radiofree.asia

Category: Alt Protein

  • We Tested 9 Vegan Eggs and There Were 2 With Perfect Scores

    vegan egg review
    11 Mins Read

    Which vegan eggs are the best? We put nine leading options to the test.

    It’s crazy to think that just a decade ago, there were no animal-free alternatives to chicken eggs. If you went vegan, it meant saying goodbye to eating, cooking, and baking with eggs. So, the fact that I reached out to about 20 different brands making alt protein egg products for this review is a clear sign of how far along the industry has come.

    It’s not just about the perfect egg scramble or egg breakfast sandwich at brunch. Eggs are a major cooking and baking ingredient. As an avid baker, I know that the struggle is real when it comes to finding the right egg replacement for your popover or Il Flotante. Not to mention eggs over easy or a hard-boiled egg you can make deviled eggs and egg salad with. The good news? There are lots of options and new players in the space working hard to give you animal-free alternatives no matter how you like your eggs.

    You can have your fried egg or your hard-boiled egg and eat it too! From frozen pourable to ready-to-eat patty and instant powder mix, with ingredients that span mung beans and lupin beans to pea and tofu, I researched it all, and by research, I mean ate, of course. Here’s my cheat sheet on how they taste, cook, and compare with one another.

    Source: JUST Egg

    1. JUST Egg – Best Taste & Best Patty

    When it comes to vegan eggs, the time-space continuum can be split into ‘Before JUST Egg’ (BJE) and ‘After JUST Egg’ (AJE). BJE, if you wanted a vegan scramble, your options were a powder mix or tofu. Eat Just’s mung bean pourable egg replacement was a game-changer and the first to achieve mainstream status. It’s now widely used in both retail and food service with a star-studded roster of celeb investors, including Serena Williams and Jake Gyllenhaal.

    JUST Egg set the standard for vegan eggs and is the plant-based egg to beat when it comes to mouthfeel, versatility, easiness of preparation, and even price. In addition to the original JUST Egg 12oz bottle, The JUST Egg line also includes the JUST Egg Folded and the JUST Egg Sous Vide – in Roasted Potato Red Pepper Dill and Roasted Poblano Black Beans Chili Powder varieties.

    Cooking: JUST Egg needs to be refrigerated and used within 5 to 7 days once opened. It takes longer to cook than conventional eggs and I, for one, have a difficult time figuring out when to start scrambling or when it’s done. I get this cheesy consistency that makes it stick all over my nonstick frying pan and I end up wasting a lot of product. It would be really helpful if it came with some basic cooking instructions.

    That said, it’s by far the one that gives you the closest mouthfeel to a chicken egg in terms of taste, fluffiness, texture, and even smell. If you’re eating it plain scrambled, it is the most egg-like and tastes as eggy as conventional eggs. So much so that if you add other ingredients, like cheese and veggies, or make a breakfast sandwich or burrito with it and serve it to your friends, they’ll never know they’re not eating real eggs.

    JUST Egg’s original pourable liquid version is also super versatile. You can scramble it, make omelets and frittatas with it, or even use it as a baking replacement for eggs. Both the Folded and Sous Vide products can be kept frozen, then microwaved (no defrosting required), and ready within minutes. 

    Mouthfeel: 10

    Versatility: 9

    Easiness of Preparation: 8

    Overall: 9 out of 10

    Bonus Points: I love the convenience of popping the JUST folded in the toaster or microwave when I’m having a lazy morning. The JUST Folded also stands out from its competitors because it is, as the name says, folded so you get a double patty. Their Sous Vide makes for the perfect on-the-go vegan frittata.

    Protein Source: Mung bean

    Price: $3.99-$5.99 for a 12oz bottle, $4.29-$4.49 for a box of four JUST Folded, $5.98-$6.99 for a box of four Sous Vide (the most expensive of the 3 options)

    Source: Zero Egg

    2. Zero Egg – Most Versatile

    Even though Zero Egg is currently only available to the food service industry, you can have a sneak taste of their vegan egg in the Alpha Foods breakfast bowl sold at Costco in California and Hawaii. Zero Egg currently comes in two formats: frozen pourable form and as a ready-to-eat patty. 

    Cooking: I defrosted the Zero Egg Liquid in the refrigerator overnight. Like JUST Egg, it needs to be used within 5 to 7 days once defrosted. The first thing I noticed is that it has a pancake batter consistency and it’s thicker than JUST Egg or Simply Eggless. Because of that, it cooks way faster than both. The taste is not 100% quite there when you eat it plain scrambled, but it was delicious when I made an omelet and added my favorite vegan cheese. You can make a few ahead of time, refrigerate, then just heat them up and add fillings when you’re ready to eat. Perfect for a brunch party!

    Mouthfeel: 8

    Versatility: 10

    Ease of Preparation: 10

    Overall: 8 out of 10

    Bonus Points: The peanut butter cookie recipe their ambassador chef shared with me in our cooking demo is a show stopper and I’m officially hooked!

    Protein Source: A proprietary blend of plant proteins that include pea, chickpea, potato, and soy

    Price: You can purchase a four-pack of Alpha Breakfast Bowls at Costco for $12.49

    Source: Simply Eggless

    3. Simply Eggless – Contains Prebiotics

    JUST Egg, Zero Egg, and Simply Eggless all offer liquid and ready-to-eat patty options. Simply Eggless has the same liquidy consistency as JUST Egg and also needs to be used within 5 to 7 days once opened.

    Cooking: Even though it has the same consistency, it bubbles up and cooks faster than JUST Egg. It’s also easier to scramble and tell when it’s done. I liked the taste and the texture of the scrambled, but out of the 3, the Simply Eggless patty was my least favorite. Even though I followed the heating instructions on the box, the patty never got warm or firm enough. The texture was quite creamy, and the mouthfeel just wasn’t really there. 

    Mouthfeel: 8

    Versatility: 10

    Easiness of Preparation: 8

    Overall: 7 out of 10

    Bonus Points: Simply Eggless has 3 grams of prebiotics per serving, unlike its competitors or even actual eggs.

    Protein Source: Lupin beans 

    Price: $6.49 for a 16oz bottle or one box of four frozen patties

    Source: Puris Foods

    4. Acremade Plant-Based Egg Scrambler  – Best Value & Ease-of-Use

    I was blown away by Acremade Plant-Based Egg Scrambler. I wasn’t expecting much from a powder-based vegan egg, but boy oh boy, was I pleasantly surprised! I mean who knew a powder mixed with water could give you such spot-on eggy flavor and fluffiness? This is the new hot product to watch for and it’s going to give JUST Egg a serious run for its money once it hits the retail shelves.

    Cooking: All you have to do is add ¼ cup to a cup of water and whisk it. I like that it requires whisking the same way real eggs do. It has the thickest consistency by far, think cake batter, which makes it a bit harder to scramble but still easier than JUST Egg! Once it started cooking in the frying pan, my entire kitchen smelled just like bird-based scrambled eggs. The taste, the texture, and the fluffiness are all there. NOTE: Their other product, the Acremade Egg Replacer is being discontinued because you can do it all with the Plant-Based Egg Scrambler. They’ll be rebranding and renaming the Scrambler soon. 

    Mouthfeel: 10

    Versatility: 10

    Easiness of Preparation: 9

    Overall: 10 out of 10

    Bonus Points: It’s shelf-stable so you don’t have to worry about using it up within a week. It’s also the best value for your buck since $5.99 gets you a 12 oz bag and ¼ cup gives you the equivalent of 2-3 eggs!

    Protein Source: Pea protein and lupin bean flour

    Price: $5.99

    Source: Hodo Foods

    5. Hodo Foods All-Day Egg Scramble – For Tofu Lovers

    Hodo Foods All-Day Egg Scramble is more of an egg alternative than an egg replacement. It’s yellow, but it doesn’t have the same taste or texture of a real egg and I think calling it ‘All-Day Egg Scramble’ is a bit misleading. It’s made with tofu and if tofu scramble is your jam, this is the product for you. It’s not versatile because it comes already seasoned and ready to eat, but you can eat it in a jiffy since it only needs to be heated up on a frying pan or in the microwave.

    Mouthfeel: 5

    Versatility: 5

    Easiness of Preparation: 10

    Overall: 5 out 10

    Bonus Points: It is by far the easiest one to prepare as it doesn’t require defrosting or cooking.

    Protein Source: Soybean

    Price: $8.79 online

    Source: Be Leaf

    6. Be Leaf Fried Eggs – Best Ready-to-Eat

    I was really impressed with the Be Leaf fried egg. It delivered the same taste, texture, and mouthfeel you get from eating a fried chicken egg. The yolk’s consistency and taste were surprisingly identical to the real deal. It’s also super easy to make. All you have to do is defrost it in the refrigerator overnight, heat it up in a frying pan or microwave, and voila! While it’s the perfect fried egg replacement, it’s not as versatile as a pourable egg alternative. 

    Mouthfeel: 10

    Versatility: 5

    Easiness of Preparation: 10

    Overall: 9 out of 10

    Bonus Points: Unlike most of the other brands reviewed here, Be Leaf’s vegan range also includes meatless products like shrimp, chicken, bacon, and steak as well as jerky, seasoning, and dried soy.

    Protein Source: Non-GMO soy

    Price: $13.99 – $15.89 online

    Source: Crafty Counter

    7. Wunder Eggs – Best Hard-Boiled Egg

    I was really looking forward to trying Crafty Counter’s Wunder Eggs and it didn’t disappoint. It has the same texture and appearance of a hard-boiled egg. You also get the same exact sensory experience of holding a chilled hard-boiled egg in your hand. The egg white mouthfeel was spot on while the egg yolk was a bit creamier than a real egg yolk. I very much enjoyed eating it plain with just a dash of salt and also chopped up in an egg salad.

    Mouthfeel: 9

    Versatility: 5

    Easiness of Preparation: 10

    Overall: 8 out of 10

    Bonus Points: Clean label and requires no peeling, which was always the most annoying part of eating hard-boiled eggs!

    Protein Source: Cashews and almonds  

    Price: Not available yet

    Source: Nummy Nibbles

    8. Nummy Nibbles Plant-Based Omelette/Scramble Mix – Cleanest Label

    The Nummy Nibbles Plant-Based Omelette/Scramble Mix comes in packs of three and you can mix and match the flavors, Original (with Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Black pepper), Southwestern (with Bell Peppers, Jalapenos, Onion, Garlic, and Cayenne), and Chipotle (with Bell Peppers, Jalapenos and a hint of Smoky Chipotle). It’s a bit hard to compare it to other plain vegan scrambled eggs since all 3 mixes come with added veggies. The eggy flavor was not quite there, and the texture was slightly pastier than I’d want my scramble or omelets to be. It is easy to make because all you have to do is whisk it with water and cook, but not as versatile as other mixes since the veggies limit you to savory dishes. 

    Mouthfeel: 5

    Versatility: 7

    Easiness of Preparation: 9

    Overall: 6 out of 10

    Bonus Points: It’s shelf-stable and probably the one in this review with the cleanest label – no additives, artificial flavorings, or fillers at all.

    Protein Source: Chickpea 

    Price: $10.99 for a pack of 3 

    Source: The EVERY Co.

    9. Special Entry: EVERY EggWhite Macaron

    The Every Co. uses precision fermentation to create its animal-free egg white replacer that mimics the functionality and versatility of egg white proteins. EVERY EggWhite is designed to be used as an ingredient in anything from delicate desserts, like the French macarons I tried made in partnership with Chantal Guillon, to dry mixes and protein shakes. I fancy myself quite the connoisseur when it comes to macarons, having sampled every single one I’ve ever come across back when I was a vegetarian. The perfect macaron should be light and airy with a smooth filling sandwiched between the two crisp, yet slightly soft, meringue shells. These were just that and sure to satisfy even the toughest macaron critic like me. It’s no surprise they sold out!

    Mouthfeel: 10

    Versatility: 10

    Easiness of Preparation: 10

    Overall: 10 out of 10

    Bonus Points: Eye-catching and hip package design!

    Protein Source: Real egg proteins made without chickens (the proteins are produced in fermentation tanks by genetically engineered microbes)

    Price: The box of 6-piece macarons at the Chantal Guillon website sells for $28.00

    After writing this review, there are at least three vegan eggs I’ll make sure to have at home at all times. Being a household of one, I’m very partial to anything that I can keep frozen and/or is shelf-stable so I don’t have to worry about using it all up within a week. JUST Egg Folded is a must for the perfect vegan breakfast sandwich, Acremade Plant-Based Egg Scrambler for basically anything you want to make with eggs, and Be Leaf Fried Egg for anyone who loves a good old-fashioned fried egg sandwich like me.

    A few brands I reached out to and wish I could have tried for this review are: Follow Your Heart, Nabati Foods, Yo Egg, Evo Foods, and Pepita Egg. Oh well, maybe next time!

    Lead image courtesy of Canva.

    The post We Tested 9 Vegan Eggs and There Were 2 With Perfect Scores first appeared on Green Queen.

    The post We Tested 9 Vegan Eggs and There Were 2 With Perfect Scores appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • IntegriCulture Expands Its Cell-Based Egg Protein to New Skincare Range ‘L’Oeuf’

    3 Mins Read

    Cell-based egg comes to a new skincare line as Japan’s IntegriCulture expands its Cellament reach, demonstrating the power of its tech.

    It’s been a busy year for cellular agriculture startup IntegriCulture. It kicked off January with a $7 million Series B funding round to further its efforts to decrease the price for cultivated protein. In April, it announced it grew cultivated chicken and duck meat without an animal-based media—and at a fraction of the cost compared to using animal-based growth factors. Now, the company says its cell-based egg-derived skincare ingredient, Cellament, is being used by the Japanese skincare brand Essencebase in a new line dubbed L’Oeuf.

    “Cellular agriculture is often spoken in the food context, but what must not be forgotten is that opportunities of cellular agriculture go beyond food,” Yuki Hanyu, CEO at IntegriCulture said in a statement. “Examples include solid materials like leather, fur, and fluid substances like cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.”

    Cellament

    The L’Oeuf products, which include a serum and a moisturizing cream, use Cellament for its ability to promote skin repair. According to IntegriCulture, it “unleashes” the previously untapped power of eggs. IntegriCulture first launched Cellament last year in a skincare product from Japan-based Euglena.

    L'Oeuf serum
    L’Oeuf serum | Courtesy

    IntegriCulture says it spent years researching cell-cultured serum applications in cosmetics. It says eggs offer a range of benefits to the skin. The tech allows for selective cultivation of egg cells—the amnion, yolk sac, and plasma membrane—”amplify” the potency of the nutritional elements in eggs.

    The company says this proprietary ability makes its serum nutritionally superior to the same extraction from conventional chicken eggs, while also being more sustainable. According to IntegriCulture, Cellament can reduce the enzymatic activity that degrades skin elasticity by ten to 70 percent. It can also accelerate skin cell turnover, which increases smoothness and helps to prevent wrinkling.

    Cellament is also linked to an increase in keratinocyte moisture retention—90 percent of the skin’s outermost layer is made of keratinocytes. IntegriCulture says the ingredient can also target free radicals that speed up signs of aging. The egg proteins also reduce the presence of damaging inflammatory cytokines that create redness. An eight-week trial saw the egg reduce sebaceous pore size and sebum secretion leading to a decrease in acne and blackhead formation.

    Cell culture growth

    “Cell-culture technology doesn’t just change how we source traditionally animal-derived ingredients, it also enables us to unlock nutritional and functional power that was previously inaccessible,” Hanyu said last year. “There’s never been a product like Cellament before, and certainly not one ready for scalable commercialization. This is a significant milestone for cellular agriculture and for the skincare industry.”

    L'Oeuf serum
    L’Oeuf serum | Courtesy

    While cultivated meat focused brands like Upside Foods and Eat Just’s Good Meat say they’re also ready to scale, there’s currently no commercial approval outside of Singapore for cultivated meat. Eat Just earned approval there in 2020 and has been selling its cell-based chicken through select vendors since. Best estimates put U.S. approval at another 18-24 months out, though. For the E.U., it could be even longer.

    The delays may be worth the wait, though. IntegriCulture says it thinks its CulNet platform can drop the cost of growth factor from current prices of upwards of $200,000 per kilogram of meat to under $3 by 2025, and under a dollar soon after that, which would make cell-based meat as accessible as conventional animal products.

    The post IntegriCulture Expands Its Cell-Based Egg Protein to New Skincare Range ‘L’Oeuf’ appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Sprout Organic Launches Plant-Based Organic Baby Formula On Amazon

    4 Mins Read

    Australian infant nutrition startup Sprout Organic has partnered with the world’s largest e-commerce platform, Amazon to bring their plant-based baby formula to more parents. The move comes after online sales of formula have increased exponentially and following the global Covid-19 outbreak that saw grocery supplies in short supply. Now, as the U.S. battles a nationwide baby formula shortage, increased online choice is essential for parents.

    Sprout’s signature product is a vegan baby formula made from pea and rice protein. It was developed to offer an option to parents of children with dairy and soy allergies. Both are among the eight most common allergens in the world. The launch with Amazon comes shortly after Sprout’s unveiling in the Middle East, at the Saudi Food Expo. It also follows a recent victory at the World Food Innovation Awards, where it was named ‘Best Children’s Product’.

    Making baby formula availability a priority

    “If you told me five years ago that parents would be willing to purchase infant formula online, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Selasi Berdie, co-founder of Sprout Organic said in a statement. “Prior to launching Sprout Organic, all of our market research told us that baby formula was a pure grocery play, but the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated e-commerce growth years into the future. This is an exciting move for us which will increase convenience and accessibility globally,” he added.

    Addressing the U.S. baby formula shortage, Sprout has revealed that it is in talks with the FDA and Austrade to accelerate its entry into the U.S. market. Parents in the country have already purchased formula and noted that they have been happy to pay large shipping costs, to ensure their children have a steady supply of allergen-free formula. 

    Plant-based baby nutrition as a growing sector

    The infant nutrition market has been predicted to grow by $17.66 billion from 2021 to 2026. A major driver is an increasing demand for vegan and organic options within the sector. Taste and nutrition giant Kerry has identified a trend for new plant-based formulations coming to market, in a bid to offer alternatives to soy. The uptick has been attributed to a combination of food allergy awareness and parental belief systems.

    “We will see an increased migration of these products from the pharmacy channel onto general retail shelves,” Inaki Mielgo, vice president of business development for plant proteins at Kerry told NutritionInsight. “Additionally, innovative ingredients will be added to plant-based formulas to enhance the health benefits to the infant. We will also observe more consumer communication about the many positive nutritional factors of plant-based formulas.” 

    A fast rise to prominence for Sprout Organic

    Early 2021 saw Sprout unveil its certified vegan baby formula, made from 100 percent organic ingredients. It would go on to debut at domestic trade shows in May of the same year, before entering retail channels the following July. The formula took five years to develop and resulted in impressive demand from parents.

    Having sold out multiple times, Sprout is currently packaging its formula in pouches, to maintain supplies. It has assured consumers that the tins will be returning as soon as supply chain difficulties have been remedied. Amazon orders appear to be fulfilled with the latter. 

    Image created using Yumi product imagery.

    Raising baby vegans

    Vegan baby food is no longer the niche segment that it once was. Startups, often founded by parents looking for products that didn’t exist, are seeking to offer access to nutritionally balanced and convenient foods that don’t compromise on family ethics. It’s not just plant-based families embracing more ‘natural’ whole food options for their children though. After it was revealed that toxic heavy metals are commonly found in baby food products, parents were advised to scrutinise their food purchases more closely.

    Looking to disrupt the conventional baby food market, Los Angeles-based Yumi closed a $67 million Series B funding round at the end of 2021. The vegan brand, which counts Snoop Dogg as a fan, uses a subscription model to provide nutritionist-backed baby and toddler foods on a weekly basis. It is estimated that Yumi feeds an estimated three percent of all U.S. babies, with a view to increasing that number exponentially. 

    Fellow U.S. vegan brand Tiny Organics expanded its range earlier this year. The startup unveiled its Tiny Beginnings line, which includes finger foods for children as young as four months. Whole ingredients are used, with piquant flavourings, to take advantage of what the company has identified as a key developmental window led by inquisitiveness and openness.

    All photos by Sprout Organic, unless stated.

    The post Sprout Organic Launches Plant-Based Organic Baby Formula On Amazon appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • 5 Brands Making Plant-Based Seafood So Realistic You Can’t Tell It’s Vegan

    3 Mins Read

    Seafood is a fast-growing niche of the alternative protein sector. With that is a sub-niche of unbelievably realistic plant-based whole-cut products. Made using 100 percent vegan ingredients, these substitutes for fish and seafood claim to be healthier, more sustainable and a solution to the consequences of global overfishing.

    The following startups are looking to remove conventional seafood from the food system. Each is developing proprietary technology to perfect the entire eating experience attributed to whole-cut fish in a bid to tempt people to embrace flexitarian or vegan lifestyles.

    1. Revo Foods

    Country of origin: Austria.

    Most recent funding: $2.3 million grant from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency in May 2022.

    Food focus: Vegan salmon.

    Available: Early 2023.

    Revo Foods just debuted its ultrarealistic whole-cut salmon fillet. Using 3D printing technology, it has focussed on creating the perfect texture for its analogue. At a recent tasting, the startup reportedly had to confirm the vegan status of its fillet, with tasters finding it too realistic to be true. Revo uses pea and algae protein to capture the mouthfeel and taste of conventional salmon and already has vegan salmon products in the European market.

    2. Jack & Bry

    Country of origin: U.K.

    Most recent funding: £1.25 million seed funding in February 2021.

    Food focus: Unbattered jackfruit fish fillets.

    Available: Now, through Neat Burger. Future restaurant distribution is in progress.

    Jack & Bry recently unveiled what it proclaims is the world’s first unbattered jackfruit fish fillet. Developed in partnership with The Cornish Seaweed company, the product is hailed as the closest plant-based alternative to real fish in terms of taste, appearance and flakiness. The company has sought to develop a fish analogue following success with jackfruit sausages, burgers and pepperoni.

    3. Plantish

    Country of origin: Israel.

    Most recent funding: $12.45 million in a record-breaking seed round in March 2022.

    Food focus: Hyperrealistic salmon fillets.

    Available: By 2024.

    Plantish gained fast recognition by sharing pictures of its vegan whole-cut salmon fillets in January this year, across its social channels. Creating buzz about the confusingly indistinguishable product, it was smooth sailing to a large seed funding round two months later. At the time, it was the world’s first ultrarealistic seafood analogue of its kind, boasting comparable nutrition to conventional salmon. The company uses 3D printing to craft legume and algae proteins into a whole-cut alternative suitable for vegans.

    4. Aqua Cultured Foods

    Country of origin: U.S.

    Most recent funding: $2.1 million oversubscribed pre-seed funding round in October 2021. Seed finding is currently in progress.

    Food focus: Whole-muscle cut seafood including tuna, shrimp, calamari and scallops.

    Available: By 2023.

    Aqua Cultured Foods uses biomass fermentation to create realistic alternatives to less replicated seafood varieties. One of its most notable successes to date was the debut of mycoprotein calamari. Gaining approval from seasoned chef Johnny Carino, the product was described as tasting and behaving exactly like real calamari, down to the initial ‘crunch’. The vegan alternative has been slated to be Aqua’s first commercial launch with its seabass and shrimps expected to follow in due course. 

    5. Sea & Believe

    Country of origin: Ireland.

    Most recent funding: A £3 million raise is in progress.

    Food focus: Whole-cut cod analogues.

    Available: Unknown.

    Sea & Believe has already enjoyed success with a range of seaweed-based burgers and goujons but it is entering the ultrarealistic sphere with its new prototype cod development. The whole-cut fillet has been created using native Irish seaweed that one of the founders used to treat chronic asthma. When fully realised, the cod analogue will contain 25 grams of protein per serving and flake like its conventional counterpart. The startup is currently fundraising to build-out its seaweed supply chain.

    Lead photo by Revo Foods.

    The post 5 Brands Making Plant-Based Seafood So Realistic You Can’t Tell It’s Vegan appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Brevel Nets $8.4 Million For Food System Disruption With New Microalgae Alt-Protein 

    4 Mins Read

    Israel’s Brevel has closed a successful seed funding round, scooping $8.4 million during the raise. Participating investors included FoodHack, Good Startup VC, Tet Ventures and Nevateam Ventures, amongst others. Grants were also awarded by the E.U.’s Horizon 2020 programme and Israel’s Innovation Authority. The cash injection will be used to construct a pilot production plant. The location will allow for a scaled build-out of proprietary technology and R&D capabilities. 

    Brevel is engaged in the development of sustainable plant-based protein. Its efforts are centred around non-GMO microalgae varieties grown cost-effectively and with minimal environmental impact. The startup claims to have developed a protein that is colour and taste-neutral and manufactured at a comparable price to leading alternatives soy and pea.

    Photo by Brevel.

    Breaking through the price barrier

    As a protein source, microalgae is highly sustainable but there are barriers to commercial viability including high production costs and palatable taste. The startup claims to have solved these issues using proprietary technology that utilises sugar-based fermentation of microalgae with extreme light exposure. The result, according to Brevel, is a protein that is nutritionally beneficial and neutral in flavour, making it suitable as an additive to other food sources. 

    “For the first time, Brevel will be providing a truly sustainable solution which is not only tasty and blends perfectly into different food applications to increase their nutritional value, but is also at an affordable cost which puts it on the path for global-scale mainstream adoption.” Yonatan Golan, CEO and co-founder of Brevel said in a statement. “As early as Q4 2022, Brevel’s first commercial factory will provide a solution that the food industry has been waiting for, for too long”. 

    Photo by Nina Rumbines at Unsplash.

    The science behind the claims

    Brevel has developed a fully automated production system. The indoor manufacturing equipment is sterile and lit from within, to a high degree. This allows the microalgae being used to grow more efficiently at a cost reduction of more than 90 percent, compared to traditional algae-based systems. 

    The varieties of plants chosen by Brevel are able to synthesise useful nutrients and adopt added functionality only captured in the presence of certain light formats. Technology has been developed to exploit these exact illumination types. 

    With seed funding in place, Brevel is looking to enlarge its manufacturing capacity with a view to proving the viability of its microalgae development, at mass-production levels.

    “Seeing Brevel’s achievements over the last few years, we are convinced that Brevel not only has great product-market fit, but that they have what it takes to become a market leader,” Arman Anaturk, CEO and co-founder of FoodHack said in a statement. “Brevel’s scalable solution has the potential to help millions of people around the world eat dairy-free products that have excellent nutritional values at the right price. Our decision to invest in Brevel is an easy one and we are pleased to support Yonatan and his team on the journey.”

    Photo by NewFish.

    Microalgae as the hot new alt-protein ingredient

    Microalgae is being heralded as a serious contender in the increasingly competitive alt-protein space. Its applications are as diverse as the number of varieties grown in the world’s waterways and startups and huge conglomerates alike are seeking to benefit from its superfood status. 

    In 2021, Canadian startup Smallfood unveiled its new strain of microalgae that it claimed could create a “perfect protein”. Sustainable and able to be grown in seven days, using biomass fermentation, it was designed to be used in alternative meat products to add nutritional value. Last month, the company revealed it has produced a whole food ingredient that can improve the taste and nutrition of alternative seafood, again, using microalgae. 

    Global food giant Nestlé threw its hat into the algae ring by partnering with Netherlands -based Corbion. The two have announced plans to work together to create microalgae-based ingredients that can be added to plant-based food lines. 

    Most recently, New Zealand startup NewFish emerged from stealth with a mortadella analogue, made using microalgae. The company has just closed a pre-seed funding round, raising approximately $816,000 to accelerate the production and launch of its alternative hybrid seafood products. 

    Lead photo by Brevel.

    The post Brevel Nets $8.4 Million For Food System Disruption With New Microalgae Alt-Protein  appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Beyond Meat Hones In On Chinese Consumers With New Pork Sauces Launch

    4 Mins Read

    Beyond Meat has announced it has moved into a new-to-it product category. It has launched two Beyond Pork sauces, to gain traction in the meal prep sector. Classic Bolognese and Savory Black Pepper are confirmed and are now available through the company’s online Tmall store.

    The sauces have been specifically developed for the Chinese market. Both contain Beyond Pork and have been designed to act as heat-and-serve food items. Each sauce is slated to be suitable for multiple applications while delivering a protein hit.

    Image by Beyond Meat.

    Classic flavours leading to lots of options

    Beyond claims its bolognese sauce can be used in a variety of ways. In addition to pasta, it can be used in soups, pizzas and even seafood stews. It contains 4.8 grams of protein per 100-gram serving. Similarly, the black pepper option is listed as a gravy alternative that can be used in noodle, rice, or vegetable dishes. 

    Each has been developed to appeal to Chinese tastes while being versatile enough to be used in more than one dish.

    “Launching Beyond Meat’s first-ever plant-based meat sauce product under our brand in China reflects our commitment to the market, where we have witnessed significant potential and opportunities in the plant-based protein category, as well as the rising trend of more local consumers incorporating plant-based food into their diet,” Jeremy Yeo, Beyond Meat’s acting general manager in China said in a statement. “The sauce launch will further diversify our portfolio and offerings in China, allowing us to meet consumers’ demand for tasty and convenient ready-to-eat mealtime solution.” 

    Image by Beyond Meat.

    Beyond Meat’s determination to capture the Chinese market

    In March, Beyond launched a store on the Chinese agricultural platform Pinduoduo with pork developed specifically for the Chinese market. The distribution partnership represented a step forward for both parties. For Beyond, a bigger footprint on the Chinese market was guaranteed through the partnership. For Pinduoduo, the addition of Beyond represented the first global plant-based brand coming on board. 

    Prior to working with Pinduoduo, Beyond was already looking to gain a meaningful foothold in Asia. It began with a Starbucks launch back in 2020 and the announcement of a domestic production plant the same year. The facility confirmed Beyond as the first non-local plant-based company to have a significant manufacturing presence in China. 

    Various distribution opportunities have followed through Alibaba Group and Metro supermarkets, followed by JD.com last year. 

    In an earnings call in February this year, Beyond’s CEO Ethan Brown alluded to increased investment into the Chinese market as a potential way out of the financial mire. Stakeholder dissatisfaction has followed a large share drop, alongside various legal woes that are ongoing

    China’s relationship with plant-based food

    Investing in China could prove to be the right move for Beyond, as the country begins to warm up to the alternative protein sector. In January, cultivated meats and future foods were included in China’s five-year agricultural plan, for the first time in history. Acknowledging that these are areas to be involved in, the plan opens up the possibility of a diversified protein industry, both domestic and internationally supplied. This was seemingly supported two months later, by President Xi positively referencing alternative protein in a speech. 

    It’s not just meat that stands to be supplemented in China, as dairy has just come under fire. Results from a multi-year study have recently been revealed that make connections between dairy and cancer rates within China. Findings included an increase in liver and breast cancer in consumers eating larger amounts of dairy. Participants were studied for an average of 11 years. Though China is not a traditional mass consumer of dairy, demand is on the rise, making the study significant.

    Lead photo by Beyond Meat.

    The post Beyond Meat Hones In On Chinese Consumers With New Pork Sauces Launch appeared first on Green Queen.

  • Jack & Bry Debut World’s First Unbreaded Jackfruit Fish Fillet

    3 Mins Read

    UK plant-based meat startup Jack & Bry has unveiled what they claim is the world’s first unbreaded jackfruit fish fillet, in partnership with The Cornish Seaweed Company. According to the company, all other comparable products use a coating to contain the jackfruit flakes. The development has been hailed as the closest thing to real fish without any animals being used in the process. 

    Jack & Bry used its proprietary jackfruit flavouring and texture optimisation platform to create a realistic fish fillet. The Cornish Seaweed Company provided the final piece of the flavour puzzle with its award-winning seaweed. The final product is slated as a realistic alternative to fish fillets in terms of seafood taste, flaky composition and appearance.

    Photo by Jack & Bry.

    Rolling out into UK-wide restaurants

    Positive reviews of the fish analogue have included comparisons to haddock and rock in terms of realistic flakiness, but consumers can now make their own assessment. Both Lewis Hamilton’s Neat Burger chain and the Harbour Lights restaurant in Cornwall have signed on to use the jackfruit fish fillets. Early trials at both eateries have proven successful and paved the way for more restaurants to work with the product. Talks are in progress with potential U.K. distributors now.

    “We’ve changed the minds of climate-conscious pizza eaters and burger lovers with our jackfruit pepperoni and gourmet jackfruit burgers; we now want to focus our efforts even further, beyond land and into the ocean with our world’s first jackfruit fish fillet,” Bryony Tinn-Disbury, founder and CEO of Jack & Bry said in a statement.

    Fish is the latest meat to be replaced with jackfruit

    The startup has been consistently looking for opportunities to remove animal meat from the food system. To date it has created mince, burgers, sausages, pepperoni and more, using jackfruit as the central ingredient. Last February, a £1.25 million seed funding round was successfully completed, to support future innovations, such as the new fish fillet.

    At the time of the raise, Jack & Bry had a confirmed presence in all 450 U.K. and the Netherlands Papa John’s locations. Alongside, approximately 300 Sainsbury’s stocked items and the Vegan Kind was due to debut the range. Today, the startup can count Zizzi, Prezzo, Pizza Express and Ocado as food service partners. In 2021, it sold more than 50 million jackfruit pepperoni slices. 

    Photo by Jack & Bry.

    Jackfruit as a sustainable meat alternative

    Jack & Bry is not alone in identifying the commercial potential of jackfruit. In terms of environmental impact, growing the fruit presents little in the way of problematic consequences. Trees do not require irrigation, nor any pesticides or fertilisers. As a crop, jackfruit can be grown with others, to create a regenerative eco-system, much like squash and legumes. It is considered environmentally superior to other popular meat alternative crops, such as soy. 

    Jackfruit is versatile. When young and unripe, the flesh takes on a tropical flavour, but when fully developed, is neutral enough to act as a blank canvas for seasoning, while maintaining its shredded texture. In the early days of vegan meat substitutes, it was commonly used in place of pulled pork but now, it is processed to recreate multiple meat products. 

    In March, Singaporean jackfruit startup Karana announced it was moving into the U.S.market. It follows successful product adoption throughout Singapore and Hong Kong. Three San Francisco restaurants confirmed they were adding the whole food plant-based meat alternative to their menus.

    Taking a different tack, Malaysian startup Nanka unveiled its hybrid jackfruit and meat burger patties last year. Alongside its hybrid developments is a 100 percent vegan patty, that the company claims meat eaters will be more likely to try after sampling a blended version.

    Lead photo by Jack & Bry.

    The post Jack & Bry Debut World’s First Unbreaded Jackfruit Fish Fillet appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Revo Foods Nets $2.3 Million Alongside New Ultrarealistic Salmon Fillet Debut

    4 Mins Read

    Austrian foodtech startup Revo Foods has secured a €2.2 million grant from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency. The equity-free award was granted to help Revo continue its 3D printed seafood developments. It comes as the company unveiled its first whole-cut analogue during a public tasting event held in Vienna last month.

    Revo’s plant-based salmon fillet was prepared for a panel of 10 tasters by a Michelin-starred chef. Feedback has been described as overwhelmingly positive, with some tasters questioning the vegan status of the dish. The texture was particularly lauded. Current commercial plans have early 2023 earmarked as a lunch date for the fillets.

    Revo Foods banking on whole cuts

    Revo already has plant-based seafood analogues in the market. Its smoked salmon products are available in 16 European countries, including the U.K., where it launched last month. The smoked developments were created specifically to appeal to those who enjoy the taste of salmon, but not the downsides, including heavy metals ingestion. Now, the startup is hoping to appeal to more meat-eaters and pescatarians than ever before, with a whole salmon fillet.

    The plant-based fillet has been created using a blend of plant proteins, including pea and algae. It will be suitable for cooking in the same ways as conventional fish, including steaming, frying, and baking. Using its 3D technology, Revo has sought to recreate the flaky texture and meaty composition of salmon.

    “It’s all about structure and creating the perfect bite,” Robin Simsa, CEO of Revo Foods said in a statement.

    The startup notes that first-generation plant-based products often fall short when it comes to texture. The next phase of innovations is seeking to faithfully recreate the entire eating experience, down to nutritional benefits. Revo’s fillet is marketed as being high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

    Meeting market demand

    Revo aims to be a go-to for the growing European flexitarian market. With more than 20 percent of the population identifying as flexitarian, demand for new products is all but guaranteed. To move more people towards a meat-free or meat-reduced lifestyle, authentic alternatives to favourite dishes will be essential.

    Perceived as a healthy source of protein, Salmon is popular with meat-eaters that want to substitute environmentally heavy alternatives, such as beef. However, an increase in conventional seafood consumption is having a devastating effect on marine ecosystems and putting diners at risk of consuming toxins. Fish meat commonly contains heavy metals, microplastics and antibiotics, leaving a gap open for alternative protein companies to develop plant-based seafood options. 

    The ebb and flow of vegan seafood alternatives

    Plant-based seafood is taking off, with large companies and small startups all looking to get a piece of the action. Earlier this month, Birds Eye announced that it had added a vegan version of its bestselling battered fish fillets to its Green Cuisine range. It comes after a successful launch of fishless fingers in 2021. 

    In the realistic fillet arena, competition is hotting up. Israel’s Plantish unveiled its hyper-realistic salmon analogue at the start of the year, before going on to scoop $12.45 million to scale and bring it to market. The startup chose to focus on whole-cuts as it has identified that more than 70 percent of all fish eaten globally is consumed in this format. It uses patent-pending technology to create the fillets in layers, with muscle, fat and connective tissue alternatives developed to replicate the mouthfeel of conventional salmon. 

    Chilean unicorn foodtech NotCo has made its intentions to replicate salmon known. It comes as overfishing in the country has caused enormous environmental damage. Tuna is slated to be developed at the same time, with both anticipated to be released as whole-cut products.

    All photos by Revo Foods.

    The post Revo Foods Nets $2.3 Million Alongside New Ultrarealistic Salmon Fillet Debut appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Starbucks India Partners With Imagine Meats To Cater For Growing Demand For Vegan Foods

    4 Mins Read

    Starbucks India has announced it is partnering with domestic alt-protein producer Imagine Meats on a range of vegan menu items to be served at the coffee chain’s stores. Already confirmed are sausage croissant rolls, hummus kebab wraps and croissant buns. Stores across 10 locations will receive the plant-based options, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Jaipur and Goa, amongst others.

    The coffee chain, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Consumer Products and Starbucks, operates 270 stores across India. It is one of the latest to embrace the burgeoning appetite for vegan food within India. Imagine Meats brings a built-in celebrity following with it- the brand was founded and is backed by Bollywood husband and wife duo Ritesh and Genelia Deshmukh. 

    Photo by Imagine Meats.

    Catering to a growing demographic of vegans

    Tata Starbucks cites the increasing demand for vegan products as the driving motivation behind its new partnership. CEO Sushant Dash has acquiesced that although still in the nascent stage, the market for plant-based alternatives is predicted to reach between ₹200-300 crore. Seeking to get in on the ground floor, the company aims to cater to the experimental palates of consumers seeking to try veganism.

    “It is about giving consumers the choice and about catering to the segment which is growing,” Dash has previously commented.

    Hyderabad, Kolkata, Noida, Gurugram and Pune join the likes of Mumbai and Delhi in getting the new menu items. 

    Photo by Hamza Inayat at Unsplash.

    Imagine Meats as the right strategic partner

    Domestic alt-protein developer Imagine Meats was originally launched to coincide with the Ganesh Chaturthi festival last year. The celebrity-founded startup was founded to create a diverse selection of vegan meats and ready meals to cater specifically to Indian tastes. As such, keemas and kebabs have been developed alongside more standard offerings such as nuggets and burger patties. Imagine Meats use pea protein as the base ingredient. The founders have previously noted that this is key to satiating meat cravings. 

    Last September, the startup revealed it was keen to forge partnerships with other companies. The announcement of a working relationship with Tata Starbucks indicates growth plans are being realised. The partnership has been a year in the making.

    “That Tata Starbucks is following Starbucks internationally in a show of trust towards a fledgling category and enabling consumer choice for smart protein is hugely important, and will no doubt drive further investment from other Indian business houses,” Varun Deshpande, managing director of the Good Food Institute India said in a LinkedIn post.

    Starbucks’ chequered history with vegan consumers

    On the face of it, Starbucks has been proactive in embracing vegan consumers, at least with its food options. Last year saw the global coffee chain unveil new plant-based menu items in the Middle East and well as Indonesia. Hong Kong has enjoyed plant-based food options since 2020, when it partnered with Impossible Foods. Since then, the coffee giant has partnered with local leaders OmniFoods on new items. 

    More recently, the chain’s unwillingness to unilaterally drop its plant milk surcharge has led to celebrity pleas and in-store protests. In April, Sir Paul McCartney made a personal request of the then-outgoing Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson. In a direct letter, McCartney revealed his shock and disappointment that the surcharge was still in existence, especially given that U.K. and Indian locations had taken the decision to cull it. The request was not fulfilled.

    Image by Starbucks.

    In May, actor James Cromwell staged a ‘glued-in’ protest at a New York Starbucks location. The vegan activist, noted for turning fully plant-based during the filming of Babe, led the charge to end the plant-milk surcharge by supergluing his hands to the serving counter in a central location. The protest was coordinated by PETA, of which Cromwell is the honorary director.

    “My friends at PETA and I are calling on Starbucks to stop punishing kind and environmentally conscious customers for choosing plant milks,” Cromwell said at the time, in a press release from PETA. “We all have a stake in the life-and-death matter of the climate catastrophe, and Starbucks should do its part by ending its vegan upcharge.” 

    To date, no plans to drop the surcharge have been announced by Starbucks globally. 

    Lead image by Imagine Meats.

    The post Starbucks India Partners With Imagine Meats To Cater For Growing Demand For Vegan Foods appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Op-Ed: War and Food Supply Chain Disruptions Reveal Global Food System Vulnerability

    5 Mins Read

    By: Irina Gerry

    We need to rethink our food system and secure a better future. Here’s why.

    The first shock came just a couple of months ago with disruption of sunflower oil supply. The world’s largest supplier, Ukraine, was cut off due to armed conflict. Suddenly, food companies worldwide were faced with a supply crunch in a widely-used ingredient and being forced to find supplies of alternate oil and re-work their formulations. Packaged food brands bemoan ingredient swaps because they are costly and extremely hard to implement on such short notice. Formula and packaging changes normally take months to flow through the production system, potentially contributing to inventory shortages and business risk.

    Sanctions on Russian oil and gas sent energy prices soaring, resulting in higher fuel costs and food prices across every single category in the US, compounding existing inflationary pressures. In developed markets, consumers got hit by price increases, while in developing world the threat of famine is looming large, as food security experts predict that the world has about 10 weeks of wheat supplies left.

    As the conflict in Ukraine has shown, our food system is highly dependent on globally integrated supply chains, which can lead to a domino effect of interruption. Shortages of Ukraine-supplied staples are amplified by sanctions that also disrupt sources of wheat, barley, other food commodities and fertilizer from Russia. A conflict in one area of the globe, rapidly rips through the food ecosystem, resulting in shortages, price hikes and supply disconnects beyond its point of origin.

    Protectionism and Food Security Concerns on the Rise

    Reacting to looming food commodity shortages, several nations instituted restrictions or bans on key exports, looking to shore up domestic supply. Indonesia announced a ban on palm oil exports. India halted wheat, and Malaysia banned poultry exports. Continued shocks are sending commodity prices skyward, creating a looming crisis not only over this year’s crops, but also threatening the following season.

    Given the high concentration of supply of key food commodities among a few sources – e.g. Indonesia supplies 60% of global palm-oil – even the smallest interruption sends global food supply chain into chaos, as most players have structured supply chains in a way that keeps suppliers concentrated, inventories low, and continuous operations dependent on timely deliveries via global routes that go through precarious bottlenecks, which are subject to geopolitical risks.

    Disease, Contamination and Pandemic Risk Threaten Tightly Knit Systems

    Supply chain challenges seem to be rising at once everywhere. Costco, well-known for their epiphanous rotisserie chicken, battled a major shortage due to the sudden onslaught of rapidly spreading avian bird flu this April. The disease quickly wiped out 15 million chickens.

    In a recent Forbes article reporting on the bird flu outbreak, “The way Costco and other factory farms raise chickens—in overcrowded and stressed-out environments—makes it easier for bird flu to spread.” 

    The United Nations reports that four of seven risk factors for pandemic outbreaks are directly linked to the meat industry and rising meat consumption. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, three out of four emerging diseases are animal-born and could transfer to people.

    Pandemic related turmoil that unfolded in meat packing plants last year was exasperated by over-crowded working conditions and subjected employees to undue viral exposure. Inevitable plant shutdowns ensued. The pandemic has also wreaked havoc on trucking, ocean shipping and other infrastructure that moves food from abroad to domestic manufacturers and retailers.

    The most recent formula shortage crisis in the US, showed just how concentrated and vulnerable our most critical food supply is, when a single plant going offline due to bacterial contamination snowballed into a 40% drop in baby formula supply, leaving babies hungry and parents scrambling to buy the last few cans from price-gougers online. 

    The Outsized Threat of Climate Risk

    Perhaps the largest potential disruptor of all is climate change. Already droughts and storms are lowering crop yields, reducing some cattle herds and setting up entire regions to battle the depletion of fertile soils. 

    The growing absence of biodiversity demonstrates how vulnerable the entire food system has become to climate impact. Smithsonian Magazine reports more than 75% of the world’s entire food supply draws on just 12 “mono crops” and five animal species.

    California’s almond industry, which provides 80% of the world’s almonds, is in peril due to a 1,200-year mega drought. Continued water shortages in Western US are likely to force the conversation around agricultural water use, especially around the most water-intensive commodities such as meat and dairy, mandating that choices be made to ration the now scarce fresh water supply. 

    The UN confirms that food commodity risks are accelerating from climate change. This helps set in motion future conditions that presage famine, malnutrition and intensified disparity between north and south regions of the earth – a situation that could spur further global conflict (climate wars), mass migration and economic instability. 

    Rethinking Where Food Comes From

    The new climate and geopolitical reality, coupled with increasing demand from the growing global population, mandate a rethinking of our global food system. 

    We must decentralize, decouple and diversify our food commodities. We must rethink our agricultural practices, focusing on regenerative models. We must consider environmental impacts of our farming methods and dominant commodity choices. We must move down the food chain in our eating habits, which means more whole fruits, veggies and legumes and fewer animal products. We must also incorporate new food technologies from vertical farming to cellular agriculture, which promise to deliver nutrition at a fraction of the environmental footprint.

    Precision fermentation technology is an iconic example of what the next generation of food may look like: nutritious, protein-rich foods, crafted without dependence resource intensive animal agriculture.

    Imagine our beloved dairy foods like cheese that are no longer connected to raising, feeding and managing cows for consumption. Precision fermentation replaces the macro-sized cow with micro-sized microbes, programmed to produce dairy proteins. The dairy farm of the future could look a lot like a brewery, where fermentation tanks replace thousands of cows, taking up significantly less land, water and feedstock to produce ingredients like dairy proteins. 

    Because these production facilities can be constructed anywhere, a more regionalized food supply could open up new economic opportunities in areas where increased animal agriculture is not tenable due to shortages of land or water and offer food independence for nations globally.

    New food technologies may help usher in a new food future less dependent on a handful of suppliers and commodities and less vulnerable to uncontrollable conditions such as disease, war, extreme weather and other disruptions that are all but certain to continue.

    Irina Gerry is the Chief Marketing Officer at Change Foods, a US-Australian food tech company creating animal-free dairy foods by leveraging precision fermentation technology.

    Lead image courtesy of Shutterstock.

    The post Op-Ed: War and Food Supply Chain Disruptions Reveal Global Food System Vulnerability appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Dynamic Foodco Sets Its Sights On Solving Singapore’s Food Security Concerns With Plant-Based Chicken

    4 Mins Read

    Singaporean food tech startup Dynamic Foodco intends to help secure domestic food security and it says it can start doing so by the end of 2022 when it plans to launch its Dynameat brand, with a focus on plant-based chicken initially. The debut will be supported by a recent seed funding round. The amount raised remains undisclosed but is earmarked for team build-out, improved R&D capabilities, and construction of a commercial production facility.

    The startup cites Asian hesitancy towards plant-based meat as a motivating factor when developing its Dynameat brand. As a result, products have been created with Asian taste preferences in mind, as opposed to catering to conventional Western proclivities. Eastern palates and cost-efficiency have been central to the meat alternatives that are now close to launching.

    Photo by Dynameat.

    A solution to Singapore’s food security concerns?

    Dynameat is being suggested as a meaningful contributor to Singapore’s 30 by 30 initiative. The project seeks to ensure that at least 30 percent of all food is domestically made, by 2030, to lessen reliance on unreliable imports. This issue has become more pertinent in light of a Malaysian chicken export ban that has seen Singaporean diners worry about their poultry supplies.

    Malaysia currently provides one-third of Singapore’s poultry imports. The country is set to block the exporting of more than 3.6 million chickens a month, to stabilise domestic supply and stem inflation. Singapore is expected to experience shortages and price hikes. Dynameat is being portrayed as a future solution to such issues, by maintaining domestic production of realistic chicken analogues.

    “With Dynameat, we want to offer a plant-based meat alternative that is delicious, nutritious, affordable, scalable and less susceptible to supply chain shocks like the recent Malaysian chicken export ban,” Dr. Andy Kusumo, founder and CEO of

    Dynamic Foodco said in a statement. “Dynamic Foodco will be leveraging technology to address not only the short-term chicken shortage but also Singapore’s long-term food security needs.”

    Photo by Egor Myznik at Unsplash.

    Developed by meat lovers for meat lovers

    Kusumo considers himself an enjoyer of conventional meat but notes that current consumption and production levels are unsustainable. In a statement seen by Green Queen, he acknowledges that Asian consumption of meat and seafood is expected to increase by 78 percent by 2050.

    “We need to address it now with the next-generation of plant-based meat alternatives that cater to tastebuds first,” he said. 

    Dynameat has been developed with Singapore’s chicken-rice aficionados in mind, though nothing has been confirmed as to the composition of the plant-based meat. The startup references its TnT (taste and texture) technology being able to convert “ordinary plant ingredients” into sustainable food solutions but does not divulge more. A move into mycoprotein is a reasonable prediction, however. Kusumo was previously the first scientist and R&D head for Quorn, Asia. Future interests in fermentation have been cited by Dynamic Foodco, laying the groundwork for potential fungi-based developments.

    Photo by Green Rebel.

    Seeing Singapore through a chicken shortage

    Dynameat will not be alone in its mission to fill the dietary gap left by poultry shortages in Singapore. In April, Hoshay Food announced it had released a range of plant-based meals designed to cater to regional tastes. Amongst the dishes is a crispy fried chicken dish. The entire range is claimed to be sustainable and healthier than its conventional meat counterparts.

    In March, Indonesia’s Green Rebel revealed it has officially moved into the Singapore market with its beef, pork and chicken alternatives. The brand, known for defining itself as being made by Asians, for Asians, has partnered with multiple restaurants across the country, each using the products in local favourite dishes. Chicken satay and beef rendang are amongst the items confirmed.

    Lead photo by Dynameat.

    The post Dynamic Foodco Sets Its Sights On Solving Singapore’s Food Security Concerns With Plant-Based Chicken appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Mycorena’s MIND Facility Becomes Europe’s Largest Mycoprotein Production Plant

    3 Mins Read

    The Mycorena Innovation and Development centre has recently undergone an expansion. The enlarged facility, located in Gothenburg, now takes the title of Europe’s largest operational mycoprotein production factory. Recent construction saw Mycorena’s office headquarters, fermentation facilities, development kitchen and pilot production line all brought together under one roof. 

    Not just the largest, MIND is considered one of the most diverse fermentation locations in Europe. The startup is equipped with multiple custom-designed pieces of equipment spanning desktop to demonstration scale and all capable of manufacturing food-grade mycoprotein. Automation systems have contributed to the facility being regarded as unique within its sector.

    Mycorena’s Promyc.

    Funding Mycorena’s manufacturing scale-up

    In March, Swedish startup Mycorena closed a €24 million Series A funding round. It represented the largest investment into the Nordic alternative protein sector and allowed the startup to fulfil its expansion plans. In addition to increasing the footprint of its existing location, Mycorena revealed that it hopes to build an entirely unique production plant, focussed entirely on its proprietary Promyc protein. MIND has fulfilled its purpose of proving the commercial viability of Promyc, manufacturing suitable demo amounts. Now, full scale-up is needed, with a production plant slated for construction less than one hour away from MIND.

    Current production facilities, housed within MIND, include newly enlarged fermentation capacity and custom downstream processes. Manufacturing activities have been analysed and deemed suitable for food-grade production, with the resulting ingredients all vegan, allergen-free and kosher certified. 

    The future of animal-free protein

    MIND has been designed to facilitate the development of future-friendly vegan protein, using fungi as the base. Within the plant, four labs have been created to focus on specific parts of the fermentation process. The more unique element, however, is the inclusion of a pilot production line capable of making finished mycoprotein products suitable for consumers. This has been dubbed Mycorena’s “fermenter to fork” approach, highlighting the comparison to ‘farm to fork’ meat production. The pilot line is slated to have an annual capacity of thousands of tonnes of minced food items. 

    Sustainability and accessibility have remained driving motivation since the startup’s inception. As a result, it has developed its signature Promyc to be grown using food industry byproducts. When the new plant is built and operational, there will be scope to divert vast amounts of industrial food waste away from conventional garbage.

    Mycelium for a more sustainable food system

    Mycorena is one of the numerous startups looking to leverage the potential and regenerative nature of mycelium, for new food sources. Most recently, Hyfé Foods, a startup from Chicago, bagged $2 million in pre-seed funding to continue its work into mycelium flour. The female-founded and led company was simultaneously awarded a Department of Energy grant.

    Like Mycorena, Hyfé utilises a waste product as its chief feedstock, in this case, waste sugar water. It supports mycelium fermentation, which is processed into a protein-rich flour that can be added to a variety of foods. It is cited as tasting and functioning just like wheat flour but with no allergen risk and improved nutrition. It is a certified carbon neutral product, which can be developed anywhere in the world, with access to Hyfé’s technology.

    In May, Berlin-based Bosque Foods confirmed it has raised $3 million to transform mycelium into meaty whole cuts. First on its list are chicken and pork fillets that will replicate the taste, texture and nutrition of conventional meat products. Discussing the raise, Bosque’s lead investor, FoodLabs, stated that investors are looking at the fermentation arm of alternative protein as having the potential to replace standard plant-based meat.

    All photos by Mycorena.

    The post Mycorena’s MIND Facility Becomes Europe’s Largest Mycoprotein Production Plant appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • The UK’s First Vegan Cheesemonger Has Launched Its First Supermarket Line Exclusively With Waitrose

    4 Mins Read

    La Fauxmagerie, Britain’s first vegan cheesemonger has announced it has developed a range for supermarket distribution. The range represents a step back from the more artisanal recipes that the London-based cheese startup offers. Waitrose has been confirmed as the exclusive distribution partner for the new line, which includes ‘Shoreditch Smoked’, ‘Brixton Blue’ and ‘Truffle Camemvert’.

    Initially, 20 select Waitrose stores are stocking the range with a nationwide rollout expected to gain traction shortly. La Fauxmagerie’s cheeses have been developed using traditional cheesemaking techniques in a bid to create authentic cheese without the dairy.

    Photo by La Fauxmagerie.

    Vegan cheese but not as we know it

    La Fauxmagerie has been developing artisanal cheeses for four years. The new supermarket range represents a shift in consumer buying habits and priorities, as well as mainstream adoption of plant-based diets.

    “We’ve spent years crafting and championing delicious, high-quality dairy-free cheeses.” Rachel and Charlotte Stevens, founders of La Fauxmageire said in a statement. “We are ecstatic that our range of cheeses are now on the shelves at Waitrose, providing authentic dairy alternatives using traditional methods, but modern ingredients!”

    Waitrose has acknowledged that it is not just vegan shoppers that have shown interest in the new cheeses. The supermarket chain has revealed that a variety of demographics are heading to the vegan aisle to see what dairy alternatives are about. La Fauxmagerie’s range is expected to be a draw for curious consumers.

    “We are delighted to bring artisanal vegan cheese brand, La Fauxmagerie to our shelves,” Sarah Miness, Waitrose’s cheese buyer told Vegan Food & Living. “The time, care and attention which is taken by the producers to create these great-tasting alternatives is simply extraordinary and the final product is absolutely delicious.”

    Photo by La Fauxmagerie.

    Dairy is the final stumbling block

    Vegan dairy has long had a reputation for being somewhat lacklustre. Milk options that split in hot drinks are a thing of the past but cheese has remained a hurdle. In 2019 it was revealed that 45 percent of UK citizens would like to go vegan, but couldn’t because they would struggle to give up cheese. The data came from a poll carried out by plant-based dairy company Violife and was shared with Plant Based News. The poll also revealed a general lack of knowledge about vegan cheese, with 24 percent of respondents not knowing that melting vegan cheese existed.

    The quest for authentic dairy alternatives has seen vegan cheesemongers get in hot water with conventional producers. The latter have frequently taken umbrage at dairy-related terms being used on animal-free product packaging. Arguably the most infamous case was that of Miyoko’s Creamery, in 2021. The vegan dairy manufacturer wons its first amendment case, against the State of California, thus retaining the right to use terms such as “butter” and “lactose-free”.

    Photo by Modern Kitchen.

    The changing landscape of vegan cheese

    In a bid to make animal-free cheese that tastes good enough to sway conventional dairy fans, producers are experimenting with increasingly innovative methodologies and ingredients. 

    In November, Singapore-based Sophie’s BioNutrients, working with the U.S.’s Ingredion, created melting cheese using microalgae. The food is cited as being tangy, like regular cheese, while packing a B12 punch as well. The microalgae are grown in bioreactors before being harvested and converted into a high-protein sustainable flour. So far, it has been used to create two cheese varieties: semi-hard cheddar and a spread.

    U.S.-based Vertage uses what it calls a “combination of traditional techniques and fresh science” to create its vegan cheeses. The startup uses cashew, soy, oat or almond bases which are fermented to capture a specific flavour note. Mycelium fermentation and microbial bio-design have both been cited as being used to produce sustainable alternative dairy that rivals its counterpart in terms of taste and nutrition.

    Precision fermentation has become a focus for many vegan cheesemakers. California’s Perfect Day has secured itself a position as a leading supplier of cow-free dairy proteins, for use in realistic cheese analogues. In October last year, it was revealed at Modern Kitchen’s partner, helping it to create the world’s first animal-free cream cheese made using real dairy proteins.

    Lead photo by La Fauxmagerie.

    The post The UK’s First Vegan Cheesemonger Has Launched Its First Supermarket Line Exclusively With Waitrose appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Birds Eye Recreates Its Bestselling Fish Fillets In Vegan Format

    4 Mins Read

    Birds Eye has expanded its Green Cuisine range to include Battered Fishless Fillets. It comes as the company seeks to replicate its most successful conventional lines. The animal-based Birds Eye Battered Fish Fillet is the most frequently purchased frozen fish line from the entire product portfolio. 

    The new vegan fillets have been developed using rice protein and are wrapped in the same coating as the conventional fish offering. Key development benchmarks included ensuring high levels of omega-3 and protein were included in the composition. 

    Photo by Caroline Attwood at Unsplash.

    Tempting consumers to plant-based alternatives

    The new fillets have gone on sale in the U.K. Currently, they can be found in Tesco stores, with plans for a wider retail rollout later this year. The launch comes as Birds Eye looks to lean on its experience as a CPG giant while using existing products as a template for inclusive new lines. 

    “[we have a] vision to bring the nation’s most-loved flavours to the flexitarian and meat-free consumer, [as well as capitalising on the] huge opportunity for the fishless category,” a spokesperson for Birds Eye said in a statement.

    To date, Fishless Fingers is the only other seafood analogue to have been released under the Green Cusine label. The wider range includes burgers, chicken dippers, and Southern fried chicken reimaginings. The Fishless Fingers feature the same rice protein filling but with a “signature” golden crumb coating. They were released almost one year ago.

    “Our Battered Fishless Fillets tap into the consumer demand for products that can help them reduce their meat intake while ensuring flavour, health and convenience remain,” Victoria Westwood, Green Cuisine senior brand manager, told The Grocer. “Following on from the success of Fishless Fingers, Battered Fishless Fillets offer a range of nutritional benefits, such as being a source of omega-3, which plays an important part in maintaining heart health.”

    Birds Eye claims that its fish finger analogue generated £630k in sales in its first year and pushed Green Cuisine, as a brand, to 9.8 percent household penetration, up from 9.1 percent, prior to it launching. It hopes to replicate the success with its new fillets. 

    Photo by BlueNalu.

    Embracing all forms of alternative seafood

    Alongside its vegan lines, Birds Eye’s parent company, Nomad Foods, is dipping its toe into the cultivated seafood game. Last November it was reported that Nomad had signed a collaborative working agreement with BlueNalu, a U.S.-based food tech engaged in cultivated seafood development. The two were said to be undertaking market research and regulatory approval investigations together, ahead of product development. The aim is to bring Europe’s first cell-based seafood to market.

    Plant-based seafood taking on many guises

    As demand for animal protein continues to increase, fish stocks are depleting at an unsustainable rate. Because of this, more companies than ever are looking to develop vegan seafood alternatives that can take the place of conventional fish meat. Looking to offer similar nutritional profiles remains a challenge, but startups are looking to leverage unexpected methodologies and ingredients to unlock high protein yields and essential Omega-3.

    Better Nature’s mycelium biomass-based fish analogue. Photo by Better Nature.

    U.K. tempeh manufacturer Better Nature is one of the latest to announce its plans to develop alternative seafood. Using traditional tempeh fermentation techniques, fuelled by food industry byproducts, the food tech hopes to replace conventional fish in the food system. To develop its idea, it has been awarded a £350k grant from Innovate U.K. 

    Canadian startup Smallfood hopes to cater to the alternative seafood market with its newest algae-based whole food ingredient. It claims that, when added to a seafood analogue, the additive improves taste, texture and nutrition, while being a sustainably-produced part of the value chain. Full details have not yet been released but the ingredient is said to increase omega-3 and protein yield for fish-free seafood products.

    Product imagery by Birds Eye.

    The post Birds Eye Recreates Its Bestselling Fish Fillets In Vegan Format appeared first on Green Queen.

  • Hell’s Kitchen’s Robyn Almodovar And Future Foods Gear Up For Retail Launch Of PAOW!

    4 Mins Read

    Robyn Almodovar, a chef known for her appearances on Hell’s Kitchen and Chopped, has been working with Florida-based Future Foods since 2020. The two joined forces to launch a new vegan meat brand, dubbed PAOW! Standing for “People And Our World”, the range has been developed to help people shift towards plant-based eating, without sacrificing favourite dishes. 

    PAOW! taps into two trends in one: plant-based eating and clean label foods. The meat is made using three simple ingredients, including non-GMO soy as the base. Seven varieties have been confirmed for a retail launch this coming autumn. Rotisserie, Korean BBQ and Southwestern style are among the flavour profiles set to debut. Almodovar has been developing recipes that demonstrate the versatility of the meats.

    PAOW retail packs developed with Almodovar
    PAOW! retail packs. Photo by Future Foods.

    Turning PAOW! into a consumer-facing brand

    To date, PAOW! products have only been available through Dot Foods, with foodservice sectors having exclusive access. The vegan meat can be found in healthcare, educational, and hospitality settings, but they will be made available direct to consumers in light of increased demand.

    “By developing a full line of premium clean labeled plant-forward, meat alternatives, with zero compromise on taste and texture, we look to lead the plant-based protein shift; we look to provide great products to the consumer, that in return, make a positive impact on our plant and the environment,” Alex Kramarchuk, CEO of PAOW!, said in a prepared statement. “Our brand stands apart from competitors because we are meeting increased consumer demand for a clean-labeled, versatile, premium quality plant protein solution for every meal.”

    The retail launch will see products offered via the brand’s website, with nationwide U.S. shipping.

    Photo by Future Foods.

    Almodovar seeking to educate consumers

    As PAOW!’s corporate chef, Almodovar helps to develop new flavours, recipes and relevant industry relationships. She states that her ambition is to teach home cooks how to use the products while getting out of their comfort zones. To date, she has reimagined classic dishes including Tikka Massala, tacos and Asian ginger noodles. 

    “As plant-based alternatives gain more popularity showing up on dinner plates across the nation, PAOW! brings many flavorful options to your home kitchen without compromising the quality of the ingredients,” Almodovar commented in a statement. “Future Foods is breaking the status quo on the stigma towards plant-based products with revolutionary flavor profiles and premium texture. Our PAOW! Pieces can take any dish to the next level.” 

    PAOW!’s flavours were heavily influenced by a survey conducted in 2021. Students from the University of Florida were asked to select which varieties they think should be included in a retail launch. The brand has iterated that global flavour profiles were overwhelmingly popular.

    Photo by Future Foods.

    Is another plant-based boom on the cards?

    SPINS data has shown that consumer buying habits are shifting. When the Covid-19 outbreak was at its peak, plant-based food sales increased by 90 percent. It has been widely assumed that disruptions to the meat supply chain and personal health concerns contributed to the phenomenon. Experts are claiming that another plant-based boom could be around the corner if pricing can be improved.

    In March, Kearney released a report that suggested plant-based meat will boom if it can reach price parity with conventional animal protein. Adoption of animal-free products was shown to rest on three factors: taste, consumer mindset, and price. The latter has proven to be critical, with consumers appearing unwilling to pay a premium for something that is a ‘fake’ version of a longstanding dietary staple. 

    Price parity could be reached sooner than initially expected, thanks to plant-based producers reducing their costs and conventional meat rising in price. The meat industry is still recovering from widespread slaughterhouse closures in 2020, which resulted in supply shortages and increased costs. Meat is also subject to inflation rises, which plant-based alternatives are largely unaffected by.

    Lead phtoo of Robyn Almodovar by Hell’s Kitchen.

    The post Hell’s Kitchen’s Robyn Almodovar And Future Foods Gear Up For Retail Launch Of PAOW! appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Eden Brew Scoops $5 Million for Cow-Free Dairy Scale-Up And Ice Cream Development

    4 Mins Read

    Australian food tech startup Eden Brew has secured $5 million as part of a continuing funding raise. The investment was made by its existing backer Main Sequence, with Mars’ Digitalis Ventures participating for the first time. The cash will be used to scale Eden Brew’s animal-free fermented milk product ahead of diversification into ice cream.

    Eden Brew was launched in 2021 as a coming together of CSIRO technology, funding from deep tech venture fund Main Sequence and Norco. The latter is Australia’s largest dairy co-operative, representing a significant acceptance of alternative dairy innovations. 

    Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

    Recreating milk without any animal agriculture

    Eden cites environmental concerns as its primary motivation for developing animal-free milk. It acknowledges that protein demand is predicted to double by 2050, in a bid to feed the 10 billion people that will be on the planet. 

    “Creating animal-free milk that can meet the doubling protein demand by 2050 sustainably and is just as delicious as cow’s milk, is our North Star,” Eden Brew co-founder and CEO  Jim Fader said in a statement. “While there are numerous milk alternatives, they cannot sustainably meet future demand and don’t achieve the sensory or processability properties of cow’s milk. Our natural method of fermentation future-proofs dairy’s place at every kitchen table, in every cafe, and every ice cream cone.”

    Conventional dairy is resource-heavy, necessitating a shift to sustainable production methods. Eden claims that its milk requires less than 10 litres of water to make a litre of finished milk product. It compares this to conventional cow’s milk, which uses around 1,000 litres and almond milk, which requires 6,000 litres of water. 

    Eden states that by using precision fermentation, it has recreated all six dairy proteins found in cow’s milk. This, it claims, has allowed it to recreate the taste, texture, smell and functionality of conventional dairy, in products suitable for vegans. Development is ongoing for the ‘holy grail’ of dairy proteins, four-casein micelle. Once this has been perfected, Eden claims there will be no compromise associated with cow-free dairy anymore. 

    Photo by Courtney Cook at Unsplash.

    Expanding the alternative dairy portfolio

    As an existing science, precision fermentation can be quickly scaled for commercialisation, leading Eden to plan new products already. Chief amongst future releases is a retail rollout of ice cream, made using its proprietary milk development. It is slated for debut in summer 2023 at the earliest. No official mention of cheese and yoghurt has been made yet but there is reference to these developments on Eden’s website. It states that almost all conventional dairy products can be reimagined using a cow-free methodology, giving rise to speculation that these might be due to follow.

    “We believe science and technology can fill many critical gaps in regards to global nutrition,” Steve Allen, partner of Digitalis Ventures said in a statement. “Eden Brew is focused on new ways of creating food that nourishes our bodies and planet. For this very reason, we are proud to be on Eden Brew’s growth journey.”

    Buntine Protein. Photo by Wide Open Agriculture.

    Australia shifting into plant-based gear

    In recent months, Australia has been showing signs of making a meaningful transition to more plant-based production. Alongside Eden, Wide Open Agriculture has set its sights on offering access to sustainable protein. It was announced, in May, that the domestic food tech is working with Monde Nissin Australia, to supply lupin-based protein. Sold under the Buntine Protein name, the concentrate is created from domestically and regeneratively grown crops and is offered on a non-exclusive basis. This means that other food and beverage manufacturers could enrich their products with homegrown protein.

    Back in March, it was revealed that a new AU$378 million project had been initiated, to turn South Australia into a plant protein production hub. Three new manufacturing plants are being constructed to support the growing Antipodean sector. Vegan meats, animal-free dairy and protein powders are all expected to be produced.

    Lead image by Eden Brew.

    The post Eden Brew Scoops $5 Million for Cow-Free Dairy Scale-Up And Ice Cream Development appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • NotCo Enters Canada’s Plant-Based Meat Market With Its Signature NotBurger

    4 Mins Read

    Chilean unicorn NotCo has made its meat alternatives debut in Canada. The NotBurger release was timed to coincide with National Burger Day on May 28. The launch comes after a successful rollout of the company’s NotMilk last year.

    NotBurger was selected as the first plant-based meat item from the NotCo portfolio to reach Canada after impressive sales in its domestic market. Across Latin America, the product achieved four times more than its initially targeted sales. NotCo says it holds a five percent share of the entire burger category in the region.

    Giving Canada what it wants

    “At NotCo, our goal is to shift the food system away from animal dependency with delicious plant-based options that satisfy everyone’s cravings,” NotCo CEO and co-founder Matias Muchnick said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to introduce NotBurger into the Canadian market as part of that mission and offer consumers the flavour and juiciness they’re looking for without compromise.”

    As the foodtech unveils its second product to the Canadian market, it is looking to boost its local operational expertise. Developing a local team to gain domestic knowledge is considered a priority for leveraging future sales.

    NotBurger is currently stocked in the frozen food section of selected retail partners. In the next two months, distribution is expected to ramp up significantly. Walmart, Save on Foods, Georgia Main, Thrifty Foods and more have been slated to be near future stockists. 

    Canada’s hunger for plant-based foods

    2022 has been a year for meat-free food partnerships in Canada, proving there is demand for plant-based options. In January, 7-Eleven partnered with Lightlife to stock its vegan chicken tenders. Offered as hot snacks, they are dispensed straight from the oven in a bid to up the number of grab-and-go vegan and healthier options.

    In the same month, Beyond Meat joined the Pizza Hut menu permanently, while KFC and Mary Browns both added Lightlife chicken to their menus. The latter two announcements were made with the caveat that neither would be vegan due to cooking methods and sauces.

    Most recently and within the burger arena, Odd Burger announced it is opening 36 new locations within the next seven years. They will be split between Alberta and British Columbia and are being opened in partnership with Sai-Ganesh Enterprises.

    Kraft Heinz and NotCo have just signed a joint venture agreement.

    Rise of the NotCo Burger

    The NotBurger was developed off the back of NotCo’s successful alternative milk launch. Using the same proprietary AI platform, Giuseppe, ingredients were identified that would imitate the taste, texture and juiciness of conventional beef, with no animals involved. Paraguay saw a partnership with Burger King secured in 2021, with NotCo providing patties for its Veggie Whoppers. This followed a Rebel Whopper rollout in Chile, months earlier. The patties also made it to Argentina, where they were used by Mostaza, the third-largest burger chain in the country, after McDonald’s and Burger King.

    The distribution of NotBurgers in Canada do not currently involve supply to foodservice partners, but this has not been specifically ruled out. 

    NotCo going global

    Aside from entering Canada’s plant-based meat market, NotCo is making further inroads into various sectors. Its most recent announcement was in mid-May, when its strategic partnership with Shake Shake was confirmed. The two have worked together to create animal-free chocolate custards and milkshakes, which will be sold in selected New York and South Florida restaurants throughout summer. If consumer interest is positive, permanent menu addition will be considered. 

    In February, NotCo announced it had come together with Kraft Heinz to form an entirely new entity. The Kraft Heinz Not Company is a joint venture aimed at creating a large global portfolio of healthy and sustainable animal-free foods. NotCo brings its AI platform to the agreement, while Kraft Heinz will leverage its vast value chain.

    Lead photo by NotCo.

    The post NotCo Enters Canada’s Plant-Based Meat Market With Its Signature NotBurger appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Novolutions Moves Into India’s Plant-Based Protein Sector With New ‘Just Dig In!’ Brand

    3 Mins Read

    Indian foodtech startup Novolutions has announced its focus is expanding from mocktail drinks to include plant-based protein products. Marketed under the moniker Just Dig In!, a range of alternative meat snacks are currently debuting across New Delhi. Items currently centre around chicken analogues with meatballs, nuggets, kebabs and spicy fingers confirmed as being available.

    Just Dig In! has partnered with Modern Bazaar for distribution. Products are available in the latter’s stores and via online commerce platforms from both parties.

    India’s interest in smart protein

    The global smart protein sector drew $5 million in investments, in 2021. New brands are entering the sector regularly, with India demonstrating a growing penchant for participation. At last count, around 50 domestic startups were in operation. Despite a $2.1 billion development fund made available to support the meat and dairy sectors, the Indian smart protein sector continues to diversify and shape itself into an industry that the global market is watching. 

    Taste and nutrition expert Kerry revealed that India is a high-growth market for plant-based foods in a study published last December. A key takeaway was a general sense of openness to animal-free foods, with taste, texture, and local adaptability identified as primary considerations for uptake. A separate study, commissioned by the Good Food Institute India, revealed that 63 percent of Indian consumers are very or extremely likely to purchase plant-based meats. The majority were identified as ‘early adopters’ or younger, financially secure customers.

    Planned country-wide expansion

    Just Dig In! has registered its intent to expand its distribution network outside of Delhi. It claims to be in talks with a number of leading retail food chains that are interested in stocking its Indian-Chinese fusion snack range. In addition, hotel and catering channels are being explored for viability.

    “Our core team is comprised of people who have rich experience in channel sales, the foodservice industry (HoReCa), and offshore export markets,” Just Dig In! founder Somesh Behera said in a statement. “Having worked in the dairy, meat, and frozen foods industries in the past, holding key strategic positions for both domestic and international food brands, we spotted gaps in the market. We wanted to develop products that can serve as parallels to animal-derived foods, while being a whole lot more sustainable.

    Behera acknowledges that he and much of his team are not vegetarian and claims this gives them an advantage when developing smart protein products. He states that the Just Dig In! product range is aimed at “guilty” vegetarians who want to try and reduce their meat intake, without compromising on the tastes and textures they enjoy. 

    “We want to be the right alternative – in terms of taste, texture and functionality, and be the brand that helps people transition from one extreme to another when it comes to food choices,” Behera said in a statement. “We feel today’s niche is tomorrow’s mass.”

    Photo by BVeg Foods.

    Scaling to meet India’s demand for plant-based protein

    In April, BVeg announced it is set to become one of the first companies in India to leverage high moisture extrusion technology.  It came after the startup signed a strategic partnership with Swiss equipment manufacturer Bühler. Taking possession of the machinery allows BVeg to begin creating a modern production plant that will produce “indistinguishable” vegan meat.

    At the start of the year, ITC, one of India’s largest conglomerates, declared its intention to enter the plant-based meat space. Already a household name, thanks to owning multiple favourite domestic brands, it announced an imminent portfolio expansion to include burger patties and chicken-free nuggets.

    All photos by Just Dig In!, unless stated.

    The post Novolutions Moves Into India’s Plant-Based Protein Sector With New ‘Just Dig In!’ Brand appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Hyfé Foods Scoops $2 Million For Sustainble Mycelium Flour

    3 Mins Read

    Chicago’s Hyfé Foods, a developer of mycelium flour, has closed an oversubscribed pre-seed raise, netting $2 million. The round was led by The Engine, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology-offshoot venture firm. Blue Horizon, Caffeinated Capital, Supply Change Capital, and Hack Ventures all participated, alongside others. A Department of Energy grant was awarded by the Chain Reaction Innovations Accelerator. 

    Female-founded Hyfé is engaged in the development of mycelium flour, using waste sugar water from the food and beverage sector as a feedstock. The end product is cited as being high in protein, low in carbohydrates and effective in preserving water during its production. The new funding will be used to accelerate Hyfé’s endeavours to reach commercialisation stage.

    Photo by Hossein Farahani at Unsplash.

    Creating access to nutritious food

    According to Michelle Ruiz, co-founder and CEO of Hyfé, using mycelium flour as a base ingredient can transform everyday foods. A bowl of pasta could contain as much protein as a chicken breast and be higher in fibre than its conventional wheat-based counterpart, according to the company. It has implications for allergen sufferers as well.

    “Hyfé’s mycelium flour tastes and acts just like wheat flour, enabling people to eat the foods they love without negative health impacts,” Ruiz told Food Business News. “We are leveraging biotechnology to produce this ingredient that is carbon neutral, at scale, and at a very low cost.”

    Using traditionally discarded sugar water, a byproduct from the food and beverage manufacturing industry, Hyfé has created a low-cost feedstock for mycelium fermentation. Sugar wastewater is produced wherever food is manufactured and Hyfé’s technology is slated as being versatile enough to be used anywhere in the world. 

    “In the face of supply chain and climate uncertainty, regionalized production of healthy food is vital to a circular economy and more importantly, ensuring global food security,” said Katie Rae, CEO and managing partner at The Engine. “Hyfé stands out because it operates at the intersection of climate and health and uniquely delivers a cost-effective solution.”

    Mycelium flour is a climate-conscious answer to food security, according to the company, with the product being easy to manufacture anywhere, using its technology. The implication for global regions with less-than-ideal agricultural conditions is positive, though does hold potential conflicts for farmers of indigenous grains. African farmers, for example, nurturing crops such as fonio and teff, would be unlikely to have the revenue to invest in mycelium flour fermentation technology, but could see their livelihoods affected by those that do.

    Photo by Timothy Dykes at Unsplash.

    Eco credentials of using food waste as a feedstock

    Repurposing food waste is a cost-effective and environmentally attractive methodology. Hyfé claims that its proprietary manufacturing technique prevents gluts of wastewater from entering treatment cycles, which generate vast amounts of methane and contribute to the climate crisis. It is not alone in seeking to upcycle seemingly useless byproducts into stable food sources.

    Earlier in May Change Foods revealed it has bagged a $1 million grant from the Australian Commonwealth Government to manage the upcycling of sugarcane waste. The US-Australian food tech is engaged in developing a platform that will allow the byproduct to be used as a low-cost feedstock for animal-free dairy fermentation. It comes as the company seeks to double down on its commitment to developing sustainable food solutions, not dependent on animal agriculture. Change Foods cites this new development as a way to promote the circular economy.

    In December, it was announced that Anheuser-Busch InBev is looking to develop alternative protein using spent brewing grains, the largest constituent of beer waste. It had previously partnered with EverGrain and following fresh investment into the sustainable ingredients company, the Belgian brewing giant hopes to accelerate a move into protein production.

    Lead image of Hyfé Foods founders Michell Ruiz and Andrea Schoen. Photo by Hyfé Foods.

    The post Hyfé Foods Scoops $2 Million For Sustainble Mycelium Flour appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Oatly Rumoured To be Whittling Down List Of Candidates For CEO Position

    4 Mins Read

    The Wall Street Journal reports that Jean-Christophe Flatin, a soon-to-be-former Mars executive, is being considered the top candidate to replace Oatly’s outgoing CEO Toni Petersson. Flatin is joining Oatly on June 1 as global president but the company has not confirmed any potential future appointments.

    Petersson is looking to move into a business development role for the alternative dairy giant, hence the need to find a successor. The company has been on the hunt for a suitable candidate since last summer, especially as the company has struggled with stock price volatility.

    Jean-Christope Flatin. Photo by Mars.

    CEOs moving sideways 

    Petersson has led Oatly for a decade, and wants to focus his attention on strategy and business development to strengthen the company following supply issues and stock value decreases. This is not an unusual move, especially now and within the alternative foods sector. 

    In March, Impossible Foods announced that Pat Brown is stepping down from his CEO role to, again, focus on strategic operations. Brown, who founded Impossible, will remain on board as chief visionary officer, but cited a desire to get more involved in business development again.

    Product imagery by Oatly.

    Oatly’s need for stability

    Oatly’s rise to the top of the alternative dairy industry did not protect it from sector turbulence. Supply chain issues and production disruptions have led to warnings of price hikes for consumers. A formal warning from the Advertising Standards Authority for misleading adverts further added to the beleaguered company’s woes. Oatly was officially found guilty of greenwashing in February.

    A top-tier shake-up is now imminent and though Oatly refuses to confirm a potential transition for Flatin, he is considered a highly suitable candidate for the CEO role. He brings with him a legacy of CPG management and quantifiable global growth for the companies he has worked for. Mars secured him for 30-plus years, with its Royal Canin and global chocolate divisions benefitting from his experience.

    Petersson was confirmed by an Oatly spokesperson to have initiated the search for a new executive team and personally led the search for a new global president and COO. Both are set to start next month, with Daniel Ordonez, a Danone and Unilever alumnus, filling the latter position. 

    Toni Petersson. Photo by Oatly.

    Petersson’s Oatly legacy

    The face of Oatly’s infamous ‘wow, no cow’ adverts, Petersson became something of a celebrity in his own right whilst leading the company. He took Oatly from less than $30 million in sales, back in 2012, to $643 million in 2021. This year is projected to see $880 million in revenue.

    Fresh competition for oat milk brands

    Once the darling of the plant milk scene, oat milk is facing new competition in the form of precision fermented dairy. Developed to be the most realistic alternative to conventional cow’s milk, but without the environmental impact or animal derivatives, precision fermented milk aims to become the consumer option of choice. Currently, almond milk remains the most frequently purchased, accounting for 63 percent of the plant milk market. It is followed by oat, which usurped soy from the number two spot in 2020.

    California’s Perfect Day has commercialised its animal-free whey protein, allowing fellow alt-dairy manufacturers to power their products with it. Amongst them are betterland foods, which launched its cow-free milk in February this year and Bored Cow. The latter recently unveiled its line of flavoured milk, all developed using Perfect Day whey.

    Israel’s Remilk is scaling its precision fermentation operation, following a $120 million Series B raise in January this year. The startup is constructing the world’s largest animal-free dairy factory, after securing a 750,000 square foot plot in Denmark. When complete, the facility is slated to produce the equivalent amount of milk produced by 50,000 cows, per year.

    Lead photo by Oatly.

    The post Oatly Rumoured To be Whittling Down List Of Candidates For CEO Position appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Synthesis Capital Secures $300 Million For Food Tech Investment Opportunities

    4 Mins Read

    London’s Synthesis Capital has closed its first fund, scooping more than $300 million in capital pledges. According to the company, this is the largest dedicated food tech VC of its kind. The year-old investor, Led by Costa Yiannoulis, Rosie Wardle, and David Welch, the fund is looking to support food techs and alternative protein startups. Yiannoulis and Wardle are experienced investors within the sector while Welch, a biologist, brings a unique technical expertise.

    Confirmed fund backers include CPT Capital, Credit Suisse Climate Innovation Fund, Société Familiale d’Investissements, The Nest and Dynamic Loop Capital, amongst others. The fund has earmarked 15 investments, each expected to receive around $15 million in funding.

    Cultivated chicken salad. Photo by Upside Foods.

    Financing the future of food

    Synthesis has back five companies already. Vienna’s Arkeon is notable, as a gas fermentation specialist and sits alongside Californian alternative dairy giant Perfect Day, cultivated meat pioneer Upside Foods and Israel’s Redefine Meat in the portfolio.

    The fund has been initiated to support companies seeking to provide solutions to the current food system’s inherent unsustainability. Yiannoulis and Wardle have stated that since their investment journey with the sector began, back in 2014, the landscape has changed significantly. Today, more investors are looking to support startups focussed on food security and positive climate action. Government and venture capital supporters have both been observed to be participating more, according to Yiannoulis.

    Food tech is no longer an unknown entity. Concepts, such as cultivated meat and precision fermented dairy have been proven viable. Now, companies need to get ahead in eth space through investment and the ability to scale.

    “How we can scale these things is so important, and the two criteria other than obviously rating, that we look for is protectable and scalability,” Yiannoulis told Tech Crunch. “That’s the difference. This is not a science project anymore. It is now about how to actually scale this.”

    An ABEC bioreactor design. Photo by ABEC.

    Accounting for infrastructure

    Scaling isn’t always as simple as moving to larger premises and buying more equipment. In the cultivated meat sector, installing bioreactors large enough to produce demand-appropriate amounts of protein requires custom infrastructure. This can be seen in practice with GOOD Meat’s recent announcement that it is working with ABEC to design and build the world’s largest bioreactors for a new production facility.

    Plant-based and fermentation tech companies commonly fare easier, according to Wardle, as they are usually able to benefit from existing infrastructure and qualified supply chains.

    The lion’s share of investment into food techs appears to be going into what Wardle identifies as the consumer-facing element. This presents an opportunity for future investors to look at developments and technology that are closer to the farm than the fork. She calls these the “foundations of science” in an interview with Tech Crunch.

    Better Bite VC General Partners
    Simon Newstead and Michar Klar. Photo by Better Bite Ventures.

    The funds looking to change the world

    Synthesis Capital joins a number of other venture capital firms seeking to fund sustainable companies. In February, Better Bite Ventures announced it had secured a $15 million fund for supporting the APAC alternative protein sector. The fund, founded by Michal Klar and Simon Newstead, looks to back early-stage founders seeking to usurp animal-based proteins within the region. The two have backed 10 regional startups to date and demonstrated a keen eye for future sector superstars, with TiNDLE amongst their success stories.

    Trellis Road is taking a different tack, as a micro venture capital fund. Started by Anna Ottosson and Erik Byrenius, both former startup founders themselves, the fund offers backing to early-stage food techs with ethical leanings. In January this year it was announced that the fund had reached $18 million, after being initially bootstrapped. It has supported 16 companies across four continents so far.

    Lead image of Synthesis Capital’s founders. Images by Synthesis Capital.

    The post Synthesis Capital Secures $300 Million For Food Tech Investment Opportunities appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Future Farm Enlists Brazilian Pop Superstar Anitta As Its New Partner

    4 Mins Read

    Future Farm, known as Fazenda Futuro in its home country, has confirmed it has welcomed fellow Brazilian singer sensation Anitta onboard as a partner. One of the most influential Latinx artists in the world, Anitta has a 62 million-strong following on Instagram and a fortune of almost $100 million, according to Forbes.

    No financial details have been released to date, with Anitta’s investment amount and stake remaining confidential. It has been confirmed that she will not look to hold any role within the company but will leverage her influencer credentials and cited brand-building expertise to help scale the operation. 

    Growing a brand she believes in

    “I came to add my experience in management and marketing,” Anitta said in a statement. “We are a company that thinks about the future, the environment, and especially about how people eat.”

    With Anitta in place to offer non-formal support, Future Farm states it will be looking to develop new products and expand its distribution network. It is currently available in 30 countries, including the U.S., U.K., and mainland Europe. 

    The popular singer has been following the plant-based sector for a few few years and her relationship with Future Farm is not new. She has been aware and a consumer of the food tech’s developments since its infancy and she uses the company’s products as part of her party menus.

    “There is a great synergy between Anitta and Future Farm,” Marcos Leta, founder and CEO at Future Farm said in a statement. “She represents much of what we are: a fun, futuristic, different, honest brand, and together we want to show that it is possible to eat what we like more consciously and tastily. We strongly believe that Anitta’s influence will help us democratize the plant-based meat and develop new products and ideas.”

    Anitta’s Future Farm partnership is the latest of many such moves. Alongside being a singer, she is recognised as an entrepreneur and experienced businesswoman. Last June, she joined Nubank’s board of directors. The digital bank targets younger demographics, making her a strategic ‘hire’. She is also listed as the head of creativity and innovation for Ambev’s Beats beer. 

    Brazilian plant-based pride

    Future Farm launched in 2019 with a mission to recreate the taste, texture and juiciness of conventional meat products in vegan formats. It now stands as one of Latin America’s leading meat-free brands. 

    Back in November, the company scooped $58 million in a Series C funding round. Investment was sought to build out the portfolio with more vegan meat lines while developing a range of plant-based dairy items. Product packaging was cited as another priority, with the startup looking to create 100 percent sustainable and plant-based containers. Existing packaging was already biodegradable. 

    All products are made in a single production facility in Rio de Janeiro that has a capacity of up to 700 tonnes of products per month. Future Farm has not alluded to moving manufacturing out of its home country.

    Photo by Beyond Meat.

    The power of celebrity

    News of Anitta’s partnership with Future Farm comes after Kim Kardashian was announced as Beyond Meat’s new “chief taste consultant.” The reality television star has not been confirmed as a shareholder or paid ambassador for Beyond Meat but will be lending her image and influence to promote the brand through various channels. Kardashian has already starred in one video, currently being shown across various social media channels, including Instagram, where she has 313 million followers. She is expected to assist with marketing, recipes, and exclusive offers in the future. 

    In February, it was revealed that Blue Tribe Farms is working with celebrity Indian couple Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli. The two, having recently converted to a vegan diet, invested in the company and joined as product ambassadors. Combined, the two boast 240 million Instagram followers and reach significant parts of Indian popular culture through their respective specialisms of Bollywood acting and professional cricket.

    All photos by Future Farm, unless stated.

    The post Future Farm Enlists Brazilian Pop Superstar Anitta As Its New Partner appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Cultivated Meat Might Seem Alien But It’s Better Than Animal Agriculture

    6 Mins Read

    By Matti Wilks.

    The world is in the grips of a food-tech revolution. One of the most compelling new developments is cultured meat, also known as clean, cell-based or slaughter-free meat. It’s grown from stem cells taken from a live animal without the need for slaughter.

    Proponents hail cultured meat as the long-awaited solution to the factory farming problem. If commercialized successfully, it could solve many of the environmental, animal welfare and public health issues of animal agriculture while giving consumers exactly what they’re used to eating. 

    Despite this, the public is uncertain about cultured meat. Scientists and high-profile supporters, including investors like Bill Gates and Richard Branson, are pushing for broader adoption, but it’s difficult to sell the public on new food technology – case in point, genetically modified food.

    good meat
    Cultivated chicken. Photo by GOOD Meat.

    As a moral psychologist, my research explores people’s perceptions of cultured meat, both the good and the bad. Below I discuss some of the top reasons people say they don’t want to eat cultured meat, compiled from opinion surveys, focus groups and online comments. But I’m optimistic that champions of this new technology can alleviate the public’s concerns, making a convincing case for consumers to embrace cultured meat. 

    ‘Cultured meat is not necessary’

    While there is increasing awareness of the downsides of factory farming, this knowledge has still not spread to all meat consumers, or at least is not reflected in their purchasing behavior. Factory farming supports what many consider cruel and restrictive practices where animals raised in such farms are subjected to extreme suffering, and estimates suggest that over 99 percent of U.S. farmed animals live on factory farms.

    Animal agriculture is also inefficient. Growing and feeding an entire animal for only part of its body is inevitably less efficient than growing just the parts that you want to eat.

    Factory farming degrades the environment and contaminates local land and water, in addition to emitting around 14.5 percent of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. 

    The use of antibiotics in farming leads to antibiotic resistance, which could have devastating consequences for human health globally. In 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported that over 70 percent of medically important drugs were sold for use in animal agriculture.

    Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

    Some people who believe farmed meat is problematic would prefer a plant-based food system. Despite recent hype around veganism, the number of people who don’t eat animal products remains extremely low. Only 2 to 6 percent of Americans identify as vegetarian or vegan. And only around 1 percent of adults identify as vegetarian and report never eating meat. This figure shows little change since the mid-1990s, despite the ongoing activism of the animal rights and environmental movements.

    I’d argue that the plant-based solution to factory farming is not a feasible outcome for the foreseeable future. Cultured meat might be. Individuals can still choose to eat a plant-based diet. But for those who are unwilling to give up meat, they can have their steak and eat it too.

    ‘I’m worried about the animals and farmers’

    Some people express concern about the fate of chickens and cows, imagining them abandoned to die or released into the wild.

    The time frame for cultured meat renders this consideration moot. Even by optimistic estimates, large-scale production is likely still several years away. As new processes are adopted, the demand for farm animals will slowly decrease. Fewer animals will be bred, thus the animals at the center of these concerns will never exist.

    Many people are also concerned about the negative impact a transition to cultured meat may have on farmers. But this new technology is far from the only threat farmers already face as the industry becomes ever more centralized. Eighty-five percent of beef in the U.S. comes from just four main producers.

    Cultivated chicken. Photo by Mogale Meat.

    In fact, cultured meat provides a new industry, with opportunities to grow and process products for use in cellular agriculture. The meat industry can learn a lesson from how taxis lost out to Uber and Lyft; they must adapt to new technologies to survive and thrive. And the industry is already taking steps in this direction – Tyson Foods and Cargill Meat Solutions, two of the biggest meat producers in the U.S., have made investments in this new future.

    ‘Cultured meat is disgusting’

    Disgust is a common reaction to cultured meat. It’s difficult to rebut, as it is not an argument per se – disgust is in the eye of the beholder.

    However, disgust is often not a good guide for rational decision-making. Cultural differences in meat consumption illustrate this point. Typically, Westerners are happy to eat pigs and cows, but consider eating dogs disgusting. But dog meat is consumed in some Asian cultures.

    So what is disgusting appears to be somewhat determined by what is normal and accepted in your community. With time, and exposure to cultured meat, it’s possible that these feelings of disgust will disappear.

    ‘Cultured meat is unnatural’

    Perhaps the loudest opposition to cultured meat is that it’s unnatural. This argument relies on the premise that natural things are better than unnatural things.

    While this outlook is reflected in recent consumer preferences, the argument is fallacious. Some natural things are good. However, there are many things that are unnatural that are fundamental to our society: glasses, motorized transport, the internet. Why single out cultured meat?

    Cultivated beef meatballs. Photo by SpaceF.

    Perhaps the argument is only applicable to food – natural food is better. But “natural” food is a myth; almost all the food you buy is modified in some way. Moreover, I’d argue the overuse of antibiotics in conventional meat and other practices of modern animal agriculture – including the selective breeding used to produce modern farmed animals – throws it into the same unnatural category.

    Of course, naturalness can be a proxy for things that really do matter in food: safety, sustainability, animal welfare. But cultured meat fares far better than conventional meat on those metrics. If we dismiss cultured meat on the grounds of being unnatural then, to be consistent, we must also dismiss a vast number of other products that make modern lives better and easier. 

    It’s early days, but a number of companies are working to bring cultured meat to the table. As consumers, we have both the right and obligation to be informed about which products we choose to eat. Yes, we should be cautious with any new technology. But in my opinion, the objections to cultured meat can’t hold a candle to the potential benefits for humans, animals and the planet.

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

    Lead image by Joes Future Food.

    The post Cultivated Meat Might Seem Alien But It’s Better Than Animal Agriculture appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • 10 Reasons Why Cultivated Meat Is The Future Of Protein: The Case For Lab-Grown

    8 Mins Read

    Lab-grown, cultured, cell-based – all these terms refer to cultivated meat, whereby animal flesh or byproducts are produced without any animal killing. And no, we aren’t talking about plant-based alternatives such as Beyond Meat or Omnipork. We’re talking about actual animal flesh grown inside bioreactors using cellular agriculture and tissue engineering instead of traditional animal livestock farming methods. For some, this might feel like science fiction, but dozens of companies (including a fair few in Asia) are already working to bring this technology to market within a couple of years so it’s time to get educated about this new sector of food technology. Here’s a rundown of reasons why food scientists and environmentalists are bullish on cultivated meat and its potential to bring about a healthier, safer and more sustainable food system. 

    1. It’s slaughter-free

    Growing meat from cells means that no animal needs to be slaughtered to end up on your plate as a meal. Every year, around 70 billion animals are reared for food, the majority of which are in industrial farms where they live in cramped, dirty and inhumane conditions. Every day, 5 million animals are exposed to cruelty and added risks in transit to new countries via land and sea journeys that can span weeks. Whether they are funnelled into the global live animal trade or slaughtered locally, animals reared for food have to face a violent end to their lives. 

    Cultivated meat does not require the slaughter of animals, it is instead grown in laboratories using cells taken from an animal, using a small biopsy done under anaesthesia, and does not subject the animal to cruelty or violence, though it does mean that it is not suitable for vegans as it is still an animal-derived product. And cells from a single cow can produce as many as 175 million quarter pounders – far more than the 440,000 cows needed using traditional farming methods to produce the same amount. 

    2. It’s hormone-free

    Given that it is grown in a clean laboratory environment, cultivated meats are also free from any artificial growth hormones that are typically used in the conventional meat industry to make livestock grow and gain weight faster. Synthetic oestrogen and testosterone are the most common hormones used in livestock and in dairy cows, and while industry-funded studies show no risk, there are independent studies that suggest a link between injected hormones and cancer. Since they don’t require any hormones, lab-grown versions are therefore safer for human consumption and do not come at the added hormone-related risks. 

    3. It’s antibiotic-free 

    All cultivated meats are produced in a sterile environment, which means that they do not require antibiotics either. Slaughterhouses are the opposite – industrial animal farms pack livestock into cramped, dirty conditions that are hotbeds for contamination. Some cases have led to foodborne illnesses amongst consumers, more serious outbreaks of diseases have created mass chaos such as the recent African swine fever that wiped out pork supplies across Asia and multiple avian influenza outbreaks that have affected chickens and other birds in the past years. 

    As the demand for meat continues to grow globally, so has the use of antibiotics in the animal meat industry. The overuse of antibiotics to prevent animals from getting sick is so rampant in the industry that to date, over 80% of all produced antibiotics is sold to livestock farms, according to the FDA. Experts have long warned that this is leading to the rise of antibiotic resistant superbugs, with a 2019 study a tripling of the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria in livestock between 2000 and 2018.

    Factory farms and slaughterhouses use antibiotics to prevent animals from getting sick in unsanitary conditions (Image Source: Dreamstime)

    4. It supports local food production

    Because cultivated meat facilities and bioreactors can be built virtually everywhere, it means that meat does not need to be transported from one continent to another. Grown indoors in controlled lab environments, it means that outdoor weather, temperature, land availability are all factors that are unimportant when it comes to this alternative source of protein, providing stable income to local communities and ensuring a resilient supply of protein, not to mention the big savings on transport emissions.

    5. It bolsters food security

    One major thing that the coronavirus pandemic exposed is the vulnerability of our global food supply chains. With lockdowns, travel bans and export restrictions to curb the spread of the virus came a massive supply shock of many staple foods, from wheat flour to fresh produce and of course, meat. 

    The United States, in particular, faced a meat shortage, with slaughterhouses shuttered due to a number of outbreaks and meat producers having to cull and “dispose” of millions of animals as a result. In China, imports of premium meat and dairy virtually disappeared from shelves.

    Food security is top of mind for many countries that are now exposed to the supply chain breakdown from coronavirus and are vulnerable to the climate crisis. Singapore, for instance, launched a SDG 30 million (US$21 million) fund dedicated to bolster local food production to provide a buffer in event of food supply shocks, with a great portion of the money going to support cultivated food techs that can produce local meat and seafood. 

    In addition to boosting self-sufficiency, locally grown meat will also slash carbon emissions from reducing transportation routes. 

    6. It requires far fewer carbon emissions (up to 96%)

    On the topic of carbon emissions, cultivated protein also contributes a fraction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional meat. According to the United Nations FAO, animal agriculture alone generates 18% of global greenhouse gases – making it one of the leading causes of the climate crisis. It isn’t just the enormous resources that make raising livestock so carbon-hefty, but the methane emissions due to cows and their manure, which is anywhere from 20 to 30 times more potent and heat-trapping than carbon dioxide. 

    Lab-grown beef sample from food tech Aleph Farms. (Image Source: Aleph Farms)

    By contrast, cultivated meats can produce up to 96% fewer greenhouse gas emissions. While growing meat in labs will require significant amounts of energy, one study from the University of Oxford found that if facilities were powered by clean energy rather than fossil fuels, there are clear climate benefits to be reaped. 

    7. It requires a lot less land

    Cultivated meat requires less land to produce. The world already uses the majority of arable farmland for livestock rearing – yet meat demand continues to rise due to rapid urbanisation and population growth. By 2050, we could be looking at a global population of 10 million, with demand for protein anywhere from 70% to 100% higher than today’s levels, according to the United Nations FAO. 

    Farmers are already being pushed to deliberately set forest fires, causing mass deforestation of rainforests, for more land to farm animals. Last year, large parts of the Amazon rainforest – one of the planet’s few remaining carbon-absorption tools against global heating – had been cleared to raise cows. In turn, this has led to mass loss of biodiversity, with estimates saying we could be losing 50,000 plant, animal and insect species every single year. 

    Performed in a closed system in indoor labs, it is projected that cultured meat production will use up to 99% less land than the current animal agriculture. 

    8. It’s feed-free 

    Another reason why animal agriculture uses vast amounts of land is feed cultivation. Cattle pasture is usually replaced by soy cultivation in order to grow enough feed for livestock. Recent deforestation in Brazil was fuelled by a cycle of soy-cattle-pasture-deforestation cycle that stimulated the need for further land clearing. It’s also happening in other neighbouring countries, including northern Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay. With more and more rainforest being lost, the hope of keeping global heating at manageable levels is becoming less likely – unless we change the way meat is produced. When both livestock feed and grazing is accounted for, traditional meat production takes up almost half (45%) of the world’s total arable land.

    Wildfires in the Amazon rainforest in 2019. (Image Source: AFP)

    9. It saves a lot of water (compared to traditional ag)

    Cultivated meat requires far less water to manufacture. Water scarcity is already a global issue, with the World Resources Institute (WRI) finding that a quarter of the world’s population across 17 countries are already suffering from extreme levels of high water stress due to the climate crisis and water contamination. Scientists doubled down on the warnings of water scarcity in 2020, with experts from the United Nations finding that poor water infrastructure is putting countries at a bigger health risk than the coronavirus pandemic. 

    In the UN report, the scientists said that water efficiency could be significantly improved if current agricultural farming methods changed. Using conventional animal farming, a single quarter pounder beef patty requires 5900 litres of water to produce – cultivated protein, by comparison, could reduce this by a whopping 96 percent. 

    To add to the issue of water usage, traditional animal livestock farming pollutes waterways too – runoff from pesticides and fertilisers can also flow into waterways, reaching oceans to harm marine ecosystems. 

    10. It’s cheaper

    While cultured meat companies will still need to overcome a few technological and regulatory hurdles before large-scale production can be achieved, most industry experts do believe that it will reach price parity or even undercut the price of conventionally produced meats. Dutch food tech Mosa Meat, for instance, managed to produce a small scale burger back in 2013 for US$280,000, but believe that within the next two years, as the technology matures and production scales up, the cost of a lab-grown hamburger is projected to be as low as US$10. Upside Foods, another food tech company based in California, is hoping to lower the cost of a single lab-grown burger patty down to US$5 within the next couple of years, while Israel-based Future Meat Technologies believes that they can reduce the cost to an impressive $2.30 to $4.50 by the end of the decade. Once the price becomes accessible and achieves parity with industrially reared meat (whose costs are predicted to rise over the next few years), it’s all systems go the ultimate in cruelty-free animal protein.

    Lead image courtesy of Aleph Farms.

    The post 10 Reasons Why Cultivated Meat Is The Future Of Protein: The Case For Lab-Grown appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Good Meat Partners With ABEC to Build the Largest Cultivated Meat Bioreactors

    good meat
    3 Mins Read

    Good Meat, the Eat Just division focused on cultivated meat, has partnered with ABEC on a multi-year agreement to boost its production of cell-based protein.

    ABEC, which has been making bioreactors since the 1980s, will help Good Meat develop the “largest known” bioreactors for cell culture production of bird and mammal meat, the company said in a statement.

    Currently, Good Meat is the only company with cultivated meat on the market. It received regulatory approval in Singapore in 2020 for its cell-based chicken, and has partnered with several food service providers on distribution in the years since.

    Scaling cultivated meat

    According to Good Meat, the ABEC development will allow it to bring online ten 250,000-liter bioreactors. “When fully operational, the complex will have the capacity to produce up to 30 million pounds of meat without the need to slaughter a single animal,” the company said.

    Good Meat says chicken and beef are up first, which it says it can distribute to “millions” of customers across the country once there’s regulatory approval in the U.S., which could be anywhere from 18 to 24 months.

    “Our first step was receiving regulatory approval and launching in Singapore. Our second step has been selling to customers through restaurants, street vendors, and delivery platforms. We’ve learned that consumers want this, and we’re ready to take the next step to make this happen at commercial scale. I am very proud to partner with the ABEC team to make this historic facility happen,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just.

    ABEC is also designing bioreactors for Good Meat’s headquarters in Alameda, California, which is expected to be operational before the end of the year. It’s also working to develop a facility in Singapore early next year to help meet the demand in the region.

    Innovating in the protein industry

    “We are proud that our capabilities will help enable this exciting new industry. We look forward to continuing our tradition of innovation and supporting Good Meat’s success,” said Scott Pickering, CEO and Chairperson of ABEC.

    “I think our grandchildren are going to ask us about why we ate meat from slaughtered animals back in 2022,” Tetrick said.

    “Cultivated meat matters because it will enable us to eat meat without all the harm, without bulldozing forests, without the need to slaughter an animal, without the need to use antibiotics, without accelerating zoonotic diseases,” he said.

    “The bioreactors will be far and away the largest, not only in the cultivated meat industry, but in the biopharma industry too,” Tetrick said.

    “So the design and engineering challenges are significant, the capital investments are significant and the potential to take another step toward shifting society away from slaughtered meat is significant.”

    Photos: courtesy Eat Just

    The post Good Meat Partners With ABEC to Build the Largest Cultivated Meat Bioreactors appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Gen Z Americans: 60% Approve Of Meat Tax And More Are Open To Meat Alternatives

    4 Mins Read

    A new study, conducted by Veylinx, has revealed consumer insights critical to the growth of the alternative protein sector. A key takeaway for brands looking to entice new customers is confirmation that price and taste are bigger drivers than animal welfare or the environment. It was also identified that certain foods, namely burgers and hot dogs, are at saturation point but there is demand for other meat-free alternatives, including seafood and jerky. Overall, plant-based protein that mimics meat remains a consumer favourite.

    Participants in the U.S.-based study were largely non-vegan and vegetarian. Just five percent aligned with the labels. This did not prevent the majority (77 percent) of respondents saying that they could be persuaded to buy meat alternatives more regularly. 

    Portein types in order of popularity, according to teh new study. Image by Veylinx.

    Young consumers support legislative change

    The research was conducted in March 2022 with 3,538 participants all over the age of 18 taking part. The study looked for consumer attitudes surrounding seven proteins, including conventional meat, plant-based alternatives and cultivated developments. It focussed on seven food formats for easy comparison: burger patties, sushi, nuggets, filet mignon, jerky, bacon and lasagna.

    Animal-based protein remains the most popular option with 53 percent of purchase interest but plant-based came a close second at 49 percent.  One of the bolder findings was that young consumers are supportive of government policies being initiated to force dietary change. 

    37 percent of all study participants revealed they would support a 10 percent levy on meat, to reduce consumption. Additionally, 51 percent claimed they felt the government should subsidise alternatives to animal protein. Breaking these findings down into age brackets, Gen Z was shown to be pushing for formal change, with 62 percent backing a meat tax. 71 percent agreed with alternative protein subsidies.

    A breakdown of popular meat-free terminology. Image by Veylinx.

    How products are labelled matters

    Food vernacular is identified as playing a critical role in meat-free uptake. Using hotdogs as an example, the study discovered that labelling items as “meatless” instead of “vegan” increased interest by 16 percent. “Vegan” proved to be the least popular term, with “veggie”, “plant-based” and “animal-free” generating more positive responses.

    Labelling preferences are connected to underlying reasons for considering meat-free purchases. The study found that 42 percent of consumers choose alternative protein for health reasons, followed by 35 percent, liking the taste. Fewer than 30 percent cited animal welfare or the environment as reasons for buying. 

    23 percent of all participants said that nothing, labelling included, could persuade them to buy more meat alternatives. Gen Z, again, stepped forward as a driving demographic to reveal that 87 percent could be convinced to buy more leat-free products. 

    Though welfare and climate change were low on consumers’ priority lists, the negative connotations were shown to reduce demand for conventional meat. In this instance, animal welfare proved the most effective in labelling, demonstrating a 7 percent drop in meat demand.

    Enough’s mycoprotein. Photo by Enough.

    What the findings mean for the alternative protein sector

    “While we may be approaching a saturation point for products like burger patties and hot dogs—making it difficult to win shelf space and market share—our research shows there are still plenty of categories like seafood, jerky, and ready-to-eat meals where consumers are seeking more varied plant-based options,” Anouar El Haji, CEO of Veylinx said in a post-study statement. “Brands can succeed in these categories by launching products that are delicious and priced competitively, even if they don’t duplicate the taste and texture of meat. We also found that consumers are willing to buy unfamiliar protein innovations like mycoprotein, microalgae, and even edible insects—especially when they are incorporated into packaged foods like frozen lasagna and jerky.”

    The study appears to confirm that there is space for all protein types and that conventional meat might be usurped from the top spot, by younger generations of consumers. 

    Photo by Toni Koraza at Unsplash.

    Gen Z as the change-makers?

    Gen Z are the legislators of the future and as they are now showing support for taxing foods they deem as unhealthy, systemic change is not an unreasonable prediction. It has been claimed before that the young consumers are spending more on food than anything else and pledging their money to brands they deem worthy and increasingly, the demographic is making sustainable moves.

    Earlier this year it was revealed that China and India’s Gen Z is more sustainably-minded than those in the U.K. and U.S. This ties in with the alternative protein market neatly, as India has already been identified, By Kerry, as a key driver, at least for plant-based foods. China is increasingly demonstrating interest in growing its domestic alternative protein industry as well.

    Lead photo by Pablo Merchan Montes at Unsplash.

    The post Gen Z Americans: 60% Approve Of Meat Tax And More Are Open To Meat Alternatives appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Burger King France Adds Natalie Portman-Backed La Vie Bacon To Its Menus

    4 Mins Read

    Burger King France has announced that it is partnering with French vegan pork startup La Vie Foods to add its bacon to menus across the country. The collaboration is slated to be exclusive to the French market for six months. La Vie had teased its partnership with Burger King on its social channels for a week prior to the official announcement. 

    The announcement comes after Burger King transformed its flagship London Leicester Square restaurant into a fully vegan location for one month. La Vie supplied the bacon for its burgers during the experiment and is now onboarding for half a year.

    Photo by La Vie.

    France first, wider Europe to follow

    La Vie entered 430 Burger King restaurants as of May 24. This represents every location currently operating in France. Its plant-based bacon rashers will be used in the Veggie Steakhouse burger, a vegetarian version of one of its best-selling sandwiches. La Vie actively campaigned for the partnership, creating digitally doctored imagery of Burger King’s formerly bacon-free Steakhouse to show how it could look with its own rashers added. It later took out an advert in Le Parisien, highlighting consumers’ demands for the two to work together. The unconventional approach worked, with Burger King taking notice.

    Posting about the partnership on LinkedIn, La Vie joked that it “didn’t spam the Instagram feeds of all our followers for nothing”. The company went on to state that the Burger King partnership was the latest step forward in its mission to bring vegan food to as many people as possible. 

    Burger King has offered no confirmation, but a wider European rollout is being speculated as possible if La Vie’s bacon proves popular in its home country.

    The Plant-Based Whopper. Photo by Burger King.

    Burger King catering to the meat-free consumer

    In terms of fast-food chains looking to embrace vegan and vegetarian diners, Burger King has a history of stepping up. In the U.S. it has a long-standing agreement with Impossible Foods to supply its meat-free patties. Asia is partnered with Australia’s v2food and in Europe, Unilever-owned The Vegetarian Butcher develops its meat substitutes. Between them, these three suppliers have allowed Burger King to offer a variety of burgers, chicken sandwiches and nuggets, all suitable for animal-free eaters.

    The chain hasn’t always gotten it right. Back when it first launched the Plant-Based Whopper, it secured the ire of vegans, who took umbrage at the inclusion of egg-based mayonnaise. The chain redeveloped the recipe and brought it back in a fully veganised format and as a permanent menu option. The burger has since gained vegan certification to reassure diners.

    Image created using La Vie product imagery.

    La Vie’s rise to the top

    La Vie, previously 77 Foods, has been on a steady upward trajectory since being founded in 2019. Engaging in three years of R&D, the company finally released its bacon at the start of this year. It claims that consumers can’t tell the difference between its 100 percent plant-based rashers and conventional bacon. 

    In a major coup for the startup, La Vie confirmed the closure of a record-breaking €25 million Series A funding round in January. It was the largest single alternative protein raise for a French food tech and was immediately earmarked for supporting an aggressive expansion plan and funding new developments. Vegan activist and Hollywood actor Natalie Portman was amongst the investment participants, alongside Oatly chairman Eric Melloul.

    Photo by Burgal.

    France bursting with vegan burgers

    Burger King is not alone in adding extra flavour to vegan burgers within France. Earlier this month it was announced that 21-time Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse has opened a pop-up vegan burger location in Paris. Burgal differs from most vegan burger joints in that it makes no attempt to recreate conventional beef. The burgers, served on plant-based brioche buns, are made from quinoa, lentils and vegetables. The location is due to close on June 30 after which, demand for the burgers will be assessed with them potentially being added to the menus of Ducasse’s 80 plus other restaurants.

    Lead image by La Vie Foods.

    The post Burger King France Adds Natalie Portman-Backed La Vie Bacon To Its Menus appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Wide Open Agriculture Signs Lupin Protein Supply Agreement With Monde Nissin Australia

    4 Mins Read

    Australia’s Wide Open Agriculture (WOA) has confirmed a partnership with food giant Monde Nissin Australia (MNA). The former will supply its proprietary Buntine Protein, a concentrate made from lupin beans that can act as the main ingredient in food and drinks products. The deal is non-exclusive, allowing WOA to supply other interested parties simultaneously.

    MNA is slated to take 60 percent of all protein manufactured by WOA, over a period of two years. Manufacturing will take place in WOA’s pilot Buntine plant which is still being constructed, with initial deliveries due in June 2022. Costs and exact amounts due to be supplied remain confidential.

    Wide Open Agriculture lupin protein
    Buntine Protein. Photo by Wide Open Agriculture.

    Growing Australia’s alternative protein sector together

    MNA owns multiple popular domestic brands including Nudie, Black Swan, and Peckish. It is also the national distributor of Quorn, giving it unique insight into the demand for meat-free protein within Australia. In line with increased consumer interest in plant-based foods, MNA made the decision to purchase Buntine Protein to develop new animal-free lines for its own brands. 

    “MNA is committed to supporting the uptake of sustainable and regenerative farming practices,” Ian Griffiths, general manager at Monde Nissin Australia said in a statement. “We are rapidly advancing a range of innovative products to utilise Buntine Protein with its exceptional nutritional benefits.”

    Buntine Protein has been exclusively developed by WOA. The company was discussing its plans to build a pilot lupin protein factory back in December. Initially, converting sweet lupin into a protein additive was investigated for WOA’s own products, chiefly its OatUp milk line. It was open to commercial release, pending successful R&D, which has presumably been completed. 

    Photo by Chino Rocha at Unsplash.

    Shifting the protein landscape

    Agrifood is Australia’s largest manufacturing sector. Heavily reliant on meat and dairy, it is 

    environmentally unsustainable and liable to reinterpretation as consumers demand animal-free alternatives. Since 2000, global protein consumption has increased by 40 percent. By 2025 the market is expected to reach $373 billion. Though animal protein is anticipated to remain the largest subset by value, plant-based protein is predicted to be the biggest by volume.

    Replacing Australia’s beef and dairy manufacturing with regenerative alternatives has become an operational mandate for WOA.

    Photo by Wide Open Agriculture.

    Sustainability at the forefront of protein development

    A USP of the newly confirmed protein is that it is claimed to have no carbon footprint. Developed from lupins that have been grown regeneratively in the Western Australia Wheatbelt, it also creates no water pollution. WOA has stated that it is suitable for use in plant-based meats, dairy, bakery items, noodles and protein supplements. It is hoped that the Buntine will contribute to WOA’s ultimate aim of helping farmers to move away from unsustainable sectors toward regenerative practices. 

    “WOA is excited to be working with MNA who share our passion to develop the market for regenerative lupin products,” Dr Ben Cole, CEO of Wide Open Agriculture said in a statement. “This agreement has the potential to catalyse farmers to grow more regenerative lupins and offer consumers a range of innovative, delicious plant-based products.”

    WOA has a history of looking to improve the impact of popular products. This is seen in its brands Dirty Clean Food and OatUp. The latter was overhauled at the end of last year to be produced in a domestic plant, using locally sourced oats. It resulted in claims of producing the “world’s lowest carbon milk”.

    Photo by Get Plant’d.

    Australia says yes to plant protein

    The plant-based product market in Australia is predicted to reach up to $9 billion by 2030. Consumers are driving demand for animal-free foods, with manufacturers seeking to meet their expectations. In a report, CSIRO stated that Australia needs to concentrate on developing ingredients for foods and final products, both of which could complement not compete with the meat industry. 

    Coles has taken up the call for final products. Its 800-plus supermarkets are all stocking the Get Plant’d range, designed to cater to flexitarians. Soy-based meat alternatives have been developed to mimic popular conventional protein sources, particularly in terms of taste and texture. As access to such foods has increased, 20 percent of Australian consumers have aligned with the flexitarian moniker, creating a supply and demand cycle of buyers and producers.

    Lead photo by Wide Open Agriculture.

    The post Wide Open Agriculture Signs Lupin Protein Supply Agreement With Monde Nissin Australia appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Beyond Meat Bets On Consumers Wanting To Keep Up With New Chief Taste Consultant Kim Kardashian

    3 Mins Read

    Beyond Meat has announced reality television superstar Kim Kardashian as its new “chief taste consultant”. Kardashian has lent her ambassadorship to the somewhat embattled brand, citing that she has used the products at home regularly. In her role, she will help devise creative marketing content for the brand and post about Beyond Meat on her own channels.

    Kardashian is currently starring in a promotional video, streaming across social media platforms. She is slated to be in the process of creating other content, recipes, and offers, to be published through the Beyond Meat newsletter. Kardashian joins the ranks of previous celebrity ambassadors for the brand which have included Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart, Leonardo DiCaprio, and numerous professional athletes. 

    Bringing Kardashian on board is being lauded as a major coup. On Instagram alone, she has accrued 313 million followers and this is where she will be imploring her fans to follow her example and try Beyond’s meat alternatives.

    “I’ve been focusing on going more plant-based and can tell you that Beyond Meat is my absolute favorite—I love how all their products not only taste amazing but are also good for me and my family,” Kardashian said in a statement. “Plus, my kids are obsessed with my Beyond Beef taco recipe, the Beyond Burger for BBQs, and Beyond Chicken Tenders for a quick snack.” 

    Are the Kardashians vegan?

    None of the Kardashian-Jenner family align with the vegan label, but many eat predominantly plant-based. Beyond’s new taste consultant claims to have quit eating animal products while at home, with non-vegan meals allowed when she dines out. In line with her new role, she states that she is looking to eat as plant-based as possible, though she does admit to eating animal products in the new series of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. 

    Khloé Kardashian reportedly stopped eating meat whilst pregnant with her daughter in 2018, due to it making her nauseous. Last year she embarked on a “sister boot camp” challenge where she ate plant-based for 30 days.

    Photo by Beyond Meat.

    Kourtney Kardashian-Barker is arguably the most acquainted with vegan food. She embraced plant-based food last year and claims to be “95 percent” vegan now. Her new husband, Blink 182-drummer Travis Barker has been vegan since 2009.

    Why has Beyond Meat appointed Kardashian?

    The company has been explicit in its desire to replace the current food system with a more sustainable alternative. Getting the message about plant-based meat to the most people possible is key to this mission. In terms of current influencers, not many are ranked higher than Kardashian and celebrity culture remains a driver of consumer behaviour. Current lists show her as the seventh most followed person on Instagram.

    Dairy giant Arla conducted a survey earlier this year that revealed one in three consumers make dietary choices based on things they have seen on social media. 49 percent of U.K. adults polled admitted they are willing to make “big changes” to their eating habits, based on information seen on social media. 

    CEO Ethan Brown. Photo by Beyond meat.

    The fluctuating fortunes of Beyond Meat

    From being the most searched vegan company on Google in 2021, Beyond Meat has seen its star fade in recent months. Despite tempting two executives away from former investor Tyson Foods in December last year, February 2022 saw CEO Ethan Brown having to explain the company’s massive stock dip. He assured stakeholders that he was confident of a full recovery, in an earnings conference call.

    Six weeks after Brown’s big talk of planned brand partnerships and Asia expansion, the company settled an investor lawsuit. The case was connected to ongoing legal woes with former co-manufacturer Don Lee Farms. That case is ongoing.

    Lead photo by Beyond Meat.

    The post Beyond Meat Bets On Consumers Wanting To Keep Up With New Chief Taste Consultant Kim Kardashian appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Orbillion Claims Says It Will Achieve Price Parity With Conventional Meat By 2026

    4 Mins Read

    San Francisco-based startup cultivated meat Orbillion has announced that it projects reaching price parity with conventional meat by 2026, with commodity pricing for beef to follow by 2030. The declaration comes as CE and co-founder Patricia Bubner is due to give a speech at the World Economic Forum, held in Davos, Switzerland. The focus of her presentation will be the democratisation of cultivated meat and increasing access to it.

    Orbillion claims that it can work faster and cheaper than other cultivated companies. At its first pre-regulatory approval public tasting event, held last year, three types of meat were presented. Each took four months to develop, leading to estimations that Orbillion is moving 18x faster than most of its peers. This is largely attributed to members of the founding team meeting while already working within bioprocessing, thus having a working knowledge of the cultivated methodology.

    Laying the foundations for a cultivated market entry

    A Y Combinator alumnus, Orbillion is a female-founded biotech focussed on developing multiple heritage meat lines in parallel. To support its multi-variety approach, the startup secured $5 million in seed funding last year, before joining the Alliance for Meat, Poultry and Seafood Innovation (AMPS Innovation). Together with fellow cultivated big hitters, including Blue Nalu and Upside Foods, the collective seeks to nurture consumer acceptance for future products. It also looks to work with stakeholders, to expedite the path to market.

    “We are advocates of a wide range of solutions that can help make our food system more sustainable, nutritious, and reliable, and we see cell-cultured meat and alt proteins as an important “and” solution to regenerative agriculture. We all must work together,” Bubner said in a prepared statement. “Realizing the potential of cell-cultured meat means making it accessible. We know from extensive consumer and foodservice research around the globe, that price is key to making that happen. I’m so proud of the team that in less than one year, we’ve reduced the cost of production by 98%. Very eager for what’s ahead.”

    Orbillion has what it refers to as ‘advanced bioprocessing’ capabilities, which allow muscle cells to be isolated, screened and selected faster than other platforms can manage- in other words, they save costs by being more efficient. Choosing the cells most suitable for scaled food production leaves little to no waste and lets the company move from prototype to product more quickly than most competitors.

    It should be noted that price parity for Orbillion is significantly simpler to reach, as it focusses on high-end and heritage meats which are, traditionally, expensive. Parity with premium meats is the first target, before bringing costs down as production can be scaled further. To date, Orbillion has raised $9.5 million to support its endeavours.

    Strengthening the leadership team

    As Orbillion plans to launch products in 2023, it has sought to put key leadership figures in place. The most recent appointment is Greg Hiller, a globally recognised expert within the bioprocessing and cell cultivation fields. Hiller joins as an advisor.

    “I saw how the founding team has leveraged their academic and engineering expertise to achieve commercial success in the past and I knew I needed to learn more. I had the opportunity to hear in-depth about Orbillion’s approach to bioprocessing, scale up and manufacturing and was very eager to be involved,” Hiller said in a statement. “There are so many interesting challenges and innovation opportunities here – I’m proud to be a part of the advisory board for this important effort.”

    Orbillion has confirmed that its first commercial product will be cultivated Japanese-bred Wagyu beef. It cites its developments as a potential solution to the increased food insecurity being faced by global populations, in line with food price hikes. 

    Wading into the Wagyu race

    Potentially the only startup to be looking at cultivated Wagyu beef, Orbillion is not alone in developing alternatives to the conventional Japanese heritage meat.

    Last month, Hong Kong’s Alt Farm revealed its plans to seek launch 3D printed plant-based Wagyu in 2023. The startup, an offshoot of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, has earmarked China and Australia as key markets for its growth. A combination of soy, pea and algae protein is currently being tested, with first prototypes anticipated to debut next year.

    Canada’s Top Tier Foods has given the world a taste of vegan Wagyu steak, through its Wamamae Foods subsidiary. Last month, attendees of the TED2022 conference were served the beef alternative, ahead of commercial launch. Full rollout is anticipated for spring this year after a trial launch garnered positive responses from consumers.

    All photos by Orbillion.

    The post Orbillion Claims Says It Will Achieve Price Parity With Conventional Meat By 2026 appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.