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Category: Alt Protein

  • Umami Meats Patents Novel Single-Cell Tech to Bring Down Cultivated Seafood Costs

    fish
    3 Mins Read

    Singapore-based Umami Meats has filed a patent for a novel single-stem cell technology that it says can build both muscle and fat in cultivated seafood.

    The new patent for mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) lines from fish is aimed at helping Umami meats make its cultivated seafood more accessible by lowering costs and scaling production. Current standards for cultivated meat and seafood require multiple cell lines and types to produce muscle and fat. Umami says its new MSC technology reduces that to one cell line and one production line for a variety of tissues. The company has also created plant-based and algae-based growth media that it says are cheaper and easier to scale. The cost of growth factors has historically been a roadblock to price parity with conventional meat.

    ‘Faster and more efficient cell growth’

    “So far, we have established MSC lines from three species, including our flagship species, Japanese eel. This innovative approach to cell lines builds the foundation for faster and more efficient cell growth. Our technology advances are a critical driver of lowering costs, increasing scalability, and making cultivated seafood affordable for mainstream consumers,” Mihir Pershad, Founder and CEO of Umami Meats, said in a statement.

    According to the organization WorldFish, global seafood demand is expected to double by 2050 despite the pressures already being felt by the world’s oceans and fisheries. Umami Meats says its cultivated fish and seafood play a critical role in addressing rising global demand.

    Photo by Caroline Attwood at Unsplash.

    “What makes Umami Meats different in the cultivated food industry is our method for cultivating premium seafood with the vision of reducing overfishing of endangered and difficult-to-farm species,” Pershad said. “Our single-stem cell method will be a game changer in enabling us to reduce the price of cultivated premium seafood to match that of traditionally-sourced fish.”

    Umami Meats says cultivated seafood can also address contamination risks widespread in wild-caught and farm-raised fish. “Advancements in cultivated seafood technologies could help address health risks like mercury and microplastic contamination in seafood or the growing risk of extinction for dozens of the most consumed seafood species,” the company said.

    Alternative seafood demand

    A recent survey by Good Food Institute APAC found a growing number of Asian consumers are shifting away from conventional seafood in favor of alternatives because of contaminants including heavy metals and microplastic. Plant-based seafood options are already making waves in the category, and while cultivated meat offers a solution, the category has yet to receive widespread regulatory approval outside of Singapore. By 2030, cultivated meat and seafood have the potential of becoming a $25 billion market, a recent McKinsey report noted.

    Cultivated seafood also addresses the increasing depletion of key species. Some species of eel and tuna, for example, are facing the threat of extinction if current fishing practices and ocean threats continue.

    fish
    Courtesy Martin Widenka via Unsplash

    “We know it will take multiple scientific and production process breakthroughs to make cultivated seafood affordable. But we are committed for the long term because we want premium cultivated seafood to be an everyday option for consumers,” Pershad said.

    ‘’The team is working diligently to shift the cost paradigm and will be increasingly leveraging advanced machine learning tools to accelerate the process of optimizing and scaling up production,’’ Pershad said. “The promise of cultivated seafood is compelling; our priority is bringing the tremendous potential of our scientific breakthroughs to commercial viability. We want to realize that promise and bring it to sufficient scale to create real impact for the world.”

    The announcement comes just days after California-based BlueNalu announced it developed technology to help it achieve scalability and reduce production costs by 75 percent for its cultivated seafood.

    Lead image courtesy of Pexels.

    The post Umami Meats Patents Novel Single-Cell Tech to Bring Down Cultivated Seafood Costs appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • ‘It’s Scary For Businesses To Take Risks’: Britty Mann of Planted Society on Vegan Menu Activism

    10 Mins Read

    This November, the City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability is launching a month-long plant-based restaurant campaign and it’s all thanks to Britty Mann. Green Queen‘s Sonalie Figueiras talks to the Austin, Texas-based food educator and community activist about her mission to empower local chefs and restaurants to decarbonize their menus.

    Britty Mann was tired of the lack of vegan options in her home city so she created a platform for change. Just a few short years later, Planted Society has helped add hundreds of plant-based dishes items on restaurant menus, inspired restaurants to become fully vegan, and is about to debut a sponsored partnership with the City of Austin during the month of November dubbed ‘Plant Based for the Planet Challenge’, which will see local restaurants promote a variety of activations from free coffees with plant-based meals to eliminating plant-based milk surcharges and chefs creating special daily meat-free dishes.

    Below, I talk to Britty about how her mission has evolved, what has surprised her most about her journey, whether restaurant menus are inclusive enough, and whether the future is vegan.

    Brunch Bar x Planted Society

    What was the mission of Planted Society when you started versus what the mission is now?

    Britty Mann: I was running my local nonprofit ATX Vegans back in 2016 when I started a project pressuring non-vegan restaurants to serve more vegan food in my home of Austin, Texas. We were genuinely just interested in branching out from our regular spaces since the crowds at our events were getting bigger and it felt risky to invite folks out knowing we might fill the space before everyone could arrive. As much as I like to support fully vegan restaurants, omnivore restaurants around town had bigger seating areas and outdoor spaces, though many lacked good vegan options. I figured a “Vegan Night” was the least they could do if we were guaranteeing that 60-70 people would come out to dine, and we continued calling them “Vegan Nights” before I branched it out to become Planted Society.

    Back then, our only mission was to make Austin restaurants a little more vegan-friendly, but I quickly recognized that I could utilize our existing work to help local businesses navigate customer demand for more plant-based options. It can be scary for restaurants to implement even the simplest menu change since common mistakes can lead to high costs and low returns for businesses already working with razor-thin margins.

    Since inception, we’ve been able to help add just under 300 plant-based menu items at restaurants in Austin, Houston, Boston, and Chicago, including permanently converting 5 restaurants to 100% plant-based. Since we have outgrown our original home base, we decided this year to officially register Planted Society as a nonprofit and are preparing for a big year ahead, including seeking funding and grants to support our current work and grow our programming. Our projects currently include a partnership with the AVA Summit and the Plant Based for the Planet initiative, which is our largest to date. We have plans for initiatives with local school districts, hospitals, grocery chains, and more that we cannot wait to announce in the coming weeks and months.

    What has surprised you most about your journey with Planted?

    Britty Mann: What never fails to surprise me is the willingness and enthusiasm I receive from chefs, managers, and owners about the possibility of going completely vegan for a night or adding menu options. I begin every new relationship assuming I’m going to spend a lot of my time convincing, arguing, and pleading for folks to work with our programming – but with nearly every partnership, I’m met with the same sentiment: Managers and owners saying ‘I have been thinking that this might be a good idea and I just haven’t had the time to really sit down and think about how to do it. Or chefs saying ‘I love coming up with new things and this gives me a fun challenge.’

    Like many veteran vegans, I can’t help but pinch myself when I see businesses that want to cater to our needs or have perhaps already been trying to do so. Sometimes it just helps to have someone like Planted Society come in and make sure it gets done the right way.

    Black Star Co-Op x Planted Society

    Do you believe there is a future where everyone is vegan?

    Britty Mann: There was a time when I was certain a vegan future was possible as long as we never stopped fighting for it, even if I wasn’t lucky enough to be around by then. Though I’m still hopeful for that future, the goalpost for me is a lot simpler: I just want to make sure that veganism is as easy as possible for everyone who wants it. And the more work I do in this space, the more I see how necessary it is for activists, entrepreneurs, and policy-makers to remove barriers to veganism in any way that they can. My mission now is really just to make it as appealing as possible for everyone to make choices that benefit the planet and everyone on it. I think I’d be happy enough with that future.

    Britty Mann, founder of Planted Society

    Why is it so hard for restaurants to add vegan menu items? What type of feedback/pushback do you get most often?

    Britty Mann: The truth is that it’s usually not very hard for restaurants to add vegan menu items, it’s really just scary for businesses to take risks.

    Entrepreneurs and chefs express the same fears that we hear from friends and family: it’s too expensive, I don’t have time, it’s not going to stick, I’ll lose the respect of people I like and if it’s not ‘broke, why fix it? For businesses, this translates to fears about heightened food and labor costs paired with the prospect of losing existing customers and not gaining enough new customers to make up for those expected walk-outs.

    Chefs and owners are even more risk-averse after surviving a pandemic where restaurants were hit particularly hard, and considering that the industry as a whole is experiencing very real staffing difficulties post-quarantine, it’s no surprise that many are seeking a distraction-free path back to safety.

    Luckily, as soon as we come in, most of those arguments are out the window. It’s our job to show them that working with Planted Society is not a charitable favor (though we are a charity!) or a distraction, but can actually be part of a supply-chain-centered business strategy that can help lower their food costs, empower their kitchen staff, attract new customers and gain the respect of the community.

    What has been the reaction of consumers at the participating F&B outlets? Has this driven sales? Or have the menu items attracted flexitarians who would have otherwise eaten animal foods?

    Britty Mann: Though we like to say our target audience is anyone who likes plant-based food, the overwhelming majority of RSVP’s may come from members of the vegan community, though self-described omnivores and flexitarians are eating these dishes just as much if not more often than vegans. As we tell our restaurant partners, vegans are often the ones who get to choose where the group eats.

    Pre-pandemic, our activations ended in massive sales gains for our restaurant partners: anywhere from 35% sales increases to triple what they would normally see in a given period. Post-pandemic, we’re still trying to find an average expectation to share with partners that doesn’t artificially inflate the value of our program in these times. We can definitely still boast that partners should expect at least a 10-15% increase in sales during our activations, and we see that the longer we stay out of quarantine, the more that number is rising.

    Food is political in many ways. Do you see veganism as a political movement?

    Britty Mann: Though food is inherently political, I don’t see veganism itself as a political movement. I think advocates can allow themselves to think bigger by acknowledging that veganism is simply one of many disinvestment strategies that can work within several existing political movements. Animal rights, civil rights, environmental justice, healthcare…the list goes on… are all inextricably linked to consumption, and I think veganism is a great example of an individual boycott that can help support positive outcomes that aid the goals of larger movements.

    Do you see an overlap between the DEI movement/larger social justice movements and getting more vegan dishes on restaurant menus?

    Britty Mann: I am a firm believer that there is not one single strategy that will, in itself, solve the social and environmental crises that are caused by animal consumption, but I do believe we can help move money away from harmful industries by making vegan food available and affordable on as many menus as possible.

    Since Black, Brown, Indigenous, and low-income communities are disproportionately and inequitably affected by animal agriculture, I believe that the fight for animal rights and environmental justice is inextricably connected to any anti-racist movement. We have a long way to go in making that connection a more purposeful, inclusive, and equitable one.

    Planted Society is, first and foremost, an organization that utilizes the inherent power of local public demand, so I think that our programs can be a meaningful resource to individuals and existing BIPGM-led grassroots organizations in the fight for food sovereignty, including efforts to eradicate food apartheids and food swamps. As we grow, my hope is that we are able to reach as many communities as possible, and that we can do our small part to make the overlap between animal advocacy and other social justice movements a more inclusive and intentional one.

    Planted Society x City of Austin’s November 2022 ‘Plant Based for The Planet’ campaign

    Tell us more about your partnership with the City of Austin. How did that happen? What are your goals with this? Do you see this as a potential framework/template for other cities?

    Britty Mann: This November, we are partnering with over 30 businesses in Austin to incentivize individuals to choose plant-based options when dining out. Each small-business partner is making a meaningful contribution to the challenge: Some are adding vegan dishes to their menu for the month, some are offering sizable discounts when customers choose a plant-based entree, and some are even giving away free food and beverages. At the end of the challenge, we’ll survey the community to determine the best dishes and give away some great prizes to individuals as well.

    Our campaign is focused not only on sending the existing plant-based community into new spaces, but reaching everyone who dines out in Austin with the message that we don’t have to sacrifice quality and taste to make small choices that positively impact the planet. Because so many Austinites are already making efforts in their own lives to lessen their carbon footprint, we estimate that a large number of restaurant patrons will be enthusiastic about participating.

    Because this is a city-wide, environmentally-focused campaign, the City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability was interested in sponsoring it since it aligned with the goals of Austin’s Climate Equity Plan. When they agreed to come on board, I was both thrilled and intimidated, and I have to say that it certainly has helped motivate me to make this the best program possible. We want to be able to use this as a blueprint so we can partner with existing organizations in cities around the country, and I’m happy to say those conversations have already started.

    Do you think local governments should be actively working to decarbonize their citizens’ plates?

    Britty Mann: Though many cities are making some effort to acknowledge the growing climate crisis, actually demonstrating a commitment to climate initiatives is easier said than done. I’m lucky to live in a region of Texas where a Climate Plan even exists, let alone one that addresses equity issues. And out of those who are pushing climate initiatives, so few of them are emphasizing anything other than transportation and landfill-related emissions solutions.

    I think that while it’s incredibly important and impactful when local governments sponsor, enact or legislate in the direction of a more sustainable local food system, any initiative is really at the mercy of what the public is willing to fight for. The best way to create local change is to support the efforts of existing grassroots organizations working with city governments, and if those don’t exist, sometimes you can even start one yourself!

    Lead image courtesy of Planted Society.

    The post ‘It’s Scary For Businesses To Take Risks’: Britty Mann of Planted Society on Vegan Menu Activism appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • BlueNalu Demonstrates Scalability and 75% Profit Margin for Cultivated Seafood

    3 Mins Read

    Cultivated seafood company BlueNalu says it has ‘cracked the code’ to significant profitability with 75 percent gross margins achieved through breakthrough technology.

    With its first large-scale facility and novel technology for its first product—bluefin tuna—San Diego-based BlueNalu says its operating and capital costs for production will yield a significant gross margin of 75 percent.

    “We believe that BlueNalu is the only company in the cell-cultured seafood industry to overcome each of these technology and market challenges, which will result in a scalable and highly profitable solution with demonstrable consumer benefits,” Lou Cooperhouse, co-founder, president and CEO at BlueNalu, said in a statement. “We are pleased to announce today that we have ‘cracked the code’ for creating significant profitability with our cell-cultured bluefin tuna toro and a series of other higher-value products that will follow.” 

    Cultivated meat scalability, affordability

    The biggest challenges facing the cultured meat category include scalability and costs. BlueNalu says it has overcome these challenges, which will help advance it to market.

    One of the pieces to the puzzle is a non-GMO, single-cell suspension line with growth rates aimed at accelerating the scale-up to larger bioreactors.

    BlueNalu’s 140,000 sq. ft facility will be able to produce six million pounds of seafood annually once operational in 2027. The company moved into its recently expanded 38,000 sq. ft pilot production facility earlier this year. It’s working there to scale its bluefin tuna and complete processes needed for regulatory approval, expected within the next few years.

    Courtesy BlueNalu

    “This also includes a revolutionary lipid-loading technique, that is projected to result in a significant reduction in capital expenditures and enable the company to make products with higher fat profiles and sensory attributes, such as the toro portion of bluefin tuna,” the company says. It has also designed downstream processes that allow continuous production and eliminate plant-based scaffolds, which it says can affect product cookability, scalability and flavor.  

    Scientific milestones

    “Over the past four years, our team has achieved remarkable scientific milestones which enable us to overcome the fundamental technology barriers required for success,” said Lauran Madden, Ph.D., CTO at BlueNalu.

    “In tandem with the plans for commercialization of our bluefin tuna, our team has continued to explore additional species using our platform technology,” she said. “So far, we have developed hundreds of cell lines for eight different finfish species, and we have initiated projects to expand into other premium seafood categories.”   

    Courtesy BlueNalu

    BlueNalu validated its achievements with an in-depth techno-economic analysis performed in tandem with a leading global Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) firm and experts in bioprocess modeling. The analysis found using the single-cell suspension and lipid-loading tech could reduce costs by more than five times.

    “We believe these landmark technologies, when combined with high-value, high-demand seafood products, are the winning equation to long term financial success,” said Amir Feder, CFO at BlueNalu. “Our projected 75 percent gross margin within the first year of production of our large-scale facility is unheard of in the food industry. This sets a very strong growth trajectory for the company, as we introduce additional products and establish new facilities around the globe.”   

    Lead image courtesy Blue Nalu.

    The post BlueNalu Demonstrates Scalability and 75% Profit Margin for Cultivated Seafood appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Is High Protein Bread the Next Big Plant-Based Trend?

    Equii bread
    3 Mins Read

    Food tech startup Equii has closed a $6 million seed funding round for its proprietary microbial protein-based bread. Is this a new frontier for plant-based food?

    The seed funding round was led by Khosla Ventures, which also supported Impossible Foods in its early days. The new funding builds on $2 million in previous investments including funding from kdT Ventures, 1derlife Partners, Accelr8 Partners, Axial Ventures, and angel investors in the food tech space.

    Equii

    The company was founded by Monica Bhatia, PhD and Baljit Ghotra, PhD,. Both bring extensive food industry experience, working with companies including Cargill, Mondelez, ADM, and more recently, novel tech startups Geltor and Nature’s Fynd.

    Nature’s Fynd cream cheese.

    Equii, formerly Cella Foods, launched last year, using tech to ferment grains and turn then into high-protein flour. The Equii flour contains three to six times more protein than conventional flour, half the carbohydrates, and all of the essential amino acids, the company says. One slice of its bread contains ten grams of protein—nearly as much as two eggs.

    “We’ve been able to check the box on every single metric in terms of how this bread is similar to regular bread,” Dr. Bhatia said. “Bread is very simple when you bake it at home. It’s just water, flour, a little bit of fat, some salt and yeast and sugar. Our ingredient deck is pretty much that, other than our protein, and we add a little bit of natural preservative.”

    Bread’s image problem

    Bread has struggled with image problems in recent years as diets like Paleo and Keto eschew it for its high carbohydrate content. But as a staple food, it provides sustenance to billions of people around the world. Generally an inexpensive source of food, high-protein bread could also help bring a healthy option to the millions of children who rely on the public school system for several meals a day.

    bread
    Courtesy Pexels

    “At Khosla Ventures, we seek out companies that have the ability to make a massive impact on society,” Alice Brooks, principal at Khosla Ventures, said in a statement. “Equii is redefining the natural staples of our diet—starting with bread—to make healthier nutrition more accessible, and we are excited to back them on their journey.”

    “Bread, a household staple, is our debutant product,” Dr. Ghotra, said in a statement. “Beyond bread, Equii’s world-class team is developing a pipeline of products that include high-protein pasta, nutrition bars, and snack foods to provide healthy food options throughout the day. We are on the lookout for partners who share our mission of bringing sustainable and healthy foods to the consumer globally.”

    Equii is working to bring its high-protein bread into a range of food service locations this year.

    Lead image courtesy Equii.

    The post Is High Protein Bread the Next Big Plant-Based Trend? appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Asia’s First Dairy-Free Festival Is a Signal of the APAC Market Potential

    Alt Dairy China
    4 Mins Read

    Last month, Jakarta held Asia’s very first dairy-free festival and alternative milk latte art competition in a strong showing of the category potential across the region.

    Organized by the Jakarta Vegan Guide, the Generasi Dairy-Free Festival, the first dairy-free and plant-based festival in Asia, featured more than 40 brands and hosted over 3,000 attendees. The event was held from September 22-25 at Tribeca Park, Central Park Mall Jakarta.

    Jakarta Vegan Guide told Green Queen that the event was designed to target millennials and Gen Z consumers, many of whom are aware of the negative impacts of consuming animal dairy products and are attracted to the growing plant-based dairy trend that dovetails with the coffee culture boom occurring in metro areas across Indonesia.

    Dairy-free Asia

    According to a recent survey by Rakuten Insight, plant-based milk is the leading plant-based category in Indonesia ahead of plant-based meat and other plant-based products. Indonesians aged 40-54 years make up the majority of plant-based milk consumers. According to Jakarta Vegan Guide, many Indonesians in this age bracket tend to perceive animal dairy products as highly processed and excessively sweet and try to avoid them due to concerns about diabetes. Research from 2020 found that over 10 million Indonesians have diabetes, and this number is growing.

    Interest in dairy-free milk, cheese, and other products is on the rise across Asian countries as lactose intolerance affects up to 90 percent of the population. In Indonesia, a 2021 study found that 66 percent of adults are lactose intolerant. Dairy is also a driving force in climate change, with animal agriculture responsible for about 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.

    Indonesian coffee chain Janji Jiwa has over 900 outlets in over 100 cities.

    “Our aim is to dispel the myth that dairy-free creations are impossible to realize and the common assumption that these creations are boring, tasteless and unappetizing. Therefore, we picked only distinguished brands that we were sure everyone would enjoy,” Jakarta Vegan Guide co-founder Firmansyah Mastup, said in a statement.

    The event offered a range of plant-based food, including ice cream, gelato, coffee dan, and other beverages all made with dairy-free milk.

    “We made sure that our selection of tenants, especially the food and beverage stalls, catered to various types of dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, nut-free and sugar-free,” Mastup said.

    Alternative Milk Latte Art Competition

    The festival featured workshops and talks, as well as the Alternative Milk Latte Art Competition. It was sponsored by Oatly, Milk Lab, V-Soy, and Orasi. The content was judged by Indonesian Latte Art Championship 2019-2021 winner Restu Hadam Hasan and accompanied by Edo Huang and Azi Kardian Wicaksono. Lutfi Maulana, Ega Riandi, and Benedict Giovaldo were named the first, second, and third place winners of the competition.

    “With the rise of veganism and the alternative milk industry in Indonesia, we believe that coffee chains everywhere must have at least one alternative milk option in their line-up,” reasons Jakarta Vegan Guide co-founder and Generasi Dairy-Free Festival initiator Chandra Revo. “Through this festival, and particularly events such as AMLAC and AMCE, we wanted to encourage coffee chains in Indonesia to provide more dairy-free products in their menu, including non-dairy coffee as well as plant-based snacks, sweets, and light bites, if not also the main dishes.”

    The Alternative Latte Art Competition
    The Alternative Latte Art Competition | Courtesy Jakarta Vegan Guide

    The latte art competition comes as Indonesia’s coffee culture is on the rise. Revo says the event wanted to challenge baristas who are already crafting dairy-based beverages to use dairy-free options. The team is also working to help bring exposure to coffee chains that already offer plant-based milk.

    According to recent Mintel data, Asian consumers aren’t just swapping out dairy for their health. Many are doing it for the environment, too. In India, 33 percent said they’re reducing animal products. In South Korea, 71 percent said climate change is impacting their purchasing decisions. In China, 57 percent of urban consumers say the environment has become a higher priority. Mintel reports that in the 12-month period ending in May 2021, nearly half (47 percent) of new dairy-free products had sustainability claims.

    “The growth in eco-conscious, or ‘green’, food and drink consumers, increased focus on animal welfare, and higher priority placed on sustainability all present opportunities for manufacturers and brands in the plant-based dairy category,” Tan Heng Hong, APAC Food and Drink Analyst said in a statement. “Brands in the milk and yogurt sector should take plant-based diets, animal welfare, and sustainability into account when innovating new products and updating manufacturing practices, and highlight the benefits they offer when engaging with consumers.”

    Lead image courtesy Jakarta Vegan Guide.

    The post Asia’s First Dairy-Free Festival Is a Signal of the APAC Market Potential appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Vow Opens One of the Largest Cultivated Meat Factories In the World Ahead of Anticipated Regulatory Approval

    Workers at the Vow Factory 1
    3 Mins Read

    Australian cultivated meat company Vow has unveiled Factory 1, its NSW-based factory capable of producing 30 tons of cultured meat per year.

    Coinciding with the opening of Factory 1 in Alexandria in Sydney, Vow says it has started developing Factory 2, which can produce 100 times the amount of cultured meat as its sister site. Factory 2 is expected to be online in 2024.

    Factory 1

    “With Factory 1 Vow has quietly become a world leader in cultured meat, we are now operating at world leading scales and have achieved all of this in just three and a half years, with a fraction of the capital,” Vow’s CEO George Peppou said in a statement.

    Vow claims the factory, which is now up and running, is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere and is a sign of things to come out of Australia. Vow says Factory 1 and forthcoming Factory 2 are demonstrative of the country’s strong position as a leader in new technologies aimed at feeding the global population.

    (left to right) George Peppou, CEO, Matt Kean, NSW Treasurer, Tim Noakesmith, Cofounder
    (left to right) George Peppou, CEO, Matt Kean, NSW Treasurer, Tim Noakesmith, Cofounder | Courtesy

    “The team has developed an extremely delicious first product, and now we have the capability to produce it at scale. We couldn’t be more excited to announce it to the world in a month from now,” said Vow Cofounder, Tim Noakesmith. 

    Since launching in 2019, Vow has been focused on cultivated chicken, beef, and pork. It recently submitted its first product for regulatory approval. Vow expects its cultivated meat to launch in Singapore before the end of the year. Currently, Singapore is the only nation that has approved cultivated meat for sale. Vow says with its existing research and development facility, the new factory will allow it to bring development and production under one roof.

    Cultivated meat scaling up

    Vow joins other leading cultivated meat companies including the Good Meat factory coming to Singapore. Eat Just’s cultivated meat offshoot broke ground on the factory in June. Once up and running next year, Good Meat says it can produce “tens of thousands” of tons of its cultured meat annually.

    In the U.S., Upside Foods opened its “EPIC” factory in California last year. It’s capable of producing 400,000 pounds of cultivated meat annually.

    French onion dish with Morsel, Vow's first product
    French onion dish with Morsel, Vow’s first product | courtesy

    Efforts to scale up cultivated meat production and bring down costs are happening around the world. Just last month, Prolific Machines emerged from stealth mode with backing from Mark Cuban and Emily Ratajkowski. The cultivated meat company says it can bring the cost of cultivated meat down to price parity with conventional animal products, comparing its tech to doing for the category what Henry Ford did for automobiles.

    “Back then, nobody really owned cars apart from super-rich people. What really changed things was Ford,” Prolific Machines co-founder and CEO Deniz Kent told TechCrunch. 

    “They built the assembly line for cars and found a way to manufacture cars at a price that normal people could afford. That transformed the industry because then you went from hundreds of car companies to only three companies having over 70% of the market.”

    Lead image courtesy of Vow.

    The post Vow Opens One of the Largest Cultivated Meat Factories In the World Ahead of Anticipated Regulatory Approval appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Singapore’s Meatiply Debuts Asia’s First Cultivated Smoked Duck Breast

    Meatiply's cultivated duck meat
    4 Mins Read

    Singapore-based cultivated meat startup Meatiply, has launched three structured meat prototypes as proof of concept, including the first smoked duck breast meat in Asia.

    The three new cultivated meat offerings include kampong chicken yakitori, chicken katsu bites, and Asia’s first smoked duck breast meat. The company says the meat is a combination of cells and plant-based ingredients.

    ‘Just the beginning’

    “We developed a versatile platform that allows us to isolate and cultivate a variety of cells from different species. To date, we have developed prototypes with 3 different species, with at least 2 more in the pipeline. These 3 prototypes are just the beginning,” Dr. Jason Chua, Chief Scientific Officer & Co-founder of Meatiply, said in a statement.

    Meatiply Management Team
    Meatiply Management Team | Courtesy

    According to the company, the prototypes are structured, not minced, which Meatiply says will allow it to offer a wider range of products. The cell-based meat is made from multiple cell types including muscle and fat, which it says allows it to better resemble the taste and texture of conventional meat.

    “Given the depth of our experience in cultivating stem cells and optimizing for their growth and maturation, we felt we had a lot to offer in the realm of cultivated meat,” said Dr. Elwin Tan, CEO and Co-founder of Meatiply.

    Tan and Chua co-founded Meatiply in 2021 alongside Dr. Benjamin Chua and Prof. Teh Bin Tean—all were studying stem cell biology at the National University of Singapore.

    “From the very first meeting, we have been impressed with the strong scientific background and entrepreneurial spirit of the co-founders. Their prototypes are one of the most advanced we have seen to be developed in such a short time. They also have a clear roadmap for tackling challenges around scalability and cost,” said Michal Klar, founding partner at Better Bite Ventures, an early backer of the startup.

    Meatiply announced a pre-seed funding round in early 2022 that also included participation from Wavemaker Partners and Genedant.

    Chicken Yakitori
    Chicken Yakitori | Courtesy

    “By 2050,the global population is estimated to hit almost 10 billion people and 56 percent more food will need to be produced to sustain this increase. Moreover, the meat industry is also plagued with systemic problems that needed to be addressed. By shifting our focus from biomedical research to developing advanced food technologies, we felt that we could deliver significant impact on these pressing issues.” said Dr. Benjamin Chua, Chief Product Officer & Co-founder of Meatiply.

    Cultivated meat in Singapore

    The company says establishing Meatiply in Singapore was “an easy decision” due in large part to the Singapore government’s 30-by-30 goal, as well as the team’s well-established networks within the scientific community, the presence of international non-profit think tanks like the Good Food Institute AsiaPacific (GFIAPAC), and a healthy start-up and biotech ecosystem in Singapore, “we felt that we would be well supported on multiple fronts,” Tan said.

    Singapore is also the only nation in the world that has approved the sale of cultivated meat. Meatiply says this will help it grow the alternative protein category.

    Chicken Katsu
    Chicken Katsu | Courtesy

    “As a living laboratory and launch pad for global climate and food security solutions, Singapore’s innovation ecosystem is central to scaling up cultivated meat production and driving down costs. Consumer demand for sustainable protein continues to soar across Asia, and the need for additional technological optimisation is immense, so every promising new entrant into the Lion City’s fast-growing food tech sector has the potential to be a game-changer,” says Mirte Gosker, Managing Director of the Good Food Institute APAC.

    “Consumer demand for sustainable protein continues to soar across Asia, and the need for additional technological optimisation is immense, so every promising new entrant into the Lion City’s fast-growing food tech sector has the potential to be a game-changer,” she says.

    Meatiply is currently raising a seed round to further develop and scale its production, cost optimization, and explore regulatory approval.

    Lead image Meatiply Duck Breast / Courtesy.

    The post Singapore’s Meatiply Debuts Asia’s First Cultivated Smoked Duck Breast appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Woody Harrelson Helps Wicked Kitchen ‘Push Boundaries’ In $20 Million Bridge Round

    Wicked Kitchen co-founder Derek Sarno and Woody Harrelson
    3 Mins Read

    Wicked Kitchen, the plant-based empire that started out of the U.K. supermarket chain Tesco, has secured $20 million in bridge funding, including a convertible note from actor Woody Harrelson.

    In addition to Harrelson’s participation, funding for the new round comes from Ahimsa VC and NRPT, Thailand’s leading food producer and innovator. Wicked Kitchen, the ready meal brand founded by brothers Chad and Derek Sarno, says the new funding will support efforts to expand its range globally as well as into other channels, including food service.

    ‘Making it easy to go plant-based’

    Harrelson is no stranger to the plant-based category. The longtime vegan has backed Los Angeles restaurant chain Sage Bistro as well as vegan meat brand Abbot’s Butcher. He’s also supported a number of vegan and climate change campaigns.

    “I have known Chad and Derek for many years and have been impressed by their wicked creativity in the kitchen and that they are not afraid to push the boundaries,” Harrelson said in a statement. “What I love about this brand is that the products are actually created by chefs that always put flavor first, making it so easy to go plant-based.”

    Wicked Kitchen | Courtesy

    Wicked Kitchen made its U.S. debut last year. It has seen sales triple year-over-year as it expands its product offerings and availability outside of the U.K., including 23 products in Finland’s leading grocery retailer, S-Market.

    “During this high growth phase, it is validating to have support from additional investors who believe in our mission and in the future of plant-based foods,” said Pete Speranza, CEO, Wicked Kitchen. “This latest round of funding will help us go faster to expand our offerings in the U.S and abroad and it puts us in a well-poised position as we continue to lead plant-based innovations with flavor-forward products that appeal to vegans and omnivores alike.”

    Wicked expansion

    Last month, Wicked Kitchen acquired Good Catch, the vegan seafood company that was also co-founded by the Sarnos.

    Good Catch’s top-selling vegan tuna | Courtesy

    The company has seen rapid expansion in the U.S. market with placement in more than 6,500 stores including Kroger, Publix, Walmart, 7-Eleven, and Sprouts Markets. It’s also preparing to introduce 17 products into Thailand’s largest retailers, Tops Market and Central Food Halls.

    “Looking over the plant-based landscape, Wicked Kitchen stands out in the crowd not only because of our tremendous growth but also because of our variety across various supermarket departments,” said Speranza.

    “The fact that retailers are picking up multiple SKUs and some are even dedicating entire frozen door sets for our products is a testimony that they want to present customers a variety of options under a single flavor-forward, plant-based brand that has broader appeal.”

    The post Woody Harrelson Helps Wicked Kitchen ‘Push Boundaries’ In $20 Million Bridge Round appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Anina Turns Food Waste Into Sustainable Plant-Based Ready-Meals

    Anina ready meal veggie pod | Courtesy
    3 Mins Read

    Israeli food tech start-up Anina is using upcycled vegetables to create ready meal “pods” that use up imperfect vegetables for healthy plant-based meals.

    About 33 percent of the world’s food is wasted every year—close to 1.3 billion tons. Much of that comes from fruits and vegetables that are misshapen and unlikely to sell at retail. A growing number of companies are diving into this “ugly” vegetable category, reducing food waste and creating secondary revenue market streams for farmers. For Israel-based food tech startup Anina, it’s bringing food waste to its whole, plant-based “meal-in-a-pod” technology.

    Unwanted veggies

    “Anina is responding to a growing demand for making the most of unwanted veggies, and turning them into something artistic that appeals to the eye and palette,” Anat Natan, Anina co-founder and CEO, said in a statement.

    “Anina is making a real impact on the food industry by mitigating food waste and turning it into innovative, plant-based products with an exciting look and feel,” Natan says. “The result is a balanced, delicious meal with all the nutrients you need.”

    The meals can be cooked on the stovetop or microwave in a matter of minutes. Each pod contains two cups of vegetables—nearly half the recommended daily intake. The meals are also high in protein, fiber, and free from colorants or preservatives.

    “We buy leftover produce directly from farmers,” explains Esti Brantz, who co-founded the company after realizing there was an opportunity to convert local food waste into a solution for the global issue. “This provides them income for vegetables they usually have to discard.”

    Patented food tech

    Anina uses a patented lamination process for thin slices of vegetables to build its layered pods that are filled with ingredients including herbs and spices, pasta, lentils, and bulgur wheat. It currently offers bowls in three flavors: Mediterranean, Italian Primavera, and Vietnamese.

    “We produce these vegetable sheets with minimal processing, preserving the flavors, aromas, colors, and textures of the original vegetable,” says Mor Wilk, VP of R&D for Anina. “The heart of our technology is the creation of vegetable sheets. The flexibility of these sheets enables us to form any 3D structure and create any recipe in a decorative pod, each set to its unique controlled cooking time.” 

    Anina turns food waste into healthy meals | Courtesy
    Anina turns food waste into healthy meals | Courtesy

    The technique was developed over two years of testing. Since its launch in 2020, Anina has secured USD $3.3 million in a safe round from Strauss Group by The Kitchen Hub, Unovis, Unorthodox ventures, AgFunder VC, Wordcreate Inc., and the Israeli Innovation Authority. Following a successful product launch in Israel, Anina is now focused on bringing products to the U.S.

    “We’re changing the way we eat,” says Natan. “And we’re shaping the future for a meaningful culinary consumer experience. The Anina meal capsule also addresses today’s fast-paced lifestyle, which too often forces consumers to compromise on the quality of the food they eat.

    images courtesy Anina

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  • New Partnership Will Bring the First Cultivated Wagyu Beef to Europe

    Orbillion's Wagyu beef burger
    2 Mins Read

    A collaboration between U.S.-based cultivated meat company Orbillion Bio and Luiten Food, a European leader in premium meat, will bring cell-based wagyu beef to Europe, pending regulatory approval.

    Aiming to bring sustainable premium cultivated meat to the European market, the Orbillion and Luiten partnership will see opportunities across Luiten’s 1,200 distribution channels in food service, specialty retailers, and butchers, the companies said in a joint statement.

    Market-ready

    The goal of the collaboration is to co-manage regulatory approval processes—currently, Singapore is the only country that has approved cultivated meat for sale. The collaboration will also see the development of manufacturing facilities in Europe. With Luiten Food’s global network, the partnership is angling the companies toward global distribution.

    Courtesy Orbillion Bio

    Orbillion is currently the only company to develop cell-cultured Wagyu beef. It has also developed elk and lamb meat through unique partnerships with farmers to help develop a modern spin on farm-to-table cuisine.

    Luiten managed director Lennert Luiten said there was “no better partner” than Orbillion to develop a Wagyu beef that meets its strict quality standards. “We’re excited to bring our strengths in brokering the highest quality meats to a category that will be a big part of how we feed the future,” Luiten said.

    “At Orbillion, we have always inspired to produce and bring to market the highest quality cell-cultured meats,” Orbillion CEO Patricia Bubner said in a statement.

    Heritage breeds, legacy brand

    “We take great pride in being the only cell-cultured meat company focused on quality throughout the full-development process—from the heritage breeds where our cells originate to the final product that diners will enjoy, and with Luiten Food, we’ll be able to bring this new farm-to-table experience to Europe,” she said.

    Orbillion's Wagyu beef made from cultured cells
    Orbillion’s Wagyu beef made from cultured cells | Courtesy

    “Together, we’ll go beyond a scientific concept, to a tangible, delicious, and enjoyable meat that is more humane to animals, kinder to the planet, and has a more desirable and consistent nutrition profile.”

    Luiten Food says the new partnership deepens its sustainability commitment and reinforces its 80-year track record of innovation. Luiten is a leader in developing top-quality cell lines, which it says has helped make it a leader in the legacy meat category.

    “We’ve been successful for more than 84 years because we’ve focused on what’s ahead,” Luiten said. “And now, that’s sustainable meat. That’s high-quality meat. That’s cell-cultured meat.”

    The post New Partnership Will Bring the First Cultivated Wagyu Beef to Europe appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • ‘Adoption Will Take Decades But Macro Fundamentals Won’t Change’ – TiNDLE’s CEO Talks Future Of Plant-Based Meat

    Andre Menezes TiNDLE The Hatchery
    9 Mins Read

    Beyond Meat’s nosedive, lukewarm growth, mediocre products? We unpack the plant-based meat industry with the CEO of global alt meat startup TiNDLE.

    Just a little over two years old, vegan chicken maker TiNDLE is often held up as one of the poster children for plant-based meat and it’s small wonder why. The company is available in just under ten countries, including nationally across the United States, has raised over $130 million in funding and has attracted heavyweight talents from Rachel Konrad to Andrew Zimmern. Last week, it announced new U.S. headquarters & R&D center in Chicago. But where does TiNDLE fit in when it comes to the plant-based meat sector as a whole?

    As the industry faces looming headwinds including supply chain disruptions, skyrocketing inflation, lukewarm interest from US consumers and overcrowded shelves, Green Queen’s Sonalie Figueiras talks to TiNDLE co-founder and CEO Andre Menezes about the future of plant-based meat.

    Q: Let’s dive right in with what I call the industry’s avatar: Beyond Meat. The stock is down 70-80% over 12 months. How much of an industry bellwether is this? How much should we be extrapolating from this? 

    Andre Menezes: As a whole, it’s important to emphasize how the Nasdaq, SP500, and many other companies’ shares have seen a significant drop in 2022, not only for a plant-based food company like Beyond. We can’t discount that in the market, we’re seeing overall macro shifts like rising inflation, increasing  interest rates, and geopolitical tensions that naturally cause a movement towards more defensive assets, distressed business deals, or plain and simple lower capital deployment. The fundamentals driving today’s markets have changed.

    For our category, we do have to thank Beyond for opening consumers’ eyes to the sector globally, and whatever micro challenges they are facing will hopefully be addressed the soonest and they will hopefully continue to drive a meaningful transformation in our world. 

    Q: Recent data suggests that despite all efforts, so far plant-based as a category is firmly under 2% of the meat/protein retail market. Do you think this can change? What are brands doing wrong and what can they do better? 

    Andre Menezes: At Next Gen, we have always stressed how this is a paradigm shift that will not happen immediately – but adoption will take decades. Our job as a player within this industry of changing the way we produce food is to try to compress that adoption curve and accelerate the transition to the highest level possible. 

    There are countless parallels to other industries in how we are becoming less reliant on animal agriculture for the production of food. We have seen it in the way we mechanized manufacturing, on how we ditched horse-based transportation, and other examples in the disruption of old technologies in energy and communications. None of those transitions were quick or frictionless, just as we’re seeing in the current transition between internal combustion engine cars and electric vehicles. 

    On that, history teaches us that it is always a combination of factors that drive the transitions, and that the steeper portion of growth within the S curve of adoption comes with generational shifts. It is the same for plant-based meats and foods. We need, as an industry, to stop thinking that one isolated factor (be it a magic molecule, price, infrastructure, technology, or policies) will drive the change individually. It is the combination of important factors that will dictate both the speed of and viability of growth – which, not coincidentally – also explains why 70% of Norway’s car sales are EVs, why China is the biggest market for EVs with countless exciting local players, why the UK has led the industrial revolution, and why smartphones took off. 

    In the plant-based sector, a challenge we’re facing is when products are mediocre and don’t deliver on what consumers are looking for. These types of products that don’t match consumer needs end up making the category move backwards.

    Q: There is also data underlining that the category is not having much luck attracting repeat customers. What’s going wrong? 

    Andre Menezes: This is where I believe mediocre products are causing the most harm and can hinder subsequent trial, as consumers who have unpleasant experiences trying plant-based meats and foods will not come back for a second time so easily.

    Another factor that affects everyone in the category (no matter if they taste great or not) – and that needs to be addressed – is that plant-based products are no longer just for the vegan/vegetarian niche. So even if a product is liked/loved by consumers, it will still go head-to-head against the habit and category of animal-based options, which is a much larger pool of options and an industry with a wider distribution of animal-based products. That may simply result in consumers picking meat instead of plant-based, as the pull factor from flexitarians may not necessarily be strong enough to sway them.

    Q: A lot of the data we are discussing is US-centric. As a fairly global brand with presence in the UK, the EU and Asia as well in the US- how do things look outside of North America? 

    Andre Menezes: The U.S. is undeniably the biggest market in the world, but it is fascinating to see how the UK, Germany, and Netherlands are relatively ahead of the curve in terms of awareness and pull factors. If you walk down the streets in London, I welcome you to see that even street food operators and vendors have always proudly and loudly communicated a vegan option. From what I’ve seen in London, Berlin,  and Amsterdam, there is simply no option not to have a wide and well executed vegan section in any decent restaurant, and we see that reflecting in how our business has been growing quickly across these markets as well (where the category is already breaking out of the niche). 

    Singapore (where our company was founded) is another great example of how the curve has accelerated, and how it is now ahead of the entire continent in Asia in terms of consumer acceptance, awareness and even distribution. When we first started (and even through today), some of Singapore’s best chefs were quick to adopt and try out TiNDLE on their menus – treating it just as they would chicken on their menus and in their restaurants. Additionally, consumers are increasingly aware of the relevance of food security and not taking the current broken system for granted – especially with the border challenges during the pandemic and the more recent chicken export ban from Malaysia.

    Q: Who is doing it right, according to you? 

    Andre Menezes: Everyone plays a very important role in this current landscape. The exception to this are those putting out products that don’t deliver on taste or experience – or those that are stifling category  growth by trying to push competition out (instead of welcoming it). 

    Similar to the animal farming business, there is no single method, category or positioning that works to meet success. We need the combination of players and efforts to make change happen, and we welcome it all. With this, we’ve seen an attempt to use traditional tactics of killing competition in an effort to have a bigger piece of the pie – instead of focusing on how to drive the category altogether. Don’t get me wrong – competing for a customer or consumer naturally happens, but at the same time I see that as a healthy competition that forces everyone to be better across products, price, and distribution. 

    Q: What is TiNDLE looking to do over the next six months? What’s the focus- is it brand building? B2B sales? New country launches? 

    Andre Menezes: We have  concluded the 3rd step of our growth, and we are now simultaneously focusing on improving our efficiency as well as preparing for the 4th growth wave. If you recall – and we were privileged to have been able to share the journey with you since the very beginning– the first step was to design our business model, followed by the second step of testing diverse markets and make sure we were able to have a global reach and then opening the 3 biggest markets in the world (US, UK, Germany). All of that within around two years, offering literally millions of occasions where consumers tried and loved TiNDLE. Now we are preparing for the next big movement, which will happen sometime in 2023 and will be where all the learnings , infrastructure, trials and presence we built will come together to multiply our impact significantly.  

    Q: What are your customers telling you, both B2B and B2C? 

    Andre Menezes: We are very blessed that consumers and customers around the world have shared a positive response to TiNDLE – including  the way it cooks and tastes, but also that it exceeds expectations from what people have previously thought of what they think of plant-based chicken. Whether it’s chefs or diners, the feedback is unanimous and that is translating into meaningful growth. Today we’re in over 1,000 restaurants around the world, up from only about a dozen or so in Singapore initially in March 2021.

    Q: Are you currently fundraising? Has the environment changed? 

    Andre Menezes: Right now, we are 100% focused on driving the maximum impact and development for TiNDLE and the category in the most capital efficient way. Our previous rounds, and our very cautious and strategic capital deployment, gives us the ability to focus on where the impact is – and not having to focus on raising funds in the near term. While it is undeniable that the capital markets are under pressure, we still seeing a lot of interest from mission-aligned and long-term investors, who keep in touch and enquire about our next raise.

    Q: What would be your advice to a new plant-based meat startup? 

    Andre Menezes: I should probably start writing a book on that! The most important underlying advice I would have for any startup would be to avoid -at all costs- the trap of thinking that a magic silver bullet (whatever it might be) will give you an immense and magical success path. It is a business that you are building, and that business is a combination of your beloved product/technology, your value chain, your capital deployment strategy, your team, your brand (b2c or b2b, it doesn’t matter), and all other aspects.

    Q: Companies like Maple Leaf Foods say they are retracting from the category. What do you think about this? 

    Andre Menezes: As any new category, many players will throw in the towel. They have their strategic reasons and drive, and certain factors might require them to do so. Many companies will naturally fail, many will be acquired, and there will be consolidation… It is all a natural part of growth within a new disruptive category, and that is also true for any other industry. We believe it is all positive since the lower tide will force mediocre products and players, who are not driving this for impact, out of the field, and that will cause an overall improvement for the category. 

    Q: Consumers are facing huge uncertainty, a looming recession and inflationary pressures. Does that pose an existential threat for a category where prices tend to be on the high side? 

    Andre Menezes: The macro fundamentals behind this will not change, but the economic pressure may certainly drive a move towards cheaper options when applicable. It is unfortunate that animal products are able to receive such large subsidies, which makes them so much cheaper than plant-based options – which in general do not have any government support despite the actionable sustainability solutions it provides. 

    I am a believer that the industry is highly capable and that a change is extremely needed. All of these current challenges will make the industry emerge stronger, better developed, more efficient, and smarter on the other side. This is in stark contrast to the animal farming industry and old technologies there, which has fundamental limitations linked to animal genetics, resource utilization, and food conversion, which they will not be able to materially improve. 

    Lead image courtesy of TiNDLE.

    The post ‘Adoption Will Take Decades But Macro Fundamentals Won’t Change’ – TiNDLE’s CEO Talks Future Of Plant-Based Meat appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Aqua Cultured Foods Tackles Food Waste With Dumplings Made From Mycoprotein Offcuts

    dumplings
    3 Mins Read

    Mycoprotein seafood startup Aqua Cultured Foods is tacking on another category disruption beyond its alternative seafood. The Chicago-based company is using up whole-muscle offcuts from its vegan seafood in a new range of dumplings to reduce food waste.

    Angling toward go-to-market partnerships in the Asian foodservice category, Aqua Cultured Foods says its new dumplings featuring its minced mycoprotein seafood can be packaged and co-branded.

    Zero-waste dumplings

    The startup is developing whole-cut calamari, shrimp, scallops, and tuna and whitefish filets with a realistic taste and texture. Using up the off-cuts and imperfect filets for minced filling creates a new market opportunity for the brand as well as a way to reduce its food waste footprint.

    Food waste is a big problem around the world. An estimated 40 percent of edible food is wasted. In the U.S. alone, nearly 110 billion pounds of food is wasted. That’s the equivalent of 130 billion meals and more than $408 billion.

    This Women-Led Startup Is Growing the 'Holy Grail' of Vegan Seafood From Microbes
    Courtesy Aqua Cultured Foods

    Food waste is also a problem for the planet producing about 170 million metric tons of CO2, according to the EPA. That’s the equivalent of emissions produced by 42 coal-powered plants.

    Aqua Cultured says its dumplings are economical and scaleable, requiring less fermentation time than its whole seafood products.

    “We’re glad our partners challenged us to work on dumplings, and lucky to have their guidance through the process of perfecting the taste and filling for Asian palates,” Aqua chief growth officer Brittany Chibe, said in a statement. “I’m especially happy that this product moves us closer to zero-waste by finding use for our off-cuts, with the added bonus that it’s very efficient to make in volumes appropriate for foodservice.” 

    Microbial fermentation seafood

    Aqua Cultured Foods is the first company to use microbial fermentation to create whole muscle cut sustainable seafood alternatives.

    Fermented seafood. Photo by Aqua Cultured Foods.

    Recent research has found a growing interest in seafood alternatives, particularly in Asian markets. According to a recent survey conducted by think tank Good Food Institute APAC, Asian consumers are seeking out alternative seafood over concerns about heavy metals and microplastic in conventional seafood.

    The dumpling market is particularly ripe for innovation. Valued at more than $5 billion in 2020, it’s expected to surpass $10 billion by 2028.

    Aqua Cultured Foods says it’s starting with shrimp mince, but that’s not the end of its exploration. It says it’s looking at mince uses across spicy tuna sushi rolls, seafood cakes and patties, ravioli, and cannelloni, among other uses. 

     Lead photo by Abhishek Sanwa Limbu on Unsplash

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  • European Consumers Are Driving the Demand for Sustainable Protein, Survey Finds

    3 Mins Read

    European consumers are keen to see more alternatives to conventional animal products, finds a new survey.

    More than 60 percent of consumers across four European countries—France, Spain, Germany, and Italy—say more alternatives to meat products need to be found.

    A majority of consumers said conventional animal agriculture’s impact on the environment is a concern, with 60 percent of consumers across France and Germany, 71 percent in Italy, and 66 percent in Spain saying alternatives are necessary.

    The survey, commissioned by the think tank Good Food Institute and conducted by OpinionWay, asked 4,096 people about their own meat consumption habits and their thoughts on the future of food, namely sustainable protein sources.

    Alternative protein demand

     “It’s great to see plant-based meat become so strongly established in many people’s diets across Europe,” Carlotte Lucas, Corporate Engagement Manager at the Good Food Institute Europe, said in a statement.

    Spain's vegan Heura meat
    Spain’s vegan Heura meat | Courtesy

    “Companies now need to capitalise on this interest and invest in the development of products that can truly compete with conventional meat on taste and price to provide the sustainable options Europeans want. 

    “And with such growing support for cultivated meat, it’s clear there will be a significant market for this food in Europe. Governments need to listen to the views of their citizens and invest in the research and infrastructure needed to ensure cultivated meat can deliver the environmental benefits so many people want to see.”

    A growing number of these consumers say they’re reducing their meat consumption; the survey found 59 percent of people in France, 50 percent in Germany, 61 percent in Italy, and 58 percent in Spain have reduced their meat consumption over the last five years.

    Eating plant-based meat is happening on a monthly basis for half of people in Spain and Italy, 27 percent in France, and 41 percent of Germans, the survey found. Twenty-five percent of Germans and Spaniards surveyed said they plan to increase their plant-based meat consumption in the coming years.

    Cultivated meat

    European consumers are already cutting down on their meat consumption, opting instead for plant-based proteins.

    Mosa Meat FBS
    Cultivated meatball | Courtesy Mosa Meat

    They’re also interested in cultivated meat—more than half of Germans and 33 percent of French surveyed said they would buy it—even though it’s not yet approved for sale anywhere in the world outside of Singapore.

    Government support is critical, the consumers said, with 38 percent in France, 56 percent in Germany, 58 percent in Italy, and 68 percent in Spain saying they want governments to support cultivated meat production.

     

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  • After 40 Years, Dairy-Free Pioneer Tofutti Adds ‘Vegan’ to Its Labels

    Tofutti's new packaging
    3 Mins Read

    Legacy dairy-free brand Toffuti has announced its first rebrand in decades with one notable upgrade: the labels now includes the words ‘vegan’ and ‘plant-based.’

    To the vegan-versed consumer, Tofutti’s new black and red packaging looks familiar. It resembles other modern brands: There’s Sweet Earth, with its dark black and brown labels. Wicked Kitchen‘s labels (white font on black), Gardein recently re-branded to darker packaging. Field Roast uses black boxes on a range of dark-colored backgrounds. The new label was designed by fellow New Jersey company Dark Horse Design.

    A change long overdue

    The new packaging was long overdue, the company says. It launched in 1981 as a dairy-free Kosher-Parve brand. But in the decades since its biggest following has been from vegan consumers and those seeking dairy-free options—not necessarily Kosher.

    Its product range includes ice cream pints and sandwiches as well as cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and sour cream.

    Tofutti re-branded
    Tofutti re-branded | Courtesy

    “Today’s natural foods market is flooded with competitors, so we knew it was time to reassess our branding. We want consumers to recognize all Tofutti products as Tofutti products,” Steve Kass, Tofutti Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement.

    Kass has been with Tofutti since the early years, starting in 1986. He says the new labels will make it easier for consumers to spot Tofutti in the crowded dairy alternatives sector. He also says it will reenergize its retail partnerships. “It’s not every day that a forty-year-old company changes its look; buyers are already enthusiastic about the changes,” he said.

    The new packaging design comes after a more subtle but in some ways, more significant change last summer: Tofutti added the word ‘vegan’ to its logo for the first time.

    “Look at the sorts of people who follow us on social media. It’s obvious that vegans are our biggest fans,” Gerry Pugliese, Tofutti’s Marketing & Public Relations Manager, said. “Adding ‘vegan’ will make our current customers happy and act as a bullhorn for attracting new, like-minded consumers—a new vegan is born every day!”

    Nurturing consumers old and new

    But Pugliese is quick to add that it still serves its original Kosher audience as well as anyone looking for tasty dairy-free alternatives.

    “Tofutti started as a Kosher Parve brand, it’s part of who we are, we’ll always be that too,” he said. “But now we shout ‘vegan.’”

    Tofutti cheese re-brand
    Tofutti cheese re-brand | Courtesy

    The new packaging also includes “plant-based,” a term just recently added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary (along with “oat milk” and “greenwashing”). The inclusion of both “vegan” and “plant-based” on the branding is significant as the industry itself is divided on which one should be more widely used. Some say “vegan” has negative connotations for consumers that just want to eat healthier or more sustainably. Some vegans, though, have taken issue with “plant-based” as skirting the ethical issue tied to the word “vegan.”

    A growing number of brands are using both, and Tofutti says it’s confident that the new branding along with renewed efforts on social media and marketing, will help it retain its leadership status in the category and grow the industry demand.

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  • New Report Details How Asia Came to Dominate the Plant-Based Meat Industry

    3 Mins Read

    A new report published by the researchers at Roots Analysis details how the intellectual property for plant-based meat has grown more than three times over the last decade, jumping from 2,388 in 2012 to 7,126 this year. And leading the shift: Asia.

    According to the report’s findings, the majority of plant-based IP documents—77.4 percent—are patent applications and granted patents (18.7 percent). Asia sits at the top of the pile with more than half of IP documents originating from Asian-based companies versus 18 percent coming from North America and Europe.

    Replacing unsustainable meat

    “In 2020, close to 340 million tons of meat was estimated to be produced worldwide. Compared to the early 1960s (~70 million tons), this represents almost a 500 percent increase,” explains Roots Analysis. “Considering that the global population grew by 150 percent in the same time period, it is evident that meat consumption has increased at a rate that cannot be sustainable.”

    Animal agriculture is responsible for at least 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. It also uses nearly one-third of all freshwater, and is a leading cause of deforestation.

    Asia-based Tindle’s Char Siew Bao is made from plants.

    “Vegetarian meats and plant-based products that resemble meat, in texture and, to some extent, taste, present a viable solution to the abovementioned crisis,” the report notes.

    “Medical studies have also shown that replacing animal meat has the potential to reduce the risk of hypertension and heart disease, certain types of cancer, and diabetes.”

    The report notes that a range of technologies exist to develop a variety of meat products made from plants including beans and lentils, jackfruit, different types of nuts and seeds, pea protein, potato starch, seitan (vital wheat gluten), soy and tofu, and various vegetables.

    Asia’s plant-based shift

    Asia is ripe for category disruption.

    Countries across the region consume some of the highest amounts of animal meat including seafood, pork, and lamb meat.

    Good Meat’s cultivated lab meat

    A recent report from the think tank Good Food Institute APAC, found that consumers are shifting their dietary preferences across the region. That report looked at the growing demand for plant-based seafood in Asia, with concerns over heavy metal and plastic pollution in conventional fish as driving the shift.

    There are a growing number of plant-based meat producers across the region, including Singapore’s Tindle, Hong Kong’s OmniPork, and South Korea’s Unlimeat, among others.

    Singapore is currently the only country in the world that’s approved the sale of cultivated meat—animal meat grown in a lab from a cell sample. While not derived from plants, it signals a shift in consumer demand for ethical and more sustainable alternatives to the current animal-protein-heavy food system.

    Lead image courtesy Tindle

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  • All G Foods Launches Bloom Providore the First Vegan Meat Range for Chefs In Australia

    Bloom Providore dish at Ovolo
    3 Mins Read

    Australian startup All G Foods has launched Bloom Providore, a meat-inspired plant protein range made exclusively for chefs.

    “With more Australians opting for plant protein options, the market has crowded with too many plant-based burger patties,” All G Foods CEO Jan Pacas said in a statement. “That has left a major gap for chefs who want to use alternative ingredients, such as plant protein, to cater to their diners’ preferences and create dishes that leave a lasting impression.”

    To address the gap, All G’s Bloom Providore offers chefs minces inspired by beef, pork, lamb, chicken, duck, and fish.

    The range is launching at Ovolo Hotel Group, headed by chef Ian Curley.

    Ovolo hotel | Courtesy

    “Bloom Providore is a game-changer in the commercial kitchen,” Ovolo Hotels culinary director chef, Ian Curley said. “I am always looking for high-quality ingredients that empowers the chefs to push boundaries and challenge their creativity. We are excited to explore the endless opportunities that will come with Bloom Providore.”

    According to Pacas, Ovolo Hotels set the benchmark for a sustainable food future “and have been inspiring chefs across the globe to rethink fine dining and the need for animal proteins.”

    Ovolo made headlines when it removed meat from its menus in 2020 for an entire year. It renewed that commitment earlier this year.

    “Meat is being removed for a second year in a row at Ovolo Hotels. With a number of our Ovolo venues already serving plant-based cuisine, we have decided to go the full 100 percent,” Ovolo Group’s Founder and CEO, Girish Jhunjhnuwala, said in a statement.

    Bloom Providore

    “It’s been a strategic move, but Ovolo prides itself on being an industry leader. We believe that the world changes, therefore we continue to evolve – we want to ensure we are doing our bit to help preserve our environment, promote healthy eating and enhance the image of amazing vegetarian and plant-based dining.”

    Ovolo’s chef team has created several dishes including a tagine, stuffed peppers, tortellini, and “plant-based parcels” all featuring Bloom Providore’s beef-inspired mince.

    All G says it’s targeting other chefs across the country with progressive mindsets. It says with animal meat prices on the increase and the growing demand for healthier alternatives, it sees a market opportunity, especially for chefs who want to use alternative ingredients but have grown tired of the burger saturation.

    “With the right ingredients, flavours and texture,” says Pacas, “a chef can create beautiful things and with Bloom it further enhances that creativity.”

    Images: courtesy

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  • Q+A w/ Benedict Lim of OATSIDE, Asia’s First Full-Stack Oat Milk Startup

    3 Mins Read

    How did OATSIDE become one of Asia’s fastest growing oat milk companies? CEO & creator Benedict Lim talks to Green Queen’s Sonalie Figueiras about why malty milk matters and more.

    In less than two years, self-described ‘full-stack’ oat milk brand OATSIDE has become a force to be reckoned with on supermarket shelves in over 8 Asian markets including Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. As of earlier this month, they have launched in Hong Kong. The company’s strength is down to its uber creamy and malty product, a robust regional supply chain (oats from Australia, coconut sugar and cacao from Indonesia) and full control over their oat extraction (the company owns its production facility). We met with CEO and creator Benedict Lim during his Hong Kong visit. Below he tells us more about their unique branding, how the company scaled so fast and why Asia needs another oat milk.

    Q: What are the key markets for OATSIDE? Do you want to focus on APAC or also eventually go to the US and EU? 

    Benedict Lim: We feel we have a better understanding of the palates and culture in Asia and it’s where we’re  currently focused! That said, we wouldn’t close off the possibility of expanding outside of Asia in the  future. 

    Q: What has enabled you to scale so fast? 

    Benedict Lim: The strongest factor has to be the taste of our product – there’s something about the creamy  maltiness of OATSIDE that is very familiar to people growing up in this region and that builds a  connection and joy that people want to share with others. 

    Q: Can you share more about your unique branding? 

    Benedict Lim: OATSIDE as a brand is optimistic, adult and as-is. The artwork was a way to convey our brand world – the OATSIDE of life; the bright side of life told in all its unfiltered, modern glory. The packs’ artwork are cartoons and yet have a feel and tone that speaks to adults, which is our intention. 

    Courtesy OATSIDE

    Q: Why do we need another oat milk brand? What’s the real mission here? 

    Benedict Lim: We want to be the plant milk for people who don’t care for plant milks – to lead the movement to  sustainable milk through incredible taste. Within plant milks – and oat milks in particular – there is a wide variance in textures, tastes and there has to be a varied offering across brands to achieve this shared mission globally. 

    Q: Why do most Asian consumers buy oat milk, in your view? What’s their motivation? 

    Benedict Lim: Oat milk is still a very new category in Asia, but oats are a familiar ingredient in most parts. It’s ultimately about taste/texture familiarity! 

    Q: Where is OATSIDE produced? Can you share more about your supply chain? 

    Benedict Lim: OATSIDE is produced in Bandung, a beautiful mountainous region of West Java, Indonesia, where we get access to clean mountain spring water for our production. 

    Q: How do you achieve the sweetness in the ‘no added sugar’ Barista blend? 

    Benedict Lim: Indeed there is no added sugar in OATSIDE’s Barista Blend – there are some natural sugars from oats  that are created through the enzymatic process of oat extraction.  

    Q: OATSIDE ingredients include canola oil? Do you feel this is a healthy choice given it is linked to certain issues?

    Benedict Lim: When thinking about a source of vegetable fat, canola was particularly appealing given it is an unsaturated fat and has a neutral taste profile. We use non-GMO canola with sourced in Australia.

    Q: Are you being affected by existing supply chain difficulties? 

    Benedict Lim: Over the past months, we’ve had to face some port congestion in various countries and limited vessel availability but our supply chain team has managed to mitigate these issues with good planning. 

    Q: Are you raising capital at the moment? 

    Benedict Lim: No, we are not raising capital at this moment.

    Lead image by Green Queen with photos courtesy OATSIDE.

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  • Perfect Day’s Latest Precision Fermentation Product? It’s the Technology Itself

    3 Mins Read

    Perfect Day, the pioneer in animal-free whey created through precision fermentation, has launched Nth Bio—a spin-off platform under the Urgent Company umbrella that will leverage its expertise and technology services for collaboration and hire.

    The Nth Bio name is taken from the math term the nth degree, meaning “to any required power”. And Perfect Day co-founder and CEO Ryan Pandya says that’s exactly the reason the company chose it.

    Nth Bio

    “It’s our commitment to creating a kinder, greener tomorrow through collaboration—taken to the nth degree. We look forward to continuing this work from our Salt Lake City base, supporting innovative, mission-aligned companies with Nth and extending our impact into new industries,” Pandya said in a statement.

    Nth builds on Perfect Day’s continued success. In the first half of 2022, the company produced more animal-free whey protein than it did in all of 2021. It says it has “unlocked the capacity to produce thousands of metric tons” through its four commercial-scale facilities around the world. Those products should begin rolling out early next year. Perfect Day’s ingredients are currently found in ice cream, milk, and cheese, among other categories.

    Perfect Day Raises $350M in Late-Stage Funding Round As Brand Prepares to IPO
    Courtesy Perfect Day

    The Nth team has been operating in stealth mode for the last two years working on its IP licensing, engineering, and scaling technology. It says it’s the only enterprise biology company in the world offering “end-to-end expertise and services from the earliest stages of molecular development to commercial-scale manufacturing, and the many steps in-between.”

    Kicking off the launch of Nth Bio, the company has partnered with Onego Bio, Ltd., the newly formed food tech startup that landed $1.1 million earlier this year, working to develop egg whites using precision fermentation.

    “Onego Bio is a serious, new player in the field, with top-notch technology skills and world-class experts that share our kinder, greener mission,” Pandya said. “We believe their animal-free egg white products will play a significant role in transforming our food chain.”

    Animal-free egg whites

    Onego Bio is using a novel technology to create precision fermentation ovalbumin—a protein found in egg whites. According to the company, global egg production has nearly doubled over the past two decades. The category is expected to reach close to 140 million tons by 2030.

    The company says with help from Nth Bio it can meet the growing demand for eggs with a more sustainable and ethical option. It says it plans to launch its first product, called Bioalbumen, for U.S. food service and confectionery use in the near future, eventually launching branded retail consumer products.

    egg white
    Courtesy Onego Bio

    “We are thrilled to announce the partnership with Nth Bio,” said Maija Itkonen, CEO of Onego Bio. “Perfect Day has been an enormous trailblazer in the global animal-free protein business, gaining GRAS status in the United States, and successfully communicating the no-compromise impact potential that its technology empowers to a larger audience. We are excited to have the opportunity to work with Perfect Day to follow in their footsteps with our own Onego Bio products.”

    Nth Bio says the inaugural partnership underscores its commitment to “impact through collaboration.” It says its unmatched expertise and potential for impact can’t be maximized alone. Perfect Day is no stranger to partnerships. Much of its success is owed to high-profile collaborations including a launch with Mars, General Mills, and a forthcoming project with Nestlé.

    “By giving access to essential tools and infrastructure, Nth allows partners like Onego to accelerate the things our world needs to move in a more sustainable direction,” the company said. “The best way to change the world for the better is to work with others to create broader impact. The potential is exponential.”

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  • For the Love of Meat: Are Plant-Based Burgers Overhyped?

    oped plant based burgers
    6 Mins Read

    Notes From the Frontlines of the Sustainable Food Movement – a new opinion column by Irina Gerry

    Critics say plant-based burgers aren’t a health food and are a false solution in the fight to reduce food emissions. Are they right?

    Plant-based meat has become the subject of increasingly intense debate. On one hand, plant-based burgers by startups like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat are trying to make headway with meat lovers touting their beefy taste and climate credentials. On the other, the real beef fans are firing back with tradition and naturalness, undergirded by our cultural devotion to meat.

    It’s political. It’s emotional. It’s tribal. From Fox News pundits to climate scientists to ranchers, everyone is wading into the great beef debate. So, do plant-based burgers deserve our love or are they an overhyped Silicon Valley invention about to go down?

    Are they better for the environment? Yes.

    Plant-based meat alternatives beat conventional beef by a long shot. Given that beef tops the charts in emissions, land use, and fresh water use among all foods, as well as livestock farming being the leading driver of deforestation and biodiversity loss, it is not hard to see that just about any plant-based alternative would be a dramatic improvement.

    For example, compared to conventional ground beef, the Impossible Burger reduces environmental impacts across every critical category, requiring 87% less water and 96% less land, and producing 89% fewer GHG emissions and 92% less aquatic pollutants. 

    But, aren’t these burgers made from soy and other industrial monocrops, which are bad for the environment? The amount of soy protein, and other edible inputs, going into this burger are far lower than is required to produce an equivalent beef burger. 

    Raising cattle for food is incredibly inefficient. It takes 100 calories of feed to get 3 calories of beef. In the US, we use 65% more productive agricultural lands to grow crops (like corn and soy) to feed farmed animals than we do for all other foods we eat directly. There is likely more indirect soy in your beef burger than in the plant-based one. In fact, 77% of soy globally is used for animal feed, and only 7% is consumed by humans. Livestock farming, and its growing demand for soy feed, is the leading driver of deforestation in the Amazon. But wait, isn’t regeneratively grazed beef good for the planet? Many passionate ranchers promote regeneratively grazed beef as the climate solution, insisting that when done properly, grazed cattle can restore degraded soils and sequester carbon. First, this is not what people eat today, because more than 99% of beef is not regeneratively grazed. Second, regenerative agriculture lacks proper definition and standards, making it impossible to know whether beef marketed as regenerative or low carbon is actually better, or how it stacks up for measurements beyond carbon such as land use, water use, deforestation or biodiversity. Finding this magical climate friendly beef will send you scouring the internet, deciphering dubious marketing claims, and air freighting expensive beef from a handful of small farms, likely negating your effort at a lower carbon footprint. Third, even after decades of research, there is still a lot of uncertainty around the scalability, durability and overall climate impact of regenerative grazing outside of very specific degraded cropland conversion examples, making it more of a niche proposition rather than a scalable climate solution.

    Are they better for the animals? Yes.

    No matter how you view the concept of humans eating animal meat, industrialized animal agriculture is a far cry from the original hunter’s way of killing animals for food. In the US alone, we slaughter over 33 million cattle and calves annually, and 70% of them are raised in factory farms, in conditions that would make most meat lovers cringe. Nearly 99% of chickens, pigs and turkeys are raised in factory farms. There is nothing humane or natural about the way we industrially farm animals for food.

    Figure courtesy of PNAS study: Estimating the environmental impacts of 57,000 food products. Environmental impact score and nutrition impact score per 100 g of multi-ingredient food products.

    Are they better for your health? Probably.

    Consumers are gravitating towards plant-based foods primarily because of their health halo. There is no doubt that a whole-food plant-centric diet is best for our health, but most of us also love a burger once in a while.  

    The Impossible burger is plant-based. It is a savory, chewy, indulgent treat, high in calories and fat. Wonderful with fries on the side. Its healthfulness depends on your point of reference. Is it better than a kale salad? No. Better than its animal-based counterpart? Probably yes, but that doesn’t make it a health food.

    It is a processed food with a relatively long ingredient list. Whole unprocessed plant foods (veggies, legumes, nuts and fruit) are better for our health, but they just don’t deliver the same eating experience that a beef burger does, so I’m ok with a less-than-perfect option for this particular occasion, assuming this is a small part of a diet rich in whole plant foods.

    Despite the processing, I believe a plant-based burger is still a better option for my health based on initial studies and given that red meat is associated with a number of health risks, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Evaluating healthfulness of any given food can be complex, and will largely depend on which specific plant-based burger you choose. For example, Impossible beef has no cholesterol, is lower in saturated fat and higher in iron, plus it contains 5g of fiber, which is critical for gut health, while matching beef on protein and vitamin B12 content. It is made with soy, which may be an issue for some. Good news is that options abound from soy-based Impossible, to pea-based Beyond, to organic minimally processed black bean options to suit any taste and dietary preference. The overall assessment of available research leads me to conclude that plant-based meat is still a better option compared to beef, especially if we cross-tabulate environmental impact with nutrient availability.

    Are they a false solution? I don’t think so.

    Wouldn’t it be better to convince people to eat more whole plant foods, instead of attempting to replicate the less-than-healthy burger? I support the effort wholeheartedly. For years, health, climate and animal rights groups have been beating the drum of whole plant foods, with limited success. Meat is so deeply ingrained in our culture and eating habits, that such a massive dietary shift has not occurred. In fact, the world keeps eating more meat. We are out of time and urgent action on climate is needed. We must reduce the massive environmental footprint of livestock immediately, and that requires deploying multiple solutions at the same time. That should include health education, subsidies and policies targeted at increasing vegetable and fruit consumption, behavioral nudging, and direct substitution with plant-based or cell-based alternatives.

    The plant-based meat innovation strategy is grounded in the belief that it is easier and faster to give people a more sustainable, high fidelity beef analogue than to drive a radical habit change. Much like it is easier to transition people to driving electric cars, than to walking, biking or taking public transport, given the habits and logistics of modern lifestyles.My hope is that a clear understanding of the full impact of beef production on climate, animals and health would lead most of us to significantly reduce our beef consumption, whether it is by choosing whole plants or plant-based meat alternatives. Because with the growing global population and the projected increase in meat demand, we have no hope of meeting the +1.5C degree global warming targets if we stay with the status quo.

    Lead image of Impossible Foods burger courtesy of Canva.

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  • Rival Foods Raises a €6 Million Series A to Improve on Plant-Based Meat Development

    3 Mins Read

    Rival Foods, the Wageningen University & Research spinoff working since 2019 to replicate animal meat with plants, has announced the closing of a €6 million Series A funding round.

    PeakBridge and Roquette Ventures led the funding round. Rival Foods says the funding will help expand operations and technologies while working to develop new protein sources and formulations. It expects to launch its first product by next summer.

    Novel protein development

    “The expertise and technology required to create thicker, 3D plant-based meat products that closely resemble animal commodities such as chicken breast, pork chops, and salmon fillets, is one of the major unmet needs in the alternative protein industry. There is a large market for alternative protein products,” the company said in a statement. “Whole-cut beef, which is now underutilized with alternative proteins.”

    Rival Foods Whole Cut Chicken
    Rival Foods Whole Cut Chicken | Courtesy

    Rival chose PeakBridge and Roquette Ventures for their food tech expertise and work with alternative protein upscaling. PeakBridge has funded Imagine Dairy and Supernatural, among others.

    According to Rival Foods, a big opportunity lies in producing “thicker, 3D plant-based meat products that more accurately mimic animal products like chicken breast, pork chop, and salmon filets.” It’s also angling to provide consumers with cleaner label products that are free from excess additives and fillers.

    Through its machines and technology, the company says its processes can transform a wide range of ingredients into healthy plant-based meat products with “an unparalleled fibrous texture, rich mouthfeel and juiciness.”

    Whole cut vegan meat

    Whole-cut vegan meats are the holy grail of the plant-based sector. Companies have been hard at work aiming to replicate the taste, texture, and function of whole cut meats but few have yet to perfect it.

    Earlier this month, Swiss startup Planted Foods raised $72 million for its whole-cut and skinless vegan chicken breast. U.S.-based Meati has been perfecting its whole-cut and whole-food-based mushroom meat to market. Earlier this summer it received backing from Mexican fast-casual chain Chipotle in its $150 million Series C.

    Meati mycelium steak | Courtesy

    The number of consumers identifying as flexitarian continues to rise. But according to Rival Foods, nearly half (45 percent) say they aren’t impressed with the taste and texture of current offerings. Rival

    “The sustainable future has a number of major challenges that we need to work on with society. Think of the energy and food transition. The latter focuses on the question of how we can sustainably feed the growing world population, without harming the earth. To do this, people have to switch from mainly animal proteins to more vegetable proteins, as in the past. We do not need the large amount of animal proteins that we now get from meat, and moreover it is unsustainable to produce so much meat for the climate, humans and animals. In addition, eating a lot of meat is not necessarily healthy—not to mention animal welfare,” Rival Foods co-founder Birgit Dekkers told Change.inc last year.

    “At Rival Foods, we believe that you should offer people good, tasty and affordable alternatives,” she said. “That way you can tempt them to make different choices.” 

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  • Mark Cuban and Emily Ratajkowski Back Prolific Machines’ $42 Million Raise to Scale (Cheap) Cultivated Meat

    Mosa Meat FBS

    3 Mins Read

    Emerging from stealth mode, the celebrity-backed Prolific Machines is about to bring down the price of cultivated meat significantly.

    Profilic Machines’ $42 million was raised a year ago and comes from a long list of seed and an oversubscribed Series A investors including Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban and model and actress Emily Ratajkowski.

    The seed was led by Arvind Gupta at Mayfield, and Breakthrough Energy Ventures led the Series A round. Funding also came from David Adelman, The Kraft Family, David Rubenstein, Michael Rubin, Breyer Capital, The SALT Fund, Purple Orange Ventures, Fred Blackford, Jake Poliskin, Matt Katz, Baruch Future Ventures, Kevin Love, Tobias Harris, Meek Mill, Ciara and Russell Wilson, Maverick Carter, Sean Feeney, Michael Schulson, Mark Bucher, and RJ Melman.

    The company is now preparing for its Series B, which will aim for $170 million to further accelerate its tech.

    Funding the future of food

    With the growing demand for sustainable protein, cultivated meat development has taken a starring role in the future of food. President Biden’s recent endorsement and funding for biotech are expected to accelerate U.S. approval for cultivated meat. But for a number of producers, cost is still an issue, often the core barrier to entry. Prolific Machines is emerging with tech it says can help scale up production and scale down costs at the same time.

    Prolific Machines Team
    Prolific Machines Team | Courtesy

    “You have to use these growth media proteins which are some of the most expensive things — one of the proteins we are replacing is like 30,000 times more expensive than a gram of gold,” Prolific Machines co-founder and CEO Deniz Kent told TechCrunch. “It’s really hard to scale anything for this reason because you have to use these proteins.”

    Cultured meat uses cell samples taken from live animals. But from there, the cells are grown in lab settings, often bioreactors, where they’re fed a diet of nutrients. This had first been fetal bovine serum (FBS), a controversial ingredient. But a growing number of producers have supplanted the ingredient for plant-based media that’s often less expensive than FBS.

    Price parity

    Prolific Machines says its unique approach can do for cell-cultured meat what Henry Ford did for automobiles: make it cheaper.

    “Back then, nobody really owned cars apart from super-rich people. What really changed things was Ford,” Kent said.

    “They built the assembly line for cars and found a way to manufacture cars at a price that normal people could afford. That transformed the industry because then you went from hundreds of car companies to only three companies having over 70% of the market.”

    Upside Foods’ EPIC factory, Courtesy

    Its tech brings prices down and increases availability by eliminating the need for growth media entirely. It plans to bring products to market and license its tools to companies already in the space—and there are many. Data from the think tank the Good Food Institute shows more than 100 cultivated meat and seafood startups launched last year alone, a number up 25 percent from 2020.

    “I never intended to invest in another cultured meat company, but when Deniz showed me what they were doing, I was blown away by the creativity in their approach to reinvent the assembly line for food production,” Gupta said in a statement. “It is my goal to help reverse climate change by partnering with incredible teams, and I am convinced Prolific Machines will be a winner in the race for sustainable food production.”

    Prolific Machines is building a 25,000-square-foot headquarters in Emeryville, California—not far from cultivated meat producer Upside Foods ‘Epic’ facility that can produce 400,000 pounds of cultivated meat per year. The facility should be done by next spring.

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  • Standing Ovation Closes €12 Million Series A for Precision Fermentation Casein

    Standing Ovation dairy
    3 Mins Read

    Paris-based food tech company Standing Ovation has closed an oversubscribed €12 million Series A financing round to scale its animal-free casein and alt-cheese products. The new funding was led by Astanor Ventures, with participation from Peakbridge, Seventure Partners, Big Idea Ventures, and Good Startup, among others.

    Standing Ovation’s Series A funding comes less than two years after the company launched. It’s leveraging the raise to scale its technology and output to meet the growing demand for animal-free cheese.

    ‘Tremendous potential’

    “Standing Ovation’s technology has a tremendous potential,” Frederic Paques, CEO of Standing Ovation, said in a statement. “However, bringing the products rapidly to the market requires significant resources, and substantial funding had become necessary. Astanor Ventures, which had already supported us at an earlier stage, understood it as did the other participants in this round. We would like to thank all our investor partners for their support and their confidence in the team.”

    Standing ovation cheese
    Standing ovation cheese | Courtesy

    According to Romain Chayot, Scientific Director of Standing Ovation, in only two years, the company has developed a unique and highly technological process. “We are now in a strong position to build on this momentum and transition towards more logistically intensive stages, especially scaling up,” he said.

    “Standing Ovation’s technology represents a paradigm shift for the animal-free dairy market,” Eric Archambeau, co-founder of Astanor Ventures, said. “Casein is the holy grail for the production of alternative options that match conventional products in nutrition, taste and texture yet it has remained notoriously difficult to create. The founders’ experience in biotechnology enabled them to find the key to casein development, a step ahead of many companies. We are greatly impressed by the team’s advancements over the past year both in product and process development and are excited to support them in this next step of their journey.”

    Harnessing the power of casein

    Standing Ovation says its process is “simple but innovative” and harnesses the power of casein without any animal material. Casein is what gives cheese its melting and stretching properties. It says it’s proven that its fermented casein can be combined with other products to produce “true replicas” of both fresh and soft cheese.

    Nutropy cheese | Courtesy

    Last week, another Paris-based cheese startup, Nutropy, raised €2 million in a pre-seed round for its fermented cheese.

    Both companies are targeting French cheese and the increasing demand for more sustainable options. The country has been championing sustainability in its wine production in recent years as the impact of climate change has taken a toll on wine producers.

    Livestock production makes up about 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and cattle is the leading livestock producer of methane, a greenhouse gas that traps more heat than CO2.

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  • Biden’s Biotech Moonshot Lights the Way for Regulatory Approval of Cultivated Meat

    4 Mins Read

    Biotech is a priority for the Biden Administration, as the President signed an executive order earlier this week implementing support for the emergent category. Funding amounts were not disclosed but Biden says biotech holds the potential to fight cancer and make alternatives to emissions-producing products including oil-based chemicals, plastics, and textiles, as well as animal-free meat and dairy products.

    Calling it a cancer ‘moonshot’, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston earlier this week, he compared biotech to the former president’s moon landing initiative. Biden says he hopes to cut cancer deaths by 50 percent over the next quarter-century.

    Photo by Talha Hassan on Unsplash

    “Today I’m setting a long term goal for the Cancer Moonshot – to rally American ingenuity, we engage like we did to reach the moon, but actually cure cancers…once and for all,” Biden said. The president’s son Beau died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46.

    “Today’s action is going to ensure that America leads the world in biotechnology and biomanufacturing, creating jobs, reducing prices, strengthening supply chains so we don’t have to rely on anywhere else in the world,” Biden said.

    Biotech revolution

    In a press call with White House staff, a senior administration official said the announcement and order come as the global industry is “on the cusp of a revolution powered by biotechnology.” 

    “Analyses and facts suggest that before the end of the decade, engineering biology holds the potential to be used in manufacturing industries that account for more than one third of global output.  That’s equivalent to almost $30 trillion in terms of value, the White House official said.

    “Living factories — cells — and biomass can be used to make almost anything that we use in our day-to-day lives, from medicines to fuels to plastics.  And this allows the U.S. to leverage innovation — this innovation — to strengthen our economy and society.”

    Photo by Alejandro Barrón from Pexels

    The administration says it’s also looking to improve food security and drive agricultural innovation, “including through new technologies that protect crops from disease, enhance seeds and fertilizers and foods made with cultured animal cells.”

    Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath, president & CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, welcomed the move.

    “We commend the administration for launching this initiative, particularly the actions to streamline regulatory regulations for biotechnology products, expand market opportunities for biobased products, work for international alignment of regulatory standards, and invest in training and education pathways to ensure an adequate, diverse biotech workforce,” McMurray-Heath said in a statement.

    Biotech ag

    “This announcement puts in place steps that will help the soy industry continue to use soybeans to develop innovative, sustainable products that can help lower greenhouse gas emissions and create more jobs for not only agriculture but all Americans,” American Soybean Association President Brad Doyle said in a statement.

    “We are also pleased to see included measures that support agricultural biotechnology regulatory reform, along with quite a few other provisions.”

    Upside Foods’ EPIC factory, Courtesy

    The move is also expected to speed regulatory approval for cultivated meat in the U.S and around the world. The industry raised $1.38 billion last year, according to the Good Food Institute. Last year saw the launch of more than 100 cultivated meat and seafood startups—a number up nearly 25 percent over 2020. Twenty-five countries now have at least one cultivated meat company.

    U.S.-based Upside Foods, which has raised more than $600 million and is now valued at more than $1 billion, opened a $50 million California factory last year that it says can produce 400,000 pounds of cultivated meat per year. Currently, only Singapore has approved the sale of cultivated meat products for Bay Area’s Eat Just Good Meat.


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  • Novel Vegan Seafood Development From Revo Foods Signals a Sea Change

    Revo Foods product range
    3 Mins Read

    Austria’s Revo Foods is bringing three new vegan products to market this week: Graved Salmon, Salmon Spread, and Tuna Spread. It says the Graved Salmon and Salmon Spread are new to the plant-based seafood category.

    “With the release of these 3 unique products, we reached a new milestone in the dynamic market of plant-based seafood alternatives. Not only are we the first company in the world to release a plant-based alternative to graved salmon and salmon spread, but with our more than 2500 selling points all across Europe, we are having a real impact on sustainable seafood products,” Robin Simsa, CEO of Revo Foods, said in a statement.

    Novel seafood tech

    Revo, which recently secured a €2.2 million grant from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency, is using a novel “Fiber Dispension Technology” to develop individual fiber strands in the plant protein, which mirrors the bite and mouthfeel of conventional tuna. The company says this will be used to develop more realistic seafood alternatives in the future. 

    Courtesy Revo Foods

    The new products also tap into a high protein and high omega-3 fatty acid content from microalgae oils that deliver EPA and DHA fatty acids.

    Revo is bringing its products to Austrian supermarkets with plans to expand quickly to locations throughout Germany, Denmark, and the UK.

    The new products follow Revo’s initial Salmon launch last November, which saw the startup expand to 18 countries and more than 2,500 locations across Europe where the brand quickly established itself as a category leader.

    Revo’s quick market penetration points to the category opportunity for the alt seafood sector. A recent consumer survey in the world’s leading seafood-consuming countries across Asia found consumers were more interested in alternatives to conventional seafood than ever. Much of the demand comes from an interest in avoiding heavy metals and microplastics common in both wild-caught and farmed fish.

    Vegan seafood demand

    Last week, U.S.-based vegan seafood brand Good Catch announced it was being acquired by Wicked Kitchen. Both companies were founded by chef brothers Chad and Derek Sarno. The move is expected to foster rapid growth for the seafood products that include tuna and crab cakes. Wicked Kitchen is sold in all Tesco stores in the U.K., and recently expanded its U.S. presence to Kroger and Sprouts stores, among others.

    revo foods tuna
    Revo Foods Tuna Sandwich | Courtesy

    According to recent findings by the Good Food Institute APAC, alternative seafood companies doubled their funding raises to US$175 million last year over 2020 numbers.

    “Consumers also want products that can match or exceed the nutritional value, freshness, and affordability of the conventional seafood they know and love,” Mirte Gosker, Acting Managing Director of GFI APAC, said in a statement.

    “Satisfying these demands will require substantially more investment from public and private stakeholders into open-access research and development aimed at improving the quality and cost of plant-based and cultivated seafood products,” she added.

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  • Australia’s Magic Valley Takes on the Growing Demand for Lamb With Novel Cultivated  Meat Tech

    Magic Valley lamb meat
    3 Mins Read

    Australian food-tech company Magic Valley says it has created a prototype for the country’s first cultivated lamb meat.

    It’s a move the company says is aimed at meeting Australia’s changing dietary preferences. According to Magic Valley, more than 33 percent of Australians are looking at ways to reduce meat consumption. 

    Global lamb consumption

    While a number of food tech companies are tackling chicken, pork, and beef, lamb has seen far fewer innovations in the space. But there’s an urgent need to address lamb consumption as it is the fourth most consumed land-based meat in the world—about a quarter of the global population regularly consumes lamb, a number that’s climbed from 20 percent a decade ago. That number is only expected to rise as income levels rise in countries including China, which consumes the most lamb in the world.

    Lamb is a leading contributor to climate change due in large part to the methane emissions. A single sheep can produce about 30 litres of methane each day. Methane traps more atmospheric heat than carbon dioxide. The world’s leading climate experts say an urgent 30 percent drop in methane emissions is needed to help keep the planet from surpassing the 1.5°C temperature rise over pre-industrial levels.

    Paul Bevan, Founder and CEO, Magic Valley
    Paul Bevan, Founder and CEO, Magic Valley | Courtesy

    “By 2024, cultivated meat products will be indistinguishable from traditionally farmed meat, with the ability to enhance nutrients to positively impact the human population,” founder and CEO Paul Bevan said in a statement.

    “With the global population predicted to reach 10 billion people by 2050, the traditional methods of animal agriculture are simply inadequate to meet the protein needs of our future generations. The move away from traditional meat consumption is motivated by many different reasons for Australians, but the science has shown that if we are not feeding livestock and instead feeding ourselves, this is a viable way to nourish the human population beyond 2050,” Bevan said. 

    Making cultivated lamb meat without FBS

    The lamb cells were taken from a small skin biopsy of a lamb named Lucy, who the company says is “happily residing in a field in New South Wales.” The cells were then turned into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) stem cells that can grow in “an unlimited and scalable way”.

    These cells can also grow to produce muscle and fat. The tech allows Magic Valley to bypass the need for a growth medium like Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS)—all that’s needed is the initial tissue sample, which can be done with little harm to the animals. Magic Valley says the use of this tech marks a world’s first for lamb meat.

    Magic Valley lamb meatballs
    Magic Valley lamb meatballs | Courtesy

    According to Magic Valley, its cultivated lamb meat looks and cooks just like conventional lamb but with the potential for a healthier nutrition profile. The company is currently using cultivated lamb for burgers and tacos.

    Magic Valley says the cultivated meat market could make up more than 30 percent of the global $1.8 trillion meat market by 2040. 

    “The positive impacts cultivated meats can have not only have the potential to save over 70 billion animals per year, but also lays the groundwork for a more environmentally sustainable future by significantly reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by 92 percent,” the company said. Magic Valley anticipates bringing its products to market by 2024 pending regulatory approval and a forthcoming $5 million seed capital raise.

    Photos courtesy Magic Valley

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  • What Is Nestlé Cooking Up With Perfect Day’s Precision Fermentation Whey?

    3 Mins Read

    Nestlé announced earlier this week that it is preparing to launch a new product using Perfect Day’s precision fermentation whey. The announcement builds on the multinational food giant’s recent investments into plant-based meat and dairy products.

    Tight-lipped on what the product will be, Nestlé did say in a statement that it’s piloting a “novel” product through its new research and development accelerator program. The product is expected to launch in U.S. stores later this year.

    “As the world’s largest food and beverage company, delivering foods and beverages that are good for people and the planet is a priority,” Heike Steiling, Head of Nestlé’s Development Center for dairy products said in a statement.

    Nestlé’s vegan KitKat | courtesy

    “We are exploring emerging technologies that can lead to animal-friendly alternatives that are nutritious and sustainable, without compromising on taste, flavor, and texture. Bringing together our unmatched R&D expertise, innovation capabilities and scale, we are working to develop and test novel animal-free dairy protein-based products to complement our wide-ranging portfolio of plant-based alternatives.,” Steiling said.

    Perfect Day’s precision fermentation technology creates a dairy-identical whey without the need for raising cows. The company says its milk protein produces up to 97 percent fewer carbon emissions than traditional milk products. Animal agriculture is a leading cause of global warming accounting for nearly 15 percent of all annual emissions.

    Nestlé says it developed the product in Switzerland with its R&D team. The company says it’s “well-equipped” to deliver relevant consumer solutions in this emerging space. Most recently, Nestlé’s vegan KitKat bar expanded its placement across more than a dozen countries. The food giant also owns well-known vegan food brands Garden Gourmet and Sweet Earth, among other plant-based offerings.

    Courtesy Perfect Day

    “We are excited to pilot Nestlé’s first animal-free dairy protein-based products through our U.S. R+D Accelerator,” said Joanna Yarbrough, head of the R+D Accelerator. “While this category is still very young, we know consumers are looking for products that have a reduced environmental footprint, and we are evaluating this avenue as a future growth opportunity for our business.”

    Dairy products remain an important part of Nestlé’s portfolio, providing essential nutrients,
    especially for young children,” and contributing to the economic livelihoods of farmers globally. “Therefore, Nestlé continues to explore solutions and technologies to make dairy more climate-friendly,” the company said.

    Perfect Day has gone all-in on its high-profile partnership strategy in recent years. Earlier this year it partnered with confectionery brand Mars on a vegan chocolate bar. Last year its whey appeared in the General Mills vegan cream cheese brand Bold Cultr. It has also partnered with a number of other manufacturers including ice cream brands Brave Robot and Cool Haus.

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  • PowerPlant Partners Raises $330 Million to Focus on Growth-Stage Eco Companies

    liquid death
    2 Mins Read

    With its recent $330 million raise, PowerPlant Partners’ third fund, the PPV Fund III, will shift to focus solely on growth-stage vegan companies.

    According to PPV founders Daniel Gluck and Mark Rampolla, this is the first “true growth equity fund” for the vegan industry.

    “We are thrilled to receive such strong support and commitment from our limited partners, especially during a period of increased market volatility,” Gluck said in a statement. “This new fund will allow us to deepen and grow our efforts to find, fund and scale breakthrough companies that are building a healthier, more sustainable future.”

    Expanding vision

    Rampolla says the additional capital will allow PPV to expand its team and build “an even stronger” bench of industry-leading operating advisors and partners.

    “This will enable us to continue to bring an unparalleled level of insight and support to companies and apply our experience to a wider range of businesses that put human and planetary life at the center of business,” Rampolla said.

    PowerPlant Partners founders Daniel Gluck (left) and Mark Rampolla (right) | Courtesy

    PowerPlant Partners says it’s also expanding its strategic vision beyond plant-based products to include adjacent technology, service, and enablement companies “that put human and planetary life at the center of business.”

    This shift, the company says, will enable the firm to grow its platform and offer a “more integrated network” for its portfolio companies and partners.

    The platform has already made four investments into vegan and sustainable companies including Miyoko’s Creamery, Liquid Death, Partake Brewing, and SYSTM Foods. PPV III is aiming to invest between $15-40 million in companies with $10-75 million in annual revenue.

    A changing industry

    The move away from startup investing signals a shift in the increasingly crowded plant-based and sustainable consumer packaged goods industry.

    “We have transitioned to focus on larger, more established growth companies, with a direct path to profitability in one to three years,” Gluck told Forbes.

    Plant-based Beyond Meat Sausage | Courtesy

    “We have always invested in businesses that put human and planetary life at the center of business, and every single one of our portfolio companies is already embracing this theme,” Gluck said.

    “We are taking our proven platform in the consumer-wellness space, leveraging it to tangential sectors, and offering a more integrated and synergistic network for our portfolio companies and partners. Through our expansion, we will bring our portfolio companies an unparalleled level of insight and support.”


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  • Forsea Foods Is Taking On the ‘Tremendous’ Eel Market With Novel Cell-Cultured Tech

    forsea foods
    3 Mins Read

    Moving cell-cultured seafood “closer to nature,” Israeli newcomer Forsea Foods says it’s turning its attention to a bottleneck in the seafood industry by focusing on eel meat.

    Ashdod, Israel-based Forsea Foods says its patented organoid technology—stem cell-derived three-dimensional tissue structure—doesn’t require as many growth factors as other cell-based meat. The technology, developed by Iftach Nachman, PhD, co-founder of Forsea, is also used in developmental biology, medicine, and research.

    Self-organizing cell structures

    “While cell cultivation largely focuses on a system of directed differentiation, where cells are signaled to differentiate into a specific cell type and are then combined on a scaffold, our system grows the aggregate of the various cells already at the initial stage of the process. The cells organize themselves autonomously into their innate, purposed structure, just as in nature,” Nachman said in a statement.

    Forsea Team - Yiftach Nachman, Roee Nir, Yaniv Elkouby copy
    Forsea Team – Yiftach Nachman, Roee Nir, Yaniv Elkouby | Courtesy

    “This is a function of how you nourish the cells,” Roee Nir, a biotechnologist and CEO and co-founder of Forsea, said.

    “There are multiple benefits to the organoid method of cell cultivating fish,” says Nir. “First, it is a highly scalable platform that bypasses the scaffolding stage and requires fewer bioreactors. This makes the process much simpler and more cost-effective. Additionally, it dramatically reduces the amount of costly growth factors needed.”

    According to Forsea, the cell-cultured eel is sustainable and succulent and performs just like conventional eel filets but is free from common contaminants such as heavy metals, chemicals, and microplastic. A recent report on changing conceptions about alternative seafood in Asia pointed to growing consumer concern over heavy metals and microplastic in conventional seafood.

    The demand for eel

    Eel populations face an uncertain future, says Forsea. Overfishing has seen populations decline by 90 to 95 percent, pushing eel species into endangered territory and pushing market prices up to $70 per kilogram in Japan.

    The animals are considered a delicacy in East Asia, but according to Nir, they are also considered to be the ocean’s “most mysterious creatures, undergoing an unusual metamorphosis,” he said, speaking of their breeding that includes a 6,500 km migration to one of two spots on earth: the Sargasso Sea, near the Bermuda Triangle, or off Guam. Captive breeding has proven difficult for eel species.

    eel
    Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

    “The market demand for eels is enormous,” adds Nir.

    In just two decades, Japan’s consumption of eel has dropped from 160,000 metric tons to around 30,000 tons today. That’s due to overfishing and rising prices and what Forsea says is a huge gap between the supply and the demand for eels. Europe has also banned the export of any type of eel product. “The market opportunity for cell-cultured eels is tremendous,” Nir says.

    Israel food tech

    Forsea joins a robust Israel food tech industry. The company launched last year with funding from the Israeli Innovation Authority (IIA) and the Strauss-Group and support from The Kitchen FoodTech Hub.

    “The demand for seafood is showing no signs of slowing down,” said Amir Zaidman, VP Business Development of The Kitchen Hub. “In fact, global demand is projected to almost double by 2050. But we are rapidly approaching the point where there will simply not be enough fish in the sea to sustain the global community.

    Zaidman says Forsea’s innovative new cultivation platform has the potential to bring “positive disruption to this paradigm” by offering a clean, nutritious, delicious, and commercially viable alternative to wild-caught seafood, “while leaving the delicate ocean ecosystem completely untouched.”

    Featured photo of Forsea Foods’ Eel | Courtesy

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  • With Its $10 Million Series A, Biobetter Brings Cultivated Meat Growth Media Down From $500,000 Per Gram to $1

    Dr. Amit Yaari, CEO and co-founder Biobetter,
    3 Mins Read

    Israel-based cultivated meat startup Biobetter says it has closed a $10 million Series A funding round led by Jerusalem Venture Partners and additional investment from Milk and Honey Investments, LLC, and the Israeli Innovation Authority.

    Biobetter, which is using tobacco plants as bioreactors for its cell-based meat, says its novel tech has the potential to reduce the costs of cultured meat and help speed market entry.

    Tobacco as a growth medium

    “World population growth, combined with dwindling natural resources, are going to put incredible strain on meat supply—and the already fragile environment—in the coming decades,” Amit Yaari, PhD, CEO of Biobetter said in a statement. “Cultivated meat offers a promising solution to these problems and can ensure a more resilient supply chain with better economic and environmental returns.”

    Tobacco plant testing
    Tobacco plant testing, courtesy Biobetter

    The company’s proprietary protein manufacturing platform levies tobacco in creating the growth factors the meat cells need to develop without the need for animal-based media. “The field-grown tobacco plants offer a new, sustainable, efficient, and flexible response to the market need for more competitively priced GFs, specifically insulin, transferrin, and FGF2. These compounds are necessary to make cultivated meat commercially viable,” the company said.

    Typical growth medium costs can run between $50,000 to $500,000 per gram. But Biobetter says it can do it for one dollar per gram.

    This, says Dana Yarden, MD, co-founder of Biobetter, is positioning tobacco for a “pivotal comeback as a catalyst for bringing better food security.” Yarden says the funding will allow BioBetter to scale up production in FY2023 and be market ready by 2024.

    “Biobetter has the key to scale up production of cultivated meat, make it accessible to consumers globally and protect our planet,” said Erel Margalit, Founder & Executive Chairman of Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) and Margalit Startup City. “This is not only because of the sheer volumes of GFs it can produce but also by virtue of its ability to substantially reduce their cost.”

    Israel’s alt-protein boom

    “Biobetter has the potential to create global and regional impact,” said Nisan Zeevi, Director of JVP and VP of Margalit Startup City Galil.

    “Closer to home, this venture will create a significant new source of income for local farmers. As cellular agricultural expands, we will dedicate some 500 acres here in the galilee of tobacco plantations to support the industry. This also helps growers find new purpose in the burgeoning alternative protein scene following a reduction in smoking over the last decade that has left many tobacco fields idle and tobacco farmers suffering financial loss.”

    biobetter team
    BioBetter Lands USD10M Funding to Relieve Cultivated Meat’s Bottleneck Using Tobacco Plants (Credit: Alexander Seleznyov)

    Biobetter is part of the booming Israeli alternative protein sector. It is one of many food tech startups based out of Margalit Start-up City Galil, which is quickly becoming the country’s agri-tech hub.

    A recent report from think tank The Good Food Institute Israel highlighted Israel’s success in the alt-protein space.

    “2021 saw alternative protein placed at the forefront of [Israel’s] food-tech industry, with several massive investment rounds intended to accelerate scale-up and allow young companies to become global leaders for a better food system,” Aviv Oren, Director of Business Engagement and Innovation, GFI Israel, wrote in the group’s mid-year report.

    “This momentum draws more investors, governments and multinational companies, as it is clearer than ever that to meet climate change goals and prevent future pandemics we must leverage technology to change the way we consume our food. Israel is leading this change, with more startups and more investment in alternative protein than any country besides the U.S.”

    Photo of Dr. Amit Yaari, CEO and co-founder Biobetter, courtesy Alexander Seleznyov

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  • Beyond Meat’s Asia Streak Continues As It Enters Japan

    3 Mins Read

    Beyond Meat is gearing up for a Japan launch in a new partnership with United Super Market Holdings. The partnership will include both product development and distribution.

    United Super Market Holdings (USMH), one of Japan’s largest grocery store holding companies with more than 500 retail outlets in Japan including MaxValu, Maruetsu, and Kasumi, will add Beyond Meat products to its Green Growers private label brand including minced ground beef. The house labels will also feature products developed specifically to Japanese consumer tastes and preferences.

    The new partnership is part of a USMH open innovation initiative, dubbed AKIBA-Runway, that lets it partner with companies for product development.

    Beyond Meat x Asia

    The new partnership between Beyond Meat and USMH is the latest in a string of collaborations throughout Asia for the U.S.-based vegan meat brand.

    Beyond Meat bowls, courtesy

    Pizza Hut Singapore just announced it was adding Beyond Meat to its menu last week—part of a number of partnerships between the Yum Brands’ Asian locations. It’s the parent to Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC. The companies partnered in 2020 to offer Beyond Burgers at select KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell locations across the country.

    In July, Beyond’s Plant-Based Pork Patties debuted in China. The company said it specifically created Beyond Pork for the Asian market, launching its first pork product in 2020. Last year it opened its first direct-to-consumer website in China—following its 2020 announcement that it was opening a factory in China, becoming the first major foreign vegan meat producer to bring production to Chinese soil.

    Japan embraces plant-based food

    According to GourmetPro, between 2019 and 2022 Japan’s plant-based product market alone is estimated to double in size and reach a value of more than $270 million (¥36.9 billion). The Japanese government is getting involved in the market boom, showing support for plant-based and alternative proteins as part of the nation’s move to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The Japan External Trade Organization is also working to support alternative companies inside and outside of the country.

    Beyond Meat China, courtesy

    Consumer perceptions about plant-based food are growing across Japan, even as awareness is low—about 20 percent. A survey conducted last year found that 40 percent of consumers aware of plant-based foods had tried at least one—typically dairy-free milk. Japanese consumers are largely driven by health, which would support the interest in nondairy products as at least 70 percent of Asians are lactose intolerant.

    Another recent survey by Good Food Institute APAC found interest in plant-based and alternative seafood is on the rise across Asia—also mainly for health reasons. Consumer concern about heavy metals and microplastics in seafood is driving the shift.

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