Recent progress you’ve made possible

ProVeg is continuing to spearhead plant-based progress through the Lidl x ProVeg Incubator Cheese Alternative Innovation Competition. Launched in early 2025, this groundbreaking initiative is designed to support startups focused on cheese alternatives, novel ingredients, and advanced production technologies that could potentially transform the future of food.

The competition offers a unique opportunity for plant-based innovators to secure a listing with Lidl Germany’s ‘Vemondo’ brand, with the winning product stocked in at least 50 Lidl stores for a minimum period of three months. This level of exposure has the potential to dramatically boost consumer access to plant-based cheese, helping to normalize sustainable food choices and accelerating the mainstream adoption of dairy alternatives. Ten finalists were selected for their groundbreaking approaches, spanning everything from cottage-style cheese and cream cheese to aged-Camembert alternatives and novel protein sources.

The Finalists

• Freundeskreis (Austria): Apricot-seed cottage cheese
• SERio (Poland): Lupin-bean Gouda-style slices
• Mö Foods (Finland): Oat-based Chèvre
• New Roots (Switzerland): Cashew-and-lupin cream cheese
• Boermarke (Netherlands): Mycoprotein Gouda-style slices
• Kern Tec (Austria): Upcycled apricot-kernel cream cheese
• Les Nouveaux Affineurs (France): Aged-Camembert alternative
• FÆRM (Denmark): Soy-based cream cheese
• Protein Distillery (Germany): Yeast-based cheese ingredient
• Planetary (Switzerland): Mycoprotein ingredient for multiple formats

By connecting startups with one of Europe’s largest retailers, this initiative is nurturing innovation while also helping to ensure that sustainable solutions reach supermarket shelves and, ultimately, millions of consumers.