With its recent $330 million raise, PowerPlant Partners’ third fund, the PPV Fund III, will shift to focus solely on growth-stage vegan companies.
According to PPV founders Daniel Gluck and Mark Rampolla, this is the first “true growth equity fund” for the vegan industry.
“We are thrilled to receive such strong support and commitment from our limited partners, especially during a period of increased market volatility,” Gluck said in a statement. “This new fund will allow us to deepen and grow our efforts to find, fund and scale breakthrough companies that are building a healthier, more sustainable future.”
Expanding vision
Rampolla says the additional capital will allow PPV to expand its team and build “an even stronger” bench of industry-leading operating advisors and partners.
“This will enable us to continue to bring an unparalleled level of insight and support to companies and apply our experience to a wider range of businesses that put human and planetary life at the center of business,” Rampolla said.
PowerPlant Partners founders Daniel Gluck (left) and Mark Rampolla (right) | Courtesy
PowerPlant Partners says it’s also expanding its strategic vision beyond plant-based products to include adjacent technology, service, and enablement companies “that put human and planetary life at the center of business.”
This shift, the company says, will enable the firm to grow its platform and offer a “more integrated network” for its portfolio companies and partners.
The platform has already made four investments into vegan and sustainable companies including Miyoko’s Creamery, Liquid Death, Partake Brewing, and SYSTM Foods. PPV III is aiming to invest between $15-40 million in companies with $10-75 million in annual revenue.
A changing industry
The move away from startup investing signals a shift in the increasingly crowded plant-based and sustainable consumer packaged goods industry.
“We have transitioned to focus on larger, more established growth companies, with a direct path to profitability in one to three years,” Gluck told Forbes.
Plant-based Beyond Meat Sausage | Courtesy
“We have always invested in businesses that put human and planetary life at the center of business, and every single one of our portfolio companies is already embracing this theme,” Gluck said.
“We are taking our proven platform in the consumer-wellness space, leveraging it to tangential sectors, and offering a more integrated and synergistic network for our portfolio companies and partners. Through our expansion, we will bring our portfolio companies an unparalleled level of insight and support.”
Here’s a little trivia night fodder you didn’t know you needed: medieval period royalty were mostly plant-based, a recent study discovered.
Kings in the Middle Ages (500 to 1400–1500 ce), also known as the medieval period, ate meat sparingly despite having the resources to be more indulgent, reports new research. The findings were published by Cambridge University.
The researchers looked at the skeletal remains of more than 2,000 people buried in England from the 5th to the 11th centuries to determine diets and disease. They were able to determine class by where the bodies were buried and what they were buried with. The findings debunk ages-old myths that medieval period kings and royalty gorged on rich meats and other animal products.
What medieval kings ate
“I’ve found no evidence of people eating anything like this much animal protein on a regular basis,” Cambridge bioarchaeologist Sam Leggett Leggett told BBC.
“If they were, we would find isotopic evidence of excess protein and signs of diseases like gout from the bones. But we’re just not finding that. The isotopic evidence suggests that diets in this period were much more similar across social groups than we’ve been led to believe. We should imagine a wide range of people livening up bread with small quantities of meat and cheese, or eating pottages of leeks and whole grains with a little meat thrown in,” Leggett said.
Courtesy Kaori Kubota via Unsplash
The findings make the case for shifts happening to the Western diet that’s long been built around animal products at the center of the plate. The researchers say class didn’t dictate dietary preferences for meat.
“Historians generally assume that medieval feasts were exclusively for elites,” said study co-author and historian Tom Lambert. “But these food lists show that even if you allow for huge appetites, 300 or more people must have attended. That means that a lot of ordinary farmers must have been there, and this has big political implications.”
Modern meat consumption
In modern times, meat and dairy consumption is higher than it’s ever been, even despite the growing body of evidence linking it to human health issues such as heart disease and cancer—the World Health Organization has classified processed meats as a known carcinogen.
Eating animal products is also deeply tied to climate change’s increasing impact on the planet. One of the driving factors behind the uptick in meat has been the increasing incomes in developing countries where meat, in particular, is often viewed as a food of status. As income levels rise across Latin America, Asia, and Africa, many of these nations are looking at ways to increase production and access to animal products, often at the expense of natural resources. Meat production is nearly five times higher than it was in the early 1960s, even as more consumers are going flexitarian.
Photo by Annemarie Grüden via Unsplash
While countries including the U.S. and Australia consume the most meat, rapidly growing nations including China and Brazil have seen upticks in economic growth mirror the rise in meat consumption.
A study published earlier this year called for the world’s wealthiest nations to significantly reduce their meat consumption by at least 75 percent.
“If all humans consumed as much meat as Europeans or North Americans, we would certainly miss the international climate targets and many ecosystems would collapse,” study author, Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Dr. Matin Qaim, said in a statement. “We therefore need to significantly reduce our meat consumption, ideally to 20 kilograms or less annually. The war in Ukraine and the resulting shortages in international markets for cereal grains also underline that less grain should be fed to animals in order to support food security.”
The recent IPCC report also called for a significant reduction in methane—a heat-trapping greenhouse gas more damaging than CO2. Animal agriculture is a leading producer of methane.
With its latest iteration, Impossible Foods’ plant-based ground beef now contains less saturated fat and more protein than ever, putting it on par with conventional beef.
The new Impossible Foods labels read simply: Beef Made From Plants. That’s a shift away from its use of ‘burger’ on the label—a move that’s part of the Bay Area company’s bid to appeal to the growing flexitarian demographic. And the new nutritional profile is expected to help.
Impossible Beef
“Our aim is not to be the best plant-based meat, which is a low bar, it’s to be the best meat,” Impossible Foods CEO Peter McGuinness told Food Navigator.
“If you’re going to even start to displace animal products, you have to go to the next level in terms of taste, texture, flavor, and nutrition,” he said.
Impossible beef | Courtesy
The new beef contains 33 percent less saturated fat than conventional beef along with 19 grams of protein, zero cholesterol, and, the company says, no animal hormones or antibiotics.One serving of Impossible Beef contains 38 percent of the RDI for protein—the same as 80/20 ground beef. Saturated fat has ticked down to just six grams per serving compared to animal-based beef at nine grams.
The leading vegan meat producer is aiming to target increasing concerns about the health claims made by the plant-based foods industry. Studies have found high levels of sodium and saturated fat in vegan meat products.
The flexitarian market
Consumers in the U.S. are largely opting for plant-based protein for its health benefits, further underscoring Impossible’s recent decision to tweak its formula.
The relaunch comes as the industry sees lackluster sales, something McGuinness told Food Navigator is a competition issue, not a category issue.
According to McGuinness, Impossible Foods is growing at a 65 percent year-on-year rate—a number he says is not just from increased distribution. “It’s a combination of new doors, new SKUs, and velocity gains.”
Impossible chicken nuggets.
Impossible says it has around a 45 percent repeat rate—meaning roughly one in two people who try the product will buy it again. “So that says awareness and trial is a gift that keeps on giving, as we only have 5 percent household penetration,” McGuinness said.
These are important numbers as the industry is facing changes. With limited retail shelf space in refrigerated and frozen sections, consolidation is already happening in-store, and it could mean more mergers and acquisitions for companies competing too closely.
For Impossible, its relationship with fast food chains like Burger King, which recently launched an Impossible Chicken trial in the U.S., give it leverage at retail, too. Its closest competitor, Beyond Meat, just saw its U.S. McPlant trial pulled from more than 600 stores.
Canned food startup Heyday Canning is aiming to revive the canned food category as a sustainable and affordable protein source.
Heyday’s name is no accident. The canned food company was founded by operations expert Jamie Tulley and former Clif Bar and Sweet Earth marketing specialist, Kat Kavner, with a nod to the way things used to be done. The co-founders say the early stockpiling of the covid pandemic sparked the idea for the company and canned food for a “new generation.”
A covid baby
“Like everybody else, we were going to the grocery store and loading up on canned food, but the category seemed pretty staid and stagnant, and we had this lightbulb moment,” Kavner told Food Navigator-USA.
“Could we completely reimagine canned foods, starting with an unrelenting emphasis on flavor and quality and designing food that resonated with a new generation of young people?”
Heyday Canning founders, Jaime Tulley (left) and Kat Kavner (right) | Courtesy
Canning is certainly not a new concept. It precedes refrigeration and was used for hundreds of years to preserve food, affording access to fruits and vegetables grown in warmer months during the rest of the year. Canning was typically done in glass mason jars, which have since gone on to Pinterest glory and gastropub chic drinking vessels. But the actual can—once made from tin—soon replaced most jars, making for easier distribution and increasing affordability.
Canned food experienced a resurgence during World War II. In the mid-1940s, there were an estimated 4.1 billion jars canned in homes and community canning centers. Canning, along with victory gardens, symbolized patriotism, and the canning wave lingered long after the war ended.
But little has changed for the category since, particularly as Whole Foods and its ilk put an emphasis on fresh food over the canned stuff.
Modern canning
But Heyday says it is putting a modern twist on the category. “The fundamental value proposition of canned food is really strong and it still feels relevant to a modern consumer. It’s convenient and affordable,” says Kavner.
The company is also emphasizing the food waste angle. “We waste so much fresh food as it’s difficult to plan when you’re going to use everything, so we want to appeal to a new generation of home cooks,” Kavner said.
Heyday’s canned beans | courtesy
Heyday’s current offerings are all bean-based. But these offerings aren’t just your typical beans suspended in liquid; they’re flavored and ready to eat right out of the can. The current roster includes six varieties: Harissa Lemon Chickpeas, Coconut Curry Chickpeas, Apricot Glazed Black Beans, Enchilada Black Beans, Tomato alla Vodka Cannellini Beans, and Kimchi Sesame Navy Beans.
Despite the affordability angle, the products stand out compared to conventional canned beans, which typically run about a dollar a can. The suggested retail price for Heyday is $4.99 a can following an introductory launch at Sprouts Markets at $3.99. But since canned food stays good indefinitely, consumers can stock up on the lower launch price and wait a few months to open those cans—just like they did back in canning’s heyday.
In the first survey of its kind, leading protein think tank Good Food Institute APAC identified key factors sending Asian consumers toward plant-based seafood options.
Consumers across Singapore, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea are largely excited by the potential in alternative seafood options. Specifically, they’re motivated by the absence of heavy metal and microplastic contamination says the new GFI report. There is also an increased interest in avoiding foodborne illnesses common from consuming seafood, such as Vibrio infection, norovirus, and hepatitis A.
Deciding factors
The interest isn’t just driven by avoiding seafood’s inherent issues, though. The survey found consumers are seeking to add more omega fatty acids into their diets; a growing number of alternatives are satisfying this demand with healthy algae oil, among other healthy sources.
But despite the interest, consumers are still motivated by taste and texture. They will also not compormise on the health benefits even if it’s at the expense of choosing the most sustainable option, the survey found. There were also concerns over freshness and whether or not alternatives were as natural as conventional fish.
Photo by Richard Bell at Unsplash.
“As with all foods, taste is the single most impact factor in determining the commercial success of alternative seafood products,” Mirte Gosker, Acting Managing Director of GFI APAC, said in a statement. But, Gosker says it’s not the only deciding factor.
“Consumers also want products that can match or exceed the nutritional value, freshness, and affordability of the conventional seafood they know and love,” she says.
“Satisfying these demands will require substantially more investment from public and private stakeholders into open-access research and development aimed at improving the quality and cost of plant-based and cultivated seafood products,” she added.
Alternative seafood demand
The news comes as APAC countries are seeing an uptick in plant-based seafood offerings. According to GFI APAC, alternative seafood companies raise US$175 million last year, which is nearly double the amount raised in 2020. It says more than 120 companies are currently developing alternatives to seafood.
Cellmeat’s Cultivated Dokdo Shrimp
OmniFoods has been making a big splash in the region. In January, Starbucks released a plant-based fish sandwich made with OmniFoods’ vegan seafood ahead of the Chinese New Year. Earlier this month, leading seafood producer Thai Union launched plant-based shrimp, building on its recent plant-based seafood offerings.
But it’s not just plant-based seafood that’s offering potential. The cultivated meat space is booming too, with the potential to support the changing consumer habits in Asia. In July, China’s Avant, which is working on cultivated fish, closed a $10.8 million Series A funding round. Shiok Meats recently partnered with Vietnam’s largest shrimp producer to develop cultivated seafood. Singapore’s Umami Meats announced plans to partner with MeaTech on 3D-printed cultivated seafood. In July, South Korea’s Cellmeat said its cell-based Dokdo Shrimp is market ready pending regulatory approval.
By: Mark Maslin, Professor of Earth System Science, UCL and the Natural History Museum of Denmark
There’s no denying that what we eat is intrinsically linked to the climate crisis. Is the an Ultra-Flexitarian diet the solution the planet needs?
The food we consume has a massive impact on our planet. Agriculture takes up half the habitable land on Earth, destroys forests and other ecosystems and produces a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Meat and dairy specifically accounts for around 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
So changing what we eat can help reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable farming. But there are several “climate-friendly” diets to choose from. The best known are the completely plant-based vegan diet, the vegetarian diet, which also allows eggs and dairy, and the pescetarian diet, which also allows seafood.
There are also “flexitarian” diets, where three quarters of meat and dairy is replaced by plant-based food, or the Mediterranean diet which allows moderate amounts of poultry, pork, lamb and beef. Deciding which diet to choose is not as simple as you might expect.
Let us start with a new fad: the climatarian diet. One version was created by the not-for-profit organisation Climates Network, which says this diet is healthy, climate friendly and nature friendly. According to the publicity “with a simple diet shift you can save a tonne of CO₂ equivalents per person per year” (“equivalents” just means methane and other greenhouse gases are factored in alongside carbon dioxide).
Sounds great, but the diet still allows you to eat meat and other high emission foods such as pork, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs. So this is just a newer version of the “climate carnivore” diet except followers are encouraged to switch as much red meat (beef, lamb, pork, veal and venison) as possible to other meats and fish.
The diet does, however, encourage you to cut down on meat overall and to choose high-welfare and local meat where possible, while avoiding food waste and choosing seasonal, local foods.
So saving a tonne of carbon dioxide is great but switching to vegetarianism or veganism can save even more. A western standard meat-based diet produces about 7.2 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent per day, while a vegetarian diet produces 3.8 kg and a vegan diet 2.9 kg. If the whole world went vegan it would save nearly 8 billion tonnes CO₂e while even a switch to the Mediterranean diet would still save 3 billion tonnes. That is a saving of between 60% and 20% of all food emissions as which are currently at 13.7 billion tonnes of CO₂e a year.
How much CO2e (in billions of tonnes, or Gt) would be saved if the whole world switched to each of these diets. Terms as defined by CarbonBrief. Data: IPCC, Author provided
Some vegetarian or vegan foods like avocados and almonds also have a huge water footprint, but overall a plant-based diet has about half the water consumption of a standard meat-based diet.
Deforestation in Brazil (Source: Canva)
A global move away from meat would also free up a huge amount of land, since billions of animals would no longer have to be fed. Soya, for instance, is one of the world’s most common crops yet almost 80% of the world’s soybeans are fed to livestock.
The reduced need for agricultural land would help stop deforestation and help protect biodiversity. The land could also be used to reforest and rewild large areas which would become a natural store of carbon dioxide.
A plant-forward diet is (mostly) healthier
A plant based diet is also generally healthier. Meat, especially highly processed meat, has been linked to a string of major health issues including high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.
However, meat, dairy and fish are the main sources of some essential vitamins and minerals such as calcium, zinc, iodine and vitamin B12. A strict vegan diet can put people at risk of deficiencies unless they can have access to particular foods or take supplements. Yet both specialist food and supplements are too expensive for many people around the world and it would be hard to scale up supplements production to provide for billions of extra people.
So a climatarian or flexitarian approach means there are fewer health risks and also allows people to still exercise choice. One study suggests a move to a global plant-based diet could reduce global mortality by up to 10% by 2050.
So what is the ideal global diet to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce habitat destruction and help you live longer? Well I suggest being an “ultra-flexitarian” – a diet of mostly plant-based foods but one that allows meat and dairy products in extreme moderation, but red and processed meat are completely banned. This would save at least 5.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year (40% of all food emissions), decrease global mortality by 10% and prevent the slaughter of billions of innocent animals.
Israel-based Future Meat Technologies has developed the world’s first cultivated ground lamb meat that it says looks, cooks, and tastes just like conventional lamb meat for use in burgers, kebabs, and other dishes.
“In passing this milestone, Future Meat reinforces its position as a leader and pioneer in the cultivated meat industry and shows again the limitless potential of how innovation can drive sustainable solutions,” Nicole Johnson-Hoffman, CEO of Future Meat, said in a statement.
The key learnings, Johnson-Hoffman says, will be leveraged to produce other meats, including beef and pork.
Cultivated lamb meat
The cultivated lamb was three years in the making for Future Meat, which says the development will help to disrupt the global lamb meat market—which spans the globe, specifically Europe, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and parts of Asia. The company says reaching this milestone with ovine cell lines means that it can now produce cultivated lamb “at scale” and “accelerate its innovation focus to expanding into even more animal species.”
“Since lamb has a uniquely distinct flavor, it is very clear if a cultivated substitute is on or off the mark,” said Michael Lenahan, General Manager of Future Meat. “The reason Future Meat’s cultivated lamb is indistinguishable from conventional lamb is because it is, first and foremost, real meat. It sizzles, sears and tastes just like people expect—it’s amazing.”
Future Meat uses animal fibroblasts to replicate the meat in a lab, producing a non-GMO product that is cost-effective, sustainable, and completely scalable, without harming a single animal through the process | Courtesy
The food tech company was the first to replace Fetal Bovine Serum and all other animal components beyond the cell lines in the cultivated meat development. “Future Meat’s approach leans on the natural spontaneous immortalization of fibroblasts, rather than genetic modification,” said Prof. Yaakov Nahmias, President, Founder and Chief Science Officer of Future Meat Technologies. “This is the key to Future Meat’s cells being non-GMO.”
Future Meat says it is gearing up to enter the U.S. market once there’s regulatory approval for cultivated meat. Currently, only Singapore allows the sale and consumption of cultivated animal products.
Israel’s food tech hub
Israel is a hotbed for food tech, specifically cultivated and plant-based animal products. As of the end of June, more than $320 million in investment funding had been distributed to Israel-based companies, according to the Good Food Institute Israel.
Future Meat beef | courtesy
“2021 saw alternative protein placed at the forefront of the food-tech industry, with several massive investment rounds intended to accelerate scale-up and allow young companies to become global leaders for a better food system,” Aviv Oren, Director of Business Engagement and Innovation, GFI Israel, wrote in the mid-year report.
“This momentum draws more investors, governments and multinational companies, as it is clearer than ever that to meet climate change goals and prevent future pandemics we must leverage technology to change the way we consume our food. Israel is leading this change, with more startups and more investment in alternative protein than any country besides the U.S.”
Notes From the Frontlines of the Sustainable Food Movement – a new opinion column by Irina Gerry
There has been a lot of chatter lately about “Low Carbon Beef”, but does the climate math hold up?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently approved Low Carbon Beef label, which can now be placed on meat products in the US in order to differentiate this “more sustainably farmed beef” from conventional options, as well as to justify higher price premiums. To qualify for the label, cattle farmers must demonstrate at least 10% lower greenhouse gas emissions than the industry standard baselines. Sounds nice, right?
Except, there is a problem with that. On average, producing 1kg of beef emits about 100kg of CO2e, which is by far the highest emissions of any food.
For perspective, producing 1kg of chicken emits about 10kg of CO2e and 1kg of peas comes in at just 1kg of CO2e. That’s 100 times less.
So, does a 10% reduction make a meaningful difference to warrant the Low Carbon Beef label? Absolutely not.
This is the cattle industry’s attempt to respond to consumer concerns around beef’s climate footprint, as more and more consumers seek to align their climate concerns with their food purchases. It is a pure form of greenwashing.
While politicians avoid any conversation about reducing meat consumption like a plague, considering it a political non-starter, there are a number of initiatives underway that attempt to reduce the climate footprint of cattle. According to UN FAO, several ways of reducing emissions from livestock include:
Improving feed quality, precision feeding and methane-reducing additives (seaweed feed additives only reduce cattle methane emissions by about 9%, while adding potential ecological impact of large-scale algae farming, which is far from the panacea it is hyped up to be)
Animal genetics, breeding and animal health (cows that grow faster, cow vaccines)
Intensifying recycling efforts (ag waste products as feed) and minimizing losses for a circular bioeconomy (manure as fertilizer, manure as biogas)
Capitalizing on nature-based solutions to ramp up carbon offsets (soil carbon sequestration through regenerative grazing)
We still end up with 70kgs CO2e per 1kg of beef, on average, which is still far higher than any other food.
There is no such as thing as Low Carbon Beef, only Reduced Carbon Beef, if you like.
While regenerative grazing advocates fervently defend beef, professing it to be the “climate savior” and even calling for grazing more cattle than we do today as a way to restore degraded soils, the reality on the ground remains starkly different from the future that “could be”. Regenerative grazing holds a promise of carbon sequestration by implementing adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) grazing practices as a way to offset cattle emissions with soil carbon sequestration, however most studies presented to support the argument consist of small scale experiments with inconsistent methods and findings, with little consensus on net climate benefit among high quality peer-reviewed research after decades of experimentation and a lot of doubt about the scalability, durability and the magnitude of soil carbon sequestration of such systems outside of highly specific conditions.
Most regenerative grazing benefits tend to focus on converting previously degraded croplands to pasture, which do show a temporary improvement in soil carbon sequestration during the conversion process. However, many such studies lack proper control variables of converting the same degraded lands to forests, wetlands or orchards, and reintroducing wildlife instead of farmed cattle, or applying other regenerative agriculture practices such as reduced tilling and cover crop rotations.
Even the poster child of multi-species pasture rotations, White Oaks Pastures, can only sequester enough carbon in soil to create a greenhouse gas footprint that is 66% lower carbon footprint over conventional commodity beef, while requiring 2.5 times more land and costing 70% more (price per pound of ground beef before shipping). Don’t get me wrong, a 66% emissions reduction is commendable, and the overall system appears to be more resilient, while providing the farmers higher income, but it does not make it Low Carbon.
In general, as unsavory as feedlots may be to those of us who care about animal welfare, industrialized systems tend to be more efficient at converting animals to food products. Regenerative grazing advocates find themselves between the rock and a hard place in trying to promote a more sustainable and kinder food system, while contending with immense resources required to produce cattle-based products, no matter the method. On one hand trying to farm animals in a way more consistent with natural grazing does sound appealing, on the other hand grass-finished beef requires 40-150% more land, increases enteric fermentation related methane emissions by 43% (cows eating grass on pasture emit more methane compared to feedlot cows on a grain diet) and produces 30% less meat as system (grass-finished beef takes longer to grow). Organic and regeneratively grazed beef does not fare much better. Given the increased land and resource requirements of the animal-based system that already occupies 77% of all agricultural land, a transition to regenerative grazing only works if we are willing to eat much less beef and are prepared to pay more for it.
Does it mean we can’t eat beef?
Not necessarily. I know most people simply won’t accept it, no matter the cost. There is also some argument in favor of limited regenerative grazing of cows to restore some of the degraded soils. Further, farmed animals play a crucial role in some of the poorest countries, providing income and serving as a key source of nutrition for smallholder farmers. A 100% cow-free world is neither possible, nor necessary for us to build a sustainable and equitable food system.
My hope is that a clear understanding of the environmental impact would lead most of us who care about the future of our planet to significantly reduce our beef consumption (to the tune of 50-80% in developed countries) and if we do choose to eat it occasionally, choose the “better farmed” option. Because with the growing global population and projected increase in meat demand, we have no hope of meeting the +1.5C degree global warming targets if we stay with the status quo.
Japan is the third-largest egg-consuming nation in the world behind China and Mexico. Now, a Tokyo-based startup, Umami United, says it has developed a vegan egg using konjac powder and enzyme technology for a more sustainable and ethical alternative to conventional eggs.
Umami United says it’s on a mission to overcome the challenges of the current food system and “deliver an experience by uniting all at one table and creating a brighter future.”
Vegan eggs
Instead of fungi, Umami says it turned to enzymes to produce its vegan egg. Enzymes express specific flavors and textures, according to the company where fungi typically break down ingredients during fermentation.
Courtesy
The company is also working to tackle allergy issues for younger generations as eggs are a top food allergen. Umami says it’s already gaining traction in Japan as consumers seek out healthy plant-based options.
The vegan Umami egg joins a growing vegan egg category led by U.S.-based Eat Just and its mung bean Just Egg. Eat Just recently reported it surpassed the sales equivalent of 300 million eggs with help from celebrities including Serena Williams and Jake Gyllenhaal. It also recently broke ground on a factory in Singapore to meet the demand in Asian markets.
Plant-based demand in Asia
Umami says it’s also participating in the trade show FHA Singapore, where the company will introduce its plant-based egg in a variety of traditional Japanese and Asian dishes. It says food service is critical to its growth, “providing solutions and different recipes to catering companies,” which will introduce the concept to consumers. From there, they can then find the product on supermarket shelves.
Courtesy
The launch also comes as Japan is seeing an uptick in plant-based food sales. In a 2019 survey, 60 percent of respondents said they were open to trying more sustainable food options that also had health benefits. A study in 2020 that looked at soy-based meat showed awareness over 70 percent. In 2020, 25 percent of respondents said they had tried vegan meat at least once, with 68 percent saying they’d cooked plant-based meat at home, while more than 40 percent said they had consumed plant-based meat while dining out.
Norway’s Research Council says it will fund the development of cellular agriculture and precision fermentation to bring sustainable meat, egg, and milk products to market.
A new five-year research project, dubbed Arrival of Cellular Agriculture-Enabling Biotechnology for Future Food Production (ARRIVAL), set to launch next year will help Norway develop the “food of the future.”
Funded by the Research Council of Norway, the project has an annual €2 million budget. The Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Research (Nofima) will spearhead the project with support from the contract research organization SINTEF Industry, Oslo Metropolitan University, the Norwegian Institute for Rural Research, the Norwegian Board of Technology, agriculture cooperative Nortura AS, and the Norwegian dairy enterprise, TINE AS.
Cultivated meat
Even while it’s lower than in other Northern European countries, meat production in Norway increased by nearly four percent between 2020 and 2021. The majority of consumers in Norway say they’re not overly concerned about environmental or animal welfare factors.
But ARRIVAL’s team says this presents an opportunity to further explore alternatives.
Cultivated meatball | Courtesy Mosa Meat
“We can increase self-sufficiency in food in Norway, and we do not have to kill animals to produce the necessary protein in the form of meat. In Norway, we have both the expertise and the money needed to develop new technical solutions for food production, says Sissel Rønning, the ARRIVAL lead.
“We will continue our research on how to scale up cell-based meat production and find out more about which materials are suitable to use as a framework for the muscle cells,” says Rønning.
“Muscle cells are picky, and it is usual to use a growth medium made from parts of calf blood in current production.”
While cultivated meat is currently only approved for sale in Singapore, Norway sees a viable future for cell-based meat. Nofima began exploring the category in 2018 with the goal of developing new technology for cultivating muscle meat with residual biomass as the growth medium. That project was the first openly accessible research in this category.
Now, Nofima says its technology has increased “significantly.”
“We will continue our research on how to scale up cell-based meat production and find out more about which materials are suitable to use as a framework for the muscle cells,” says Rønning.
Courtesy iStock
“Muscle cells are picky, and it is usual to use a growth medium made from parts of calf blood in current production.
“This production is not very sustainable, and many people are therefore critical of this type of protein cultivation. To successfully scale these types of technologies, new, sustainable growth media must therefore be developed.”
Precision fermentation
The announcement comes as dairy and egg production has also increased in the Nordic country in recent years. According to recent data, the number of dairy cows has increased every year over the last decade. Egg-laying hen operations are also on the increase.
But according to the University of Helsinki and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, using alternative proteins such as precision fermentation could reduce land use by nearly 90 percent compared with conventional egg production. It can also decrease greenhouse gas emissions by up to 55 percent.
Courtesy Perfect Day
Dairy alternatives also show the potential to significantly reduce the industry’s impact. The category leader, U.S.-based Perfect Day, cites a 97 percent reduction in emissions compared to conventional dairy.
“Cell-based agriculture is a revolution in food production that can change agricultural production and ownership, land use, policy design, eating habits, and ethical issues,” says Rønning. “In the ARRIVAL project, we will take the research on cell-based agriculture several steps further.”
As domestic appetite for dairy products grows, Chinese startup Changing Biotech is making milk proteins using precision fermentation to address this burgeoning demand.
Changing Biotech, China’s first precision fermentation dairy startup, has emerged from stealth mode and announced a record-breaking $22 million Series A led by veteran domestic agtech venture capital fund Bits x Bites. Other participants include Eight Roads Ventures, Sherpa Healthcare Partners, and Hillhouse.
As per Green Queen‘s own reporting, this funding round would be the largest for China’s alternative protein industry after plant-based meat maker Starfield’s $100 million Series B announced this past January.
Bits x Bites also backed Changing Biotech’s previously undisclosed $8.5 pre-Series A. According to the VC, “Changing stands out with its strong strain development and chassis construction capabilities along with in-house fermentation and purification expertise,” adding that “all of this is crucial for continuously discovering and commercializing suitable microorganisms at competitive costs at scale.”
Founder Bin Luo, who has a background in food manufacturing and agriculture, told Sina News that the company’s five-ton test facility in Qingdao is already producing samples for customers, and they are working on designing six new 50-ton lines, with a 9,000-square-meter plant is under construction. Bits x Bites says Changing’s single-cell milk protein, which is made from a fungi strain that is classified as an edible microorganism in China, can be used for all sorts of applications, from milk to chocolate to snacks. In a separate interview, Luo said they will be applying for FDA approval this year.
China’s Growing Appetite For Dairy
Mere decades ago, China’s dairy consumption was almost insignificant, and it still lags far behind compared to Europe or other countries in Asia. But, this is changing. Thanks to rising incomes, rampant urbanization and campaigning by industry associations, per capita consumption of milk is increasing steadily. Over the past two years, household dairy consumption has jumped 11.8 percent year-on-year to reach 42.3 kg in 2021 according to data from the the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Industry associations.
This burgeoning demand for dairy is not good news for the environment. Dairy is only second to beef when it comes to the worst food culprits for greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn is a driver of the worsening climate crisis. In addition, the dairy industry is linked to deforestation, water scarcity, antibiotic resistance and ethical concerns around animal welfare.
Beijing is committed to carbon neutrality by 2060, and it will be difficult to achieve such a goal without rethinking the country’s food system due to the country’s growing appetite for meat and dairy.
Fermented Protein: A Climate Crisis Solution
Precision fermentation could be a key part of the solution. Doris Lee, CEO of GFI Consultancy, a Shanghai-based strategic partner of non-profit think tank Good Food Institute APAC told Green Queen that “few countries are as well-positioned to scale up fermentation technologies as China, which can leverage its vast range of untapped biological resources, top-tier research institutes, and unparalleled manufacturing infrastructure to do for the nascent alternative protein space what the nation is already doing for clean energy and electric vehicles.”
In a New York timespiece on the subject, leading environmentalist George Monbiot called precision fermentation “the most important environmental technology humanity has ever developed” while Time Magazine described the technology as having “the potential to change the entire food industry”.
GFI Consultancy has just released a report titled Driving the Future of Alternative Proteins: China Fermentation Industry Report (2022), which features insights from over 30 industry experts and researchers offering a comprehensive overview of the dozens of startups, multinational companies, academic institutions, and other key stakeholders that working to create protein from microorganisms.
According to Lee, Beijing is supportive of using fermentation technology to buttress protein production. “China’s leaders have made clear through their five-year national plans and public statements that obtaining protein from microbes will be a key part of increasing food security and protecting against future supply disruptions, meaning that companies at the vanguard of diversifying the nation’s protein supply could have very strong wind at their backs.”
We all know what happened in February when the U.S. temporarily halted imports of avocados from Mexico just ahead of Super Bowl Sunday. Could a sustainable faux avocado be the answer to that and avocado environmental impact? Meet Ecovado.
Made from a mixture of broad beans, hazelnuts, apples, and canola oil, a Central Saint Martins graduate has created Ecovado—an alternative to avocados that are supposed to mimic its flavor and texture without the environmental footprint.
Are avocados sustainable?
Avocados, like almonds, are inherently water-intensive— it takes between 1,000 and 2,000 liters of water to produce just one kilo of avocados. While many mature avocado trees can sustain themselves off of ground and rainwater, the demand for avocados sees a constant influx of new tree plantings. And parts of Mexico, which grows the majority of U.S. avocados, are in a major drought. Monterrey, Mexico, which is home to the chili peppers used in the popular sriracha hot sauce, recently put severe water restrictions in place for the city’s five million residents.
A whole nut in place of the pit
Arina Shokouhi, who developed the Ecovado, says while the trendy avocado is healthy and delicious, it is also one of the most unsustainable crops, “because of their delicate, easy-to-bruise nature, and the plantation-style monoculture farms required to meet the global demand for avocados are driving the deforestation of some of the most diverse landscapes in the world.”
Ecovado
Shokouhi developed the Ecovado for her final-year project, working with the University of Nottingham’s Food Innovation Centre to identify the exact chemical makeup of avocados. The goal was to use ingredients local to the U.K. to replicate the warm-weather fruit.
Buy Ecovado by the case without risk of spoiling
“The flavour of avocado is quite subtle and, overall, is most often described as ‘creamy’,” Shokouhi told Dezeen. “On the other hand, broad beans can contain quite a lot of bitter compounds called tannins and can have a beany flavour caused by lipoxygenase.”
“To reduce the bitterness, we reduced the amount of broad beans in the recipe,” she continued. “The flavour of avocado has been described as ‘nutty’. So we used creamed hazelnuts which would bring a good amount of fat, adding to the creaminess.”
The Ecovado even comes in a realistic, sustainable skin made from wax which can be upcycled into a candle, Shokouhi says.
Marking the largest single fundraising for food tech in Japan, vertical farming giant Spread has secured $30 million (¥4 billion) in its Series A.
The Kyoto-based vertical farming operation is not new to the food space. It’s been focused on sustainably grown produce for city dwellers, which it markets under the Vegetus umbrella, since 2007. The brand’s lettuce is sold in 4,500 stores across Japan. Spread has sold more than 90 million packs of its vertically grown lettuce over the last fifteen years.
Spreading fresh produce
Spread targets new farm locations in highly populated areas in order to reduce transport time and deliver the freshest produce possible. According to the company, it uses just one percent of the water used in conventional farming. Its production loss rate is lower than conventional, too—ten percent for Spread compared to the 40 percent average.
But the company is ready to leap into new technology, namely vertical farming automation. The new funding is going to develop Spread’s automated vertical farm, Techno Farm Fukuroi, slated to be operational in 2024.
Courtesy Spread
Strawberries were recently added to the company’s roster; the vertical, automated farming allows Spread to produce them without pesticides. Strawberries are among the most highly sprayed crops, frequently making the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list of most contaminated produce.
For its strawberry production, the company introduced bees for pollinating, “we have achieved stable pollination indoors under LED lighting,” the company says. It’s now working to scale up the technology to take globally.
Sustainable food system
The company says it’s also exploring alternative protein—a big presence in Asia already. Last month, Tokyo welcomed Singapore-based TiNDLE chicken at its German pub chain, Schmatz.
Spread’s indoor vertical farm, courtesy
“To answer [the] world’s growing needs of food supply, Spread is widening its product range by working on fruits and alternative meat, and is looking to expand globally in the future,” Spread said in a statement. “The ultimate goal is a ‘global food infrastructure,’ where all people are free from the food anxiety”.
“Since its establishment, Spread has always strived to create a sustainable society where future generations can attain peace of mind,” the company said.
Gavan Technologies, an Israel-based food tech startup, says it has developed a “waste-free” extraction method for plant-based protein.
“Our new, multistep technological platform enables us to take any plant source, isolate and extricate multiple proteins and other valuable components until the source is fully consumed,” Itai Cohen, CEO and co-founder of Gavan, said in a statement.
Plant waste
According to Gavan, up to 80 percent of a plant source can be wasted or relegated to compost or animal feed from conventional protein extraction methods. Common methods can be heavily reliant on chemicals that erode quality and yield. The company says its waste-free technology is a viable and scalable solution. It anticipates a gradual market rollout of its tech in 2023.
“No part of the plant is left out,” says Cohen. “Moreover, the proteins maintain their original form—there is no resulting modification to their physical structure. All of the source’s nutritional and functional qualities are fully preserved.”
Gavan Team, courtesy
According to Gavan, its proprietary modification platform uses zero to minimal heat in extraction—a tenfold reduction in energy consumption compared to conventional plant protein extraction methods. The technology works with a range of characteristics including natural colors, protein isolates, flavor enhancers, gluten substitutes, and other compounds.
“Over the last decade, food industry players have been consciously shifting their industrial processes to more sustainable standards,” says Cohen. “They have actively been striving to align their operations to meet the European Commission’s Green Deal call for greater resource efficiency in response to consumers’ efforts to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Consumers want to know how their food is manufactured, where the ingredients come from, and what is the environmental footprint of the products they are buying.”
The company recently demonstrated the technology in a pilot trial with lentils. It yielded a 92 percent protein isolate extraction that included complex carbohydrates, fiber, minerals, and fat that were turned into a neutral, gluten-free flour. It also extracted a “high-functioning, protein-rich” emulsifier with properties similar to aquafaba, made from chickpea water, that performs like egg whites.
Plant tech innovation
Gavan says its technology can be used on a range of plant sources including a variety of beans and legumes as well as algae, among other sources.
“Innovation within alt protein production focuses predominantly on finding more exotic sources of protein and processing them into innovative, palate-friendly alternatives to animal proteins. Many of the methods used, however, fail to glean the full value of the plant source in terms of functional components and holistic goodness,” says Cohen. “They end up wasting valuable raw material.”
Gavan is also working with spirulina, the protein-rich blue-green freshwater algae.
Photo by Vita Marija Murenaite on Unsplash
“Spirulina is made up of 70 percent high-value protein and hosts a naturally rich content of chlorophyll and the bright blue pigment protein complex phycocyanin,” says Yael Leader, head of product for Gavan. “After extracting the phycocyanin blue colorant, the remaining mass yielded a range of clean-label, protein-based flavor enhancers; a brown colorant offering a better-for-you alternative to the commonly used caramel colorants; residual carbohydrates; and a lipid fraction rich in essential fatty acids and carotenoids,” Leader says.
“Our technology signifies a paradigm change, demonstrating how focusing on sustainable and circular production enables higher efficiencies and presents a better economic model,” Cohen says. “This, for Gavan, defines a true, positive ecological—and economical—impact and makes sustainability profitable.”
Singapore’s Shiok Meats and Vietnam’s Minh Phu Seafood have signed a memo of understanding to develop a combined R&D facility to help bring cultivated seafood to Asia.
The new R&D facility will be based in Vietnam in a move Shiok and Minh Phu, Vietnam’s largest conventional shrimp producer and exporter, say is paving the way for conventional seafood companies to diversify their portfolios with sustainable alternatives.
‘High-quality’ cultivated shrimp research and technology
“Setting up a joint R&D facility with Minh Phu Seafood is a major milestone for us,” Dr. Sandhya Sriram, Group CEO, Chairman and Co-Founder of Shiok Meats, said in a statement. “Our vision has always been collaborating with established seafood companies and hatcheries to add variety to the portfolio and food security narrative through aquaculture innovation, research, and tech transfer. Our satellite R&D facility in Vietnam will focus on high-quality cultivated shrimp research and technology.”
Shrimp dumplings, courtesy Shiok Meats
Since launching in 2018, Shiok, which means “pleasure” in Malay slang, was the first company to produce cultivated shrimp, crab, and lobster.
The companies say they will explore the development of cultivated shrimp, starting with a feasibility study. The move is aligned with Minh Phu’s vision for developing state-of-the-art technologies for Vietnam’s seafood industry, eventually leveraging the tech for the global market. It has been developing an integrated shrimp value chain from hatchery to farming, processing, logistics, import, distribution, and retail.
The new facility will be Shiok’s third; it currently operates two satellite R&D facilities in Thailand and Australia. Last November, Shiok opened Singapore’s first “mini plant” for cultivated meat development.
Cultivated seafood
In 2020, Shiok debuted the world’s first cultivated lobster meat. Last August, Shiok launched the world’s first cell-based crab meat, prepared by Chef José Luis Del Amo of TheTasteLab. He created two crab dishes, Crab Cake and Chilli Crab, from cultivated crab meat and powder along with vegan pork mince OmniMeat.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Earlier this month, South Korea’s Cellmeat debuted its cultured shrimp at the Seoul-based restaurant Sigolo in dishes prepared by Chef Kyong-Ho Lee. Also this month, U.S.-based Pearlita debuted its plant and mushroom based oysters, a step toward its aim of producing cultivated and plant- and fungi-based hybrid seafood. It also developed a biodegradable shell for the full oyster experience.
Singapore is currently the only country in the world that has approved cultivated meat for sale and consumption. But that wasn’t granted to a Singapore or Asian-based brand; approval went to California’s Eat Just in 2020 for its cultivated chicken. It has been sold in the country ever since.
Singapore is expected to greenlight more brands in the cultivated meat and seafood space. The U.S. and E.U. markets expect approvals within the next two years.
African nations are expected to embrace a shift away from conventional meat for more alternative options as alternative proteins become more widely available by mid-century.
By 2050, a quarter of the world’s population will be African. The continent’s population boom will account for 1.3 billion of the estimated 2 billion increase in the global population between 2019 and 2050.
Plant-based boom
A number of African nations struggle to feed their current populations, and experts say climate change’s impact will only bring more challenges to food systems. But a shift in protein preferences could help feed more people. And new research suggests African consumers are already embracing plant-based protein.
According to new data from North Mountain Consulting Group and South Africa-based Credence Institute, three of the continent’s most populated countries are leaning into plant-based protein. In Egypt–the third most populated country in Africa, with more than 100 million people currently—62 percent of Gen Z and Millennials consumers say they’re likely to try plant-based protein; in Kenya, the seventh largest African nation by population, it’s 80 percent; and in Nigeria, home to Africa’s largest population, it’s 76 percent. These consumers also say they’re not only likely to try vegan options, but highly likely to purchase plant-based options, too. In Kenya, 72 percent, 63 percent in Nigeria, and 46 percent in Egypt.
Photo by Amevi Wisdom on Unsplash
“The high degree of openness to plant-based, cultivated, and hybrid products signals an opportunity to reduce reliance on conventional meat, improving public health, environmental, and animal welfare outcomes,” Dr. Keri Szejda, Principal Research Scientist, North Mountain Consulting Group, said in a statement accompanying the report.
“Current dietary patterns are also an important consideration,” reads the report. “Nearly all participants ate meat, but their consumption varied: Nigerians are heavy meat eaters, Egyptians are moderate meat eaters, and many Kenyans are flexitarians. Purchasing patterns differed in that most Nigerians purchased meat from informal markets or street side vendors, whereas Kenyans and Nigerians most often purchased from butcheries. Supermarkets, presumably where plant-based meat would likely be sold, were used less often overall, but were used more often in Egypt, followed by Kenya, and quite infrequently in Nigeria. Beef, chicken, and fish were the most regularly consumed types of meat in all countries. Family members were considered to be the most important influence on the trial of new foods, while friends and medical professionals were also considered influential.”
Africa’s changing appetite
According to the research, both plant-based and conventional meat are already becoming more accessible to larger population segments. The research says as these alternative protein options become more widely available, conventional meat consumption could drop. In Egypt, the researchers expect meat consumption to drop to half its current rate. In Nigeria and Kenya, the numbers are even higher—a 66 percent drop in Nigeria and 75 percent in Kenya.
Mogale Meats chicken | Courtesy
“Meat consumption is expected to rise substantially in many African countries over the coming decades, which would have severe effects on animal welfare, food security, public health, and the environment. Our work in Kenya, Nigeria, and Egypt found that plant-based meat and other alternative proteins may help mitigate some of these effects, as consumers are ready to embrace these products,” says Moritz Stumpe, Researcher, Credence Institute.
While meat consumption historically rises with income levels, the research found that lower-middle-income countries are some of the biggest markets for alternative protein. Kenya is particularly receptive to the opportunity, with many nationals already reducing their meat consumption.
The continent is also expected to see cultivated meat become accessible as widespread regulatory approval is expected by 2025. Two South African companies, Mogale Meat Co. and Mzansi Meat Co., have developed cultivated meat. Mogale, which has already successfully produced cell-based chicken, is now working on game meats. Mzansi is aiming to bring its cultivated beef burgers to fast food restaurants by next year.
From a beef-heavy diet to growing crops that don’t feed people – the biggest challenges facing the agriculture industry.
Food and the climate crisis are locked in a tangled web of cause and effect. Globally, food systems contribute about a third of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, yet they are also uniquely vulnerable to climate impacts: from soaring temperatures and drought to intense rainfall and flooding.
Food production is caught in a battle between people and profits, as an increasingly industrialized system prioritizes low operating costs and high profits. In the US, nearly 40 million people don’t know where their next meal is coming from and food workers are some of the lowest paid in the country. Agriculture contributes less than 1% to GDP in the US – yet it is responsible for 11% of the country’s GHG emissions, polluted waterways and millions of acres of degraded land.
“The US is such a huge contributor to climate change and we’re doing so pathetically little to address it, particularly in agriculture,” said Raj Patel, professor of public affairs at the University of Texas, Austin, and IPES-Food expert.
Here we look at five of the biggest food and climate challenges facing the US.
We eat way too much meat and it’s destroying the environment.
When you talk about the environmental problems with the US food system, meat – particularly beef – absolutely dominates the discussion, said Marion Nestle, former chair of NYU’s department of nutrition and food studies. “There are cattle grown in every state, so the meat industry is entrenched in the country. Beef has been the iconic American food for a long time. Nobody wants to give it up.”
But beef is a climate disaster. It takes an enormous amount of land to raise cattle – land that would sequester more carbon as grass that doesn’t get grazed and forests that are not felled for pasture.
It also takes an enormous amount of food to feed cattle. About 55% of the grain grown in the US goes to fattening cows (and other animals). And as the ruminants chew, they burp out methane, a powerful planet-warming greenhouse gas. Meanwhile, animal waste and fertilizer runoff pollute rivers and poison drinking water supplies.
Eating less meat – primarily beef but pork and chicken, too – would free pasture and cropland, eliminate the suffering of billions of animals and improve human health by restoring clean water and reducing Americans’ calorie and saturated fat intake. Yet it’s an excruciatingly hard sell.
We wildly overproduce food and a lot of it doesn’t feed people.
The US intentionally produces a vast surplus of food. The country’s food supply, what is grown and imported, amounts to about 4,000 calories a day for every adult, child and infant. “There’s no reason why we should be growing all that food,” Nestle said. “It’s not for us anyway – it’s for animals or automobiles.”
Not only do tons of US crops get turned into livestock feed but a staggering proportion (40% of corn, which accounts for the vast majority of the nation’s crops) is used to make gas for cars – despite the fact the world is supposed to be ushering in the electric car era. The government mandates that ethanol, a renewable fuel typically made from corn, be mixed into gasoline to displace a portion of fossil fuels.
The goal is to reduce fuel emissions, but when you factor in the ecological impact of raising more corn to meet ethanol demand, research has found that the math doesn’t check out. That as much or more corn goes to making ethanol than either feeding people or animals is “clearly bonkers”, said Patel.
Producing biogas from cows’ methane waste is similarly better in theory than extracting fossil fuels. But dairies are cashing in on incentives to convert their emissions into energy, which perversely encourages the expansion of factory farms to generate more waste.
Industrial agriculture exacerbates the climate crisis, while making farms – and farm workers – more vulnerable to it.
Ever since the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, American farmers have used fertilizers, pesticides and machinery to squeeze more and more out of the land, Patel said. That disaster should serve as a warning of what happens when intensive agriculture depletes soil such that it can’t withstand droughts and storms.
Instead, history is repeating itself. As the climate crisis worsens, droughts, hurricanes and floods increasingly threaten crops. Meanwhile industrial agriculture continues to pump methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, while weakening soil, crushing biodiversity and sucking aquifers dry.
This is a shortsighted game plan for the industry, some experts say, and it’s harming farmworkers who are paid meager wages to work in sweltering heat, inhaling wildfire smoke and pesticides and meat processors working shoulder to shoulder amid a viral pandemic.
“Industrial agriculture … is bad for everybody. It’s bad for society. It’s bad for the climate. It’s bad for human health. It’s bad for animals. It’s bad for farm workers. It’s bad for everybody except the people who own the land and get rich off it,” Nestle said.
“We could produce less food and do it better,” she said. Organic and regenerative farming, for instance, have climate benefits including carbon sequestration and improved soil quality, but they are more costly and less productive, with higher labor costs – trade-offs big ag beneficiaries are unlikely to make. “Good luck with that,” said Nestle.
A handful of giant corporations control the food system, and they aren’t eager to change things.
While a trip to the store might make it seem like there are a plethora of companies selling food, many are owned by the same huge corporations.
Four companies control 85% of the US meat market. Another four dominate grains. From seeds and fertilizer to beer and soda, a shockingly small number of firms maintain a powerful hold on the food industry, determining what is grown, how and where it’s cultivated and what it sells for.
Like any business, their priorities are efficiency and profit – and the most efficient and profitable methods are often the most environmentally costly. They incentivize farmers to plant miles and miles of single crops, decreasing biodiversity and therefore resilience to climate disasters and diseases. Planting the same crops season after season depletes soil, necessitating heavy use of fertilizer.
“Are farmers into saving the planet? Of course they are,” said Patel. But as long as they are beholden to a handful of big corporations who set commodity prices, they have little leverage to implement more sustainable practices.
“Absent a monopoly power, there’s a reasonable chance to imagine different ways of doing things,” Patel said. If there’s some hope for progress, it’s that “there are a lot of people who are fed up with large monopolies”, he said.
There is some legislative momentum, too. A new proposed antitrust bill would put a moratorium on agribusiness mergers and acquisitions and the Biden administration has pledged $1bn to help small meat producers compete with the multinationals.
The government subsidizes ecologically destructive farming. But it doesn’t have to.
The dysfunction in America’s food system is essentially codified in law. The Farm Bill, a 300-plus page document dating back to the New Deal, which dictates a vast range of policies from land use to nutritional assistance for poor Americans, “is crucial to practically everything about our food system”, as Nestle wrote in a 2016 Politico article.
Among the bill’s many provisions are billions of dollars in subsidies and insurance payments for farmers, the majority to support highly polluting industrial commodity agriculture. Almost half of the $424bn doled out between 1995 and 2020 went to just three crops: corn, wheat and soybeans.
Some sliver each year rewards largely unmonitored and temporary conservation practices. None support “specialty crops”, which Nestle said is code for “fruits and vegetables”.
Because subsidies are proportionate to production levels, they favor large operations and promote overproduction. “We subsidize things that are damaging to the environment,” said Matthew Hayek, assistant professor of environmental studies at NYU. Instead, he argued, subsidies should be tied to environmental stewardship, or farms should be taxed for negative ecological impacts.
“The kind of reforms that would improve things considerably are not revolutionary,” said Silvia Secchi, an economist and geographer at the University of Iowa. Reducing the ethanol mandate, paying farmers to convert land to grassland and requiring environmental impact reporting would be “incremental first steps” to reducing agriculture’s climate footprint.
“There are lots of things we could be doing to get us on the right path,” she said.
This story was originally published in The Guardian and is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now‘s , ‘Food & Water’ coverage week.
Precision fermentation has been around for decades, and most of us eat foods that contain ingredients made using the technology on a daily basis. Animal-free dairy makers are now using it to bring you the cheese and milk you love without the environmental cost.
As the alternative protein industry matures, it is increasingly under attack from food industry lobbies and interest groups. Of late, precision fermentation technology, used to create animal-free dairy foods, has been the target of the Non-GMO Project, a U.S. based non profit organization focused on alerting consumers to the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food products. In a press release published during National Dairy Month in the U.S., the organization described animal-free dairy made from precision fermentation as unregulated and dangerous. We thought it would be prudent to address the allegations as a matter of separating fact from fiction.
Let’s start with the most important facts: precision fermentation (PF) is a technology that has been around for 30 years, is entirely safe and is used in dozens (if not hundreds) of products you interact with every day. That cousin of yours that’s Type 1 diabetic? Her insulin is made using PF. The cheese you buy at the grocery store? The enzymes are made using PF. The vitamin supplement you give your teenager for their skin? PF again. That naturally flavored grapefruit soda you love? That’s right, it’s made using PF.
Here’s the thing. Until Perfect Day and its peers crash landed onto our food scene, most of us had never heard of precision fermentation. Now, this technology that we interact with regularly (though perhaps unknowingly), has been put under the microscope by everyone from chefs to media personalities to lobby groups. When something feels or sounds new, it’s entirely natural to have questions. Particularly when it’s related to the food we eat.
When it comes to animal-free dairy, precision fermentation refers to a process used to produce bio-identical milk proteins like casein or whey, without the use of animals. It is done by encoding milk protein DNA sequences into microorganisms, like yeast or fungi, and then fermenting them with nutrients and sugar in fermentation tanks, much like those used to brew beer. During the fermentation process, these unique microbes produce proteins, identical to those found in cow’s dairy milk. These proteins are filtered into a pure milk protein isolate that can be used to create our favorite dairy products such as cheese, yogurt and ice cream, without the use of animals.
The whole point of using precision fermentation is to produce the dairy products we love (think milk, cheese, yogurt) with a fraction of the carbon emissions, land requirements and water usage that the conventional dairy industry requires. This means the hundreds of millions of people who consume dairy products daily can do so without causing global warming.
FACT: Conventional dairy has a global warming problem
Let’s be clear, we are at a critical point in the climate change fight. Unless we significantly reduce the outsized climate impact from conventional agriculture, and that includes dairy farming, we will not be able to achieve the Paris Agreement goals. With half of all habitable land already being used for agriculture and 77% of that devoted to raising animals for food, anyone who is serious about creating a sustainable food industry knows that we cannot go on with the status quo. We certainly cannot nourish a growing global population with an agricultural system that already consumes too much land and water resources and drives biodiversity loss, while also emitting a third of global greenhouse gases. If global animal agriculture continues to expand, it will prevent the decarbonization of our agricultural system and perpetuate the increase of methane emissions, a greenhouse gas that is 86 times more powerful at warming the planet on a 20-year scale than carbon dioxide.
When it comes to conventional dairy production, it’s hard to argue with its environmental cost. Producing just one litre of milk releases 3.15kg of CO2, while one kilo of cheese releases a whopping 23.88kgs of CO2- about the same as burning 10kg of coal!
On the water front, things are not much better. To get one litre of milk requires 628 litres of water. A kilo of cheese demands an incredible 5,606 liters of water, the highest among all foods.
Beyond water and emissions, producing conventional dairy foods involves heavy use of antibiotics, a huge amount of arable land and GMO corn/soy animal feed, not to mention that the fields where these are grown are sprayed with pesticides and glyphosate.
FACT: You are already consuming precision fermentation foods and products
Precision fermentation is safely used to make insulin, most vitamins, flavors and countless enzymes found in nearly all commercially produced foods. We’ve all been eating foods produced with the aid of precision fermentation for decades. This is not new. Here’s an overview of common foods and supplements made using PF:
Enzymes: PF is used to make all sorts of enzymes used in food production, from amlysases to keep bread soft and prevent staleness, pectinases to make fruit juices clear instead of cloudy, transglutaminases to make deli meat products such as salami hold together better.
Vitamins: Almost all of the common vitamins we use to fortify foods (in powder form) or to supplement our own diets (in pill form) such as B vitamins (B2 and B12 in particular) and vitamins A, C, D, E and K, are made via precision fermentation technology.
Natural Flavors: Many flavorings and aromas regularly used in food are made via PF such as vanilla flavoring. When you see the term ‘natural flavors’ on an ingredient list? That’s PF too. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the FDA)’s own definition of “natural flavor/flavoring” includes ingredients made using precision fermentation.
Medicine: Specifically, insulin for Type 1 Diabetes patients to inject themselves with. Until the 1980s, we used to have to inject diabetes patients with insulin obtained from pigs and cows.
Cheese (this one is ironic, given the conventional dairy industry’s anti-PF stance): Rennet is a key ingredient in most cheeses. It is composed of the enzyme chymosin, which helps to separate the milk solids (the parts used in cheesemaking) from the liquids. In other words, rennet enables the formation of firm curds and is crucial in helping cheesemakers achieve their desired cheese texture. 80% of rennet used in global cheese produced comes from precision fermentation using microorganisms as host factories (the rest comes from the stomachs of ruminant animals). So chances are, if you have eaten dairy cheese, you have eaten PF-made rennet.
FACT: Animal-free dairy is regulated by the US FDA
Animal-free dairy is a regulated industry. The U.S. FDA oversees and regulates any substance that is intentionally added to food as an additive through the GRAS Notification Program. This is also how enzymes, vitamins and flavors are regulated. To date, both Perfect Day and Remilk have followed this process prior to launching products in the U.S. market.
Animal-free dairy proteins do not fall under the USDA National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, because the final product (animal-free milk protein) does not contain any detectable genetic material.
While genetic engineering techniques are used in creation of the microorganisms that produce the dairy proteins, they are filtered out at the end of fermentation. The resulting product is a high purity milk protein isolate, which is bio-identical to milk protein from cows.
FACT: Animal-free dairy has a lower carbon and water footprint than conventional dairy
The planetary toll of the conventional industry when we are in the midst of a worsening climate crisis that is threatening our global food security is exactly why we need to rethink how we produce food and support nascent industries like animal-free dairy made from precision fermentation. This will allow consumers to continue enjoying the milk and cheese they crave and love at a lower cost to the planet.
In the RethinkX report on agriculture, the authors write that “modern alternatives will be up to 100 times more land efficient, 10-25 times more feedstock efficient, 20 times more time efficient, and 10 times more water efficient. They will also produce an order of magnitude less waste.”
According to a Life Cycle Assessment commissioned by Perfect Day, their technology allows for “a reduction in environmental impact of up to 99% less water use, up to 97% fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and up to 60% less renewable energy use compared to traditional (dairy) production methods.”
The future of our planet and the ability to feed next generations depends greatly on our ability to bring these new solutions to life. Precision fermentation is part of a broader ecosystem of sustainable food solutions, which include regenerative organic farming, plant-based foods and animal-free dairy. Without them we are at risk of losing the battle against climate change and in the years ahead, we will face unrelenting challenges to affordably feed 10 billion people.
Seattle’s climate-friendly ‘beanless’ Atomo Coffee has announced the closing of its Series A, with a $40 million investment led by S2G Ventures, AgFunder, and Horizons Ventures.
Reverse engineering the coffee bean to help address the climate crisis, Atomo Coffee says the Series A funding will help accelerate the development of its beanless coffee products and scale its two ready-to-drink cold brews, Classic Black and Ultra Smooth.
Plant-based coffee
“With Atomo in the hands of the consumer we are empowering them to drink coffee they love while making a choice to do something better for the planet every day,” Andy Kleitch, CEO and co-founder of Atomo, said in a statement.
Courtesy Atomo
The company, which launched in 2019 in the U.S. coffee capital Seattle, is using plant-based ingredients to create a “premium tasting coffee experience” that’s better for the environment than traditionally grown coffee. Atomo uses date seed, chicory root, and grape skin, among other ingredients to achieve the coffee flavor. It adds an equivalent amount of caffeine to the product as found in a cup of coffee, about 84 milligrams.
Climate impact
Coffee is one of the crops most impacted by the climate crisis. According to one study published in the journal PLOS One earlier this year, climate change could take a drastic toll on coffee production by 2050. It found that regions growing Arabica, one of the most common coffee beans used by chains like Starbucks, will be “drastically” less suited to coffee cultivation as a result of warming temperatures.
Coffee is also a leading contributor to biodiversity loss as sun-tolerant varieties took over traditional shade-grown coffee in the 1970s, which has been linked to significant losses in bird populations, among other species.
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
According to Atomo, drought, frost, as well as rising temperatures, have made current coffee-growing regions less suitable, “leading growers to deforest areas of virgin rainforest uphill to reach more tolerable climates for their coffee plantations.”
Atomo says its coffee produces 93 percent fewer CO2 emissions and requires 94 percent less water than conventionally grown coffee.
But how does it taste?
“The demand for coffee is increasing year over year with climate change significantly impacting the farming regions, which in turn will impact the consumer through price and availability,” said Rob Leclerc of AgFunder. “Breakthrough technologies pioneered by Atomo are going to be a part of the solution for future generations to be able continue enjoying their favorite brews.”
A blind taste test conducted by National Food Labs found Atomo’s cold brew performed better than conventional cold brews by 2:1. According to the findings, survey participants were unable to detect that Atomo’s coffee was made without beans.
“Atomo’s cold brew products deliver great environmental benefits and their taste is superior to other products on the shelves,” adds Chuck Templeton “Great taste and better for the planet is a win-win combination.”
Scientists and climate activists have called for an urgent transition to a more sustainable food system. The future food system envisioned is one without animal agriculture, the industry that drives as much as 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, water contamination and contributing towards antimicrobial resistance.
In an climate and pandemic-stricken age where environmental and public health is at the top of mind for many, the growing demand for plant-based alternatives has grown immensely.
Yet many are wondering – what happens to all the jobs and livelihoods in the enormous animal agriculture industry, from slaughterhouse workers to dairy producers and livestock farmers?
Turns out, there is a place for meat and dairy producers and farmers – there simply needs to be a transition to sustainable options. Some are already undergoing this shift, and here’s how.
Chicken & cow farms turn to mushrooms
As a part of the Texas-based Rancher Advocacy Program, a support system to help farmers transition to move to new farming practices, farmers Jennifer and Rodney Barrett switched from raising chickens and cows to start their career as vegan mushroom farmers.
While the couple was prompted to make the dramatic change to mushroom farming as a result of Rodney’s long-term health problems that led to the adoption of a plant-based diet, other instances of the profitability of mushroom farming as plant-based meats surge in popularity suggest that there is also a business case for the switch.
Source: Stuff NZ / Brent Williams & Jude Horrill
In New Zealand, Brent Williams and Jude Horrill established Ohau Gourmet Mushrooms in 2018, and now produces around 30 to 40 kilograms of shiitake mushrooms, pink and phoenix oyster mushrooms every week.
Since launching their mushroom venture, the couple has attracted not only restaurant partnerships to use their mushrooms as plant-based alternative ingredients in dishes, but has also been popular amongst locals who are searching for new, healthier and more sustainable meat-replacements in their home cooking.
Dairy producers are now milking oats
One of the early pioneers of helping farmers transition into sustainable options is the Swedish oat milk brand Oatly, which has since its inception taken the world by storm and has even landed on the menus of Starbucks and Pacific Coffee, the two leading coffee chains in Hong Kong, and in mainland China.
In 2017, the company supported dairy farmer Adam Arnesson to switch to growing oats instead of raising dairy cattle. Oatly used Arnesson’s oats to create a specialty line of oat milk, and also monitored the environmental impact of his transitioned farm. At the end, Arnesson saw a significant reduction in emissions while his profits steadily increased.
Source: Tom Levitt / The Guardian
“The big change is that we now can feed over 200 people with food on our farm compared to 60 when we started, and that our climate emissions have reduced to half per produced calorie,” Arnesson said to HuffPost. He hopes that more farmers will follow his example, and see the plant-based movement as a profitable business opportunity while also being beneficial to the planet.
Hälsa, the makers of organic oat milk yoghurts, is launching a similar initiative. It recently celebrated the first Scandinavian organic oat seeds planted in a pilot farm with dairy farmers in the United States as a part of a dairy-to-oat sustainable farming conversion program.
Farmers are also switching to cultivating crops for plant-based cheese
“A lot of farmers see us as a threat,” said Miyoko Schinner, the founder of Californian plant-based dairy company Miyoko’s Creamery in a recent interview. But Schinner is now focused on changing this perception.
Like Oatly, she is now helping farmers switch to more eco-friendly types of agriculture, and is currently looking for dairy farms in the state of California who are willing to work with her fast-growing brand ditch cows for growing ingredients for vegan products instead.
Source: Miyoko’s Creamery
Mikoyo’s Creamery will offer financial support for farms to convert to growing seeds, legumes and even potatoes that can be used to manufacture vegan dairy products such as cheeses.
For many dairy farmers in the United States in particular, switching to sustainably farming crops for plant-based companies could be a lifeline.
Leading confectionery brand Hershey has debuted an oat milk version of its popular Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and a new oat milk chocolate bar with sea salt and almonds.
Hershey has confirmed the launch of the new products following a viral image spotted on the RiteAid website last month. The new products are expected to hit stores next month.
‘Plant-based options’
“We are excited to introduce these delicious, plant-based options,” Teal Liu, brand manager of Better For You at Hershey, said in a statement announcing the launch. Liu said that the new products offer more options for “chocolate lovers looking for plant-based alternatives.”
While the news of the vegan peanut butter cups has created quite the buzz, it’s not Hershey’s first vegan chocolate. The company debuted Oat Made — chocolate bars made with oat milk — in 2021, which also garnered positive consumer reviews.
Photo by Hershey
The company announced it had long-term plans to make plant-based and healthier chocolate, as part of the ‘Better-for-you’ category in 2021. It followed a co-investment into Bonumose, a startup that develops plant-based food ingredients, including natural sugars.
Last summer, Hershey applied for a patent for using roasted grains including corn, oats, millet, rice, sorghum, or wheat in its vegan chocolate products as a replacement for dairy.
Hershey said that nut and seed oils, which are commonly used in dairy-free chocolate, produce an inferior end product and that it is engaged in R&D to make allergen-free recipes that are healthier than conventional chocolate. Hershey says its specially milled and roasted flours can replicate the authentic mouthfeel and texture of conventional chocolate.
Vegan chocolate demand
The vegan chocolate market is expected to reach $1 billion by 2027. Other confectionery giants including Mars, Lindt, and Cadbury’s have all launched vegan chocolate.
Mars and Perfect Day partnered on a precision fermentation milk chocolate | Courtesy
Last year, Mars partnered with Perfect Day to launch chocolate bars made with precision fermentation dairy. Lindt uses oat milk, and Cadbury uses an almond paste. Food giant Nestlé launched a vegan version of the popular KitKat bar in the U.K.
According to the listing on Rite Aid, the vegan Reese’s Cups will cost a bit more than conventional ones. It lists a 1.4-ounce package of two plant-based Reese’s Cups at $2.49 — about $1 more than a regular package.
The new products are dairy-free but they aren’t a low calorie food. While Hershey has not yet released the full nutrition facts for the oat milk cups, it did confirm they will have the same number of calories as traditional Reese’s Cups’ 210 calories.
U.K.-based Moolec Science, a food ingredients company engaged in molecular farming of animal proteins, has merged with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) LightJump. The two have confirmed the start of their business combination agreement, which sees Moolec valued at $504 million. Once the merger is complete, the new company is anticipated to be listed on Nasdaq under the ticker “MLEC”.
At present, Moolec is engaged in hybrid developments, making animal proteins using plants as production factories. It has already gained patent protection for its molecular technology and has gained regulatory approval for its first two products – a plant-based dairy ingredient and GLA oil. Scaling was undertaken earlier this year, to accelerate its successes with soy and pea-based hybrids that can replace conventional meat with animal-free alternatives.
Photo by Moolec.
Changing the landscape of alternative protein
Moolec and LightJump are expected to complete their transaction in the later part of 2022, with Nasdaq listing following soon after. If it happens, the listing will be the first of its kind for a molecular farming food tech. The startup has rarely followed the path most travelled, however.
Claiming self-designated pioneer status, Moolec uses plants to produce genuine animal proteins. It has designed technology that allows the synthesis of animal proteins to be completed within any seed crop. Proteins produced line up with specific functions necessary for consumer-accepted alternatives to conventional foodstuffs, such as dairy. The result will be animal-free, affordable and nutritionally comparable products, fuelled by molecular farmed ingredients.
“Moolec Science is a category creator in the alternative protein landscape. Our Molecular Farming technology focuses on providing real animal proteins without using any animals, based on the genetic engineering of seeds to produce proteins the same way animals do,” said Gastón Paladini, CEO and co-founder of Moolec said in a statement.
“As fourth generation of a family business that is one of the largest meat players in the Southern Cone, I have first-hand knowledge of the challenges faced by the industry. Moolec’s goal is to use science in food to overcome current global food security issues, building a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable food system.”
Photo by Moolec.
The science of food security
Plants used for Moolec’s molecular farming developments will be grown through traditional farming methods, allowing for high volumes and reduced costs for end products. The same methodology has the potential to be used for other markets, other than meat proteins. Dairy, poultry and fish alternatives have already been cited, alongside other biomaterials and cosmetics. The commercial scope of this, plus environmental benefits appears to have caught LightJump’s attention.
“LightJump Acquisition Corp. is excited to be partnering with Moolec Science, a FoodTech pioneer in Molecular Farming,” Robert Bennett, CEO of LightJump Acquisition Corp said in a statement. “We believe Moolec’s differentiated technology platform will be able to address the worldwide growing demand for animal proteins while delivering them at a small fraction of the cost and environmental impact of existing approaches. We are committed to working alongside Moolec’s outstanding management team to support its expansion plans and its transition to becoming a Nasdaq-listed company.”
Photo by Miruku.
Molecular farming as a growing niche
Moolec is not alone in seeking to leverage the power of plants as natural manufacturing facilities. Miruku, founded by New Zealand and Israeli food industry experts, is looking to use molecular farming to create animal-free dairy products. The startup announced the closure of a $2.4 million seed round in March of this year after coming out of stealth. Operating out of APAC it is reported to be the region’s first molecular operation, with only a few others globally.
The New Technology Conference in Nanjing National Agricultural High-Tech Industry Demonstration Zone recently played host to a tasting of China’s first cultivated pork belly. The development, presented by domestic startup Joes Future Food, was unveiled during the conference’s Second Cultured Meat New Product Tasting Ceremony.
Alongside pork belly, co-culture of muscle and fat cells, cost-effective serum-free growth mediums and other new technologies were introduced. Guests of the conference were invited to taste Joes’ cultivated pork belly and pigskin noodles, prepared in a variety of dishes.
Professor Zhou Guanghong.
Is China saying yes to cultivated meat?
Joes’ claims that conference attendees noted that the startup’s pork belly was “very chewy”. Alongside, the cell-based fat was described as “delicious when fried” and the pork kebabs were heralded as “authentic”.
China is the world’s largest consumer of conventional pork, and garnering a positive reception from Chinese consumers bodes well for Joes. The startup is in the midst of building a pilot production line, which it hopes to use to promote the commercial potential of cell-based meats.
China has been making tentative steps toward the acceptance of alternative proteins, including cultivated meat. In March, it was reported that President Xi referenced China’s burgeoning alt-protein sector in a speech given to key industry figureheads. President Xi specifically noted that the country needs to develop its own unique proteins. Alongside plant and fermentation methodologies, he specifically paid lip service to biotechnology and bio-industry developments. This led observers to speculate that he is, potentially, open to cultivated meats. If President Xi is on board with the idea of cell-based meat development, it could lead to startups such as Joes being subject to simpler legislation and faster routes to commercialisation.
Cultured Pigskin Noodles by Joes Future Food.
Sustainable solutions for meat consumption
Prior to President Xi’s speech, China’s five-year agricultural plan made reference to cultivated meat for the first time. The blueprint for China’s future developments and national economic strength, the plan is considered a sign of things to come in the food sector. The inclusion of cultivated meat, alongside talk of increasing sustainability credentials, offered optimism to cell-based startups.
At the end of the New Technology Conference, Professor Zhou Guanghong of the Nanjing Agricultural University concluded that people will be able to eat pork without raising pigs. He stated that cultivated meat, such as that presented by Joes, is the “answer to national strategies of sustainable development and low-carbon agriculture”.
President Xi photo courtesy of Canva.
The road to cultivated pork for China
Back in October last year, Joes raised $10.9 million in a Series A funding round. The money was earmarked for continued R&D into cultivated pork, alongside technology scaling. It followed a $3 million raise in January of the same year. The startup spoke of wanting to be the first company to be able to offer sustainably-made pork to Chinese consumers. It won the prototype race, debuting a cultivated meat item in 2019 but now faces competition to get to market first.
Shanghai-based CellX announced it had scooped $10.6 million in a Series A raise, last month. The cellular agriculture startup has raised in excess of $15 million in total to accelerate its cultivated developments. It is looking to produce pork, beef and chicken with whole cuts being given priority. The startup notes that it considers this as the best route to consumer acceptance, as the end products will look familiar. Taking a four-pronged approach, CellX is aiming to produce cultivated meat, while slashing the costs of the sector as it progresses. It claims to have produced a low-cost media formula already and secured an immortalised cell line for its work.
Lead image: cultured pork belly by Joes Future Food.
Bill Gates is a repeat investor in the alternative protein sector. He has cited the industry as crucial to helping solve the climate crisis, with alternatives to animal agriculture heralded as essential developments. Not one to just talk about his opinions, Gates has doubled down on his assertions by investing in multiple alt-protein startups, across an array of niches.
Below, we have rounded up Gates’ alt protein investment portfolio, which covering all bases across multiple verticals and manufacturing technologies including fermentation, cell-based and conventional plant-protein processing.
Participation from Gates: Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Gates’ investment arm, led a $75 million Series B funding round in 2021.
Nobell Foods is engaged in programming soybeans to produce casein, the protein in dairy that allows cheese to melt, stretch and retain a tangy taste. The startup has been operating under stealth conditions but hopes to have vegan mozzarella and cheddar to debut by the end of 2022. The two varieties have been selected to make the biggest impact on the U.S. market, with the two accounting for 60 percent of all conventional cheese consumed.
Participation from Gates: Breakthrough Energy Ventures participated in an $80 million Series B funding round in 2020.
Nature’s Fynd has developed a plant-based protein that it calls Fy. Made using fungi, the biomass fermented protein is slated to have an exceptionally low carbon footprint. In 2021 it gained FDA approval and has since launched vegan breakfast patties into Whole foods Market.
Wider global rollout is in the works, with the Asian market a particular focal point for the startup. Vegan meat and cheese products are slated for release.
Participation from Gates: The specifics remain unknown. Rumours were floated that shares were sold or transferred to a foundation, ahead of stock price crashes in 2021.
Beyond Meat has been an alternative meat leader, landing partnerships with KFC, Pizza Hut, and McDonald’s, among others. The company is currently eyeing expansion in Asia as a route to success, plus expansions with its numerous partnerships with fast-food chains.
Participation from Gates: Repeat investment totalling a reported $50 million+.
Arguably Beyond Meat’s biggest competitor, Impossible Foods produces meat alternatives designed to taste and cook more realistically. This is thanks to its development and use of heme, a novel ingredient from the soybean plant root, which imitates the bloody appearance of conventional meat. Impossible has manufactured the full gamut of popular meats, including beef, pork, and chicken. It has also partnered with grocery giant Kroger to develop private label alternative meat lines.
Participation from Gates: Repeat investment, including in the most recent $400 million Series C raise.
Upside Foods is a serious contender in the cultivated meat sector. The company has built a large production facility, dubbed ‘EPIC’, given the public tours to start leveraging positive opinion and is eagerly awaiting regulatory approval for its chicken products. It had hoped to secure said approval before the end of 2021 but progress has been slow. Chicken has already been successfully produced and the company states that beef and duck are being developed as well.
Upside was one of the first companies to formally declare it had developed a fetal bovine serum-free growth medium, to drive down costs and raise ethical standards within the cell-based meat scene.
Participation from Gates: Confirmed repeat participation, including in the most recent $226 million Series B funding round.
Motif FoodWorks started as an ingredients innovator and has moved into the plant-based meat sector itself. The startup gained FDA approval for its ‘HEMAMI’protein, which adds an ‘authentic’ meaty taste and smell to plant-based products. It also landed the company in hot water with Impossible Foods, which claimed a patent infringement. Motif has strongly denied the claim and has filed its own complaint that Impossible’s patent is meaningless and should be revoked. The case is ongoing.
The most recent move into commercial product sales is said to be an ongoing evolution that will see a staggered rollout pushing through to 2023. Beef, chicken, and pork analogues have all been confirmed, with foodservice partners, retailers with private-label ranges and distributors being targeted.
Participation from Gates: Early participation has been confirmed but Eat Just does not disclose all of its fundraising efforts, so exact amounts and timescales are unknown.
Eat Just’s latest funding round came in March 2021, when the plant-based egg pioneer scooped $200 million. The raise was earmarked to support its plant and cell-based activities, accelerating R&D capabilities for both sides. Since then the company has announced plans for two large production facilities, in the Middle East and Asia, plus gained regulatory approval for E.U. sales of its flagship JUST Egg line.
The cultivated meat side of the company, dubbed Good Meat, has gained regulatory approval for a second cell-based chicken product to be sold in Singapore, which remains the only country in the world to give the green light to cultivated meat.
Lead photo by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Spanish startup Cocuus has confirmed a successful €2.5 million pre-Series A raise. Big Idea Ventures led the investment with participation noted from Cargill Ventures and Tech Transfer UPV. The news comes shortly after the company completed the Eatable Adventures acceleration programme, also listed as an investor.
Cocuus is engaged in the production of technology to facilitate plant and cell-based meat manufacturing. The new funding will support scaling its business model ahead of expansion into new global markets. The startup hopes to use its 3D bioprinting technology and automated innovations to disrupt the food system by supporting increasingly realistic substitutes for conventional meat.
Ready to replace meat
In 2021 Cocuus announced it had developed a proprietary 3D printing technique suitable for use with plant or cell-based ingredients, offering versatile production opportunities. At the time, the startup unveiled a 3D printed ribeye steak alongside salmon sashimi to prove the realistic aesthetic it was capable of creating.
Dubbed Mimethica, Cocuus’ platform uses AI to analyse the composition of existing foods. It then uses mathematical models to recreate the same structures but using new ingredients that have been converted into bio-inks. It was hoped that the platform could be developed to such an extent that replication could be carried out at scale. The new funding is a step towards this goal.
“We are very proud to have attracted the interest of international investors with this round of financing,” Patxi Larumbe, CEO and co-founder of Cocuus said in a statement. “Thanks to this capital injection we will be able to bring our technology within reach of corporations that want to print proteins on an industrial scale.”
Facilitating a new global food system
The FAO previously released data that suggests if we reach a global population of 9.1 billion by 2050, food production will have to increase by 70 percent. Specifically, meat manufacturing will have to increase by more than 200 million tons per year. This will fly in the face of emissions reduction targets that are widely set to see drastic improvements by 2050. Experts have predicted a population of closer to 9.8 billion by 2050, with updated birth and death rates taken into account.
Plant-based diets and cultivated meat developments are being viewed and promoted as potential solutions to the emissions crisis. Both require significantly less land and energy during production, compared to conventional meat, but are struggling to compete with the scale of existing animal protein production systems. Cocuus aims to remove this bottleneck.
“At Big Idea Ventures, we invest in technology which impacts the alternative protein industry’s entire value chain,” Andrew D Ive, founder and managing general partner of Big Idea Ventures said in a statement. “Cocuus’ technology addresses a major pain point of structured plant- and cell-based meat production methods: scalability. We are thrilled to support this innovative team and we look forward to seeing their scalable food technology making an impact across the world.”
3D printing’s traction in the alternative protein market
3D printing technology has become a key player in the quest for realistic meat analogues with numerous startups seeking to utilise it. In April, Hong Kong-based Alt Farm announced that it is hoping to capture APAC success, by 2023. Its flagship development is a 3D printed plant-based wagyu beef, thanks to a specially-designed printing nozzle that mimics complex structures.
Israel’s SavorEat welcomed a robot chef to its team in January this year. The alternative protein startup uses the technology to manufacture custom plant-based meat analogues and partnered with BBB to offer its diners tailored burger patties. Consumers are able to tweak the protein, fat and density of their burgers at the time of order, before having the item printed and cooked in front of them. Even retail outlets are looking at the possibilities connected to 3D-printed food. In February, Ikea revealed it was using printed vegan meatballs in a recruitment drive for sustainable tech professionals.
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.
Which vegan eggs are the best? We put nine leading options to the test.
It’s crazy to think that just a decade ago, there were no animal-free alternatives to chicken eggs. If you went vegan, it meant saying goodbye to eating, cooking, and baking with eggs. So, the fact that I reached out to about 20 different brands making alt protein egg products for this review is a clear sign of how far along the industry has come.
It’s not just about the perfect egg scramble or egg breakfast sandwich at brunch. Eggs are a major cooking and baking ingredient. As an avid baker, I know that the struggle is real when it comes to finding the right egg replacement for your popover or Il Flotante. Not to mention eggs over easy or a hard-boiled egg you can make deviled eggs and egg salad with. The good news? There are lots of options and new players in the space working hard to give you animal-free alternatives no matter how you like your eggs.
You can have your fried egg or your hard-boiled egg and eat it too! From frozen pourable to ready-to-eat patty and instant powder mix, with ingredients that span mung beans and lupin beans to pea and tofu, I researched it all, and by research, I mean ate, of course. Here’s my cheat sheet on how they taste, cook, and compare with one another.
Source: JUST Egg
1. JUST Egg – Best Taste & Best Patty
When it comes to vegan eggs, the time-space continuum can be split into ‘Before JUST Egg’ (BJE) and ‘After JUST Egg’ (AJE). BJE, if you wanted a vegan scramble, your options were a powder mix or tofu. Eat Just’s mung bean pourable egg replacement was a game-changer and the first to achieve mainstream status. It’s now widely used in both retail and food service with a star-studded roster of celeb investors, including Serena Williams and Jake Gyllenhaal.
JUST Egg set the standard for vegan eggs and is the plant-based egg to beat when it comes to mouthfeel, versatility, easiness of preparation, and even price. In addition to the original JUST Egg 12oz bottle, The JUST Egg line also includes the JUST Egg Folded and the JUST Egg Sous Vide – in Roasted Potato Red Pepper Dill and Roasted Poblano Black Beans Chili Powder varieties.
Cooking: JUST Egg needs to be refrigerated and used within 5 to 7 days once opened. It takes longer to cook than conventional eggs and I, for one, have a difficult time figuring out when to start scrambling or when it’s done. I get this cheesy consistency that makes it stick all over my nonstick frying pan and I end up wasting a lot of product. It would be really helpful if it came with some basic cooking instructions.
That said, it’s by far the one that gives you the closest mouthfeel to a chicken egg in terms of taste, fluffiness, texture, and even smell. If you’re eating it plain scrambled, it is the most egg-like and tastes as eggy as conventional eggs. So much so that if you add other ingredients, like cheese and veggies, or make a breakfast sandwich or burrito with it and serve it to your friends, they’ll never know they’re not eating real eggs.
JUST Egg’s original pourable liquid version is also super versatile. You can scramble it, make omelets and frittatas with it, or even use it as a baking replacement for eggs. Both the Folded and Sous Vide products can be kept frozen, then microwaved (no defrosting required), and ready within minutes.
Mouthfeel: 10
Versatility: 9
Easiness of Preparation: 8
Overall: 9 out of 10
Bonus Points: I love the convenience of popping the JUST folded in the toaster or microwave when I’m having a lazy morning. The JUST Folded also stands out from its competitors because it is, as the name says, folded so you get a double patty. Their Sous Vide makes for the perfect on-the-go vegan frittata.
Protein Source: Mung bean
Price: $3.99-$5.99 for a 12oz bottle, $4.29-$4.49 for a box of four JUST Folded, $5.98-$6.99 for a box of four Sous Vide (the most expensive of the 3 options)
Source: Zero Egg
2. Zero Egg – Most Versatile
Even though Zero Egg is currently only available to the food service industry, you can have a sneak taste of their vegan egg in the Alpha Foods breakfast bowl sold at Costco in California and Hawaii. Zero Egg currently comes in two formats: frozen pourable form and as a ready-to-eat patty.
Cooking: I defrosted the Zero Egg Liquid in the refrigerator overnight. Like JUST Egg, it needs to be used within 5 to 7 days once defrosted. The first thing I noticed is that it has a pancake batter consistency and it’s thicker than JUST Egg or Simply Eggless. Because of that, it cooks way faster than both. The taste is not 100% quite there when you eat it plain scrambled, but it was delicious when I made an omelet and added my favorite vegan cheese. You can make a few ahead of time, refrigerate, then just heat them up and add fillings when you’re ready to eat. Perfect for a brunch party!
Mouthfeel: 8
Versatility: 10
Ease of Preparation: 10
Overall: 8 out of 10
Bonus Points: The peanut butter cookie recipe their ambassador chef shared with me in our cooking demo is a show stopper and I’m officially hooked!
Protein Source: A proprietary blend of plant proteins that include pea, chickpea, potato, and soy
Price: You can purchase a four-pack of Alpha Breakfast Bowls at Costco for $12.49
Source: Simply Eggless
3. Simply Eggless – Contains Prebiotics
JUST Egg, Zero Egg, and Simply Eggless all offer liquid and ready-to-eat patty options. Simply Eggless has the same liquidy consistency as JUST Egg and also needs to be used within 5 to 7 days once opened.
Cooking: Even though it has the same consistency, it bubbles up and cooks faster than JUST Egg. It’s also easier to scramble and tell when it’s done. I liked the taste and the texture of the scrambled, but out of the 3, the Simply Eggless patty was my least favorite. Even though I followed the heating instructions on the box, the patty never got warm or firm enough. The texture was quite creamy, and the mouthfeel just wasn’t really there.
Mouthfeel: 8
Versatility: 10
Easiness of Preparation: 8
Overall: 7 out of 10
Bonus Points: Simply Eggless has 3 grams of prebiotics per serving, unlike its competitors or even actual eggs.
Protein Source: Lupin beans
Price: $6.49 for a 16oz bottle or one box of four frozen patties
Source: Puris Foods
4. Acremade Plant-Based Egg Scrambler – Best Value & Ease-of-Use
I was blown away by Acremade Plant-Based Egg Scrambler. I wasn’t expecting much from a powder-based vegan egg, but boy oh boy, was I pleasantly surprised! I mean who knew a powder mixed with water could give you such spot-on eggy flavor and fluffiness? This is the new hot product to watch for and it’s going to give JUST Egg a serious run for its money once it hits the retail shelves.
Cooking: All you have to do is add ¼ cup to a cup of water and whisk it. I like that it requires whisking the same way real eggs do. It has the thickest consistency by far, think cake batter, which makes it a bit harder to scramble but still easier than JUST Egg! Once it started cooking in the frying pan, my entire kitchen smelled just like bird-based scrambled eggs. The taste, the texture, and the fluffiness are all there. NOTE: Their other product, the Acremade Egg Replacer is being discontinued because you can do it all with the Plant-Based Egg Scrambler. They’ll be rebranding and renaming the Scrambler soon.
Mouthfeel: 10
Versatility: 10
Easiness of Preparation: 9
Overall: 10 out of 10
Bonus Points: It’s shelf-stable so you don’t have to worry about using it up within a week. It’s also the best value for your buck since $5.99 gets you a 12 oz bag and ¼ cup gives you the equivalent of 2-3 eggs!
Protein Source: Pea protein and lupin bean flour
Price: $5.99
Source: Hodo Foods
5. Hodo Foods All-Day Egg Scramble – For Tofu Lovers
Hodo Foods All-Day Egg Scramble is more of an egg alternative than an egg replacement. It’s yellow, but it doesn’t have the same taste or texture of a real egg and I think calling it ‘All-Day Egg Scramble’ is a bit misleading. It’s made with tofu and if tofu scramble is your jam, this is the product for you. It’s not versatile because it comes already seasoned and ready to eat, but you can eat it in a jiffy since it only needs to be heated up on a frying pan or in the microwave.
Mouthfeel: 5
Versatility: 5
Easiness of Preparation: 10
Overall: 5 out 10
Bonus Points: It is by far the easiest one to prepare as it doesn’t require defrosting or cooking.
Protein Source: Soybean
Price: $8.79 online
Source: Be Leaf
6. Be Leaf Fried Eggs – Best Ready-to-Eat
I was really impressed with the Be Leaf fried egg. It delivered the same taste, texture, and mouthfeel you get from eating a fried chicken egg. The yolk’s consistency and taste were surprisingly identical to the real deal. It’s also super easy to make. All you have to do is defrost it in the refrigerator overnight, heat it up in a frying pan or microwave, and voila! While it’s the perfect fried egg replacement, it’s not as versatile as a pourable egg alternative.
Mouthfeel: 10
Versatility: 5
Easiness of Preparation: 10
Overall: 9 out of 10
Bonus Points: Unlike most of the other brands reviewed here, Be Leaf’s vegan range also includes meatless products like shrimp, chicken, bacon, and steak as well as jerky, seasoning, and dried soy.
Protein Source: Non-GMO soy
Price: $13.99 – $15.89 online
Source: Crafty Counter
7. Wunder Eggs – Best Hard-Boiled Egg
I was really looking forward to trying Crafty Counter’s Wunder Eggs and it didn’t disappoint. It has the same texture and appearance of a hard-boiled egg. You also get the same exact sensory experience of holding a chilled hard-boiled egg in your hand. The egg white mouthfeel was spot on while the egg yolk was a bit creamier than a real egg yolk. I very much enjoyed eating it plain with just a dash of salt and also chopped up in an egg salad.
Mouthfeel: 9
Versatility: 5
Easiness of Preparation: 10
Overall: 8 out of 10
Bonus Points: Clean label and requires no peeling, which was always the most annoying part of eating hard-boiled eggs!
The Nummy Nibbles Plant-Based Omelette/Scramble Mix comes in packs of three and you can mix and match the flavors, Original (with Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Black pepper), Southwestern (with Bell Peppers, Jalapenos, Onion, Garlic, and Cayenne), and Chipotle (with Bell Peppers, Jalapenos and a hint of Smoky Chipotle). It’s a bit hard to compare it to other plain vegan scrambled eggs since all 3 mixes come with added veggies. The eggy flavor was not quite there, and the texture was slightly pastier than I’d want my scramble or omelets to be. It is easy to make because all you have to do is whisk it with water and cook, but not as versatile as other mixes since the veggies limit you to savory dishes.
Mouthfeel: 5
Versatility: 7
Easiness of Preparation: 9
Overall: 6 out of 10
Bonus Points: It’s shelf-stable and probably the one in this review with the cleanest label – no additives, artificial flavorings, or fillers at all.
Protein Source: Chickpea
Price: $10.99 for a pack of 3
Source: The EVERY Co.
9. Special Entry: EVERY EggWhite Macaron
The Every Co. uses precision fermentation to create its animal-free egg white replacer that mimics the functionality and versatility of egg white proteins. EVERY EggWhite is designed to be used as an ingredient in anything from delicate desserts, like the French macarons I tried made in partnership with Chantal Guillon, to dry mixes and protein shakes. I fancy myself quite the connoisseur when it comes to macarons, having sampled every single one I’ve ever come across back when I was a vegetarian. The perfect macaron should be light and airy with a smooth filling sandwiched between the two crisp, yet slightly soft, meringue shells. These were just that and sure to satisfy even the toughest macaron critic like me. It’s no surprise they sold out!
Mouthfeel: 10
Versatility: 10
Easiness of Preparation: 10
Overall: 10 out of 10
Bonus Points: Eye-catching and hip package design!
Protein Source: Real egg proteins made without chickens (the proteins are produced in fermentation tanks by genetically engineered microbes)
Price: The box of 6-piece macarons at the Chantal Guillon website sells for $28.00
After writing this review, there are at least three vegan eggs I’ll make sure to have at home at all times. Being a household of one, I’m very partial to anything that I can keep frozen and/or is shelf-stable so I don’t have to worry about using it all up within a week. JUST Egg Folded is a must for the perfect vegan breakfast sandwich, Acremade Plant-Based Egg Scrambler for basically anything you want to make with eggs, and Be Leaf Fried Egg for anyone who loves a good old-fashioned fried egg sandwich like me.
A few brands I reached out to and wish I could have tried for this review are: Follow Your Heart, Nabati Foods, Yo Egg, Evo Foods, and Pepita Egg. Oh well, maybe next time!
Future Farm, known as Fazenda Futuro in its home country, has confirmed it has welcomed fellow Brazilian singer sensation Anitta onboard as a partner. One of the most influential Latinx artists in the world, Anitta has a 62 million-strong following on Instagram and a fortune of almost $100 million, according to Forbes.
No financial details have been released to date, with Anitta’s investment amount and stake remaining confidential. It has been confirmed that she will not look to hold any role within the company but will leverage her influencer credentials and cited brand-building expertise to help scale the operation.
Growing a brand she believes in
“I came to add my experience in management and marketing,” Anitta said in a statement. “We are a company that thinks about the future, the environment, and especially about how people eat.”
With Anitta in place to offer non-formal support, Future Farm states it will be looking to develop new products and expand its distribution network. It is currently available in 30 countries, including the U.S., U.K., and mainland Europe.
The popular singer has been following the plant-based sector for a few few years and her relationship with Future Farm is not new. She has been aware and a consumer of the food tech’s developments since its infancy and she uses the company’s products as part of her party menus.
“There is a great synergy between Anitta and Future Farm,” Marcos Leta, founder and CEO at Future Farm said in a statement. “She represents much of what we are: a fun, futuristic, different, honest brand, and together we want to show that it is possible to eat what we like more consciously and tastily. We strongly believe that Anitta’s influence will help us democratize the plant-based meat and develop new products and ideas.”
Anitta’s Future Farm partnership is the latest of many such moves. Alongside being a singer, she is recognised as an entrepreneur and experienced businesswoman. Last June, she joined Nubank’s board of directors. The digital bank targets younger demographics, making her a strategic ‘hire’. She is also listed as the head of creativity and innovation for Ambev’s Beats beer.
Brazilian plant-based pride
Future Farm launched in 2019 with a mission to recreate the taste, texture and juiciness of conventional meat products in vegan formats. It now stands as one of Latin America’s leading meat-free brands.
Back in November, the company scooped $58 million in a Series C funding round. Investment was sought to build out the portfolio with more vegan meat lines while developing a range of plant-based dairy items. Product packaging was cited as another priority, with the startup looking to create 100 percent sustainable and plant-based containers. Existing packaging was already biodegradable.
All products are made in a single production facility in Rio de Janeiro that has a capacity of up to 700 tonnes of products per month. Future Farm has not alluded to moving manufacturing out of its home country.
Photo by Beyond Meat.
The power of celebrity
News of Anitta’s partnership with Future Farm comes after Kim Kardashian was announced as Beyond Meat’s new “chief taste consultant.” The reality television star has not been confirmed as a shareholder or paid ambassador for Beyond Meat but will be lending her image and influence to promote the brand through various channels. Kardashian has already starred in one video, currently being shown across various social media channels, including Instagram, where she has 313 million followers. She is expected to assist with marketing, recipes, and exclusive offers in the future.
In February, it was revealed that Blue Tribe Farms is working with celebrity Indian couple Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli. The two, having recently converted to a vegan diet, invested in the company and joined as product ambassadors. Combined, the two boast 240 million Instagram followers and reach significant parts of Indian popular culture through their respective specialisms of Bollywood acting and professional cricket.
Biologists in Norwich, U.K. have used CRISPR technology to alter the genetics of tomatoes. The result is enzyme inhibition that prevents a vitamin D precursor from being converted into cholesterol. Scientists claim that eating two gene-edited tomatoes a day will alleviate common vitamin D deficiencies in most consumers.
The process of editing the genetics of the tomatoes will push them into the U.K.’s novel foods category, but they will not be deemed as genetically modified organisms, in a bid to shorten approval times.
Photo by Alex Ghizila at Unsplash.
Access to vitamin D
Approximately one billion people are currently living with a vitamin D deficiency. Up to 40 percent of U.S. adults are considered to be lacking in it. Common symptoms include extreme fatigue, regular bouts of illness, generalised body pain, depression, weight gain, and hair loss.
Not all vitamin D is plant-based. D2 is fully vegan-friendly but D3 is commonly derived from animal sources, including sheep’s wool. Lichen-based D3 is the vegan alternative but is frequently more expensive and harder to find.
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon at Unsplash.
How soon can the tomatoes be eaten?
The U.K. government submitted a bill this month, to differentiate between gene-edited food and genetically modified organisms. It is designed to allow the former to come to market sooner and with less administrative red tape. However, the new vitamin-D-enriched tomatoes still face delays. Sourcing commercial growers presents a potential bottleneck in the process.
The fruit breakthrough came by editing the SI7-DR2 gene. The change prevents tomato plants from producing an enzyme that transforms provitamin D3 into cholesterol. Scientists at the John Innes Research Centre in Norwich claim that the adaptation did nothing to affect the plant’s look, growth pattern or yield of developed fruits.
Gene-editing was selected as a path to faster progress due to the anticipated difficulty in breeding plants to reach the same results. Cathie Martin, a biologist at the John Innes Centre told New Scientist that it would have been a “very difficult” process and one that would have likely taken at least 10 years. The gene-editing project accomplished the desired results in 1.5 years.
Photo by Kiriakos Verreos at Unsplash.
Will the gene-edited tomatoes be more expensive?
No projected costs have been released for the gene-edited tomatoes but Martin hypothesised that they should have price parity with conventional fruits. The plants are set to be grown outdoors, to assess how much vitamin D they make, but the inclement U.K. weather could necessitate artificial lighting, which will influence cost. It has been suggested that growers might be able to supplement their income by selling the vitamin-D infused tomato plant leaves, but this is not confirmed as a viable option yet.
The rise of CRISPR-powered foods
Last month, North Carolina startup Pairwise revealed it is working on fully transparent gene-editing techniques. It aims to increase the appeal of fruits and vegetables by removing the elements that consumers are put off by. Eventually, this could include pitless cherries, seedless fruits and blackberries grown without thorns. Initially, CRISPR technology is being used to harness the potential of mustard greens as an alternative to arugula or spinach. Pairwise secured $90 million in a Series B raise last February for continued platform growth.
Lab-grown, cultured, cell-based – all these terms refer to cultivated meat, whereby animal flesh or byproducts are produced without any animal killing. And no, we aren’t talking about plant-based alternatives such as Beyond Meat or Omnipork. We’re talking about actual animal flesh grown inside bioreactors using cellular agriculture and tissue engineering instead of traditional animal livestock farming methods. For some, this might feel like science fiction, but dozens of companies (including a fair few in Asia) are already working to bring this technology to market within a couple of years so it’s time to get educated about this new sector of food technology. Here’s a rundown of reasons why food scientists and environmentalists are bullish on cultivated meat and its potential to bring about a healthier, safer and more sustainable food system.
1. It’s slaughter-free
Growing meat from cells means that no animal needs to be slaughtered to end up on your plate as a meal. Every year, around 70 billion animals are reared for food, the majority of which are in industrial farms where they live in cramped, dirty and inhumane conditions. Every day, 5 million animals are exposed to cruelty and added risks in transit to new countries via land and sea journeys that can span weeks. Whether they are funnelled into the global live animal trade or slaughtered locally, animals reared for food have to face a violent end to their lives.
Cultivated meat does not require the slaughter of animals, it is instead grown in laboratories using cells taken from an animal, using a small biopsy done under anaesthesia, and does not subject the animal to cruelty or violence, though it does mean that it is not suitable for vegans as it is still an animal-derived product. And cells from a single cow can produce as many as 175 million quarter pounders – far more than the 440,000 cows needed using traditional farming methods to produce the same amount.
2. It’s hormone-free
Given that it is grown in a clean laboratory environment, cultivated meats are also free from any artificial growth hormones that are typically used in the conventional meat industry to make livestock grow and gain weight faster. Synthetic oestrogen and testosterone are the most common hormones used in livestock and in dairy cows, and while industry-funded studies show no risk, there are independent studies that suggest a link between injected hormones and cancer. Since they don’t require any hormones, lab-grown versions are therefore safer for human consumption and do not come at the added hormone-related risks.
3. It’s antibiotic-free
All cultivated meats are produced in a sterile environment, which means that they do not require antibiotics either. Slaughterhouses are the opposite – industrial animal farms pack livestock into cramped, dirty conditions that are hotbeds for contamination. Some cases have led to foodborne illnesses amongst consumers, more serious outbreaks of diseases have created mass chaos such as the recent African swine fever that wiped out pork supplies across Asia and multiple avian influenza outbreaks that have affected chickens and other birds in the past years.
As the demand for meat continues to grow globally, so has the use of antibiotics in the animal meat industry. The overuse of antibiotics to prevent animals from getting sick is so rampant in the industry that to date, over 80% of all produced antibiotics is sold to livestock farms, according to the FDA. Experts have long warned that this is leading to the rise of antibiotic resistant superbugs, with a 2019 study a tripling of the occurrence of antibiotic resistance in disease-causing bacteria in livestock between 2000 and 2018.
Factory farms and slaughterhouses use antibiotics to prevent animals from getting sick in unsanitary conditions (Image Source: Dreamstime)
4. It supports local food production
Because cultivated meat facilities and bioreactors can be built virtually everywhere, it means that meat does not need to be transported from one continent to another. Grown indoors in controlled lab environments, it means that outdoor weather, temperature, land availability are all factors that are unimportant when it comes to this alternative source of protein, providing stable income to local communities and ensuring a resilient supply of protein, not to mention the big savings on transport emissions.
5. It bolsters food security
One major thing that the coronavirus pandemic exposed is the vulnerability of our global food supply chains. With lockdowns, travel bans and export restrictions to curb the spread of the virus came a massive supply shock of many staple foods, from wheat flour to fresh produce and of course, meat.
Food security is top of mind for many countries that are now exposed to the supply chain breakdown from coronavirus and are vulnerable to the climate crisis. Singapore, for instance, launched a SDG 30 million (US$21 million) fund dedicated to bolster local food production to provide a buffer in event of food supply shocks, with a great portion of the money going to support cultivated food techs that can produce local meat and seafood.
In addition to boosting self-sufficiency, locally grown meat will also slash carbon emissions from reducing transportation routes.
6. It requires far fewer carbon emissions (up to 96%)
On the topic of carbon emissions, cultivated protein also contributes a fraction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional meat. According to the United Nations FAO, animal agriculture alone generates 18% of global greenhouse gases – making it one of the leading causes of the climate crisis. It isn’t just the enormous resources that make raising livestock so carbon-hefty, but the methane emissions due to cows and their manure, which is anywhere from 20 to 30 times more potent and heat-trapping than carbon dioxide.
By contrast, cultivated meats can produce up to 96% fewer greenhouse gas emissions. While growing meat in labs will require significant amounts of energy, one study from the University of Oxford found that if facilities were powered by clean energy rather than fossil fuels, there are clear climate benefits to be reaped.
7. It requires a lot less land
Cultivated meat requires less land to produce. The world already uses the majority of arable farmland for livestock rearing – yet meat demand continues to rise due to rapid urbanisation and population growth. By 2050, we could be looking at a global population of 10 million, with demand for protein anywhere from 70% to 100% higher than today’s levels, according to the United Nations FAO.
Farmers are already being pushed to deliberately set forest fires, causing mass deforestation of rainforests, for more land to farm animals. Last year, large parts of the Amazon rainforest – one of the planet’s few remaining carbon-absorption tools against global heating – had been cleared to raise cows. In turn, this has led to mass loss of biodiversity, with estimates saying we could be losing 50,000 plant, animal and insect species every single year.
Performed in a closed system in indoor labs, it is projected that cultured meat production will use up to 99% less land than the current animal agriculture.
8. It’s feed-free
Another reason why animal agriculture uses vast amounts of land is feed cultivation. Cattle pasture is usually replaced by soy cultivation in order to grow enough feed for livestock. Recent deforestation in Brazil was fuelled by a cycle of soy-cattle-pasture-deforestation cycle that stimulated the need for further land clearing. It’s also happening in other neighbouring countries, including northern Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay. With more and more rainforest being lost, the hope of keeping global heating at manageable levels is becoming less likely – unless we change the way meat is produced. When both livestock feed and grazing is accounted for, traditional meat production takes up almost half (45%) of the world’s total arable land.
Wildfires in the Amazon rainforest in 2019. (Image Source: AFP)
9. It saves a lot of water (compared to traditional ag)
Cultivated meat requires far less water to manufacture. Water scarcity is already a global issue, with the World Resources Institute (WRI) finding that a quarter of the world’s population across 17 countries are already suffering from extreme levels of high water stress due to the climate crisis and water contamination. Scientists doubled down on the warnings of water scarcity in 2020, with experts from the United Nations finding that poor water infrastructure is putting countries at a bigger health risk than the coronavirus pandemic.
In the UN report, the scientists said that water efficiency could be significantly improved if current agricultural farming methods changed. Using conventional animal farming, a single quarter pounder beef patty requires 5900 litres of water to produce – cultivated protein, by comparison, could reduce this by a whopping 96 percent.
To add to the issue of water usage, traditional animal livestock farming pollutes waterways too – runoff from pesticides and fertilisers can also flow into waterways, reaching oceans to harm marine ecosystems.
10. It’s cheaper
While cultured meat companies will still need to overcome a few technological and regulatory hurdles before large-scale production can be achieved, most industry experts do believe that it will reach price parity or even undercut the price of conventionally produced meats. Dutch food tech Mosa Meat, for instance, managed to produce a small scale burger back in 2013 for US$280,000, but believe that within the next two years, as the technology matures and production scales up, the cost of a lab-grown hamburger is projected to be as low as US$10. Upside Foods, another food tech company based in California, is hoping to lower the cost of a single lab-grown burger patty down to US$5 within the next couple of years, while Israel-based Future Meat Technologies believes that they can reduce the cost to an impressive $2.30 to $4.50 by the end of the decade. Once the price becomes accessible and achieves parity with industrially reared meat (whose costs are predicted to rise over the next few years), it’s all systems go the ultimate in cruelty-free animal protein.
(@kel_eats_chicago)
