Proteins

Summer Fancy Food Show

The specialty foods market is expected to surpass $200b this year

06-Jul-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Despite overall sales growth, the specialty foods industry has faced challenges in recent years, including inflation, declining unit sales (for the first time) and increased competition from conventional grocery stores, explained David Lockwood, CEO,...

Ideological objects in the practical world: How plant-based meat shapes food practices

05-Jul-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

While the consumer market for plant-based meat does not completely consist of vegetarians and vegans, choosing a vegan burger over a meat one remains a conscious rejection of meat-eating. This provides plant-based meat with a meaning, its presence in...

The 6 core principles for brands to cut through the noise and ramp up their carbon communication

05-Jul-2023 By Gill Hyslop

With 61% of UK consumers expressing a lack of trust in the claims many brands use to declare their carbon footprint, producers need to revamp their strategy to stay current in this increasingly pressurised environment, according to a new report released...

Ice cream from algae? Sophie’s BioNutrients’ chlorella-based ice cream claims to boast more B12 than dairy

29-Jun-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Microalgae cultivation as a topic may be more apt for the biofuel industry, but scientific research has shown that these microscopic organisms can also be utilized as a sustainable food source.

Whole seeds and nutrition are among key snack bar trends at Fancy Food Show

29-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

As Americans return to a post-pandemic routine marked by more evening shopping trips and a preference for better-for-you convenient snacks, the snack bar category continues to evolve to meet their needs with notable trends featured during the Fancy Food...

Alternative protein made from…broccoli? Stalks and leaves upcycled into ‘clean’ protein for industry

26-Jun-2023 By Flora Southey

A new project is harvesting broccoli stems, stalks, and leaves – which would otherwise be left in the field – and upcycling them into an alternative protein ingredient for food and beverage makers.

'We've overcome the first wave of vegan and vegetarian alternatives': Protein Distillery posits brewer’s yeast-based protein as the next stage in the market

26-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

As alternative protein develops, brewer’s yeast is emerging as a strong driver of the market. Start-up ProteinDistillery has created a protein, developed from brewer’s yeast, that can not only be used for meat and dairy alternatives, but also to replace...

Precision fermentation: Future of dairy or busted flush?

23-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

There was a notable failure in the US for ‘one of the world’s first next generation cheese alternatives’. But that shouldn’t detract from the potential benefits that precision fermentation technology can bring to the dairy alternatives category, FoodNavigator’s...

Omeat launches out of stealth with its latest ground beef cultivate

22-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Since Omeat raised $40 million in Series A funding in 2022, the company enters the cultivated meat category with founder and CEO Ali Khademhosseini at the helm. Backers include the prominent VCs S2G Ventures, Google Ventures (GV), Bold Capital Partners,...

USDA greenlights cell-cultured meat from UPSIDE Foods, GOOD Meat for sale in US

22-Jun-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Cultivated meat could debut on upscale restaurant menus in the US in as little as a few weeks or months after the USDA on Wednesday gave the greenlight for UPSIDE Foods and GOOD Meat to sell their “cell-cultured chicken” in the US.

JBS pulls ‘aspirational’ net zero claims as confusion about environmental claims mounts

21-Jun-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Meat-packing giant JBS begrudgingly agreed to discontinue “aspirational” claims about its goal to reach ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 after failing to convince an advertising watchdog that consumers would not interpret the commitment as...

Carbon tracking app aims to empower UK consumers to discover the climate impact of millions of food and beverage products

16-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The Reewild app says it will help users to track their dietary carbon footprint, while offering brands a business incentive to make greener products.

A place for everyone at the table: Kellogg UK reduces barriers to job entry by ditching the need for a degree

16-Jun-2023 By Gill Hyslop

The move is part of the Special K, Coco Pops and Corn Flakes maker’s drive to become a more inclusive employer: recognising that a university degree doesn’t always have a correlation to the contribution that someone can make within a role.

Fresh calls for food to be central to climate dialogue

15-Jun-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Most countries are yet to realise the full potential of including food systems in their climate action plans, according to a new report calling for food and agriculture to be at the heart of discussions.

Sustainability and future-proofing the food system

Positioning alternative proteins as climate-tech solution will unlock additional funding

15-Jun-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Alternative proteins hold significant potential to help combat climate change by offering a more environmentally sustainable alternative to animal agriculture – a benefit that could help them unlock much-needed funding and strategic support to refine...

JUST Egg grows plant-based egg market in North America, adds more retail and food service locations

14-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Driven by consumer demand for healthy and environmentally sound products, JUST Egg’s pourable and folded eggs are now available in 48,000 retail locations in the US and Canada.

Food manufacturers adapt to changing landscape: investments, mergers, and innovations drive growth opportunities

14-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

While M&A activity is slower, the total capital invested in 2022 remains similar to previous years, with an increase in venture capital funds in the food and beverage industry, and trends surrounding plant-based food, private label and automation,...

Nuritas’ AI-powered platform identifies and delivers plant-based peptides for food and beverage companies

13-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

In response to consumer demand for more plant-based and sustainable foods and ingredients, Nuritas’ “precision AI technology” identifies and delivers rare plant-based peptides at a faster rate than the industry standard, which can often take decades,...

Climax Foods launches Caseed plant-based casein for melty, stretchy non-dairy cheese

13-Jun-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

With Climax Foods’ unveiling today of its new plant-based casein Caseed, the biotech startup claims to have cracked the code on recreating the functionality, flavor and performance of dairy cheese – but without the animal and without any of the top eight...

Strength in numbers: Acquiring an empowering network for smaller grocery stores

12-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Due to the rise in grocery prices, consumers have transitioned into value shoppers, prioritizing price sensitivities over brand loyalty. This shift has opened an opportunity for smaller retailers to more efficiently meet consumer needs by leveraging their...

PartnerSlate connects food brands with co-manufacturers, raises $4 million in funding

12-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The online marketplace PartnerSlate will “accelerate the growth of its online marketplace digitizing the $200-billion food and beverage contract manufacturing industry" with a $4m fundraise led by Supply Change Capital, according to its recent press...

Feed by FarmboxRx supplies households affected by pandemic-era SNAP cuts with monthly nutritious meal boxes

09-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The application-based program will deliver two FarmboxRx packages for six months containing a variety of fresh produce and essential pantry items for 200 households. In addition, households will receive information to help them prepare nutritious meals,...

MyForestFoods secures funding to expand mycelium portfolio across East Coast

08-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

MyForestFoods recently raised $15 million in Series A-2 funding to support the growth of its portfolio across the East Coast, including its mycelium bacon aptly called MyBacon, which was featured at the Vegan Women Summit in New York City May 19. The...

Blue Diamond, Brightseed partner up to explore potential of bioactives in almonds

08-Jun-2023 By Ryan Daily

Agriculture cooperative Blue Diamond Growers is partnering with AI-based bioactive company Brightseed to explore the health benefits of nonpareil California almonds, as the nut brand tries to better position itself among health-conscious consumers, looking...

Sustainability and future-proofing the food system

Building a business case for sustainability requires bridging the gap between what consumers say and do

08-Jun-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Improving the sustainability of the food system is no longer optional from an optics and long-term business perspective, but short-term challenges – including consumer engagement – threaten immediate and mid-range returns and margins, complicating the...

Consumers show a strong purchase interest in precision fermentation, says Hartman Group research

07-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Consumers are seeking more natural, fresh and less processed foods and believe that science and technology, like precision fermentation, may be more suitable to effectively address these environmental issues than traditional food manufacturing methods,...

Tindle focuses on a nimble distribution strategy amidst economic fluctuations

07-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

While scaling is a challenge for the plant-based industry, Tindle is focused on leveraging its minimal assets to expand its US presence through meal kits primarily sold online and limited retail launches, JJ Kass, VP of business development and strategy...

Mycoprotein and fungal proteins – The sustainability potential

06-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Mycoprotein and fungal proteins take up less land than animal farming, and can be used to aid in regenerative agriculture, explains mycoprotein major Quorn - perhaps the best-known manufacturer of mycoprotein-based meat substitutes.

Next level eggs: Neggst’s plant-based eggs are on the verge of cracking into the market

06-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

FoodNavigator-USA sat down with Neggst’s CEO, Verónica García Arteaga, during the NYC Vegan Women Summit to discuss the company’s plans to scale up and the brand’s technical considerations in producing a plant-based egg that resembles a chicken egg from...

Health, environment or lactose intolerance: Why do people drink plant-based milk?

05-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Plant-based milk is one of the most successful categories of alternative protein, predicted to reach a value of $47 Billion by 2030. But why is it so successful? The driving force behind any alternative protein’s success is the motives people have for...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Cultivated meat must embrace ‘more nuanced commercial strategy’ over ‘single-note’ sustainability mission for long-term success

05-Jun-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

While the cultivated meat industry has overcome significant upstream processing and regulatory hurdles in the past year, new market research suggests startups still face notable downstream food manufacturing challenges that could place them – along with...

Alternative protein startups converge in NYC at Future Food-Tech Alternative Proteins

05-Jun-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Animal agriculture accounts for more than half of all green house gas emissions from the food system, but asking consumers to cut back for the sake of the environment likely won’t go very far given demand for high quality protein is on the rise as the...

Alternative protein made from brewer’s spent yeast scales up production

05-Jun-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

A new alternative protein made from brewer’s spent yeast has scaled up and will now transition to full production. The protein, which is made by the EGGcited consortium and coordinated by NIZO, can act as a substitute for egg and dairy, and can replace...

Developing achievable ESG strategies "for the betterment of the planet"

01-Jun-2023 By Deniz Ataman

FoodNavigator-USA sat down with Jillian Semaan, VP, sustainability in Ketchum’s food, agriculture and ingredient division, during the Vegan Women Summit in New York City to discuss how food and beverage brands can cultivate an authentic ESG and DEI strategy...

Sustainability and future-proofing the food system

How does the food system impact the environment and what is its obligation to reduce climate change?

01-Jun-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

With between a quarter and a third of human caused greenhouse gas emissions linked to food production and climate change intensifying to a point that its impacting how, where and when key crops are grown, improving sustainability in the food system is...

What could a meat and plant-based industry partnership look like?

30-May-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The Vegan Women Summit featured a wide range of perspectives from industry professionals and thought leaders on shifting the food narrative in the United States to an industry of partnership, particularly between meat and plant-based food producers, organizations...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: As seafood sales stabilize, what will drive the next wave of growth?

22-May-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Fresh and frozen retail seafood in the US has been on a rollercoaster the past three years with shifting shopping and eating habits during the pandemic sending sales and volumes to dramatic highs and then rising inflation in the past year causing unit...

ADM, Air Protein partner to scale ‘a new way of making food … that only requires air, water and energy’

18-May-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ingredient supplier ADM and food-tech startup Air Protein are partnering to scale production of the latter’s novel air-based nutritional protein that promises to “reinvent the supply chain” in a way that simultaneously improves food security and ease...

Helaina moves to large-scale commercialization, debuts bioactive protein

18-May-2023 By Danielle Masterson

After founding Helaina in 2019, the company’s CEO said she is building a precision fermentation platform to manufacture bioactive proteins.

WATCH: Working with fungi to ‘break the plant-based ceiling’

17-May-2023 By Flora Southey

Libre Foods is working with both fungi fruiting bodies and mycelia to boost diversity, functionality, and taste in meat-free offerings, CEO Alan Iván Ramos tells FoodNavigator.

Shroomeats makes the most of mushrooms with whole-food products

16-May-2023 By Ryan Daily

Plant-based, woman-owned company Shroomeatsoffers nutritious, minimally processed foods with its portfolio of shelf-stable shitake mushroom-based patties, meatballs, and crumbles, co-founder and CEO Dissaya Theerakaosal told FoodNavigator-USA.

The EVERY Co. partners with Alpha Foods to deliver cleaner label plant-based products

12-May-2023 By Ryan Daily

Animal-free protein startup The EVERY Company is partnering with Alpha Foods to bring its expertise in flavor and texture to the plant-based brand, as it anticipates future growth from the category, company CEO Arturo Elizondo told FoodNavigator-USA....

Study finds plant-based egg replacer reduces bakery carbon footprint by 72%

12-May-2023 By Gill Hyslop

With increasing demands for bakery manufacturers to find innovative ways to meet rigorous sustainability goals, plant-based ingredients are set to be an important part of the solution.

Adopting sustainable practices: The nuanced reality of plant-based proteins in CPG companies' supply chains

11-May-2023 By Deniz Ataman

While plant-proteins generally have a lower carbon footprint than animal-based proteins, there is room for improvement across the entire supply chain to further reduce their environmental impact.

Tyson Foods leans on branded food business as commodity segment sags under pressure

08-May-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Protein giant Tyson Food’s branded foods business, including Hillshire Snacking, Jimmy Dean and Ball Park, was a bright spot in an otherwise “tough” second quarter marred by supply and demand imbalances, ongoing high costs and reduced consumer spending.

Microalgae strain from volcanic hot springs has ‘protein-rich food’ potential

08-May-2023 By Flora Southey

Researchers have developed a method to produce a microalga strain containing two amino acids rarely found in such high levels in animal-free protein: cystine and methionine.

Can plant-based seafood gain mainstream acceptance through familiar flavors, strategic placement in the frozen food section?

05-May-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Developing recognizable flavors for frozen plant-based seafood may enhance consumer acceptance, as taste and texture remain the primary drivers behind the popularity of plant-based food alternatives.

Food-tech company Armored Fresh explores how to elevate plant-based dairy’s nutritional profile, environmental sustainability

04-May-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even as plant-based dairy newcomer Armored Fresh prepares to roll out is innovative Almond Milk Cubes and American Slices at select Kroger stores next month and nationwide through its recently unveiled online storefronts, the food-tech company continues...

Plant-based CPG brands “return to fundamentals” amid new market dynamics

03-May-2023 By Ryan Daily

With higher interest rates and investors being more cautious on where they put their money, many plant-based food and beverage start-ups are going back to business basics of creating a sustainable business model while continuing to find new ways to innovate...

Breeding, technological advances enhance taste, texture and nutrition of plant-based protein

01-May-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Plant-based manufacturers and ingredient suppliers are investing heavily in crop development and fractionation as well as technical and mechanical innovations to improve the taste, texture, nutrition and cost of their products in an effort to woo more...