Proteins

AI helps companies navigate critical regulatory alerts, policy shifts ahead of 2024 election

04-Sep-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Companies must navigate a more fragmented and complex regulatory environment, increasing the need for proactive compliance planning and advanced monitoring tools, like AI, according to Caroline Shleifer, CEO and founder of RegASK.

How AI can help design proteins for the food industry

30-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Using a combination of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology, one start-up is enhancing proteins into a wide array of functions across the food industry.

Unpacking sweet proteins

29-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Sweet proteins can provide benefits that other sweeteners can’t, and without some of the drawbacks they provide. But how can they be produced?

Kipster’s ‘carbon-neutral’ eggs at Kroger paves the way for possible US franchise expansion

28-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Kipster’s ongoing partnership with Kroger brings what it calls 'carbon-neutral' eggs—produced through its humane farming system—to the grocery chain from its North Manchester, Ind., farm, while also creating franchise opportunities for its proprietary...

NutriFusion’s flexible minimum orders resonate with emerging brands

28-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

NutriFusion’s flexibility in minimum order quantities (MOQs) of its fruit and vegetable concentrate blends to startup companies can be a significant advantage for new and smaller brands looking to enter the competitive functional beverage market.

The Better Meat Co. receives $1.4m federal grant to commercialize mycoprotein Rhiza

27-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Bioscience company The Better Meat Co. is scaling up production of its allergen-free mycoprotein Rhiza with the help of a recent US Department of Defense (DoD) grant, as the company prepares its next round of funding.

How generative AI could boost plant-based protein functionality

27-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Functionality is a key element of producing plant-based products. Generative AI, one start-up suggests, could boost research into protein functionality.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: What will it take to regain consumer trust in plant-based meat and boost novel protein production?

26-Aug-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

After three years of double-digit declines in volume and dollars in plant-based meat alternatives, the hemorrhaging in the category is steadily slowing, according to data from Circana – tentatively giving credence to claims by segment stalwarts that the...

Will consumers accept mycelium?

22-Aug-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Mycelium can be a protein-rich alternative to animal products. But will consumers accept it? The interplay of disgust and naturalness perceptions is the key, a new study suggests.

ALOHA explores ‘simple way’ to introduce consumers to brand in new ad campaign

22-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Snack maker ALOHA’s “Deliciously Satisfying” ad campaign – inspired by its high-quality ingredients and better-for-you nutrition profile, including 14 grams of protein and up to 10 grams of fiber per bar – highlights “feel good” moments “that anybody...

Should US tighten nutritional, promotional standards for baby, toddler food?

21-Aug-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Researchers are calling on US policymakers to regulate more tightly the nutrition and promotion of packaged infant and toddler foods after discovering most products for young children sold in the country do not meet international dietary recommendations,...

Harris aims to ban food price gouging, while industry points to supply chain pressures

19-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris proposes a federal ban on price gouging to lower grocery prices as part of her economic platform for her presidential campaign, however food industry advocates maintain that food prices have remained...

Future Food Tech Alternative Proteins

[Watch] Functional ingredients may drive diversification in milk alternatives

16-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Plant-based milks offer great potential to not only mimic the nutritional profile of dairy milk, but also distinguish itself through taste, texture, functionality and technologies like precision fermentation, Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovations and...

Plant-based ‘animal fats’ key to sector’s regrowth

16-Aug-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Meat alternatives can regain the growth seen earlier this century only if the category replicates the taste, texture and aroma of real meat, the boss of a food-tech upstart suggests.

Flavors, authenticity, consumer connection to drive food & beverage

15-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

From indulgent treats to non-alcoholic alternatives, consumers are craving brands that provide nostalgic flavors, better-for-you benefits and authentic brand connections - trends that are set to grow into 2025, according to several reports.

Asentia navigates the road ahead: Challenges & opportunities in the alt protein sector

14-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

⁠The alternative protein industry offers immense opportunities for innovation and market expansion, but successfully navigating this complex landscape requires a balance of advanced R&D, strategic partnerships and a deep understanding of consumer...

Future Food-Tech Alternative Proteins 2024

Lever VC’s investment strategy in alternative proteins focuses on cost-reduction, tech gains & partnerships

13-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Lever VC is zeroing in on innovative companies within the alternative protein space, backing those with strong technological potential and the ability to scale, Nick Cooney, founder and managing partner, Lever VC, told FoodNavigator-USA during Future...

TiNDLE launches plant-based Stuffed Chicken with a focus on convenience, nostalgia and quality

13-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

TiNDLE Foods launched its first new product since the core TiNDLE Chicken with a Stuffed Chicken line designed to meet consumer preferences for easy-to-prepare meals, which will soon be available in 160 GIANT and MARTIN'S stores across Maryland,...

Plant-based food sales can rise again, but the barriers are big

13-Aug-2024 By Nicholas Robinson

Plant-based woes are many and often vast, but sector experts remain confident in the category's healthy future, offering advice on how to move it forward.

APC and Kerry Group explore new gut-brain concepts

12-Aug-2024 By Nikki Hancocks

Leading microbiome researchers at APC Microbiome Ireland (APC), University College Cork, have partnered with global food and drink giant Kerry Group to explore how diet can support cognitive health.

Premium snacking NPD: Elevating cravings with gourmet, better-for-you snacks

12-Aug-2024 By Gill Hyslop

Ramping up the premium snacking experience involves curating high-quality, gourmet ingredients and emphasizing sophisticated, unique flavors that cater to discerning palates. This approach not only enhances the sensory pleasure of snacking but also elevates...

‘Bread is just the beginning,’ EQUII expands complete-protein portfolio with pastas, baking mix

09-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Complete-protein pantry staple brand EQUII expanded beyond the frozen bread category with several pasta products — featuring refreshed branding — as the company explores ways to innovate finished products and alongside other CPG companies through its...

The demand for ‘clean label’ meat alternatives?

09-Aug-2024 By Megan Tatum

With many consumers classing plant-based meats as ultra-processed, the race is on for manufacturers to ‘clean up’ labels.

IFT FIRST 2024

PLT pushes functional beverages beyond basic with trio of soluble ingredients for energy, mood management & active nutrition

08-Aug-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Ingredient developer and supplier PLT Health Solutions is helping functional beverage brands move beyond basic benefits to meet consumers’ rising demand for more innovative health solutions that are sippable with a line of science-backed, water-soluble...

From volleyball courts to retail shelves: How Act Bar’s founder is growing her upcycled snack brand

07-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Act Bar is on a mission to reduce food waste and nutrition insecurity with its line of snack bars, which were created with the help of ingredient and product development company Upcycled Foods, brand Founder Amelia Allen told FoodNavigator-USA.

Summer Fancy Food Show

Protein takes centerstage across categories to meet insatiable demand: From frozen dessert to chips

07-Aug-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even though most Americans consume enough protein, they continue to want more and companies at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City are delivering with increasing innovation and sophistication across categories and occasions, including snacks,...

IFT FIRST 2024

GLP-1 demand drives need for satiating, low-calorie plant-based proteins, fibers

06-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

With the rise of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, ingredient suppliers are developing science-backed, plant-based proteins and fibers to help consumers feel full while consuming fewer calories.

Next Rung Technology shares tips for scaling alt-protein successfully: Focus on capital investments, personnel

06-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Creating a successful alternative protein company is not just about developing an innovative ingredient or product, but it also is about scalability — from building the right size facility in budget to hiring the right personnel and meeting regulatory...

Tyson Foods rebounds with ‘focus on fundamentals,’ operational improvements & innovation in prepared food

06-Aug-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Tyson Foods’ focus on fundamentals and “operational improvements,” including previously shuttering six US plants and laying off employees to improve margins, is paying off as the meat-packer reports its most profitable quarter in nearly two years.

Advancing the alternative protein sector requires significant public, private investment, GFI says

05-Aug-2024 By Deniz Ataman

The US must significantly increase public and private investment in alternative proteins, including cultivated meat, to maintain global competitiveness, according to the Good Food Institute's (GFI) State of Policy report and GFI's Policy Specialist,...

IFT FIRST 2024

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Cargill shares 4 trends shaping consumer food purchases

05-Aug-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Between ongoing inflation, rising fears about climate change’s impact on the food system, and increasing physical and mental health concerns turbo-charged by the pandemic, consumers have been through a lot in recent years, and in response, new data from...

Primient, Synonym partner to create pilot facility to inspire biotech innovation

02-Aug-2024 By Ryan Daily

Plant-based ingredient company Primient is partnering with biomanufacturing infrastructure developer Synonym on a pilot facility in Decatur, Ill., to spur bioproduct innovation and commercialization from startups as the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign...

Shiru partners with Ajinomoto to develop ‘step-change solutions’ for sweet proteins

31-Jul-2024 By Ryan Daily

Food ingredient discovery company Shiru is partnering with Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America to commercialize sweet proteins, leveraging AI to “understand the language of proteins” in the process, Jasmin Hume, CEO and founder of the tech...

IFT FIRST 2024

Interest in weight-loss drugs ‘turbo-charged’ food as medicine, but is the industry ready?

31-Jul-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

The buzz around weight-loss drugs has “turbo-charged” the food as medicine movement creating opportunities and challenges for which one expert warns the food industry is unprepared to address, resulting in far more “losers” than “winners” – but he added...

IFT FIRST 2024

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Trends at IFT’s Startup Pavilion include upcycled ingredients, clean label preservatives, novel proteins and more

29-Jul-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Startup Pavilion at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual Food Improved by Research Science and Technology (IFT FIRST) in Chicago earlier this month featured cutting-edge solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing the food system,...

CPG disruption: SPINS shares why innovation is needed in juices, pickles, pantry staples

25-Jul-2024 By Ryan Daily

CPG companies seeking to disrupt a market might want to turn their attention to categories where whitespace innovation is lacking — including in juices, pickles and pantry staples — a SPINS representative suggested in a recent webinar.

Future Food-Tech Alternative Proteins

Proxy Foods CEO on AI’s potential in alt-protein market, creating ‘Canva ... for the food scientist'

25-Jul-2024 By Ryan Daily

A solid data foundation is crucial to leveraging AI to address alternative-protein market challenges, including raw material shortages and developing on-trend products faster, CEO of AI-based recipe company Proxy Foods Panos Kostopoulos shared at the...

IFT FIRST 2024

M2 Ingredients highlights recent ex vivo studies for mushrooms on gut health at IFT FIRST

23-Jul-2024 By Deniz Ataman

M2 Ingredients, a North American organic mushroom powder supplier, showcased its recent research during IFT FIRST on the prebiotic potential of its products which highlighted the possibilities mushrooms offer for the booming functional food and beverage...

IFT FIRST 2024

American Egg Board announces winners of 2024 product innovation competition, discusses supply-chain resiliency at IFT FIRST

22-Jul-2024 By Ryan Daily

The American Egg Board revealed the winners of its annual Product Development Competition, as the organization shared how farmers are responding to supply chain challenges brought on by avian flu at IFT FIRST in Chicago last week.

NPD Trend Tracker: From plant-based treats to snacks that are perfect for pairing

22-Jul-2024 By Donna Eastlake

In this weeks’ edition, we discover plant-based ice cream treats, some perfect snacks for that boozy sundowner and more…

IFT FIRST

Onego Bio secures $15.2m from EIC to scale animal-free egg protein, meet regulatory requirements

18-Jul-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

With an infusion of $15.2 million in funding from the European Innovation Council announced yesterday following a recent $40 million Series A round in April, precision fermentation startup Onego Bio says it is “moving at full speed” to meet regulatory...

Future Food Tech Alternative Proteins

3 strategies to increase consumer acceptance, adoption of plant-based, novel proteins

17-Jul-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

While most Americans are willing to swap meat for plant-based products and have done so at least once – only a quarter have done so repeatedly, according to industry research – begging the question: Why are more consumers not coming back?

Is flexitarianism increasing? Behind the rise of hybrid meat

12-Jul-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Quorn is the latest to delve into the controversial ‘hybrid meat’ category, which gives consumers products that are neither fully meat nor fully meat free. But why now?

IFT First

FDA, industry leaders explore a streamlined path to market for cultivated protein

09-Jul-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Regulatory approval for cultivated meat products is rigorous but possible – as seen with GOOD Meat and UPSIDE Foods – and FDA is streamlining the regulatory pathway for cultivated meat and encourages companies seeking approval to engage with it “early...

IFT FIRST

Startup Pavilion at IFT FIRST showcases sustainable, better-for-you solutions

09-Jul-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

The Startup Pavilion at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual Food Improved by Research Science and Technology (IFT FIRST) conference in Chicago this month will feature 100 food and tech businesses ranging from pre-seed to growth stage featuring...

Revyve cracks open vegan egg replacements with upcycled ingredient at IFT FIRST 2024

09-Jul-2024 By Ryan Daily

Netherlands-based foodtech company revyve debuts at IFT FIRST an egg-white replacement made from upcycled brewer’s yeast for use in plant-based meat that it says delivers similar texture and binding properties as conventional poultry eggs without additional...

Future Food Tech Alternative Proteins Summit

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Danone’s innovation strategy focuses on ‘big bets’ of protein, enhanced plant-based & the biome

08-Jul-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

In an era where money is tight for consumers and companies alike, and leeway for new products to fall short of expectations is even tighter, many CPG companies are rethinking their innovation investment strategy to make fewer but bigger bets – a strategy...

Blended & hybrid protein products’ potential for sustainable food production

03-Jul-2024 By Deniz Ataman

Combining plant and animal proteins into hybrid and blended products can diversify diets which “may have a positive environmental impact on our food ecosystem,” Dina Fernandez, global science & tech director, alternative proteins, ADM, told FoodNavigator-USA.

Future Food Tech Alternative Proteins

Livestock Labs is creating stable cell lines with desirable characteristics to advance commercial production of cultivated meat

02-Jul-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

For the cultured meat industry to deliver on its promise of feeding a growing population in a way that is healthy for people and the planet, it needs stable cell lines with desirable characteristics for commercial production, which is where the startup...

Future Food Tech Alternative Proteins

Hydrosome Labs’ ultra-fine bubbles boost precision fermentation production, open doors for beverages to better deliver functional ingredients, nutrition

01-Jul-2024 By Elizabeth Crawford

Innovative startup Hydrosome Labs is leveraging ultra-fine bubbles to overcome significant roadblocks to the development of alternative proteins via precision fermentation, including capacity constraints, by dramatically increasing yield from the same...