From Nestle to Coca-Cola, the plant-based and cultured-food sectors continue to rise

4 August 2021

As the plant-based and cultured-food sectors continue their relentless rise, they are attracting a rich diversity of actors, from multinationals such as Nestle, Starbucks, and Coca-Cola to a slate of startups from around the world. In this edition of News Highlights from the Plant-based and Cultured-food Sector, we take a cross-sectional look at this global food revolution.

TRENDS & PROJECTIONS

Vegconomist asks whether the US could be the next country to approve the sale of cultured meat?
Food Dive looks at why plant-based chicken is taking over in the alt-meat space.
Vegconomist explores the rise of plant-based bacon.
The plant-based meat sector raised over a billion USD during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report from by P&S Intelligence.
Targeting China’s 700 million younger consumers will be vital to the growth of alternative protein in the country, according to a new report released by consulting firms Gira and IQC.
Underutilized crops and emerging technologies might well shape the next generation of plant-based products, suggests Food Navigator.

FOODSERVICE CHAINS/CATERERS

Accor Hotels – the world’s sixth largest hospitality company – is partnering with Zrou, one of China’s leading plant-based meat brands, to launch a plant-based menu across its hotels in the region.
Starbucks Indonesia launched its first vegan sandwich, featuring a plant-based meatball, at more than 460 locations.
Food-tech startup Kuleana is launching its plant-based tuna across Poké Bar restaurants in North America.

FOOD MANUFACTURERS

Nestlé has confirmed its move to explore the cultured-meat sector.
Amsterdam cheesemakers Max&Bien have unveiled the world’s first plant-based cheese wheel with a wax coating.
Dutch meat-alternatives company Schouten Europe has added a fish burger patty to its range of plant-based seafood products, attracting extensive interest from the seafood industry.
Beyond Meat has announced that it aims to underprice beef by 2024.
Swedish startup Dug has launched the world’s first potato-based plant milk.

INGREDIENTS SUPPLIERS/NEW TECHNOLOGIES

The worldwide pea-starch Industry is expected to reach $203 Million by 2026, growing at a compound rate of 7.2% over the next five years, according to ResearchAndMarkets.
Multus Biotechnology Ltd has raised 1.8 million euros to commercialize its animal-free growth medium for cultured meat.
Swedish startup Cirkulär is developing climate-smart biotech systems to produce animal protein, beginning with the production of cheese.
US biodesign company Geltor has launched a plant-based collagen for the food and beverage industries.

ONES TO WATCH OUT FOR

Cultured pork is next on the agenda for alt-meat company MeaTech.
The urgent pressure of climate change is likely to supercharge the cultured and precision-fermentation dairy sector, according to Food Navigator.
Just Food takes a look at the companies at the cutting edge of cultured-protein product development.

STARTUP & FINANCIAL

Coca-Cola Israel is set to invest $2M in cultured-dairy startup BioMilk.
Cultured-foie-gras startup Gourmey has secured $10m in seed funding, with tentative plans to expand into alt-poultry filets.
UK startup Animal Alternative Technologies is developing a bioreactor that will allow cultured meat to be made anywhere.
Aleph Farms has attracted investment of US$105M from top-tier partners, with its cultured meat poised for market entry.
Wicked Kitchen has closed a US$14m funding round that will support the company’s plans to expand internationally.

STAKEHOLDER INTERVENTIONS

Food Ingredients First explores industry reactions to Nestlé’s deep dive into cultured meat.
A US$5trn investor coalition supported by former UN Secretary General and architect of the Paris Agreement Ban Ki-moon is calling on G20 governments to disclose specific targets to address agricultural emissions in the runup to COP26.
Laïta Nutrition, the nutrition division of the Laïta, a French dairy cooperative, is focusing on plant-based ingredients in response to the acceleration of a general transition to plant-based diets.