Symrise is launching a new range of chickpea and aquafaba ingredients into its Diana Foods natural ingredients portfolio. The ingredients company said that the new additions will open opportunities in the development of plant-based food products with cleaner labels. Chickpea flakes are being introduced as a vegan protein option, offering a high protein and fibre content and the ability to bring texture and juiciness to a wide range of applications including falafels, healthy snacks and dips such as houmous. Aquafaba, the cooking water of chickpeas, has been implemented into an aquafaba flakes product. It aims to provide a vegan alternative to egg yolk, allowing clear labelling and bringing texture to products as well as water and oil retention properties. Symrise said that it can provide a vegan option with comparable texture and taste to mayonnaise and salad dressings. The products contain no EU allergens, while being gluten-free and non-GMO. Their light taste and colour makes them suited to a wide range of recipes. The products are pre-cooked and require ambient storage, with a shelf life of up to 18 months. Sophie Helleux, product manager in the Naturals Business Unit of Symrise Food & Beverage, said: “According to a recent Euromonitor study, 42% of the population is restricting its consumption of animal-based products. These chickpea ingredients constitute another way in which Symrise is addressing the growing, trendy plant-based market. Aquafaba offers the perfect vegan alternative to egg yolk, while chickpea flakes improve the nutritional value.” #aquafaba #chickpeas #ingredients #Symrise

Mycorena has announced a strategic partnership with Atria Sweden, focusing on the joint development of new mycoprotein products. Mycorena is a Swedish food-tech company that has developed a proprietary fungal fermentation process to produce its mycoprotein ingredient, Promyc. As a complete protein offering all nine essential amino acids, mycoprotein provides a sustainable and nutritious alternative to meat proteins. Through its partnership with Atria, Mycorena aims to commercialise a new generation of mycoprotein-based meat alternatives such as sausages, burgers and cold cuts. Meat producer Atria Sweden is part of the Northern European Atria Group. It produces and sells sausages, hamburgers and cold cuts as well as delicatessen and meal solutions for retail and foodservice. Under the partnership, Mycorena will scale up production of its mycoprotein and supply it to Atria, which will utilise its innovation and product development capabilities for the development of new meat alternatives. The new products will complement Atria’s product range and meet growing consumer demand for sustainable protein sources, aiming to ‘revolutionise’ the global mycoprotein supply. The partnership also contributes toward Atria’s goal of a carbon-neutral food chain, aiming to contribute to a varied, ‘climate-smart’ diet with its product development. Ramkumar Nair, CEO of Mycorena, said: “This partnership marks an important milestone for Mycorena. Atria’s expertise in product development and established customer base will help us accelerate the growth of the mycoprotein category in the European market.” Åsa Josell, product development and innovation director at Atria Sweden, added: “Mycoprotein is an exciting new Swedish raw material for our product development. The partnership means that we can be pioneers when it comes to offering alternative protein products that are both sustainable, tasty and provide good nutrition without allergens.” The agreement was signed in May at Mycorena’s headquarters in Gothenberg. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. This year, Mycorena has also partnered with Revo Foods to bring a 3D-printed mycoprotein-based salmon to market, launched last week in European supermarkets. The milestone launch is claimed to be the “world’s first” 3D-printed food product to hit the shelves. #AtriaSweden #Europe #mycoprotein #Mycorena

SunOpta’s Sown organic oat coffee creamer brand is introducing a new brown sugar flavoured product to its portfolio. Sown Brown Sugar Organic Oat Creamer is available in 32 fl oz cartons for an SRP of $6. It is USDA-certified organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free certified, kosher certified and vegan. The brand’s oat creamers are crafted from SunOpta’s own recipe using organic oats sourced from North American growers. The new flavour, combining organic oats with brown sugar, joins Sown’s existing lineup of flavours including Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Unsweetened and Sweet & Creamy. It is now available at retailers across the US including Sprouts and Whole Foods Market. Lauren McNamara, vice president of SunOpta, said: “This new product was crafted to elevate the coffee experience, delivering a touch of warm, familiar comfort. We believe everyone’s coffee deserves a creamer with a conscience, that’s why we take pride in offering organic products that are carefully made, ethically sourced and robust in flavour.” #coffeecreamers #Sown #SunOpta #US

Oceanium has announced a fundraise of $2.6 million to support the scale-up of its biorefinery technology, aiming to meet market demand for seaweed-based ingredients. The Scotland-based company was co-founded in 2018 by CEO Karen Scofield Seal and CTO Charlie Bavington, aiming to accelerate the emerging sustainable seaweed farming industry in the Western hemisphere. The fundraise was led by existing investor Builders Vision, with a final close to be completed by early Autumn. Other participants included existing investors the World Wildlife Fund and Green Angel Ventures, as well as several new investors from Asia, Europe and the US. Oceanium uses its proprietary technology, based on green chemistry principles, to create a suite of seaweed-based food products including food ingredients Ocean Health Fiber and Ocean Health Protein. It also produces natural bioactive ingredients for health and cosmetics, such as its Ocean Actives Fucoidan and Ocean Actives Beta-Glucan. The company’s biorefinery model aims to provide a path for a scaled seaweed industry to contribute to food security and supply as a volume buyer of farmed seaweed. Ocean Health Fiber, a seaweed-based sustainable dietary fibre, has received GRAS (Generally Recognised As Safe) status in the US and regulatory approval in the UK and EU. Oceanium said it is receiving strong commercial traction from global food companies looking to integrate sustainable ingredients into their products. Funding will support the commercialisation of these ingredients as well as the continued development of innovative materials, alongside completing preparations for the ‘shovel-ready’ installation of a scaled seaweed biorefinery planned under Oceanium’s Series A funding round. The demonstration biorefinery aims to meet market demand for versatile ingredients and Oceanium’s B2B customers, building on a successful 75T seaweed processing run in 2023. Funding will also allow Oceanium to bring on a managing director as it moves towards international expansion and growth. CTO and co-founder, Charlie Bavington, commented: “In a short time, we’ve rapidly developed our biorefinery technology from lab bench to TRL 6-8, and some of our ingredients like Ocean Actives Fucoidan to TRL 7/8. This round helps us to achieve the exciting next step of delivering for our customers.” James Lindsay, principal of the Builders Initiative investment team at Builders Vision, said: “Seaweed can play a valuable role in addressing climate change and creating sustainable food sources, but we need innovators like Oceanium to champion seaweed production and highlight its wide range of uses”. #ingredients #Oceanium #Scotland #seaweed

French meat alternatives brand La Vie has launched a new plant-based ham product made from pea and soy proteins. The start-up is known for its vegan bacon and lardons, which have launched in several European countries including France and the UK. Now, La Vie’s new sliced ham product has hit supermarket shelves in France after five years of research and development. It is available in packs of four slices, in both original and smoked varieties. The innovation offers a 19.5g serving of protein per 100g and is made from just seven ingredients, including rehydrated pea and soy proteins, radish concentrate and potassium acetate. It is also nitrate-free and has been made without texturizing agents. La Vie describes its new product as able to “perfectly reproduce everything we love about traditional ham, without the pig”. Alongside the launch, La Vie announced a new crowdfunding campaign via Crowdcube, currently open until 28 September, aiming to raise €1 million. The start-up raised €25 million in Series A funding last January. #France #LaVie #plantbasedmeat

UK vegan and free-from chocolate brand Nomo has released two new reindeer-themed products ahead of the Christmas season. The Choc Fudge Reindeer and Reindeer Hollow are now available in UK supermarkets, joining the brand’s existing Cookie Dough Reindeer product. The three products are designed to be “perfect stocking stuffers and treats for chocolate lovers of all ages”, Nomo said in a statement announcing the launch. The Choc Fudge Reindeer is available at Sainsbury’s; the Reindeer Hollow at Sainsbury’s and Morrisons; and the Cookie Dough reindeer at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrisons, Asda, Co-op, Holland & Barrett and Nisa. Jac Tyrrell, brand manager for Nomo, said: “Our new Choc Fudge Reindeer and Reindeer Hollow products are the latest exciting addition to our growing seasonal range which reflects the high consumer demand for vegan and free from Christmas chocolates that don’t compromise on taste”. “Nomo isn’t just for people following vegan and free-from diets — these products are thoughtfully crafted for everyone to enjoy.” #Christmas #Nomo #plantbasedchocolate #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’re featuring Chinova Bioworks, which has embarked on a mission to revolutionise food preservation and combat waste. CEO and co-founder Natasha Dhayagude discusses its proprietary natural fibre extracted from white button mushrooms, as well as its benefits and role in reducing food waste. Dave Brown and Natasha Dhayagude, co-founders of Chinova Bioworks Since its establishment in 2016, what has been Chinova Bioworks’ main mission? Chinova Bioworks started in 2016 with a simple goal: to deliver clean-label ingredients and reduce food waste. While it seems simple, consumers and brands were faced with only one choice – artificial, hard-to-pronounce preservatives. Chinova was founded to help fill this gap. Looking to nature, we found a natural and sustainable alternative in a fibre extracted from white button mushrooms. Our mission: Using nature to protect and reduce food waste. Our vision: Create value throughout the food supply chain from farm to fork. Could you tell us more about the reasons behind Chinova’s inception? I met my co-founder, Dave Brown, at an entrepreneurship accelerator and incubator centre in New Brunswick, Canada. We both wanted to make an environmental and social impact on the world by leveraging our scientific backgrounds – mine in biochemistry and Dave’s in microbiology and biotechnology. We also found a shared interest in the study of white button mushrooms and their inherent health benefits on the food system. At the time, there wasn’t much innovation happening to combat the challenges within the food industry, such as food waste and the use of artificial ingredients. If global food waste were a country, it would be the third largest GHG-emitting country in the world. One-third of food produced globally is lost or wasted – this amounts to 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted every year. We found that 50 billion is wasted in Canada alone. This loss shows that there is no lack or shortage of food, but that the culprit is spoilage. Looking to nature, we came across a natural and sustainable alternative to artificial ingredients with a fibre extracted from white button mushrooms, which we branded as Chiber. As a natural shelf-life extender, Chiber improves the quality and freshness of foods by protecting them from spoilage-causing microorganisms in a sustainable way, resulting in increased consumer satisfaction with a clean-label ingredient and reduced food waste. How is Chiber revolutionising the food and beverage industry? Chiber is an all-natural fibre upcycled from white button mushroom stems. With its natural preservation properties, Chiber enhances various products’ quality, freshness and shelf-life. It also provides broad-spectrum protection against commonly caused spoilage microorganisms such as yeast, mould and harmful bacteria, providing a natural and healthy alternative to synthetic additives. Being allergen-free and with no sensory impact, Chiber extends the shelf-life of products without affecting their taste, texture or appearance. Chiber is on the Whole Foods Market acceptable ingredient list, vegan, kosher, halal certified, and organic and Non-GMO compliant. It is allergen and gluten-free and has no sensory impact on food and beverage products. Chiber is ideal for six different product categories: beverage, dairy, plant-based dairy, sauces/spreads/dips, plant-based meat and baked goods. Currently, Chiber is approved for use in the US, Canada, Mexico and about 70 other countries around the world through FDA, Health Canada and FEMA GRAS regulatory approvals. The process used to create Chiber is similar to other natural plant extracts. The process involves drying the mushrooms, grinding them and utilising heat and water to extract the fibre from the stems. The minimal and eco-friendly processing of Chiber delivers a natural mushroom fibre that enhances the quality, freshness, and shelf-life of various food and beverage products. Why mushrooms? Chinova wants to make an environmental and social impact in the world. Both Dave and I are passionate about mushrooms and the inherent health benefits they have on the food system. For instance, we upcycle the stems of white button mushrooms, which are normally thrown out when harvesting but are now used to create Chiber, our mushroom extract for food preservation. The more we studied mushrooms, the more tests and research we were able to perform to bring out the traits to make Chiber a viable natural preservation ingredient. It’s the mushroom that led us down the path we are on today, and it is where we still see the potential for growth. With new product development, we want to continue the upcycling of supply to produce natural and sustainable products that impact various markets. For Chiber, marketers can use the sustainability qualities associated with white button mushrooms to attract consumers, along with the natural and clean-label attributes. As a natural food source, mushrooms require little water to cultivate, have a short life cycle, and are grown throughout the year, which leads to a sustainable supply source. What are the main uses/benefits of Chiber, and what makes it unique compared to other fibre ingredients? Chiber represents a breakthrough in natural shelf-life extension and provides a sustainable solution to preserve the natural goodness of food and beverage products. With Chiber, we are at the forefront of mushroom ingredient innovation by realising the potential of a fibre extracted from the most widely known and accepted white button mushroom and the impact it can have to improve the freshness, quality and shelf-life of food and beverage products. White button mushrooms are commonly consumed, healthy and are widely abundant as a feedstock for our fibre extraction. We are going back to the basics and using nature to protect food. Chinova Bioworks aims to minimise wastefulness across all stages of the food supply chain. The company achieves this by collaborating with mushroom farmers to utilise the typically discarded stems of white button mushrooms and upcycles them into valuable ingredients such as its flagship ingredient Chiber, a clean-label mushroom extract and shelf-life extender for foods and beverages. Manufacturers using Chiber improve their finished products’ quality, freshness and shelf-life. Distributors with longer-lasting finished products can now reach more remote areas and increase food security. Retailers decrease spoilage costs with products containing Chiber, enabling brands to provide consumers with natural, healthy, clean-label products that reduce food waste. The company developed a proprietary green-chemistry process for the extraction of its mushroom solutions which is a significant improvement over other chemical manufacturing processes. Each kilogram of Chiber sold will reduce emissions equivalent to charging 5,474 cell phones or driving 182 kilometres in your car. What is next for Chinova? Any exciting plans in the pipeline? The company is currently growing its team to help us expand into more markets and countries as we continue to invest in research. We are also working on developing exciting new natural ingredients that we hope to launch in the next couple of years. In June, we launched MycoKleer, a new vegan fining agent for beverage manufacturers looking to clarify their drinks. We will continue to develop new products, such as MycoKleer, that will help us expand into a variety of markets. Anything else you would like our readers to know? Recently, Chinova became a finalist in the Food Waste Reduction Challenge, which has solidified the company as a disruptor in the food industry with its clean-label and sustainable solution for reducing food waste, an issue at the forefront of the minds of consumers. #Canada #ChinovaBioworks #StartupSpotlight

South Korean food-tech start-up, HN Novatech, has successfully raised $4m in Series A funding and launched a heme-based seaweed ingredient for plant-based meat applications in Singapore. HN Novatech is a food materials technology company with 19 patents filed under its belt to date, specialising in developing sustainable and cutting-edge food ingredient alternatives. According to the company, Acoms, the name of the X-factor protein found and extracted from seaweed, gives plant-based meat primers an ‘accurate’ meat flavour when applied. At the same time, HN Novatech’s protein extraction process and final product rendering is additive- and preservative-free, catering to a demand for clean label plant-based products. On 16 August 2023, investors were invited to an exclusive first taste test of HN Novatech’s ingredient during its Southeast Asia launch in Singapore, jointly organised by Singapore Tembusutech Innovation and KILSA Global. The company has recently begun its venture into Asia Pacific regions with an eventual target of establishing itself as a globally acclaimed novel foods materials leader, with the construction of a food technology processing facility first beginning in Korea. Its R&D team comprises biotech engineers, food scientists, nutritionists and business and sustainability experts. HN Novatech recently secured the $4m funding in its Series-A bridge round with Logan Ventures as its lead investor. HN Novatech’s CEO, Kim Yang-Hee, described the successful capital raise as a testament to the growth of its advancing food technology capabilities and strong customer acquisition prospects for the month ahead. Yang-Hee said that the alternative meat industry’s surge in the US and Europe is mirrored in Asia, where Singapore’s appeal to multinational companies is bolstered by its strategic location, skilled workforce and government support. #HNNovatech #seaweed #Singapore #SouthKorea

Food tech company SavorEat has partnered with global food services and facilities management leader, Sodexo, to bring its Robot Chef solution into the US market. Powered by machine learning and AI, the Robot Chef aims to offer restaurants a cohesive production process that reduces waste by cooking personalised patties that only produce the specified amount of plant-based meat needed on demand. Diners can customise protein and fat compositions, and select cooking preferences, to craft plant-based meals easily using its proprietary web application. User preferences are stored in the cloud and sent to the Robot Chef, which autonomously produces a patty within three minutes. SavorEat will employ its Robot Chef to produce plant-based burgers for dining halls at the University of Colorado and the University of Denver. The University of Denver will provide students with the SavorEat platform this month at the Rebecca Chopp Grand Central Market, with the University of Colorado at Denver’s Eat Food Market to follow in 2024. Racheli Vizman, CEO and co-founder of SavorEat, said: “By partnering with a legacy company like Sodexo, which encourages innovation and is at the forefront of adopting food tech to serve students worldwide, SavorEat extends its reach and brings our Robot Chef to the US”. “We are excited to share the deliciousness of food that tastes like real meat without any animal-based ingredients, with tens of thousands of students. We’re proud to partner with Sodexo and could not ask for a better partner with which to mark our US debut.” Moses DeBord, senior vice president for Sodexo Campus, added: “We are thrilled to partner with a company making waves in the plant-based and foodservice robotics industry”. “SavorEat’s unique mission to bring customisable plant-based solutions perfectly fits our vision to bring a happy and healthy eating experience to college campuses.” #US #robotics #SavorEat #RobotChef #foodservice

A new partnership between Unilever’s plant-based meat brand, The Vegetarian Butcher, and döner kebab producer The Düzgün Group, aims to disrupt the kebab market with a plant-based meat skewer. The Düzgün Group is a family-owned, European business that produces commercial döner kebabs from its production sites in Germany and Poland, supplying skewers to chains, shops and restaurants in more than 15 countries. Through the partnership, The Vegetarian Butcher wanted to bring the traditional döner kebab format to vegans and vegetarians, allowing them to enjoy a plant-based product that offers the authentic taste and experience of an animal meat kebab. The resulting offering will begin to roll out to the German and European foodservice markets this month, and is also lactose-free and halal-certified. Traditional döner kebab meat is cooked vertically, with heat distributed as it spins to allow outer layers are evenly cooked and coated in a fat basting, before being sliced off and served with condiments and bread of the consumer’s choice. It has been flavoured with spices such as the traditional cumin, oregano, garlic and onion for an authentic meat kebab taste using a plant-based recipe. Its base is soy protein, with several binding ingredients added to allow for it to be shaped like a traditional kebab skewer while giving it the same texture and slicing ability. The Vegetarian Butcher said it incorporated a blend of fats with different melting characteristics, working to ensure that the plant-based meat was still juicy when browned and ready to be sliced. Kitchen teams will not need to add equipment or amend cooking techniques – Hugo Verkuil, The Vegetarian Butcher’s CEO, said that the skewer can “seamlessly fit with their equipment and cooking procedures”. He added: “We are targeting meat-lovers – from vegans to carnivores – who don’t want to miss out. And when it comes to guests, we are convinced people will not be able to taste the difference.” Blue Yildizbakan, project leader at The Düzgün Group, said that the group can deliver on a large scale and is therefore “perfectly set up to offer restauranteurs an international supply chain for plant-based skewers”. #Europe #Germany #plantbasedmeat #TheVegetarianButcher

The Netherlands-based microalgae producer, Phycom, has announced an investment of over €9 million to accelerate the company’s growth. The investment – which involved key partners including Corbion, Phase2.earth, Invest-NL and Invest International – is set to propel the company’s microalgae cultivation on an industrial scale. All parties involved in the investment recognise Phycom’s unique technology for large-scale microalgae cultivation and advocate its cost-effectiveness and sustainability efforts as the sustainable protein alternative could transform and potentially play a crucial role in our food systems. Over the last four years, Phycom has built two production facilities in Veenendaal, the Netherlands, which it says prove the technology and scalability of microalgae production. The investment is set to propel the Phycom team in all levels of the organisation and will help expand marketing activities and fund further technology development. Eelco Benink, head of equity at Invest International, said: “Investing in Phycom fits perfectly with our AgriFood strategy, helping drive important change in the food system, thereby contributing to the SDGs. Stepping in this together with Invest-NL, the investment creates direct jobs in the Netherlands, enabling the company to develop an international expansion plan.” Strategic partner and president of Corbion Algae Ingredients, Ruud Peerbooms, commented: “At Corbion, we unleash the power of algae fermentation to enhance nutrition while preserving the world’s limited resources. Phycom’s shown capabilities offer great potential, and we believe combining complementary strengths through this collaborative partnership will help us continue to redefine what’s possible through algae-based technologies.” Daan Meijer, investment associate of Invest-NL, added: “Invest-NL aims to accelerate the transition to a sustainable food system by investing in innovative technologies for alternative proteins. Microalgae’s role in this transition and Phycom’s unique technology and large-scale production make us exceptionally proud to add Phycom to our investment portfolio.” The round also drew renewed support from all existing shareholders. #alternativeproteins #microalgae #Phycom #theNetherlands

UK food technology start-up Zess has teamed up with Sysco’s fresh food business, Fresh Direct, to introduce Zess Explore, a new range of plant-based deli fillers. The new products were handcrafted at Fresh Direct’s specialist production unit Fresh Kitchen in Bicester, UK. The range includes three products: Roasted Sicilian Caponata, Chipotle & Corn Veggie Barbacoa and Sweet Potato & Butternut Dhansak. Caponata bowl The plant-based deli fillers are designed to be used for sandwiches, jacket potatoes, pizza topping, tacos, salads, wraps and more. Hiren Umradia, CEO at Zess, said: “Zess was born out of a desire to revolutionise food choices for health and the environment. We observed a gap in the market for exciting, ready-to-serve plant-based deli fillings, as there are very few options available without the hassle of creating something yourself.” Umradia continued: “In busy kitchens, there simply isn’t time to develop the exciting plant-based products that people want. This often means that those wanting a plant-based option face boring choices that simply don’t inspire them. With Fresh Kitchen, we’re introducing a game-changing combination of exciting flavours, hand-produced to high standards, that are not just healthy but tantalisingly delicious, through the nation’s largest wholesaler, Brakes.” Zess Explore will be available this month at Brakes with an introductory promotional price of £9.99 for a 1kg tub, before trade discounts. #Sysco #UK #Zess