radiofree.asia

Category: Alt Protein

  • OmniPork Honors AAPI Month With Plant-Based Collaborations

    4 Mins Read

    Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month will be celebrated in meat-free style this year. OmniFoods is partnering with a bevvy of chefs from the AAPI community and offering up its OmniPork products for them to develop limited edition dishes. The new menu items will be included on the chefs’ regular restaurant menus from May 16-31. 

    Some of the proceeds from each dish sold will go to the Heart of Dinner foundation. The organisation seeks to prevent food insecurity and isolation in the older Asian American population. The issues became increasingly prevalent and desperate during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Where the AAPI dishes can be bought

    The chefs taking part in the initiative are a who’s who of NY talent. Confirmed are: chef Chung Chow, chef May Kaidee, chef LJ Almendras and chef Jimmy Ly. They represent a vast cross-section of Asian cooking influences and styles and service diverse restaurants.

    Chow noodles. Photo by Norretuh.

    1. Noreetuh

    Head chef: Chung Chow.

    Style of food: Noreetuh is a Michelin-starred Hawaiian restaurant that takes influence from APAC culinary traditions. Chow is a co-owner and having been born in Hong Kong and then raised in Hawaii, is perfectly placed to bring various cooking styles together.

    AAPI dish: Chow noodles.

    Steamed dumplings. Photo by May Kaidee.

    2. May Kaidee

    Head chef: May Kaidee.

    Style of food: May Kaidee is a Thai vegan restaurant that is an evolution of Kaidee’s original Bangkok street cart.

    AAPI dish: Thai Red Curry and steamed dumplings.

    Chorizo Burger. Photo by Gugu Room.

    3. Gugu Room

    Head chef: LJ Almendras

    Style of food: Almendras is currently a guest chef at the restaurant and focuses his flavour palate on foods that reflect Pinoy street food culture. 

    AAPI dish: Chorizo burger and sweet and sour meatballs.

    Xiu mai. Photo by Madame Vo.

    4. Madame Vo

    Head chef: Jimmy Ly

    Style of food: Madame Vo showcases authentic and traditional Vietnamese dishes that include home cooking, street-style and regions specialties. 

    AAPI dish: Vietnamese xiu mai.

    “Coming from Asia, our OmniFoods team is excited to partner with these up-and-coming Asian American chefs based in New York City in honor of AAPI month,” David Yeung, founder of Omnifood said in a statement. “Equally, we are humbled to support the tremendous work by Heart of Dinner in helping the elderly Asian American community.”

    Reaching Asian American seniors when they need the most support

    Asian American seniors are reportedly experiencing anxiety and fear about leaving their homes. Grocery shopping or visiting social service centres have been shown to present opportunities for vulnerable people to be victims of racial abuse, resulting in an overwhelming unwillingness to step foot outside. This has resulted in an increase in isolation and undernourishment. 

    A government report shows that seniors in an Asian household are twice as likely to stay indoors, despite not having enough to eat, than those in white households. The reason is widely attributed to a surge in Asian hate crimes, following what many believe to be the political weaponisation of Covid–19 blame. In New York City, hate crimes against Asian individuals grew by 361 percent in 2021, though this number is likely under representative given potential language barriers. 

    Asian seniors represent the fastest-increasing elderly demographic in New York. As such, ensuring they are fed, safe, and cared for is a growing concern.

    配图Green Monday绿客盟及Green Common绿客门创办人杨大伟先生 Green Monday
    Green Monday founder David Yeung. Photo by Green Monday.

    A natural extension of Green Monday

    OmniFoods getting onboard with the AAPI initiative is no huge surprise. It’s owned by Green Monday. A  social and operational enterprise, it seeks to create a shift towards better and sustainable living, while eradicating global food insecurity. This means that OmniFoods has philanthropy as a chief ingredient in all of its products. As well as partnering with more than 800 primary schools, it seeks to embrace Asian seniors.

    Lead photo by Seshadri Sarkar at Unsplash.

    The post OmniPork Honors AAPI Month With Plant-Based Collaborations appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • China’s CellX Announces $10.6 Million Series A To Make Cultivated Meat

    3 Mins Read

    Shanghai-based cellular agriculture startup CellX has secured a $10.6 million Series A funding round with funding earmarked for recruitment efforts and optimizing the company’s platform technologies to achieve scale while decreasing unit costs. New backers included Joyvio Capital and SALT, amongst others, with previous investors Lever VC, Better Bite Ventures and Agronomics all joining again. The round Total investment to date now exceeds $15 million, making it the most well funded cultivated meat company in the country.

    CellX, which was founded in 2020 by Ran Liu and Ziliang Yang, is focused on creating pork, beef, and chicken using cellular agriculture. The round notably attracted participation from Joyvio Capital, which is backed by large conglomerate Joyvio Group of Legend Holdings in China and SK Group in South Korea.

    CellX pork prototype. Photo by CellX.

    “Eat meat, not animals”

    CellX’s slogan comes from co-founder and CEO Ziliang Yang’s personal philosophy. He has observed a flexitarian eating regimen for many years and says he now wants to make it easier for fellow consumers to follow suit, without compromising on what they enjoy.

    “Cellular agriculture uses next-generation technologies to create new proteins and new materials in a more sustainable way. Compared to traditional animal agriculture, cellular agriculture uses significantly fewer resources and emits less carbon,” Yang said in a statement.  “Cultivated meat has by far the largest market with the most carbon reduction promises within cellular agriculture, and it is also CellX’s current focus. We started with domestic pig breeds and have quickly expanded to beef and poultry.”

    Environmental benefits of cultivated meat

    Data suggest cultivated meat—if produced using renewable energy sources—will see massive reductions in emissions compared to conventional meat also produced using renewable energy. In terms of global warming impacts, beef’s footprint could be slashed by up to 92 percent, with a 95 percent land use savings. 

    When it comes to pork production, cultivated alternatives help decrease emissions by up to 50 percent, with a 72 percent reduction in land demand. It should be noted that the conventional meat emissions figures used to generate this comparison are considered “highly ambitious” and lower than those currently reported.

    CellX cultivated meat.

    Pressing ahead for progress and price parity

    CellX is looking to develop multiple meat varieties. To ensure fast progress it is leveraging four technologies simultaneously: cell lines, media, bioprocess, and end product.

    “A stable cell line and a low-cost culture media are critical pre-requisites to large scale production at low cost”, Dr. Binlu Huang, CellX’s co-founder and scientific lead said in a statement.

    CellX says that it has made significant progress in its cell line research and media development – and managed to secure an immortalized cell line as well as a low-cost media formula.

    Instead of working on mincemeat, CellX says it is mastering the taste and texture of conventional whole-cuts and believes this will be key when it comes to consumer acceptance of cultivated products.

    Driving industry acceptance from another angle, CellX has been a consistent presence in relative industry groups. The company attended the first Cellular Agriculture Forum in April of this year and is contributing to the APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture. 

    Source: CellX

    Government support for China’s cultivated scene

    Earlier this year, China’s government voiced its support for the growing cultivated sector with improved access to funding for scaling and product development identified as key by nonprofit think tank the Good Food Institute APAC. It bodes well that previous recipients of similar support include solar technology developers and electric vehicle manufacturers, both of which are now huge industries. More could still be allocated, but this is widely expected to come as consumer acceptance grows.

    Lead photo by CellX.

    The post China’s CellX Announces $10.6 Million Series A To Make Cultivated Meat appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Evo Foods Announces New Partnership With Ginkgo Bioworks For Next-Gen Egg Products

    4 Mins Read

    Indian plant-based egg startup Evo Foods has announced it is partnering with Ginkgo Bioworks to create new ingredients for its products. The latter offers an established cell programming platform which will be leveraged to develop animal-free egg proteins. These will be included in Evo’s product portfolio in a bid to create the most realistic plant-based eggs.

    Founded in 2020, Evo is focussed on creating animal protein replacements that can be swapped out for their conventional counterparts seamlessly. The company notes that current egg products are still lacking in terms of taste, texture, nutrition and functionality. Working with Gingko is hoped to be the final puzzle piece to vegan egg superiority.

    Evo egg
    Photo by Evo Foods.

    On a mission to improve vegan eggs

    Evo looks to end animal agriculture for egg production with its developments while increasing food security. With roots in Mumbai and a recently established U.S. presence, the startup leverages India’s crop biodiversity to power its existing products, which include the “world’s-first” heat-stable boiled egg analogue. 

    Unveiled in March this year, the “heat and eat” vegan boiled follows the debut of a liquid egg replacement made from mung beans in 2021.

    “As consumers and food brands alike call for more sustainable food options, we are excited to collaborate with Ginkgo to pioneer a new class of animal-free ingredients, “Kartik Dixit, CEO at Evo Foods said in a statement. “Evo is committed to playing a part in feeding our ever-growing world, and this partnership will support us as we develop next-generation products in this market.”

    Gingko will be supplying Cell Development Kits (CDK) as its contribution to the strategic partnership. These will allow for cost-effective cell programmes to be launched, while slashing project timeframes traditionally needed to create engineered proteins. The proteins Evo will replicate will, potentially, allow for a faithful replication of regular egg flavours and more.

    Evo Foods’ vegan boiled egg. Photo by Evo Foods.

    Taking eggs out of the food system

    By 2020 egg production globally surpassed 86.67 million metric tonnes. Since 1990, the volume of production has increased more than 100 percent. This has been attributed, in part, to eggs being consumed as a secondary protein source, after meat.

    Egg production is an ethically and environmentally controversial industry. To produce the world’s glut of eggs, more than 300 million chickens are used for their laying ability each year. Factory-farmed birds are subjected to countless cruel mutilations, including beak trimming, before being confined to a minuscule wire cage for the duration of their lives. Cages often hold up to 10 birds, each creating filth that covers the others. Birds that die in captivity are frequently left in the cages to rot.

    ‘Free range’ hens are something of a misnomer as well. Farms are allowed to keep up to 9 birds per square metre. For context, The Guardian compares this to 14 adult humans living in a one-room flat.

    Evo looks to remove the need for animal eggs entirely and it isn’t the only startup working to do so.

    Photo by Evo Foods.

    Plant-based eggs getting animal farmers in a flap

    Vegan egg substitutes are on the rise. From broad bean-based liquid developments, a la The VGN in Germany, to Eat Just recently gaining regulatory approval for E.U. sale of its mung bean eggs, a lot is happening.

    The Every Co is taking a different approach to egg protein replacement. Instead of focussing on a whole egg liquid product, it uses precision fermentation to mimic egg white protein for use in other items. Most recently it showcased the functionality of its Every EggWhite by partnering with exclusive patisserie Chantal Guillon, to debut vegan macarons.  

    Even large-scale egg users are looking at the potential and marketability of plant-based alternatives. Japanese mayo giant Kewpie just announced it has developed a vegan egg product, called Hobotama. Translating to ‘almost eggs’, the dish is a scrambled egg replacement made using soy milk.

    Lead photo by Evo Foods.

    The post Evo Foods Announces New Partnership With Ginkgo Bioworks For Next-Gen Egg Products appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Unlimeat Crowdfunds To Launch Sold-Out Plant-Based Jerky In The US

    3 Mins Read

    Korea’s leading plant-based meat company is leveraging the power of crowdfunding to launch its jerky line in the U.S. A pre-launch campaign on Kickstarter allows global backers to participate. The official launch is scheduled for May 31. 

    The jerky sold out in South Korea shortly after its initial debut in April. Unlimeat first began with BBQ products made from upcycled food waste back in 2019. Since then, the company’s range has expanded to include pulled pork, dumplings, mince, and cheese. Unlimeat is hoping to capitalise on the growing appetite for Korean BBQ in the U.S.

    Photo by Unlimeat.

    Perks for Kickstarter backers

    Consumers looking to support Unlimeat’s project will be given access to discounts of 30-38 percent on their jerky orders. The raise will remain live on the crowdfunding site for one month, after which, U.S. consumers will be able to access the uniquely Korean flavoured jerky.

    The product has been developed by the Zikooin-owned brand, using non-GMO soy protein and wheat protein. Artificial ingredients and flavours have been negated, with colour being provided by vegetable dyes. Per serving, consumers get 9 grams of protein, matching conventional beef but doing away with cholesterol and trans-fats. At present, two flavours are available: Korean BBQ and Smoky Chili.

    “This is the first time we’ve introduced our Asian-inspired plant-based jerky to the US market. Korean BBQ is becoming popular in the USA, so we’re hoping this original, traditional Korean BBQ recipe straight from Korea will be popular. We hope we’ll attract a lot of attention from American consumers.”

    zikooin
    Photo by Unlimeat.

    Beef’s impact on human health

    Unlimeat calls its jerky a perfect snack for those undertaking exercise and anybody looking to watch their fat intake. In this way, it is a good substitute for beef, which has been connected to multiple human health concerns. 

    Red meat consumption, and beef in particular, increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, among other issues. There is no universally agreed ‘safe’ amount of red meat that can be eaten and it is not an essential part of human nutrition.

    In addition to health concerns, beef is inextricably linked to deforestation. Scientists have recently claimed that swapping 20 percent of the beef eaten globally for microbial protein would halve deforestation demand. 

    Beef is widely cited as a good source of protein, but as Unlimeat has proven with its jerky, the same amounts can be garnered through plant-based alternatives. 

    Photo by Unlimeat.

    Unlimeat in the U.S.

    Unlimeat entered the U.S. market earlier this year with a launch announcement on a Times Square billboard. Their products were made available via online retailer Wooltari Mall USA. It has not been confirmed if the jerky will be sold via the same channel or an alternative.

    Plant-based jerky as the must-develop snack

    Unlimeat joins the likes of Beyond Meat, which has itself recently launched vegan jerky. The product was developed as the first product to be released through its collaboration with PepsiCo. The two are working together under the moniker of Plant Partnership, to create a range of snacks and drinks using plant protein sources. 

    Canadian brand Noble Jerky identified potential for western flavours to tempt Asian consumers last year. The fully vegan company, which used to process conventional meat, launched in mainland China, in December. The company cited the growing number of vegans in China as an opportunity to enter the market.

    Lead photo by Unlimeat.

    The post Unlimeat Crowdfunds To Launch Sold-Out Plant-Based Jerky In The US appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Cargill And Cubiq Team Up To Take On The U.S. Alternative Fats Market

    4 Mins Read

    Barcelona’s Cubiq Foods has been developing its omega-3-rich smart fats since 2020 and now, the startup has announced a $5.75 million funding round from Moira Capital Partners, SGEIC and Newtree Impact to help it bring its developments to market by 2023. A key part of the news is Cargill’s participation, who invested and committed to deeper strategic partnership. 

    Cargill, the third-largest meat producer in the world and a giant of agribusiness, is now sourcing vital ingredients for its plant-based ranges, from Cubiq. The recent investment is the first stage of a wider partnership that includes product development. The two also have a commercial agreement in place whereby Cargill will promote and sell Cubiq’s products.

    Cargill Cubiq partnership
    Cargill CEO David MacLennan. Photo by Cargill.

    Cargill’s swift about-turn

    It’s hard to forget that just last year David MacLennan, CEO of Cargill, risked stakeholder ire by speaking of the “cannibalistic” nature of plant-based meats on the conventional sector. At the time, such animal-free developments were already being cited as forming a significant part of the future Cargill portfolio.

    As demand for plant-based meat has increased, alongside recommendations of reducing conventional animal protein intake, Cargill has jumped on the plant-based trend. 

    “Consumer interest in plant-based protein continues to be a strong trend, expanding the innovation opportunity for food manufacturers looking to address this demand,” Vivek Cherian, meat and dairy alternatives category leader, edible oils, for Cargill told Food Ingredients First.

    Plant-based burger patties. Photo by Beyond Meat.

    The demand for plant-based meat

    Earlier this year, the Good Food Institute (GFI) released a report that demonstrated the continued increase in plant-based meat demand. It stated that in 2020, retail sales for animal-free protein grew at a rate twice as fast as overall food sales in the U.S. Isolated plant-based meat sales grew by 45 percent. 

    These figures offer optimism in terms of the need to reduce conventional meat intake. Switching to plant-based alternatives is being cited as a simple way to encourage wealthy nations to drop their meat intake by at least 75 percent, to negate worsening climate change. 

    In order to keep up with the rising demand, the GFI cites the need for improved infrastructure. Strategic partnerships such as Cargill and Cubiq’s allow for a mutually beneficial entry into the plant-based sector. While one develops innovative ingredients to improve products, the other has an existing network and manufacturing footprint. Together, bottlenecks can be avoided, resulting in faster deployment to market and commercial advantage.

    Cargill Cubiq partnership for fats
    Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels.

    Cubiq’s omega-3 fats for functional foods

    It is claimed that Cubiq will be releasing its Go!Mega3. The product is the latest iteration of its microencapsulated fat that can be added to foods to support heart and nervous system support.

    Fresh from its recent funding round, the Spanish start-up is leveraging Cargill’s reach to expand its commercial and manufacturing interests both in Europe and the U.S. Continued development of a new fat ingredient designed to replicate the experience of eating meat remains a top priority.

    “Our strategic partnership will help us better serve our customers by accelerating the development of plant-based alternatives that offer the taste, texture and flavor and nutritional profile [of meat],” Cherian said.

    Cubiq has already released Go!Drop, an emulsion of vegetable oil and water that is designed to reduce oil use in food production, thus reducing saturated fats. This is not an ingredient that intends to mimic meat fats.

    Photo by Melt&Marble.

    Designer fats in vogue

    Alongside Cubiq, a number of startups are looking to perfect animal-fat alternatives that will take plant-based meats to new levels. California-based Yali Bio was founded last year with a specific mandate of improving plant-based flavours with better fats. The company has stated that tempting meat-eaters away from their beloved dishes is impossible without first capturing authentic taste profiles. It claims that its synthetic biology is capable of making fats that will create these flavour notes. Earlier this month,

    Melt&Marble, a startup from Sweden, revealed it has scooped €5 million in seed funding to continue developing its precision fermented beef fat alternative. Investment is earmarked for production scaling and building out the team to begin manufacturing in earnest.

    Lead photo by Cubiq Foods.

    The post Cargill And Cubiq Team Up To Take On The U.S. Alternative Fats Market appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Marco Pierre White Doubles Down On Redefine Meat Partnership With UK-Wide Menu Updates

    3 Mins Read

    Award-winning chef Marco Pierre White has developed two new recipes using Israel’s Redefine Meat’s New-Meat plant-based innovation. The Redefine Ragu alla Bolognese and Redefine Mr Lamb’s Shepherd’s Pie will both be rolled out across multiple U.K. locations from spring. White’s restaurants, totalling 38 across Ireland and Britain, are traditionally associated with high-end meat dishes. The addition of meat-free alternatives is considered a significant evolution, not a compromise. 

    White himself is a staunch advocate of Redefine’s developments. At his flagship Leicester Square location, diners have been able to order Redefine steaks, burgers, macaroni cheese and pizza for months. 11 further locations will now be serving the alternative protein meat cuts.

    Why is Marco Pierre White such a fan of Redefine Meat?

    The famously outspoken and unapologetic chef surprised people when he first sang the praises of Redefine Meat. He famously called New-Meat the “cleverest product” he’d ever seen in his life, remarking that the structure would fool anyone into believing it to be real meat. He put his money where his opinion was and included the whole-cut flanks on his most prestigious menu, as Mr Whites in London. 

    “I was a vegan for nine months myself,” White remarked in previous interviews. “I didn’t feel satisfied. We didn’t have New-Meat in those days. I was always hungry…I eat this [New-Meat], once or twice a week. It’s really clever.”

    Plant-based whole-cuts reshaping the food system

    Alternative protein has been heralded as a sector worthy of widespread support. As a potential way to alleviate climate change, by negating the demand for conventional meat, it is gaining traction. It is hoped that a shift towards plant-based meat will enable the elimination of deforestation by 2020, a goal set at COP26 last year. Animal agriculture has been confirmed as the number one cause of deforestation, in addition to being a significant emissions contributor.  

    Bringing consumers away from traditional protein sources remains the challenge, however. In a bid to tempt more consumers towards flexitarianism and meat-free eating, startups are looking to focus on whole-cut developments. Holy grails of steak, bacon, and chicken fillets are becoming more targeted than traditional analogues of minced or reconstituted meats. 

    Redefine Meat entered the alt-protein sector in earnest in 2020 with its debut steak. Last year it scooped $29 million in a Series A funding round. The investment was funnelled into the commercial launch of its 3D-printed vegan whole-cut meats, with “strong strategic partners” being sought. White, as a globally revered and respected chef fits that criteria.

    “It’s an honour for us to be working with Marco and now, to be featured on his restaurants’ menus,” Eshchar ben-Shitrit, CEO and co-founder of Redefine Meat said in a statement. “From the very beginning, we’ve worked alongside chefs with meat expertise and butchers, as they always provide the best feedback for us to better our products.” 

    Replacing meat around the world

    Alongside Redefine Meat, a number of whole-cut startups are putting their stamp on the alternative protein sector. From Slovenia’s Juicy Marbles, with its scarily realistic filet mignon to Colorado’s Meati, purveyor of mycelium superfood cutlets a wide spectrum of products are being released.

    In a sign of how competitive the sector is becoming, Meati is embroiled in a legal battle with California’s The Better Meat Co. The former is claiming mycelium harvesting techniques were taken to its competitor by a former associate. In turn, Better has levelled an accusation of IP undermining at Meati.

    All photos by Marco Pierre White group.

    The post Marco Pierre White Doubles Down On Redefine Meat Partnership With UK-Wide Menu Updates appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • ‘Beef But Better’: Kerry Identifies What Australia Consumers Are Looking From Plant-Based Beef Burgers

    5 Mins Read

    Consumers across the globe are adopting flexitarian diets, motivated by health and environmental factors. Newly published research by Kerry, the global leader in taste and nutrition, suggests the move towards alternative proteins starts with easy substitutions of existing favourite foods such as burgers. But what exactly do consumers look for when choosing a plant-based patty? Preliminary findings of Australian consumers suggest that taste and texture remain a barrier when it comes to plant-based meat, and a ‘beef but better’ mindset is front and centre.

    Kerry’s global research team conducted a six month exploration of consumers in four key plant-based markets around the world: USA, UK, Australia and Brazil, combining different analytical and insight techniques such as digital ethnographies and sensory immersions to better understand consumers’ plant-based taste experience.

    The study was based on 1,500 consumers between the ages of 25 and 40 years testing 16 plant-based burgers from 14 different manufacturers, including a mix of global and regional brands. The idea was to look at consumer sensory perception, what consumers like, what works, what doesn’t and where are the areas of opportunity.

    ‘Beef But Better’

    In Australia, consumers made it clear that they are looking for ‘beef but better’, with conventional animal beef an important benchmark, but one consumers say can be bettered. “In other words, consumers want a plant-based burger that tastes like beef, and they want it to be better for the environment as well as better for their health,” said Jie Ying Lee, Senior Strategic Marketing Manager for Plant-Based at Kerry Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa.

    Australian consumers expect a perfect balance of flavour in plant-based burgers

    But what makes a plant-based burger taste like beef? Too much salt is a no-no, as are overpowering and artificial flavours. The key for brands is to achieve a delicate flavour balance, and consumers also cited the importance of the right lingering aftertaste. Another key takeaway? The importance of the first bite.  

    Further, a pleasing taste will not overshadow poor mouthfeel, especially if it is very different from conventional meat.

    On the texture side, the study identified what they call ‘variation in bite’, whereby a burger has a firm outer part (as a result of charring) and a soft inner texture.

    Source: Unsplash

    Cooking behavior a key part of the plant-based meat puzzle

    When it comes to cooking, sizzle matters. In fact, they expect sizzling as soon as they place the patty on a hot pan, just like with a beef burger. Good sizzle creates positive expectations of taste and succulence. Further, consumers say that beef-life cues like meat browning and caramelising help them control the cooking process and signal when the patty is ready and safe to eat. Interestingly, consumers don’t want the plant-based burger to mimic a beef one too much — visible fat globules and pink juices were considered by the tasters as ‘going too far’, added Lee.

    Pricing influences consumer adoption

    While product pricing was not part of the study, according to Lee previous research by Kerry underscored that high relative prices of alternative protein meat is a major barrier for consumer adoption, and repeated purchasing of such products would require them to be the same cost or cheaper than their animal counterparts.

    Local influences and preconceptions affect expectations

    Depending on the country, consumers may have a different beef burger benchmark. For example, for Australian consumers, the beef burger benchmark is a fresh burger grilled on a BBQ so there is more of an emphasis on chargrilled, whereas in the U.S. and Brazil, they may make their own burgers from scratch and season to their liking, so meatiness is a key factor.

    Kerry plant-based burger
    Photo by Kerry.

    APAC consumers a key growth market for plant-based meat

    Previous research by Kerry underlined that the appeal of plant protein in APAC has increased by 75% and is outperforming the global average. 62% of APAC consumers are interested in plant-based meat, while 44% plan to increase their consumption of meat alternatives and 32% are actively trying to cut meat consumption. 28% have already dramatically cut their meat consumption. The overall takeaway is that APAC consumers are open to the concept of new foods, including plant-based meats, if they offer health benefits and effective nutrition, and clean labels with recognisable ingredients.

    Source: Unsplash

    Australian consumers poised for plant-based meat

    As a nation, Australia is a large consumer of meat, with one of the highest per capita intakes in the world (89.6 kilograms per year as of 2019). While chicken is the dominant animal protein, beef accounts for about 20 kg of that total. Across the last decade, beef consumption has declined and is predicted to remain on a downward trajectory.

    Today, 73% of Australian consumers are planning to cut meat intake and 55% plan to consume more plant-based food. Research shows that Australia is the third fastest-growing market in the world for plant-based foods, and its alternative meat sector is expected to reach A$3B by 2030. Kerry’s research highlights significant opportunities for plant-based meat manufacturers in the Australian market to offer healthier, more sustainable protein alternatives, provided they can rise to the formulation challenge: a combination of balanced flavour, good nutrition, comparable mouthfeel and identifiable cooking cues.

    Go deeper: Kerry’s research on plant-based burgers can be accessed here.

    Lead photo by Kerry.

    This is a Green Queen Partner Post.

    The post ‘Beef But Better’: Kerry Identifies What Australia Consumers Are Looking From Plant-Based Beef Burgers appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Haofood Partners With Lawson To Bring Plant-Based Chicken To 2,300 Stores

    4 Mins Read

    Shanghai’s Haofood has announced distribution partnership with Chinese convenience store giant Lawson that will see its new satay nugget stick product being stocked in 2,300 stores across the country, to give consumers easy access to alternative protein products. Shops in the Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces will be the first cities to get the satay sticks.

    According to Haofood, the partnership timely, given an observable rise in flexitarian, vegetarian, and vegan diet adoption across China. Millennials are thought to be driving this trend, due to increased environmental awareness. Personal health is considered to be another motivation.

    Haofood builds on recent funding success

    The distribution deal with Lawson is another win for Haofood. The plant-based chicken manufacturer, known for its peanut-based plant-based protein, recently celebrated a $3.5 million seed funding round. At the time, the company stated that the investment would be used to increase its reach throughout Asia. 

    “I am thrilled to be partnering with Lawson and look forward to bringing a different experience to our customers with our new satay nugget on a stick,” Astrid Prajogo, Founder and CEO of Haofood said in a statement. “At Haofood, our goal is to make plant-based chicken products accessible to people. We set our focus on China, the world’s most populous country for a start, as we believe that there can be a significant impact on carbon footprint reduction as customers here turn towards alternative meat products.”

    China’s need for increased food security

    China remains the most populous country on the planet. It registered 1.41 billion people in 2020 and while population growth has slowed in recent years, the need to address food security concerns remains. This has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and natural disasters.

    On the 2021 Global Food Security Index, China ranked 13th out of 113 countries. It has shown significant improvement over the last decade but more still needs to be done. This is why when President Xi referenced alternative proteins in a speech, the world’s media took it as a sign that China could be gearing up to become a powerhouse of plant-based and cultivated proteins. The Chinese five-year agricultural plan also made space for ‘future foods’ for the first time in history.

    Making alternative protein foods as accessible as possible and cost-effective will be vital to the acceptance of the items as a whole. A study in 2020 revealed that 95 percent of consumers in China are already aware of plant0based meat products, with 61 percent believing that eating them would be healthy. 41 percent said they assumed they have a lower carbon footprint than conventional meat.

    Haofood’s move into thousands of convenience stores is intended to make plant-based chicken an everyday food.

    Made for the meat-lovers

    Haofood uses its proprietary peanut-derived Innotein protein as its main ingredient. The company states that this gives it an advantage in the texture and taste stakes, yielding more umami notes and a fibrosity that meat eaters enjoy. Numerous restaurant partnerships are already in place and now, the ultimate convenience of snacks in grab-and-go locations takes things a step further.

    “This ties back to our mission of sustaining happiness from good food forever. We want to unite past, present and future through the creation of traditional dishes with our innovative, futuristic products that allow consumers to enjoy sustainable food in the present,” Prajogo said in a statement. “We will continue to seek ways to innovate, improve and bring people sustainable alternatives to meat while preserving cultural norms in cooking and making a positive impact on the Earth.” 

    Snacking on plant-based chicken

    All over the world, convenience stores are making it easier for consumers to access plant-based meat. Earlier this year, Lightlife partnered with 7-Eleven to make its vegan chicken tenders available as a grab-and-go hot snack throughout Canada. More than 600 locations were cited to be getting the snacks, which were being stocked as part of the convenience giant’s commitment to offering more plant-based options.

    Lead image created using Haofood product imagery.

    The post Haofood Partners With Lawson To Bring Plant-Based Chicken To 2,300 Stores appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • TiNDLE Maker Next Gen Foods Appoints 2 New Board Members To Strengthen Food System Disruption

    4 Mins Read

    Singapore’s Next Gen Foods, which owns the vegan TiNDLE brand, has welcomed two new board members to help cement the young company’s position as a global plant-based leader: Jenny Lee, a managing partner at GGV Capital, and Mathys Boeren, CEO of the Asia Sustainable Foods Platform at Temasek Holdings.

    Both new appointments bring a litany of impressive career successes with them. Lee is known for her diverse background which includes engineering, aerospace and venture capital investment. Boeren brings a personal commitment to developing sustainable foods and vast experience in scaling food tech startups.

    Bringing new perspectives to plant-based food development

    “We are always looking for strategic partners, board members and mentors who are motivated about transforming the food system and can guide us as we continue our rapid growth and market expansions,” Andre Menezes, Next Gen Foods Co-Founder and CEO said in a statement. “Both Mathys and Jenny’s extensive global and regional experience in the food tech industry, and in helping startups to scale swiftly, is essential to Next Gen’s vision of making delicious foods that ultimately impact the footprint that we have on this planet.” 

    Lee is a powerhouse of early-stage guidance. Currently based in Singapore, she has guided 18 companies to unicorn status and successful IPO listings and is regularly recognised by the Forbes Global 100 VC Midas list. A leading woman in business, she became the first female to ever break into the top 10 of Forbes’ list, in 2015. Lee is well-positioned to help Next Gen get to the next level. Most importantly, she wants to because of a shared vision of a future without resource-heavy food production.

    “Food tech innovations and developments in alternative protein will help us drive sustainability and mitigate climate change,” Lee said in a statement. “Agriculture, forestry and land use cause 7% of carbon dioxide emissions and 46% of methane emissions, much of which is driven by food production. Sustainable foods can help us address environmental concerns arising out of inefficient animal farming and food production.” 

    Mathys Boeren

    As the CEO of the Asia Sustainable Foods Platform, Boeren is au fait with the challenges of scaling alternative protein manufacturing and expanding distribution outside of domestic territories. He developed a thorough knowledge of the food industry through a 25-year career that saw him undertake senior positions at Kerry, Symrise, and Unilever, amongst others. In recent years he has been focussed on advising sustainable food startups. Boeren is also located in Singapore, allowing easy access to the Next Gen headquarters. He is excited by the prospect of driving Asia towards increasingly healthy and environmentally sound products.

    “An estimated US$1.55 trillion (S$2.09 trillion) of spending is needed by 2030 to meet food requirements in Asia, driven by changing consumer habits and demand for healthier and more sustainable foods.” Boeren said in a statement. “[TiNDLE is] an innovative product, delivering a tasty and sustainable meat experience that will help us meet this growing demand. I am excited to be a part of Next Gen and guide them through their journey of becoming a leading brand for plant-based foods.” 

    Jenny Lee

    Plant-based over poultry meat

    Some consumers have made a switch to what they consider to be less impactful meat in their diets. While it’s true that poultry creates fewer emissions than beef, it still isn’t the greenest choice available. 

    Beef cattle contribute significantly due to their production of methane. The animals are thought to create 3.7 percent of the total U.S. emissions. Former suggestions that chicken and fish are less carbon-polluting are now being questioned. A study conducted last year and published in the journal Nature Sustainability suggests that increased chicken and fish consumption is adding more emissions to the total meat sector. This is due to beef intake not lessening as chicken and fish consumption increases.

    In contrast, plant-based meat, including Next Gen’s TiNDLE chicken, has a much smaller footprint. Fellow vegan chicken brand VFC, recently revealed that it has been awarded an ‘A’ eco-impact grade. The U.K startup, headed by Matthew Glover and chef Adam Lyons, released data that compared VFC’s manufacturing footprint to conventional chicken with the latter faring badly.

    Next Gen gearing up for the next phase

    2022 has already been a record-breaking year for flagship brand TiNDLE. Last month saw entry into the U.K. market, one month after raising $100 million. The largest-ever single Series A investment round into alternative protein, the raise demonstrated what a hot ticket vegan chicken is becoming. TiNDLE has already entered Amsterdam and has a nationwide U.S. launch in progress, alongside established presence in the Middle East.

    All photos by Next Gen Foods.

    The post TiNDLE Maker Next Gen Foods Appoints 2 New Board Members To Strengthen Food System Disruption appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Q&A w/ AgFunder’s Louisa Burwood-Taylor, AgriFood Expert & Journalist

    Louisa Burwood Taylor
    6 Mins Read

    Green Queen founder Sonalie Figueiras recently chatted with Louisa Burwood-Taylor, AgFunder’s Head of Media & Research, about what makes an interesting story, covering portfolio company competitors, the rise of angel investing, and whether or not hype is a good thing.

    What started out as a newsletter a decade ago is now a US$90+ million agri-food-tech investment business with tickets in some of the world’s most exciting startups, from Juicy Marbles to Nobell to Supplant. And while many VCs focus on building out robust due diligence teams, at AgFunder, the prevailing mantra is ‘content is king’. So how exactly do they do it? Louisa Burwood-Taylor shared some insights.

    *This article is edited for length and clarity.

    GQ: As Head of Media at AgFunder, how do you decide what content to cover?

    LBT: Well, it’s been quite a journey on this front because in the early days I would have said anything and everything related to agtech and foodtech.

    But the industry has grown exponentially since I started covering agriculture in 2013; now we have to be a bit more careful with what we choose to cover and how we cover it with our limited resources, but also because there are so many other great news outlets around now covering, for instance, the funding announcements that there’s no point us publishing duplicate content.

    We introduced some new story formats to allow us to cover big, breaking news, even if not that in-depth, but ideally we want to be adding as much value to our readers as possible with more research and analysis-based pieces that can draw on our deep knowledge and experience of this industry today.

    GQ: What makes for an interesting story to you?

    LBT: I love in-depth tech pieces about how companies decided to build out their tech platforms, maybe they pivot in some way, and how they build relevant business models for their customers; the latter has been—and still is—a big question mark for many farmtech plays, especially in the software space. Who should be paying? Who is the actual customer? Because it turns out that for many digital ag tools it’s not actually the farmer.

    Obviously, massive funding rounds are exciting to cover but since there are so many outlets covering them these days, we try to take a fresh angle or dig into the use of proceeds. And anything related to the hype around categories.

    [Y]ou and I have talked about the lack of nuance in many categories of foodtech and agtech before—the intersection of a seriously complex industry with venture capital can cause entrepreneurs to oversimplify the problems they’re trying to solve and the solutions they’re presenting, as they try to raise as much money as possible with a clear message on how investors will get returns. I get it; but it could ultimately lead to some catastrophic failures where real traction never catch up to valuations—some believe we might start to see this in indoor agriculture for example.

    So, making sure we add some realism to the conversation is key, as well as holding companies to account; our colleague Jenn Marston is doing a fantastic job tracking the various corporate commitments made around carbon and regenerative ag, for example.

    GQ: Are there ethical walls between you and the investment team?

    LBT: Yes, we have pretty strict ethical walls. The editorial team will only find out about an investment after it’s closed and then we will cover it as we do other funding announcements, with full and clear disclaimers that these are portfolio companies of AFN’s parent company AgFunder.

    GQ: Would you cover portfolio companies’ competitors?

    LBT: Absolutely! We’re a team of professional, experienced journalists and if something is newsworthy we go after it. That doesn’t mean the investment team will be happy about it, but they understand we need to maintain our integrity and fairly cover the industry as much as we can.

    To be honest, we also totally lose track of AgFunder’s portfolio since they’re making so many investments over there. In our annual report, we recorded 22 unique company investments last year and that was apparently a slow year as they raised their fund! So often it’s news to us when we find out a company is in the portfolio.

    GQ: What is the role of a dedicated/niche media in an ecosystem?

    LBT: Education, awareness, intelligence—and nuance. 

    GQ: How much does hype play into the VC game? Is hype a good thing?

    LBT: I jumped the gun and already spoke a bit to this above, probably because it’s the elephant in the room for some agrifoodtech sectors. It’s really hard to say good vs bad, however; you’re always going to get some hype and some hype can be warranted.

    The problem comes, especially in our relatively nascent industry, when you have new investors jumping on a bandwagon without truly understanding the sector yet (and again, agrifood is highly complex and unlike any other industry) and pushing valuations to unrealistic levels.

    We’re seeing a lot of this in alternative protein right now and it makes increasing numbers of startups un-investable for the more disciplined, and dedicated agrifoodtech investors. Without their knowledge and expertise, arguably startups could go down the wrong path and that’s where you might start to see some big failures. When the failures come, the newer money into the space then leaves, and that’s no go for anyone.

    While agrifoodtech startups raised over $50 billion in funding last year, it’s still underweight compared to its contribution to GDP, not to mention the massive climate and supply chain-related issues the industry is facing today.

    GQ: What do you make of the rise of angel investing and the democratization of investing?

    LBT: I’m always in favor of democratization of anything! I’m not sure it’s that new; AngelList has been around for a while—and crowdfunding platforms. It’s actually been an interesting journey for the latter because at one point crowdfunding was almost a dirty word; the implication was if you had to go the crowdfunding route it was because you were desperate and couldn’t get funding from real investors, however, it’s proven to make a lot of sense for food products trying to create a brand but also for agtech startups wanting to get farmers invested in their idea.

    With so many complaints from farmers that entrepreneurs are not building tools for them that they actually want or need, bringing them into the journey from the early days is an awesome idea.

    I’ve actually never dug into how that ends up influencing the direction a startup takes (great story idea there!) but I can’t imagine it’s a negative, even if the crazy big CAP table is a bit of a mess!

    But in short, I think everyone should have an opportunity to benefit—and I mean make money—from the growth of any industry. For too long this has been the preserve—or the pleasure, you could say—of the ultra-wealthy or large corporations and firms. There are of course concerns about the risks for smaller investors, which is why there are limits put in place about who can make venture investments.

    GQ: Are a lot of your readers investors?

    LBT: Our audience is predominantly made up of entrepreneurs, investors, and agrifood execs, but we do also have a significant number of farmers reading us, government bodies, NGOs, and anyone interested in the future of food!

    GQ: Do you get a lot of investment tips from readers?

    LBT: I’m not sure I ever have actually! But we love getting feedback from our readers and find they are pretty engaged. We’re always open to chat!

    GQ: What are some of your predictions for the sector?

    LBT: Food-as-medicine and personalized nutrition. Without wanting to promote the AgFunder portfolio too much, we do have two fantastic companies in this space that I’m very excited about: Faeth Therapeutics is discovering how different foods can aid in the treatment of cancer—mind-blowing!—and BrightSeed is discovering phytonutrients in crops that can combat chronic disease like diabetes.

    Lead photo courtesy of Louisa Burwood-Taylor.

    The post Q&A w/ AgFunder’s Louisa Burwood-Taylor, AgriFood Expert & Journalist appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • 21-Time Michelin-Starred Chef Alain Ducasse Brings Vegan Burgers to Paris

    4 Mins Read

    French culinary superstar Alain Ducasse has unveiled a vegan burger kiosk in the Bastille region of Paris. Burgal is the latest meat-free innovation from the 21-time Michelin-starred chef known for his openness to plant-based dishes.

    The Burgal pop-up comes after the opening of a new permanent location, Sapid, in Paris, last year with a 95 percent plant-based menu. Ducasse’s new vegan burgers are constructed from a mix of vegetables, lentils, and quinoa. All ingredients are domestically sourced, apart from cassava and pepper. Traditional side orders of French fries have been replaced with vegetable and chickpea chips and a vegan chocolate mousse is offered for dessert.

    Eating for activism

    Ducasse describes how our food choices make a bigger impact than just a personal one. He created something of a manifesto about the power of food as a tool for activism in his book Manger est un acte citoyen, published in 2017. He drew attention to his own preferences for working with legumes and locally-grown cereals in a bid to minimise the environmental consequences of eating well. He discusses repurposing peelings and looking at ways to creatively reduce food waste while delivering the most flavour possible. 

    France has been effective in managing food waste, in a bid to drive down the country’s emissions. In 2016 it introduced a law making it illegal for supermarkets to dispose of unsold food, with items being donated instead.

    The book was a natural lead-on from his 2014 decision to turn his Plaza Athénée restaurant meat-free. The move was initially met with surprise, given Ducasse’s status as ‘the most French of French chefs’. At the time, he held 18 Michelin stars and systematically removed all meat from the menu, leaving just fish, shellfish, vegetables, and grains.

    Veganism has seen a steady increase in France ever since. In 2018 the vegan and vegetarian market grew by 24 percent, compared to the previous year. Cultural hurdles remain in place, with much of France’s gastronomy steeped in meat heritage, but the flexitarian arena is showing potential. The Xerfi study that identified growth in the market also highlighted that around 23 million citizens consider themselves flexitarian.

    Ducasse vegan burgers

    Ducasse takes on Bastille

    Still operating more than 80 restaurants worldwide, Ducasse has been making a gradual shift towards sustainable menus. Paris’ Burgal offers a unique opportunity to be vegan from conception for the duration of its run. This is currently set to end on June 30. Demand will be assessed after the pop-up, to determine whether the burger will be added to the menus in Ducasse’s other restaurants. One thing it is not designed to do is mimic meat.

    “We are not in the field of imitation meat,” Quentin Vicas, development manager of the Ducasse group told Liberation. “Our products contain no additives or dyes and it is not our intention to move towards meat analogs. It is the first vegetable burger of our group. The origin is to be found a few years ago, and to the irritation of Mr Ducasse, in seeing people ruining their health and the planet by eating low-quality hamburgers.”

    Photo by Eleven Madison Park of its main dining room.

    The rise of meat-free Michelin-starred restaurants

    Around the world, chefs are following Ducasse’s lead and looking to eliminate meat from the menus of traditionally animal-heavy locations. Three Michelin star holder Eleven Madison Park famously reopened after the Covid-19 pandemic as a freshly reimagined vegan eatery. Head chef Daniel Humm noted it was a risk but one that was worth taking in light of the importance of personal health, as well as remaining flexible when adopting sustainable food systems. The move proved successful, to the point where the restaurant has just launched its vegan meal kit delivery service. 

    Last year it was revealed that Copenhagen fine-dining spot Geranium, sporting three Michelin stars to its name, was due to stop serving meat in 2022. The menu redesign coincided with head chef Rasmus Kofoed’s own dietary choices. The restaurant now focuses on seasonal dishes constructed using locally-sourced seafood and vegetables.

    All photos by Ducasse group, unless stated.

    The post 21-Time Michelin-Starred Chef Alain Ducasse Brings Vegan Burgers to Paris appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Coles Pledges To Cater To Flexitarians Across Australia With Get Plant’d

    3 Mins Read

    Coles has debuted a new-to-it plant-based meat brand. The grocery giant has more than 800 locations throughout Australia, all of which will be stocking the Get Plant’d range. Products have been developed to mimic the full experience of eating meat, with focus placed on texture, taste and aroma.

    Get Plant’d products feature wheat and soy protein as key ingredients in their plant-based bacon, chicken slices and fillets, roast pork and duck, and pepperoni.

    Photo by Catarina Sousa from Pexels.

    Coles targets the growing Australian flexitarian market

    Australia is one of the biggest consumers of animal protein, with 81.6kg per capita cited in 2019, despite the recommendations to reduce meat consumption in order to lessen meat’s impact on the climate and reduce the risk of negative human health consequences.

    The country has resisted shifting to plant-based protein with attempts to block ‘meaty’ plant-based food labelling. The premise was that Australian shoppers were being ‘duped’ into buying meat-free items. Later studies concluded that this was not an accurate depiction.

    Despite institutional reluctance to reduce meat intake, there is a growing flexitarian movement in Australia, driven by consumers. In 2019, the Australian Heart Foundation revised its dietary guidelines to include a reduction in red meat consumption. Health-critical information coupled with easier access to plant-based foods has led Australian diners to claim that 20 percent of them now identify as flexitarian. These are the customers that Coles hopes to appeal to by stocking Get Plant’d.

    Photo by Get Plant’d.

    Catering to an established movement and generating food security

    Coles cites research that highlights the increase in demand for plant-based meat items as a driving motivation for distributing the Get Plant’d line. Figures are said to indicate that one-third of eaters are actively ingesting less meat.

    “In Australia, there is a growing segment of ‘flexitarian’ customers who will happily choose plant-based pepperoni for their pizza, or opt for plant-based chicken in their sandwiches, provided these options are tasty, accessible, and convenient,” Cale Drouin, co-founder of Get Plant’d said in a statement. “Consumers are more conscious today, and they’re looking for simple solutions to the issues they perceive in their world.” 

    Drouin also purported that in a wider sense, plant-based protein has a critical role to play in Australia’s future food security. With global food supply chains still reeling from disruption caused by Covid-19, politics, and natural disasters, domestic provision has become a focus for most nations. 

    At present, Australia is heavily dependent on its meat and dairy industries. These are resource-heavy and actively contribute to the country’s emissions levels. 

    “Shifting government policies to prioritise plant-based protein would help to ensure Australians have consistent access to safe, homegrown crops that are more environmentally and economically sustainable,” Drouin stated.

    Photo by Australia’s Fënn Foods.

    Moving in the right direction

    Last month it was reported that the Australian plant-based market is expected to reach up to $9 billion by 2030. The country is being considered a potential driving force for all things animal-free, thanks to increased domestic grocery chain partnerships, more exportation, and tech-centred food development.
    Central to Australia’s reinvention as a vegan haven will be the Australian Plant Proteins project which has seen AU$378 pledged to develop three specialist new production facilities.

    Lead image created using Get Plant’d product imagery.

    The post Coles Pledges To Cater To Flexitarians Across Australia With Get Plant’d appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Change Foods Scoops $1 Million Grant To Turn Sugarcane Waste Into Animal-Free Cheese Feedstock

    4 Mins Read

    US-Australian food tech Change Foods has secured a $1 million grant from the Australian Commonwealth Government to create a platform for upcycling sugarcane fibre waste that will be processed to offer a low-cost and accessible feedstock for Change Foods’ precision fermentation dairy products.

    The sugarcane fibre (bagasse) is plentiful in supply and will ensure the supply chain remains domestic in origin, wherever possible. Feedstock development will be conducted by Change Foods and in partnership with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The ultimate aim is to drive down the costs of animal-free dairy production.

    Change Foods casein.

    Using what’s available

    Queensland produces around 30 million tonnes of sugarcane every year, leaving 10 million tonnes of fibre behind. As a simple carbohydrate, it offers real potential to become a useful ingredient in the precision fermentation process. The grant to investigate this possibility came about in a bid to propel Australia to the forefront of sustainable foods manufacturing.

    “We were successful in winning the grant because of our strong partnership with QUT and the recognition that Queensland – with a wealth of world-leading micro-biologists and access to sugarcane waste – is uniquely positioned to benefit from the shift to synthetic biology and future food manufacturing,” Tom Davies, vice president of research and operations (APAC) for Change Foods said in a statement “We are developing more sustainable food solutions that are not dependent on animal agriculture – a major source of greenhouse emissions, and further reducing our impact by upcycling of waste to promote the circular economy.”

    A sustainability twofer

    Animal agriculture accounts for 57 percent of all food production emissions globally. The food sector as a whole takes credit for 35 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions created. To prevent the planet’s temperature from rising by more than 1.5°C, emissions need to be reduced by between 40 and 50 percent. It stands to reason that animal agriculture needs to be reduced significantly to make a meaningful contribution to sustainability efforts.

    Traditional cow’s milk is one of the main emissions culprits, after beef production. Removing cows from the food production system will vastly reduce emissions, namely methane. Change Foods looks to do this by developing animal-free dairy using precision fermentation.

    If the US-Australian company can perfect the process of turning waste sugarcane fibre into viable feedstock for its vegan casein alternative, it will create a sustainability double-win. Not only will livestock farming be potentially obsolete, but dairy alternatives could contribute to a circular economy model as well.

    Globally positioned for disruption

    Last year, Change Foods made the move to Silicon Valley, in a bid to position itself at the heart of food tech innovations. It set up home in BioCube San Jose and has since closed a $12 million seed extension round. Total company seed financing has now reached $15.3 million, a record for the precision fermentation sector.

    All funding is being channelled into continued R&D ahead of an animal-free dairy commercial launch, planned for 2024. The new agreement to upcycle sugarcane fibre appears to have delayed projected launch timescales, though it should also assist with reaching price parity with conventional dairy.

    Animal-free dairy as the future?

    The term animal-free dairy is still proving a little confusing, especially in terms of whether or not they can be considered vegan. However, Change Foods is not the only company looking to usurp cows from the production system. 

    California’s Perfect Day is one of the undisputed leaders in the precision fermentation dairy sector. Having successful produced animal-free dairy proteins, the company now supplies them to a variety of other brands to enhance their own products. Chocolate, ice cream and protein powder are all proving successful. The startup’s success has spurred global competitors on, with names including the U.K.’s Mighty and France’s Bon Vivant looking to tap into the trend.

    All photos by Change Foods.

    The post Change Foods Scoops $1 Million Grant To Turn Sugarcane Waste Into Animal-Free Cheese Feedstock appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • ‘It Flakes Like The Real Thing’: Irish Startup Debuts Whole-Cut Vegan Cod

    3 Mins Read Irish startup Sea & Believe recently unveiled its newest development: a vegan whole-cut cod fillet. The company considers the breakthrough to be its biggest to date. It follows the commercial release of seaweed goujons and seaweed burgers. Both are sold in 50 locations across Ireland presently. The cod fillet was shown at IndieBio’s demo day […]

    The post ‘It Flakes Like The Real Thing’: Irish Startup Debuts Whole-Cut Vegan Cod appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Slutty Vegan Gets $25 Million in Funding Led By Shake Shack Founder To Open 20 New Burger Restaurants

    4 Mins Read Atlanta’s Slutty Vegan burger chain has closed a $25 million Series A funding round, led by New Voices Fund and restauranteur Danny Meyer’s Enlightened Hospitality Investments. The funding will be used to open 10 new restaurants in 2022 with a further 10 expected to follow next year. Hiring chief operations and chief marketing officers are […]

    The post Slutty Vegan Gets $25 Million in Funding Led By Shake Shack Founder To Open 20 New Burger Restaurants appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • The Price Gap Between Plant-Based And Conventional Meat Is Shrinking, New Analysis Finds

    A Plant-Based Future Is Certainly Possible
    3 Mins Read

    New findings published by ProVeg Netherlands show pricing between meat and alternative protein is shrinking.

    ProVeg Netherlands Worked with Questionmark on the pricing analysis across Dutch grocery stores. The researchers looked at 36 different products with comparable portion size. The group says while prices will vary by supermarket and product, the same trend “can be seen everywhere.”

    The findings

    According to ProVeg, in February, plant-based burgers were on average 56 cents per kilo more expensive than animal-based burgers. Now, they’ve dropped 78 cents per kilo below the price of meat.

    The report also found that vegan chicken dropped from 1.16 per kilo more than conventional to 37 cents per kilo cheaper today. Mincemeat dropped from 29 cents more per kilo to €1.36 cheaper per kilo currently.

    “The cause of the changes is entirely due to the increase in the price of meat, not to the reduction in the price of alternatives,” ProVeg said in a statement. “In most cases, plant-based meats remained the same price, or became slightly more expensive, but to a much lesser extent than meat. On average, meat became 21 percent more expensive between February and June, whilst plant-based meat alternatives rose in price by only two percent.”

    Photo by Nathalia Rose at Unsplash.

    “Meat has always been a product that requires an enormous amount of raw materials. To make one kilogram of meat, you need up to ten kilograms of grain. Now, in times of scarcity, that takes its toll,” Pablo Moleman of ProVeg Netherlands said in a statement. “Due to the large use of raw materials, meat is much more sensitive to disruptions in the world market than meat alternatives. Plant-based meat clearly wins out on efficiency, and we now see that reflected in the price.”

    Moleman says there are often “wafer-thin margins” on meat products. “Supermarkets try to attract customers by offering meat as cheaply as possible. Margins of around eight percent are common, and sometimes meat is even sold below cost. Meat alternatives, on the other hand, have margins of 35 percent to 50 percent. Those higher margins may have acted as a buffer to absorb the price blows, while with meat, supermarkets had no choice but to raise prices. That could explain why meat has been hit so hard by price increases and plant-based substitutes have not,” he said.

    Vegan meat prices dropping

    The findings follow another recent study on price parity between vegan and conventional meat, published by ProVeg Netherlands in May. That study looked at price comparisons over a five-year period. It found the price gap shrank between conventional and alternative proteins. It also found that more than half of all animal-derived products now have a plant-based counterpart that is either the same price or cheaper.

    Photo by Chuttersnap at Unsplash.

    That study was the first of its kind to look at price differences between conventional meat and plant-based meant in Dutch supermarkets including Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl, Aldi, Dirk, and Plus.

    The research also found that soy milk and margarine are both cheaper than cow’s milk and butter. Dairy-free cheese slices, animal-free burgers, and schnitzels were also cheaper than animal-based alternatives in 50 percent of locations.

    “These results radically break with the established image that plant-based alternatives are by definition more expensive,” Moleman said in a statement following May’s findings. “Previous research has already shown that a largely plant-based diet consisting mainly of fresh plant-based foods, grains and legumes is considerably cheaper than an average Western diet,” he said.

    “The Questionmark research shows that these differences more or less cancel each other out, which means that as a plant-based consumer it is not more expensive.”

    Lead photo by Likemeat

    The post The Price Gap Between Plant-Based And Conventional Meat Is Shrinking, New Analysis Finds appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Scientists Claim Swapping 20% Of Beef For Microbial Protein Will Halve Deforestation Demand

    4 Mins Read According to new research published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature swapping 20 percent of all beef eaten globally for microbial protein, such as the type used to make Quorn, would halve deforestation over the next 30 years, Further, emissions from global food production would decrease by 50% too, thanks to fewer trees being culled and […]

    The post Scientists Claim Swapping 20% Of Beef For Microbial Protein Will Halve Deforestation Demand appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • More Than 30 D.C. Restaurants Join the First Veg Week In Washington

    DC veg week

    3 Mins Read The nation’s capital will celebrate its first Veg Restaurant Week from May 7-14th. If you’re looking for a last-minute treat for Mom this Mother’s Day, try booking a table at one of more than 30 restaurants participating in Washington D.C.’s first Veg Restaurant Week. The event was announced last week by Mayor Muriel Bowser and […]

    The post More Than 30 D.C. Restaurants Join the First Veg Week In Washington appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Happy Ocean Foods Nets New Investors for Its Vegan Seafood During ‘Lion’s Den’ Appearance

    3 Mins Read Munich-based Happy Ocean Foods has secured two investors following an appearance on Lion’s Den. The programme is the German version of the U.S.’s Shark Tank and the U.K’s Dragon’s Den. The alt-seafood startup welcomed backing from former Formula 1 racing champion Nico Rosberg and Dagmar Wöhr. As part of its presentation, Happy Ocean unveiled its […]

    The post Happy Ocean Foods Nets New Investors for Its Vegan Seafood During ‘Lion’s Den’ Appearance appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Tomorrow Farms Raises $8.5 Million for Sustainable ‘Next-Gen’ Foods

    tomorrow foods

    3 Mins Read Closing an $8.5 million Seed Round led by Chris Sacca’s Lowercarbon Capital, Maveron, Valor Siren Ventures, Simple Food Ventures, and SV Angel, Tomorrow Farms says it’s gearing up to fuel the “sustainable food revolution.” New York-based Tomorrow Farms has yet to launch a product, but with its latest funding, which brings its total raised to […]

    The post Tomorrow Farms Raises $8.5 Million for Sustainable ‘Next-Gen’ Foods appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Revo Foods Has Launched Its Vegan Smoked Salmon In The UK

    3 Mins Read Austria’s Revo Foods has debuted its plant-based smoked salmon analogue in the U.K. It will be sold by GreenBay, a popular online vegan supermarket. The launch follows a successful domestic unveiling back in October last year and subsequent European rollout into more than 15 countries.  Revo says that it has developed its recipe to appeal […]

    The post Revo Foods Has Launched Its Vegan Smoked Salmon In The UK appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Mooji Meats Nets $3 Million for 3D-Printed Vegan Meat Acceleration

    4 Mins Read Y Combinator alumnus Mooji Meats, which specialises in whole cut plant-based meats, has raised £3 million in a seed funding round. The Good Startup, Collaborative Fund, Lever VC and AgFunder all participated in the round. Mooji says the funding will allow it to move away from the ground and sausage analogues common in the space. […]

    The post Mooji Meats Nets $3 Million for 3D-Printed Vegan Meat Acceleration appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Melt&Marble Secures €5 Million After Showcasing Precision Fermented ‘Beef’ Fat

    4 Mins Read Swedish startup Melt&Marble, which makes animal fat analogues, has closed a €5 million seed funding round, led by Lever VC. The company recently unveiled its alternative to beef fat that can be customised for plant-based meats. The non-animal fat replicates the properties and functionality of conventional beef fat, without the need for cattle slaughter or […]

    The post Melt&Marble Secures €5 Million After Showcasing Precision Fermented ‘Beef’ Fat appeared first on Green Queen.

  • Lindt Brings Its Creamy Vegan Oat Milk Chocolate To the U.S.

    3 Mins Read At the start of the year, Swiss chocolatier Lindt released two vegan chocolate bars in the U.K, to coincide with Veganuary. Canada followed in February and now, the U.S. is getting a taste of the original and salted caramel incarnations. It’s not clear whether the hazelnut variety, launched in the U.K., will be part of […]

    The post Lindt Brings Its Creamy Vegan Oat Milk Chocolate To the U.S. appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Space F And Partners Scoop $15 Million Government Grant

    3 Mins Read South Korean cultivated meat startup Space F, along with four partners, has won a grant of $15 million to continue researching cultivated meat. As part of the Alychymist Project, an R&D initiative supported by South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the grant will be paid over the next five years.  The focus of […]

    The post Space F And Partners Scoop $15 Million Government Grant appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Skinny Butcher Nails Two Trends In One With ‘Stranger Things’ And Vegan Chicken Nuggets

    3 Mins Read Ahead of the Stranger Things season four premiere, Detroit’s Skinny Butcher has announced it has rolled out show-themed plant-based chicken nuggets in nationwide Walmart stores. The Crazy Crispy Chick’n Nuggets are the latest in a long line of Stranger Things collaborations. This one is on-brand for one of the actors, Sadie Sink, who is vegan […]

    The post Skinny Butcher Nails Two Trends In One With ‘Stranger Things’ And Vegan Chicken Nuggets appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Mayonnaise Giant Kewpie Unveils Plant-Based Egg Line

    3 Mins Read Kewpie, known for its range of egg-based mayonnaise products which your local sushi joint slathers all over your California roll, has announced its new plant-based egg range. The Japanese manufacturer has unveiled Hobotama, which translates to ‘almost eggs’, a ready-to-serve scrambled egg analogue and liquid alternative for baking developed using soy milk. Kewpie processes more […]

    The post Mayonnaise Giant Kewpie Unveils Plant-Based Egg Line appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Greenest Debuts New Range Of Plant-Based Foods To Key Industry Players

    4 Mins Read Upstablish Food Technologies has announced a new range of plant-based meats from its Greenest brand. One of India’s leading plant-based startups, the brand has previously made noise in the space with its “hyper-realistic” shami kebabs. Now, it is adding a number of dishes including kebabs, samosas and keema that cater to regional Indian tastes and […]

    The post Greenest Debuts New Range Of Plant-Based Foods To Key Industry Players appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Alternative Seafood Is Set To Benefit From This New Whole Food Ingredient

    3 Mins Read Smallfood, a Canadian microbial fermentation ingredients startup, claims that it’s about to change the alternative seafood sector thanks to a whole food ingredient it has developed. When added to seafood analogues, the company’s algae-based innovation improves taste and nutrition and helps match conventional seafood in terms of flavour, benefits, and, critically for consumers, price—all while […]

    The post Alternative Seafood Is Set To Benefit From This New Whole Food Ingredient appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Heura Launches Good Rebel Tech To ‘Redefine Plant-Based Food Manufacturing’

    3 Mins Read Barcelona-based Heura has announced a new approach to plant-based food production. Good Rebel Tech (G.R.T.) is a new platform created to develop what the company describes as sustainable micro and macronutrient-rich foods in order to reduce food waste and improve consumer benefits from plant-based meats. The crux of the tech relies on using more whole […]

    The post Heura Launches Good Rebel Tech To ‘Redefine Plant-Based Food Manufacturing’ appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.