What’s in store for cultivated meat in 2025?
The innovative category has had an eventful year. How could 2025 shake things up?
Food tech & digital transformation
Exclusive
Agilitas’ AI platform speeds up food, beverage R&D
Silicon Valley AI-based startup Agilitas is helping food and beverage makers speed up research and development (R&D) and release products faster.
All G achieves self-affirmed GRAS status for recombinant bovine lactoferrin
Sydney-based biotech company All G affirmed the GRAS status of its recombinant bovine lactoferrin, as the company tees up the availability of a human equivalent of the highly sought-after food and beverage ingredient in 2025.
How brands can balance health, indulgence & convenience in the morning
Convenience wakes up the morning routine for consumers, with 90% of morning meals prepared in under 15 minutes, according to Circana.
Aesthetic appeal: Social media culture driving increasing demand for ‘better-looking’ food and beverage products
The importance of social media and online food photography have rapidly increased consumer demand for ‘better-looking’ food and beverage products in the Asia Pacific region, with a focus on elements such as clarity and colour.
Instacart improves accuracy for e-grocery
Instacart’s software solution Carrot Tags helps retailers fulfill online orders with its electronic shelf labels (ESL) as the e-grocery market continues to grow.
Will AI transparency be the next big CPG claim?
CPG companies must expand transparency efforts beyond sustainability to include emerging technologies like AI to win over concerned consumers, according to research from Ingredient Communications.
DSM-Firmenich calls out ‘misinformation’ over Arla Foods backlash
Dutch multinational DSM-Firmenich has pulled no punches in its response to backlash over Arla Foods' use of methane-cutting additive Bovaer.
Starfish closes gap on FSMA 204 compliancy with reporting software
Food traceability software provider Starfish addresses transparency requirements in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) with technology that simplifies supply-chain data without food and beverage companies changing their current system.
Kroger partners with bitewell to ‘opt up’ its nutrition program
Kroger’s OptUP nutrition program in collaboration with food data technology company bitewell will use bitewell’s Food Health Score algorithm to help consumers make healthier choices and strengthen shopper loyalty.
Dairy innovation trends: From weight management to protein
We narrow down the most important market and consumer trends that could influence dairy product innovation in 2025.
AI could improve dairy safety and QC, study finds
Machine learning can be used to detect anomalies in dairy samples by analyzing the milk microbiome, paving the way for improvements in safety and QC, according to a study.
Innovation watch: Natural clean energy drinks
Health conscious consumers don’t want sugar-laden, taurine energy drinks: but they still want a burst of energy to keep them powering through their day. How are brands providing that better-for-you buzz?
Cultivated freshwater eel tech opens new opportunities in Japanese market
A cultivated seafood tech business has developed a system of cell cultivation to allow for commercial freshwater eel farming.
UMAMI Bioworks’ Arbiter technology improves food safety with rapid, cost-effective pathogen testing
Biotechnology company UMAMI Bioworks’ Arbiter technology provides food safety and quality validation, that can be integrated into existing testing labs or made accessible to customers directly.
Can plant-based overcome UPF links to avoid future trust issues?
Plant-based diets remain popular, but associations with UPF and low-quality ingredients has shaken consumer trust in alt meat, fish and dairy brands. So, what can the sector do to restore public opinion?
Gen AI boosts revenues, marketing efforts for CPG brands & retailers, Google reports
CPG companies and retailers are moving beyond generative AI (gen AI) testing to realizing tangible business benefits of the technology, including increased revenues and operational efficiencies, Google shared in a recent report.
How can alternative proteins and regenerative agriculture work together?
Despite both being sustainability-focused, regenerative agriculture and protein diversification have not always got along. How can the two sectors work together?
Chobani’s yogurt cups, drinks feature up to 30-grams of protein
Yogurt-maker Chobani's clean-label, high-protein and lactose-free yogurt is part of the company’s mission to make protein more accessible to everyday consumers.
Dairy innovation and trends
Letter from the editor: Innovations, trends & startups reshaping the dairy category
The dairy case is no longer a limited selection of fat-free, low-fat or whole milk in generic white bottles or a bare-bones choice between just “orange” or “white” cheese – rather an explosion of innovation in recent years has dramatically multiplied...
A new way to scale precision fermentation: Daisy Lab teams with dairies to produce bioidentical proteins
Foodtech startup Daisy Lab is rethinking how to scale precision fermentation efficiently and economically to produce bioidentical dairy proteins without the cow by developing plug-and-play technology that can be dropped into existing, large-scale dairy...
Milk alternatives lead plant-based dairy category
Milk alternatives are the most consumed product in the plant-based dairy category, particularly among Gen Z consumers, while hybrid dairy products help narrow the gap for those skeptical of plant-based options' taste, texture and nutritional profile.
Why buy the cow? Animal-free casein grows to drive the future of dairy alternatives
The growing interest in animal-free casein, the key protein responsible for the flavor, texture and nutritional profile of conventional dairy, is driving innovation in the alternative dairy space as a solution that replicates dairy’s complex qualities...
LanzaTech’s partnerships accelerate commercialization for proprietary protein production
Biotech company LanzaTech is making strides in global microbial fermentation protein production with the launch of its proprietary LanzaTech Nutritional Protein (LNP), in collaboration with organizations like the US Navy to accelerate commercialization.
Food Traceability Rule compliance threatened by too much tech, over-eager retailers
Food industry players across the value chain are frustrated by lingering questions about how to implement sweeping food safety changes that go into effect in little over a year, including fears of some stakeholders “going berserk” with new technology or...
Olfactive Biosolutions harnesses food ingredients for weight loss
Olfactive Biosolutions' Protenx Weight Loss is a patented (US 12,102,664 B2) line of natural food ingredients and additives that target weight loss and blood sugar reduction that could help brands meet the growing demand for functional foods in the GLP-1...
UPSIDE Foods & Institute for Justice gain support from industry trade group on Florida lawsuit
The Association of Meat, Poultry & Seafood Innovation (AMPS), a non-profit organization representing the cell-cultured industry, expressed its support for cultivated meat producer UPSIDE Foods and non-profit Institute for Justice on the lawsuit filed...
Is consumer input shaping the future of snacks?
Colorado-based Myna Snack’s latest launch is a prime example of how consumer input can drive successful product innovation. But just how effective is giving consumers a voice in NPD in staying competitive?
Could anti-inflammatory effects of sweetener boost sales?
Health concerns have put the sweetener industry in jeopardy. Could new research help to restore its reputation?
Novonesis develops ‘cleaner ingredient deck’ for plant-based meat with biosolution technology
Biotech company, Novonesis, addresses core taste, texture and nutritional challenges in plant-based meat and dairy with its biosolution technologies, potentially reducing the ingredient label deck.
Funding alt-protein: Investors shift to supply chains, startups eye govt grants
Venture capitalists are focusing further down the alt-protein supply chain when investing, as startups partner up and use government grants to survive and thrive in a challenging funding environment.
The Mart Group opens $65m facility to support burgeoning frozen baked potato brand OH!Tatoes
Potato producer The Mart Group opened a highly automated 100,000 square-foot facility in Rupert, Idaho — equipped with AI and automation — and will use the additional capacity to grow its frozen food business.
EVERY patents hero protein in egg whites using precision fermentation to introduce ‘new class of product applications’
Food-tech business The EVERY Company recently secured a patent for ovalbumin produced via precision fermentation, which has potential to introduce a “new class of product applications,” and “expand the size of the overall egg market,” CEO and Co-Founder...
Future Food-Tech 2024
Three hot start-ups designing and creating sector-challenging proteins
There are myriad ways to design and create proteins. We spoke to some of the key players in this varied space.
How regenerative agriculture is transforming the bakery and snacks landscape
As the bakery and snack sectors seek more sustainable solutions, regenerative agriculture is emerging as a transformative force. Could adopting these eco-friendly farming practices help companies reduce their environmental impact while meeting the rising...
Future Food-Tech 2024
Mycoprotein’s finished being quiet and about to raise its game
The OG meat alternative mycoprotein is set to retake the spotlight in a sector rife with food start-ups bringing to market products through an increasing array of food-tech innovations.
Rebellyous Foods deploys Mock 2 system to lower plant-based meat costs with continuous production
Rebellyous Foods launched its much-anticipated Mock 2 plant-based meat production system with RMS Foods following delays of its launch in Dec. 2023 after plans with an initial co-manufacturer fell through.
PepsiCo’s water stewardship includes converting steam from frying potato chips into drinkable water
When PepsiCo recently surpassed its goal of 25% improvement in operational water-use efficiency from a 2015 baseline in regions facing high water risks two years ahead of schedule it was not because the company hit a lucky home run, according to Bryan...
Alternative meat patents are rising, but which country leads the way?
Meat alternative makers are applying for patents at increasing levels, with the US leading the way, FoodNavigator reveals.
Nature’s Fynd’s fungi-based platform drives category expansion
Nature’s Fynd is expanding into the dairy-free yogurt category with its proprietary Fy Protein to deliver nutritious solutions that meet consumer demand for plant-based alternatives that deliver taste and texture without compromise.
Ecommerce, brick-and-mortar growth gap widens, as digital teams face budget cut challenges
Food and beverage ecommerce sales are growing as in-store sales are softening, highlighting the strategic importance of digital shopping channels at a time when some executives are making technology cuts, as shared in a recent Circana webinar.
milkadamia shrinks packaging for its oat milk using 2-D printing technology
milkadamia’s flat-pack oat milk, a format made from a proprietary 2-D printing process that takes oat paste and prints it out in sheets, has potential to cut down on packaging waste and carbon emissions due to lighter shipping weights, according to...
How climate change is impacting food commodities
How is the food and beverage industry responding to the need to make its supply chains more sustainable? Find out at Climate Smart Food 2024.
ADM on the farm: Building regenerative agriculture builds business opportunities
Regenerative agriculture is emerging as a powerful marketing concept with recent research by ingredient supplier ADM revealing most consumers familiar with the tenets are more likely to trust and buy from brands that support the practice.
Letter from the editor: How is rising demand for global flavors influencing innovation & ingredient sourcing?
Long gone are the days when salt and pepper were sufficient seasonings for most Americans – now US consumers want bold flavors that will take their tastebuds on a global adventure, giving rise to a new class of frozen meals, sauces, spice blends and even...
‘Tajin is what sriracha was a couple of years ago,’ Imbibe flavorist on global tastes impacting RTD beverages
With more adventurous palates, consumers today are seeking a wide range of sweet and spicy flavors — and sometimes both — for their beverages, bringing more globally inspired tastes like Tajin, horchata and popular Asian fruit flavors like honeydew to US...
Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Reimaging how to source spices helped Burlap & Barrel meet demand for fresh flavors
As US consumers embrace a wider variety of seasonings to flavor their food they increasingly want to know where spices come from, their safety profile and environmental and social impact – prompting the industry stakeholders to rethink spice supply...
IFF’s weight management portfolio tailors nutrition with smaller portions
Ingredient supplier IFF’s portfolio reflects evolving consumer demands and emerging trends in weight management , including proprietary proteins, natural flavors and fiber solutions to support satiety, enhance taste and promote overall wellness.
What are the barriers to innovation in food and beverage?
Many of food and beverage's greatest innovations are born from from start-ups. But why is innovation on a decline and what's the future of food and drink NPD?
Fresh Inset’s packaging technology aims to reduce food waste, improve produce longevity on shelves
European tech company Fresh Inset introduces its Vidre+ Complex application in the US, which is designed to extend produce freshness, quality, appearance and nutrient value, without disrupting brands’ existing packaging systems or their supply chain,...