meetings, submit resolutions, and urge executives to introduced non-dairy cheese options in the US.

    respectfarms
    Courtesy: RESPECTfarms

    RespectFarms, a cultivated meat research project helping farmers transition to sustainable food systems, is working on a new film to showcase its efforts, as part of the EU-backed Fostering European Cellular Agriculture for Sustainable Transition Solutions (FEASTS) consortium.

    Finally, in Australia, the Universal Society of Hinduism is asking for an official apology from Swiss food giant Nestlé for not disclosing the use of beef in various locally manufactured products, including Allen’s Lollies (which contains gelatin).

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: Pamela Anderson, Oatly x Häagen-Dazs & Domino’s Peta appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Plantible Foods Opens Duckweed Protein Factory in US, Eyes Funding to Triple Capacity

    plantible foods factory
    4 Mins Read

    US food tech startup Plantible Foods has opened a large-scale factory to produce duckweed protein in Texas, and is now looking for additional investment to triple its capacity.

    Aiming to take duckweed protein to the masses, Plantible Foods’s commercial-scale facility in Texas is now fully operational.

    The new 100-acre factory, called The Ranchito and located in Eldorado, will allow the US startup to manufacture thousands of tonnes of biomass annually. This translates to hundreds of tonnes of its Rubi Protein.

    The ingredient is Plantible’s version of Rubisco, a protein found in duckweed and believed to be the most abundant protein on Earth. The new plant will enable the firm to reduce 8,000 tonnes of CO2e from the food system every year by replacing animal proteins and synthetic ingredients.

    “This marks a defining moment for Plantible, our partners, and the community of Eldorado,” said CEO Tony Martens, who co-founded Plantible with Maurits van de Ven in 2016. “We’re scaling a food system rooted in science, sustainability, and shared prosperity – proving that it’s possible to build resilient food solutions while creating real economic opportunity in rural America.”

    Plantible’s new Rubisco factory significantly cuts costs

    plantible foods
    Courtesy: Plantible Foods

    Duckweeds, also called lemna or water lentils, are free-floating, naturally occurring freshwater aquatic plants, which combine to form a green carpet on the surface of water. They’ve been consumed in Southeast Asia for centuries, but have witnessed a rise in popularity in the last decade, thanks to their immense environmental and nutritional benefits.

    Being aquatic, duckweed doesn’t occupy any farmland or contribute to deforestation, contains more micronutrients than many vegetables, has a protein digestibility score of 1.0 (the highest possible), and, with a doubling rate of two to three days, is the fastest-growing plant in the world.

    Plantible grows its lemna on controlled aquafarms that allow freshwater to be constantly recycled and refreshed, leaving a water footprint 10 times lower than soybeans. Once the plants are harvested, they are milled, filtered and dried so that the pure protein can be extracted from the plant’s leaves.

    The final product is an off-white and odourless protein that can grow anywhere in the world and contains all nine essential amino acids. Rubi Protein is free from 20 allergens and comprises 85% protein, and offers functional benefits like emulsifying, gelling, and fat-binding, helping reduce the reliance on saturated fats, egg whites, and methylcellulose.

    The company has developed two ingredient blends featuring Rubi Protein. Rubi Whisk provides structural integrity, moisture and oil retention properties for egg- and gluten-free baked goods like lemon tarts, macarons, and cookies, and Rubi Prime offers the emulsification and binding benefits of methylcellulose to make cleaner-label plant-based meat products that can be served hot or cold.

    Its Eldorado facility has a growing network of greenhouses, upgraded protein filtration systems, and a new, higher-yield duckweed strain. The state-of-the-art filtration equipment has significantly reduced production costs while increasing throughput. This has advanced its ability to achieve cashflow positivity at the plant and produce its Rubisco protein at scale.

    Plantible pursuing investment to increase capacity by threefold

    plantible rubi protein
    Courtesy: Plantible Foods

    Plantible is currently working with a range of customers to incorporate Rubi Protein into consumer products. One of these partners is functional ingredients provider ICL Food Specialties, with which it has previously created a Rovitiras Binding Solution for meat and seafood alternatives.

    “Plant-based protein formulators have been searching for years for a clean-label, highly functional replacement for chemically derived binders, such as methylcellulose,” said Paul Peterson, global head of alternative proteins at ICL Group.

    “In partnership with Plantible Foods, we have been able to leverage our deep knowledge of proteins to create a market-leading binding solution that allows plant-based food manufacturers to meet the needs of even the most demanding consumers.”

    Plantible has introduced a proprietary lemna strain that increases the yield of Rubi Protein per acre, and is now conducting trials on additional strains that could further enhance the ingredient’s unit economics, scalability, and affordability.

    “With at least 35 species in the duckweed family and more than 1000 strains, Plantible has excelled in identifying strains that are best adapted for growth in the local climate,” said Chris Phillips, VP of research at the startup. “We then tailor our growth conditions to further maximise protein production and product quality.”

    The firm closed a $30M Series B round last year, taking its total raised to $57M. It is now working to secure more funding to triple its capacity and meet its clients’ demands. At the same time, it will continue to invest in the Eldorado plant, hiring locally and expanding its footprint.

    Several other startups are working with duckweed protein too, including Sustainable Planet (UK), GreenOnyx (Israel), MicroTerra (Mexico), DryGro (Kenya), Ful Foods (Pakistan), Rubisco Foods, Rinus & Hans (both Dutch), and Fyto (US).

    The post Plantible Foods Opens Duckweed Protein Factory in US, Eyes Funding to Triple Capacity appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Germany’s Rewe Group Targets 60% Plant-Based Sales By 2035, Calls for National Protein Plan

    rewe voll pflanzlich
    5 Mins Read

    German retail giant Rewe Group has set a ‘protein split’ goal in a new strategy, and calls for a national protein plan as part of six food policy demands.

    Six months after announcing the creation of its protein strategy, German retailer Rewe Group has unveiled a target to make 60% of its sales come from plant-based products by 2035.

    The supermarket group, which owns Penny in Germany and Billa in Austria, shared that vegan products made up 54% of its sales in 2024 (excluding beverages). The analysis was based on a methodology developed by the World Wildlife Fund last year, which Rewe Group is calling on the industry to adopt.

    “Germany has the opportunity to position itself as a pioneer of competitive, resilient, and sustainable agricultural and food systems,” the company said in a position paper. Protein diversification, it added, is a key lever for ensuring healthy and sustainable diets, and so the supply and demand of alternative proteins must be “significantly expanded”.

    “Yet, a true dietary transition has not yet been pursued decisively enough at the political level,” the document stated. It’s why Rewe Group has laid out six demands for federal and state policymakers, asking them to develop a national protein roadmap.

    Denmark was the first to introduce a plant-based strategy in 2023 (before rolling out a wider green transition plan that includes a carbon tax on meat). It was followed by South Korea shortly after, and late last year, Portugal committed to developing a plant-based plan too.

    “For more climate- and resource-friendly food production, the overall political framework must also change,” the company noted. “We therefore welcome the fact that policymakers have also recognised the relevance of this issue, even if developments could be pursued more decisively.”

    Rewe Group’s four-pronged protein strategy

    rewe protein strategy
    Courtesy: Anay Mridul/Green Queen

    “As one of Europe’s largest trading companies with an ambitious climate target, we have committed ourselves to a holistic protein strategy,” Rewe Group said.

    The new protein strategy has four strategic pillars. First, it will optimise its product ranges to veganise recipes and ingredients where it makes sense, with a focus on taste and variety.

    Second, it will support food tech startups driving innovation in the category with new products and technologies to build a future-friendly food ecosystem.

    Next, Rewe Group will promote conscious eating and make sustainable diets more accessible via clear labelling, targeted offerings, and an attractive product range.

    And finally, the retailer is advocating for a national protein strategy to strengthen the competitiveness of the domestic agriculture sector and support the country’s climate goals. This, it added, would include an industry standard for tracking the proportion of plant-based and animal protein sales, or the ‘protein split’.

    “We are taking a step-by-step approach, leveraging our regional market structures and relying on strategic partnerships. Transparent communication, targeted incentives, and continuous innovation are central elements of our protein strategy,” it said.

    Rewe Group urges the German government to create protein strategy

    rewe vegan
    Courtesy: Anay Mridul/Green Queen

    Last year, the federal government kicked off the Proteins of the Future on the Plate forum to promote the alternative protein sector, a move Rewe Group said provides a platform for a joint protein plan. It’s asking policymakers to now build on that, and has made six key demands.

    • Transparent, simplified regulation: The approval process for cultivated meat and precision-fermented products must be accelerated at both national and EU levels. The German government should advocate for the reliable implementation of novel food regulations to bolster investor and consumer trust.
    • Greater R&D investment: The government should step up research funding for protein diversification, as well as investments into food tech infrastructure and startups. At the EU level, Germany should keep calling for the inclusion of alternative proteins in programmes like Horizon Europe.
    • Expand real-world lab access: Labs help test new technologies in real-world conditions, but this requires legal flexibility. Experimental clauses, particularly in food law, must be legally anchored and equipped with innovation-friendly guidelines. This would enable systematic regulatory learning and the further development of existing rules.
    • Scrap the extra VAT for plant-based milk: Germany currently charges a 19% levy on non-dairy milk, but only 7% for cow’s milk. Matching the VAT for both product sets would help market distortions and heighten consumer acceptance, without impacting animal-based products.
    • Boost plant protein production: National subsidies and funds from the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy should be directed towards legume and protein crop cultivation. Farmers should be provided practical information and training opportunities, and public catering services should integrate plant-based options to offer growers more stable opportunities.
    • Make science-based decisions: Food policy decisions must be grounded in scientific evidence, and all alternative proteins should be considered with an open mind and treated equally. Calls for national bans on cultivated meat undermine EU law, weaken innovation, and consumer freedom.

    The protein strategy comes a month after Rewe Group partnered with Oatly, Vly and Berief Food to launch a petition calling on the government to reduce the VAT rate on non-dairy milks. It has so far received over 93,000 signatures.

    Rewe is the latest supermarket to adopt a protein split target, as part of EU retailers’ growing climate ambition. Fellow German retailer Lidl has set a plant-based sales goal too, as has the Netherlands’ Ahold Delhaize. Meanwhile, Wolt Market Denmark has become the first non-Dutch supermarket to adopt the Protein Tracker tool and will now establish concrete protein split targets.

    And in the UK, an alliance of over 200 organisations have urged the government and retailers to make reporting of healthy food sales mandatory to include protein sales disclosure too.

    The post Germany’s Rewe Group Targets 60% Plant-Based Sales By 2035, Calls for National Protein Plan appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Plant-Based Just Egg Lands in the UK via Vegan Food Group

    just egg uk
    5 Mins Read

    Eat Just’s market-leading vegan egg, Just Egg, has finally launched in the UK, with the distribution being handled by VFC parent Vegan Food Group.

    Just Egg, the mung-bean-based vegan liquid egg from US company Eat Just, has launched into the UK market. Each 340ml carton is priced at £3.99 and equivalent to six eggs.

    The rollout marks the product’s European debut, as well as its first foray outside North America. It will be manufactured and distributed by Vegan Food Group (VFG), the holding company behind plant-based brands like VFC and Meatless Farm, as part of an exclusive deal announced in April.

    “People have been waiting for so long to bring this to the UK, and me and the team have just had such an incredible journey working with the US team, understanding the brand and… how we bring that to the UK consumer is very different to the US consumer,” says Abigail Nelson-Ehoff, head of marketing at VFG.

    “The consumers who have been waiting for this product, a lot of the vegan community, [will go]: ‘Finally, it’s here,’” she adds. “But it’s also as many people, if not more people, who have never heard of the product – this is an amazing product for them. So it’s how we can bring it to both.”

    Matthew Glover, co-founder and chairman of VFG, says: “We think there’s a huge pent-up demand for it. There’s not been anything like this on the market so far. So we’re very excited to launch it into the UK.”

    Echoing Nelson-Ehoff, he says this product is “really for everybody, not just vegans”: “It’s for anybody that’s plant-curious. There’s a lot of people that are allergic to eggs, so it’s perfect for those individuals.”

    How Just Egg made it to the UK

    just egg uk launch
    Courtesy: Eat Just

    Just Egg is made from a base of mung bean protein and contains nearly 13g of protein per serving (5.9g per egg equivalent, versus 6.3g for a chicken egg). It has less than a third of the saturated fat found in convnetional eggs, as well as zero cholesterol. Producing the vegan liquid egg uses 98% less water and 83% less land, while generating 93% fewer greenhouse gases.

    The European launch of Just Egg has been a years-long endeavour. Eat Just had signed several partnerships to bring the product across the Atlantic, while receiving novel food regulatory approval by the European Food Safety Authority and authorisation from the EU Commission.

    But the efforts finally came to fruition in April this year, after the Californian food tech unicorn struck a deal with VFG. The latter invested £11.5M ($15.2M) to build a fully automated line to produce Just Egg at its facility in Lüneburg, Germany (Europe’s largest dedicated plant-based factory), enabling it to produce the equivalent of 500 million eggs per year.

    “Proprietary mung bean production will be led by Eat Just, supplying this directly to VFG from its Minnesota facility,” Glover told Green Queen at the time. “From that point, VFG is installing a fully automated downstream production system in Lüneburg to produce Just Egg. Other ingredients and packaging will be sourced locally.”

    He added: “The brand positioning and proposition sits perfectly alongside the existing VFG portfolio of brands, products and eating occasions. Our strategy is consolidating a portfolio of exciting products and brands, to which Just Egg sits perfectly.”

    Through its investment, VFG sought to enhance automation, extend shelf life, cut waste, and improve product quality at its facilities in the UK and Germany. It will also support retailers and foodservice partners with “next-gen innovation and operational excellence”.

    “VFG will be making the majority of the upfront investments in capital expenditure and marketing to launch the brand in Europe,” Glover said.

    Eat Just and VFG look to build plant-based momentum amid egg crisis

    just egg europe
    Courtesy: Eat Just

    Eat Just’s UK entry comes on the back of skyrocketing success in the US, with 174 million birds culled in the current three-year wave of avian flu. Retail egg prices reached a record high of $6.23 per dozen in March. In some cities, each egg costs $1 now.

    The company had already sold the equivalent of 500 million chicken eggs and captured 99% of the market for alternatives in the US. But in January alone, Just Egg’s sales grew five times faster than in the past year, while 56% of shoppers returned to buy more (a three-point increase from 2024). Most shoppers (91%) putting it in their basket, meanwhile, are neither vegan nor vegetarian.

    With egg shelves empty, if Americans want eggs, they only have a few choices. “One, don’t eat them. Two, you know, have applesauce. Or three, have Just Egg,” co-founder and CEO Josh Tetrick told Green Queen in February. “This is a real moment in time for the plant-based industry to prove that it’s up to the challenge.”

    The egg crisis isn’t just restricted to the US – in Europe, the cost of eggs has reached its highest in at least a decade, reaching €268.5 ($292) per 100kg in March.

    In the UK, it will compete with the Crackd vegan liquid egg, which is made from pea protein. Aquafaba brand Oggs previously marketed a liquid whole egg alternative, though it hasn’t been in stock in supermarkets for several months now. “There are other egg replacements on the market, but quality-wise, there’s nothing that can stack up against Eat Just,” VFG CEO Dave Sparrow said in April.

    “The UK and Germany are the immediate priority given our extensive distribution, which is already in place, and then we’ll roll out across other key markets,” Glover said at the time.

    “The food system is broken. Most eggs are produced in factory farms. There’s about 37 million eggs currently trapped inside [them], both caged and cage-free. And these are real squalid, overcrowded, unhealthy places to produce food,” he says now.

    “So this plant-based egg that we’re producing is much cleaner and healthier, and certainly much better for the environment and the animals and people.”

    The post Plant-Based Just Egg Lands in the UK via Vegan Food Group appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • More Layoffs, More Losses in Bleak Q2 for Beyond Meat Amid Brand Refresh

    beyond ground
    7 Mins Read

    Beyond Meat posted another poor quarter as sales fell by nearly 20%, prompting the plant-based company to lay off 6% of its staff and refresh its identity.

    Californian plant-based giant Beyond Meat endured another “tough quarter”, with year-on-year sales falling sharply by 19.6% in the April-June period.

    The company’s revenue reached just $75M in Q2 2025, below the lower end of its revised outlook for the quarter. Volume of products sold decreased by 19%, while gross profit shrank by 37%. While it suffered a decrease in operating losses too, its net losses totalled $33M, a 4% improvement on Q2 2024, thanks primarily to foreign exchange gains.

    vCEO Ethan Brown described the results as “disappointing”, coming on the back of a poor first quarter and amid widening losses for the overall plant-based meat sector. Beyond Meat blamed the performance on softening demand and reduced distribution in US retail, and low sales of its burger products to restaurants internationally.

    The company is now kickstarting another round of layoffs, impacting 44 employees in North America (amounting to 6% of its global workforce). This will incur a one-time charge between $800,000 and $1.3M, mainly in severance payments, employee benefits and related costs, though the move is expected to save the company up to $7M over the next 12 months.

    “It is truly with a heavy heart that we made these reductions, and my deep appreciation and respect for these teammates and friends extends far beyond any comments I can make today,” Brown said in an earnings call.

    Beyond Meat has also appointed John Boken, managing director of corporate restructuring consultancy AlixPartners, as its interim chief transformation officer. He will be tasked with driving the firm’s operational footprint into the current revenue environment and accelerating margin improvements, with the goal of becoming EBITDA-positive within the second half of 2026.

    “We are responding by accelerating our transformation activities, including more rapidly and aggressively reducing our operating expenses to fit anticipated near-term revenues; prioritising increased distribution of our core product lines; and investing in margin expansion initiatives across these core products,” said Brown.

    The news sent shares of the company down by 4% at the end of trading. In other news for publicly traded plant-based companies, Oatly’s stock has rebounded by 31% this month, reaching levels last seen a year ago.

    High costs, misinformation and meat revival hurt retail sales

    beyond meat earnings
    Courtesy: Bloomberg/Getty Images

    The lowlight of Beyond Meat’s Q2 performance was US retail, where revenues plunged by nearly 27%, thanks in large part to a decrease in product volumes, which the company attributed to “weak category demand” and reduced distribution points.

    It’s reflective of the wider decline in sales of plant-based meat in American supermarkets, which have dipped by 17% in the refrigerated section so far this year, and 8% in the freezer, according to Spins data cited by Reuters.

    Brown pointed to several factors that led to the poor performance in this channel: the higher price than conventional beef puts it a disadvantage among cash-strapped consumers; the “negative narrative” around the sector is “sufficiently ingrained to outlast initial efforts to dispel this information“; and conventional meat is “having a moment that currently leaves less room” vegan alternatives.

    “This has been an enormously disruptive period for our category and brand across US grocery, with instability being the consistent theme for quite some time, from multiple entrants flooding the market only to be delisted, to a general shrinking of shelf space, to a disruptive relocation of the category from refrigerated to frozen aisle in certain large retailers,” said Brwn.

    “As we seek to rebuild our presence across this critically important channel, we are prioritising consolidated offerings at high-impact chains so we might drive results that are similar to some of our higher-performing current retailers.”

    It’s not just US supermarkets where Beyond Meat is underperforming. Internationally, retail revenues narrowed by 9%, with the company blaming low sales of its burger, sausage and ground beef products in Canada, and reduced burger sales in Europe.

    When it came to foodservice, revenues were up by 7% in the US, mainly due to price hikes and changes in product sales mix. But internationally, foodservice sales fell by 26%, with Beyond Meat suffering from low burger sales to quick-service restaurants. Reports suggest that McDonald’s has removed the McPlant from its Austrian menu, opting to run out its contract with Beyond Meat.

    ‘Not the moment’ for plant-based meat

    beyond meat mycelium steak
    Courtesy: Beyond

    When asked by one analyst if Beyond Meat can win back consumers who have stopped purchasing vegan alternatives, Brown said it was “not the moment for plant-based meat right now”.

    “You’ve got these cultural moments that occur, and we happen to be on the other side of the particular moment,” he explained. “That won’t always be the case, but what we shouldn’t do is use a lot of dry powder trying to force growth right now.

    “What we should be doing is stabilising the business, getting the operating expense to where it needs to be, fixing the margins so we can reach the audience that we need to reach.”

    The company is now focusing on giving consumers value for money while meeting the heightened demand for protein and fibre. It will begin offering six-pack offerings for the Beyond Burger, which will help drive down the price of each individual patty for the consumer.

    Meanwhile, even as it launched a whole-cut mycelium steak filet, Beyond Meat’s next product has nothing to do with meat. Called Beyond Ground, the innovation is an answer to critiques about ultra-processing, long ingredient lists, and poor nutritional value.

    The mince-like protein only has four ingredients: fava beans, potato starch, water, and psyllium husk. Each serving 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. The product “represents an early foray beyond beef, pork and poultry replication”, Brown said, and has been “met with considerable enthusiasm, albeit with a very narrow consumer set”.

    Despite the resurgence of animal protein, Beyond Meat remains optimistic. “We know that the extreme nature of the current renaissance around animal protein will, as consumer trends do, moderate. This moderation may occur solely with time, new information or new trends or may be spurred on by a set of related factors, including pricing pressure, droughts and genetic disease outbreaks,” said Brown.

    “Over time, facts do have a way of overcoming fiction. Consumers do, in fact, bristle at being misled at the expense of their own health, and our products will have the opportunity to be more fairly evaluated for what they are,” he added.

    Scrapping ‘Meat’ gives Beyond the freedom to meet broader protein needs

    beyond meat q2 2025
    Courtesy: Beyond Meat

    The Beyond Ground product represents a major refresh of the company’s identity. In response to the substandard performance, the firm is dropping ‘Meat’ from its brand to highlight traditional plant proteins, starting with the fava bean mince. Later iterations could include chickpea hot dogs and lentil sausages, Brown has teased.

    “Going forward, we intend to increasingly use ‘Beyond’ as the primary brand. We have been formally using the shortened mark in certain instances for some time now, and believe it provides for reduced emphasis on facsimile, a now-complicated frame that overshadows the real high-quality protein offerings we provide to consumers, and a widening of our aperture beyond animal protein replicates,” he said.

    This would allow Beyond Meat to “have the freedom” to meet broader consumer protein needs and deliver the nutritional gains they’re after.

    The company will provide more details about the use of ‘Beyond’ as its brand in the coming months, which it’s implementing on a rolling basis. “The necessity of this reset does not, however, reduce or diminish our conviction or enthusiasm for the future that awaits,” stated Brown.

    “The factors that encumber our success today are transient. Just as we recognise that we are a higher-priced item in a period of economic uncertainty and stress, we know that on a material basis, our cost structure will change as we achieve scale.

    “We are, in fact, already in one limited but important instance, producing and supplying product at a cost price that is roughly equal to the corresponding animal protein equivalent. As we get to much higher volumes across our core products, the efficiency of our system will prevail. And all other things being equal, we should be able to underprice animal protein in many offerings.”

    Brown labelled it a “tough quarter” that the company took “on the chin”. “It wasn’t what we wanted, but I think the reaction is what matters,” he said. “We’ve obviously known about these results and have been fast after it.

    “Between the intensified cost reduction, the gross margin expansion initiatives, really focusing on expanding our core distribution (particularly in US retail), and then this opportunity to potentially live outside some of the confines we’ve been in recently, around looking at things like Beyond Ground and the use of the Beyond brand and protein occasions for consumers, I’m very optimistic [about] where we’re headed.”

    The post More Layoffs, More Losses in Bleak Q2 for Beyond Meat Amid Brand Refresh appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Australia’s v2food Acquires US Vegan Chicken Startup Daring Foods, Teams Up with Ajinomoto

    daring chicken
    5 Mins Read

    Australian plant-based meat firm v2food is going global, having acquired leading US vegan chicken maker Daring Foods and partnered with Japanese food giant Ajinomoto.

    v2food, the leading manufacturer of plant-based meat in Australia, is setting its sights on the international market with two key deals.

    The Sydney-based firm has snapped up US vegan chicken startup Daring Foods for an undisclosed sum, and signed a strategic partnership with Japan’s Ajinomoto to develop next-gen food solutions for Asia and Africa.

    Daring, which holds a 45% market share in the US unbreaded chicken category, will continue to operate under its own brand and serve as a platform for v2food to launch its own products across the country.

    “For several years, v2food has been the number one plant-based meat company in Australia, and through the acquisition of Daring, we are excited to be able to introduce our world-class product range into the US market,” said v2food CEO Tim York.

    The collaboration with Ajinomoto, meanwhile, will leverage the MSG maker’s “century of food science expertise” to expand v2food’s protein transition efforts. Alongside Daring’s brand identity, the three entities will create a “powerful platform for innovation”, v2food noted in a press release.

    v2food looks to build on Daring’s US retail strength

    v2food
    Courtesy: v2food

    Founded by Ross Mackay and Elliot Kesses in 2018, Daring is one of the most well-known alternative meat brands in the US. It capitalised on the category’s investment boom at the turn of the decade, raising over $120M in a 13-month period from 2020-21.

    It has a line of vegan chicken pieces and nuggets (made from soy protein), as well as frozen entrées (both 100% plant-based or vegetarian) featuring its signature meat alternative. Daring products are available in over 15,000 stores across the US, reportedly generating $30M in annual revenue.

    “Daring has built an incredible, consumer-loved brand with strong reach across the US, and combining that with our food technology creates immediate opportunities to accelerate our mission to be one of the global leaders in plant-based protein,” said York.

    The acquisition will combine Daring’s strong retail penetration and consumer loyalty with v2food’s established manufacturing networks and proprietary food technology.

    “With v2food’s technology platform and Ajinomoto expertise supporting us, we’re in the best position yet to deliver on our consumer promise at both pace and scale. In my view, this is how the space should have been built from the start: thoughtfully, profitably, and as healthy as possible,” said Jeffrey Gendelman, who took over from Mackay as Daring CEO last year.

    He added that the companies had a cultural alignment: “Daring was built on a commitment to clean-label plant protein that never sacrifices taste or experience. Together, we see an opportunity to shape the future of our space in a way none of us could have achieved alone.”

    v2food, Ajinomoto and Daring will create clean-label frozen meals

    plant based meat australia
    Courtesy: v2food

    The company says the Ajinomoto deal allows v2food to rapidly scale up its plant-based innovations to meet the global demand for sustainable proteins. It has strategic expansions earmarked for emerging markets like Africa and Asia, which will be home to a majority of the world’s population growth in the next 25 years, and where Ajinomoto already has commercial operations.

    The partnership is targeting flexitarians with chicken, a popular protein, by making plant-based eating accessible and appealing. Through Ajinomoto’s Green Business Development Department, the collaboration backs the companies’ sustainability goals and aims to unlock new revenue streams in the meat-free sector.

    Shigeo Nakamura, president and CEO of Ajinomoto, noted that the deal focuses on “innovation, sustainability, and co-creation in technology and business development”.

    Now that Daring is part of v2food’s operations, the three entities will together speed up the development of clean-label plant protein products, including a range of frozen meals with short ingredient lists and a focus on taste, nutrition and affordability.

    v2food has already been working on clean-label solutions, having developed methylcellulose-free formulations and natural colour-changing technology with algae. And last year, two studies found that v2food’s plant-based mince can have the same protein quality and digestibility as conventional ground beef, but is more filling and better for gut health.

    The firm, which has raised around $137M to date, has been busy expanding its ready meal portfolio through M&A deals. In early 2024, it announced the acquisition of local ready meal makers Soulara and Macros, forming a new entity called Flexitarian Meal Solutions, which it said would sell between 50,000 and 100,000 meals per week.

    Plant-based meat industry to ‘rationalise’ over the next five years

    v2food daring foods
    Courtesy: Daring Foods

    The announcement comes amid a difficult period for the plant-based sector. In the US, retail sales of meat alternatives fell by 7% in 2024. Chicken is the second-most popular product type in the vegan category, but its sales also declined by 8%.

    It comes amid an animal protein boom in the US, with meat sales reaching record highs and only 22% of consumers looking to cut back on it (a five-year low). That has hurt plant-based companies, who have been forced to rethink their strategies, consolidate, or in some cases, cease operations.

    Beyond, for example, dropped the ‘Meat’ from its name to highlight traditional plant proteins, ahead of a new fava bean mince that doesn’t aim to mimic an animal product. It comes on the back of a 19% drop in year-on-year sales in Q2. Impossible Foods, another major player, has suggested that it may foray into the blended meat category to attract a wider set of consumers.

    And in May, legacy plant-based business Atlantic Natural Foods, the parent company of Tuno and Loma Linda, filed for bankruptcy (it is now in talks for a potential sale).

    Consolidation has ramped up in the sector. In the US, Wicked Kitchen, Simulate, and Blackbird Foods have all been acquired by Ahimsa Companies in the last year or so. And in Australia, Aussie Plant Based Co was taken over by Smart Foods after entering liquidation (making a comeback this year), while investment firm MyCo rescued Australian Plant Proteins from insolvency.

    “Our strategic move into the US market, especially with a strong brand like Daring and the backing of a global powerhouse like Ajinomoto, is a logical next phase of growth as the market consolidates,” said Jack Cowin, founder of Hungry Jack’s (the franchisee of Burger King in Australia) and an inaugural investor in v2food.

    “Over the next five years, we expect to see a rationalisation of the industry with various best-in-class plant-based meat companies (such as v2food and Daring) coming together to gain scale and provide technical solutions that meet or exceed consumer requirements for great-tasting, affordable and nutritious food that also happens to be better for the planet.”

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  • Schuman Cheese, Good Planet Foods Form Joint Venture for Better Plant-Based Dairy

    schuman cheese good planet
    4 Mins Read

    US dairy leader Schuman Cheese and olive oil cheese producer Good Planet Foods have formed GPV Foods, a joint venture to meet the demand for improved non-dairy products.

    To address one of the most polarising plant-based alternative products, Schuman Cheese and Good Planet Foods have created GPV Foods, a new US entity to produce better vegan cheese.

    Schuman is a legacy player in the US dairy market and the country’s largest importer of Italian cheese; Good Planet is an eight-year-old startup known for its olive-oil-based cheeses.

    The joint venture brings together Schuman’s Vevan brand of non-dairy cheese with Good Planet’s retail business, uniting their scale, reach and expertise to meet the demand for tastier products.

    “This partnership strengthens our manufacturing capabilities, expands our plant‑based portfolio, and positions us for rapid growth in a category we strongly believe in,” said Keith Schuman, plant‑based business lead at Schuman. “Together, we can scale faster, serve our customers better, and set a new standard for what plant‑based cheese can deliver.”

    GPV Foods will leverage brands’ retail and foodservice footprints

    good planet cheese
    Courtesy: Vevan

    Good Planet Foods began with a range of coconut-oil-based cheeses, including snackable wedges, smoked wheels, and snack packs. In 2023, it switched to olive oil as its key ingredient, pairing it with tapioca and potato starch and pea protein, in response to consumer feedback about saturated fat content.

    The Bellevue-based startup’s current portfolio includes shreds, slices, blocks, and snackable cubes made from olive oil, alongside a trimmed coconut oil lineup. They’re available in over 1,200 retail doors nationwide.

    Schuman has been around since 1945, and diversified into the plant-based category in 2020 with Vevan. The brand initially started with palm oil and modified potato starch as the base ingredients, before shifting to a pea milk and coconut oil lineup.

    It makes Cheddar, mozzarella and pepper jack shreds and slices, alongside a cream cheese range. Schuman describes the products as having “superior melt and consumer-winning flavour”, which are available in both retail and foodservice channels.

    GPV Foods will combine Good Planet’s retail presence with Vevan’s foodservice and ingredient expertise. It will benefit from greater production capacity and streamlined distribution, which will allow it to respond faster to market needs, broaden its reach, and invest in new technologies and formulas that “push the boundaries” of vegan cheese.

    “Pairing our retail leadership with Vevan’s foodservice strength creates a truly unmatched platform. This venture allows us to reach more consumers, deliver superior innovation, and accelerate growth in a way that benefits the entire category,” said Good Planet founder and CEO David Israel.

    Financial and political challenges stretch vegan cheese market

    schuman cheese
    Courtesy: Vevan

    Both brands will remain distinct and focus on the markets and channels they perform best in, with their products now available in nearly 5,000 stores, according to Nosh. Vevan, meanwhile, is set to reformulate many of its recipes using Good Planet’s olive oil platform.

    The partnership comes amid middling retail performance for vegan cheese in the US. Last year, dollar sales dropped by 4% to $218M and household penetration fell to 4% (a one-point drop from 2023), according to SPINS data crunched by the Good Food Institute (GFI). Dairy-free alternatives have made up just 1% of the overall cheese market for the last three years.

    That being said, repeat purchase rates were up from 48% in 2023 to 54% in 2024, indicating that products are better meeting consumer needs, GFI said.

    Israel told Nosh that there will likely be some consolidation in the workforce after potential redundancies are identified as part of the new venture. That aligns with the wider sector too. In June, French dairy giant Bel Group announced it will withdraw its Nurishh brand of plant-based cheese by the end of 2025 due to low sales, and close its production factory in Saint-Nazaire, which is set to impact around 30 jobs.

    In further examples of category consolidation in the US, vegan cheese startup Vertage Foods was snapped up by fellow plant-based firm Misha’s Inc in January, and dairy-free nutrition firm Kate Farms was acquired by Silk owner Danone this summer.

    Poor sales aren’t the only challenge facing this industry. Last week, a bipartisan group of senators revived the Dairy Pride Act, asking the Food and Drug Administration to ban the use of ‘milk’, ‘cheese’, ‘yoghurt’ and other such terms on non-dairy alternatives. The agency has also received a complaint against vegan butter maker Country Crock’s use of the phrase ‘Dairy-Free Salted/Unsalted Butter’ on its Homestyle lineup.

    The post Schuman Cheese, Good Planet Foods Form Joint Venture for Better Plant-Based Dairy appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Future Food Quick Bites: Beanless Coffee, Watermelon Seed Milk & Bezos Earth Fund

    sustainable protein startup competition
    4 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Prefer’s beanless coffee latte, Ahimsa Foundation’s $12M factory bet, and Bezos Earth Fund’s alternative protein competition.

    New products and launches

    Singaporean bean-free coffee startup Prefer has launched its iced oat latte with vegan ice-cream chain Kind Kones.

    prefer bean free coffee
    Courtesy: Jake Berber/LinkedIn

    In the US, plant-based startup Elmhurst 1925 has added three unsweetened non-dairy milks to its lineup, in pistachio, vanilla pistachio, and vanilla cashew variants. They’re available at Sprouts Farmers Market nationwide and on the brand website for $8.99 per 32oz pack.

    Californian firm Força Foods has debuted its Milkish watermelon seed milk in the US at Wildroots Coffee in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    forca foods
    Courtesy: Forca Foods/Instagram

    Meanwhile, PlantBaby’s Kiki Milk, which makes non-dairy milks for kids, has secured a listing at Target stores in California, Hawaii, and Washington. It will be available in original, unsweetened and chocolate flavours in 32oz cartons for $6.99.

    Vegan seafood startup Oshi has landed a distribution deal with Sysco, with its salmon now available at five of the latter’s US warehouses, and soon open to customers in all 50 states via Sysco Marketplace.

    oshi vegan salmon
    Courtesy: Oshi

    German discount retailer Lidl has brought back its Ben & Jerry’s style non-dairy ice creams under its Vemondo label in the UK, which are available in Cookie Dough, Choco Fudge Brownie and Peanut Butter Cookie flavours.

    And French vegan cheesemaker Jay&Joy has launched its dairy-free camembert, dubbed Albert, at online stores and independent retailers in the UK, priced at £5.80 per 100g wheel.

    Company and finance updates

    Ahimsa Companies, the holding company that has bought several plant-based businesses over the past year, is investing $12M into a contract manufacturing plant in Ohio to supply major partners in early 2026.

    ahimsa companies
    Ahimsa Companies acquired plant-based frozen food maker Blackbird Foods in February | Courtesy: Blackbird Foods

    US cultivated seafood firm Atlantic Fish Co has received a $305,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Science Foundation to scale up its cultured black sea bass.

    Wild Earth co-founder Ryan Bethencourt has exited the vegan dog food startup after eight years as CEO, following its bankruptcy and subsequent acquisition by InvenTel.

    wild earth bankruptcy
    Courtesy: Wild Earth

    Germany’s Veganz Group is also seeing a change at the top, with co-founder Jan Bredack stepping down as CEO, following three years of declining sales and a recent restructuring of its operations. He will be replaced with financial expert Rayan Tegtmeier.

    Canadian vegan fast-food chain Odd Burger has opened a new location in Edmonton and appointed co-founder Vasiliki McInnes as its new CFO.

    bezos centre for sustainable protein nus
    Courtesy: National University of Singapore

    Bezos Earth Fund‘s Centre for Sustainable Protein at the National University of Singapore and Enterprise Singapore have launched a Sustainable Protein Startup Competition to identify future-friendly protein solutions, backed by a $3M grant over five years from the fund.

    Research, policy and events

    In Japan, the Consumer Affairs Agency’s Food Sanitation Standards Council Subcommittee on Newly Developed Foods is advancing discussions on the safety management of cultivated proteins, with an interim draft of the guidelines expected this summer.

    lab grown eel
    Courtesy: Anatoly Michaello

    In the quest to make cultivated beef feel much closer to its conventional counterpart, researchers from ETH Zurich have developed 3D muscle tissue composed of thick, contracting fibres from myoblasts.

    Demonstrating the power of choice architecture, a three-month pilot by Greener by Default, Friends of the Earth and Sodexo saw the sale of 2,000 extra plant-based mains in a corporate cafeteria, simply by swapping one entree at the most popular station and ensuring it featured familiar flavours and an appealing description.

    tim spector plant based diet
    Courtesy: Zoe

    As the UK food industry rallies around the 30-plants-a-week approach, a new study by King’s College London has found that Brits don’t eat enough plants – the median is eight plants a day, but some eat as few as two.

    Informa Markets‘s food industry event, Fi India, will host producers of plant proteins, soy products, functional ingredients, and more in Greater Noida (September 3-5).

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: Beanless Coffee, Watermelon Seed Milk & Bezos Earth Fund appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Beyond & Oatly Among Plant-Based Exhibitors at Inaugural Anuga Alternatives Show

    anuga alternatives
    3 Mins Read

    Anuga, one of the world’s largest food and drink trade shows, is launching an event exclusively for alternative proteins. It’s already lured nearly 100 exhibitors, including industry giants Beyond and Oatly.

    Two months ahead of its first trade show dedicated to alternative proteins, Anuga is attracting strong interest from companies across the world.

    Anuga Alternatives, first announced last summer, will take place in Cologne from October 4-8, and aims to support the more than 1,400 companies working with plant-based, fermentation-derived and cell-cultivated proteins globally.

    The inaugural event ties in with Anuga’s top theme, Sustainable Growth, focusing on ensuring the global supply of protein in a health-forward and technologically feasible manner. So far, 90 exhibitors from across the world have confirmed their participation, including from the Netherlands, Denmark, Slovenia, Turkey and Luxembourg.

    Who will exhibit at Anuga Alternatives?

    anuga vegan
    Courtesy: Anuga

    Two of the headline exhibitors are also among the only publicly traded plant-based alternative companies. Fresh off a rebrand that scraps ‘Meat’ from its name to spotlight traditional plant proteins, Beyond will descend onto the floor of exhibitors at Anuga Alternatives.

    Fellow industry giant Oatly, meanwhile, has promised to debut a product the show describes as a “special highlight”.

    Local tofu makers will showcase their innovations at the show aswell, led by The New Originals Company (behind the Omami brand of tofu) and Tofutown (now owned by the UK’s Vegan Food Group).

    Meanwhile, Pacifico Biolabs will present Viando Chicken, a mycelium-based alternative that the company claims offers the same sensory, nutritional and functional attributes as conventional chicken. Another meat analogue comes from SunflowerFamily, which will introduce a sunflower protein mince.

    Danish seaweed specialist Jens Møller Products will present its algae-based vegan caviar under the Cavi-Art label, and plant-based shrimps called Zhrimps.

    In addition to meat and seafood alternatives, attendees at Anuga Alternatives will be able to try Neggst Foods’s plant-based egg patty, which is made from fava bean and pea protein.

    Anuga bets on ‘firmly established’ alternative protein market

    anuga plant based
    Courtesy: Anuga

    The premiere of Anuga Alternatives comes a year after Anuga added an alternative protein category to its main show. This year, over 1,300 exhibitors are presenting plant-based product solutions across the 10 trade events it hosts, which it said was a “clear indication” of how this sector is well-entrenched in the food industry.

    “Alternative proteins are certainly no longer a future theme – they are firmly established on the market. Numerous market analyses confirm this development,” Anuga said in a press release.

    It cited research by Innova Market Insights, which points to a 10% annual growth in the number of new microbial protein products. Yeast-derived proteins are experiencing a particularly dynamic rise (+60%), as are animal-free whey proteins (+24%), which are increasingly being incorporated into dairy and bakery goods.

    Algae-based product launches are also up by 17%, with kelp and red algae standing out. In fact, algae joins cultivated proteins, nuts, oats and soy in the list of proteins garnering increased global interest from consumers.

    Anuga Alternatives will be complemented by a specialised programme on the show’s Horizon Stage, which bundles future themes of the food industry in keynotes, panels and interactive formats. It will demonstrate how food, technology and sustainability can be rethought, and examine the current developments in the areas of research and technology of alternative proteins.

    “The market for alternative proteins is not only being pushed by the demand of the consumers, but equally by trailblazing, technological innovations. The progress made in processing plant-based sources of protein and finding new sources of protein [is]an of central importance here,” Anuga director Jan Philipp Hartmann said after the show’s announcement last year.

    It isn’t the only food and beverage event spotlighting alternative proteins this year. Informa Markets’ trade show, Fi India, will host producers of plant proteins, soy products, functional ingredients, and more in Greater Noida next month.

    The post Beyond & Oatly Among Plant-Based Exhibitors at Inaugural Anuga Alternatives Show appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Better Nature Raises $1.5M to Fight Chicken with Tempeh After ‘Best-Ever’ Quarter

    better nature funding
    5 Mins Read

    As it aims to displace chicken, UK tempeh brand Better Nature has secured £1.1M ($1.5M) on the back of its best quarter to date.

    In the era of whole-food plant-based eating and fibremaxxing with 30 plants a week, British tempeh maker Better Nature is making some major strides.

    After recording a 128% increase in sales in Q2, its best quarter since its 2020 market debut, the startup has raised £1.1M ($1.5M) to supercharge its mission of displacing the UK’s $4.3B chicken market.

    The capital came primarily from angel investors, 70% of whom were existing shareholders. It will enable the firm to accelerate its sales and marketing initiatives, double down on innovation, and widen the appeal of its tempeh products as high-protein, gut-friendly options.

    “We’re now the UK’s number one tempeh brand by volume, with 38.1% market share, leading the category’s impressive 41% growth,” said co-CEO Elin Roberts, who co-founded the startup with Fabio Rinaldo, Elin Roberts, Chris Kong and Driando Ahnan-Winarno in 2018.

    “Our latest fundraising round is a brilliant boost for the business at a point when the tempeh category is rapidly gaining momentum, and we are seeing strong brand growth,” she added.

    The funding amount is relatively small, but is reflective of the current investment landscape for alternative proteins. Year-on-year investment in the sector fell by 49% in the first half of 2025. And when excluding Beyond‘s $100M debt financing deal, plant-based companies only received $27M in Q2, half of the total in the previous quarter.

    Better Nature to launch tempeh in two more markets

    better nature tempeh
    Courtesy: Better Nature

    Tempeh, an ancient fermented soybean product native to Indonesia, has been making its way into Western palates recently. Better Nature’s portfolio comprises five SKUs, including a smoky tempeh block and BBQ-marinated pieces, which are listed nationally at various retailers in the UK, and in over 1,300 stores in Germany.

    The company is banking on the anti-UPF sentiments surrounding plant-based meat alternatives, which have hurt sales and stalled the industry’s momentum, positioning its tempeh as a clean-label protein that outperforms chicken.

    “People are less focused on vegan food vs non-vegan food. Instead, they’re looking for food that’s good for them, the planet and animals vs food that’s not,” Roberts told Green Queen in January. “We don’t want to perfectly replicate chicken. That would be impossible to do without the ingredients and processes that consumers are turning away from.”

    She added: “However, we know two things. First, chicken is the most widely eaten meat in the UK and second most widely eaten in the world. Second, tempeh – through its plain flavour, firm texture, absorption of flavours and high protein content – is an excellent swap for chicken in almost any dish, also offering consumers extra fibre, gut health benefits and plant points (as well as a shelf life that’s seven times longer). That’s why we call it supercharged protein, and chicken so-so protein.”

    It’s this approach that made Better Nature the second fastest-growing meat-free brand in the UK last year, with sales expanding by 457% (albeit from a small base). This year, it revamped its recipe to increase the protein content from 19g per 100g serving to 22g, the equivalent of three eggs or two-thirds of a chicken breast.

    Its original tempeh is now the best-selling tempeh SKU in Tesco, while it is the sole tempeh brand in Asda, with full estate distribution, Roberts noted.

    “Internationally, we’re also making waves – in Germany, our revenues skyrocketed [by] 330% year-on-year in Q2 2025, making us the leading tempeh brand in the market,” she added. “We’ve expanded into Austria, and we’re gearing up for launches in two more international markets later this year.”

    ‘Perfectly poised’ to capture UK health trends

    better nature revenue
    Courtesy: Better Nature

    It has been a curious time for plant-based brands in the UK. Sales of meat analogues fell by nearly 10% in 2024, while household penetration dropped by four percentage points (reaching 31.5%).

    But the volume of tofu sold was 10% higher in January 2025 than 12 months prior, possibly due to its affordability and tempeh and seitan also enjoyed an 85% hike. In the ensuing months, products like Oh So Wholesome’s Veg’chop and This’s Super Superfood have rolled out in a bid to rival both meat analogues and tofu.

    Research shows that a third of Brits want to cut back on meat and dairy, as dissatisfactions with cost, health and taste take hold. On the flip side, 38% want to increase their intake of plant-based foods, and one in six consumers have tried tofu, tempeh or seitan in the previous 12 months.

    The country is being urged to make beans more appealing to consumers, and brands like Bold Bean Co have enjoyed a 306% year-over-year growth. Tofu maker The Tofoo Co, meanwhile, enjoyed its best year yet, with sales up by nearly 20% in 2024. The shift is driven by the ‘plant points‘ movement, which encourages people to eat 30 different plants every week for better gut health.

    “As a brand, we’re perfectly poised to capture the huge trends in health right now: high-protein, gut-friendly, natural, fibre-rich and plant-based,” said Roberts, who was named on Forbes‘s 30 Under 30 this year alongside co-CEO Kong. “With the new funding, we will continue to drive mainstream brand growth, going beyond the plant-based aisle to tap into the growing market for natural, gut-friendly proteins.”

    In May, Better Nature appointed former Dr Oetker and Bel Group account manager Helen Atkinson as its new head of sales. And now, it’s launching its largest marketing campaign to date. The aim is to challenge “the mindless consumption of chicken” to help health-conscious consumers swap poultry for tempeh.

    “With our Indonesian roots and our expertise in tempeh at the heart of the brand through my brilliant co-founder Ando, we are the go-to experts on tempeh and perfectly placed to get the world eating what we believe to be the healthiest protein on the planet,” said Roberts.

    The post Better Nature Raises $1.5M to Fight Chicken with Tempeh After ‘Best-Ever’ Quarter appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Wolt Market Denmark Adopts ‘Protein Tracker’ to Promote Plant-Based Eating

    4 Mins Read

    Wolt Market Denmark has become the first supermarket outside the Netherlands to adopt the Protein Tracker, a tool aimed at increasing sales of plant-based food.

    As Denmark aims to lead the EU’s protein transition during its presidency, its retail sector is following suit.

    Wolt Market Denmark, a local subsidiary of the Finnish e-grocer, has adopted the Protein Tracker, a sustainability tool that helps companies measure sales to achieve a better balance between plant- and animal-based foods.

    It is the first supermarket to begin using this approach outside the Netherlands, where all major supermarkets publicly report the proportion of plant-based proteins sold.

    “We see the Protein Tracker as a necessary tool to ensure that our company sells more plant-based food, thereby helping to drive the transition towards a healthier and more sustainable diet,” said Martin Rouchmann, category manager at Wolt Market Denmark.

    Wolt Market Denmark looks to set concrete ‘protein split’ targets

    wolt protein tracker
    Courtesy: Wolt

    The Protein Tracker was developed by the Green Protein Alliance and ProVeg Nederland, with the help of think tank the Questionmark Foundation, climate non-profit Natuur&Milieu, and Dutch supermarkets.

    The initiative was born out of the Dutch government’s ambition to bring protein intake back in balance, split equally between plant and animal sources, as was the case in the 1950s. Now, 85% of retailers in the country are using the tool to drive up sales of plant-based food towards a 60% share by 2030.

    Companies can calculate their sales using the Protein Tracker’s methodology, which are then validated by the experts at the Green Protein Alliance and ProVeg Nederland. After this process, they can make the results public and repeat the assessment annually to provide transparency on their progress.

    “It is a fantastic tool to set targets and make real progress in moving closer towards the recommendations of the Eat Lancet Commission’s Planetary Health Diet,” noted ProVeg International CEO Jasmijn de Boo.

    Several Dutch retailers have reduced their offerings of animal products after adopting the tool, with the largest cutbacks occurring at Jumbo (-42%), Spar (-26%), and Hoogvliet (-23%). Wolt Market Denmark would hope to replicate these actions to lower its emissions and drive healthier diets.

    “Our engagement with the Protein Tracker has offered critical insights, affirming that we are progressing toward a more plant-based sales mix,” said Rouchmann.

    He added: “Nevertheless, it also underscores that substantial efforts remain necessary. We are now positioned to establish concrete targets and systematically monitor our progress on an ongoing basis.”

    Retailers go green as Denmark leads protein transition

    wolt market denmak
    Courtesy: Wolt

    Wolt’s move to track its protein sales was encouraged by the Vegetarian Society of Denmark, which invited Green Protein Alliance’s Anke van’t Klooster to share the tool with the Danish retail industry. “By using the Protein Tracker, Wolt Denmark is showing that they are taking the shift towards a more plant-based diet seriously and are setting an example for other Danish supermarkets,” she said.

    The move comes during Denmark’s presidency of the European Council. It has laid out a plan to futureproof the region’s food system by focusing on an EU action plan for plant-based foods and a common protein strategy.

    “European protein supply is vital for the development of plant-based foods, raw materials for the livestock sector, and the diversification of supply sources. It is also an important element in the transition towards a more sustainable food system,” reads Denmark’s programme for the presidency.

    The presidency will host a conference on plant-based foods in September, as well as a Plant Food Summit for “policy inspiration” a month later. In addition, it will address the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy, 82% of whose subsidies go towards livestock farming.

    These plans are in line with the Danish government’s recent policies. It promoted meat reduction in favour of plants in its updated dietary guidelines and established a $96M fund to advance the plant-based sector back in 2021, and later became the first country to create a national plan for plant-based foods. These were followed by the landmark Green Deal in 2024, which resulted in the world’s first carbon tax on meat and dairy farming and another $60M funnelled into the plant-based fund until 2030.

    Meanwhile, European retailers are ramping up their sustainability initiatives. German retailers Lidl and Rewe Group have both set protein split goals, while in the UK, an alliance of over 200 organisations have urged the government and retailers to take a joint initiative to make reporting of healthy food sales mandatory to include protein sales disclosure too.

    And in the Netherlands, Albert Heijn has become the world’s first supermarket to publicly disclose its methane emissions, heeding long-winded calls from sustainability experts.

    The post Wolt Market Denmark Adopts ‘Protein Tracker’ to Promote Plant-Based Eating appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Clever Carnivore Gives California A Taste of Its Cultivated Pork

    lab grown meat taste test
    4 Mins Read

    US cultivated pork startup Clever Carnivore has hosted its first tasting events on the West Coast, ahead of a planned launch in 2026.

    Chicago-based Clever Carnivore is continuing to gear up for the launch of its cultivated pork products in the US.

    The company hosted private tastings in Palo Alto and San Francisco on July 29, its first such events on the West Coast, convening investors, chefs, and food industry operators.

    “Everyone was impressed by the delicious product, but even more so by our low production costs and scalable, modular process,” Clever Carnivore claimed in a LinkedIn post.

    Clever Carnivore’s prototype bratwurst contains 10% pork cells

    lab grown pork
    Courtesy: Clever Carnivore

    At the events, attendees got a taste of the startup’s cultivated bratwursts, which contained 10% pork cells. This form of hybrid meat, which combines cultured and plant-based ingredients, is a common fixture in the industry, as it allows companies to keep costs low and supplies stable at current scales.

    “Our prototype products incorporate a plant-based fat,” co-founder and CEO Virginia Rangos told Green Queen in June. “Our cultivated pork delivers the ‘meaty’ flavour, allowing us to use plant-based fats and reap the nutritional benefits of plant-based vs animal fats.”

    Despite the low inclusion rate, the sausages seemed to prove a hit with taste-testers. “As someone from Germany who hasn’t eaten a traditional [bratwurst] in years, I was shocked,” said Anita Broellochs, founder of fermented plant protein powder maker Balletic Foods. “It honestly was one of the best bratwursts I’ve ever had.”

    The cultivated pork product also left Irfan Tahir, a scientist at light-derived novel protein maker Prolific Machines, impressed. “I may have gone back for seconds (okay, I definitely did),” he remarked.

    Tasting events are crucial for cultivated meat startups, allowing them to gain first-hand consumer insights about their products and finetune them before market launch. Clever Carnivore’s West Coast events follow two tastings in June (including one in Chicago), where it served over 50 bratwursts.

    “We’ve spoken to conventional meat advocates who candidly told us they ‘wanted to hate’ our product,” Ramos said. “But when presented with a product that cooks and tastes just like the sausage they’ve always loved, they quickly became intrigued.”

    Aside from taste, she noted that people have appreciated its value proposition: the cultivated pork is free from steroids, antibiotics or GMOs; has a secure food supply chain with domestic production; and offers expanded options that will keep products on shelves amid shortages and price inflation for conventional meat.

    Clever Carnivore targets 2026 launch with industry-leading media costs

    clever carnivore
    Courtesy: Clever Carnivore

    Rangos was speaking to Green Queen to discuss Clever Carnivore’s latest cost breakthroughs, in its effort to match the price of conventional pork.

    The company has brought the cost of its culture media down to an industry-leading $0.07 per litre at pilot scale, sped up the doubling times of its porcine cells to 14 hours, and designed inexpensive bioreactors that could enable its demo facility to reach profitability in its first full year of production.

    “Our expertise in media optimisation allows us to replace expensive components like bovine serum albumin and fetal bovine serum with carefully chosen alternatives, [and] ensure that we’re using only the absolutely essential components, maximising growth and minimising cost and waste,” Rangos explained.

    Clever Carnivore is now raising a $7M extension to its seed round from 2023 (which also closed at $7M) to develop new products and secure regulatory approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). So far, Upside Foods, Good Meat, Mission Barns, Wildtype, and Believer Meats have received a ‘no questions’ letter from the agency.

    “In reviewing their published dossiers, we paid close attention to which data the FDA ultimately asked them to provide, and we’re providing as much information as possible in our initial submission,” Rangos explains. “We project [our] cultivated meat could be available on the market as early as summer 2026.”

    Asked how the company plans to launch its innovations, she added: “We’re very interested in partnering with existing conventional meat and restaurant chain brands. We know we’re asking consumers to try something new, and we think presenting Clever Carnivore’s cultivated meat for the first time under a label consumers recognise and trust will go a long way toward getting consumers to try the product.”

    The company’s tastings come at an exciting time for cultivated meat in the US. Wildtype’s cultured salmon is rolling out at restaurants across the US, including in Oregon, California and Washington state. Mission Barns, meanwhile, has earned its USDA approval and will debut its cultivated pork products at Fiorella Sunset in San Francisco, alongside a retail launch at Sprouts Farmers Market.

    The post Clever Carnivore Gives California A Taste of Its Cultivated Pork appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Weeks After FDA Approval, Wildtype Expands Cultivated Salmon Across US

    wildtype salmon
    5 Mins Read

    Californian food tech startup Wildtype is taking its cultivated salmon to restaurants across the US, showcasing its potential with award-winning chefs.

    More and more Americans can now get their hands on cultivated seafood, thanks to San Francisco firm Wildtype’s expansion drive.

    The company’s cell-cultured coho salmon, which received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in late May, is now available in four restaurants, with another soon to be announced.

    The product is available at eateries in Oregon, California, Washington, and Texas – in the latter, it’s a limited-time offering, given the incoming ban on cultivated proteins next month. With these rollouts, Wildtype is aiming to enhance consumer acceptance by letting award-winning chefs get the best out of its innovation.

    kann wildtype salmon
    Courtesy: Kann

    How America’s chefs are serving Wildtype salmon

    The first restaurant to feature the Wildtype salmon was Kann in Portland, Oregon, where it’s paired in a summery dish with pickled strawberry, spiced tomato, strawberry juice, and an epis rice cracker.

    “We take pride in the ingredients we utilise,” said chef-owner Gregory Gourdet. “Introducing Wildtype’s cultivated salmon to our menu hits the elevated and sustainable marks we want our menu to offer guests who share a similar value system to ours.”

    The sushi-grade cultivated salmon then made its debut at Otoko, led by Yoshi Okai. The Austin eatery is known for a multi-course omakase experience that blends Tokyo-style sushi and Kyoto-style kaiseki, with tasting menus costing between $150 and $250.

    “Farm-raised salmon creates so much pollution, so it’s not sustainable. You want to enjoy seafood long-term, so Wildtype’s good because you don’t have to kill the fish anymore,” said Okai. “It’s something new. It’s awesome.”

    wildtype salmon where to buy
    Courtesy: Wildtype

    Now, Wildtype is returning to its home state of California through a partnership with Adam Tortosa’s San Francisco outpost, Robin. Also an omakase restaurant, its tasting menus range from $119 to $219, with Wildtype landing on the menu on August 14.

    “The way I would describe Wildtype’s taste is the same as regular salmon. If it didn’t taste like salmon, we wouldn’t consider it,” Tortosa said. “I’m more excited about what it means for the future of the seafood industry. It means that there is a future.”

    A week after landing at Robin, Wildtype’s salmon will make its way into Seattle, where it will be on the menu of James Beard-nominated oyster bar The Walrus and the Carpenter. Chef Renee Erickson will serve it as part of a tostada, with the salmon tossed with lime juice and paired with cucumber, pickled carrot, olive oil and herbs.

    “The Wildtype salmon saku that we serve raw has pure salmon flavour – it’s amazing. It also has a really dense, nice quality, and I think the fattiness and the deliciousness you’re used to in wild salmon, you get as well in this,” Erickson noted. “It is mind-blowing that it actually is salmon, just not in the sense of what I’ve been used to my entire life.”

    wildtype salmon fda
    Courtesy: Wildtype

    More cultivated meat expected on restaurant menus

    Backed by the likes of Robert Downey Jr, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos, Wildtype obtains living cells from Pacific salmon, which are adapted to suspension culture. They are grown in tanks similar to those used to make beer or kombucha, under temperature and pH conditions that wild fish thrive in, alongside a nutrient mix containing proteins, sugar, fat, salt, and minerals like iron and zinc.

    The cells are harvested using bowl centrifugation, washed three times with a water and sugar solution, rapidly cooled using blast chillers, and stored frozen. They’re mixed with certain plant-based ingredients to replicate the structure and texture of conventional salmon.

    The spate of rollouts follows the FDA’s issuance of a ‘no questions’ letter to Wildtype, which confirmed that the cultivated salmon is “as safe as comparable foods produced by other methods”. Founders Aryé Elfenbein and Justin Kolbeck told Green Queen that the startup plans to debut in retail too, following the foodservice launches. It isn’t the only cultivated protein to land restaurant deals in the US this year.

    Mission Barns, which received the FDA green light in March and US Department of Agriculture approval last month (Wildtype’s salmon does not fall under the latter’s oversight), will soon debut its cultivated pork at Fiorella Sunset in San Francisco this quarter. Its meatballs will also be available at Sprouts Farmers Market.

    lab grown meat approved
    Courtesy: Mission Barns

    These developments come in what is turning out to be a milestone year for cultivated meat in the US. In July, Israel’s Believer Meats joined the list of startups with FDA authorisation for its cultivated chicken.

    These three regulatory wins two years after Upside Foods and Good Meat’s cultivated chicken products made their way at restaurants in the US, including at Dominique Crenn’s Michelin-starred Bar Crenn in San Francisco and José Andrés’s China Chilcano in Washington, DC. Upside Foods is now aiming to secure approval for cultivated chicken shreds and bring them to US eateries by the end of the year.

    Meanwhile, last week, Clever Carnivore hosted a public tasting of its cultivated bratwurst in Palo Alto and San Francisco, ahead of a planned launch in 2026.

    And outside the US, Vow’s cultured quail has been available at restaurants in Singapore since April 2024, and in Australia since June.

    The post Weeks After FDA Approval, Wildtype Expands Cultivated Salmon Across US appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • In Rare Break from Plant-Based Attacks, France Pumps €12M Towards ‘Protein Sovereignty’

    4 Mins Read

    The French government has invested in 10 projects to expand domestic plant protein production, in direct contrast with its efforts to ban plant-based meat labels and soy products in schools.

    Are plant proteins finally getting a break in France?

    The country’s agriculture and food sovereignty ministry has announced 10 winners of its Territorial Legume Sector Projects, pumping in €11.7M for efforts to ramp up local plant protein production.

    The call was first launched in June 2024, as part of the ministry’s National Strategy for Plant Proteins, which aims to reduce reliance on imported plant proteins and develop a range of local products.

    The ‘protein sovereignty’ initiative is backed by the funds for sovereignty and ecological planning transitions, and supports projects committed to the development of domestic plant proteins. The winners, the ministry said, can benefit from dedicated support, particularly for downstream investments and funding needed for the production of prototypes and project engineering.

    Which projects won France’s plant protein grants?

    soy isoflavones
    Courtesy: Ika Rahma

    Two of the winning projects are directly aiming to produce food for human consumption. The DSLFB project, led by Berry Graines, aims to boost the added-value legume sector, particularly through investments in packaging tools and strengthening traceability and quality. Texipro, meanwhile, is leading an eponymous effort to create an industrial unit for the primary processing of textured vegetable proteins using crops like soybeans.

    The Innov’Légumineuses project, led by Bioalva, highlights an innovative process for fermenting locally produced seaweed and legumes, enabling scale-up to an agrifood unit.

    Vivescia, a cooperative group of over 10,000 farmers, is spearheading the AGIL project, aimed at developing seed sorting and packaging, while Axereal’s CultivUp project aims to boost a processing tool offering new outlets for legume crops like peas and broad beans.

    The ColeGra’m initiative looks to create a profitable local sector for the production and marketing of legumes, and is led directly by stakeholders in the upstream agriculture sector.

    Another project, titled Finovaleg, aims to enhance seed sorting capacity and fund R&D activities for the industry, and Déshyouest (led by the cooperative of the same name) is focused on improving the group’s “carbon-free alfalfa dehydration tool”.

    Then there’s the TP2030 project, which looks to increase post-harvest processing and storage capacities to help French lentils regain market share. And the Leg4All project, led by Terres Univia, will promote best practices to increase the uptake of legumes in menus.

    “Currently, more than one million hectares are planted with plant-protein-rich crops. One of the ministry’s objectives is to reach 10% of France’s usable agricultural area by 2030,” said Annie Genevard, the agriculture and food sovereignty minister. “These projects will accelerate our progress in food sovereignty and also contribute to meeting our environmental transition challenges.”

    Investment contrasts with France’s continued attacks on plant-based food

    france plant based meat
    Courtesy: Vanessa Loring/Pexels/Green Queen

    France’s legume focus is in stark contrast with its moves to inhibit the alternative proteins sector over the last few years. It has long been a proponent of a ban on the use of meaty terms on plant-based product packaging.

    It has tried to impose a labelling ban twice since 2023, with the most recent attempt being rejected by both the national Conseil d’État and the European Court of Justice. But earlier this month, French MEP Celina Imart kickstarted another such attempt at the EU level, proposing a ban to the European Parliament, which will vote on the measure after the summer.

    That was followed swiftly by a similar proposal from the EU Commission last week, days after Genevard targeted the term ‘veggie steak’ in a debate on proteins at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council.

    And despite the investment in domestic plant proteins, France’s food safety agency has recommended a ban on soy-based products in mass catering environments like schools, corporate cafeterias, and daycare facilities. The move was based on its assessment of health risks linked to the consumption of foods rich in isoflavones, which have long been debunked by scientists.

    Consumer perception runs contrary to these anti-alternative-protein measures. In France, sales of plant-based food grew by 9% in 2024 to reach €537M, making it the third-largest market for these products in Europe. Chilled meat alternatives recorded a 15.5% growth. At the same time, research suggests that meat intake has fallen over the last two decades.

    That said, the ‘protein sovereignty’ project aligns with the 35% of French residents who rate legumes and pulses among the richest sources of protein, and the two-thirds who eat foods like beans, grains, lentils and wheat weekly. For a third of these consumers, nutritional benefits are the major driver behind the increase in intake – these 10 projects will hope to build on that.

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