Morsels of Tomorrow's Taste: Mushroom Soup, Plant-based Protein, and Aquafaba Concentrate
In the ever-evolving world of plant-based food, innovation continues to thrive, particularly in the plant-based and cultured foods sector. Here's a snapshot of some notable developments:
Funding and Acquisitions
- Terra Wave, a Romanian company, has secured an EU innovation grant of €1.2M ($1.4M).
- Calbee Group, a Japanese snack maker, has acquired a majority stake in US tofu producer Hodo.
- Swedish pea milk brand Sproud has partnered with Love Island host Maya Jama for a new billboard campaign in the UK. Jama is an investor and brand ambassador for Sproud.
- Planta, the celeb-favourite vegan chain, has been acquired out of bankruptcy by former investor Anchorage Capital Group in an $7.8M deal.
Product Launches
- Nurasa, a sustainable food innovation platform owned by Temasek, has launched Q Protein, a range of blended meat products, this month. The company collaborated with Cremer Sustainable Foods and Quality Meat for this plant-based product line.
- Kallø, the natural foods brand owned by Ecotone, has entered the UK dairy alternatives segment with protein-boosted and gluten-free oat milks.
- Fast-food chain Just Poké has added Impact Tuna's plant-based raw tuna to the menu of all its 29 locations in Washington state.
Investments and Partnerships
- Finnish firm Perfat Technologies has raised €2.5M ($2.9M) in Series A funding.
- Odd Burger, a Canadian plant-based fast-food chain, has secured C$2.5M ($1.8M) in equity financing.
- US startup Two River has launched the country's first Lion's Mane Mushroom Broth into Sprouts Farmers Market stores nationwide.
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has challenged one of Every's patents in Europe.
- Onego Bio has sued Californian producer The Every Company to invalidate a key patent.
Regulatory Milestones
- Solar Foods has submitted a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notification to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Moolec Science has received regulatory approval for its safflower GLASO technology in Argentina.
- California Cultured has filed an industry-first patent for the production of cell-based cocoa butter.
Events and Collaborations
- Danone has kickstarted Alpro Sundayz, which includes a brunch using its non-dairy products and an open-air DJ set in the evening, at Frivole restaurant every Sunday this month.
- Impossible Foods held a 99 in 9 challenge at the Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants MLB game on September 12.
As these developments illustrate, the plant-based and cultured foods sector is brimming with innovation and growth. Stay tuned for more updates in this exciting field!
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