Microbes can produce a host of ingredients traditionally made by plants or animals more sustainably and efficiently. But if you want to make complex plant-based ingredients such as coffee or cocoa, single-celled microorganisms such as yeast and bacteria...
What’s more sustainable? Using acres of land, water and energy to grow plants that produce minuscule quantities of natural sweeteners; or making them via a fermentation process using a microbe that’s been engineered to produce exactly the same molecules?
PepsiCo is expanding its use of climate tech developer UBQ Materials’ renowned thermoplastic across its supply chain, in items ranging from shipping pallets to Lay’s chip displays.
Fresh off closing a $3.9m seed funding round* led by Unovis Asset Management, Paragon Pure is debuting its OléPBM alternative fat technology made from rice bran oil, which it claims outperforms palm and coconut oils in plant-based meat products.
CPG and waste and recycling industry leaders are urging the House of Representatives to follow the US Senate’s lead and quickly pass “critical” legislation needed to “fix America’s broken recycling system” which, according to the Consumer Brands Association,...
Sustainability “is probably on slide two or three of every customer presentation now,” notes Ingredion, but how can consumers cut through the PR noise to make meaningful comparisons between brands? Checkout our final gallery of trends at IFT FIRST exploring...
Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown faced another grilling from analysts on the firm’s Q2 earnings call Thursday after posting a $97.1m net loss on net sales of $147m, lowering guidance for the full year from $560-$620m to $470m-$520m, and cutting 4% of its global...
Revol Greens, the largest greenhouse lettuce grower in North America, is growing from 30 to nearly 50 acres of indoor farming space with the opening of a new facility in Texas and plans to double operations at its three other existing facilities to eventually...
Food and beverage companies are under increasing pressure to measure, reduce, and accurately report their social and environmental impact, with the SEC recently outlining proposals* that would require all registrants to disclose their scope three greenhouse...
Despite being a nutrient powerhouse with more fiber and protein per serving than quinoa and nearly twice the amount of iron as a 3-ounce sirloin steak, sorghum hasn’t quite crossed into mainstream territory with most consumers. But that could soon change,...
On Capitol Hill last week, hemp industry stakeholders and Congressional leaders frustrated by FDA’s lack of regulations for CBD and other hemp-derived compounds since the 2018 Farm Bill authorized commercial production of the crop, explored how the 2023...
As consumer interest in ‘plant-based’ products has grown in recent years, so too have products proudly proclaiming their status as such – but what does the term actually mean, and how influential is it really?
Fine chemicals co DIC and San Diego-based startup Debut Biotech are developing a vibrant natural red color that is heat-stable, light-stable, and stable across a wide pH range, using a novel hybrid approach combining microbial fermentation and ‘cell-free’...
The IFT First 2022 show floor was abundant with companies touting their upcycled ingredients and other exhibitors highlighting plant-based meat and dairy innovation. Take a look at some of the trends highlighted at the show this year.
Bay area startup Zero Acre Farms - which is deploying microbial fermentation to produce oils and fats it claims can outperform rivals in the nutrition and sustainability stakes – has launched direct to consumer with a ‘cultured’ cooking oil boasting a...
Two incompatible trends – increasing interest in seafood and climate change – are opening the door for the alternative seafood market, but for this emerging segment to reach its full potential, stakeholders must better align their go-to ingredients with...
Canada-based Merit Functional Foods says it has overcome one of the biggest hurdles facing plant-based protein in ready-to-drink protein beverages: sediment and grittiness.
Something is rotten in the coffee industry, and it is holding back the crop from reaching its full potential and contributing to the climate change that threatens future production of the popular beverage and the economic livelihoods of the farmers who...
So-called ‘alternative proteins’ – from upcycled barley and canola protein to animal-free whey made in fermentation tanks using genetically engineered microbes – were a hot topic at IFT First in Chicago. But with US retail sales of some meat alternatives...
In the hierarchy of nutrition labeling, over half of consumers (58%) say they check total and added sugar content followed by the type of sweetener (52%) used in a product, claims Cargill.
Boulder-based Meati Foods – which is seeking to differentiate itself in the increasingly crowded meat-alternative space with a fungi-based platform capable of producing ‘steaks’ and other whole cuts – has raised $150m in a Series C round led by Revolution...
“The NASA food system used on the International Space Station is more than adequate,” delegates at IFT First were told in a packed education session last Tuesday. “But a mission to Mars won't allow the resupplying of food and the crew won't...
Baby and toddler food brand Yumi is making its retail debut at Target stores nationwide with a new line of products addressing a market void for nutritious toddler-focused snacks.
From more efficient production of rare sugars tagatose and allulose (and intriguing new possibilities with D-allose), to ‘enhanced’ sugars, and a mystery disaccharide that behaves like sugar, but is metabolized very differently, check out part one of...
In the battle against food waste, most industry players are only addressing part of the problem, claims Aidan Mouat, CEO and co-founder of Chicago-based Hazel Technologies, who says through the company's proprietary shelf-life extension technology,...
As noted in the opening session of the IFT FIRST conference in Chicago last week, the food that brought us together during the pandemic and which fuels us everyday is in a crisis as climate change intensifies – pushing companies to weave sustainability...
Once associated with refreshment and relaxation, the crack of a can or hiss of gas following the twist of bottle top is becoming a source of anxiety for some consumers who associate it with single-use plastic, broken recycling systems and unwanted litter.
Moonshot Snacks is expanding its “climate-friendly food movement” with the launch of its crackers for conscientious snackers into Target stores nationwide.
Less than half of beverage cans in the US are currently recycled: but US can manufacturers want to see 80% recycled by 2040 and 90% by 2050. So how can these goals be reached?
Benson Hill is seeing surging demand for its non-GMO ultra-high protein soy flour, which is now in full-scale commercialization mode thanks to a new industrial facility and partnerships with major food manufacturers including Kellogg.
After being demonized as high-carb and maligned with foggy grain-brains and gluten sensitivities, pasta consumption, which had been flat and declining for years pre-COVID, bounced back during the pandemic with unprecedented growth as consumers looked...
While homogenous plant-based patties, nuggets and sausages abound, few currently available meat alternatives recreate the multi-layered experience of biting though skin to release a juicy burst of flavor that is reinforced by a marbling of fat or the...
PepsiCo has made progress in a number of areas of its business around regenerative agriculture and nutrition targets under its PepsiCo Positive (pep+) plan, the company's ESG program launched last year.
Bel Group – the multinational firm behind cheese brands Babybel, The Laughing Cow, and Boursin – has teamed up with Superbrewed Food, one of a clutch of startups in the biomass fermentation space, to develop cheeses for the US market incorporating its...
Invigorating sleepy segments, tackling persistent category challenges and balancing consumer desire for taste, convenience and experience, companies at the 66th Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City late last month showcased innovative solutions to...
As consumers’ love affair with oat milk continues to drive high double-digit, year-over-year sales food scientists are exploring how they can further enhance the beverage’s most beloved attributes, including its health benefits, sustainability and shelf...
Backed by a $100m investment from Anheuser-Busch InBev, upcycling startup EverGrain is entering into large scale production of its barley protein with a new 130,000-square-foot facility in St Louis capable of churning out 7,000 tons of protein isolate...
Neutral Foods – which debuted in 2021 with carbon neutral organic, pasture-raised milk – has picked up distribution at 370+ Sprouts stores nationwide and 200+ Target stores on the west coast, after securing nationwide listings at Whole Foods last year,...
Barely a month after Coca-Cola announced plans to phase out HONEST Tea, co-founder Seth Goldman, who sold the organic tea brand to Coca-Cola in 2011, says he plans to launch in a few months a new line of bottled organic teas under the ‘Just Ice Tea’ brand.
Consumers have heightened interest in flavor twists and combinations (e.g. salty & sweet, tangy & spicy) and are less driven by brand recognition and familiarity when it comes to their snacking purchases, finds Frito-Lay North America in its recent...
While the meat alternatives category is suffering from some growing pains, investors’ enthusiasm for dairy alternatives continues unabated, with plant-based dairy specialist Eclipse Foods this week announcing a $40m series B round* led by Sozo Ventures,...
Atomo Coffee – a Seattle-based startup promising to deliver a more sustainable cup of morning joe (minus the coffee beans) – has raised $40m in a series A round as it launches ready-to-drink ‘beanless’ cold brew coffee direct to consumer, ahead of a retail...
To offset the threat of commoditization and keep consumers from trading down or stepping away from the dairy case to save money as the economy tightens, specialty cheesemakers are moving beyond traditional formats, flavors and packaging that may be intimidating...
Plant-based ingredient supplier Roquette is launching two new gluten-free rice proteins to tap into new market opportunities in the areas of special diet foods, sports nutrition, and snacks.
With a recent $300m capital injection, indoor farming company Little Leaf Farms is emerging as a front-runner of the US CEA (controlled environment agriculture)-grown leafy greens retail market with profitable unit economics and doubled production capacity,...
Startup Lus Oasis is joining the race to develop and scale whole cut plant-based meat – the holy grail of the alternative protein segment – with the creation of Alchemeat, which uses a patented high-moisture extrusion process to recreate the “firm and...
Canadian food-tech startup Chinova Bioworks is ramping up production of its natural mushroom-based preservative Chiber with the opening of a new production facility this fall and expanding its applications with help from a $6m series A fundraise announced...
US retail sales of frozen meat alternatives were up a solid +10.1% to $76m in May 2022 vs May 2021, with volumes fairly flat at -0.8%; but sales of refrigerated meat alternatives continued their precipitous slide last month, with dollar sales slumping...
