UK-based low-carb food brand Srlsy has added a new vegan spaghetti bolognese product to its ready meal range. The brand’s plant-based rethink on a ‘timeless classic’ contains 17.9g of carbs, compared with the 50-60g you would expect from a similar-sized portion of traditional spaghetti bolognese. Wheat-based spaghetti has been replaced with konjac-based noodles in the development of the low-carb product. Konjac noodles are made from the root of the konjac yam plant and are popular in health-conscious Asian cuisine due to being gluten-free and low in calories. Srsly’s founder, Andy Welch, commented: “Everyone accepts that today ready meals are a mainstay of today’s hectic life schedules”. Welch added that the brand saw a “well-timed opportunity” for konjac-based noodles, with their “impressive low glycemic index to come to the fore and replace wheat-based spaghetti” in the product. #lowcarb #readymeals #Srsly #UK

Plant Press has announced that it has completed a seed funding round totalling just over $1.2 million, aiming to support the company’s growth. Launched in June 2022, Plant Press was created to provide a heathy alternative to coffee and traditional energy drinks. The range is free from artificial sugars, preservatives and gums, and combines the caffeine equivalent of one cup of coffee with key vitamins and electrolytes for a ‘predictable, balanced and jitter-free feel built for any time of day’. Capital from the initial funding raise will be dedicated towards marketing, increasing staffing focused on retail and direct-to-consumer growth and expansion of the product line. Investors include figures from the lifestyle, music and sports industries, paving the way to expand the brand’s presence across multiple sectors. The company said it has seen significant organic growth prior to this seed round, originally gaining traction by selling at major offices such as Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. It is now sold online, on Amazon and at retailers such as Key Foods and Erewhon Market. Founder Ariana Farahani said: “As an afternoon pick-me-up, or a boost for late-nighters, Plant Press has been embraced by consumers who are looking for a delicious way to feel their best, without compromising their health. This is an exciting new chapter and we look forward to ramping up the company in the months ahead.” #energydrinks #PlantPress #US

The rise of plant-based diets means that more parents will be raising children meat- and dairy-free, seeking wholesome and balanced offerings to ensure their little ones are able to access the essential nutrients needed for a strong and active growing body. The Plant Base explores what the key priorities should be for manufacturers developing offerings for children and toddlers. While meat and dairy can offer key nutrients to growing children, the increasing number of parents choosing to raise their child on a plant-based diet – whether for reasons relating to animal welfare, the environment or allergies – means that including these nutrients in a wide range of vegan foods will be essential to ensure healthy development is not impacted. A study from University College London (UCL), published in 2021 and carried out in collaboration with the Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw, found that children on vegan diets have a healthier cardiovascular profile and less body fat than their omnivore peers. However, it also found that a plant-based diet could affect children’s growth, bone mineral content and micronutrient status. The study found that children following vegan diets were on average 3cm shorter, had 4-6% lower bone mineral content and were more than three times more likely to be deficient in vitamin B12 than the omnivores. Supplementing vitamin B12 is widely seen as one of the most important nutritional considerations for those following a vegan diet, with omnivores gaining much of the vitamin – which is essential for many aspects of health including nervous system and energy levels – from meat, fish and dairy products. For companies innovating in the plant-based children’s nutrition space, ensuring products can offer these crucial components of a nourishing diet will be one of the most important factors. Stephanie Banham-Eichner and Jenna Liut, co-founders of Kiddiwinks – a developer of plant-based, flavoured milk alternative drinks for children – said that there is a gap in the market for for healthy beverages that taste like a treat but fill important nutritional gaps in kids’ diets. They told The Plant Base that most drinks marketed to children, such as juice, fruit drinks and soda, do not contain enough nutrients such as protein, fibre and essential vitamins, and are “loaded with sugar”. © Kiddiwinks “Milk is the gold standard drink recommended by paediatricians because it’s a familiar, easy way to get children to consume certain nutrients integral to their growth and development, but the landscape has changed,” Kiddiwinks’ founders said. “Cow’s milk protein allergy is now the most frequent food allergy in infants and children and up to 75% of the population is lactose intolerant.” “While plant-based dairy has become extremely popular with adults, most dairy alternatives fall short from a nutritional perspective. This is typically fine for adults who don’t rely as heavily on nutrients from dairy, but it is a real issue for growing bodies.” The company’s milk alternatives contain a blend of oats, chickpeas and chicory root, offering 8g of plant-based protein per can, 6-8g dietary fibre and a prebiotic for microbiome support. The drinks also contain essential vitamins B12, A and D as well as potassium, calcium and iron, and contain no saturated fat or cholesterol. “Chickpea is a nutritional powerhouse,” Kiddiwinks’ founders commented. “It is new to the milk alternative space and helps create a nutritional profile that is high in protein and fibre, especially when combined with oats and pea protein. Oats also have an inherent sweetness, which helps create a delicious flavour without as much added sugar. It also has a creamy, smooth texture that is similar to traditional dairy.” Achieving the right texture that children will enjoy is another key consideration to ensure a successful kids’ product range. Kiddiwinks’ own research found that children in its focus groups found almond milk to be “thin” and “watery,” so the company took this into account when developing its offerings. The flavours are designed to resemble flavours well-loved by kids such as Hershey’s chocolate and vanilla ice cream, but with less of the sugar. Little Spoon, a company that provides organic meals for babies, toddlers and children, also works to balance the importance of an enjoyable eating experience for kids alongside ensuring a complete, well-rounded nutritional offering. The company recently added two new offerings to its plant-based range for children, featuring finger foods made from ingredients like cauliflower, grains and spinach. Angela Vranich, co-founder and chief product officer at Little Spoon, commented: “We love the challenge of making veggies fun and craveable for kids, which is why we centered the development of our new plant-based offerings around textures and classic kid-loving finger foods. We believe that healthy, nutritious food can and should taste delicious.” “Our Mini Spinach Bites and Ancient Grain Cauli Fingers are plant-based plays on chicken nuggets and sliders. The kid can still have fun with finger foods, while the parents can take pride in serving meals rich in vegetables like spinach, cauliflower and peas.” Balancing high-quality tastes and textures with high protein content and allergen-friendly ingredients is critical to Little Spoon. © Little Spoon “Our thoughtful R&D process and collaboration with experts enables us to build meals that offer the same craveability as our non-plant based offers while maintaining balanced nutrition critical for a child’s healthy development,” Vranich concluded. Professor Jonathan Wells, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and leader of the 2021 UCL study, said that a global shift toward plant-based diets is recognised to be crucial in preventing climate breakdown, and the research team “strongly” supports this effort. “Our research shows that we need to provide more advice to the public as to how they can eat healthily on plant-based diets. This is particularly relevant for children, as they may have higher nutrient needs while they are growing.” A well-planned plant-based diet for children can provide the essential nutrients needed for a growing body, however it is important that the food industry plays its part in delivering this and ensuring that kids’ offerings are sufficiently healthy and nourishing. With the rising in popularity of plant-based diets, more research, education and awareness is likely to come to the forefront, providing the necessary support where needed. #plantbasednutrition #LittleSpoon #Kiddiwinks #childrensfood #childrensnutrition

Beneo is set to expand its portfolio to include Meatless Beef Bites and Minced Meat in early 2024, showcased this week at Fi Europe 2023. Building on its successful acquisition of the Meatless brand last year, Beneo is now presenting the two planned additions to its plant-based portfolio at the Fi Europe event, where visitors can get a first taste of the brand-new products. Research from last year showed that 76% of meat alternative consumers in Europe see beef as an appealing type of substitute. Beneo said its new solution aims to respond to this demand, providing ‘easy-to-process, semi-finished products with a simple, short ingredients list’. Beneo said its low-energy processing technology means that the plant-based beef alternatives are sustainable as well as flavourful, offering manufacturers a ‘scalable and effective way to tap into the plant-based trends’. Available in frozen form, Meatless Beef Bites and Minced Meat products are crafted from myco- and pea protein, enhanced with colouring to provide an authentic beef-like appearance. According to Beneo, the products have high heat stability and water holding capacity, retaining juiciness and succulence even when fried. Their mouthfeel is described as ‘fatty and juicy,’ enabling the reduction of fat content in end products in line with evolving consumer preferences for healthier options. The beef bites are well-suited to stir fries and stews, while the mince is ideal for lasagna, marinades and sauces. Niels E Hower, member of the executive board at Beneo, said: “In a world with a growing population, efficient food production is not just a necessity for food security and environmental protection; it’s also an economic imperative. We’re excited to be at the forefront of new plant-based developments”. He added: “The alternatives market is largely focused on replacing chicken or processed applications like hamburgers and meatballs. So, the addition of Meatless Beef Bites and Minced Meat products offers manufacturers an even broader spectrum of choice.” #Beneo #FiEurope #Meatless #plantbasedbeef

MycoTechnology has appointed Michael Leonard as its new chief executive officer, succeeding former CEO and co-founder Alan Hahn. Outgoing CEO Hahn will take on the role of executive chairman, marking a new chapter in the company’s growth and global expansion. Leonard joins MycoTechnology from Motif FoodWorks, where he led the development and commercialisation of a portfolio of plant-based flavour and texture ingredients as CEO since 2022, and as CTO from 2019-2022. Michael Leonard Previously, he held senior leadership positions at Kraft Heinz and PepsiCo in both Asia and the US. His teams launched hundreds of products across the snacks, ready meals, beverage and nutrition categories. With a PhD in Polymer Science & Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, Leonard has also held roles in process and product development, platform leadership, business development and strategy at International Flavors & Fragrances and DuPont Nutrition & Health. He brings over 20 years of experience in technology development, commercialisation and innovation leadership in the food and CPG industries. Commenting on his appointment, Leonard said he is thrilled to lead MycoTechnology through its next phase of growth. He added: “Over the past ten years, Myco has developed important capabilities to target the food industry’s toughest challenges using the power of nature. I look forward to building on this foundation and expanding on our vision to drive innovation, sustainability and better consumer experiences.” In a statement announcing the leadership changes, MycoTechnology said Hahn’s ‘unwavering commitment and expertise’ have been integral to the company’s achievements. This includes the development of its ingredient solutions, building of international partnerships and ‘significant strides’ in fungi-based technology. As co-founder and executive chairman, he will continue to support and represent MycoTechnology in impactful ways including his upcoming participation in the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP28 UAE, where he will speak about food production technologies and fungi’s place in building a more sustainable food system. Hahn commented: “It’s been an extraordinary journey guiding MycoTechnology from its infancy into a thriving company that is changing the landscape of the food industry. I’m immensely proud of our accomplishments so far, and I look forward to accelerating the growth of our commercial ingredients, our next generation platforms, and our global relationships in my new role as executive chairman.” MycoTechnology’s investment in leadership will prepare the company as it builds on its innovations, including the recently announced discovery of honey truffle sweetener and Vital Foods, its joint venture in Oman focused on providing a novel whole food ingredient in the region. #fungi #mycelium #MycoTechnology #US

Pizza Hut has teamed up with Beyond Meat to launch a new Beyond Pepperoni range in the UK. The range is designed to appeal to meat-lovers, flexitarians and vegetarians as well as vegans, with the option to enjoy the new pizzas with either traditional dairy cheese or plant-based cheese at no additional cost. It is now available at Pizza Hut delivery locations nationwide, and rolling out at Pizza Hut restaurants across the UK from January 2024. New Beyond Pepperoni menu items include Big New Yorker, a 16-inch pizza topped with the plant-based Beyond Pepperoni and described as the chain’s ‘biggest-ever’ offering; Beyond Pepperoni Feast topped with Beyond Pepperoni and mixed peppers, available in all sizes; and Beyond Pepperoni Melt, a smaller lunchtime-sized ‘pizza melt’ served with marinara sauce for dipping. Hameed Jagani, vice president of global strategic partnerships at Beyond Meat, added: “With more and more British consumers looking to reduce their animal meat consumption, we’re thrilled to offer a delicious, innovative plant-based pizza topping that will delight meat lovers, flexitarians and vegetarians alike”. #BeyondMeat #PizzaHut #UK

The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag have announced €38 million in funding in 2024 for the sustainable protein transition. The measures adopted include the expansion of the public research funding for cell-based meat and plant-based foods, a stronger focus of the German protein crop strategy on human nutrition, support in the transformation for farmers and the establishment of a ‘Proteins-of-the-Future’ centre. The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) has outlined a comprehensive strategy to administer plant protein funding. €8 million will be dedicated to promoting proteins directly for human nutrition instead of animal feed. A competence centre focused on future proteins will be established, along with a stakeholder forum on protein sources for human nutrition. The majority of the funding, amounting to €20 million, is designated to assist in phasing out animal husbandry and transitioning to the production and processing of cell-based, plant-based and fermented proteins for human consumption. The remaining €10 million will be directed towards promoting innovative methods for the production and processing of cell-based, plant-based and fermented proteins. The Good Food Institute has welcomed the move, stating that Germany – which has seen isolated funding measures in this area in recent years – is catching up with other countries. Jens Tuider, strategic director of ProVeg International, said: “The German government is setting the stage for a transformative shift in protein consumption. This investment signifies a critical step forward. Thanks to this decision, we will finally be able to use proteins effectively in the future. The competence centre will offer young companies an important contact point, ensuring that Germany remains an attractive location for innovation.” Other countries have made significant strides in the alt-protein realm. The Netherlands made a record investment of €60 million to develop an ecosystem for cell-based meat and precision fermentation. Denmark presented the “world’s first” strategy for the plant-based sector and announced that it will invest the equivalent of €168 million in the sector. The UK announced that it will set up a research centre for alt-proteins and will also invest in the sector. France invested €65 million in research and scaling up the plant-based sector. With Germany’s investments announced in the 2024 federal budget, it is joining the group of countries that are investing heavily in the sector. Tuider continued: “Germany is following the lead of pioneering nations, such as Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK, who have made the diversification of protein supply a top priority and are already investing in the expansion of corresponding ecosystems. This puts Germany in an excellent position to maximise the opportunities offered by sustainable protein supply – spanning climate and health benefits, generating future-proof employment, and establishing leadership in innovation in a rapidly expanding global market.” Ivo Rzegotta, senior public affairs manager, Germany, at GFI Europe, said: “With this decision on the protein transition, the coalition is taking a big step towards the transition to a sustainable food system laid out in the coalition agreement. The agreed funding measures for research and transformation will put Germany on the path to becoming a leader in this emerging field.” He continued: “The announced Competence Centre Proteins of the Future offers the opportunity for work on alternative protein sources in Germany to be better coordinated and aligned with a strategic goal in future. Germany needs a roadmap for the transition towards more alternative protein sources and such a centre can be the first step in developing such a strategy with all relevant departments and stakeholders.” #alternativeproteins #cellbasedtechnology #fermentation #Germany

ZenB, a plant-based and gluten-free producer of pasta made from yellow peas, has introduced lasagna and cavatappi pasta shapes to its lineup. The company said its new shapes are highly-requested and a ‘first for the gluten-free category,’ offering ‘no-compromise’ profiles that hold up in sauces and deliver the same mouthfeel and experience as their wheat pasta counterparts, with more protein and fibre as well as zero additives. Crafted in Italy with a clean label, solo ingredient – whole yellow peas – the new pasta shapes each deliver 17g of protein and 11g of fibre per 3 ounce serving, described as having the ‘palate-pleasing’ texture of wheat pasta with a ‘bouncy and tender al dente bite’. Hugo Pérez, chief storyteller at ZenB, commented: “This has been a monumental year for ZenB as we’ve entered into retail and developed new wholesome food innovations made with real, clean ingredients that are genuinely delicious too”. He added: “Lasagna and cavatappi were the most requested shapes from our community, and when they speak, we listen. By adding these to our lineup, we now have even more ways for foodies, families or anyone to enjoy crave-worthy dishes without compromise.” ZenB pastas are all non-GMO, vegan and contain no artificial flavours or preservatives. The company also recently entered the snack category with the launch of ZenB Cracker Crisps. #Italy #pasta #yellowpea #ZenB

Swiss technology group Bühler has unveiled its new food innovation hub in Uzwil, Switzerland, opening up four new Application & Training Centers (ATCs). The company’s existing ATCs, such as its Extrusion Application Center, will complement the new facilities, which aim to connect the entire value chain and enable a circular economy approach to food production. Brand-new ATCs opening their doors to customers are a Flavor Creation Center, Food Creation Center, Protein Application Center and Energy Recovery Center. Bühler currently has ATCs in 23 locations around the world, some of which cover multiple industrial applications. The hubs offer dedicated training for customers and provides them with a collaborative platform to test new product ideas and experiment with product innovations. The new Protein Appliation Center aims to enable and accelerate the development of processes for plant-based food production, including meat substitutes, plant-based drinks and ingredients. It is equipped with the latest wet isolation and fractionation techniques for separation of protein, starches and fibres. The facility is operated in collaboration with technology partner Endeco, and will connect the Grain Innovation Center, Extrusion Application Center, Pasta Application Center, Food Creation Center, Flavor Creation Center, and Energy Recovery Center. At the Flavor Creation Center, Bühler’s expertise in processing, roasting and grinding cocoa beans, nuts and coffee is combined in one place. The centre has been processing coffee since 2013 and cocoa and nuts since 2022, and has now been upgraded and renovated. It offers product innovation, training, process optimisation and raw material analyses. It operates in line with Bühler’s Chocolate Application Center, Food Creation Center, and Energy Recovery Center. The new Food Creation Center will support customers through the entire innovation and industrialisation process, in the development of food products such as chocolate, snack bars, wafers, biscuits, crackers and baked goods. Together, the ATCs in Uzwil produce around 550 tons of biomass annually. To make optimum use of the waste and by-products generated, Bühler and its strategic partner Vyncke have built the Energy Recovery Center, which serves as a heating facility for Bühler’s headquarters. The Energy Recovery Center also works as a demonstration and testing platform for customers who want to reduce their carbon footprint, waste production and energy costs by using side streams. Milling Solutions has also started construction on a new Grain Innovation Center (GIC) in Uzwil, where Bühler and its customers and partners will develop, test and scale sustainable and efficient solutions for grain and feed processing to improve food and feed solutions. It is set for operation by the end of 2024. A new Grain Processing Innovation Center (GPIC) in Kano, Nigeria, is also under construction and expected to open at the beginning of 2024, focusing on development of products, recipes and processes using local grains such as sorghum, millets, maize, soybeans and tigernuts. Johannes Wick, CEO of Grains & Food at Bühler Group, said: “In this world where requirements are changing so fast, customers need flexibility and creativity to adapt their products addressing key issues such as sustainability, the use of local raw materials, healthy diets, and affordability”. He added: “With the completion of the new Application & Training Centers we are able to cover the entire scope of production, from different raw materials to multiple types of finished products.” #alternativeproteins #Bühler #Switzerland

Coffee shop chain Costa Coffee has launched its first plant-based ready-to-drink (RTD) product, an Oat Latte. The 750ml RTD is launching exclusively in over 500 Tesco stores across the UK, combining Costa’s Signature Blend coffee with creamy oat milk. Costa said the launch follows surging demand for plant-based alternatives, with a 38% increase in RTD plant-based sales over the past year according to Nielsen data. In response to this, the company claims to be the first major coffee brand to introduce an RTD drink in a multi-serve format using dairy-free alternatives. Mark Cumming, head of FMCG UK and Ireland at Costa Coffee, commented: “We are excited to introduce our 750ml Oat Latte, a product that demonstrates our ongoing commitment to innovation in our RTD range. We understand that consumers today seek not only great taste, but also products that align with their lifestyle or dietary requirements.” #CostaCoffee #Oatmilk #RTDcoffee #UK

Alongside the industry heavyweights famed for pioneering the plant-based category, smaller businesses with big ambitions are also championing the future of sustainable, animal-free food. In this month’s Start-up spotlight, we speak to Elo Life Systems, a US-based company that aims to meet growing consumer demand for healthier natural ingredients through providing a natural, zero-calorie sweetener created through molecular farming methods. Todd Rands, the company’s CEO, tells us more. Elo’s mission is to unlock nature’s abilities to make consumers’ favorite foods more delicious, healthy and planet friendly. From unique plant-based sweeteners to saving crops like the banana from extinction, we focus on ingredients that empower consumers to feel good about the food they eat every day. How can your molecular farming approach provide benefits for our global food system? Molecular farming allows us to completely reimagine our food system, from what we grow, to how and where we grow it. It enables more local, planet-friendly sourcing of ingredients, while expanding our access to the diversity in nature, effectively reducing the environmental impact of food production. Via molecular farming, Elo produces sought-after ingredients that are difficult to harvest from natural sources and cannot be synthesised through artificial or other techniques. This provides better quality nutrition that is affordable and accessible to everyone. We use easy-to-grow crops as biofactories for these ingredients, enabling local, commercial-scale production while reducing their cost and environmental footprint. How is Elo Life Systems innovating in this space? Elo’s innovation starts with a deep understanding of the natural pathways that produce the most desirable ingredients for our food system. Utilizing advanced data analytics and computational biology, we find the best combinations of natural genes and enzymes to produce our ingredients, construct and optimise the pathways in plants, and then grow the resulting crops to produce our ingredients at commercial scale. We are harnessing nature to sustainably power the ultimate biofactory. What are the benefits of Elo’s natural sweetener for the plant-based food industry? Elo’s plant-based sweetener is 300 times sweeter than sugar, with zero calories, and a taste profile that is very similar to sugar. Our sweetener empowers food and beverage companies to reduce sugar and artificial sweeteners while improving nutrition in thousands of everyday food and beverage products people enjoy. And because it is plant based, it helps the industry meet the growing consumer demand for healthier and more natural ingredients in their foods. At the same time, our molecular farming platform enables more local, planet-friendly production, effectively reducing the environmental impact of food production. How are machine learning and data analytics technologies shaping the company’s approach? Machine learning and analytics greatly speed the process and the insights we’re able to uncover. We use sophisticated data analytics and algorithms to find the patterns in nature. This enables us to design and optimise the complex metabolic pathways that produce our ingredients, like Elo’s sweetener, in nature. And by constructing those pathways in crops, Elo can affordably scale commercial production. Molecular farming is completely changing the environmental footprint of food production. From what we grow, to how and where we grow it, molecular farming – where plants utilise sunlight, water, and CO2 to create energy – enables us to produce more while using substantially fewer resources. How does this work? For ingredients that are highly desired but rare in nature, we cannot simply strip natural sources of plants from delicate native ecosystems, nor can we continue to deforest land to create more space to grow additional crops. Using crops as biofactories via molecular farming enables us to produce those desirable ingredients in existing crops rather than destroying natural sources or taking up more land. Produce more, use less. Our sweetener is a great example. It is inspired by monk fruit, which has been used in China for hundreds of years and is increasingly popular in the west. It is prized by consumers and food and beverage companies alike for its sweet taste and no calories. But monk fruit can only be grown in remote valleys of China, and requires extensive labour to grow, harvest and process in Chinese factories before being shipped all the way around the world for use in our foods. A totally unsustainable and expensive production model. Through molecular farming, we reduce monk fruit’s cost and carbon footprint through local production. We use our biofactories to produce monk fruit sweetener in other easier to grow crops. And we’re able to produce the sweetener as a co-product in existing crop systems. This ensures we don’t require additional land and other resources to produce our sweetener. What has been the biggest challenge faced by the company so far? There’s been great reception to our sweetener, as everyone is seeking to reduce excess sugar in their diets. The biggest challenge thus far arises from the complexity of the food and beverage markets. There are literally hundreds of thousands of applications in products and brands which each need time to formulate, evaluate, market test and prepare for commercial launch with Elo’s new sweetener. For Elo, that has led us to seek partners that share our vision for innovation… that are daring to dream big and throw out the old conventional approaches to producing food. We’ve found a few such partners, where we can combine their commercial capabilities with Elo’s technological, biological and agricultural expertise. Finding true synergies with such partners is key to our success. Where is the company in its commercialisation journey? We’re moving from the lab to the field, where we will build our production scale in the coming year. And we are continuing to secure partners that are ready to work with Elo to reduce sugar and other artificial ingredients in their foods and beverages. We expect to have the initial regulatory (GRAS) status with FDA that is needed to commercialise our sweetener by 2025. We often focus on the technical product achievements when listing our biggest accomplishments, and there have been plenty. We are doing something that is incredibly complex, something that no one else has done before. Producing sweeteners by building natural multi-step enzymatic pathways that all need to work in synchrony inside of a plant is not easy. But seeing that work come to life with a product that everyone is excited to taste is incredibly rewarding. But our biggest achievement at Elo, by far, is the team and culture we’ve built. A group with unparalleled intellectual horsepower, driven to take on the toughest challenges, motivated by Elo’s mission to improve human health through food, and unified by our values – that is the ultimate secret of our success. What’s next for Elo Life Systems? The next two years will be incredibly eventful at Elo, as we scale up production of our first product using molecular farming – Elo’s all-natural zero-calorie sweetener. We will also be working with CPG and ingredient companies to incorporate and evaluate Elo’s sweetener in new foods and beverages. And we have our eye on the horizon as we explore other new ingredients to produce via molecular farming, including novel proteins, natural preservatives and high-value flavors and bio-actives. The future is incredibly bright, as molecular farming enables us to deliver more accessible and affordable nutrition, while improving the health of our planet. #EloLifeSystems #StartupSpotlight #US

Jumbo Supermarkets has announced that it will match the prices of its own-brand meat substitutes to the comparable animal-based variant. The European supermarket chain, which has stores in the Netherlands and Belgium, said that the initiative is in line with its ambition to encourage a more plant-based diet. The company wants 60% of the proteins it sells to be plant-based by 2030 at the latest. Jumbo’s own-brand meat substitute range consists of dozens of products including vegetarian chicken pieces, vegan minced meat and various types of burgers. The supermarket chain said that it recognises that price is a barrier for consumers to choose meat substitutes, and is lowering the prices of its meat alternatives range, which until this week was more expensive than traditional animal-based counterparts, to make choosing plant-based and vegetarian easier. Products that already had an equal or lower price than the comparable meat product will not change in price. Anrico Maat, retail director of Jumbo, said: “In addition to affordability, taste is often a determining factor. That is why we continuously work on improving and expanding the plant-based range. Recently, research by ProVeg found that a number of our plant-based private label products are positively assessed for their nutritional values.” Several other European supermarkets have also made similar moves in recent months, recognising the need to make plant-based alternatives more affordable for consumers. European chain Billa dropped the prices of its own-brand plant-based Vegavita range earlier this month following the opening of a new 100% plant-based store in Austria, making more than 50 Vegavita products the same price or cheaper than the non-vegan alternatives. Lidl in Germany was also celebrated for matching the price of its Vemondo range to its animal-based counterparts as well as placing them in the immediate vicinity of meat variants, aiming to make it easier for consumers to find alternatives to their favourite meat products. #Europe #JumboSupermarkets #plantbasedmeat #supermarkets