In this month’s special edition – Alternative proteins 3.0: Balancing consumer demand for health and taste – FoodNavigator-USA examines the ever-expanding range of proteins and the opportunities and challenges they face.
For example, FoodNavigator-USA Deputy Editor Deniz Ataman explores how alternative protein companies are restructuring to improve efficiency, scalability and consumer acceptance. Brands like Vow, Tender Food, and Asentia are rebranding and enhancing product quality to address concerns about taste, texture and price.
Meanwhile, UPSIDE Foods is partnering with Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors to integrate cultured meat, like Upside’s shredded chicken, into familiar menu dishes. At Upside’s New York City pop-up, Deniz interviewed Upside’s COO Amy Chen and Pat La Frieda’s CEO Pat LaFrieda on how their partnership is driving consumer adoption of cultivated meat.
Senior Correspondent Ryan Daily caught up with venture capitalists to discover whether their appetite for investing in food-tech and alternative protein will return in 2025.
She also examines how Cargill is tackling taste and texture challenges that have plagued the alternative protein space in recent years.
I also take a deep dive into the plant-protein sector – exploring how many consumers are adopting a “back-to-basics” approach that is creating new opportunities for soy and tofu as well as other products that proudly place plants front-and-center.
Check out all the details of these stories and more by clicking through on the headlines below, or if you are a FoodNavigator-USA subscriber by checking your inbox for the special edition on alternative proteins.
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Special Edition: Alternative proteins 3.0 – Balancing consumer demand for health and taste
Supercharging soy sales: Tofu enters a ‘new era of popularity’ – Soy’s status as a protein-powerhouse and innovations that simplify its prep are boosting its sales at a time when health-conscious consumers and GLP-1 users seek nutrient-dense, clean-label options
Unlocking next-gen plant-based: Cargill focuses on food tech – Cargill’s investments in 3D printing and mycoproteins are cracking the code on taste and texture challenges that plagued the alternative protein space
What do consumers look for in plant-based proteins? – ‘People are really pivoting towards plant-centered foods and not trying to hide it as something else,’ according to the founder of Nourish, who also reports shoppers want complete proteins that are easy to digest
Will VC funding return to alt protein in 2025? – Venture capital funding for food-tech companies is expected to tick up in 2025, but do not expect a torrent of deals
Alternative protein companies restructure towards a more profitable 2025 – Vow Brands, Tender Food and Asentia share their strategies on improving production efficiency and consumer acceptance of alternative proteins
UPSIDE & Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors team to serve cultivated meat – UPSIDE’s partnership with Pat LaFrieda leverages the restaurant scene for consumer adoption of cultivated meat
