vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

SavorEat has announced it will be partnering with French foodservice company Sodexo to carry out a pilot program in the US. This partnership will allow the Israeli startup’s plant-based burgers to be served at American colleges. SavorEat’s burgers are unique in that they are 3D printed and produced by a robot chef. They are made with nano-cellulose, a fibre that can be formed into a variety of textures. A customised 3D printer uses infrared light to cook the burgers as they print. The pilot should begin next year, and SavorEat is aiming for a commercial launch in 2023. The company told NoCamels that universities were the ideal place to test its plant-based burgers, as many younger people are now eating a flexitarian diet and have growing concerns about the environment. Back in December, SavorEat floated on the Tel Aviv stock market and was valued at $51.2 million. The previous August, it raised $4.75 million in funding to develop a “new generation of meat alternatives”. “SavorEat is constantly working on growing with big players and companies in the foodservice arena with a special focus on the US market,” SavorEat CEO Racheli Vizman told NoCamels.“It is ongoing and intensive work that takes shape. We are very happy that Sodexo sees the potential in our innovative technology.” ...

As Nestlé announces the largest accelerator in its multinational network, we take a look at the programs fostering innovation in the plant-based and cell-cultured sectors worldwide. The ProVeg Incubator The ProVeg Incubator program is the most well-established accelerator for plant-based and cell-cultured food startups. Its sixth cohort, announced earlier this year, included companies developing plant-based eggs, vegan pet food, mushroom-based meat, and dairy made from discarded fruit pits. Spain FoodTech Startup Program This program is the first ever accelerator for high-performance Spanish startups. Following the demo day for its first cohort, the startups’ valuations rose by over sixfold to an average of €7.5 million. The companies showcased products such as hyper-realistic 3D printed plant-based steak, precision fermentation proteins, and mycelium-based burgers. Dao Foods Incubator This incubator is for Chinese and China-focused alt-protein startups. Its current cohort, which is the second, features innovations such as cell-cultured lobster and protein made from fermented microalgae. China Accelerator Program This program was launched last year by Lever VC in collaboration with global venture accelerator firm Brinc. It will exclusively support plant-based and cell-cultured startups within China. The program will have a three-month duration and take place on a rolling basis. Association of Alternative Food Producers (AAFPP) Incubator Launched in collaboration with the ProVeg Incubator, this plant-based accelerator is the first of its kind in Russia. AAFPP was founded by Julia Marsel and Tim Ponomarev, two of the founders of the ProVeg Incubator alumni startup Greenwise. Planet B.io This Dutch incubator was founded by DSM ...

A new study conducted by Appinio has asked 1000 British people about their attitudes to plant-based products. The results show that 64% of people have bought vegan products within the past year. This percentage was highest among people in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties, with health concerns and curiosity as the main driving factors. Environmental reasons and concerns about the treatment of animals also played a role. Meat alternatives and plant milks were the vegan products most commonly purchased. Those who didn’t buy plant-based products said it was due to their texture, taste, and comparatively high prices. Over half of those surveyed (51%) said they would consider swapping at least some of the meat in their diets for plant-based alternatives. However, only 7% said they wanted to completely replace conventional meat. 49% of people in the study had never heard of cell-cultured meat. Of those who were aware of it, 41% said they would be willing to substitute it for some of the meat they currently eat. Plant-based in the UK A study earlier this year found that many British people had converted to veganism in part because of the pandemic. 32% of vegan women and 49% of vegan men surveyed had transitioned within the past year, indicating that the number of people eating a plant-based diet is rising sharply. Last November, the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change released a paper proposing that meat should be taxed in Britain to help the planet. Another study found that 16% of supermarket ...

US alt-meat brand Hungry Planet was founded to address the huge environmental impact of animal agriculture, as well as the health problems associated with a diet high in animal products. Hungry Planet’s aim is to make meat alternatives that are an easy, direct swap for conventional meat, while also being highly nutritious. It has developed what it claims is “the most authentic and complete range of plant-based meats available in the world”, currently featuring: Beef: Ground, steak, and burger patties. Chicken: Ground, grilled strips, grilled and diced chunks, crispy fried fillets, chipotle patty, and a chicken piccata meal. Italian sausage: Ground, meatballs, pre-cooked crumble, and an Italian sausage and pepper meal. Crab: Crab cakes. Pork: Ground, pork gyoza, and Thai meatballs. The company has been rapidly expanding across the US, and its latest launch is at Sprouts Farmers Market. Six products — the Beef Patties, Grilled Chicken Strips, Crispy & Fried Chicken, Pork Thai Meatballs, Pork Gyoza, and Italian Sausage Crumble — will be available at 362 Sprouts stores nationwide. At the beginning of this year, Hungry Planet announced a partnership with Post Holdings to distribute its products across the US via foodservice, restaurants, grocery stores, and e-commerce. In April, it raised $25 million in its Series A funding round, and its philanthropic arm has provided over a million meals to US high schools. “By delivering superior meats with industry-leading taste, health, and variety, we are providing customers authentically great food, and are developing a very loyal following,” said Todd ...

Indian food tech company Blue Tribe has unveiled the latest products in its range — plant-based chicken and pork sausages. Both types are made with pea protein. The sausages are high in fibre, fortified with vitamin B12, and free of cholesterol. They are now available in cities across India from Blue Tribe’s online store. In August, Blue Tribe launched plant-based chicken keema and chicken nuggets in the cities of Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali, all of which are famous for their chicken dishes. The company is quickly building a loyal fanbase, and it claims many of its customers are not vegetarian or vegan. Blue Tribe was founded by Sandeep Singh of pharmaceutical company Alkem Labs, along with his wife Nikki. Last year, they showcased the brand’s products at The Good Food Institute India’s Smart Protein Summit. The number of plant-based products being launched in India has been increasing rapidly as demand surges. Studies have shown that the Indian population is much more open to cell-cultured and plant-based meat than Western consumers, and GFI India has been working with AAK Kamani to advance the alt-protein industry in the country. “In addition to our plant-based Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Keema, customers will now be able to taste and enjoy plant-based Chicken Sausages and Pork Sausages,” said Sandeep Singh. “So far we have received amazing traction and love from customers, and we strive to do better each day.” He added, “Largescale [meat] consumption is disrupting ecological balance. That’s why we have introduced plant-based products ...

Chinova Bioworks recently launched a research initiative with the INNOV Centre at College Communautaire du Nouveau Brunswick (CCNB), supported by the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation’s Innovation Voucher Fund, to develop a new processing aid for vegan beers. Chinova is leveraging its expertise in “clean label” ingredients at CCNB’s Grand Falls campus, which has been developing brewing and distilling technologies for years. The research project aims to develop a new application for Chinova’s proprietary white fungal fibre, Chiber, as a fast fining agent for brewers. The initiative comes at a time when many breweries are switching to vegan practices to meet consumer demand for healthier and more sustainable products. Many brewed beers and other alcoholic beverages contain animal-based compounds that are added during the production process. These include, for example, pepsin, a foaming agent extracted from the stomach enzymes of pigs; chitin, extracted from lobster and crab shells; and carmine, found in the ground-up scales of cochineal insects. Another commonly used compound is isinglass, a type of gelatin extracted from fish swim bladders. All of these substances are commonly used in the production and filtration of alcohol to make drinks appear clearer and brighter. Chinova’s technology offers brewers a vegan alternative to these products. Initial results show that Chiber can settle yeast eight times faster after fermentation and, as an added bonus, antimicrobial properties remain in the beer, keeping it fresher for longer. Chinova intends to launch Chiber for alcoholic beverages in the first quarter of 2022 and is currently working ...

Swedish plant-based brand Oumph! this week launched a new product – Oumph! Kebab Döner Style – into Iceland supermarkets in the UK. The new vegan kebab is made from pea protein, is gluten-free, and comes in “shaved” pieces like traditional kebab meat. Oumph! continues its success after being acquired by LIVEKINDLY Co and rolling out into Germany through the Edeka Group stores this June and also expanding into the Australian market in July. The brand’s portfolio is now in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, South Africa and Australia. “We are proud to share the newest plant-based innovation from Oumph! with all fast food lovers in the UK”, says Domenico Speciale, General manager UK at LIVEKINDLY Collective. “When I first tasted it I could not tell it apart for kebab meat, it truly delivers on the taste and texture of your favourite Döner. It’s so easy to cook that we know consumers will love the opportunity to enjoy a plant-based version of their take away favourite at home.” Oumph! Kebab Döner Style is available nationwide in Iceland and The Food Warehouse from now will be and coming soon to other retailers across the UK. Recommended retail price: £3 (280 g). ...

Eurofins | Chem-MAP announces that Bolt Threads‘ innovative plant-based material Mylo Unleather has been verified as a vegan material following the successful completion of the Eurofins Vegan Verification Programme, which involves the analysis of all inputs for the presence of animal DNA. Mylo is one of the first vegan new materials to receive this verification. “A planet of 10 billion people cannot live like a planet of 1 billion people and in our resource-constrained world, now is the time for meaningful innovation” Mylo looks and feels like animal leather and as such is currently used by world-leading brands such as adidas, Stella McCartney, lululemon and Kering. Created from mycelium – the underground root structure of fungi – the material is certified bio-based and is developed using a highly efficient process that is deliberately designed to have a low environmental impact. For example, the mycelium used to make Mylo is grown in less than two weeks using vertical farming techniques in a facility that runs on 100% renewable energy. The Vegan Verification testing programme was developed specifically for the apparel and footwear industries to provide assurance to manufacturers in these industries that products sold and marketed as vegan do not contain animal derivatives. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) DNA analysis is comprehensive as it has the potential to detect all components of fish, mammal, bird, insect, crustacean and mollusc species in a single test. This testing system, combined with detailed document review and manufacturing process risk assessment, makes Eurofins’ Chem-MAP protocol one ...

Shiok Meats, the cell-cultured crustacean meat pioneer, showcased the world’s first cell-based crab meat at a private tasting event in Singapore on 26th August. In a collaboration with Chef José Luis Del Amo of TheTasteLab, Shiok Meats presented Crab Cake and Chilli Crab, complemented by Lobster-flavored Potato Chips and Tom Yum Shrimp Soup, all prepared with Shiok Meats’ cell-based meats. Shiok Meats states that the event was an important milestone for Shiok Meats, signifying a step closer to bringing cell-based crustacean meat to consumers by 2023. The company continues to work towards the building of the first-ever cell-based seafood manufacturing plant in Singapore. This development follows a string of previous milestones which the female-led company has achieved in the few years since launch. In May 2019 Shiok completed a $4.6 million seed round with participants including Monde Nissin In March 2020 the company was named as one of the top ten most innovative companies in Asia Pacific by Fast Company. In the following June, the company raised US$3 million in bridge funding including Agronomics, VegInvest, Impact Venture, and Mindshift Capital. The next month, July 2020, Shiok revealed that it had entered into a collaboration with IntegriCulture Inc to upscale production of its cell-based shrimp utilising IntegriCulture’s inexpensive cell culture technology, effectively making the shrimp more affordable. In September last year, an impressive raise of $12.6M in Series A funding was announced. This August the company revealed it had fully acquired Gaia Foods, the first company in Southeast Asia to develop ...

Cutting-edge technology will help progressive farmers improve the production, quality, traceability, and marketing opportunities of protein crops in a quickly growing market. WINNIPEG, Manitoba–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$FDGE #Agriculture—Farmers Edge Inc. (“Farmers Edge” or the “Company”) (TSX: FDGE), a global leader in digital agriculture, and Merit Functional Foods (Merit) have launched a pilot program aimed at improving the production, quality, traceability, and marketing opportunities of Canadian protein crops. Merit is a Canadian producer of non-GMO pea protein and is first to market in the world with non-GMO canola protein. The new program will improve the efficiency, sustainability, and competitiveness of the ingredients produced by Merit, thereby increasing returns for growers and creating a reliable food supply to meet an increasing demand. Plant-based eating is on the rise globally, and the market for plant proteins continues to grow rapidly. Over 240 foodtech companies received funding in the first quarter of this year, and a recent report indicates that the industry hit a total value of $35.6 billion in 2020, and that value is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. This partnership will leverage the power of connected field sensors and big data analytics to create a high-tech solution that enhances predictive modeling, digital traceability, and connectivity within the agri-food supply chain. The pilot’s marketing element will focus on matching buyers to producers, executing contracts, and searching out or monitoring regulatory and other standards. A fully digitized, streamlined process makes it easy for producers to participate in the program and access higher-value global ...