Emulsifiers, stabilizers, hydrocolloids

The EVERY Co unveils ‘world’s first animal-free egg white,’ road-tested in ‘holy grail’ application: the macaron

23-Mar-2022 By Elaine Watson

The EVERY Company has teamed up with upmarket west-coast patisserie brand Chantal Guillon to road test EVERY EggWhite - billed as “the world’s first animal-free egg white” - in a product heavily reliant on the unique functional properties of egg whites:...

Shiru teams up with CP Kelco to explore label-friendly alternatives to methylcellulose

21-Mar-2022 By Elaine Watson

Shiru - a startup producing proteins via microbial fermentation - has teamed up with texturizing ingredients specialist CP Kelco to explore label-friendly replacements for methylcellulose and other highly functional ingredients.

Former Chobani president Peter McGuinness to join Impossible Foods as CEO: 'This isn’t a business that needs fixing, I’m here to help turbo charge growth...'

17-Mar-2022 By Elaine Watson

Former Chobani president Peter McGuinness – who has spent the last several years running a dairy company, albeit one that has recently launched several plant-based products - is set to take the helm at Impossible Foods, a firm on a mission to “replace...

UN demands more diverse food production methods as report warns climate change risks are greater than thought

01-Mar-2022 By Oliver Morrison

Nearly a third of the world's crop fields will be unsuitable for food production by the end of this century unless carbon emissions are curbed, warns the latest instalment of the IPCC climate change report.

The Spare Food Co. transforms yogurt byproduct into sparkling tonic

19-Jan-2022 By Asia Sherman

The Spare Food Co. is rescuing watery whey from the yogurt production process and infusing it into effervescent elixirs in the hopes of fixing a broken food system and reversing climate change.

Freedom for French dressing – FDA chops standard of identity for quintessential salad topping

17-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

French salad dressing will soon enjoy the same freedom as Italian, Russian and other dressings as FDA prepares to liberate it from a more than half century old standard of identity that the agency says, “no longer promotes honesty and fair dealings in...

CarobWay promises ‘long-term supply solution’ for locust bean gum market

20-Dec-2021 By Niamh Michail

With locust bean gum at record-high prices, many brands are looking for replacements. However, Israeli player CarobWay says it is combining advanced ag-tech with traditional knowledge to identify and cultivate high gum carob varieties that will alleviate...

Provectus Algae secures $11.4m to scale sustainable synthetic biology biomanufacturing platform

14-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

With an infusion of $11.4 million in pre-series A funding announced today, Australian startup Provectus Algae is ready to rapidly scale the commercial production capacity of its sustainable and “complementary” biomanufacturing platform that leverages...

‘There is still a lot of unresponsiveness or vague statements…’ Supply chain woes add to compliance challenge with bioengineered food disclosure standard

09-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

With the Jan. 1, 2022 deadline for compliance with the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (NBFDS) fast approaching, many companies are still struggling with compliance, even at this incredibly late stage, say industry sources.

Study: Common food additive found to disturb beneficial bacteria in the gut

01-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Carboxymethylcellulose, a widely-used emulsifying and thickening food additive ingredient, can alter the intestinal environment of gut microbiome, disturbing levels of beneficial bacteria, suggests new clinical research.

Cost-efficient scaffolding tech developed for cultivated meat at scale

01-Dec-2021 By Flora Southey

Estonian start-up Gelatex says affordable and scalable cell-cultured meat could ‘soon turn into reality’ thanks to its innovative scaffolding technology.

Plant-based ice cream 2.0? Eclipse Foods buoyed by ‘incredible’ early data from Whole Foods

28-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

Eclipse Foods – a plant-based brand on a mission to replicate the taste and functionality of conventional dairy rather than building a brand around ‘hero’ ingredients such as oat, almond or coconut – says early data from Whole Foods suggests its strategy...

Chocolate milk brand Slate raises additional $3.3m in seed round, expands distribution to 4,000 stores

04-Oct-2021 By Elaine Watson

Boston-based startup Slate Milk – maker of ultra-filtered, high-protein, lactose-free chocolate milk in shelf-stable cans - has raised an additional $3.3m in a seed round backed by the founders of RXBAR, Halo Top, Drizly, Yasso, and consumer-focused investment...

IFF debuts vegan stabilizer for plant-based whipped cream applications

04-Oct-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

In response to increased demand for plant-based dairy across all sub-categories, IFF has introduced a vegan stabilizer for plant-based whipped cream applications.

'Our priority is innovation...' Sophie’s Kitchen raises $5.6m to expand plant-based seafood category

17-Sep-2021 By Elaine Watson

Sophie’s Kitchen has secured a $5.6m investment led by venture capital firm Billy Goat Brands to help it expand its plant-based seafood empire, which now extends into multiple categories including ‘toona,’ crab cakes, fish filets, smoked salmon, and shrimp....

Cargill opens $150m pectin production facility in Brazil, becomes world's second largest producer

09-Sep-2021 By Elaine Watson

Cargill has opened a $150m pectin production facility in Bebedouro, Brazil, to meet growing global demand for the label-friendly texturizing ingredient.

Impossible Sausage hits retail market: ‘Everything we’ve brought to market in retail so far has been wildly well received’

11-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Sausage made from plants – a soy-based ground sausage product in savory and spicy variants – will make its retail debut this month and should be in 13,000 stores by the year end, says Impossible Foods, which says retailers have been encouraged...

Soylent now profitable, firing on all cylinders, says CEO after rollercoaster year: ‘We had to make dramatic changes or we would have run out of cash…’

28-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

A brand described as “only slightly more appealing than an IV bag” by one uncharitable observer when it first gained a cult following among Silicon Valley programmers as a powdered meal replacement, Soylent has steadily evolved its format, product line...

SPECIAL REPORT: Plant-based meat formulation in focus, from Beyond Meat to Motif FoodWorks, Roquette, and Cargill: ‘The meat alternative space has the fastest iteration cycles out there’

27-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

If you look at the ingredients lists of most plant-based burgers, they’re not wildly different – a combination of extruded plant proteins, hard and liquid fats, natural flavors, yeast, methylcellulose, starch, seasonings and perhaps added vitamins and...

'We are actively looking at all major animal-protein categories...' NotCo raises $235m in series D to expand its global plant-based meat, dairy empire

26-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Santiago-based food tech company NotCo has raised $235m in a Series D round led by Tiger Global and supported by DFJ Growth Fund, ZOMA Lab, athletes Lewis Hamilton and Roger Federer, and musician and DJ Questlove, taking its cumulative funding to $350m...

Plant-based chicken space heats up as Impossible Foods enters fray with nuggets

16-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

The plant-based chicken category is heating up with Impossible Foods unveiling plans to enter the market in the fall with soy-based nuggets, going head to head with rival Beyond Meat, which has just launched pea-, and faba bean-based tenders.

‘The most sustainable option in the food industry…’ Noblegen opens CAD$500m Series C round to commercialize suite of ingredients from ancient microbe euglena gracilis

15-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Canadian startup Noblegen has opened a CAD$500m Series C capital raise as it seeks to commercialize a suite of products from the ‘ancient microorganism’ euglena gracilis, which can produce everything from proteins that behave like animal proteins, to...

Tate & Lyle spins off industrial sweeteners, starches division to focus on specialty food and beverage solutions

12-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Tate & Lyle has struck a $1.3bn deal to sell a controlling stake in its 'Primary Products' industrial sweeteners and starches business in the Americas to private equity firm KPS Capital Partners, as it focuses on specialty sweeteners, fibers,...

Beyond Meat launches plant-based chicken tenders at restaurants nationwide

08-Jul-2021 By Elaine Watson

Beyond Meat has launched its latest plant-based innovation - Beyond Chicken Tenders – at nearly 400 restaurants across the US.

‘The situation is now at a tipping point for customers…’ CP Kelco weighs in on soaring locust bean gum prices

30-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

“Inflation has been dramatic in the locust bean gum market and we do believe the situation is now at a tipping point for customers,” says CP Kelco, a leading supplier of hydrocolloids and other texturizing ingredients.

‘Efforts to replace it are in full swing now…’ Locust bean gum prices hit record highs

25-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

The price of locust bean gum – a clean-label thickener and stabilizer from carob seeds used in everything from Philadelphia cream cheese to Planet Oat oatmilk – has more than doubled over the past year, as demand continues to exceed supply, prompting...

Unilever global ice cream leader talks plant-based formulation: First get the protein right…

24-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

Unilever experienced an “explosion” in the growth of non-dairy ice cream when it introduced products through mainstream brands such as Ben & Jerry's and Magnum, according to global ice cream EVP Matt Close. But getting plant-based proteins to...

Oatly goes public, opens Utah factory: ‘We are going to prioritize growth over profit,’ says CEO

20-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Oatly – which made its debut as a public company today (Nasdaq ticker: 'OTLY') after an IPO that raised $1.4bn – has started producing its first products from its new plant in Ogden, Utah, this month, opening up new capacity to meet surging...

Plant-based cheese, meat, formulation gamechanger? Motif FoodWorks gains exclusive access to two ‘transformative’ technologies

13-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Boston-based Motif FoodWorks has gained exclusive access to technologies designed to address two key challenges in plant-based formulations: achieving melt and stretch in plant-based cheese, and healthier fat that enables marbling in plant-based meat....

Both sides claim victory in latest installment of bitter legal dispute between Beyond Meat and former co-manufacturer Don Lee Farms

11-May-2021 By Elaine Watson

Both sides have claimed victory in the latest installment of an increasingly acrimonious legal dispute* between Beyond Meat and its former co-manufacturer Don Lee Farms triggered by the early termination of an exclusive five-year supply agreement the...

Egg proteins… without chickens: Clara Foods teams up with innovation arm of world’s largest brewer

21-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

Bay area startup Clara Foods has teamed up with ZX Ventures, the innovation arm of the world’s largest brewer AB InBev - which knows a thing or two about large-scale fermentation - to help realize its dream of making ‘animal-free’ egg proteins using microbes...

Ingredion expands texture, stabilization capabilities, with acquisition of KaTech

01-Apr-2021 By Elaine Watson

Ingredion has acquired KaTech - a privately held company headquartered in Lübeck, Germany that provides advanced texture and stabilization solutions to the food and beverage industry - for an undisclosed sum.

Plant-based dairy in focus: 'Cheese is the most technically challenging space in dairy alternatives...'

30-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales of plant-based milk surged 21.9% to $2.542bn in measured channels in the year to Jan. 24, 2021, while sales of plant-based cheese and yogurt (far smaller categories) were up 43.6% to $233.9m and 16.4% to $346.2m respectively in the year...

PepsiCo relaunches EVOLVE plant-based protein brand with new formulations, packaging

24-Mar-2021 By Elaine Watson

Two years after acquiring it as part of its $465m deal to buy CytoSport, PepsiCo has embarked on a refresh of plant-based protein brand EVOLVE with new packaging and formulations to help it stand out in a category “experiencing broader acceptance.”

Knowde launches food & nutrition online marketplace: ‘This is a massive market that is ripe for change’

10-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

San Jose-based Knowde – a b2b online marketplace for chemicals, ingredients and polymers - is moving into the food and nutrition industry, enabling R&D and procurement professionals to research and compare products, connect with suppliers, request...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Mood boosting beverages, non-alcoholic options rise with ‘sober curious’ movement

11-Jan-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

For many Americans in 2020, pouring a stiff drink at the end of the day – or in the middle of it – was less about socializing with friends and more about coping with the chaos of the pandemic, and while many of the challenges from last year remain – research...

What's the difference between plant-based and vegan? Foodchain ID unveils new certification schemes

07-Dec-2020 By Elaine Watson

While the terms 'plant-based' and 'vegan' might appear to be interchangeable (they both exclude animal products), consumers do not view them in quite the same way, claims Foodchain ID, which has just launched separate 'vegan,'...

GALLERY: Plant-based brands and innovations to watch in 2021

04-Dec-2020 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based eggs, bacon, and everything inbetween… check out our gallery of plant-based brands and innovations to watch in 2021, from NotCo and Black Sheep Foods to Gold & Green. There are of course SCORES of exciting brands not covered here; this...

Eclipse Foods moves into retail, raises $12m Series A: ‘We’re following the Beyond Meat playbook’

17-Nov-2020 By Elaine Watson

Many plant-based dairy brands are built around ‘hero’ ingredients such as almond or coconut. At Eclipse Foods, by contrast, the mission is to replicate the taste and functionality of real dairy, and the brand, which could span multiple dairy platforms,...

Plant-based meat webinar highlights… from Impossible Foods’ global ambitions to those ‘frankly desperate’ Lightlife ads

17-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Foods is gearing up for market entry in Europe, China and Brazil; Beyond Meat is looking at “any and all plant-based protein sources” as it expands its ingredient toolbox; Meati Foods is preparing to launch fungi-based steaks, and Planterra...

Introducing the FOOD FOR KIDS 2020 virtual summit: From kids and the plant-based trend to dietary guidelines for infants and toddlers

29-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

School closures – and tentative re-openings – have compounded stress levels for families, while COVID-19-induced economic anxiety is also straining household budgets. So how can food and beverage brands come up with enticing – but affordable – recipes,...

To boldly go… NotCo raises $85m to expand plant-based empire, gears up for US market entry

09-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Santiago-based food tech company NotCo has closed an $85m Series C funding round co-led by Future Positive and L Catterton,* and is gearing up for a move into the US market in late 2020 or early 2021.

PURIS gears up to open Dawson pea protein plant, teases new launches incl pea syrup, sweet lupin flour

28-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based protein specialist PURIS – a key supplier of pea protein to Beyond Meat - is rolling out a series of new products this year including a pea syrup that can serve as an alternative to corn-, brown rice- or tapioca syrup; and sweet lupin flour,...

Impossible Foods hits back at ‘disingenuous, desperate disinformation campaign’ as Lightlife attacks ‘hyperprocessed’ ingredients

26-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

In an open letter slammed by Impossible Foods as cynical and disingenuous and dismissed by one commentator as a “PR stunt,” Lightlife Foods has attempted to distinguish itself from ‘food tech’ rivals in the plant-based meat arena by positioning itself...

Americans need to more than halve their consumption of added sugars, says Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

15-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Americans need to more than halve their consumption of added sugars, reducing average consumption from 13% of daily energy intake to just 6%, the equivalent of 30g for someone on a 2,000 calorie-a-day diet, according to the expert committee advising the...

Grain Processing Corp.’s maltodextrins, modified starches improve plant-based eating experience

10-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Brands struggling with plant-based snacks becoming excessively dry, chewy or crumbly over time or beverages designed to mimic dairy falling short of a desired creamy mouthfeel could improve the functional benefits of their products with the addition of...

SHIFT20: How the virtual IFT show will work…

29-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

Confused about navigating the virtual IFT show (Institute of Food Technologists' annual meeting and expo) next month (July 13-15)? FoodNavigator-USA caught up with Corrine Calice, senior director, knowledge and learning experiences; and Susan Young,...

FDA moves to keep coronavirus fears from interrupting ingredients trade

25-Jun-2020 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration says it will move actively to prevent the worldwide trade in dietary ingredients, food ingredients and whole foods from being restricted because of misplaced coronavirus infection concerns.

Online marketplace Fieldcraft modernizes discovery & democratizes access for suppliers of all sizes

19-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

The coronavirus pandemic may have brought to a standstill the large tradeshows where industry players traditionally came together, but thanks to new digital platforms – including Austin-based Fieldcraft – stakeholders not only can still meet, explore...

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