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...

‘The alternative protein space is coming to terms with the reality of what is needed to build self-sustaining businesses’: The challenge of scaling up plant-based production and manufacturing

28-Apr-2023 By Oliver Morrison

The recent Plant-Based Protein Manufacturing Summit in Amsterdam brought together leading businesses in the plant-based food and beverage industry with co-manufacturers, innovative equipment and solution providers to explore the challenges and opportunities...

Introducing FoodNavigator-USA’s free editorial webinar: Plant-Based Dairy – From Oatmilk to Chickpea Ice Cream on May 17 at 11:30 CT

24-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales of plant-based dairy, including milk, cheese and yogurt, continue to grow at a rapid clip despite challenging macroeconomic and market conditions, but units in some categories are dipping slightly, according to recently released SPINS data, raising...

Climate tech funding could give cultivated meat companies a needed financial boost

21-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Positioning cell cultured meat as a critical climate mitigation solution could help the nascent industry unlock much-needed additional funding – and engage a more diverse set of investors – at a time when traditional resources are ebbing and competition...

Grocery prices may be dropping, but consumers continue to hold back on volume

20-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Food and beverage brands and retailers likely will not see any time soon a rebound in inflation-supressed units and volumes across categories despite the Labor Department reporting a dip in grocery prices in March for the first time in more than two and...

'We have to focus on growing the category': Behind Quorn parent company's move to make its mycoprotein available to others

18-Apr-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Marlow Foods has unveiled plans to supply the protein in Quorn, mycoprotein, to other food and beverage manufacturers.

Motif FoodWorks goes DTC to drive awareness, show potential of ingredients

17-Apr-2023 By Ryan Daily

Plant-based food technology company Motif FoodWorks is taking a page out of the retail playbook with a limited-time-offering, direct-to-consumer (DTC) offering of its finished products, which sold out in 52 hours, company CEO Michael Leonard told FoodNavigator-USA....

Liberation Labs moves closer to easing precision fermentation bottlenecks with $30m in equipment funding

14-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Startup Liberation Labs is one step closer to easing crippling capacity constraints holding back precision fermentation – one of the most promising technologies in the fast-growing alternative protein market – with an infusion of $30m in equipment financing...

Plant-based seafood market continues to swim upstream, but adds variety to consumer diets

13-Apr-2023 By Deniz Ataman

While plant-based seafood represents only a small fraction of the plant-based realm at $12m in revenue in 2022 versus dairy at $2.7b in the same period, according to NielsenIQ, there is still hope for it to make a splash as inflation pushes consumers...

ADM, Believer Meats team to accelerate cultivated meat products consumers will want

12-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ingredient supplier ADM and cultivated meat pioneer Believer Meats are joining forces to accelerate development and commercialization of cultivated meat products with a focus on improving the taste, texture, color and other consumer relevant characteristics...

BabyBel maker Bel Group, biotech Climax Foods partner to refine plant-based cheese with AI

12-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Iconic cheesemaker Bel Group and biotech startup Climax Foods are teaming up to create the next generation of “best in class” plant-based cheese that they say will be indistinguishable from their dairy counterparts with “zero-compromise” on taste, texture...

Foodtech start-up ChickP shares functional potential of plant-based cheese analogues

11-Apr-2023 By Ryan Daily

Israeli food technology start-up ChickP Protein is sharing how its chickpea protein isolate and proprietary formulations can create plant-based cheese alternatives with functional benefits, company CEO Liat Lachish Levy told FoodNavigator-USA.

FAO identifies ‘food safety hazards’ for cell-based products, advocates proactive communication before negative ‘rigid opinions’ form

11-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Cell-based food producers, regulators and stakeholders should proactively and transparently address safety concerns about their products and processes now – before they hit the market – or else risk losing in the court of public opinion, cautions the...

TurtleTree’s animal-free lactoferrin LF+ promises to democratize highly-prized, scarce multifunctional milk protein

07-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Known as pink gold for its iron-rich rosy hue, high price point and supply scarcity, the bioactive milk protein lactoferrin has been mostly limited to infant formula and dietary supplements in small doses – but that could soon change thanks to advances...

Bridge2Food Summit Americas to explore changing plant-based protein landscape

06-Apr-2023 By Ryan Daily

As the plant-based foods and protein market faces headwinds in 2023, stakeholders from across the supply chain will gather at the Bridge2Food America Summit later this month in Chicago to chart a path forward for the industry.

Conagra Brands' focus on margin expansion, innovation and brand building pays off

06-Apr-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Conagra Brands solid growth and margin recovery in its third quarter reflects its strategic success of “moving past discrete supply chain disruptions and prioritizing productivity and value over volume,” CEO Sean Connelly said during the company's...

Aqua Cultured Foods’ hooks $5.5m to fast-track plant-based seafood from biomass fermentation

06-Apr-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Food-tech startup Aqua Cultured Foods’ plant-based, whole-muscle seafood made through biomass fermentation will launch in select restaurants this summer thanks in part to an infusion of $5.5 million in seed funding led by Stray Dog Capital announced this...

Seafood consumption declines in response to inflation, FMI reports

03-Apr-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Seafood sales fell 3.8% last year to $16.3b from the previous year, as consumers shifted their shopping in response to rising inflation, but remained above pre-pandemic levels as consumers sought options that are healthier, more diverse and environmentally-friendly,...

EAT-Lancet diet: Increased intake of animal source foods recommended by researchers to fill micronutrient gap

31-Mar-2023 By Flora Southey

Fresh research suggests the planetary health diet does not provide enough vitamins and minerals – including iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin B12 – to nourish the global population due to its low amount of animal source foods.

Extracellular accelerates cultivated meat business, secures $1.2 million in funding

29-Mar-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Extracellular, a UK-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) in the cultivated meat space, secured $1.2 million, including $700K in non-dilutive funding according to the company. CEO and founder, Will Milligan spoke with Food Navigator-USA...

Future Food Tech

From fundraising to consumer engagement: Cultivated meat must clear more than regulatory challenges to get to market

27-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even as cellular meat companies continue to clear regulatory, technical and scientific hurdles, the timeline for when their products will launch remains a moving target as emerging challenges – ranging from the banal to black swan events – threaten to...

Meat consumption holds steady as consumers alter amount, type to combat inflation

24-Mar-2023 By Lauren Nardella

Consumers are reacting to higher meat prices by shifting how much and what type they buy, but the share of households purchasing meat or poultry from retailers was virtually unchanged in 2022, according to a new report.

‘Taking the animals out of the equation is a great bonus on top of keeping a solid supply chain’: Molecular farmer doubles down its unique ‘potato-to-protein’ plans

23-Mar-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Molecular farming start-up PoLoPo’s fundraise backs its belief that there is significant demand for ‘animal-free’ egg protein from industry and end consumers, FoodNavigator hears.

Plant-based meat has more to offer: Stakeholders share strategies for success

23-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

It is too soon to give up on the plant-based meat segment, which has seen sales and household penetration slip in the past year, but which is evolving to meet demand for products that are healthier, tastier and more convenient, argued industry stakeholders...

‘We consistently see high demand’: FrieslandCampina quadruples lactoferrin production with new factory

23-Mar-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The Dutch dairy co-op has significantly bolstered its production capacity for lactoferrin with the unveiling of a dedicated manufacturing plant in Veghel, the Netherlands.

Insect-based Hey Planet expands into US, aims to change perception of eating bugs

21-Mar-2023 By Ryan Daily

Insect-based food company Hey Planet is taking its mission of eating bugs to improve health and the sustainability of the planet to a wider audience with a move into the US market, brand co-founder Jessica Buhl-Nielsen told FoodNavigator-USA.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Precision Fermentation Alliance launches to promote food-tech, drive acceptance, inspire innovation

20-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Precision fermentation is emerging as one of the buzziest technologies in food, and even though it has been used safely for decades without raising eyebrows, new uses and broader awareness are prompting consumer questions that if left unanswered could...

Natural Products Expo West

Inflation slows, doesn’t stop natural & organic sales growth

13-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Rising inflation is taking a toll on natural and organic sales in the US, the growth of which slowed dramatically in 2022 and will likely continue to drop in the coming year before rebounding slightly in 2024, according to data presented at Natural Products...

Danone’s Pepticate hypoallergenic infant formula finally makes US debut

13-Mar-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The product, made by Danone’s specialized nutrition arm Nutricia, was meant to be available from September 2022 according to initial plans.

Expo West Trendspotting: From beverages bursting with boba to munchable mochi and plant-based beyond meat and dairy

13-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Emerging and maturing trends revealed at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim last week ranged from dips delivering delightful dinners, mochi moving into multiple day parts, plant-based expanding beyond analogues, and beverages brimming with better-for-you...

Softening consumer views of food-tech open door for precision fermentation, new food production methods

10-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

The long-held and loudly voiced disapproval by some of science and technology in food production in favor of “idealized nostalgic narratives” of natural food is beginning to soften – opening the door for broader adoption of food-tech, including precision...

Mosa Meat, Nutreco replace pharma-grade ingredients in cell feed with food-grade alternatives

07-Mar-2023 By Flora Southey

Mosa Meat and one of its investors, Nutreco, have replaced 99.2% of the pharma-grade ingredients in basal media with food-grade alternatives.

USDA proposes tighter definition for ‘Made in the USA’ claims on meat, poultry and eggs

06-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Industry stakeholders are lauding an effort by the US Department of Agriculture to close a loophole that currently allows meatpackers and egg producers to label their products as “Made in the USA” even if they were imported, but they also caution the...

Register today for FoodNavigator-USA’s webinar Plant-Based Meat: Beyond The Honeymoon Period

02-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

As dollar and unit sales of frozen and refrigerated plant-based meat at retail continue to slide and grocers cut back on their selections of refrigerated meat alternatives, many stakeholders are wondering if the honeymoon period for the category has ended,...

Aloha, Terviva team to launch plant-based protein bar featuring much-anticipated, ‘ultra-sustainable’ Ponova oil

01-Mar-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ahead of schedule and in partnership with like-minded plant-based protein brand Aloha, California-based Terviva’s much-anticipated, “ultra-sustainable” Ponova oil is debuting in its first commercially available food – a limited edition bar that celebrates...

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