Proteins

How to produce higher value alternative proteins with less cost, waste and energy

20-Dec-2023 By René Floris, NIZO Food Research Division Manager

Innovative processing and sequential extraction and purification hold the key, believes NIZO Food Research.

Producers boost plant-based meat’s nutritional value

19-Dec-2023 By Natasha Spencer-Joilliffe

Plant-based meats role in public health will be boosted by the addition of ingredients such as vitamin B12.

Holland and Barrett predicts health trends for 2024

19-Dec-2023 By Olivia Brown

Following strong trends in protein and immunity throughout 2023, Holland and Barrett predicts new consumer demands for natural energy alternatives, cognitive care, personalised hormonal support, and optimised hydration in 2024.

Beyond meat and dairy analogues: What can plant-based protein do?

15-Dec-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Plant-based protein isn’t just about meat and dairy analogues. At Food Ingredients Europe in Frankfurt last month, FoodNavigator spoke to companies doing a range of things with alternative proteins outside of simply adding them to plant-based burgers,...

'We're not pulling out, but we're not diving in 100%,' Before the Butcher CEO on retail plans

13-Dec-2023 By Ryan Daily

Plant-based meat company Before the Butcher is focusing on growing and innovating its private label and foodservice businesses, as it assess how the alternative protein retail market will shake out, company founder and CEO Danny O'Malley told FoodNavigator-USA.

News in Brief

Delay in organic animal welfare standards recalls rule’s long journey

13-Dec-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

The hard-fought and long-awaited Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards final rule has been delayed, yet again, and while the change is “minor” and due to a technicality, it recalls the many other delays and near-deaths the rule has endured since work...

Clever Carnivore continues its path towards low-cost cultivated meat with recent funding

08-Dec-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Biotech startup, Clever Carnivore, closed $7m of seed round funding to expand production of its low-cost cultivated pork sausage with plans to launch its prototype, the Clever Bratwurst in early 2024 without asking the consumer to pay more, Virginia Rangos,...

Alternative protein producer Farmless plans expand production, maintain protein production efficiency

08-Dec-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Farmless, a startup producing protein using a feedstock which combines hydrogen, nitrogen, CO2 and renewable energy, is planning to build a pilot plant after a new injection of funding. Its purpose is simple – cutting down on the land used to create protein,...

Tyson Foods opens high-tech chicken facility to accelerate growth, boost efficiency

06-Dec-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Tyson Foods celebrated the much-anticipated grand opening of a new 325,000-square-foot fully-cooked food production facility in Danville, Va., last week – marking a significant milestone in its “bold,” multi-point plan to improve its performance, which...

Future Ocean Foods “tells a new story for alternative seafood”

04-Dec-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The recently launched association Future Ocean Foods is changing the narrative for alternative seafood through industry and consumer education and partnerships, including with traditional seafood, to reflect the category’s nutritious, sustainable, equitable...

Mac and cheese goes dairy-free with Kraft NotMac&Cheese launch

01-Dec-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The pantry staple by The Kraft Heinz Not Company features a plant-based sauce made of fava bean protein and coconut oil powder in two flavors—original and white cheddar—priced at $3.49 a box on shelves this month and continuing its rollout in early 2024....

Changing menus, focus on sustainable production: COP28 focuses more on food

30-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The food and beverage industry is inherently linked to the climate crisis, responsible for at least a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. The COP28 summit, held this year in Dubai, UAE, focuses more significantly on food than in previous years.

How newstalgia blends comfort and novelty in the snack category

29-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Consumers still crave familiar flavors and experiences, as they did during the pandemic, but they also are open to new innovations and technologies -- leading to an emerging trend of 'newstalgia,' Kevin Ryan, CEO, Malachite Strategy and Research,...

Stacking plant-based meat up against the real thing: ‘Often it has a slightly better nutritional composition’

29-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

A report finds that plant-based burgers, meatballs and bacon alternatives are healthier than their meaty counterparts, but animal meat scores better for chicken chunks, chicken fillet, and schnitzel.

Heali’s food-as-medicine platform to improve nutrition, food access for consumers, businesses

21-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

With $3M in seed funding from Astanor Ventures, Heali plans to expand its personalized nutrition services for consumers and patients with chronic illnesses through its database of evidence-based nutrition research, while developing a larger presence with...

Futureproofing the Food System

Will ‘healthy’ iconography help consumers select better options?

17-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

While the FDA is updating its current definition of healthy and exploring voluntary iconography for packaging, the term means many different things to many different people, which could complicate the impact of the icon and product marketing, suggests...

Futureproofing the Food System

[Watch-on-demand] “Your AI is going to be as good as your data”

16-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Understanding how to identify and leverage useful data into a consistent and predictive algorithm is critical for a nimble and productive business strategy. How can businesses across the food sector—from ingredient discovery and product development to...

Futureproofing The Food System

Watch on demand: Can cellular agriculture, precision fermentation and molecular farming deliver on the promise for more sustainable proteins?

15-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Despite notable advances in alternative protein production in 2023, including clearing regulatory hurdles, increasing capacity and expanding distribution, the segment faces significant hurdles, including questions about safety, sales and its ability to...

The ‘world’s first’ alt seafood association wants to close the protein, omega gap

13-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

The Future Ocean Foods association has several activities on the agenda, including improving the nutritional profile of alternative seafood, with a particular focus on protein and omegas.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: How plant-based players can ensure steady, long-term growth

13-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Contrary to high-profile headlines about sliding sales of meat alternatives, consumer demand for plant-based products across categories continues to climb, but for the segment to reach its full potential – and continue expanding its consumer base – new...

Futureproofing the Food System

Watch this week: FoodNavigator-USA’s digital summit explores trends in food-tech, food as medicine and the circular economy

13-Nov-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

This week, join FoodNavigator-USA and stakeholders across the supply chain, including Eat Just, The Hartman Group, Oishii, NotCo, Instacart, NIQ, Consumer Brands Association, FMI – The Food Industry Association, Cargill and more for our three-day Futureproofing...

Beyond Meat struggles continue in US, doubles down on EU expansion

10-Nov-2023 By Flora Southey

According to analysts, Beyond Meat is in ‘survival mode’, as the plant-based meat maker continues to lose share in US retail. At the same time, the company is increasing distribution across the pond, where it has observed a faster-growing market.

Spilling the tea (and coffee) on natural beverage trends

10-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The functional and perceived health benefits of tea and coffee paired with their familiarity and diverse usage occasions across dayparts make them ideal platforms for beverage manufacturers to meet consumers’ evolving preferences for indulgence, health...

Consumers expect to pay more for holiday meals, continue seeking convenience from grocery retailers

10-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Thanksgiving retail is expected to see a more judicious consumer who expects to pay more this year and will seek more deals while retailers can expand food service departments with semi and fully-prepared meals to complement the majority of consumers...

Omeat completes pilot plant, moves towards cultivated meat commercialization

08-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Located in Thousand Oaks, Ca., the 15,000 square-foot pilot plant has the capacity to produce up to 400 tons of product, strengthening Omeat's path towards regulatory review and approval for a growing demand of sustainable alternative proteins.

Startup sees demand for insect protein creep up

08-Nov-2023 By Olivia Haslam

Divaks, the insect ingredients start-up, is scuttling to meet fast-growing consumer demand for alternative protein sources with its mealworm plant expansion.

Futureproofing the Food System

How do consumers’ perception of healthy drive their purchase habits and product development?

07-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

What does it mean to eat healthy? A survey by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) finds that 74% of consumers believe that food and beverage choices are interconnected with mental and emotional well-being, along with other insights that...

NotCo 2.0: Plant-based company makes bigger B2B push to be the ‘ChatGPT of food'

07-Nov-2023 By Ryan Daily

Chilean food tech company NotCo is taking its AI-based technology Giuseppe to a wider business-to-business (B2B) audience in an effort to create the "ChatGPT of food," as it continues to find new ways to innovate in the plant-based market, company...

Me vs. others, status vs. group: The values that drive alternative meat consumption

06-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Why do people buy meat alternatives? A new study reveals that values focused on one’s relationship to a group, such as ‘self-transcendence’, are far more likely to influence their decision to buy meat alternatives than ‘self-focused’ values such as a...

Grupo Nutresa to feature EVERY Eggwhite in alt meat portfolio

03-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The Colombian CPG food company’s alternative meat product line will feature EVERY EggWhite to enhance taste, texture and mouthfeel without the use of eggs, according to a co-issued press release from both companies.

Food remains an issue of concern globally as food insecurity persists, suggests survey

03-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Food insecurity persists as a major problem around the world. A survey conducted by Stack Data Strategy on behalf of campaign Hungry for Action shows that concerns about the ‘supply and price of food’ consistently remains a priority among the population...

‘For the industry to succeed, there will need to be a ramping up of investment’: The past and future of the cultivated meat market

02-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The number of deals in the cultivated meat market in the first eight months of 2023 has significantly declined since 2022, a report by financial advisory firm Oghma Partners shows. However, strong government investment and potential regulatory approval...

Start-up’s technology can save food businesses money by preventing heat waste

02-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Sweden-based green-tech startup Enjay produces technology which can prevent heat waste. This can not only help businesses save a great deal of money, but reduce their carbon dioxide emissions as well.

Futureproofing the Food System

Exploring how consumers define ‘healthy’ through dietary patterns

02-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Consumers’ relationship with food continues to evolve through diets that target more specific needs while simultaneously shifting how they define healthy, according to results from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Food and Health survey.

Start-up’s chickpea-based protein isolate boosts protein content in dairy-free cheese

01-Nov-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Israel-headquartered plant-based ingredients start-up ChickP has developed a chickpea-based protein isolate that can be incorporated into a range of cheese substitutes.

Futureproofing the Food System

What are the benefits of using data to improve nutrition and food accessibility?

01-Nov-2023 By Deniz Ataman

The food industry uses a variety of data collection methods to improve the food system and reduce diet-related illnesses by providing access to fresh and healthy food.

‘A defining feature of stem cells is that they can become other cells’: Strategies for the use of stem cells in cultivated meat production

30-Oct-2023 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

The production of cultivated meat will need stable cell lines from multiple different species to be successful. It is produced from stem cells, which are highly flexible and can create yields with the potential to be far greater in volume than the meat...

Nelson-Jameson's new partnerships target plant-based market

27-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Food processing distributor, Nelson-Jameson, partners with Vaess and Lallemand Specialty Cultures (LSC) in response to growing customer demand for plant-based and hybrid products.

Nestlé launches probiotic and HMO blend to mirror breastmilk changes

27-Oct-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

Nestlé has launched a new proprietary blend for infant nutrition combining a probiotic strain with varying levels of six human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) to support the developing infant through its life stages.

GUEST ARTICLE

Industry Insights from NIZO: Great flavour without compromise for plant-based food

26-Oct-2023 By René Floris, NIZO Food Research Division Manager

To successfully launch a plant-based product onto the market today, businesses have to go above and beyond in flavour to stand out. How can a new, more holistic flavour approach put an end to organoleptic compromise?

‘It has the potential to improve sustainability across the supply chain’: UK mulls regulatory changes to allow insects to eat your food waste

25-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

Food companies can potentially cut their volumes of waste up to 75% using insect bioconversion, whilst at the same time creating valuable new revenue streams, FoodNavigator hears.

MyFoodPlanit's all-in-one meal planning addresses nutrition customization

24-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Driven by a growing number of consumers addressing their specific and changing nutrition concerns, MyFoodPlanit launched its all-in-one meal planning and nutrition tracking platform earlier this month, Ryan Chapman, CEO and founder, told FoodNavigator-USA...

ICL, Plantible launch clean label methylcellulose alternative with high protein, strong sustainability profile

23-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Functional ingredient supplier ICL Food Specialties and Plantible Foods join the race to replace the widely used but increasingly unpopular binding and gelling ingredient methylcellulose in plant-based protein with today’s launch of ROVITARIS Binding...

Futureproofing the Food System

How AI and digital transformation are influencing the food and beverage industry

23-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Manufacturers and retailers are improving their technology stack through digital transformation strategies and AI to improve operations and address historical food and beverage challenges from ingredient shortages and reformulations to predicting current...

Natural Products Expo East

Equii expands line of high-protein bread to meet demand for better-for-you products that are better for the planet

18-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

When most people think about protein, they think about meat, dairy – maybe legumes – but food-tech newcomer Equii wants them to also think about bread, including its portfolio of soft, sliced white and multi-grain loaves that are packed with 8 to 10 grams...

Futureproofing the Food System: What will it take to deliver on the promise of alternative proteins?

17-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Between FDA and USDA greenlighting the sale of cultivated chicken in the US, the ground-breaking of a large-scale precision fermentation facilities and advances in molecular farming, 2023 has been a banner year for novel protein production. But the path...

Tyson Foods expands into insect protein production with Protix partnership

17-Oct-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

Meat-packing giant Tyson Foods is teaming with Dutch-based insect protein player Protix to expand production and use of more sustainable proteins and lipids from Black Soldier Fly Larva, including building a first of its kind, at-scale insect ingredient...

SupplySide West 2023: Arla to show new ways to incorporate whey in sports nutrition products

12-Oct-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

At the Las Vegas-based trade event, the company will demonstrate how its whey protein solutions can be used to create clear protein shakes.

‘The water is fine’: Plant protein moves into mainstream

12-Oct-2023 By Asia Sherman

Plant protein powder has transitioned from a niche market product for vegans and athletes to a broader base of wellness-minded consumers, according to a survey commissioned by mushroom mycelial fermentation company MycoTechnology.

National Association for Convenience Stores

C-store consumer habits: balancing impulse purchases with nuanced usage occasions

11-Oct-2023 By Deniz Ataman

C-stores can attract and retain customers who are looking for a quick and easy meal or snack by offering a variety of fresh and convenient food options, as well as bundling deals that offer discounts on popular products, Kathy Risch SVP, shopper insights...