Proteins

NEWS IN BRIEF

Brick Meets Click: US online grocery sales hit nearly $100bn in 2021 becoming a 'pickup-dominant market'

18-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Total US online grocery sales for 2021 reached $97.7bn as more than 70% of US households (93 million households) shopped online at least once during the year, heavily preferring pickup services to delivery and ship-to-home, reported Brick Meets Click.

Veganuary gains traction in US – shining a spotlight on areas ripe for plant-based innovation

18-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Nearly a third of Americans plan to drop or reduce animal-based products in their diet this month in favor of vegan options as part of Veganuary – a well-established global movement that may still be relatively new in the US, but which still is shining...

'Real dairy, no cows': Remilk scales up animal-free dairy production

14-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Fresh off of closing a $120m Series B funding round, Remilk is scaling the production and availability of its dairy-identical milk protein (minus the cows) while engaging with high-profile CPG brands looking to develop alternatives to conventional dairy...

Millennials drive growth of frozen foods category sparked by interest in premium, challenger brands

13-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

As frozen food sales stabilize from record-high numbers experienced during the height of the pandemic, older millennials have now become the category's largest consumer -- seeking a more diverse culinary selection of products made with fewer and...

'The Impossible Foods of seafood': Plantish unveils whole cut, plant-based salmon prototype

13-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Out of stealth mode, Israeli startup Plantish has unveiled a whole-cut, fully-structured, boneless plant-based salmon prototype that it says rivals the taste, nutrition, and complex texture of conventional salmon.

Rising food prices slow for now, but additional hikes by manufacturers, retailers on horizon as overall inflation surges to 7%

13-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Counter to claims (or hopes) by The White House and others that rising US prices are “transitory,” inflation continues to rise – cresting 7% for all items in December year-over-year, marking the fastest increase since 1982 and the third straight month...

News In Brief

Meatless bacon from mycelium could come to a plate near you as Atlast Food Co. teams with Whitecrest Mushrooms to scale production

12-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

New York startup Atlast Food Co. is one step closer to bringing its groundbreaking ‘whole cut’ meatless bacon made from the fibrous roots of mushrooms to the masses thanks to a new partnership with Whitecrest Mushrooms Ltd that will allow it to rapidly...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Univar Solutions partners with The Hatchery to bring creative new food solutions to market

07-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Univar Solutions, a global specialty chemical and food ingredients distributor, is setting up a new Food Solution Center at Chicago-based food and beverage incubator The Hatchery to help develop new food solutions to technical challenges facing the industry.

'Smart' food packaging? Scientists unveil biodegradable food packaging made from corn protein

07-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

A team of scientists has developed biodegradable food packaging made from corn protein and other naturally-derived bioplymers infused with a mixture of natural antimicrobial oils that can extend the shelf life of fresh fruit by up to three days compared...

Euromonitor: Trends to watch in plant-based milk

06-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

With US$18bn in global retail sales, plant-based milk alternatives represent the gateway into plant-based foods for many consumers who are looking to reduce consumption of animal-based products, which continues to propel the category forward with new...

Walmart expands in-home delivery as part of retailer's last-mile delivery strategy

06-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Walmart is scaling up the availability of its InHome delivery service from 6 million to 30 million US households by the end of 2022 in response to the large swath of online shoppers who prefer the convenience of the service without having to be present...

Sesame allergies: Lack of clear labeling linked to higher occurrence of reactions

05-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Despite being a major food allergen, more than half of products containing sesame fail to identify the allergen on the label, leading to a higher likelihood of allergic reactions, argue the authors of a recent study.

S2G Ventures on future of food: 'We are entering into a global food transition'

04-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The global food industry is entering a period of radical transformation, which S2G Ventures likens to the decades-long $4 trillion global energy transition that ushered in disruptive clean technology innovation and sustainable solutions.

Ireland’s Plant-It looks to ‘do good’ in the US, sees potential beyond burger & chicken alternatives

04-Jan-2022 By Asia Sherman

Irish food company Plant-It Foods is preparing to enter the US market this year after debuting its plant-based products at the Plant Based World Expo in New York in December.

New Year’s diet resolutions are back, creating opportunities & challenges for food industry, IFIC finds

04-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier – including cutting back on sugar and alcohol or adopting a new diet – are back in 2022 after many Americans took a hiatus from them last year as they navigated pandemic-related stress, according to new research...

Vejii acquires VEDGEco strengthening B2B capabilities in plant-based food distribution

03-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Vejii, a growing online marketplace for plant-based items, soon will be able to better help the brands it features make the leap from e-commerce to brick-and-mortar retail and restaurants with the $6.2m acquisition of the Hawaii-based B2B-focused vegan...

White House targets ‘monopoly’ in meat, poultry with $1b to support independent processors

03-Jan-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ahead of a meeting with farmers, ranchers and independent meat and poultry processors today, the Biden administration this morning directed $1bn in American Rescue Plan funds to independent processors as part of a broader effort to break up what it calls...

'We’ve become the big fish in the small pond': Violife leads US plant-based cheese category

22-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Violife has shot to the #1 position by market share of the rapidly growing US plant-based cheese category, aiming to reach the same level of household penetration and consumer acceptance as plant-based milk alternatives, said the company's general...

Fairtrade America: Brands must 'make good' on sustainability and human rights claims

21-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Heading into 2022, consumers are demanding that brands prioritize sustainability, workers' rights, and other human advocacy causes, according to independent third-party certification organization Fairtrade America in its biennial Consumer Insights...

'The second it’s up, it’s going to change everything': Future Meat Technologies raises $347m Series B to open US facility and drive down cost of cultivated meat

20-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Israeli startup Future Meat Technologies has raised $347m in a Series B round of financing, fueling its plans to open a US plant next year and drive down the cost of cultivated meat below its current price of $7.70 per lb.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Protein Industries Canada ramps up lupin production for plant-based product development

17-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Protein Industries Canada is ramping up the production of the lupin bean making it a staple crop (along with pea and soy) for Canada's plant-based protein industry.

Nestlé USA CMO talks 'doubling down' on plant-based, snacking, and coffee

17-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Nestlé USA is highly focused on several key food and beverage categories as it heads into 2022, including growing plant-based meat alternatives (i.e. chicken), plant-based creamers, coffee, and new snacking opportunities, says Nestlé USA CMO Alicia Enciso....

Study highlights 'promising' method of combining dairy and plant protein in milk applications

16-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Researchers have unlocked a new opportunity to encapsulate dairy (casein) and pea protein together into one stable molecule to create "highly-nutritious" hybrid dairy products.

Plant-based yogurt investment: Oddlygood raises $28m to fuel international growth

16-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Oddlygood, a plant-based dairy and cheese brand spinoff of Valio, raised $28m in its first funding round, fueling its international expansion -- including a US production run of the brand's plant-based yogurts slated for early 2022.

InnovoPro launches chickpea-based egg white alternative that promises “strong, stable” structure

16-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Plant-based alternatives to egg whites can fall short – literally – when it comes to creating towering meringues, pavlovas and mousses, but the Israeli food-tech frontrunner InnovoPro’s new chickpea-based egg white replacement system, CP-Foam 1001, promises...

jack & annie's closes $23m Series B funding round to 'unleash the capabilities of jackfruit'

14-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

jack & annie's, an emerging plant-based meat brand made from whole jackfruit, closed a $23m Series B funding round, setting the stage for the company to expand into more conventional retail accounts and pave the way for a growing "less-processed"...

Instacart talks return of on-the-go convenience and viral food trends: 'In a nutshell, 2021 was a back-to-normal(ish) year for groceries'

13-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Tracking online grocery shopping habits over the past year, Instacart identified a shift back towards convenient on-the-go food items and the rising adoption of viral food recipes and hacks popularized by social media platforms such as TikTok.

What will kids be eating in 2022? Breakfast all day, global flavors, and noodles of all types

10-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Figuring out what kids are craving while pushing them to try new types of food is a challenge for many families and households, notes Chartwell K12, which put together its list of top kid-approved food trends based on its specialized insights creating...

Tyson Foods unveils 4-prong plan to restore its chicken business’ competitiveness, reverse earnings drop

10-Dec-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Tyson Foods is aggressively repositioning itself as a sought-after workplace, investing in automation and other operational performance improvements and reinforcing its leadership position through marketing and innovation in order to reverse sharp earnings...

Valio USA introduces Oddlygood Oat Yogurt to burgeoning US plant-based yogurt category

09-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Valio USA is entering the US plant-based yogurt market with its line of Oddlygood Oat Yogurt products, which the company claims outperforms other oat-based competitors when it comes to the difficult-to-nail taste profile.

‘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.

‘A biological breakthrough…’ UPSIDE Foods hails animal-component-free cell media for cell cultured (aka cultivated) meat

09-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

UPSIDE Foods’ cell media – the nutrient-rich broth it uses to feed cells that will turn into cell-cultured or cultivated meat – is now 100% ‘animal component free,’ says the California-based firm, which described the milestone as a “biological breakthrough.”

From sea moss to edible flowers, Tastewise spotlights eight food trends for 2022

08-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Food has taken on deeper meaning for many consumers serving as a connection to experience, community, and personalized health goals, noted Tastewise in its 2022 report, which uses AI to analyze over 1 million restaurants and delivery menus, 22 billion...

Motif FoodWorks launches HEMAMI heme-binding protein delivering the ‘flavor and aroma of real meat,' receives GRAS no questions letter from FDA

08-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

HEMAMI – a much-anticipated meaty flavor Motif FoodWorks reckons could be a game changer in the meat alternatives arena by delivering the flavor and aroma of the real thing - is now commercially available for large-scale distribution to customers.

Prinova acquires processing contract manufacturer Lakeshore Technologies

07-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Global ingredient supplier Prinova has acquired Lakeshore Technologies, a contract manufacturer with ingredient processing expertise in micronizing, blending, repackaging, sifting, and metal detection and removal.

The EVERY Company raises $175m to expand ‘animal-free’ protein platform

07-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

'Animal-free’ protein startup The EVERY Company - which deploys synthetic biology to genetically engineer microbes to produce high-value ingredients such as egg proteins (without chickens) via precision fermentation - has closed a $175m series C...

Grupo Bimbo leads Series A funding in superfood snack brand LiveKuna: 'We're doubling down on the North American market'

06-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Grupo Bimbo, owner of well-known bakery brands including Sara Lee and Thomas English Muffins, is leading a Series A funding round for Ecuador-based LiveKuna, an emerging brand of superfood snacks, cereals, pastas, and alternative baking flours.

Tyson Foods distributes roughly $50m in bonuses to hourly, frontline workers: 'Tyson wants to be the most sought-after place to work, period'

06-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Tyson Foods said it will give approximately $50m in year-end bonuses to frontline and hourly team members for their ongoing efforts over the past year.

Animal-free dairy a ‘massive opportunity’ says General Mills, which is in 'test and learn' mode with new brand Bold Cultr

06-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

While some recent foodtech innovations could be described as solutions in search of a problem, ‘animal-free’ dairy products featuring real whey and casein made without cows, give consumers – most of whom are unwilling to compromise at all, especially...

Majority of animal protein companies 'too slow to act' on pressing sustainability risks, reports FAIRR

03-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Animal protein producers are making some strides in managing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks, but the vast majority are still falling short on fundamental practices including measuring methane gas emissions, according to the Coller FAIRR...

‘A transformational event in our history…’ Roquette unveils ‘world’s largest pea protein plant’

03-Dec-2021 By Elaine Watson

Roquette - a key supplier of protein to Beyond Meat – has opened what it claims is the world’s largest pea protein plant in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada, becoming the first player to operate major pea protein facilities on both sides of the Atlantic....

General Mills takes full ownership of Canadian Yoplait business after sale of European operations

01-Dec-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

General Mills has completed the sale of its 51% controlling interest in its Yoplait S.A.S European operations to French dairy cooperative Sodiaal in exchange for full ownership of the Canadian Yoplait business and a reduced royalty rate for use of the...

Vejii dials in business model and reports positive growth for Q3 2021

30-Nov-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Vejii, an online marketplace for plant-based and sustainable goods, is gaining ground in the competitive grocery e-commerce landscape less than month after going public under the symbol “VEJII” on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE).

FrieslandCampina launches its first plant-based pea and fava protein ingredients

29-Nov-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Dairy ingredient supplier FrieslandCampina Ingredients, in partnership with AGT Foods, has entered the plant-based protein market with the launch of pea and fava bean isolates.

Protein Industries Canada teams up with Avena Foods, Roquette Canada, and YoFiit 'to create some very exciting firsts' in Canadian plant-based food innovation

29-Nov-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

In an effort to establish itself as a world leader in the plant-based food and beverage market, Protein Industries Canada has partnered with YoFiit, Avena Foods Limited, and Roquette Canada to develop solutions for common technical challenges in plant-based...

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...

Arla milk fractionation breakthrough promises ‘infinite innovation possibilities’

25-Nov-2021 By Oliver Morrison

Dairy supplier Arla claims ‘revolutionary’ new technology to separate milk into its different protein components opens the door to ‘infinite innovation possibilities’.

Do Good Foods creates closed-loop system to tackle supermarkets' food waste issue

24-Nov-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

As grocery chains step up their sustainability efforts, Do Good Foods is providing a solution for supermarkets to offload some of their food surplus by taking perishable foods headed to landfill (vegetables, fruit, meat, bakery items) and upcycling the...

NielsenIQ: Consumers bring on 'the great grocery edit' of 2022

23-Nov-2021 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Weighing unpredictable inflationary prices, a prioritization of wellbeing along with an enduring pandemic, consumers are self-editing their grocery baskets and carts by asking themselves one fundamental question -- "Do I need this?" -- when...

Dairy... the next generation? General Mills unveils animal-free cream cheese alternative: Bold Cultr

16-Nov-2021 By Elaine Watson

General Mills moves into the emerging ‘animal-free’ dairy category with a brand called Bold Cultr – a lactose-free cream cheese alternative utilizing dairy proteins from Perfect Day made via microbial fermentation (without cows).