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Category: Future Foods

  • Govt-Backed Report Shows How Finland Can Build A €1B Future Food Economy

    finland cellular agriculture
    6 Mins Read

    Finland is well-placed to become a cellular agriculture leader, with its export potential set to reach €1B in the next decade – but funding and regulation challenges must be addressed.

    In a decade’s time, cultivated meat, cell-based cocoa, and carbon-derived proteins could amount to €1B in export value in Finland, according to a government-commissioned report.

    The country’s natural resources and biotech expertise leave it on the cusp of becoming a global leader in the cellular agriculture field, which involves the use of microbial, plant and animal cell cultures to produce proteins, fats, coffee and cocoa (among other products) in bioreactors.

    While a majority of young adults in Finland (83%) have a positive or neutral attitude towards new technologies in food production, there are several challenges that the ecosystem needs to address before it can reach its market potential, according to researchers at the VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, the Natural Resources Institute Finland, and University of Helsinki.

    Commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Business Finland, the experts lay out a policy roadmap to help Finland become a leader in this sector.

    Finland’s future food system will blend cellular and traditional agriculture

    vtt finland
    Courtesy: VTT

    The country is already home to food tech leaders like Solar Foods (maker of Solein gas protein), Onego Bio (which makes egg proteins via precision fermentation), and Enifer (producer of Pekilo mycoprotein).

    “One of Finland’s biggest challenges currently is the lack of capital, which limits the growth opportunities of cellular agriculture,” said VTT’s Emilia Nordlund, who led the study. “Building production facilities requires large investments, and success will not come without government support to accelerate investments and realise venture capital investments.”

    The nation is home to a variety of carbohydrate-rich side streams like straw, sawdust, wood chips, and grass biomass, which could be utilised as feedstocks for cellular agriculture. For instance, if more than half of the straw were used as a sugar source for microbes, the amount of food produced would be enough to meet the annual protein needs of the population.

    “The future food system will be based on the interplay between modern agriculture and cellular agriculture, utilising circular economy solutions,” said Päivi Nerg, state secretary from the agriculture ministry. “We must identify the necessary change paths and ensure that measures consider the entire chain, from farmers to consumers and other stakeholders.”

    Teija Lahti-Nuuttila, executive director of Business Finland, added: “Finnish companies should recognise their strengths as part of emerging new value networks and build their competitiveness in the long term together with research organisations. Business Finland is already currently funding ambitious cellular agriculture RDI projects, so there is no need to wait for a separate programme.”

    The researchers have come up with an eight-point plan to tackle the bottlenecks of Finland’s cellular agriculture industry and fulfil the estimated annual export value of €500M to €1B by 2035.

    1) Ramp up major infrastructure investments

    The report states that the country needs an action plan to increase venture capital funding and attract international investor interest, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises. The public sector can “provide support that signals the realisation of private financing”.

    Infrastructure investments are critical to enabling new value chains, and the government is being urged to create risk financing and loan instruments to enable factory financing.

    onego bio
    Courtesy: Timo Kauppila/Onego Bio

    2) Ease EU novel food regulation

    One of the biggets bottlenecks for the cellular agriculture industry concerns regulation – the EU’s novel food stringent framework has “significantly” slowed progress and left it playing catch-up with other markets. The report suggests setting up an office in Finland to support startups with the novel food process through advice and financial backing.

    This office would actively influence the EU to expedite and ease the adoption of novel technologies, something that Finnish policymakers must support. Reviewing agricultural subsidies is also key, since these novel food technologies aren’t covered by any EU subsidies yet.

    3) Build a €100M R&D programme

    Finland should introduce a five-year, €100M R&D programme that would produce future food innovations, making use of the nation’s technological expertise and abundant natural resources.

    The multidisciplinary initiative would ensure the development of value chains at the regional level too, while facilitating long-term development and economic growth. In addition, it will help the country achieve its target of increasing R&D spending to 4% of the GDP.

    solar foods factory 01
    Courtesy: Solar Foods

    4) Establish a future food ministry

    The researchers propose creating a joint working group or organisation of ministries to develop the future food system, support the R&D programme, and promote cross-sector collaboration. This Ministry of Future Food would enable a broad perspective for a common goal to develop both conventional and cellular agriculture, boost the value chain, and enable competitiveness.

    Another solution would be to establish a food innovation centre that would take overall responsibility for the implementation of R&D activities, including political decisions.

    5) Expand education to secure future experts

    While Finland has a sufficient knowledge base, the critical mass is not enough – there should be closer cooperation between education and training organisations to produce experts for the food sector. The report says it is “critical” that the number of industrial biotech experts increases in Finland.

    The government’s Growth Programme goal to increase food experts also requires training people about exports. Education programmes focused on future solutions can enable the internationalisation of an expert corps in the country. The talent environment should embrace even those with limited proficiency in Finnish.

    coffee climate change
    Courtesy: Vesa Kippola

    6) Conduct public tastings to educate consumers

    The report calls for the spread of “strong and inspiring stories” about the future food system to enhance consumer knowledge and acceptance. One way to do this would be to create a ‘showroom’ to present novel foods and provide examples of how cellular agriculture can work in tandem with conventional farming.

    Moreover, Finland should follow the lead of European states like the Netherlands to allow public tastings of these foods before they go through the lengthy approval process – the government needs to create a national model to enable these events, which would increase the industry’s chances of success and dispel any prejudices from consumers.

    7) Incorporate primary production in the novel food industry

    Finland’s rich feedstock supply can help the cellular agriculture industry, though there are challenges with production, processing, storage, and logistics. This is why cooperating with primary producers is crucial – for them, this industry can open up new business opportunities. According to the report, business models and practical trials need to be developed to create this value for primary producers.

    Further, the opportunities for cooperation can strengthen the role of agricultural entrepreneurs and the financial profitability of farms when underutilised feedstocks are converted into a business.

    finland future foods
    Courtesy: VTT

    8) Target export support functions for cell-based food

    While local production and related product exports are key to the growth and export potential of cellular agriculture in Finland, the equipment and technology exports, IP licensing, and value chains and factories built by Finnish companies overseas can play a crucial role too.

    Given that this is a young, startup-driven market with a wide range of opportunities, export support functions should be built specifically to meet the needs of the sector to ensure that growth is effectively enabled.

    The post Govt-Backed Report Shows How Finland Can Build A €1B Future Food Economy appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Could This Be the Holy Grail of Cultivated Meat?

    lab grown chicken nuggets
    4 Mins Read

    Researchers in Japan say they’ve reached a “breakthrough” in tissue engineering that could open up “transformative opportunities” for cultivated meat production.

    To solve one of cultivated meat’s biggest challenges, scientists have resorted to the circulatory system.

    The same way blood vessels carry nutrients and oxygen to cells to help animals grow, scientists from the University of Tokyo have devised a “breakthrough” method to deliver these nutrients to artificial tissue, making it possible to grow whole cuts of cultivated meat, the holy grail for the future food industry.

    Currently, most production methods can only render tiny pieces of cultivated meat (akin to mince), which are then assembled into a larger product via edible scaffolds, or combined with plant-based binders and ingredients to form a whole piece.

    The problem lies in the random distribution of hollow fibres, which prevents uniform nutrient delivery and hinders tissue quality. Shoji Takeuchi and his colleagues have come up with what they say is a “scalable, top-down strategy” for producing whole cuts of cultivated meat using a perfusable hollow fibre bioreactor.

    Could this be the future of cultivated meat?

    whole cut lab grown meat
    Courtesy: Shoji Takeuchi

    The study, published in the Trends in Biotechnology journal, explained that getting enough oxygen and nutrients to the cells in the centre of thick tissues is a major hurdle. Diffusion alone can’t sustain cells across considerable distances.

    To overcome that, the researchers developed a bioreactor equipped with an array of semi-permeable hollow fibres that function as artificial circulation systems, which ensured uniform nutrient distribution throughout the tissue.

    “We’re using semipermeable hollow fibres, which mimic blood vessels in their ability to deliver nutrients to the tissues,” said Takeuchi.

    “These fibres are already commonly used in household water filters and dialysis machines for patients with kidney disease. It’s exciting to discover that these tiny fibres can also effectively help create artificial tissues and, possibly, whole organs in the future,” he added.

    “We overcame the challenge of achieving perfusion across thick tissues by arranging hollow fibres with microscale precision,” Takeuchi says.

    Tissues without an integrated circular system have generally been limited to a thickness of less than 1mm, but this new method allowed the scientists to produce a 2cm thick piece of chicken muscle that was several centimetres long and wide. Made using chicken fibroblast cells, which make up connective tisuse, the meat weighed 11g, and was about the size of a chicken nugget.

    Further, the hollow fibre bioreactor had microfabricated anchors to promote cell alignment. And when using active perfusion, the chicken muscle tissue showcased higher protein expression and improved taste and texture.

    Many obstacles to overcome

    hollow fiber bioreactors
    Courtesy: Shoji Takeuchi

    “Cultured meat offers a sustainable, ethical alternative to conventional meat,” said Takeuchi. “However, replicating the texture and taste of whole-cut meat remains difficult. Our technology enables the production of structured meat with improved texture and flavour, potentially accelerating its commercial viability.”

    Speaking of which, there’s still a lot to do and a long way to go before this production method can scale up and make cultivated meat fit for our plates.

    There are several reasons why. The hollow fibres are not edible and must be pulled from the meat by hand, so the team is working on automating their removal or replacing them with edible cellulose fibres that can be left in and fine-tune the texture of the meat.

    In terms of scaling up, as the tissue size increases, ensuring a sufficient oxygen supply becomes more challenging. So future versions of the bioreactor may need artificial blood to help carry more oxygen to cells and grow larger pieces of cultivated meat.

    The researchers used cells cultured in a medium containing animal serum too, which is expensive and raises ethical concerns. To commercialise the product, the team would likely need to use plant-derived collagen and serum-free culture media, something many companies are already doing.

    “Alongside solving these technological issues, regulatory challenges must also be addressed, including the approval of materials and processes for food production by relevant authorities, such as the FDA or European Food Safety Authority,” the study noted. “In addition, fostering a culture that embraces new foods is essential for the acceptance of cultured meat products by the public.”

    Speaking to the Guardian, Takeuchi said with enough funding, products made using this approach could be available in five to 10 years. “At first, it will likely be more expensive than conventional chicken, mainly due to material and production costs,” he said. “However, we are actively developing food-grade, scalable systems, and if successful, we expect the cost to decrease substantially over time.”

    The post Could This Be the Holy Grail of Cultivated Meat? appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • EU Climate Agency: Alternative Proteins Are Inevitable for Future Food Security

    eu future foods
    6 Mins Read

    What will the food system look like in 2025? According to the EU, meat will give way to plants and novel proteins, no matter how things end up.

    The EU’s production and consumption patterns require “fundamental changes” to reach its sustainable living vision for 2050, its environmental arm has said.

    The European Environment Agency’s (EEA) new foresight report looks at how the region can futureproof its food, mobility and energy systems, in line with its agenda of “living well, within environmental limits” by 2050.

    Its predictions of what society would look like in 2050 are based on four imagined futures – or “imaginaries” – developed by the EEA and its Eionet network, each a distinct pathway shaped by societal drivers, governance models and technological roles.

    eea imaginaries
    Courtesy: European Environment Agency

    In ‘Technocracy for the common good’, national governments drive the sustainability shift as liberalised markets get blamed for decades of socio-environmental problems, supported by the unprecedented monitoring capabilities of the IT sector.

    The ‘Unity in adversity’ pathway is driven by recurrent climate disasters, geopolitical tensions and financial shocks, empowering the EU to use stringent, top-down regulatory measures to set rigorous economic boundaries. Here, industry plays a subservient role.

    In the third scenario, ‘The great decoupling’, innovative businesses are the central actors, with their bioeconomy and tech breakthroughs enabling the decoupling of economic growth from environmental harms.

    And finally, the ‘Ectopia’ imaginary combines climate change, growth scepticism, government distrust, and the desire to live in harmony to empower civil society stakeholders to lead a shift in collective action, as consumption and resource use scale back notably.

    Each of these scenarios offers different ways for Europeans to meet the 2050 goal – though some solutions are common across all four futures. Alternative proteins – whether plant-based, cell-cultivated, or fermentation-derived – are one of them.

    Here’s how the protein industry would fare 25 years from today, according to the EEA.

    Technocracy for the common good

    lab grown meat europe
    Courtesy: European Environment Agency

    Under this scenario, national governments use dynamic food pricing to reflect the health and environmental costs of products – think carbon taxes on meat, as in Denmark starting 2030 – with the aim of nudging consumers towards healthier dietary choices. In fact, nutrition plays a bigger role than taste and food culture.

    People are eating cultivated meat, as well as biofermented proteins, which the EEA describes as extracted from “bio-based residual resources”. In contrast, animal-based nutrition is “marginal”.

    Policymakers prioritise health and the environment over individual preferences. Digitally implemented dynamic food pricing provides an effective monetary incentive for such diets and guarantees that people can always afford to purchase healthy food no matter their economic situation.

    Meanwhile, Europeans increasingly eat food produced in bulk at biorefineries, with exotic food consumption now a celebrated ritual for those who can afford it.

    Unity in adversity

    eu food strategy
    Courtesy: European Environment Agency

    Here, all food production is controlled by the EU and local authorities, which are pushing for the integration of agroforestry, agricultural drones, and low-methane livestock diets.

    The production of meat alternatives has reached industrial scale to support food security, and these technologies are highly regulated by EU institutions to monitor food safety, environmental impacts, resource allocation, and responsible and ethical research and production.

    A large amount of food is produced within Europe, resulting in more seasonal diets and a reliance on fermented products. Alternative proteins, including algae-derived proteins and plant-based dairy, are subsidised and play a key role in nutrition security.

    Meanwhile, at the societal level, dietary choices are influenced by a broader culture shift and policy instruments like taxes, subsidies and carbon pricing, all in favour of organic, low-carbon and local products. This ‘imaginary’ also involves “very little food waste”, amid incentives to reduce waste in both processing and retail.

    The great decoupling

    future food eu
    Courtesy: European Environment Agency

    With biotech giants dominating the agriculture sector, this imaginary sees a highly efficient, circular bioeconomy. Agriculture is used for carbon sequestration, and tech-enabled productivity gains and organic farming come to the fore.

    However, the large multinationals control much of the food system and fiercely compete for scarce resources like water and minerals, with less of a focus on healthy food.

    That said, policies promote pricing incentives to “shift dietary choices away from emissions-intense animal products” while wild-caught meat is severely limited in availability. Meat alternatives are developed at an industrial level from protein-packed pulses and algae, which are cheap.

    A growing number of Europeans are eating cell-cultured superfoods made from a customised composition. “Due to a strong market orientation, standards, monitoring and control systems are seldomly regulated by the state and are only harmonised across Europe in particularly critical areas,” the EEA predicts.

    Ecotopia

    eu alternative proteins
    Courtesy: European Environment Agency

    In a consumer-influenced food landscape, production has shifted to closed-loop systems on small-scale, cooperative farms and urban areas that prioritise integration with natural systems, dominated by organic farming, agroecology, and virtually no pesticide and fertiliser use.

    Many European citizens have become “prosumers”, producing some of their own food, while food value chains are shorter, localised, seasonal, less processed, and plant-based. These attributes can be seen in products beyond just supermarkets.

    With consumers wanting to connect with their food and how it’s produced, nutrition has become a cornerstone of life. The dietary shift away from animal products is motivated by ethical and ecological concerns, too, with EU citizens prioritising plant-based, legume-rich diets to reduce diet-related health problems and cut emissions.

    While the desire for “highly processed food” is scarce, non-sustainable foods are extremely expensive due to taxes, making sustainable products the more affordable alternative.

    Is the EU making progress on these goals?

    eu future foods
    Courtesy: European Environment Agency

    Agriculture is responsible for 11% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions, and 81-86% of these come from livestock. That’s despite animal-based foods only providing 35% of calories and 65% of proteins in the region.

    The meat and dairy sector is heavily subsidised, receiving four times as much public money as plant-based farming and around 82% of the subsidies under the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).

    It explains why there have been growing calls – from doctors, consumer groups, food giants, and even farmers – for the EU to transform its protein supply towards planet-friendly sources.

    “Across all imaginaries, a dietary shift from animal-based to plant-based foods is seen as an important strategy to reduce overall GHG emissions and resource use across the food system,” the EEA notes in its report, adding that the transition towards alternative proteins is seen as an opportunity to “decarbonise the food system, innovate across the food supply chain, and contribute to food security”.

    The EU has been heavily criticised for its failure to deliver on its Farm to Fork strategy, with its new agrifood vision – unveiled in February – labelled as “the death” of that environmental vision.

    In a potentially positive sign, agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen has answered calls to create a protein diversification strategy, promising a “holistic approach” that would encompass both protein production and consumption and diversify the imports of plant-based protein to boost food security.

    Anna Strolenberg, a member of the EU Parliament and a key voice behind this push, has called for more concrete steps and a timeline. She told Green Queen that “there is real momentum to take further steps”, with the upcoming CAP reform providing an opportunity to support farmers to adopt new protein crops.

    “This can help de-risk investments in new production methods and crops,” she said. “If the strategy also includes measures to develop value chains and expand consumer choices, we believe it has the potential to become a real success.”

    The post EU Climate Agency: Alternative Proteins Are Inevitable for Future Food Security appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Europe Is Now A Global Food Tech Leader, As Sustainable Protein Investments Soar

    planet a foods
    5 Mins Read

    European future food startups saw a 25% boost in funding in 2024, making the region a global leader in the space – but economic uncertainty is keeping investors cautious this year.

    While US tariffs keep business leaders and investors on their toes this year, 2024 was a bright spot for the food tech ecosystem in Europe.

    Companies in this space attracted €4.1B, only a 2% decline from the €4.2B they raised in 2023. After a 57% drop from the highs of 2021 (compared to a 72% decline globally), investments are finally stabilising in the region, according to research by Paris-based food tech consultancy DigitalFoodLab for the eighth edition of its State of the European FoodTech Ecosystem report.

    The firm suggests that 28% of global food tech funding flowed into startups originating from Europe in 2024, thanks in large part to the food delivery (accounting for a third of the total) and food science (30%) verticals. The latter includes alternative proteins like plant-based milk and cultivated meat, as well as climate-friendly foods like cocoa-free chocolate and beanless coffee.

    Future food leads Europe’s charge

    alternative protein funding
    Courtesy: DigitalFoodLab

    When it came to deal count, alternative proteins were the most well-funded subcategory in Europe last year. And even in terms of the capital invested, this category ranked second, behind only “new retailers”.

    Globally, alternative proteins secured 27% less financing in 2024, according to separate research – though when combined with other climate-friendly innovations in chocolate, coffee and fats, this future food sector saw a 25% hike in investments last year, reaching €830M. That means they account for about a fifth of all food tech funding in the region.

    “Europe was the most attractive region for alternative protein in 2024,” says Matthieu Vincent, co-founder of DigitalFoodLab, citing the firm’s unpublished data on other markets. This is despite the EU being host to a “more complicated regulatory framework” for novel foods.

    Some of the leading examples include Formo’s $61M Series B round, Infinite Roots’s $58M Series B funding, Onego Bio’s raise of $55M over two rounds, Heura’s $43M Series B round, and Mosa Meat’s $42M round.

    formo frischhain
    Courtesy: Formo

    “We have observed a surge in the number of grants and research programmes funded by the EU and the UK, which firmly position themselves to compete and have a leading role in the burgeoning bioeconomy,” the report notes. In fact, European research funding for alternative proteins reached an all-time high of €290M in 2024, according to the Good Food Institute Europe.

    Vincent ascribes the future food success in Europe to a “focus on specific areas that have done extremely well this year, notably alternative chocolate and coffee”. Germany’s Planet A Foods, for example, closed a $30M Series B round in December to scale its cocoa-free ChoViva chocolate.

    “European startups have always skewed a bit more toward B2B, [and] hence healthy ingredients, which are also doing quite well in comparison to B2C-focused alternative proteins,” says Vincent. “It confirms the main trends of the ecosystem: more B2B, a focus on health, and on supply chain solutions, rather than on new brands.”

    Tariffs and economic uncertainty are a blight for European food tech

    europe food tech funding
    Courtesy: DigitalFoodLab

    DigitalFoodLab’s report found that German startups lead investments in the food science category, which includes pet food, beverages, CPG firms, and cloud kitchens, in addition to functional ingredients and alternative proteins. They made up a fifth of the category’s total investment, reaching €250M.

    This was closely followed by the UK (€240M), and then France (€130M), Switzerland, and Finland (€110M each). This mirrored the trend across the food tech ecosystem, with strong performances in Germany, the Netherlands, and the Nordic countries.

    The main reason why these countries have attracted investment is that they already have “large consumer markets interested in these products”, according to Vincent.

    “Lagging behind is all the rest of Europe, notably the southern part, where investment in alternative proteins is much more modest,” he points out.

    future foods europe
    Courtesy: DigitalFoodLab

    The global economy faces a huge threat with the arrival of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which have plunged every industry into chaos. While things are changing on an almost daily basis, the EU was slapped with a 20% tariff before Trump’s 90-day pause on most such levies a day later.

    However, talks between the bloc and the US are not going smoothly, raising fears of higher tariff rates for EU member states. Food tech investors are already advising founders to exercise caution, and for Vincent’s money, Europe’s progress from last year may be undone.

    “I would have been much more certain about the direction a month or two ago. Now, things look very uncertain with the current economic situation, which is also impacting investments in food tech,” he says. “Uncertainties combined with a declined appetite for sustainability won’t be good for the European ecosystem.”

    He adds: “At the start of the year, I would have predicted a stable year with neither a bounceback nor a decline. Now, as far as I can see, the year will be tough, with probably a decline in funding, at least for the first half of the year, while investors wait to see where things are going.”

    The post Europe Is Now A Global Food Tech Leader, As Sustainable Protein Investments Soar appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • 5 Minutes with A Future Food VC: Solvable Syndicate’s Steve Simitzis

    steve simitzis
    5 Mins Read

    In our interview series, we quiz future food investors about the solutions that excite them the most, their favourite climate-forward restaurant, and what they look for in successful founders.

    Steve Simitzis is a Partner at Solvable Syndicate.

    What future food technologies most excite you?

    Contrary to the doom and gloom, I’m most excited by cellular agriculture and cultivated meat. The crash in funding has, in my opinion, been a good thing for the space, as it’s refocusing founders on building real businesses with B2B customers in mind (meat producers, pet food manufacturers, etc.) without impossible valuations hanging over their heads.

    Where I’m most interested is at pre-seed and seed level, where founders are inventing high-leverage technologies to reduce costs. Keep a close eye on the Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture, which is building a new ecosystem around cell ag and, I expect, will have the next wave of breakout companies.

    What are three future food verticals you are actively looking at for 2025?

    1. Enabling technologies for cellular agriculture and bioprocessing that reduce costs.
    2. Pet food! Always looking at pet food.
    3. Future food replacements for ingredients, especially pigments and dyes, that have broad applications across food, beauty, nutraceuticals, textiles, etc.

    What do you consider the food tech sector’s greatest achievement in the past five years?

    The achievement of plant-based milk reaching almost half of US households is something I could never have imagined in a million years. I went to a Starbucks in southeast Missouri and had my choice of soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk. Seriously, that’s incredible.

    If you could wave a magic wand, how would you fix plant-based meat?

    By getting costs down to cheaper than animal-based meat. We could be headed in that direction already: startups are engineering new ways to drive down costs (Rebellyous Foods is leading the way here), while from the other end, pandemics and supply shocks are raising costs for animal proteins. Once they meet in the middle, that’s the tipping point.

    Sales growth of vegan egg alternatives during the egg crisis has me convinced that food inflation is the central villain in the story of plant-based. It’s a rational choice: why pay 5x for a plant-based alternative when your grocery bill is rising? You’re going to cut the most expensive products first. Let’s make tastier and healthier products where we can, but without fixing the cost of goods sold, only vegans are buying them.

    The other force at work, unfortunately, is the rise of trad culture, which is leading people to dangerous choices like carnivore diets and raw milk. So if I can be granted a second magic wand, it would be for America to re-embrace modern civilisation.

    What’s the top trait you look for in a founder?

    I love founders who are obsessed with the problem they’ve set out to solve. When you’re problem-obsessed, you’ll want to keep digging deeper and deeper into your problem, and you’ll never give up until you solve it. I would say that tenacity and curiosity are the top founder traits that are downstream from being problem-obsessed.

    I also look for founders who embrace work-life balance, even as they’re thinking about their startup 24/7. (Still problem-obsessed!) I don’t think anyone is more effective without good sleep, food, exercise, and time spent caring for the people and animals in your life. If I sense that a founder is neglecting those (and there’s always a tell), they are, to me, not investable.

    The One That Got Away: What is the deal you wish you had gotten into, but didn’t?

    A startup from our old incubator in Berkeley. I had the opportunity to invest, but public markets were tanking and I was hesitant to pull out cash.

    What do you consider your most successful future food investment so far?

    It’s still too early to claim winners, but I’m very excited about Omni Pet, who just received investment and exposure on Dragons’ Den UK, and has had exceptional growth over the last two years. Great product, great founders, what’s not to love?

    What has been your most disappointing investment so far?

    Back in 2000, I invested in a bottled tea company based in Santa Cruz that was right at the beginning of yerba mate as a new beverage category in the US. Product and timing were perfect, but the team fell apart due to co-founder infighting.

    What do people misunderstand/get wrong most about VC?

    Founders should deep dive into venture economics and how VC funds work (and where the capital comes from) to understand all of the incentives at play. Once you learn about the mechanics of venture funds, you start to see what kind of businesses aren’t a fit for venture capital, and more importantly, you’ll understand why.

    What is the most ‘future food’ thing you have eaten this month?

    I was lucky enough to try the Mission Barns meatballs and salami, made with cultivated fat, at its FDA approval party during Future Food-Tech week. It was delicious and tasted like a real meatball without that uncanny valley experience you sometimes get with alternatives.

    Even though I’ve been vegan for decades, the food you eat in childhood still resonates with you and unlocks old memories when you taste it again, and the Mission Barns meatballs were 100% future nostalgia.

    Where is your favourite climate-forward restaurant/dish/place to eat anywhere in the world?

    I would consider moving to Zurich just to eat at Hiltl every night. It claims to be the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world (since 1898, but who can say if Pythagoras wasn’t running a bistro on the side?).

    The food at Hiltl is served buffet-style, so you never run out of new flavours to sample. I still think about their cremeschnitte, which was fully plant-based yet had the most delicate puffy pastry and custard. A triumph of a dessert.

    What’s your ‘why’? What motivates you to do what you do?

    I have been vegan for almost 30 years. I originally went vegan for the animals, in the OG days of brown soy milk and TVP (which, to be clear, I still eat and love).

    Over time, I thought more and more about food system transformation, and the absurdity of using most of our land to raise cows. The wildfires here in the Bay Area that tore through forests around 2018-20 were deeply unsettling, and I wasn’t able to stop thinking about the destruction of habitats for the animals who lived in those forests. So, the fires cemented for me that this would become my life’s work.

    At one point I considered going into climatetech (back when it was “clean tech”), but I connect with food more than power grids and heat pumps. Food is so fundamental, and everyone (and every culture) connects with it in a different way. We’ll never run out of problems to solve in food, which is what makes it such an endlessly interesting space to be in.

    The post 5 Minutes with A Future Food VC: Solvable Syndicate’s Steve Simitzis appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • As Consumers Cool on Plant-Based Meat, Can New Product Formats Reinvent the Category?

    revo foods prime cut
    5 Mins Read

    With sales of meat analogues continuing to drop, some plant-based companies are moving away from replication and betting on new product formats. Revo Foods is one of them.

    “The plant-based industry had a dogma that if you replicate meat 100%, consumers will come, and I don’t think this is true anymore.”

    Those were the thoughts of Robin Simsa two weeks ago. He is the founder of Austrian vegan seafood maker Revo Foods. People care less about a one-to-one replica, and instead want a good protein source prepared in an attractive way.

    Simsa was speaking to Green Queen to mark the launch of the startup’s newest product, El Blanco – Inspired by Black Cod, made with mycoprotein, fermentation, and 3D printing.

    But his words were also a sign of what was to come. Today, the firm has introduced The Prime Cut, described as a “new class of performance nutrition that doesn’t try to imitate meat – and doesn’t need to”.

    “We believe the next generation of food shouldn’t be about replacement – it should be about enhancement,” says Niccolò Galizzi, head of food tech at Revo Foods.

    The startup is diving head-first into the consumer demand for functional foods, in a landscape where Europeans are becoming less trusting of the food system. For alternative protein players, can a shift in thinking be replicated in their customers too?

    3d printed plant based meat
    Courtesy: Revo Foods

    Plant-Based 3.0 is about nutrition, not replication

    The Prime Cut marks a departure from Revo Foods’s lineup of seafood analogues – and, for that matter, the lineup of most meat-free companies.

    “Most plant-based products still live in a ‘meat vs vegan’ world. We wanted to move beyond that, by stopping to copy and start creating,” explains Galizzi. “The Prime Cut isn’t here to replace steak – it’s built to fuel people who want to live longer, think clearer, and move better.”

    It labels the innovation as the first product of the Plant-Based 3.0 generation, designed with targeted nutrition in mind, instead of a focus on mimicking animal protein. This is despite a survey of 7,800 Europeans last year revealing that taste is the most important factor when it comes to their daily food choices, cited by 87% of respondents.

    Health wasn’t far behind though, with 81% of consumers finding it important. That said, this attribute is more critical for flexitarians (28% of whom called it an influential factor in their food choices) than omnivores (20%).

    This bodes well for Revo Foods, which says The Prime Cut isn’t intended for vegans or carnivores specifically, but “a third group” who are looking for foods that “help them perform better, live longer, and feel stronger”.

    plant based 3.0
    Courtesy: Revo Foods

    The shift towards healthy eating in Europe is being driven by Gen Z, 45% of whom say they want to buy more healthy food this year, and one in three are willing to pay a premium for such products. But what does healthy mean to them? According to McKinsey, high protein and low calories.

    The Prime Cut contains 8g of protein per 100g, and an identical amount of fibre. This will appeal to the 30% of Europeans who would like to eat more protein, and 38% who want to increase their fibre intake.

    Aside from the high protein and fibre content, Revo Foods is also focusing on micronutrients. Thanks to microalgae oil, the new product covers the daily recommended intake of omega-3 fatty acids, while also containing folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.

    A wider shift towards functional plant-based foods

    These nutrients are preserved through Revo Foods’s patented 3D extrusion process, which eschews the high-heat treatment common in other food manufacturing methods. The use of mycoprotein, meanwhile, provides the natural umami flavour consumers desire even in health-first products.

    Only a third (35%) of Europeans feel fermented and plant-based products like Revo Foods’s products contribute positively to their health, while 28% feel the opposite. Their main complaints revolve around the use of additives and long ingredient lists (cited by 56% of respondents).

    The Prime Cut isn’t exactly what you’d call clean-label (compounded by the fact that the term doesn’t have an established definition) – it has over a dozen ingredients. But the company is leading with the health claims on the front of the packaging, highlighting the protein, fibre, vitamin, and omega-3 content to focus on “what the product delivers rather than what it avoids”.

    Retailing for €4.19 per 110g pack, it’s now available at Billa, Gurkerl.at, Kokku, Prokopp and other select retailers across Europe, with Revo Foods suggesting the product doesn’t belong in the traditional plant-based aisle – rather, it should be placed alongside functional foods like protein snacks or health supplements.

    whole food plant based diet
    Courtesy: Revo Foods

    It’s not the only plant-based meat or seafood company making this play. Cult-favourite British brand This has been teasing a new tofu-like “superfood” that would have more nutritional value than anything else currently available on the market. The product is set to launch later this month, at a time when tofu and tempeh are outpacing meat alternative sales.

    “As consumer awareness of environmental and ethical concerns surrounding meat consumption grows, we’re seeing continued interest in plant-based products, particularly with a lean towards health-focused choices and an ingredients list people recognise,” This CEO Mark Cuddigan told Sifted last year.

    This shift can be seen in the US too. New York-based Actual Veggies doubled its revenue in 2024 thanks to its line of plant-based burgers – but instead of mimicking meat, these put vegetables front and centre. It recently displaced a legacy veggie burger brand on the menu of Eurest, a corporate caterer that serves some of the country’s largest companies.

    “Actual Veggies isn’t trying to mimic meat. We’re celebrating vegetables,” co-founder and co-CEO Jason Rosenbaum told Green Queen. “People are looking for food made with real, recognisable ingredients – not ultra-processed meat alternatives… Whole-food plant-based options are no longer niche – they’re becoming the standard.”

    The post As Consumers Cool on Plant-Based Meat, Can New Product Formats Reinvent the Category? appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • French Startup to Create Recombinant Milk Proteins from Bel Group’s Whey Waste

    5 Mins Read

    Bel Group France has partnered with portfolio company Standing Ovation to upcycle its whey waste to produce precision-fermented casein proteins.

    What if waste from cow’s milk could help create next-generation dairy products?

    That’s exactly what French startup Standing Ovation is hoping to do. It has developed a method to transform acid whey – the dairy industry’s biggest waste product – into its precision fermentation process to make recombinant casein proteins.

    It will use whey serum supplied by dairy giant Bel Group (an investor in Standing Ovation), reducing food waste and contributing to the circular economy. Around 80-90% of milk that enters cheese manufacturing facilities ends up as whey. Globally, between 180 and 190 million tonnes of the liquid is produced annually.

    standing ovation funding
    Courtesy: Standing Ovation

    “Whey, a byproduct of the dairy industry, contains sugars such as lactose and galactose. These sugars are fermented using a proprietary process developed by Standing Ovation, resulting in the production of casein, the primary protein found in milk,” explains Standing Ovation co-founder and scientific director Romain Chayot. He adds that the industrial process is compatible with all types of whey.

    “Standing Ovation’s technology, combined with our cheese-making expertise, enables us to put this technological innovation into practice, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for imagining tomorrow’s recipes and products, combining nutritional quality, accessibility and responsibility,” adds Caroline Sorlin, director of investments and collaborations at Bel Group.

    Standing Ovation diversifies client base with whey process

    Precision fermentation combines the process of traditional fermentation with the latest advances in biotechnology to efficiently produce a compound of interest. In Standing Ovation’s case, this is casein, which makes up 80% of the protein content found in milk.

    The protein is responsible for emulsification, stabilisation and gelation, giving dairy products many of the functional properties that make them desirable – think the melt and stretch of cheese, or the creaminess of ice cream.

    “Standing Ovation’s proprietary process converts agricultural sugars, such as glucose and sucrose, into proteins through precision fermentation,” Chayot tells Green Queen.

    He adds that using Bel Group’s whey allows the company to diversify its portfolio and customer base: “These two production systems will continue to operate in parallel – one serving the vegan market, and the other targeting the dairy industry by supplementing traditional products with Standing Ovation’s caseins.”

    standing ovation bel group
    Courtesy: Bel Group

    Yvan Chardonnens, CEO of Standing Ovation, outlines how the acid whey serum contains minerals, sugar (from lactose), organic acids, and very little protein. “No traces of lactose from acid serum are found in the casein powder obtained by precision fermentation using the Standing Ovation process,” he tells Green Queen when asked about concerns around allergenicity and intolerances. (Since this is a bioidentical protein, it isn’t suitable for those with dairy allergies.)

    “The volumes of serum that can be processed using Standing Ovation’s technology are substantial,” he adds. “From the current capacity of several cubic meters, we plan to scale up progressively to millions of cubic meters per year. Discussions with stakeholders across multiple continents are already underway.”

    While the company hasn’t disclosed the financials involved in the deal with Bel – or whether it is obtaining the whey for free – it has been working with another industry behemoth, Ajinomoto Foods Europe, to co-manufacture the recombinant casein at its industrial-scale plant in northern France.

    Tariffs make Standing Ovation rethink strategy

    While about half of all whey is processed into added-value products like protein powders, functional foods, edible films and coatings, and lactic acid, a significant amount is left unused. Moreover, whey disposal is a costly process – its biochemical oxygen demands are significantly higher than wastewater, and it can pose risks to farmland. Up to 47% of the whey from the cheese industry is discharged into water bodies, causing pollution, ecological imbalances, and uncontrolled microbial growth.

    It underscores the need for solutions like Standing Ovation’s. The company says a lifecycle assessment shows its Advanced Casein protein generates 94% fewer greenhouse gas emissions when produced from plant-based sugars. Since this new process valorises a waste stream, the environmental wins could be “even more advantageous when derived from acid whey”, according to Chayot.

    “The life-cycle assessment is currently undergoing certification, and the precise environmental impact will depend in part on the purchase price of the whey,” he says.

    Asked if Standing Ovation and Bel Group are co-creating products, Chardonnens says: “We are a protein-focused company operating in the B2B sector; however, we consistently offer our clients the opportunity to share our efforts towards the discovery of new dairy applications formulated using our advanced caseins.”

    standing ovation dairy
    Courtesy: Standing Ovation

    Several major dairy players are already using the recombinant casein to develop new products, primarily targeting the US market for 2026-27. The startup – which has raised €23M to date – has previously indicated it’s working towards regulatory approval in the US for 2026 and the EU for 2027. So far, only New Culture and Fermify are cleared to sell animal-free casein stateside, both obtaining self-determined GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status last year.

    The FDA’s self-affirmation pathway is under threat, with Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr suggesting he is looking to potentially scrap the rule. “We never considered a simple self-GRAS system for commercialisation, but a certified GRAS,” says Chardonnens.

    That said, the ongoing tariff war is also making the company revamp its plans. “Tariffs are pushing us to consider other markets than the US more quickly, and open a Standing Ovation branch in the US next year,” he says.

    The partnership with Bel comes weeks after researchers in Denmark and Mexico developed a process to upcycle whey into sustainable single-cell proteins through fermentation. Bel Group, meanwhile, has invested €9M in a collaborative project to make better-tasting vegan cheese for its brands, which include Babybel, The Laughing Cow, and Boursin.

    The post French Startup to Create Recombinant Milk Proteins from Bel Group’s Whey Waste appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Future Food Quick Bites: This Isn’t Ravioli, Jaguar Land Rover & Earthshot Prize

    dell ugo vegan
    5 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers This’s pasta partnership with Ugo Foods Group, Starday’s $11M Series A round, and a nomination for the Earthshot Prize.

    New products and launches

    London-based meat alternative startup This and Ugo Foods Group‘s vegan ravioli products are hitting supermarkets, with the Bacon & Cheese and Chicken & Pesto flavours now available at 250 Morrisons stores, priced at £6 for two packs.

    dell ugo this isn't
    Courtesy: This

    UK plant-based milk maker Rude Health has introduced a clean-label iced coffee range in oat latte and mocha variants. The 750ml ready-to-drink Tetra Paks are available at Waitrose for £3.75, and Ocado at the end of the month.

    Also in the UK, plant protein brand Tibah Tempeh has released a Smoky Block. It’s available for £3 per 220g pack at Ocado (from April 18), and Sainsbury’s and Waitrose at the end of the month.

    Meanwhile, free-from snacking company Crave has expanded its lineup with a gluten-free, vegan Pink Cheetahs wafer biscuit, available at 480 Sainsbury’s stores for £2 per 100g.

    bosh vegan
    Courtesy: Eurest

    In more news from the island, Eurest – the corporate division of Compass Group, the world’s largest catering company – partnered with plant-based chef duo Bosh! for a new vegan smokehouse menu at Jaguar Land Rover‘s head office in Warwickshire.

    Vegan meal kit brand Grubby has partnered with artisanal non-dairy cheese maker Julienne Bruno on a limited-edition Creamy Burrata-Topped Za’atar-Spiced Squash option for Easter.

    Across the Atlantic, Fungi protein startup Nature’s Fynd, meanwhile, has launched Spicy Indian Fy Bites at Plantega locations in New York City. They contain 14g of protein and 5g of fibre per serving.

    nature's fynd fy bites
    Courtesy: Nature’s Fynd

    Miyoko’s Creamery has rolled out a new flavour of its spreadable cashew cheese. The Jalapeño Plant Milk Cheese Spread can be found at Nugget Market stores for $6.99 per 8oz tub, with further retailers to follow this summer.

    Vegan cheese giant Violife has partnered with James Beard Award finalist Dan Richer to launch the first-ever non-dairy pizza at his Jersey City pizzeria Razza. The Spicy Vegan Vodka Pizza is made with plant-based mozzarella shreds and on the menu until the end of the month.

    Chilean food tech unicorn NotCo has expanded its partnership with Aeromexico to offer passengers in its Premier and Premier One classes a NotBurger with manchego-inspired NotCheese until May 31.

    vinker chicken
    Courtesy: Vinker

    Canada’s Vinker is bringing its vegan Korean Crispy Chick’n to the US, rolling out at Pop Up Grocer in Manhattan, New York.

    Germany’s Loryma, a subsidiary of Crespel & Deiters Group, has launched Lory Stab, a stabilising compound of technically treated raw materials to replace eggs and dairy in baked goods.

    Swiss plant-based meat leader Planted has announced former wrestler Christian Stucki as a brand ambassador for its upcoming BBQ campaign, alongside a new Paprika steak and listings at several new retailers in Europe.

    planted steak
    Courtesy: Planted

    In Hong Kong, plant protein producer Ferm by SpiceBox Organic has teamed up with food preservation specialist Ixon to launch a shelf-stable range of tempeh, vegan meatballs, and plant-based meat sauce for pasta.

    And in India, Mumbai’s Bandra district is home to Pause Café, a new all-vegan 32-seater eatery serving continental dishes and desserts.

    Company, policy and awards

    Speaking of restaurants, US vegan taco chain Tacotarian has launched a franchise programme as part of its expansion strategy.

    all day chickpea protein
    Courtesy: Starday

    AI-powered plant-based snacking brand Starday has raised $11M in Series A funding to accelerate its retail expansion and partner with retailers and CPG brands to create bespoke products. It takes the company’s total funding to $20M.

    Meanwhile, US precision fermentation manufacturer Liberation Labs has received a strategic investment from Saudi Arabia’s Neom Investment Fund to establish a local facility for Neom’s food company, Topian.

    US manufacturing specialist SPX Flow has partnered with the Danish Agricultural Agency‘s Green Development and Demonstration Program’s LinkingOat project to advance oat-based product development.

    beneo
    Courtesy: Beneo

    In Germany, plant-based functional food ingredient maker Beneo has opened a €50M pulse processing in Orbigheim. The 4,000 sq m facility also produces Palatinose, a ‘smart carb’ ingredient that promotes GLP-1 release.

    Ramkumar Nair, founder and former CEO of mycoprotein startup Mycorena, has established fungi protein firm Smaqo, with a direct-to-consumer focus.

    In Spain, the National Centre for Food Technology and Safety‘s EATEX Food Innovation Hub has launched an Agrifoodtech Sandbox to offer companies a “controlled, forward-looking environment” to test breakthrough technologies and products operating at the edge of regulatory frameworks.

    opalia animal free milk
    Courtesy: Opalia

    Finally, Canadian cell-cultured milk maker Opalia has been nominated for the 2025 Earthshot Prize by Impact Entrepreneur.

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: This Isn’t Ravioli, Jaguar Land Rover & Earthshot Prize appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • In A Worrying Sign for Food Tech, Americans Trust Authenticity Over Science to Identify ‘Truth’

    food trust report
    5 Mins Read

    US consumers value authenticity over science in their beliefs around food and agriculture, with a majority seeking truth as “simple, safe and familiar”, a new survey has found.

    How do you define truth when it comes to the food system and what you eat?

    For many Americans, it denotes comfort and familiarity, even if all the science is pointing to the opposite- a worrying trend for future food tech.

    New research from the Center for Food Integrity (CFI), in partnership with FMI – The Food Industry Association, shows that authenticity outweighs science in shaping consumer trust around food.

    “We live in a polarised world where consumers, who are inundated with misinformation and disinformation and flooded with competing narratives, no longer rely on science or facts to define what’s true,” said CFI CEO Charlie Arnot. “And they are much less likely to rely on credentialled experts.”

    The research echoed the findings of the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, which suggested that people trust their peers as much as scientists (74%) – only 45% said they trusted government leaders.

    Which Americans are the most influential?

    consumer trust report
    Courtesy: LightFieldStudios/Getty Images

    Titled Truth Defined: Mapping Consumer Beliefs in Food & Agriculture, the study divides Americans into five distinct segments, each with its unique definitions of truth about food, which are based on factors like values, motivations, personal experiences and the sources they trust most.

    The researchers analysed the online behaviours of 4,000 Americans over two years and validated the results by studying another 4,000 consumers. Beyond their definitions of truth, the study looked at their values, beliefs and how they act on them, their unspoken motivation, as well as factors that trigger their adoption or rejection of products.

    Further, they evaluated their content needs, preferred brands and channels, what they read and watch, the influencers they follow, and the meanings they associate with food and agriculture.

    These are the five consumer segments that the research unearthed:

    • Progressive Disruptor: 5% of the population and 12% share of voice. They see truth as liberation, fuelling a fair and sustainable food system.
    • Authenticity Seeker: 14% of the population and 18% share of voice. They see truth as unfiltered, real and firsthand.
    • Rationalist: 19% of the population and 15% share of voice. For them, truth is grounded in research, reason and science.
    • Comfort Seeker: 43% of the population and 27% share of voice. They view truth as reassurance – simple, safe and familiar.
    • Strategist: 19% of the population and 28% share of voice. They see truth as leverage and as a tool to secure an advantage.

    “In an ideal world, the Rationalist… would have the most influence. Engaging with them is simple,” said Arnot. “But that’s not the case. The Rationalist is a small part of the population and doesn’t have a great deal of impact.”

    On the flip side, the Authenticity Seekers have a “surprisingly significant influence” over nearly all other types of consumers, including the Comfort Seekers, who make up nearly half of the US population.

    “By reaching the Authenticity Seeker, you can reach more than 75% of the population,” Arnot said. “Still, there’s value in connecting with every segment, whether through a social justice lens or data-driven narratives. Those in food and agriculture can engage in meaningful ways with segments most important to them,” said Arnot.     

    Trust in the time of polarisation

    meat misinformation
    Courtesy: Changing Markets Foundation

    We’re in a period where the discourse around the food system needs to be more rooted in science than ever before – unfortunately, it’s more polarised than ever before.

    The global population may reach 10 billion within the next 25 years, and current farming systems won’t leave us with adequate water, land and resources to sufficiently feed the world. Food security is increasingly under threat, and agriculture’s impact on the planet is off the charts.

    The major culprit here is livestock farming, which accounts for up to 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions globally, with nearly 60% of those generated by the food system. Meat and dairy production also takes up 80% of farmland, despite only providing 17% of the global calorie supply.

    That is highly inefficient, and underlines the need for food systems transformation. That being said, given the results of this research, all this science may not be translating as well. That is evident in the rampant misinformation against alternative proteins disseminated by the meat industry, the political threats to ban novel solutions like cultivated meat, and declining sales of plant-based alternatives.

    Consumers are trusting the food system less, and it seems their faith in future-friendly solutions is even lower. It explains why Progressive Disruptors are the quietest group in the US. Even this study itself was co-funded by livestock groups, such as Dairy Farmers of America, Dairy Management Inc, and the Pork Check-Off.

    meat misinformation
    Courtesy: Freedom Food Alliance

    Meanwhile, two in three influencers don’t check facts, leading the UN to co-launch a global course to equip them with skills to verify sources, detect disinformation, and collaborate with traditional and reliable media outlets.

    “The advancement of AI brings about a new frontier in the dissemination of disinformation,” Robbie Lockie, founder of consumer advocacy group Freedom Food Alliance, told Green Queen last year. “The capability of AI to produce content that is convincingly real, yet fundamentally false, is alarming.” 

    He added: “Without decisive and collective action, we stand on precarious ground, especially as we navigate the controversies surrounding alternative proteins. Disinformation campaigns could seize on consumer fears, further muddying the waters.”

    The differences in the perception of truth create “significant challenges”, according to David Fikes, executive director of the FMI Foundation and board chairman of CFI. “The ability to understand each segment’s ‘truth’ is how we overcome polarisation and start to find common ground and shared understanding,” he said.

    Whether that happens remains to be seen; one thing is certain: that common ground must translate to a food system fit for the future.

    The post In A Worrying Sign for Food Tech, Americans Trust Authenticity Over Science to Identify ‘Truth’ appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • US Grants Patent for Mycoprotein Startup to Turn Potato Waste Into Sustainable Meat

    the better meat co funding
    4 Mins Read

    Food tech startup The Better Meat Co has received its sixth patent in the US, which covers a method to produce mycelium proteins using potato waste as a feedstock.

    As it ramps up production and mobilises capital to enter its next growth phase, US startup The Better Meat Co has won a sixth patent for its mycoprotein technology.

    The United States Patent and Trademark Office granted the West Sacramento startup a patent covering a process to produce mycelium protein using potato-processing sidestreams as a substrate. This involves growing species within the Neurospora genus and Aspergillus genus in a potato-based liquid medium to create a high-protein, high-fibre biomass.

    Known as Rhiza, the mycoprotein biomass can then be dried, sized and hydrated into various food products or blended with plant- or animal-based ingredients to create more sustainable proteins.

    It’s a whole-biomass ingredient with all essential amino acids, a protein content of 50% by dry weight (higher than eggs), and a protein digestibility score of 0.87-0.96 (close to casein, beef and eggs). And unlike conventional meat, it has zero cholesterol and virtually no saturated fat.

    ‘Nearly unlimited’ access to potato sidestreams

    better meat co patent
    Courtesy: The Better Meat Co

    “Sidestreams from potato processing include pieces of potato that aren’t the right length for french fries, sub-size potatoes, and more,” explained The Better Meat Co founder and CEO Paul Shapiro.

    The firm sources the byproducts from a potato processing partner and has access to what Shapiro describes as a “nearly unlimited” quantity.

    “We are able to take low-value potato (starch) and convert it within hours into high-value protein (mycelium), so even just using non-sidestream potatoes can be advantageous as a carbon source,” he said.

    The patent also covers downstream applications such as pasteurising the ingredient, grinding it before being blended with other ingredients, shaping it into nuggets, sausage links, and patties, and mixing it with natural flavours to mimic chicken, beef, or pork.

    “Our previous five patents cover the creation of shelf-stable granules of Neurospora,” said Shapiro. “This new patent covers both Neurospora and Aspergillus grown on potatoes. It’s fairly expansive.”

    Neurospora crassa has an extensive history of use in food globally. It’s used to make oncom, a traditional fermented Indonesian produced from byproducts like soy pulp (or okara), in the starter mass for fermenting tiquira (a Brazilian alcoholic drink), and is one of the organisms present in Roquefort cheese in southern France.

    Aspergillus oryzae, meanwhile, is a type of koji mould that forms the base of common food and beverage products, like miso, mirin and sake.

    “We have used a variety of carbon sources with success to make our mycoprotein, including carbon coming from corn, cane, rice, and potato,” said Shapiro. This will further reduce its already-low climate footprint, and strengthen its position in the fermentation world.

    The Better Meat Co calls for end to tariff war

    mycelium protein
    Courtesy: The Better Meat Co

    The patent win comes weeks after The Better Meat Co signed a letter of intent with one of South America’s largest meat companies for the use of Rhiza in blended meat applications. This added to four other agreements from major meat producers in North America and Asia. Taken together, these deals are expected to bring $13M in annual revenue for the startup.

    With partners like Hormel Foods and Maple Leaf Foods, the only way the firm can keep up with the growing demand for Rhiza is to scale up production. It currently operates a 9,000-litre pilot plant in Sacramento, though soon, the company will work with a co-manufacturer to produce mycoprotein on a 150,000-litre fermentation capacity.

    “We can reach profitable revenue at a contract manufacturer in a shorter timeframe and with less capital investment than we could if we were going to build and operate our own fermentation factory,” Shapiro said, explaining the move.

    The company has raised $27M from investors to date and last year received a $1.5M biomanufacturing grant as part of the US Department of Defense’s Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program (DBIMP) to scale up its operations. It is currently in the middle of a $15M fundraising round to support these expansion efforts.

    The mycelium ingredient has received Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) certification from both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) to sell its mycoprotein stateside, as well as the Singapore Food Agency.

    It was one of several alternative protein startups recognised as the World’s Top GreenTech Companies of 2025 by Time Magazine, alongside fellow fermentation players Planted and Meati, cultivated protein startups Mosa Meat and Wildtype, and plant-based meat pioneer Impossible Foods.

    Asked how the global tariff war is impacting the business, Shapiro said: “Our hope is that the trade war will end and much-needed certainty can be offered to companies like our own. But most of our customers aren’t in the US, and we have the ability to produce outside of the US, too.”

    The post US Grants Patent for Mycoprotein Startup to Turn Potato Waste Into Sustainable Meat appeared first on Green Queen.

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  • Eat Just to Launch Mung Bean Egg in Europe with Vegan Food Group Deal

    just egg europe
    5 Mins Read

    Eat Just is bringing its bestselling vegan egg to Europe after striking a distribution deal with Vegan Food Group, which is investing £11.5M ($15.2M) to ramp up production at its sites.

    Just Egg – the pioneering vegan egg alternative from California’s Eat Just – is crossing the Atlantic following a partnership with Vegan Food Group (VFG), which has secured exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute the mung bean egg in Europe.

    VFG is set to begin manufacturing the product in late 2025, and has pumped £11.5M ($15.2M) to build a fully automated line to produce Just Egg at its facility in Lüneburg, Germany (the largest dedicated plant-based factory in Europe), as well as boost automation and efficiency across its UK and German sites.

    It comes at a time when Just Egg is experiencing a surge in sales in the US market amid the mounting egg crisis, which has shot prices up to all-time highs and bolstered its vegan alternative’s sales.

    “European consumers clearly desire innovative, sustainable food options, and collaborating with VFG is key to meeting that demand effectively,” Eat Just co-founder and CEO Josh Tetrick told the Grocer. “This investment in the Lüneburg facility represents a crucial step towards making high-quality plant-based egg alternatives widely accessible to our global audience.”

    Just Egg finally breaks Europe

    vegan eggs
    Courtesy: Eat Just

    Just Egg’s journey to Europe has been long in the making. In 2018, before it even hit supermarkets in the US, Eat Just agreed to a manufacturing and distribution deal with Italian egg supplier Eurovo. This was followed by a sales and distribution agreement with German poultry giant PHW Group a year later, with the liquid mung bean egg initially slated to launch by the end of 2019.

    However, this was always subject to novel food regulatory approval by the European Food Safety Authority, whose expert committees deemed the product safe in October 2021.

    Six months later, Eat Just received approval from the European Commission, meaning no other company was allowed to use mung bean proteins for egg alternatives in the region for five years, unless it goes through the same novel food process. At the time, the firm had teased a Q4 launch of the product.

    Now, with the VFG partnership, the food tech unicorn is finally clearing all the hurdles that have hampered its European arrival.

    VFG was formed in early 2024 as a holding company looking to become “a vegan Unilever“. It is the parent company of VFC, Meatless Farm, Clive’s Purely Plants, and Tofutown, and will now expand its footprint with the Eat Just deal.

    Through its investment, VFG will enhance automation, extend shelf life, cut waste, and improve product quality at its facilities in the UK and Germany. It will also support retailers and foodservice partners with “next-gen innovation and operational excellence”.

    “This partnership is a huge leap forward in transforming plant-based food across Europe,” said Matthew Glover, co-founder and chairman of VFG.

    Avian-flu-fuelled egg crisis boosts Eat Just sales

    just egg uk
    Courtesy: Eat Just

    The Europe announcement comes just as Just Egg sees “increases in sales like we didn’t see in the past” in the US, according to Tetrick.

    The current bout of avian flu has wrecked the conventional egg industry in the US, with over 167 million birds culled since February 2022. Prices have continued to rise, reaching a record high of $6.23 per dozen in retail in March. In some cities, each egg costs $1 now.

    With egg shelves empty, if Americans want eggs, they only have a few choices, Tetrick told Green Queen in February: “One, don’t eat them. Two, you know, have applesauce. Or three, have Just Egg.”

    The company says it’s already sold the equivalent of 500 million chicken eggs and captured 99% of the market for alternatives in the US, and the egg shortage has brought about a windfall for Eat Just’s mung bean innovation. In January alone, Just Egg’s sales grew five times faster than in the past year, while 56% of shoppers returned to buy more (a three-point increase from 2024). Most shoppers (91%) putting it in their basket, meanwhile, are neither vegan nor vegetarian.

    “We have some of the largest chains in the country reaching out to us – on the foodservice side, the convenience store side – saying they don’t know when this is going to end, and they want to bring in something that’s more reliable and more permanent, i.e., what we’re doing,” Tetrick said. “This is a real moment in time for the plant-based industry to prove that it’s up to the challenge.”

    VFG CEO Dave Sparrow echoed this sentiment following its link-up with Eat Just, noting: “Our partnership with Eat Just marks a significant milestone, aligning perfectly with our ambition to transform plant-based food across Europe.”

    Can Just Egg fill Europe’s egg shortage and appetite?

    just egg ingredients
    Courtesy: Eat Just

    The egg crisis isn’t just restricted to the US – in Europe, the cost of eggs has reached its highest in at least a decade, reaching €268.5 ($292) per 100kg last month. But as people seek cheaper protein sources than meat, the demand for eggs continues to increase, even if supplies don’t.

    At the same time, Europe’s plant-based egg market is set to grow by 40% annually to reach $3.88B in 2031, so the opportunity for disruptors like Eat Just is there. Here, it will compete with fellow vegan liquid egg producers Crackd (UK), Perfeggt (Germany) and Vegge (Italy).

    That said, the industry isn’t without its challenges. British brand Oggs, known for its aquafaba, also marketed a liquid whole egg alternative, but it hasn’t been in stock in supermarkets for several months now. VFG’s Sparrow, though, is confident that Just Egg is up to the task. “There are other egg replacements on the market, but quality-wise, there’s nothing that can stack up against Eat Just,” he said.

    Eat Just, which reformulated its mung bean egg to deliver greater flavour and functionality last year, will also take solace in the success of fellow American plant-based giant Beyond Meat, which entered the European market in 2018. While the vegan burger maker has had a tough couple of years, its foodservice partnerships in Europe have been a constant bright spot.

    Meanwhile, another major plant-based player, Impossible Foods, is hoping to bring its ‘bleeding’ burger to Europe soon, having cleared key food safety assessments last year. It will now undergo a public consultation period before seeking final approval from the EU Commission and its member states.

    The post Eat Just to Launch Mung Bean Egg in Europe with Vegan Food Group Deal appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Regulatory & Price Pressure Makes Palm Oil Alternatives A ‘Necessity’, Says CEO

    palm oil substitute
    5 Mins Read

    NoPalm Ingredients, a Dutch producer of sustainable yeast-derived fats, has rolled out a new brand amid its scale-up process, with its CEO arguing that palm oil substitutes are critical now.

    Smarter, circular alternatives to problematic fats like palm oil are “no longer a niche”; rather they are “a necessity”. That’s according to the head of one startup at the forefront of this shift.

    “Fats are critical for product performance – texture, taste, nutrition in food, and skin feel and stability in beauty,” says Lars Langhout, co-founder and CEO of NoPalm Ingredients. However, the way we produce them “has a massive impact on sustainability, especially scope 3 emissions”.

    “Global demand for vegetable oils keeps rising, but supply is hitting limits – think palm oil diverted to biofuels or disruptions from geopolitical tensions. Price volatility and regulatory pressure, like the EU deforestation regulation, are pushing the industry to act.”

    Indeed, while two-fifths of all oil produced is palm oil – present in half of all supermarket items – the industry is a driver of rampant deforestation in the planet’s tropical zones and has been directly linked to wildfires in Indonesia. Not to mention, palm oil production is a threat to wildlife and human rights, with Indigenous communities losing their lands and workers being exploited with poor conditions and pay.

    Replacing palm with other vegetable oils isn’t a good solution either, as doing so could have unintended climate consequences. This is where startups like NoPalm Ingredients come in – the company’s yeast-derived, upcycled alternative generates 90% fewer emissions and requires 99% less land.

    Following the launch of Revóleo, a new brand for NoPalm food and beauty customers, Langhout says it is graduating from mere startup to “a scale-up”.

    Revóleo: the ‘next step’ for NoPalm Ingredients

    nopalm ingredients revoleo
    Courtesy: NoPalm Ingredients

    “Over the past three years, NoPalm Ingredients built strong recognition as a bold challenger brand. But this journey has shown us something bigger: it’s not just about what we replace – it’s about what we create. Revóleo is our next step,” says Langhout.

    “It marks our transition from a pioneering startup to a scale-up ready to lead. It captures our mission and commercial ambition: to set a new standard in sustainable oils and fats production.”

    The ‘Rev’ in ‘Revóleo’ stands for “revolution, but also resilience, and repurpose” – a nod to the startup’s use of agricultural byproducts as feedstocks. “‘Óleo’ is oil, the heart of our innovation. ‘Leo’ signals bold leadership,” he explains. “Revóleo redefines how oils and fats are made: smarter, cleaner, circular.”

    NoPalm Ingredients’s proprietary fermentation process uses non-GMO yeasts and low-capex technology to convert local food industry waste (like potato peels and whey permeate) into sustainable fats. These oils can be a “drop-in” replacement for palm oil – it costs the same, and manufacturers don’t need to reformulate their recipes.

    “Sidestreams are at the core of our model. Unlike many peers, we use 100% agrifood side streams, even at industrial scale,” says Langhout. “Our yeast is flexible, but we’ve prioritised three feedstocks based on feasibility and scalability. For example, we’ve partnered with Lamb Weston EMEA to upcycle their potato peels.”

    NoPalm Ingredients teases ‘nutrient-dense’ ingredient

    nopalm ingredients
    Courtesy: NoPalm Ingredients

    Under the new brand, it is offering two products. The first, Revóleo Soft, is a beige, semi-solid microbial oil meant to replace palm oil, cocoa butter, or milk fat across confectionery, bakery items, and plant-based meat and dairy.

    The second is called Revóleo Silk. Langhout describes this as a “luxurious soft butter for cosmetics and personal care”, delivering smoothness, spreadability, and natural shine to products like body lotions, hair conditioners, colour cosmetics, and soaps.

    “We’re building a portfolio designed to scale – high-quality, circular, and performance-ready,” he says. “Today, we run a 400-litre fermentation-scale pilot line and use external partners to produce industrial-scale samples. By 2026, we’ll launch our first demonstration factory to supply our first commercial volumes – with more than 1,000 tons per year at full ramp-up.”

    The CEO notes that NoPalm Ingredients’s yeast platform has “more to offer” in parallel to the Revóleo lineup. “We’re advancing a nutrient-dense ingredient that leverages the unique composition and benefits of our yeast – rich in protein, fibre, fat and naturally functional,” he outlines.

    “This ingredient bridges sustainability, functionality, and nutrition, with potential across animal nutrition, food, and nutraceuticals. It’s the next chapter in our mission to transform how ingredients are made.”

    Industry giants clamour for palm oil alternatives

    nopalm ingredients colgate
    Courtesy: NoPalm Ingredients/Tom Fisk/Pexels | Illustration by Green Queen

    The company, which has raised $6.5M to date, has already attracted several industry giants with its technology. “We’ve built strong ties with leading FMCG players – several of whom remain confidential, though collaborations with Unilever and Zeelandia have already gone public.”

    Last month, it struck a deal with Colgate-Palmolive to scale up production of its oil for use in a soap bar, building on a pilot project the two companies completed in 2023. The current formulation may still contain certain additives or derivatives of palm origin, though the goal is to create an entirely palm-free product.

    “We’ve partnered with bold industry challengers like Those Vegan Cowboys, who used our yeast-based fat to create the world’s first animal-free camembert with microbial fat,” adds Langhout, teasing “more announcements” as other commercial projects move forward.

    “While 2024 wasn’t about product revenue yet, it was commercially strong – with co-funded partnerships and pilot programs validating our tech,” he says. “2025 is all about launch readiness.”

    There are numerous companies working on palm oil alternatives. C16 Biosciences‘s Palmless Torula oil was part of a soap co-launched by Pangaia and Haeckels in 2023, while Clean Food Group‘s bread-waste-based innovation is being used to make beauty and personal care products for THG.

    Others disrupting the $70B palm oil space include Palm-Alt (UK), Äio (Estonia), Time-Travelling Milkman (Netherlands), and Kiverdi (US).

    The post Regulatory & Price Pressure Makes Palm Oil Alternatives A ‘Necessity’, Says CEO appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • What Food Tech Investors Are Telling Startups in the Midst of Trump’s Tariff War

    tariffs food industry
    6 Mins Read

    With all the uncertainties around global tariffs, most industries are in a precarious position, including food tech. Here’s what sector VCs are advising startup founders about the global trade war.

    It’s only mid-April, but ‘tariff’ could already be the word of the year come the end of 2025.

    What began as a campaign promise has quickly turned into global turmoil, as US President Donald Trump levies taxes on most foreign goods, threatening widespread price hikes for consumers and possibly fatal disruptions for many businesses.

    The food tech sector faces threats from several areas. Tariffs on everything from raw materials and produce to equipment are likely to result in greater costs for businesses, which would likely pass that on to the consumer.

    When Trump had announced his initial tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, analysis from lawmakers suggested that these would set American families back up to an extra $2,000 per year due to high food costs.

    But this was before the trade war went global – and it’s a situation that is changing by the day. At the start of this week, these taxes ranged from 10% all the way to 50%. Now, however, the president has made a U-turn, pausing all retaliatory tariffs for 90 days and charging a flat 10% rate – all, that is, except China.

    The unprecedented tariff war has quickly and alarmingly escalated this week, with each country upping their tariffs in retaliation. As things stand, goods imported from China will be charged a 125% tax in the US, while China’s rate for American imports stands at 84%.

    Nothing is certain, and the market volatility is bad news for the food tech sector. Venture capitalists have been cooling on food tech investments over the last few years, and there are fears that the tariffs would drive them further away.

    VCs have highlighted how the trade war between the US and these countries is likely to lower valuations, decrease exits, and give investors pause in terms of deployment – and this would cause a ripple effect on the food tech ecosystem, too.

    So what’s the best course to chart for startup founders in the food tech ecosystem?

    To move or not to move

    fsanz cultured quail
    Courtesy: Vow

    “Luckily, we only have two companies that will most likely tap into the US market,” Matteo Leonardi, investment manager at Italian VC firm Grey Silo Ventures, tells Green Queen. “My advice to them is: as we are dealing with an industry that is already fighting to survive on the slightest of margins – and at industrial scale, let alone at pilot scale – US tariffs could result in a complete erosion of those already-thin margins.”

    This gloomy outlook is shared by many investors. “The sector downturn is likely to last until at least 2026, and the sector will be hurt by volatile capital markets, the likely economic downturn caused by tariffs and a trade war, farm incomes at their lowest level in at least a decade, and the spread of zoological diseases,” writes Adam Bergman, managing director of EcoTech Capital.

    He predicts that the polycrisis will have a profound, lasting impact on the industry. “I expect that over 70% of agtech and food tech companies will either go bankrupt, cease operations, or be liquidated in a fire sale. It is likely that a similar percentage of the capital invested in these companies will never be recouped.”

    This is why Leonardi suggests looking outwards: “It would be best to stay cautious and, if the techno-economic analysis does not allow [you] to bear the extra burden, redirect go-to-market as well as regulation-facing activities to other markets, at least until the situation takes a clearer outlook.”

    Heather Courtney, general partner at Alwyn Capital, concurs. “Don’t overlook exchange rates: they can work for you or against you,” she says. In some cases, producing in a country with a weaker currency and selling into the US can help offset tariffs and preserve margins, so it’s worth factoring currency dynamics into your early strategy. Her firm has invested in the likes of New School Foods, BlueNalu, and Upside Foods.

    “Across the food tech sector, startups need to map what their potential exposure is, and how to adapt for minimum economic impact and maximum potential for the long run,” adds Nadav Berger, founding general partner at Peakbridge, an investor in Standing Ovation, Imagindairy, and Vow. “That might mean moving away from the US as a target market – or instead speeding up the establishment of US operations.”

    Flexibility, foresight, and focus

    upside foods
    Courtesy: Upside Foods

    Steve Simitzis, a partner at Solvable Syndicate, has one key piece of advice: Stay focused on what you can control. This includes keeping cash burn in check and extending the runway.

    This was echoed by Seth Bannon, founding partner of Fifty Years. In an email sent to his firm’s portfolio companies – which include Upside Foods, Meati, Alpine Bio, and Rebellyous Foods – he outlines managing runway as one of his three major recommendations.

    “If possible, get to 18-24 months of cash on hand to weather potential market downturns,” he wrote, adding that founders should consider temporary hiring freezes and cut non-essential spending. “Accelerate your path to profitability to reduce dependency on external capital,” he added.

    Speaking of which, Bannon noted that if the founders are fundraising, they should close the round as soon as possible. “Expect valuations to decline; prepare to accept additional capital under potentially less favourable terms,” he cautioned. “If you’ve had the ability to raise more capital (e.g. maybe your last round was oversubscribed), opt to take more cash.”

    Courtney, meanwhile, encourages a “mindset of flexibility and foresight” for early-stage founders, especially those pre-revenue or just entering the market.

    “You might not be dealing with tariffs directly today, but the choices you make now (about ingredients, co-manufacturers, or go-to-market regions) can either limit or unlock your ability to adapt later. Build with optionality in mind, and wherever possible, ensure that your margins can flex to absorb future shocks,” she says. “And finally, just survive.”

    A sense of déjà vu

    raging pig bratwurst
    Courtesy: The Raging Pig Company

    For some investors, this isn’t unlike previous market disruptions. “Similar to 2008/09, customers may proactively reduce their planned spend on your product or service. Model increases in time to close, decreases in contract value, increases in net payment times,” Bannon says in his email to founders.

    “Founders are already scrambling to close rounds and shore up supply chains. What I’ll say about that is yes, move swiftly, but don’t panic. That’s how bad deals get done,” Simitzis tells Green Queen. Some of the companies under his firm Solvable Syndicate’s portfolio include Omni and The Raging Pig Company.

    “As for uncertainty, haven’t we been here before?” he ponders. “So far in the 2020s, we’ve had Covid-19, [the] Silicon Valley Bank failure, the war on Ukraine, runaway inflation, and now tariffs.”

    His advice? “Find yourself an ‘Only the Paranoid Survive’ embroidered pillow on Etsy and live by it.”

    Peakbridge’s Berger, meanwhile, offers some words of encouragement. “What we’re seeing now isn’t just uncertainty, it’s volatility; and though this is indeed a profound global shock, surviving and thriving in that state is the DNA of a successful startup.”

    He adds: “In any case, the global food supply chain – already deeply flawed and under pressure – is taking another hit, which is also a significant opportunity for smart companies and technologies looking to remake the future food system.”

    The post What Food Tech Investors Are Telling Startups in the Midst of Trump’s Tariff War appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Investors Bet $9M on Korean Startup’s Precision-Fermented Grape Yeast Proteins

    intake foods korea
    4 Mins Read

    South Korean alternative protein pioneer Intake has secured ₩13.5B ($9.2M) in Series C funding to commercialise its precision-fermented dairy, meat and egg proteins.

    Seoul-based food tech leader Intake is expanding its alternative protein portfolio to include precision fermentation, raising ₩13.5B ($9.2M) in its latest funding round to advance this effort.

    The parent company of plant-based meat maker Innocent and sugar-free konjac jelly brand Sugarlolo, Intake has developed a yeast strain from locally grown grapes with 1.5 times higher protein than conventional yeast, designed to replace whey protein. It’s also working on recombinant meat and egg proteins.

    The Series C round was led by CJ Investment, HB Investment, Woori Venture Partners, KDB Industrial Bank Capital, J Curve Investment, and Wonik Investment Partners, and takes its total raised to $20M.

    “As consumer interest in healthy eating habits continues to rise, industry attention toward advanced alternative food technologies is surging,” said Kim Hyun-kyu, a senior analyst at CJ Investment. “Intake, led by food science entrepreneurs from Seoul National University, has successfully developed patented alternative food ingredients and commercialised them.”

    Intake working on several protein suites

    precision fermentation whey
    Courtesy: Intake

    Founded in 2013 by Han Nok-yeob, Intake specialises in alternative proteins across both B2B and B2C channels. Its move into precision fermentation comes at a time when investors are betting their dollars on the technology over plant-based proteins or cultivated meat.

    Globally, fermentation-derived protein startups received 43% more capital in 2024, against a 64% drop for plant proteins and 40% decline for cultivated meat.

    The firm is leveraging precision fermentation to produce what it calls “first-generation protein powders” for “second-generation alternative proteins” like meat, dairy and egg alternatives. Its “super protein” yeast strain is derived from grape yeast. It is earmarked to replace whey from cow’s milk.

    “It is a naturally derived wild-type strain that has been enhanced through adaptive evolution and processed into a protein ingredient. We use Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the base strain,” said Han. After enhancing the strain, it optimises and cultivates the fungi. This is followed by the harvesting and disruption of cells to extract protein, and the processing of the material for various applications.

    “Since the strain is naturally evolved and not classified as GMO, it falls outside major regulatory concerns,” he explained. “Nevertheless, we are preparing all necessary data to obtain the US FDA’s NDI (New Dietary Ingredient) and GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) approvals to ensure there are no safety issues.”

    Additionally, Intake is working on heme protein – a primary component known to give beef its red colour and meaty flavour – by leveraging CRISPR-based gene editing and expression in native strains. Plant-based meat giant Impossible Foods also uses precision fermentation to produce heme protein for its beef analogues.

    The firm is also developing albumen, or egg white protein, via the technology. California’s The Every Company and Finland’s Onego Bio are leading this space, with the former selling recombinant egg proteins for a few years now, and the latter being cleared to sell its ingredient in the US recently.

    Alternative proteins heat up in South Korea

    innocent meat
    Courtesy: Intake

    Intake’s whey protein replacer is currently in its early commercialisation phase, but the company has its sights set on the North American market for 2026, given “it is the largest and most advanced market in the whey-related protein segment”.

    It will use the Series C funds to supercharge this effort, with a focus on accelerating the R&D and global infrastructure expansion specifically for the microbial protein business.

    “This Series C funding is proof that our alternative food technologies and products have earned consumer and market trust,” said Han. “Our goal is to finalise the development of core microbial-based alternative food technologies, positioning them as a viable alternative to the conventional food industry.”

    Intake’s existing businesses, which also include hydration brand Vital Water, netted the firm ₩22.4B ($15.2M) in revenue last year, achieving a 30% annual growth rate. Under its Innocent brand, it sells vegan dumplings, meatballs and falafels, among others.

    The firm plans to “apply our protein ingredients across” its B2C brands, but its primary focus will continue to be on the B2B side.

    It’s also leading a government-backed project to develop plant-based and cultivated fish products. The five-year research project is fuelled by a ₩29B ($21M) investment by the Ministry of Oceans, and involves two other startups and five universities. Here, Intake will introduce edible ingredients to mimic the taste and texture of salmon and tuna using “blue protein” derived from seaweed and kelp.

    “Our goal for 2025 is to commercialise yeast-derived concentrated protein as a replacement for whey protein,” said Han. “Starting in 2026, we plan to develop heme protein, albumin, and whey alternatives through both GMO and non-GMO tracks.”

    Its investment comes as alternative proteins become more popular in South Korea. Experts believe it could be one of the countries that issue regulatory approval for cultivated meat this year, with significant public investment going into this sector. Cultivated seafood company CellMeat filed for approval in early 2024, while Simple Planet has indicated that it aims to obtain the green light this year too.

    The post Investors Bet $9M on Korean Startup’s Precision-Fermented Grape Yeast Proteins appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • 5 Minutes with A Future Food VC: Kost Capital’s Bodil Sidén

    bodil siden
    3 Mins Read

    In our interview series, we quiz future food investors about the solutions that excite them the most, their favourite climate-forward restaurant, and what they look for in successful founders.

    Bodil Sidén is a General Partner at Kost Capital.

    What future food technologies most excite you?

    Using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve scalability and predictability.

    Many novel technologies in food are still too expensive to reach healthy unit economics and scalable business mode. This will be changed with AI and the difference now compared to the first waves of food tech is that food tech companies can be AI-first companies. 

    What are three future food verticals you are actively looking at for 2025?

    1. Functional ingredients that can improve our favourite food.
    2. Digital infrastructure and AI that can take steps towards ‘food as software’.
    3. Food safety and traceability in a world with challenged supply chains.

    What do you consider the food tech sector’s greatest achievement in the past five years?

    Initiating a market. Everything will happen in the coming five to 10 years, because it’s important and it’s urgent. And it would have been a lot harder without the first waves of food tech’s incredible effort to develop and apply the technology that sets the foundation of how we will develop the future of food. 

    If you could wave a magic wand, how would you fix plant-based meat?

    Better, clean, nutritious inputs that can improve texture and flavour.

    What’s the top trait you look for in a founder?

    Impatience.

    The One That Got Away: What is the deal you wish you had gotten into, but didn’t?

    I think Planted is doing a super cool job with taste, texture and mouthfeel, and have come far in terms of scalability.

    What do you consider your most successful future food investment so far?

    It’s like naming your favourite child… but I am really bullish about our bean-free coffee company Rest, led by the amazing David Cerami.

    What has been your most disappointing investment so far?

    We launched in 2024 – so far, all our investments have been performing really well. So it’s probably ahead of us – and that’s okay – because it’s a natural part of early-stage VC. The most important thing is to learn from your mistakes and try to not repeat them.

    What do people misunderstand/get wrong most about VC?

    This is a tough one… I believe there’s something about risk-taking in VC that might be misunderstood sometimes. We’re obviously in the business of taking risks – but it needs to be in causation of the potential upside, and I rarely like to take both product and market risk.

    And as a founder, it’s important to present not only your step towards the next round, but the long-term play with your business and how you plan to navigate through each step.

    What is the most ‘future food’ thing you have eaten this month?

    I had several feijoa fruits in New Zealand, an incredible fruit and a strong reminder that the future of food is within what’s already out there. There is an incredible amount of regional food that’s unutilised and better suited for the future instead of global, over-standardised and processed food.

    Where is your favourite climate-forward restaurant/dish/place to eat anywhere in the world?

    I’m very excited about Eric-Alan Rapp and Anne-Marie Søbye Rapp’s Sloppy Jo’s wrap – delicious grab-and-go food that’s good for you and the planet. I also love everything that the Farmacy team is doing.

    What’s your ‘why’? What motivates you to do what you do?

    I’m very passionate about equality and equal opportunities. At Kost, we’re committed to bringing better food for more people, and I’m all for finding better, affordable food for more.

    Food is the key that can unlock so many areas – feeding more with less, reducing obesity, improving health and planetary boundaries, providing work opportunities at scale, and, of course, bringing people together.

    The post 5 Minutes with A Future Food VC: Kost Capital’s Bodil Sidén appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • BioCraft Pet Nutrition Strikes Deal to Produce ‘Mouse Mousse’ with 99% Cultivated Meat

    lab grown cat food
    5 Mins Read

    Alternative protein startup BioCraft Pet Nutrition is working with Prefera Petfood to manufacture a cat food product with 99% cultivated mouse meat.

    Shortly after registering its cultivated mouse meat with Austrian regulators – paving the way for market entry in the EU – BioCraft Pet Nutrition has signed a co-manufacturing deal to scale up production of its ingredient.

    The US startup – which has a lab in Vienna – has linked up with Prefera Petfood, a specialist in premium wet pet food production founded by industry veterans last year, which sells primarily in Europe.

    Through the partnership, the two companies will produce a nutritionally complete mousse for cats, made almost entirely of cultivated mouse cells. “The inclusion level of BioCraft’s cell-cultured mouse is 99%. The remaining 1% are plant-based fibres,” Shannon Falconer, co-founder and CEO of BioCraft, told Green Queen.

    Now that it is cleared to sell cultivated meat to pet food makers in the EU, the firm is stepping up its production capacity. “We anticipate being able to offer meaningful volumes of our ingredient to pet food manufacturers in Europe in late 2025,” she said.

    How BioCraft achieves a high inclusion rate for cultivated meat

    cultivated mouse meat
    Courtesy: BioCraft Pet Nutrition

    BioCraft’s cultivated mouse meat slurry is derived from stable, non-GMO cell lines. It is designed to be used as a one-to-one replacement in wet or dry pet food at similar inclusion levels to conventional slurry.

    While it’s still a nascent market, it’s common for cultivated meat ingredients to be mixed with a larger proportion of other ingredients – usually plant-based – when they’re sold, since the costs and scale of production are currently prohibitive.

    For BioCraft to sell a product with nearly 100% cultivated meat, then, is a “game-changer”, Falconer said. “Most cellular agriculture initiatives struggle to reach high inclusion levels of their ingredient in a final product; however, low inclusion levels don’t accomplish the objective of reducing our reliance on intensive animal agriculture,” she argued.

    So how does it manage to do this, while keeping costs manageable? “We have formulated a proprietary, nutrient-rich media made with AAFCO-approved, food-grade ingredients. In this way, the components of the growth media are not only good for our cells – they are also a source of nutrition for cats and dogs,” she explained.

    “Rather than harvesting only the biomass — which is what ‘conventional’ cultivated meat producers focus on — BioCraft harvests all components from the bioreactor,” she added. This includes the nutrients that initially went in to support the growth of the cells, and the nutrients and flavour molecules that growing animal cells produce and secrete into the surrounding liquid environment.

    “When capturing the biomass alone, these extracellular nutrients and flavour compounds are lost,” said Falconer. Her company’s process allows it to achieve a more nutritious and flavourful ingredient, and offer an affordable price point to pet food manufacturers, even at an almost 100% inclusion rate.

    Typically, animal-derived growth media – the mix of proteins, sugar and nutrients that feed animal cells in a bioreactor – cost hundreds of dollars per litre. Last year, BioCraft announced that its product now had a sale price of $2-2.50 per lb, thanks to a plant-based medium formulated to provide a nutritious boost to the end product.

    Cultivated pet food in the ascendance

    lab grown meat pet food
    Courtesy: BioCraft Pet Nutrition

    BioCraft did not disclose details about the length of the partnership with Prefera Petfood, the production volumes, or the deal’s financials.

    The cultivated mouse meat is a hypoallergenic source of protein with functional benefits for pet health. Third-party profiling of over 100 nutrients has shown that BioCraft’s ingredient has comparable levels of taurine, lysine, methionine and tryptophan to that of chicken slurry, and a superior omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.

    The cell cultivation process is planet-friendly too, while the product is free from bacterial pathogens, viruses, mycotoxins, moulds, and yeasts, as well as biogenic amines and heavy metals.

    Importantly, cats seem to like it, with early palatability tests exhibiting “exceptional acceptance rates”. In fact, taste tests have demonstrated a strong preference for BioCraft’s cultivated mouse over conventional meat among felines.

    “Cats are notoriously selective eaters, so we’re thrilled with the enthusiastic reception,” said Nicola Magalini, general manager of Prefera Petfood. “It’s clear that our feline friends can’t tell the difference – except perhaps that they prefer it.”

    She called the collaboration a milestone in “functional, sustainable and ancestrally appropriate pet nutrition”. “As a company committed to the highest standards of safety and quality, using only real, identifiable ingredients without artificial additives or preservatives, our partnership with BioCraft helps us innovate in ways that benefit both pets and the environment,” she said.

    It is the latest development in what’s shaping up to be a big year for alternative pet food. BioCraft, which has raised $6.7M in funding to date, is already in talks with leading manufacturer Partner in Pet Food. Meanwhile, London-based startup Meatly partnered with vegan pet food maker The Pack to launch its cultivated chicken in dog treats at Pets At Home, after becoming the first company to be approved to sell cultivated meat for pet food last year.

    Czech startup Bene Meat Technologies – the first to register cultivated pet food as an EU feed material back in 2023 (it did so under the fermentation category) – is awaiting approval from the US Food and Drug Administration too. Speaking of which, Cult Food Science has conducted feeding trials in the US in pursuit of regulatory approval for its Noochies! brand. And Friends & Family Pet Food Co has inked two deals to launch stateside and in Singapore.

    The post BioCraft Pet Nutrition Strikes Deal to Produce ‘Mouse Mousse’ with 99% Cultivated Meat appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Future Food Quick Bites: Ottolenghi’s Beans, Disneyland & Beyond Meat Doc

    bold bean co black chickpeas
    5 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Bold Bean Co’s Ottolenghi collaboration, Beyond Meat’s new documentary, and Miyoko Schinner’s upcoming vegan cookbook.

    New products and launches

    British cult-favourite bean brand Bold Bean Co has teamed up with internationally renowned Israeli-British chef Yotam Ottolenghi to launch a new Queen Black Chickpea SKU. It can be found on both their websites, as well as Waitrose for £4 per 700g jar.

    UK frozen foods retailer Iceland has expanded its collaborative lineup with TGI Fridays to include a melt-in-the-middle vegan burger and a returning sesame-glazed chicken strips SKU.

    British fermented food brand The Cultured Collective is bringing its sauerkraut and kimchi to 183 Sainsbury’s stores starting today. The fennel, apple and dill sauerkraut retails for £4.50 per 235g jar, while the original kimchi is priced at £4.75 per 250g jar.

    Hollywood Bowl Group, which operates the Hollywood Bowl and Putt & Play mini-golf centres in the UK, has introduced the Beyond Burger at all its 75 locations in the country. It will cost £6.79 and comes with fries (which are not vegan) or tortillas.

    Speaking of which, Beyond Meat has announced a new YouTube documentary, Planting Change, to set the record straight against the meat lobby’s attacks on meat alternatives as ultra-processed foods.

    pulmuone
    Courtesy: Pulmuone

    Plant-based giant Pulmuone has rolled out limited-edition packaging for some of its ranges for Earth Month, which will be used across its Pulmuone, Nasoya, and Wildwood brands.

    Meanwhile, Disneyland restaurant Bengal Barbecue has added Impossible Lettuce Wraps to its menu, pairing the pioneer’s plant-based meat with shiitake mushrooms, green onions, and water chestnuts. The dish is priced at $12.49.

    prime roots
    Courtesy: Prime Roots

    Mycelium-based whole-cut meat maker Prime Roots has expanded to Canada and will introduce its deli range – which includes ham, turkey, pepperoni, salami and bacon – at the Restaurants Canada Show in Toronto (April 9-11) and the Canadian Food Health Association fair in Vancouver (April 24-27).

    US startup Oddball has debuted its vegan Jell-O alternative in mango, grape, double berry and pink grapefruit flavours. The jiggly fruit snacks are available on its website for $26.99 per six-pack, and will roll at Sprouts Farmers Market this month.

    tempeh uk
    Courtesy: Better Nature Tempeh

    Back in Europe, British tempeh brand Better Nature has rolled out its Organic Tempeh and Smoky Tempeh into 200 more Rewe Mitte stores in Germany, taking its footprint to 350 in the local region and over 1,300 across the country.

    French plant-based meat leader La Vie has unveiled a new line of American sandwiches using its pork alternatives. Available at supermarkets nationwide for €3.49, the BBQ Lover (with bacon) and Ranch Lover (with ham) variants come encased in Viennois baguettes.

    la vie sandwich
    Courtesy: La Vie

    Speaking of French retailers, Carrefour has partnered with Brazilian vegan food maker Vida Veg to add three vegan cheeses – mozzarella and two cream cheese flavours – to its own-label offerings in the increasingly health-conscious Latin American country.

    Dairy-free cheese queen Miyoko Schinner has announced September 16 as the release date for her upcoming cookbook, The Vegan Creamery. It’s available for pre-order now ($26.99).

    the vegan creamery by miyoko schinner
    Courtesy: Ten Speed Press

    Animal welfare non-profit Connect For Animals has launched a new mobile app to help advocates take action, discover local and virtual events, and meet other like-minded people.

    Company and finance updates

    Cultivated meat made it to national television in the US, with CBS News interviewing Mission Barns founder and CEO Eitan Fischer and product development director Daniel Ryan about the firm’s cultivated pork fat, which was approved for sale by the FDA last month.

    mission barns
    Courtesy: Mission Barns/CBS

    Canada’s n!Biomachines, a subsidiary of cell cultivation tech specialist The Cultivated B, has partnered with automation giant Siemens to showcase the Auxo V bioreactor at the 2025 Hannover Messe trade fair (March 31 to April 25), which aims to scale up alternative protein production more efficiently.

    Across the Atlantic, British cultivated Wagyu beef maker Ivy Farm Technologies has appointed Gail Francis as its VP of commercial. She was previously the business growth director at Naylor Nutrition.

    ivy farm lab grown meat
    Courtesy: Ivy Farm Technologies

    Also in the UK, vegan restaurant chain Herbivorous is shuttering all three of its sites in Manchester, Sheffield and York due to “increasing costs”

    Two vegan startups have won grants under EIT Food’s Fast Track to Market Initiative, with Germany’s BettaF!sh earning €248,000 to launch salmon and tuna salad cans and a seaweed extract, and Austria’s Hooked Foods receiving €221,000 to introduce a Super Protein ingredient with 30-35g of protein per 100g.

    Policy and research developments

    A new study by CashNetUSA highlights how vegan food prices differ at Walmart stores across the US, with Arkansas being the cheapest (3.8% below the national average) and Hawaii the most expensive (34% above the mean).

    Researchers at Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) have created a toolkit to help food manufacturers improve the texture of products. They worked with meat alternative startup v2food to help it assess its work on enhancing its burger’s texture.

    Ahmed Khan, a bioscience enterprise MPhil from Cambridge University, became the “first person to speak about cellular agriculture and cultivated meat” during a debate at the Cambridge Union.

    Also speaking truth to power was Bernat Anaños, co-founder and comms chief of Spanish plant-based meat leader Heura Foods, who addressed the Congreso de los Diputados (the lower house of Spain’s legislative branch) about the need for a food systems transformation led by plants.

    Finally, Toronto-based vegan salmon maker New School Foods has been named one of Canadian Business‘s Innovation Awards winners for 2025.

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: Ottolenghi’s Beans, Disneyland & Beyond Meat Doc appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • How This Animal-Free ‘Designer’ Fat Maker Is Reshaping Future Food Economics

    nourish ingredients tastilux
    6 Mins Read

    Australian firm Nourish Ingredients has completed an industrial-scale production of its animal-free, meat-like fat while keeping costs low – here’s how it’s doing it.

    Six months after forming a partnership with Chinese fermentation specialist Cabio Biotech, Nourish Ingredients has achieved a production milestone for its precision-fermented fat ingredient.

    The Canberra-based startup has completed the first industrial-scale manufacturing cycle of its meaty ‘designer’ fat, Taxtilux, enough to meet 170,000 tonnes of end-product demand.

    This represents a 1,700% increase in Nourish Ingredients’s capacity, and the firm claims it is the first alt-fat company to reach commercial-scale validation while maintaining low costs.

    Precision fermentation combines traditional fermentation with the latest biotech advances to efficiently produce a compound of interest – in this case, an animal-free fat designed to improve the taste, aroma and cooking experience of meat analogues.

    “We’re able to produce our final product from start to finish by tapping into Cabio’s existing fermentation capacity,” Nourish Ingredients CEO James Petrie tells Green Queen.

    “Cabio already produces a fat for infant formula using the same microorganism behind Tastilux, a fungal strain naturally found in soil. By leveraging their infrastructure, our intellectual property and tech, we’re able to accelerate our path to commercial scale. It’s a true win-win.”

    Just 1% of Tastilux can transform meat alternatives

    nourish ingredients china
    Courtesy: Nourish Ingredients

    Cabio has been supplying functional ingredients for over two decades and owns one of the world’s largest factories for long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. The partnership, announced last November, will leverage the Chinese firm’s facilities and expertise to efficiently produce Tastliux with minimal waste.

    “Our manufacturing approach leverages fermentation technology, which allows us to produce these specialised fat molecules efficiently and consistently,” says Petrie. “We’ve achieved our current scale through strategic partnerships that combine our intellectual property with established production capacity.”

    A key factor behind its scale-up and cost efficiency is the low inclusion rate of its fat. “Our research has consistently shown that our products can significantly increase animal-like authenticity in flavour, mouthfeel, and aroma with an inclusion rate as low as 1%,” reveals Petrie.

    “This means we don’t need massive production volumes to significantly impact the finished product, which considerably reduces the scaling challenges typical in our industry. Our process is designed specifically for efficiency and minimal capital expenditure while maximising output quality, allowing us to reach commercial scale much faster than alternative approaches,” he adds.

    “We’ve found global manufacturers are surprised when they discover they are achieving such an authentic meaty perception with just a 1% inclusion level. This efficiency means food manufacturers can dramatically improve their products while keeping their costs manageable, which has been a crucial factor in our strong market interest.”

    Tastilux ‘hits the sweet spot’ on pricing

    animal free fat
    Courtesy: Nourish Ingredients

    Tastilux relies on naturally occurring lipids scaled through precision fermentation to provide the distinct flavour and cooking properties of meat fats when used in plant-based chicken, beef, pork and other alternatives.

    While commodity plant fats like coconut or palm oil are cheaper in absolute terms, Petrie argues they “lack the taste and functionality” Nourish Ingredients’s fats provide, and their link to deforestation can make them a climate nightmare.

    “They are often also mixed with complex and expensive flavour solutions, which can contain up to 30 ingredients, including synthetic chemicals and lack an authentic animalic taste,” he adds.

    Meanwhile, cultivated fats derived from cell lines – soon to be commercialised by the likes of Mission Barns and Mosa Meat, among others – are “significantly more expensive and less customisable”.

    “Our approach hits the sweet spot – we produce the same molecules found in animals but through precision fermentation, allowing us to optimise the flavour and cost. The key economic advantage is our low inclusion rate – at just 1%, food manufacturers can dramatically improve their products while keeping their overall costs manageable,” says Petrie.

    “Our precision fermentation process creates a cost structure that’s competitive when you consider the impact-to-inclusion ratio,” he adds. “This low-volume, high-impact approach means we can achieve commercial viability much sooner than alternatives that require higher inclusion rates.”

    Nourish Ingredients eyes global markets

    nourish ingredients
    Courtesy: Nourish Ingredients

    According to Petrie, interest in Tastilux has been “exceptional”, with the company’s research showing that incorporating Tastilux in plant protein increases people’s purchase intent and preference. This should come as no surprise – fat is the main driver of flavour and texture, two of the biggest consumer pain points for meat alternatives.

    “We’re working with several global food companies who are excited about how our product unlocks flavours previously unavailable to them,” he says.

    This first batch of Tastilux is being shipped across three continents, in line with Nourish Ingredients’s “multi-region strategy” for regulatory approvals. It has identified the US and Singapore as its initial focus, with an eye on Australia, the UK, and the EU too.

    “Our strategy prioritises markets where there’s strong demand for our products and relatively clear regulatory pathways to commercialisation,” explains Petrie.

    Singapore is an important market for the firm, “given its leadership in alternative protein innovation and strong government support for food technology”. The company is in the middle of regulatory assessments in the city-state there, a process that takes 12-18 months.

    “Our go-to-market strategy focuses on partnering with established food manufacturers who can leverage our ingredients effectively,” Petrie says. “We’re taking a collaborative approach, working directly with potential customers to fine-tune flavour profiles that resonate with local preferences.”

    Food tech ‘funding winter’ has shifted investor priorities

    tastilux
    Courtesy: Nourish Ingredients

    Nourish Ingredients has raised A$40M ($24M) to date, allowing it to develop the tech platform and reach the pre-commercial stage.

    “Now we’re operating in what I’ve previously called a ‘food tech funding winter’, where investors have shifted focus from potential to tangible paths to revenue and offtake deals, which means our focus has been on commercial agreements,” notes Petrie.

    “What differentiates us in this challenging investment landscape is our capital-efficient approach. Our low-inclusion-rate products significantly reduce the scale-up capital required compared to other precision fermentation companies,” he adds.

    “Any future capital will be targeted at sales and commercial adoption with major food companies, many we’re already engaged with.”

    The company is also working on Creamilux, a similar alternative for non-dairy applications. It has teamed up with New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra to create both dairy and plant-based products with the ingredient.

    This comes during a time when the alternative fat sector is booming. Like Nourish, California’s Yali Bio, New York’s C16 Biosciences and Sweden’s Melt&Marble use precision fermentation to produce fats and lipids, while Hoxton Farms, Steakholder Foods and Genuine Taste employ cell cultivation. Bill Gates-backed Savor, meanwhile, is fermenting carbon to produce animal-free butter.

    The post How This Animal-Free ‘Designer’ Fat Maker Is Reshaping Future Food Economics appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Japanese Food Tech Showcases Cultivated Duck Products for Restaurants & Supermarkets

    cultured duck
    4 Mins Read

    Japan’s first cultivated meat company, IntegriCulture, has unveiled several prototype dishes and products made from duck liver cells.

    Japanese cellular agriculture specialist IntegriCulture has provided a glimpse of the potential of its cultivated duck liver, as part of several prototypes exhibited at a recent industry session.

    With Japan fast becoming a hotspot in Asia’s alternative protein scene, IntegriCulture has been working with supporting companies to conduct R&D on foods derived from cell-cultured duck, with financial support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’s Small and Medium Enterprise Innovation Promotion Program.

    The company has simultaneously been developing prototype foods using the cultivated duck, unveiling four as restaurant menu items, and three as packaged products.

    Foie gras, pani puri, and lemon posset highlight versatility

    lab grown meat japan
    Courtesy: IntegriCulture

    IntegriCulture held a sensory evaluation session at its research base, the Shonan Health Innovation Park, with around 30 people in attendance. The firm had established a production line for culturing duck cells and began trial production last year, and this event sought to evaluate the potential of its cultivated duck ingredient, which it has christened ‘Craft Essen’.

    The restaurant dishes were based on a “fun and bright” theme, each item developed as an amuse-bouche and using about 30% of the cultivated duck ingredient.

    One of these was a sweet and sour posset, combining the duck with soy cream to use as a filling in a hollowed-out lemon, which was topped with rock salt. Another innovation mixed the cultivated ingredient with soy cream, this time paired with pears, pink peppercorns, and Narazuke (traditional pickles).

    The third restaurant item was a take on the famous Indian street snack, pani puri, served with spices and flowers. The final dish was made by mixing sweet potatoes with the cultivated duck, which was then wrapped in pie crust and baked.

    The three packaged food innovations were developed as products that would be bought frozen, with the inclusion rate of cultivated meat varying vastly. For example, one of the products was a spicy blood sausage with 20% cultivated duck, soy milk, vegetable fats, and spices, while another was a liver paste with 80% duck plus cocoa powder (though the high amount of cultivated meat makes it cost-prohibitive).

    The third CPG product was reminiscent of foie gras, combining 30% cultivated duck with vegetable oil, soy milk, egg white, and other ingredients to lend a soft texture and rich mouthfeel.

    Cultivated duck impresses taste-testers

    integriculture
    Courtesy: IntegriCulture

    The scaffolds used to produce the cultivated duck were built by San-Ei Gen FFI, one of the newest members of IntegriCulture’s CulNet Consortium, which harbours innovative startups to advance production technologies for cultivated meat.

    “The unique creamy texture was rich and delicious, and I wanted to eat it with wine,” Atsushi Nakagawa, director of San-Ei Gen FFI, said of the products. “The sensory evaluation session made me realise the great potential of cell-cultured foods as new food ingredients.”

    The event was facilitated by the newly formed Craft Essen Council, established to promote the launch and consumer acceptance of the namesake cultivated duck. “Japan has finally reached a phase where we can discuss cultured foods with the general public while showing actual products. It is now important to deepen understanding toward social implementation,” said Tatsuya Shimizu, a professor at Tokyo Women’s Medical University and the council’s chair.

    “All the dishes on the restaurant menu had a smooth texture, and I was able to enjoy a new sensation of umami in the desserts and sweets. In addition, the processed foods had a stronger animal-based umami flavour, and I felt that it could be used as a food ingredient in a variety of menus,” said Satoshi Tatsumi, life innovation general manager at Sumitomo Riko.

    Cultivated meat advances in Japan

    lab grown meat regulatory approval
    Courtesy: Hoxton Farms

    “I hope that, as culture technology advances, consideration will be given to the implementation of this technology in society,” Satoshi added.

    His comments come just as his firm’s sister company, Sumitomo Corporation, has partnered with British startup Hoxton Farms to commercialise its cultivated fat product in Japan and other Asian countries.

    Hoxton Farms and Sumitomo are consulting with the Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA) – also a member of the Craft Essen Council – which will be pivotal in shaping the regulatory and social acceptance of cultivated meat in the country.

    A 2024 survey found that 42% of Japanese consumers are willing to try cultivated meat products, but the creation of government regulations is key for 44% of those who are unsure about their safety aspects.

    IntegriCulture, meanwhile, is Japan’s first cultivated meat company, and released a Cell-Cultured Meat Starter Kit on its B2B marketplace, Ocatté Base, last year. This included an oxygen-permeable bioreactor co-created with Sumitomo Riko.

    The firm has received $16.4M in equity funding, and gained a ¥1.87B ($13.1M) grant from the Japanese government to advance the CulNet platform and make its developments open-source. And earlier this year, it received a special overdraft loan of ¥100M ($685,000) from Mizuho Bank.

    The post Japanese Food Tech Showcases Cultivated Duck Products for Restaurants & Supermarkets appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Expo West 2025 Tried & Tasted: Our Favourite Future Food Eats

    11 Mins Read

    From animal-free egg salad to a milk alternative made from corn, here are the future food products that stood out most to our expert reviewer at Expo West 2025.

    It’s that time of year again: when Anaheim, California is packed with out-of-towners, and they’re not all headed to Disneyland. Move over, Mickey Mouse – because it’s March, and the most sought-after attraction in town is New Hope’s Natural Products Expo West.

    Expo West is the largest tradeshow for natural, organic, and healthy products in North America, aka the “Superbowl of CPG”, and it seems to be regaining the popularity it had prior to Covid-19.

    With a revamped schedule – organisers dropped Saturday in favour of Tuesday through Friday only, with all halls open Wednesday to Friday, new buyers’ hours, and a community breakfast – this year’s show brought together over 64,000 attendees and more than 3,000 exhibitors.

    While I walked the halls lined with rows upon rows of vendor booths, what struck me the most was how underrepresented the alternative protein sector seemed to be. There were noticeably fewer alternative meat brands. Apart from Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, stalwarts like NotCo, Hungry Planet, Better Balance, and Quorn were all MIA this year.

    It’s disappointing but not surprising, given the state of the industry, the UPF narrative that is dominating the mainstream media, and the current political climate. There was a mix of excitement and concern in the air. Excitement about new consumer health requirements and concern about the impact of tariffs and inflation on the US economy. Still, I enjoyed reconnecting with familiar brands and discovering a few new ones.

    The noteworthy trends I spotted this year centred around boosting protein in snacks, beverages and anything else people consume, a CPG focus on cleaner and healthier ingredient lists, ‘alt’ alt-milks like pistachio milk popping up everywhere, shrooms still reigning supreme (even in the form of gummies), and functional snacks and drinks abound – hydration, baby!

    So, what caught my eye and tickled my taste buds at Expo West 2025? Here are my top 11 picks (in no particular order).

    Beyond Meat’s mycelium steak fillet

    beyond mycelium steak
    Courtesy: Alessandra Franco

    Beyond Meat unveiled its brand-new whole-cut mycelium-based steak at a Happy Hour on the second day of the show. As far as I’m concerned, Beyond very much delivered on its promise of a steak that “mirrors the texture, flavour, and experience of a premium USDA steak fillet”. The mouthfeel, texture, and flavour were all spot on.

    The steak fillet is the latest effort from Beyond to attract health-conscious consumers, and I’m sure it’s going to do just that when it hits retail shelves this year!

    What’s It Made Of? Mycelium, faba beans, and wheat. The full ingredient list is still under wraps. 

    Where Can I Buy It? Coming to selected retailers this spring.

    Chunk’s Pulled Korean BBQ

    chunk foods pulled
    Courtesy: Alessandra Franco

    Chunk Foods debuted its four new Chunk Pulled varieties in Teriyaki, Texas BBQ, Korean BBQ, and Barbacoa flavours. They each come with chef-crafted simmer sauces, are super versatile, can be cooked or microwaved from frozen, and are ready in minutes.

    I really enjoyed the pulled “meat” texture and taste of all four flavours, but my personal favourite was the Korean BBQ. It’s packed with that bold, sweet and savoury traditional Korean BBQ flavour and just the right amount of spiciness.

    What’s It Made Of? Cultured soy, wheat protein, and coconut oil fortified with B12 and iron.

    Where Can I Buy It? Coming to selected retailers later this year.

    Wunder Eggs’s Eggless Salad

    wunder eggs
    Courtesy: Alessandra Franco

    For a limited time last year, Veggie Grill Next Level Burger had a Wunderful BLT-E on the menu, and it was made with Crafty Counter’s Wunder Eggs egg salad. I’m a huge egg salad fan, so of course I had it, and it was delicious.

    The Wunder Eggs Eggless Salad comes in Classic, Italian Herbs & Garbanzo, and Southwest Peas & Potatoes varieties. After trying all three, I can confidently say they’re all delicious. It turns out I’m more of a classic girl than I thought when it comes to my egg salad, and the original flavour is going to be a must-have-at-all-times in my fridge.

    Bonus points for coming in a cup and ready to eat – add a few crackers, and you’ve got yourself a perfect on-the-go snack. The only con for me is that I’m going to need the foodservice tub size to satisfy my egg salad cravings!

    What’s It Made Of? Almonds and cashews, Fabalish Foods upcycled aquafaba mayo, and a touch of seasonings. 

    Where Can I Buy It? Available in all Safeway and Albertsons stores across Washington and Idaho.

    Confetti Snacks’s Black Truffle Mushroom Chips

    confetti mushroom chips black truffle
    Courtesy: Confetti Snacks

    We have written about Confetti Snacks in the past, and I’ve heard a lot about the brand from my good friend Andre Menezes, who is a board member. Still, when I stopped by its booth, I didn’t expect it’d make this list. Boy, oh boy, was I wrong!

    The Black Truffle Mushrooms, whole mushrooms dusted in just the right amount of black truffle, were so addictive I couldn’t put the bag down until it was completely empty. It’s a good thing I got two.

    The Singapore-based CPG snack range gets bonus points for being made of upcycled ugly veggies, fruits, and mushrooms. What’s more, Confetti’s mission is to reduce food waste while fighting to end hunger and malnutrition, so it donates a portion of its snacks to some of the least affluent parts of the world. And speaking of reducing waste, its eco-sustainable booth was made up entirely of its snack boxes.

    What’s It Made Of? ‘Ugly’ veggies, fruits, and mushrooms infused with Asian spices.

    Where Can I Buy It? On its website.

    MyForest Foods MyBacon

    mybacon
    Courtesy: MyForest Foods

    I may be a little late to the party here, but I had never tried MyForest Foods’s MyBacon before. The company makes its plant-based bacon from mycelium grown in indoor vertical farms, harvested in slabs, and sliced just like pork belly.

    I had it plain as well as in a BLT, and it blew my mind. It was as decadent as I remember real bacon being, down to the texture, sizzle, and aroma.

    MyBacon was also on my Expo West 2024 list too, making it a favourite for two years running.

    What’s It Made Of? Five ingredients only: organic oyster mushroom mycelium, organic coconut oil, organic sugar, natural flavour, and salt.

    Where Can I Buy It? Available online and in several natural food stores across the US, including Erewhon and Whole Foods.

    Konscious Foods’s Sno’ Crab Cakes and Smoked Salm’n

    konscious foods salmon
    Courtesy: Konscious Foods

    Given that I’m a former seafood lover, I could not pick only one out of the two hottest newest products by Konscious Foods: Sno’ Crab Cakes and Smoked Salm’n.

    Any self-respecting crab cake aficionado knows peppers – red or any other colour – have no place in a crab cake, which is why I absolutely loved these pepper-free vegan crab cakes. Just a pure, simple, honest-to-goodness vegan crab filling wrapped in a crispy golden-brown crust. 

    The Smoked Salm’n was at Expo West last year, too, but it’s now finally out in the market. The plant-based lox has a hickory applewood cold-smoked salmon taste that makes it indistinguishable from its animal counterpart. Whether you eat it on a bagel with cream cheese or roll it up with crème fraiche, you’ll get that perfect smokiness with a slightly salty kick. 

    What’s It Made Of? The star ingredient in both is konjac root.

    Where Can I Buy It? The Sno’ Crab Cakes will be available at Whole Foods this June and Sprouts in July, with more retailers planned. The Smoked Salm’n is available at Zucker’s Bagels in New York City and on Goldbelly nationwide. Konscious Foods has partnered with the largest smoked salmon distributor across the US, Acme Smoked Fish Brooklyn, so you can expect to see it in retailers nationwide soon.

    Food for Life’s Ezekiel 4:9 Whole Grain Pocket Bread

    food for life ezekiel bread
    Courtesy: Alessandra Franco

    Is Pocket Bread another name for pita bread? Yes, but this is in no way just another pita bread. Food for Life’s sprouted pita is tasty and full of nutritious ingredients. It’s not overly thick or dry like most pita breads out there, so it crisps up nicely in the oven, and I loved seeing the tiny pieces of carrot when I took a bite. 

    What’s It Made Of? Organic 100% stone ground whole wheat flour, organic fresh carrots, organic barley flour, organic millet flour, organic lentil flour, organic soy flour, organic spelt flour, yeast, and sea salt.

    Where Can I Buy It? It’s available in retailers nationwide.

    Whoa Dough’s Brownie Batter Ready-to-Bake Cookie Dough

    whoa dough brownie batter
    Courtesy: Alessandra Franco

    I’m not a chocoholic, but I was really impressed by Whoa Dough’s Brownie Batter Cookie Dough. You get the best of both worlds: cookies that are chewy and packed with that classic fudgy chocolatey flavour that chocolate lovers want from a brownie. The dough is also nut-free, gluten-free and bakes in minutes – you can even eat it right out of the bag!

    What’s It Made Of? The star ingredient is chickpea protein.

    Where Can I Buy It? It’s available in retailers nationwide and on its website.

    Hodo Foods’s Thai Red Curry Tofu

    hodo tofu
    Courtesy: Hodo Foods

    I have tried a few Hodo products before, but none have become a staple in my kitchen so far. I wasn’t expecting to love the Thai Red Curry Tofu, but love it, I did!

    It’s not too spicy, which means you don’t have to be a curry enthusiast to enjoy the bold Thai flavours, the saucy creamy texture, and that hint of zingy lemongrass and ginger. 

    What’s It Made Of? Tofu and coconut-cream-based Thai red curry.

    Where Can I Buy It? It’s available at select Whole Foods Market stores and online.

    Mori-Nu’s Plant-Based Imitation Crab

    imitation crab
    Courtesy: Dent Agency LLC

    I may be the odd woman out, but I’ve always loved making seafood salad with imitation crab. When I spotted Mori-Nu’s plant-based imitation crab made by Morinaga Foods, I had to try it.

    The umami flavour really stood out, and the shreddable texture makes it easy to use in anything from salads to sushi. It also comes fully cooked and ready to eat, with a one-year frozen shelf life. 

    What’s It Made Of? The main ingredient is pea protein.

    Where Can I Buy It? It’s currently only available for foodservice, but it’s coming to Veganssentials.com this April.

    Maïzly Corn Milk

    maizly corn milk
    Courtesy: Maïzly

    Corn has always been a staple in Brazilian cuisine, and I grew up eating my share of corn everything – from flour to soups, puddings, and ice cream – except corn milk.

    We have no shortage of alternative milk options, from pistachio to potato and watermelon seeds, so do we really need one more? I was a bit sceptical and unsure if it was going to taste like milk or, you know, corn. That is, until I tried it.

    I definitely got the dairy milk mouthful and creaminess my taste buds require from any milk alternative. This is probably because, in addition to corn, it also contains chickpea and coconut, making it more of a blended corn milk.

    The verdict? I’m sold. It comes in original and chocolate flavours, but it also has an infant formula. Bonus points for sustainability since corn is one of the world’s most abundant crops, requiring the least amount of land and water, which means it’s even more sustainable than oat milk.

    What’s It Made Of? The main ingredients are non-GMO corn, chickpea protein, and coconut oil with added calcium and vitamins A, D, and E.

    Where Can I Buy It? It’s available at select natural food stores in New York, and on its website.

    Honourable mentions

    tache pistachio milk latte
    Courtesy: Táche

    Despite not making the top list, here are a few products worth mentioning in this Expo West 2025 review:

    GoodPop’s Mickey Mouse Fudge n’ Vanilla Bar: The dairy-free ice cream bar is shaped like the beloved Disney character, made with vanilla oat milk and coated in a chocolate fudge shell. It tastes just as creamy and chocolatey as any conventional ice cream bar, so I’m sure it will be a hit with Disney fans, kids and adults alike.

    Táche’s Single-Serve Pistachio Milk Latte: The vegan latte is made with Táche’s Original Pistachio milk and cold brew coffee. I’ve tried quite a few single-serve vegan lattes, but the nuttiness from the pistachio milk really makes this one stand out. Here’s hoping they’ll add a few more flavours, like vanilla and mocha, soon.

    Eat Just’s Plant-Based Chicken: Most people are familiar with Just Egg – the vegan egg pioneer – and Good Meat, the first company to sell cultivated chicken anywhere in the world.

    What do you get when you combine the two? Hands down the most realistic 100% plant-based chicken I’ve ever tasted. By using Good Meat’s tech platform, Eat Just nailed both the taste and texture of real chicken, but with plants. It was grilled and served plain, allowing the ‘chicken’ taste to really shine through.

    If you’re thinking, “Do we really need one more plant-based chicken option?”, I say: just wait till you try it.

    Hors concours: Mellody’s Plant-Based Honey

    mellody honey
    Courtesy: MeliBio

    Top such list of mine would not be complete without Mellody’s bee-free honey. Ever since I first tried it, I’ve been a huge fan, and I add it to everything – from tea to yoghurt to cakes. Mellody is spot on when it comes to the texture, aroma, and complex taste of honey made by bees. I don’t know how it does this, but blessed bee!

    The post Expo West 2025 Tried & Tasted: Our Favourite Future Food Eats appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Zero Sugar, 5g Protein: This Sustainable Syrup Pumps Up the Macros in Your Daily Latte

    protein syrup
    5 Mins Read

    Precision fermentation pioneer The Every Company recently released a sugar-free syrup made from its recombinant egg protein – and it’s meant for more than just your lattes.

    The Every Company has rolled out a protein-packed, zero-sugar syrup that would make you more likely to ask for that extra pump in your iced latte.

    The Californian food tech startup is famous for its recombinant egg proteins, which give food and beverage products the functionality of eggs, minus the chicken. It’s a proposition that has long attracted welfare- and climate-conscious consumers, and with egg prices breaking records in the US, it might just lure a much wider set of Americans now.

    To diversify its portfolio and expand its reach, the company’s new syrup – marketed under a new white-label brand, Dash – is now part of a limited-edition promotion at wellness hub Earthbar. Customers can order a mocha or a matcha latte with the syrup at one of several locations.

    “We are working closely with the Earthbar team to explore longer-term plans,” The Every Company’s director of product marketing, Corinn Williams, tells Green Queen.

    The syrup can be used for a lot more than just your lattes. “The protein-boosted beverage syrup was specifically formulated to blend seamlessly into coffee and tea-based drinks, but it works just as well in a range of other hot and cold beverages, including fruit smoothies, milk-based beverages, and protein shakes,” says Williams.

    EveryBoost delivers functionality without sensory compromises

    the every company egg
    Courtesy: The Every Company

    The star ingredient powering the Dash syrup is the Every OvoBoost (formerly Every Protein), a highly soluble protein powder with a neutral taste and texture, designed specifically for integration into food and drinks.

    The firm is a pioneer of precision fermentation, which combines the process of traditional fermentation with the latest biotech advancements to efficiently produce a compound of interest – in this case, a bioidentical version of glycoprotein.

    “It can be used to enhance protein content in products like sparkling water or soda where protein-boosting with ingredients like whey or pea protein is impossible,” explains Williams.

    It is the same ingredient that appeared in Pressed Juicery’s Pineapple Greens Smoothie in 2021 and Pulp Culture’s pressed hard juices a year later. It also forms the base of the coffee enhancer and protein matcha mixes sold under the Fermy brand, the result of a collaboration between The Every Company and Landish Foods.

    The ingredient is said to “deliver functional benefits without altering flavour or texture”, helping boost protein concentrations without any sensory impact.

    “OvoBoost can also be used as a natural emulsifier for total or partial replacement of eggs in high-fat applications like mayonnaise, sauces, and dressings,” Williams adds.

    What goes into the protein syrup?

    every co protein syrup
    Courtesy: The Every Company/Earthbar

    The Every Company chose to create the Dash brand to distinguish itself from its core business as a B2B provider of fermentation-derived proteins.

    The sugar-free syrup used at Earthbar uses allulose as a sweetener to “appeal to a more carb-conscious consumer”, Williams says. Other ingredients include water, phosphoric acid, sodium citrate, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate (both to preserve freshness), natural flavours, and an Every Protein Blend (a mix of OvoBoost with L-Isoleucine, L-Tryptophan and L-Leucine).

    At launch, the company said it had created a “game-changing Protein Pump” to allow protein-boosting to almost any drink. Each ounce of the syrup contains 5g of recombinant egg protein. “It delivers functional benefits without altering flavour or texture, making it highly versatile and allowing for elevated protein concentrations with no impact to a beverage’s mouthfeel and other sensory attributes,” says Williams.

    “We have also developed alternative formulations that use other sugar-free sweeteners, natural cane sugar, and unsweetened/unflavoured iteration,” she adds.

    “We do not plan to release our own version in retail, but we’re looking forward to working with experts in sweet and savoury syrups to help them unlock their own protein-boosted innovation.”

    Scale-up plans are a priority for 2025

    the every company
    Courtesy: The Every Company

    Could you potentially use the syrup as an egg substitute in baking, given its functionality? “Dash Protein Syrup is designed to blend in hot and cold beverages and is not intended to replace eggs in baked goods,” Williams clarifies.

    “We have a separate protein ingredient for replacing eggs in baked goods: Every OvoPro, a functional egg white ingredient (bioequivalent to ovalbumin) that replicates the binding, gelling and foaming of traditional eggs,” she says.

    “OvoPro can be used as a total replacement for whole egg or partial replacement in concert with egg or other ingredients. Designed for both packaged foods and foodservice, it seamlessly integrates into applications like sweet baked goods, rich doughs, frozen and prepared foods, pasta, protein bars, and more.”

    The Every Company has also commercialised animal-free pepsin, a functional digestive protein with broad applications in food processing and dietary health products. While the startup has received FDA approval for all three of these proteins, “due to the volatility of the egg market and the growing demand for innovative solutions”, its current focus is on OvoPro and OvoBoost.

    The firm made a splash in 2023 when its egg proteins became the centrepiece of a one-night-only dinner at Daniel Humm’s Eleven Madison Park, the only three-Michelin-starred vegan restaurant in the world. It has also impressed investors, having raised $233M in funding to date.

    “Our core focus for 2025 is on expanding manufacturing capacity to meet customer demand,” says co-founder and CEO Arturo Elizondo. Asked about the company’s runway, he adds: “Every is well-capitalised and supported by a robust investor base with the ability and willingness to continue supporting the company.”

    The post Zero Sugar, 5g Protein: This Sustainable Syrup Pumps Up the Macros in Your Daily Latte appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Cultured Quail Startup Vow Gets FSANZ Regulatory Approval in Australia & New Zealand

    lab grown meat australia
    6 Mins Read

    Known for its cultured quail, Sydney-based Vow has received regulatory approval from Food Standards Australia New Zealand, a first for cultivated meat in the region.

    Australian food tech startup Vow has become the first startup to be allowed to sell cultivated meat in more than two geographies.

    The Sydney company has apparently received the regulatory green light from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the joint regulator for the Antipodean nations, for its cultured quail, according to an approval report dated today (April 7, 2025) uploaded to the regulator’s website.

    It ends a protracted process that started in early 2023 and involved two rounds of public consultation, during which Vow succeeded in getting regulatory clearance to sell the cultivated meat product in Singapore and by extension, Hong Kong (the latter does not have its own regulatory process for novel foods, but relied on approval Singapore under a framework of international cooperation).

    In an interview with Green Queen last year, Vow co-founder and CEO George Peppou had predicted that the company would receive approval in Q1 2025, and that prophecy rang true, with the FSANZ approving the application on March 27 and notifying the Food Ministers’ Meeting of its decision today.

    “FSANZ conducted a full and independent evidence-based assessment of all media inputs and was satisfied their use and/or presence did not raise any safety concerns,” the agency noted in its assessment.

    “At the estimated consumption levels, there were no toxicological concerns related to the cell media or inputs used in the production process,” it said.

    lab grown meat approved
    Courtesy: Vow

    What the FSANZ said about Vow’s cultured quail application

    Vow submitted its dossier in February 2023, seeking permission to use “cultured quail cells, derived from embryonic fibroblasts of Japanese quail, as a novel food ingredient” in Australia and New Zealand.

    FSANZ issued a call for public comments in December 2023 and another 12 months later. The second round received 22 responses, with each submission considered as part of the agency’s assessment of the cultured quail cells.

    The food safety body noted that “cell line suppliers already operate according to good laboratory practices (GLP) and good cell-culturing practices (GCCP) to manage risks”, and therefore, the overall food safety risk for cell lines is “very low”. It added that cell line suppliers aren’t expressly required to ensure that “inputs do not make cell-cultured food unsafe or unsuitable”.

    FSANZ further noted that cultivated meat cannot be included in “special purpose foods” like sports foods, infant formula, or food for special medical purposes without additional pre-market assessments.

    One public comment brought forward the question of whether cultivated meat products should be categorized as ultra-processed and the “adverse health outcomes” they’re linked to. In response, the FSANZ said the issue of UPFs is beyond the scope of the application.

    lab grown meat approval
    Courtesy: Vow Food

    “The nutrition risk assessment considered the macronutrient and micronutrient content of harvested cells including components introduced during the production process and found no nutritional concerns,” it concluded, adding that the harvested cells were unlikely to pose a food allergenicity risk.

    FSANZ confirmed that Vow did not request that its cultured quail be sold as a single ingredient in retail. Instead, it will be mixed with other ingredients – as is the norm for cultivated meat, including Vow’s – to produce dishes in restaurants and foodservice establishments.

    Addressing concerns about the high costs of cultivated meat and its impact on farmers, the FSANZ suggested that “certain industry costs and regulator costs are necessary to ensure safety and are unlikely to outweigh overall benefits to industry, consumers and government”.

    The assessment’s outlook on the potential for cultivated meat is encouraging for the industry at large: “The consideration of costs and benefits acknowledges that cell-cultured foods are in their infancy with uncertain market growth. That takes into consideration the currently high production costs and uncertainty of the future speed or extent of technology developments for reducing production costs.”

    A huge win for cultivated meat amid global challenges

    This is a big win for Vow and the cultivated meat sector as a whole, which has been embattled of late due to funding and geopolitical challenges. Private investment in cultivated meat startups fell by 75% in 2023 and another 40% in 2024.

    Cultivated meat has faced numerous cultural and political challenges of late. Italy prohibited the production and sale of cultivated meat in 2023. In the US, over 20 states have attempted to ban these proteins, and three have been successful. With Donald Trump as president and Robert F Kennedy Jr as health secretary, regulatory progress for cultivated meat looks uncertain – although the US did issue its third initial approval, for cultivated pork fat by San Francisco-based Mission Barns, last month.

    Still, the future of the sector remains murky in the US, and that has opened up opportunities for other countries to emerge as leaders. Singapore is already at the forefront, having been the first to approve cultivated meat back in 2020, and following it up with its green light for Vow last year.

    fsanz cultured quail
    Courtesy: Vow

    Other leaders could include Israel, which approved its homegrown cultivated beef maker Aleph Farms, and the UK, which has just opened a regulatory sandbox for a select group of cultivated startups. Experts believe South Korea could grant an approval this year as well, while regulators in the EU, Switzerland, and Thailand are evaluating applications. With the Vow approval, Australia and New Zealand are well-positioned to be key players in the field.

    The FSANZ approval comes weeks after Vow cut back 30% of its workforce, a decision Peppou described as coming from a “position of strength as the industry leader, not a position of weakness”.

    “However, given the complexity and novelty of the regulatory process for cultured meat, it has taken far longer than initially expected to secure regulatory approval in the markets which Vow has targeted,” he said at the time. “This is not a criticism of the regulators, but rather an acknowledgement of the care and thoroughness necessary to ensure cultured meat is completely safe for human consumption and regulated appropriately.

    The company, which also makes cultured foie gras, is currently selling its products at various restaurants and bakeries in Singapore through its Forged brand, with rave reviews from tasters. One of them told Green Queen: “What stood out to me was that it was genuinely delicious.”

    And just last week, the company claimed to have broken a world record by harvesting 20,000 litres of cell culture through its Andromeda bioreactor.

    Vow – which went viral and appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for its woolly mammoth meatball stunt in 2023 – has secured $55M from investors to date, commercialising with a smaller outlay than competitors that have received approval, including Upside Foods ($608M), Eat Just ($270M), Aleph Farms ($147M), and Mission Barns ($60M).

    This is a developing story. Green Queen has contacted Vow for a comment on this story.

    The post Cultured Quail Startup Vow Gets FSANZ Regulatory Approval in Australia & New Zealand appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Could Extended Reality Be A Silver Bullet for Plant-Based Meat?

    augmented reality food
    4 Mins Read

    Researchers in Finland are using extended reality to create a multisensory eating experience and enhance the appeal of plant-based meat alternatives.

    Forget CRISPR, fermentation or 3D printing – maybe all we need to improve the taste and texture of meat analogues are just a fork and a headset.

    Scientists at Finland’s Tampere University and the VTT Technical Research Centre are proposing the use of extended reality (XR) to make climate-conscious food even more attractive to consumers.

    XR includes all environments where reality means the virtual world, including augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality. In the study published in the Journal on Multimodal User Interfaces, the researchers argue that this technology can artificially modify human sensations, helping sweeten the appeal of meat-free products.

    “This could be one way of facilitating more ecologically diverse food production and, at the same time, encouraging people to eat healthier,” said Roope Raisamo, a human technology interaction professor at Tampere University.

    XR meatballs feel heavier, bigger, and more filling

    augmented reality in food industry
    Courtesy: TAUCHI

    Raisamo has been supported by funding from the Research Council of Finland for research on XR in different applications for over two decades. In this project, he teamed up with VTT’s Nesli Sözer and colleagues to create eating experiences and new food products that would boost satiety and pleasure while being kind to the planet.

    The team developed a multisensory augmentation system for the project, which comprised an XR headset, a prototype olfactory necklace display, and a fork that can provide haptic feedback and contains a visual QR code marker.

    This system made it possible to augment different food products that could be eaten with the fork. The headset and necklace helped alter the size, appearance and scent of the food item where needed, while the fork was used to modify the perceived weight of the dish to investigate how this plays into people’s perception of feeling full.

    “The premise was to bring two previously rarely collaborating disciplines together to do something completely new,” Raisamo explained. He and his colleagues then conducted an experiment with 40 participants, who ate plant-based meatballs made from pea protein, and blended meatballs containing chicken, beef, pork, and soy protein.

    They found that introducing meat-like flavours and fragrances to the plant-based balls changed the eating experience. The augmented meatballs were perceived as bigger and heavier, but taste-testers did not notice a stronger aroma. They found the scent of the modified vegan meatballs less appealing than the non-augmented versions, and the impact on taste perception and overall experience was similar.

    Multisensory changes could help alt-protein perception

    extended reality food
    Courtesy: Natalia Karhu/TAUCHI

    One of the study’s limitations was the requirement of the fork, which meant the experiment couldn’t really be tested on foods traditionally eaten without it, such as a burger or a chicken nugget.

    But the researchers argued that the study could have significant implications for food manufacturers, especially those exploring alternative proteins. It may, for example, lead to foods like seaweed becoming more widely used in food preparation.

    “The positive ratings for haptic and visual augmentations imply that adding multisensory enhancements can elevate the perception of food items. This could be a pivotal strategy for industries aiming to promote plant-based alternatives by making them as appealing and tasty as the traditional meat-based products,” the study stated.

    “By leveraging multisensory augmentations, businesses might be able to drive consumer preference towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly food options,” it added, noting that the results could also help design experiences to mitigate food waste – another major climate change contributor.

    “The results allow for the optimal use of extended reality systems through human-AI cooperation. We measure cognitive responses, task completion and user experience when a user interacts with an AI-based extended reality,” explained Raisamo.

    “We combine cognitive space modelling, detection, personalisation and forecasting with modelling, contextual awareness and adapting interaction methods,” he said, adding that XR-based olfactory and haptic sensations could be used in marketing in the future too, with multisensory modules that can be added to users’ devices.”

    “Once the XR headsets become lighter everyday products with multisensory stimulation capabilities, there is a promise that they may be used to facilitate healthier and more sustainable food choices while ensuring enjoyable eating experiences,” the study said.

    The post Could Extended Reality Be A Silver Bullet for Plant-Based Meat? appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Actual Veggies’s Veggie Burger Displaces ‘Legacy’ Brand at Amazon, Google Cafeterias

    actual veggies black bean burger
    4 Mins Read

    New York-based Actual Veggies has become the exclusive veggie burger supplier for Compass Group-owned Eurest, the caterer for some of the biggest companies in the US.

    Employees at Amazon, Google and Microsoft will now be able to order burgers made from black beans and kale and broccoli, with their caterer responding to a shift in consumer preferences for plant-based food.

    Eurest, the corporate-focused arm of the world’s largest catering company, Compass Group, has signed an exclusive deal with New York startup Actual Veggies, whose patties will replace a “legacy brand” of veggie burgers across the 1,600+ sites it serves nationwide.

    The move comes after Eurest’s research showed that taste is the leading factor influencing consumers to choose plant-forward menu items, followed by health benefits.

    “This move signals a real shift in consumer and operator preferences,” Actual Veggies co-founder and co-CEO Jason Rosenbaum tells Green Queen. “People are looking for food made with real, recognisable ingredients – not ultra-processed meat alternatives.”

    He adds: “Actual Veggies isn’t trying to mimic meat. We’re celebrating vegetables, and this partnership proves there’s a strong demand for that. Whole-food plant-based options are no longer niche – they’re becoming the standard.”

    A partnership born out of a grocery run

    eurest actually veggies
    Courtesy: Eurest/Actual Veggies/Green Queen

    Eurest’s switch to Actual Veggies was spearheaded by Chris Ivens-Brown, chief culinary officer for Compass Group North America. He purchased a box of Actual Veggies from the grocery store and was so impressed that he was compelled to submit an inquiry to learn more about the company.

    This kicked off the start of R&D from the Eurest culinary team, who subsequently developed a variety of recipes to highlight the flavours and texture people look for in a burger. Eurest noted how Actual Veggies’s burgers are made using fresh vegetables, grains, and legumes, matching its expectations for flavour and appearance.

    “We’re focused on culinary innovation, both through our chef-driven concepts and the partners we collaborate with. Actual Veggies is pushing the category forward with products that deliver on taste, quality and innovation,” says Ivens-Brown.

    Actual Veggie’s signature black bean patty – a permanent addition to Eurest’s menu – also contains red pepper, caramelised onions, carrots, parsnips, lemons, and oats. Its other burgers will be rotated as limited seasonal promotions too. This spring, Eurest’s sites will feature various dishes using the Super Greens burger, which contains a base of broccoli, kale, and spinach.

    “The burgers will be prepared by Eurest’s culinary teams and served in a variety of ways depending on the café – as classic veggie burger builds, bowls, and other customisable options,” says Hailey Swartz, co-founder and co-CEO of Actual Veggies. “We designed our burgers to be chef-friendly and versatile, so they’re easy to work with while delivering bold, recognizable flavour.”

    Actual Veggies teases 2025 as its biggest year yet

    actual veggies
    Courtesy: Actual Veggies

    Actual Veggies had announced its partnership with Compass Group in February, when it closed a $7M Series A funding round. Swartz notes that the Eurest corporate dining deal is a “major step, but just the beginning”: “We’re actively exploring opportunities with Compass and other partners to expand into schools, hospitals, and other non-commercial foodservice sectors where better-for-you food is in high demand.”

    It comes at a time when plant-based meat is struggling to capture wallet share. Yearly sales in retail continued to fall in 2024, with the downtick steady at around 9%. Meanwhile, of the 53% of Americans who have tried meat analogues, a quarter are “lapsed consumers” who haven’t eaten them in the previous year, according to a poll by Morning Consult for the Good Food Institute.

    Much of this can be attributed to a backlash against ultra-processed foods, which some studies have described as harmful to health, though experts have cautioned that processing shouldn’t be directly linked with nutrition.

    “There’s been a growing awareness around clean eating, ingredient transparency, and the environmental impact of what we eat,” argues Swartz. “Consumers want food that’s both healthy and trustworthy. People are reading labels more carefully – and they’re choosing options that feel real, nourishing, and minimally processed.”

    It’s why brands like Actual Veggies are finding success – its annual revenues grew by 125% in 2024, when it doubled its distribution. Its veggie burgers and fries are available at over 6,500 retail stores in the US, including Albertsons, Kroger, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, and Costco.

    Swartz says 2025 is shaping up to be the firm’s biggest year yet: “We’re expanding deeper into foodservice, scaling retail distribution, and introducing new products that stay true to our clean-label mission. This Eurest partnership has opened the door for even more growth in corporate dining, and we’re already in talks to bring our burgers to new channels – including healthcare, education, and hospitality.”

    The post Actual Veggies’s Veggie Burger Displaces ‘Legacy’ Brand at Amazon, Google Cafeterias appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • This Swiss Startup’s ‘Natural’ Emulsifier Contains Fermented Yeast – And Nothing Else

    cosaic
    6 Mins Read

    Swiss fermentation firm Cultivated Biosciences has unveiled a new brand identity and its debut product, a yeast-derived ingredient to replace animal-based and industrial emulsifiers.

    Zurich-based Cultivated Biosciences has rebranded to Cosaic and introduced a yeast-based emulsifier ahead of a $7.5M pre-series A fundraiser to support its US launch.

    The new name – “mosaic with a ‘c’” – refers to the composite of “fats, proteins and fibres blending into one emulsion”, dubbed Cosaic Neo. The fermentation-derived ingredient combines eight key functionalities to allow manufacturers to swap out emulsifiers derived from dairy, eggs, or industrial plant-based formulations.

    It is homing in on the ‘clean-label’ and ‘natural’ aspects, explaining that Cosaic Neo’s ingredient list has just one word: yeast. “We have an emulsion that is 100% derived from yeast. We do not… mix it with anything else,” says chief commercial officer Lucie Rein. “That’s why it’s unique… It’s a natural emulsion because it grew as such in the yeast cell.”

    The startup plans to file for regulatory approval in the US and Europe by the end of this year. It’s aiming to enter the former market in 2026 via a range of protein shakes in collaboration with several “industry giants”, which are currently trialling the concept.

    Cosaic’s emulsifier addresses consumer pain points

    cultivated biosciences funding
    Courtesy: Cosaic

    To grow its ingredient, Cosaic makes use of a non-GMO oleaginous yeast strain, known to naturally produce significant quantities of lipids. The microorganisms are cultivated in a bioreactor, where they are fed a diet of sugars, nitrogen sources, and a mix of minerals and vitamins.

    Its proprietary biomass fermentation technology enables non-chemical extraction with off-the-shelf equipment to break open the cells and extract the emulsion. The specific microstructures it extracts give the ingredient an off-white colour.

    Cosaic Neo is described as “creamy” since the fat appears in the form of tiny droplets with lubrication properties. The emulsifier is a “multifunctional ingredient” that can replace single-purpose incumbents and bring bulk, nutrition, and stability to the products it’s integrated into.

    The ingredient’s formulation speaks to consumer trends. In a 1,500-person survey by Kerry in 2022, 34% of respondents said sensorial attributes have the most room for improvement for milk alternatives, Moreover, 76% of consumers favour ‘a nice creamy mouthfeel without the dairy’, and 77% find non-dairy products more appealing if they have ‘better body and texture’.

    These views have not subsided in the years since. A November 2024 poll by Roland Berger found similar results. It suggested that 58% of people are willing to switch to plant-based dairy, but unsatisfactory taste or texture remained the biggest purchase barrier (cited by 57% of respondents).

    Can yeast shake up the protein space?

    cosaic neo
    Courtesy: Cosaic

    The fermentation-derived emulsifier contains 8-15% protein, 45-60% fat (13-22% of which is saturated), and 25-45% fibre, and can be used in a variety of applications, from ready-to-drink protein shakes, coffee creamers, and non-dairy milks, to mayo, sauces, and creamy liqueurs.

    “Our go-to-market is focused on ready-to-drink protein shakes, given the unique and strong value proposition we have for those,” says Rein.

    The company explains that protein shakes are a rapidly growing beverage segment in the US, but most commercial plant-based offerings contain just around 8% protein, as well as additives like gums. This, it says, is because increasing the protein content further can lead to gelation and a strong off-taste.

    Cosaic Neo, though, can mask those off-notes, replace all additives, and improve protein solubility to load up more of the macronutrient in products (up to 13%). So where a 12oz bottle of a plant-based protein shake would contain 25g of protein, a beverage made from the yeast-derived emulsion instead would boast 43g.

    Cosaic to kick off pre-Series A round

    cultivated biosciences
    Courtesy: Cosaic

    The Swiss startup has raised $6.5M over two funding rounds since it was founded in 2021. “We will start next week our pre-Series A, [targeting] $7.5M to enter the US market and scale our production,” reveals Rein.

    “We work with a novel composition of yeast with a qualified presumption of safety. This means that we need to pass regulatory approval, but we already have a strong base of knowledge for authorities to prove its safety,” says Rein.

    It chose the US because its regulatory environment is “significantly” faster than its home market of Europe – although one key part of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) provision might be in jeopardy.

    US health secretary Robert F Kennedy has directed the agency to revisit and potentially remove the self-affirmation rule, which allows companies to sell new ingredients by independently determining that they comply with the FDA’s requirements, without needing to notify it. If it does get scrapped, companies like Cosaic would need to wait for a ‘no questions’ letter from the FDA, potentially delaying their commercialisation strategies.

    There is no regulatory definition for ‘dairy-free’ in the US, but the rules for ‘non-dairy’ mean that products like cream and coffee creamers can still contain dairy proteins like casein, causing consumer confusion. Rein clarified that the on-pack labelling of its yeast ingredient is the “responsibility of the CPG company producing and distributing the products”, and will be defined along with the regulatory approval.

    EU novel food regulation needs ‘more clarity and certainty’

    yeast emulsifier
    Courtesy: Cosaic

    As for Europe, Cosaic is targeting 2027 for its launch, bemoaning a regulatory framework it finds “too slow for our growth and expansion goals”. The EU’s novel food regulations are among the strictest in the world, and have long been a double-edged sword: on the one hand, companies appreciate the rigorous evaluations to prove food safety, but on the other, it stifles innovation.

    It’s why innovations like cultivated meat and precision-fermented proteins have already been commercialised in places like the US, Singapore, and its former member state, the UK. But approval for these foods has remained elusive in the EU.

    The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently faced protests from an Italian farmers’ union, which called for even stricter regulations for novel food. But despite a “constructive” discussion, the EU body clarified that the march hadn’t brought any additional reforms.

    “The policy has not changed,” EFSA’s senior policy coordinator, Alberto Spagnolli, told Green Queen. “We always follow our guidelines for our scientific work, and these were recently updated.”

    Rein advocates for “more clarity and certainty” in the novel food process. This would mean a “well-staffed EFSA that can move quickly” and a “clear list of analytical tests” to prove safety – as well as the possibility to confirm with the body that these would be sufficient before conducting them.

    She adds that once companies have proven the safety of the production platform, the capacity to “easily amend approval to include new versions of ingredients produced with the same platform” is also needed.

    The post This Swiss Startup’s ‘Natural’ Emulsifier Contains Fermented Yeast – And Nothing Else appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • 5 Minutes with A Future Food VC: Grey Silo Ventures’s Matteo Leonardi

    matteo leonardi
    2 Mins Read

    In our interview series, we quiz future food investors about the solutions that excite them the most, their favourite climate-forward restaurant, and what they look for in successful founders.

    Matteo Leonardi is an Investment Manager at Grey Silo Ventures.

    What future food technologies most excite you?

    Precision fermentation: the whole concept of leveraging microorganisms to produce complex compounds is simply fascinating.

    What are three future food verticals you are actively looking at for 2025?

    1. New crop and genetic variety discovery and/or domestication
    2. Sugar replacement
    3. Soil restoration tech

    What do you consider the food tech sector’s greatest achievement in the past five years?

    Globally, introducing the first cultivated products in the market.

    If you could wave a magic wand, how would you fix plant-based meat?

    I wouldn’t call this fixing, just as I would not call it plant-based “meat”, as these products deserve their own definition and category.

    If there’s one thing I’d like to adjust, though, that is the flavour profile, to make it a bit more complex and longer-lasting.

    What’s the top trait you look for in a founder?

    Relentlessness, drive, and the ability to look at the grand scheme of things without losing touch with the real world.

    The One That Got Away: What is the deal you wish you had gotten into, but didn’t?

    Planet A Foods. We were super late to the party, and the round turned out to be much bigger than planned. Luckily, another great company in the sector came after them (Foreverland), which we invested in.

    What do you consider your most successful future food investment so far?

    xFarm Technologies (also the first).

    What has been your most disappointing investment so far?

    Quite proudly, none. We have a limited portfolio of companies (seven) as we are not forced to invest as a conventional VC following investment/divestment periods, allowing us to invest only when we build strong conviction. Luckily (and kudos to them), the founders we partnered with are all performing according to the plan.

    What do people misunderstand/get wrong most about VC?

    Timing plays a much bigger impact than anything else.

    What is the most ‘future food’ thing you have eaten this month?

    Gotta be the new version of Choruba, Foreverland’s chocolate alternative made with carobs.

    Where is your favourite climate-forward restaurant/dish/place to eat anywhere in the world?

    I’ll stick to my roots: a simple pasta al pomodoro. Quality ingredients, tasty, and climate-friendly.

    What’s your ‘why’? What motivates you to do what you do?

    Working with ambitious people trying to change the planet we live on for the best. No matter what you’re working on, if you are an entrepreneur in our field, you might not always get our money, but you surely (for what it’s worth) have my complete esteem.

    The post 5 Minutes with A Future Food VC: Grey Silo Ventures’s Matteo Leonardi appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Plant-Based Seafood Has A ‘Comms Problem’, Says Revo Foods CEO

    revo foods
    5 Mins Read

    Austrian 3D-printed seafood startup Revo Foods has witnessed rapid growth since opening its mycoprotein facility in September, and its CEO believes vegan seafood has a communication issue.

    There is no inherent desire for most consumers to switch to fish-free seafood or think they “really need an alternative” to salmon, tuna, and the like, highlighting the industry’s communication problem, according to the CEO of one innovative startup.

    “The plant-based industry had a dogma that if you replicate meat 100%, consumers will come, and I don’t think this is true anymore,” says Robin Simsa. He heads up Austria’s Revo Foods, which uses 3D printing and mycoprotein to make seafood analogues.

    “I believe people care less about a one-to-one replica, but rather [they care about] a good protein source (like mycoprotein), prepared in an engaging and attractive way,” he says.

    “There needs to be something desirable about our products, and this can be either nutritionally or based on ‘fun’ or ‘cool’ concepts, from longevity to crazy products where people think: ‘Why does this exist?’”

    This is why Revo Foods has labelled its vegan seafood differently – it stopped selling a ‘Salmon Filet’ long ago. “Now, we sell a fermented fungi protein, which is ‘Inspired by Salmon’. A small change in wording, but it shifts the focus to a completely different highlight.”

    The change in positioning has worked and then some. “We only opened our new production facility in September 2024, and since then, sales have been increasing 250% compared to the previous year,” Simsa says. “March was one of the best months in terms of sales since our beginning.”

    In the US, vegan alternatives make up just 1% of the overall seafood market. They account for a similar share in the wider plant-based market too. In Germany and the UK, meanwhile, the sales value of alternative seafood grew by 10% from 2022-23, with units up by 6%.

    Revo Foods is now “moving forward quite nicely”, thanks to new product releases, including the marinated filets it launched last month, and its latest product, a mycelium-fuelled take on black cod.

    Titled ‘El Blanco – Inspired by Black Cod’ (in keeping with its communication strategy), the whitefish alternative will be available in Austrian and German supermarkets this month.

    New tech helps Revo Foods speed up product development

    vegan seafood
    Courtesy: Revo Foods

    Revo Foods’s latest seafood analogue has been produced with a new 3D extrusion technology at its production site, dubbed The Taste Factory, with an output of several tonnes per month.

    Its computer-guided models transform unstructured proteins (like mycoprotein) into products with aligned, heterogeneous fibres. The integration of fat into the protein matrix is key, leading to a ‘flaky’ texture reminiscent of black cod.

    The startup says it uses mycoprotein because it has a neutral taste and highly desirable nutritional profile. It contains all essential amino acids, has a high protein digestibility score, and is rich in fibre and low in carbs and saturated fat.

    Mycoprotein can also double in biomass every five hours, making it one of the most efficient sources of protein on the planet. “Our salmon filet took us four years to develop. This new product took us three months,” Simsa says, outlining the proficiency of its continuous production system.

    “We have built a foundation where we can test new product iterations quickly, and El Blanco is a prime example of this. We had four new products developed in this direction, and El Blanco was most desirable to many people in taste tests,” he adds.

    “Our new 3D extrusion process really allows us to be super quick with product development and testing, which is exciting because the food industry is not normally known to be fast, and this gives us some new opportunities with more ‘obscure’ concepts in the future that might work amazingly, or might flop big time. We will announce some of these developments soon.”

    revo foods el blanco
    Courtesy: Revo Foods

    A vegan alternative cheaper than ‘the real thing’

    Aside from mycoprotein, El Blanco contains microalgae oil, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The high fat content is a “source of pleasure”, says Simsa, which makes it taste like “fresh whitefish”. “We also add a marination to make it easier for people to just fry it in their kitchen without too much preparation,” he notes.

    Encouragingly, the mycoprotein alternative is 25-30% cheaper than conventional black cod, which he calls a “rather expensive fish species” – a 110g unit in Austria and Germany retails for €3.99 ($4.30). This is important considering that cost has become the top purchase driver of seafood for 55% of Europeans, whose at-home consumption declined by six percentage points between spring 2021 and autumn 2024.

    “We upscaled our production capacities in recent months and implemented a new extruder system, which could increase the output at our production site, which greatly benefits us in terms of production costs,” Simsa explains when asked how Revo Foods manages to undercut the cost of black cod. “We now run with two production shifts.”

    The startup has raised over €10M ($10.8M) so far, and closed a €1.2M ($1.3M) investment round in January with existing and new investors. It will now extend this in a crowdfunding campaign on FunderNation to reach €1.5M ($1.6M).

    In addition to El Blanco, it will release another new “ambitious” product in two weeks, which will follow its strategy of spotlighting mycoprotein instead of solely trying to mimic seafood. It won’t make “any comparisons with animal-based products”, but rather target a “performance/fitness group with a designer product optimised for nutrients”, says Simsa.

    “We already sell in France, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the UK and other markets together with local distributors,” he adds. “In 2025, we will also start some exciting new partnership projects to bring our products forward in different geographies.”

    The post Plant-Based Seafood Has A ‘Comms Problem’, Says Revo Foods CEO appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Future Food Quick Bites: CO2 Ice Cream, Cocoa-Free Chocolate & A Tri

    solein ice cream
    5 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Ajinomoto and Solar Foods’s latest product launch, Unity Diner’s return, and a new meat-free omakase experience in Hong Kong.

    New products and launches

    Japanese food giant Ajinomoto‘s Atlr.72 brand has released its latest product range featuring Solar Foods‘s Solein gas protein in Singapore. The Flowering Ice Creams come in vanilla and mochi (which contains dairy), chocolate and lemon peel, and salted caramel and nuts (both non-dairy) flavours, and can be found at the brand’s food truck.

    ajinomoto solein
    Courtesy: Atlr.72

    Nurasa, the sustainable food innovation platform owned by Temasek, will unveil NuFood Concept Studio, an innovation platform designed to speed up the commercialisation of healthier products, at the FHA-Food & Beverage 2025 event in Singapore (April 8-11). Here, it will showcase a blended meat product made with Quality Meat‘s Q Protein, featuring lower cholesterol and higher fibre.

    In the UK, Earthling Ed-owned Unity Diner is returning to London just two months after shutting down. The vegan restaurant had successful negotiations with its landlords, allowing it to open doors again later this week (April 4). It will also open a carvery on April 20.

    Meanwhile, plant-based leaders Beyond Meat and La Vie have collaborated on a joint marketing campaign with a new ad, with the brands offering a BBQ burger recipe and directing consumers to Honest Burger to try the Bacon Plant 2.0.

    San Diego-based CV Sciences Inc has expanded its plant-based portfolio with Lunar Fox Food Co, a new brand that sells animal-free alternatives to meat, cheese, and eggs. It’s also the owner of vegan egg and cheese maker Cultured Foods.

    lunar fox food co
    Courtesy: Lunar Fox Food Co

    Seafood chain Wintzell’s Oyster House has introduced Plant Based Seafood Co‘s Mind Blown range to its menu. It will offer vegan oysters, crispy fried shrimp, and crab cakes as salad toppings, entrées, and sandwich fillings.

    Brooklyn-based upcycled snack brand B-Sides has launched vegan Crunch Puffs made from the leftover pulp from oat milk production. They’re available in Cheddar, ranch and jalapeño flavours, and can be found on its website, Amazon, or independent retailers in New York City.

    choviva
    Courtesy: Planet A Foods

    German cocoa-free chocolate player Planet A Foods has expanded in three markets ahead of Easter: it’s co-launching eight products featuring ChoViva with chocolate maker Abtey in France, two innovations with retailers Lidl and Penny in Germany, and a new offering in the UK in collaboration with Wawi Schokoladen.

    Fellow cocoa-free chocolate maker Foreverland has released a 240g Easter egg featuring its carob-based Choruba alternative, in collaboration with chocolate giant Dulciar.

    foreverland
    Courtesy: Foreverland

    Israeli 3D-printed meat producer Redefine Meat has gained a listing at Rami Levy Hashikma Marketing, the country’s third-largest retail chain. Its New-Meat lineup of steaks, sausages, kebabs, and shawramas are available at all 57 branches.

    Hong Kong restaurant Niwa has introduced a Vegetarian Omakase Menu, featuring 14 items – from a tofu-pickle wafer and balsamic vinegar tomato to black truffle somen and mushroom sushi – for HK$780 ($100).

    vegan restaurants hong kong
    Courtesy: Niwa

    And in more good news for vegans in Hong Kong, famed meat-free dim sum restaurant Veggie Kingdom has opened its second site at Causeway Bay for perfect plant-based yum cha.

    Company and finance developments

    In a sign of the cultivated meat industry’s scalability potential, Australia’s Vow claims to have broken a world record by harvesting 20,000 litres of cell culture through its Andromeda bioreactor.

    differential bio
    Courtesy: Differential Bio

    Fellow Munich-based startup Differential Bio has emerged from stealth with €2M ($2.2M) in pre-seed funding to advance its Virtual Scale-up Platform for biomanufacturing firms, which combines advanced microbiology, lab automation, and artificial intelligence.

    French vegan seafood brand Olala! has ceased operations after three years, citing a lack of sufficient turnover. The company said it hadn’t found its market, and its industrial model needed a market dynamic.

    After completing its purchase of a 26-acre piece of land in Jefferson, Wisconsin for $777,000, Finnish precision fermentation firm Onego Bio is expected to spend $250-300M to build its new facility for animal-free egg proteins, set to be operational in 2028.

    vegan marbled steak
    Courtesy: Melt&Marble

    Swedish precision-fermented fat producer Melt&Marble has hired veteran pharma leader Tue Hodal as its first CTO, and Paulo Teixeira (formerly at Mycorena) as product manager.

    Californian biotech startup Triplebar has announced Shawn Manchester as its new CEO, who has been promoted from his role as COO. He takes over from outgoing chief Maria Cho.

    British vegan meal startup Planty, meanwhile, has appointed Samuel Rodriguez as head chef and Mimi Phillip as a freelance development chef – both used to work at rival firm Allplants, whose assets are now split between Plants (by Deliciously Ella‘s founders) and Grubby.

    UK vegan charity Viva! has hit its £400,000 crowdfunding target and secured screenings in 300 cinemas for its 62-second Dairy is Scary ad.

    Policy and awards

    Speaking of British non-profits, The Vegan Society has announced Libby Peppiatt as its new CEO. She will take over from interim chief Abbey Mann on May 14.

    Also in the UK, the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology has awarded £1.4M to the Food Standards Agency to support a new innovation hub for foods made via precision fermentation, another step towards novel food leadership for the country.

    new york city hospitals vegan
    Courtesy: NYC Health + Hospitals

    New York City’s Health + Hospitals programme has now served over two million plant-based meals to patients since it began in 2023, with 900,000 dishes served in 2024 alone. The initiative has a 90% satisfaction rate, and has reduced emissions by 36% and costs by 59 cents per meal.

    Finally, mycelium protein maker 50Cut (formerly Mush Foods), which is focused on blended meat, has been named the 2025 FABI Favorites Award Winner at the National Restaurant Association Show.

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: CO2 Ice Cream, Cocoa-Free Chocolate & A Tri appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Cultivated Seafood Can Fish Out Allergies, Unlocking A Hidden Benefit

    lab grown seafood allergies
    5 Mins Read

    Cultivated seafood isn’t just better for marine animals, the planet, and human health – it can also bring fish back on the menu for those with severe allergies.

    While many in the cellular agriculture industry have touted the health and climate advantages of cultivated meat and seafood, a new study highlights a hidden benefit of these proteins.

    Globally, up to 7% of the population suffers from a seafood allergy, making fish a leading trigger of food-induced anaphylaxis. Cell cultivation can bring fish products back to these consumers’ plates, researchers at the James Cook University (JCU) have found.

    “We have a data bank of over 100 children with confirmed fish allergies, and we demonstrated that there is very little to no reactivity to the known fish allergens in the cell-cultivated fish,” said Andreas Lopata, head of JCU’s Molecular Allergy Research Laboratory in Queensland, Australia, who called the results “hugely promising”.

    Allergenicity of cultivated fish 10 times lower

    lab grown fish
    Courtesy: James Cook University

    The research dates back nearly a decade, with Lopata and his team working with children who had a clinical history of allergies to bony fish.

    They evaluated allergy risks based on a multiomics approach for conventional and cultivated Japanese eel (or unagi), characterising each protein (and allergen) using computational methods.

    The results, presented at the World Allergy Congress in San Diego, California (February 28 to March 3), revealed the abundance of 12 recognised fish allergens was 10-fold lower in the cultivated unagi than the conventional eel.

    “The levels of allergens present in the cell-cultivated fish being so low was quite surprising to us,” said Lopata. “You’re basically taking stem cells from the fish, growing them in tissue culture to the size they are edible, and everyone told us it would basically be the same as the regular fish including any allergy risks.”

    He added: “Instead, we found diminished risks, including a decrease of up to 1000-fold of the predominant fish allergen parvalbumin, and all of this was with no manipulation nor gene modification.”

    The study further emphasises the need for serum-free culture media, since fetal bovine serum – a controversial ingredient the industry has been phasing out in recent years – introduced non-fish allergens to the products.

    JCU working with cultivated seafood pioneer Umami Bioworks

    lab grown seafood
    Courtesy: Umami Bioworks

    JCU’s researchers argued that cultivated fish presents promising opportunities to produce safer seafood with diminished allergy risks. Now, it is conducting further research to evaluate a broader range of seafood cells, as well as develop cultivated fish products.

    To advance that effort, it has partnered with alternative protein think tank the Good Food Institute (GFI) and Singaporean cultivated seafood startup Umami Bioworks.

    “We have been collaborating to better understand the properties of cultivated seafood, how the products may differ from traditional seafood at a molecular level, and the impacts these differences may have on outcomes like allergenicity,” Umami Bioworks CEO Mihir Pershad told Green Queen, noting that the firm has a long-standing partnership with Lopata and JCU.

    “To our knowledge, these are the first results on the potential allergenicity of cultivated meat and seafood and represent a significant step in building the public body of knowledge about the safety profile of cultivated foods,” he added.

    “We are also excited by the potential demonstrated in this study for cultivated seafood to address challenges that our current seafood system cannot,” Pershad said, referring to the opportunity for people with seafood allergies to enjoy cultivated fish.

    Lopata said Umami Bioworks’s first products will “most likely be cultivated fish and seafood dumplings”: “They should have that same fish flavour and omega-3 fatty acid levels, which are very healthy, along with all the other components of regular fish and seafood.”

    He added: “There can be uncertainties about allergenicity, but that’s where we come in, as experts in the field, really analysing all proteins (the proteome) and then comparing particular allergen patterns to see if there could be anything unsafe for consumers.”

    Umami Bioworks has been in “active review with documents submitted to regulators in major markets across America, Europe, and Asia”, Pershad told Green Queen in October. It’s a list that includes Singapore, the first country to greenlight the sale of cultivated meat, built on the rigorous yet inclusive food safety process designed by the Singapore Food Agency.

    Could cultivated seafood go the plant-based dairy route?

    lab grown fish
    Courtesy: Shlomi Arbiv

    Cultivated meat has gotten caught up in the culture wars. Some countries and US states have banned its production and sale, and many others are trying to do the same. These have contributed to consumer concern about the safety of these products, despite food safety authorities in several countries greenlighting the sale of cultivated meat after months (and sometimes years) of rigorous testing.

    As this study suggests, cultivated seafood could be blessed with a wave of acceptance if it leans in on the anti-allergy positioning, similar to another alternative protein segment that has witnessed significant success using it, namely plant-based dairy.

    Cow-free milk and dairy products have been successful despite the anti-vegan backlash because they cater to not just vegans but a large section of the population who are lactose-intolerant or suffer from dairy protein allergies – around two-thirds of people globally have trouble digesting lactose.

    In the US, for instance, at least 12% of Americans are lactose-intolerant, while over 5% (15 million) have a milk or dairy allergy. While 44% of households buy plant-based milk, one in five Americans who did so also put cow’s milk in their shopping carts. In addition, the prevalence of intolerances and allergies has seen coffee chains like Starbucks and Dunkin’ face lawsuits over the non-dairy surcharge, which they have since dropped.

    Can cultivated seafood recreate dairy-free products’ allergy-friendly strategy and become a more acceptable alternative protein to consumers?

    The post Cultivated Seafood Can Fish Out Allergies, Unlocking A Hidden Benefit appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Dairy Industry’s Biggest Byproduct Can Offer Low-Carbon Alternative to Meat

    whey protein waste product
    4 Mins Read

    Whey is the dairy industry’s largest byproduct – but it has enormous potential to reduce food waste and develop sustainable microbial proteins.

    Thousands of swimming pools’ worth of whey are discarded every year, polluting aquatic ecosystems and wasting a highly nutritious ingredient.

    Now, scientists at the Tecnológico de Monterrey, in collaboration with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), have developed a process that can upcycle whey into sustainable single-cell proteins through fermentation, presenting a lower-carbon alternative to livestock-derived proteins and a potential food security boost.

    “The production of alternative proteins is no longer an option, but a necessity,” said Mario Antonio Torres-Acosta, the project’s lead, who holds a PhD in biotechnology from Tecnológico de Monterrey. “We are facing an unprecedented climate and food security crisis, and developing sustainable protein sources will be key to feeding a growing population.”

    Leveraging a non-GMO process key to scientists’ effort

    whey protein waste
    Courtesy: Tecnológico de Monterrey/Grok

    The project is aimed at cutting food waste via circular economy strategies, implementing food safety and traceability systems to ensure quality, and researching accessible and balanced nutrition for vulnerable populations.

    Torres-Acosta and his colleagues converted the dairy industry byproduct into proteins through an innovative precision fermentation process. The effort relies on mixed microbial communities or strategic combinations of microorganisms (particularly yeasts and bacteria of industrial relevance) that can work together to break down the lactose in whey and transform it into a protein-rich biomass.

    One of the major goals of the project was to eschew the need for any genetically modified organisms, which the scientists said would facilitate the protein’s market acceptance and scalability. Combining yeasts and bacteria in a controlled ecosystem, they explained, would help maximise protein production without altering the natural composition of the microbes involved.

    The resulting protein is rich in essential amino acids and can be highly digestible, with a biological value comparable to that of meat and milk. Its production, meanwhile, generates fewer emissions and requires much less land than livestock farming.

    Additionally, the whey-derived single-cell protein can be produced for $1,600 per tonne, with a market price ranging from $5,000 to $7,000 per tonne. For context, beef prices reached nearly $5,400 in the EU last week.

    The scientists further argued that proteins derived from microalgae tend to have a strong flavour and an unappealing colour, unlike single-cell yeast proteins, which have a more neutral sensory profile. This makes the latter more adaptable to a wide range of food applications

    “The use of microbial communities is key in this process. In nature, microorganisms do not function in isolation but in consortia, where they complement each other. We leverage this principle to optimise the conversion of waste into a product with high added value,” said Torres-Acosta.

    Why whey should not be wasted

    whey waste
    Courtesy: Editrix/Flickr

    According to the team behind the project, this technology could be “easily implemented” in regions where cheese production generates large volumes of residual whey.

    Around 80-90% of milk that enters cheese manufacturing facilities ends up as whey. Globally, between 180 and 190 million tonnes of whey are produced annually, making it the largest byproduct of the dairy sector by volume.

    While about half of this waste is processed into added-value products like whey protein, functional foods, edible films and coatings, and lactic acid, a significant amount is left unused. Whey disposal, however, is a costly process, both in terms of economics and the environment.

    Its biochemical and chemical oxygen demands are significantly higher than wastewater, and it can contaminate groundwater and pose risks to farmland if not disposed of properly. In fact, up to 47% of the whey produced by the cheese industry is discharged into water bodies, causing pollution, ecological imbalances, and uncontrolled microbial growth due to nutrient excess. This can lead to phenomena like eutrophication, reducing the oxygen available in the water and affecting aquatic life.

    It’s what drives the Tecnológico de Monterrey effort, part of its Flagship Project on Food Security and Nutrition, which seeks to mitigate food security through solutions from sustainable agriculture to the transformation, processing, distribution, storage, and consumption of food products.

    “The combination of biotechnology, computational modelling, and precision fermentation allows us to design an efficient, scalable, and economically viable process for single-cell protein production,” said Alberto Santos Delgado, informatics director at DTU’s Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability.

    Also in Europe, the German government recently awarded a $2.8M grant to the Hamburg University of Technology and local food tech startup Infinite Roots to develop technology that can upcycle whey into a feedstock for mycelium fermentation.

    The post Dairy Industry’s Biggest Byproduct Can Offer Low-Carbon Alternative to Meat appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.