Austrian food tech start-up, Kern Tec showcased its upcycled apricot kernel dairy products at the popular BioFach European organic food fair held in Germany.
Kern Tec says it can make a range of products developed from upcycling apricot kernels, including non-dairy drinks, plant-based yogurt, cheese, ice cream, oils, and chocolate spreads.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is that within this kernel is a precious nut if you process the kernel correctly,” Michael Beitl, co-founder of Kern Tec, said at the event.
Fruit pits
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), apricot kernels are considered to have healing properties, but in most of the world, the kernels are discarded as waste. Kern Tec’s product valorizes and processes this sidestream that would otherwise be discarded. The company releases the “untapped nutrients,” which Beitl says “is full of healthy fats and proteins.”
Wunderkern fruit pit oil | courtesy
But stone fruit pits, particularly apricot kernels contain cyanide and can be deadly if not processed correctly. The company launched ice cream made from apricot, cherry, and plum pits last summer.
“In Europe alone, we have over 500,000 metric tons of this as a side product, which we constantly produce, generating more CO2,” he said.
The yogurt was in development for two years, according to Beitl.
“With our apricot upcycling process, when you compare it to other conventional resources like oat or coconut, it has the lowest CO2 emissions per kilogram of raw material,” he said. “This is important for the consumer, who increasingly wants sustainability as part of their purchasing.”
Sustainable dairy alternatives
Beitl says he thinks there’s a market of consumers who will want a sustainable and delicious alternative to conventional dairy – even with the risks, which the company says are extremely low with their novel processing tech.
Courtesy Canva
“We educate consumers via numbers. Consumers love the story of upcycling as it makes sense for everyone, but how you catch people is with the numbers,” he said. “Our milk products show graphs comparing our CO2 emissions with other milk, such as soy.”
According to Beitl, upcycling is no longer a trend, but here to stay. “We’ve noticed that plant-based and meat-alternative food is trending here at BioFach. It’s not just in the dairy sector. It’s in meat and other meat substitutes,” he said.
San Francisco-based Artemys Foods has emerged from stealth with a new name. Now dubbed SCiFi Foods, the startup that counts British rock bank Coldplay as one of its early backers has announced its rebrand along with a renewed mission: to debut hybrid cultivated beef burgers that contain plant protein. To this end, the company has welcomed a new board member and closed a $22 million Series A funding round.
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) led the latest investment round. Participation was confirmed from Valor Siren Ventures, Box Group and Entree Capital, amongst others. Total funding to date now stands at $29 million. The Series A raise will support company-wide expansion including R&D capabilities, marketing strategies and new personnel.
Making a (new) name in the cultivated meat sector
SCiFi is looking to overcome a recognised hurdle within the cultivated meat sector of producing commercial products at a price point that is appealing to consumers. It uses what it calls a unique bioengineering technique to grow meat from animal cells, at scale and without prohibitive costs. To date, it has focussed on ground beef products, with a view to releasing hybrid burgers that will also contain plant-based protein. SCiFi states that this offers a vastly improved flavour, when compared to exclusively plant-based meats, and brings down the cost of the cultivated element.
The hybrid approach relies on both proprietary bioengineering techniques and established CRISPR gene-editing technology. The latter is being used to experiment with cell behaviour, in a bid to encourage maximum growth and stability in the shortest amount of time possible. Together, they paint the picture of a futuristic food production company, which led to a total startup rebrand.
“We’ve devised the technology to grow real meat without the need for an animal — an astounding feat,” Joshua March, CEO and co-founder of SCiFi Foods said in a statement. “This innovation is the future we once only imagined could be a reality. I believe it’s important to be open and authentic about what we’re doing, and our new name reflects exactly that. Consumers value transparency, and I would rather be bold than hide behind a bland, corporate moniker. As a company creating food, there are two things we absolutely can never compromise on: trust as a brand and the taste of our products.”
Catching the eye of seasoned investors
Andreessen Horowitz has a history of investing in big-ticket brands. It counts Airbnb, Facebook and Pinterest in its list of early-stage investment successes.
“Cultivated meat will disrupt the trillion-dollar global market for meat products, with huge benefits to the planet,” Vijay Pande, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz said in a statement. “However, there are major cost hurdles, and SCiFi’s technology and approach was the first we felt that truly has the potential to both scale quickly and to drastically reduce cost.”
With funding secured, SCiFi, which recently moved into a new 16,000 square foot R&D location in the East Bay, can put its plans to build a pilot facility into action. A deadline of year-end has been set to allow for finalisation of products, ahead of commercial launch. The pilot production unit will ensure consistent quality, to, hopefully, expedite the regulatory approval process.
Scaling cultivated meat production
Scale and cost are the main issues facing cultivated meat producers. SciFi has acknowledged that it is unknown where the ‘sweet spot’ is in terms of the perfect size of large bioreactors.
“We’ve spoken with a lot of experts in biopharma, and there’s no fundamental reason that they stopped at 20,000 liters other than that they just didn’t need to [go bigger],” March told FoodNavigator-USA. “But is that [sweet spot] 50,000 or 100,000 liters or more? No one really knows. We think that for our approach it will be commercially viable to grow our cells in 20,000 liter bioreactors, which is about the scale that you see today in biopharma.”
Good Meat, Eat Just’s cultivated meat brand, is looking to embrace a similar scaling mindset. The company announced, last month, that it has partnered with ABEC in a multi-year agreement. ABEC will be assisting with the production of the “largest known” bioreactors for cell culture production. Ten 250,000-litre units have been slated to be in the works, allowing for 30 million pounds of slaughter-free meat to be created every year.
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.
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.
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.
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 stillseveral 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.
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.
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.
Californian-food tech Eat Just has announced that its GOOD Meat cultivated chicken brand is now partnering with food processing giant ADM to help accelerate commercial rollout of GOOD Meat products. The collaboration marks the first cultivated meat partnership for ADM, which recently pledged to invest $300 million towards better protein production.
Photo by ADM.
How two food pioneers will work together
ADM’s side of the agreement will see it developing GOOD Meat’s cell growth capabilities, by optimising nutrients used during the production process. Animals ingest certain amino acids and other nutrients from their food, causing them to grow and develop muscle fibre. GOOD Meat’s harvested animal cells also need feeding the right ingredients. ADM will be providing the perfect combination of nutrients, as it has previously for the conventional meat industry, by manufacturing animal feed.
“ADM has been making and innovating in food over 120 years. We are proud to partner with their incredibly talented team of scientists and engineers to take cultivated meat from a few restaurants today to millions of consumers tomorrow,” Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just said in a press statement.
Simultaneously to nutrition expertise, ADM will be offering insight during product development stages. It will look to improve flavour and texture, alongside other considerations, of GOOD Meat’s cultivated items. Feedback will begin with chicken but extend to future projects.
“ADM has long been a pioneer in the alternative protein industry, and our strategic focus right now is on developing innovative new technology and solutions to continue expanding our capabilities to serve the fast-growing global demand for protein-based nutritional needs,” Leticia Gonçalves, ADM’s president of global foods said in a statement. “Cultivated meat solutions have an exciting role to play in this space, and we are eager to work together with GOOD Meat to bring great-tasting, innovative cultivated meat products to the Singapore market and beyond.”
Photo by Eat Just/GOOD Meat.
GOOD Meat’s industry-leading developments
The Eat Just brand has secured its place in history, becoming the first cultivated meat manufacturer to sell its products commercially, anywhere in the world. With two chicken items now approved in Singapore, the company is seeking to continue its momentum. One way it is hoping to guarantee continued growth is through the construction of a new mega production facility, in the Pioneer area of Hong Kong City. A cultivated meat facility in Qatar was also confirmed, last year.
Despite regulatory approval not yet being granted for the sale of cultivated meat in the U.S., Eat Just continues to build out its infrastructure stateside in preparation.
ADM’s positive forecast for the alternative protein sector
ADM recently unveiled its 2022 Alternative Protein Outlook report. It identified seven emerging trends, as well as relevant drivers, such as consumers choosing health-conscious food sources and concerns surrounding sustainable food production. Of the trends cited, a price reduction in cultivated meats now appears more relevant than ever. Production costs being slashed are expected to have a direct impact on consumer acceptance of cultivated products, via increased accessibility. ADM also notes in its report that FDA and USDA acceptance of cell-based meat is anticipated for mid-2022.
Last month ADM revealed its expansion and new alt-protein facility plans, which will form part of its $300 million reinvestment into its own operation.
Photo by CellX.
Cultivated partnerships accelerating progress
China’s CellX recently announced it will be working with Germany’s Bluu seafood to speed up cultivated meat production. The two will be combining their respective meat and seafood knowledge to accelerate regulatory approval within their home countries while sharing technical knowledge. The two have chosen cooperation over competition to promote the importance of cultivated products in the fight for global food security.
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