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.
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