February Highlights from the plant-based and cultured-food sector: Innovation is everywhere!

7 March 2022

The plant-based and cultured-food sector is continuing to expand in the wake of the pandemic. From seawood-scaffolded meat to 3-D printing and novel uses of fermentation, innovation is everywhere in the sector. Read on to find out more about the latest exciting developments.

TRENDS & PROJECTIONS

Israeli food-tech company SuperMeat recently conducted a “first-ever” public blind tasting of their cultured chicken.
More than a quarter of Dutch consumers hope that the future of meat will be animal-free, according to a new survey commissioned by ProVeg Netherlands.
A new report from global food processor Archer Daniels Midland highlights the top seven emerging trends in alternative protein.
Pilgrim’s, the owner of UK sausage giant Richmond, predicts 74% growth in its plant-based products over the next four years.
According to the Good Food Institute, the price of plant-based meat is projected to fall below that of conventional meat in 2023.

RETAIL FOODS

Aldi UK’s plant-based sales increased by 500% in January compared to the previous year, a sure sign that Veganuary is continuing to accelerate.
Carrefour France is now selling plant-based meat at its traditional butcher counters.
UK retailer the Vegan Kind has rolled out major plans for 2022.
Plant-based tuna alternative Tuno is now available at Co-op stores in the UK.

FOODSERVICE CHAINS/CATERERS

British Airways is set to introduce a range of plant-based meals in its first-class and business-class lounges.
As part of a Vegan Fridays initiative, public schools in New York City will be serving plant-based meals to nearly a million students every week.
IKEA is courting new tech hires by offering them a job interview over a plate of 3D-printed vegan meatballs.

FOOD MANUFACTURERS

Swedish alt-dairy brand Dug has launched its potato milk in UK supermarkets.
Germany’s Plant B has launched a lupin-based liquid-egg product.
Singaporean company Oatside – branded as the first “full-stack” oat-milk brand from Asia – has debuted its plant-based milk alternative with a range that includes Barista Blend, Chocolate, and Chocolate Hazelnut.
Nestlé Australia is shifting towards a more sustainable approach by using 100% renewable energy and focusing on its plant-based portfolio.
Upfield has entered into a strategic partnership with UK-based egg-alternative producer and vegan bakery Oggs.

INGREDIENTS SUPPLIERS/NEW TECHNOLOGIES

A new study from pea-protein supplier Roquette shows the potential of pea isolate as a high-quality protein.
Ingredion has invested in InnovoPro, which is developing a suite of highly functional chickpea ingredients.

ONES TO WATCH OUT FOR

Irish plant-based brand Strong Roots is on a mission to redefine the frozen-food category.
Chicago startup Aqua Cultured Foods is using microbial fermentation to create fish-free calamari.

STARTUP & FINANCIAL

Brain Biotech and ProVeg Incubator alumnus Formo have joined forces to scale production of Formo’s animal-free milk protein.
Bosque Foods (also an Incubator alumnus) has unveiled it’s next-generation mycelium-based meat alternative.
Mumbai-based startup Blue Tribe Foods has welcomed Bollywood celebrity Anushka Sharma and her husband cricket star Virat Kohli on board as investors and brand ambassadors.
Seawith has completed a $5.43m funding round for its cultured steak, which uses seaweed-scaffolding.
Tomorrow Foods has received funding from Blue Horizon to drive the Protein transformation in South America.

STAKEHOLDER INTERVENTIONS

A new joint report from business-technology outfit CIIE.Co and the Good Food Institute claims that cultured meat could radically transform India’s food system.
John Hopkins University has launched the school’s first academic course devoted to alternative protein education.
The European Alliance for Plant-based Foods (EAPF) is bringing together like-minded organizations in the plant-based value chain to spearhead the transformation towards a sustainable plant-based food system.
In the US, the Afro-Vegan Society celebrated black history month in February with an online vegan-education program titled ‘Veguary’