Fats & oils

Cell-cultured milk: Tech fantasy or a liquid goldmine? BioMilk goes public

23-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

Visitors to BioMilk’s website are asked a simple question: ‘What is milk?’ a question that - until relatively recently - had a pretty obvious answer: the white stuff lactating mammals produce. Today, however, there’s plant-based milk; there are products...

Race to create omega-3-rich canola contaminates ‘small number of canola fields,’ but doesn’t trigger FDA safety questions

15-Apr-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

FDA is not worried about the safety of specific lots of canola seed and “a small number of canola fields” for human and animal consumption that inadvertently were contaminated with low levels of two new genetically modified varieties of canola seed currently...

Tofurky CEO on double-digit growth, fighting state labeling laws, and fat in plant-based meat: ‘There’s a juiciness problem…’

09-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

With VC-backed food tech startups deploying molecular biologists and astrophysicists now competing for shelf space in the red-hot meat and dairy alternatives market with equally deep-pocketed multinational meat and CPG companies, where do independent...

A game-changer for the alternative meat sector…’ Mission Barns raises $24m to scale up cell-cultured fat tech, build pilot plant

08-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

Berkeley-based startup Mission Barns – which has developed a platform to grow fat from animal cells, outside of the animal - has raised $24m in a Series A round to help scale up its technology and build a pilot plant due to become operational later this...

BAPP puts out lab guidance to help detect olive oil adulteration

31-Mar-2021 By Hank Schultz

The Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program has published a guidance document for one of the most commonly adulterated ingredients of all: olive oil.

Plant-based dairy in focus: 'Cheese is the most technically challenging space in dairy alternatives...'

30-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales of plant-based milk surged 21.9% to $2.542bn in measured channels in the year to Jan. 24, 2021, while sales of plant-based cheese and yogurt (far smaller categories) were up 43.6% to $233.9m and 16.4% to $346.2m respectively in the year...

Smallfood gears up for commercial production of novel highly soluble complete protein source

29-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Yet another new player has emerged in the burgeoning alternative protein space, this time touting a novel Non GMO complete protein sourced from a single-celled marine microorganism, which it claims can give animal and plant proteins a run for their money.

New astaxanthin player debuts armed with ‘dark fermentation’ patent

25-Mar-2021 By Hank Schultz

A new player is on the verge of entering the astaxanthin and other markets with the granting of a patent on a ‘dark fermentation’ process for cultivating Haematococcus pluvialis and other algae species.

News in brief

Cell-cultured meat startup Meatable raises $47m to fund small-scale production

23-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Dutch cell-cultured meat startup Meatable - which is working with porcine and bovine induced pluripotent stem cells [iPSCs] – has closed a $47m Series A round (bringing its total funding to $60m) to advance small-scale production at the Biotech Campus...

PepsiCo launches Keto-friendly almond flour tortilla chips to counteract ‘noshtalgia’

19-Mar-2021 By Gill Hyslop

Hilo Life is extending its Keto-friendly offering with tortilla chips made from defatted almond flour.

Unilever looks to fat alternatives in quest to hit €1bn plant-based sales target

16-Mar-2021 By Oliver Morrison

The FMCG giant recently tasked start-ups to find solutions that promise to improve the taste, texture, sustainability and affordability of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. The winner? A French company with a patented plant-based fat that closely...

‘World’s first’ plant-based steak marbled with sunflower oil: ‘It’s not just for aesthetics. It behaves as marbling does in animal meat’

15-Mar-2021 By Flora Southey

Slovenian start-up Juicy Marbles claims its plant-based filet mignon marbled with sunflower oil is an industry first.

Cultivating animal fat for plant-based meat: ‘Nobody wants a burger that tastes of coconut’

04-Mar-2021 By Flora Southey

London-based start-up Hoxton Farms is cultivating animal fat for plant-based meat alternatives. What is the secret to the duo’s competitive edge? Computational biology, the founders tell FoodNavigator.

Follow Your Heart CEO on selling to Danone: ‘For us to maintain a leadership role, we needed to accelerate our growth’

03-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Earth Island (Follow Your Heart) co-founder and CEO Bob Goldberg has always had an independent streak, telling reporters over the years he’s happy dancing to his own tune despite periodic overtures from big CPG suitors. Last month, however, he inked a...

Forager Project enters plant-based cheese category with new line boasting ‘the best melt and stretch’

02-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Forager Project has entered the burgeoning plant-based cheese category with a new line of organic products made from a base of cashews, starch, and coconut cream and oil, which it claims delivers the “cheesiest vegan cheese with the best melt and stretch.”

Knowde launches food & nutrition online marketplace: ‘This is a massive market that is ripe for change’

10-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

San Jose-based Knowde – a b2b online marketplace for chemicals, ingredients and polymers - is moving into the food and nutrition industry, enabling R&D and procurement professionals to research and compare products, connect with suppliers, request...

Avocados and gut health: Study supports link between daily avocado consumption and increased gut microbiota diversity

06-Jan-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Eating avocado as part of a daily diet may help improve gut health by increasing the abundance and diversity of microbes in the human gut, according to recent research from the University of Illinois (U of I).

Lindt tackles coconut oil sustainability: ‘In the consumer’s mind, palm oil is still the bad guy’

05-Jan-2021 By Flora Southey

Despite coconut oil being just a minor ingredient in some of Lindt & Sprüngli’s products, a raw material risk assessment highlighting sustainability challenges has prompted the chocolate maker to act.

2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans 'miss the mark' on added sugar, suggest “shifts” in protein consumption to “add variety"

29-Dec-2020 By Elaine Watson

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines advise Americans to watch their sugar and alcohol consumption but fall short of recommending the drastic cuts recently suggested by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC).

Cultivated fat: a solution to the plant-based sensory gap?

15-Dec-2020 By Oliver Morrison

Cultivated or cultured fat could be the key to improving the taste and texture challenges of plant-based meat alternatives, according to one player in this market.

What's the difference between plant-based and vegan? Foodchain ID unveils new certification schemes

07-Dec-2020 By Elaine Watson

While the terms 'plant-based' and 'vegan' might appear to be interchangeable (they both exclude animal products), consumers do not view them in quite the same way, claims Foodchain ID, which has just launched separate 'vegan,'...

New research highlights opportunity to slash fat in Pringles-style potato chips

07-Dec-2020 By Elaine Watson

Research revealing how the starch structure of potato flakes impacts oil uptake during deep frying could enable snack makers to slash the fat content of Pringles-style potato chips by up to a third, say the authors of a new study.

GALLERY: Plant-based brands and innovations to watch in 2021

04-Dec-2020 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based eggs, bacon, and everything inbetween… check out our gallery of plant-based brands and innovations to watch in 2021, from NotCo and Black Sheep Foods to Gold & Green. There are of course SCORES of exciting brands not covered here; this...

GALLERY: Food tech companies to watch in 2021

02-Dec-2020 By Elaine Watson

From a flurry of startups using microbes – instead of plants or animals – to produce proteins, to AI-driven platforms exploring ‘the dark matter of nutrition,’ and real honey produced without bees, check out our gallery of foodtech companies to watch...

Let There Be Hemp debuts with chips, explores intriguing array of novel hempseed products from extruded puffs to plant-based cheese

20-Nov-2020 By Elaine Watson

Hemp seeds are nutritional dynamite, but they’re still surprisingly under-utilized in foods and beverages, say the founders of Let There Be Hemp, a new brand hoping to make a splash in the chips category, and - down the road - to introduce Americans to...

Eclipse Foods moves into retail, raises $12m Series A: ‘We’re following the Beyond Meat playbook’

17-Nov-2020 By Elaine Watson

Many plant-based dairy brands are built around ‘hero’ ingredients such as almond or coconut. At Eclipse Foods, by contrast, the mission is to replicate the taste and functionality of real dairy, and the brand, which could span multiple dairy platforms,...

Webinar Tomorrow: Meeting Children’s Nutritional Needs from conception through the teenage years

17-Nov-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Children’s dietary patterns are mostly set by the time they turn 2 years old, which doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room for indulging picky eaters if caregivers want their kids to grow up eating – and liking – a wide variety of healthy, nutrient-dense...

JM Smucker sells strong-performing Crisco for $550m to B&G Foods to focus on coffee, snacking & pet food

27-Oct-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

JM Smucker Co. is selling its iconic line of Crisco oils and shortening to B&G Foods for $550m cash in a deal that allows it to dedicate more resources to its “core growth platforms” while simultaneously strengthening B&G’s small but growing baking...

Velocity Snack Brands unveils new innovations under the popchips brand

26-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Velocity Snack Brands (VSB) – a portfolio company of VMG Partners set up in October 2019 to buy, incubate and grow snack brands – has launched two new innovations under the popchips brand it believes could have broad mainstream appeal.

McDonald’s nudges more people to buy Happy Meals with fruit & veggies through creative marketing

21-Oct-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

By adding healthier sides that are more prominently featured in marketing alongside more nutritious beverages, McDonald’s is chipping away at its goals to offer – and sell – more balanced Happy Meals with simplified ingredients, and less saturated fat,...

Plant-based meat webinar highlights… from Impossible Foods’ global ambitions to those ‘frankly desperate’ Lightlife ads

17-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Foods is gearing up for market entry in Europe, China and Brazil; Beyond Meat is looking at “any and all plant-based protein sources” as it expands its ingredient toolbox; Meati Foods is preparing to launch fungi-based steaks, and Planterra...

Hooray Foods to debut plant-based bacon at seven regions of Whole Foods

15-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Hooray Foods – which launched its allergy-friendly vegan bacon (no soy or wheat) in restaurants late last year – will make its retail debut on November 1 with a roll out to seven regions of Whole Foods Market.

Israeli startup Zero Egg enters US market with b2b launch of plant-based egg replacement

08-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Following a successful launch in Israel and the Netherlands, Israeli startup Zero Egg is hoping to crack the US market with the launch of plant-based egg alternatives for CPG manufacturers and foodservice operators that it claims blows rivals out of the...

Serenity Kids goes beyond baby food with toddler purees with bone broth, continues rise in natural

01-Oct-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

With today’s launch of a trio of toddler purees with bone broth, emerging children’s food brand Serenity Kids not only expands its reach beyond baby food pouches, but its founders say they hope to further boost the brand’s already fast-rising position...

Introducing the FOOD FOR KIDS 2020 virtual summit: From kids and the plant-based trend to dietary guidelines for infants and toddlers

29-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

School closures – and tentative re-openings – have compounded stress levels for families, while COVID-19-induced economic anxiety is also straining household budgets. So how can food and beverage brands come up with enticing – but affordable – recipes,...

General Mills ventures into keto with :ratio

21-Sep-2020 By Jim Cornall

General Mills is launching :ratio – a new keto-friendly product line that marks the food company’s first keto-focused product.

Microbes, the third pillar in the alternative protein industry: ‘The rationale is simple: Fermentation is just more efficient’

18-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Could a suite of microscopic microbial protein factories (yeast, bacteria, fungi, algae) give plants and animals a run for their money?

'The spike in searches for immunity, stress relief, and sleep are off the charts'

Bulletproof raises $13m: 'Searches for immunity, stress relief, and sleep are off the charts'

16-Sep-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Bulletproof has closed a $13m capital raise led by new investors, Beliv and Rocana Ventures, and existing investors, CAVU Venture Partners and Trinity Ventures, to fuel the brand's omnichannel vision of "being present where the consumer finds...

To boldly go… NotCo raises $85m to expand plant-based empire, gears up for US market entry

09-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Santiago-based food tech company NotCo has closed an $85m Series C funding round co-led by Future Positive and L Catterton,* and is gearing up for a move into the US market in late 2020 or early 2021.

Dr. Praeger’s Perfect Turk’y Burger expands appeal to meat-eaters while still placing veggies centerstage

01-Sep-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

As demand for more meat-like plant-based products grows, Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods continues to expand beyond the vegetable-forward frozen foods it is best-known for with the launch of the Perfect Turk’y Burger, while still holding the line on its...

Impossible Foods lands in 350 Sprouts stores

31-Aug-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Impossible Foods is rolling out the Impossible Burger to 350 Sprouts Farmers Market stores in 23 states starting this week, bringing its total retail footprint to more than 10,000 locations across the US.

PURIS gears up to open Dawson pea protein plant, teases new launches incl pea syrup, sweet lupin flour

28-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based protein specialist PURIS – a key supplier of pea protein to Beyond Meat - is rolling out a series of new products this year including a pea syrup that can serve as an alternative to corn-, brown rice- or tapioca syrup; and sweet lupin flour,...

Impossible Foods hits back at ‘disingenuous, desperate disinformation campaign’ as Lightlife attacks ‘hyperprocessed’ ingredients

26-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

In an open letter slammed by Impossible Foods as cynical and disingenuous and dismissed by one commentator as a “PR stunt,” Lightlife Foods has attempted to distinguish itself from ‘food tech’ rivals in the plant-based meat arena by positioning itself...

‘This is a huge victory...’ Judge rules in Miyoko plant-based butter case

23-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

A judge handling a high-profile lawsuit* over the use of dairy terminology on plant-based products has blocked attempts by the State of California to prevent Miyoko’s from using the terms ‘butter,’ ‘lactose-free’ and ‘cruelty-free’ on its vegan products....

Nestlé launches plant-based Vuna with ‘rich flavour and flaky texture of tuna’

20-Aug-2020 By Flora Southey

The Swiss company is making its first move into plant-based seafood with a six-ingredient vegan alternative to tuna: Vuna.

Eat Just aims to achieve operational profitability by end of 2021, mulls IPO: ‘Our addressable market is the $238bn global chicken egg market’

20-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based egg maker Eat Just hopes to turn an operating profit before the end of 2021, at which point founder and CEO Josh Tetrick says the company will consider an initial public offering (IPO).

Food & beverage entrepreneurs! Want to take center stage at the 2020 FOOD FOR KIDS virtual summit?

17-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Want to get feedback on your new child-focused food or beverage launch, brand, or business, from our expert panel at FoodNavigator-USA's virtual FOOD FOR KIDS summit in the fall?

60-second interview: Kemin talks clean label mold inhibitors, beta-glucans for immune health, at SHIFT20

13-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

What’s new in the world of food preservation? FoodNavigator-USA (FNU) caught up with Courtney Schwartz (CS), marketing director for Kemin Food Technologies, Americas, at the SHIFT20 virtual IFT show to fund out.

Corbion discontinues Thrive algae oil: ‘We were not able to achieve the commercial success needed to sustain the brand’

10-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Corbion has discontinued Thrive – the first culinary algae oil on the market – three years after acquiring the brand from San Francisco-based TerraVia in the fall of 2017.

Mission Barns tests cell-cultured pork fat with leading pork producer; gears up for hybrid plant/animal bacon tasting

03-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Berkeley-based startup Mission Barns – which is carving a niche in the nascent cell-cultured meat industry by focusing on animal fat – is in talks with leading food companies about incorporating animal fat grown in bioreactors into a range of hybrid meats...