UK plant-based food and beverage brand Bol Foods has unveiled its latest product innovation: Protein Thai Green Noodle Power Soup. The new offering is designed to meet the increasing consumer demand for nutritious, convenient meal options as the food industry shifts towards health-focused eating. Now available in Tesco, with plans to expand to Sainsbury’s and Amazon by 17 September, Thai Green Noodle Power Soup features a creamy coconut base infused with lemongrass, chilli and ginger. Packed with rice noodles, green beans and edamame, the soup delivers a satisfying and flavourful experience. Each pot contains 24g of protein, 12g of fibre and contributes two of the recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, making it an appealing choice for health-conscious consumers. Bol Foods aims to address a key barrier to fresh soup purchases: satiety. According to the Bol Consumer Insights Panel from August 2025, consumers often find that traditional soups do not provide enough fullness. In response, Bol has prioritised high-protein and high-fibre ingredients to enhance the nutritional profile of their products, reinforcing their position as a leader in the fresh soup category. The launch of the soup aligns with the growing popularity of Thai cuisine in the UK, which has seen a 23% year-over-year increase in retail sales, according to Kantar. Thai Green curry is among the top three Thai dishes favoured by UK consumers, further positioning Bol’s new offering to capture market interest. The suggested retail price for the new soup is £3.30, making it an accessible option for consumers seeking healthy and convenient meal solutions.

UK free-from chocolate brand Nomo has revealed its 2025 Christmas range, featuring several new additions alongside previous seasonal favourites. The brand said it aims to ensure no one misses out on seasonal joy, regardless of their dietary needs. It has introduced new flavour innovations for 2025, as well as expanded advent options that cater to consumers who are vegan or avoid dairy, gluten, eggs or nuts. Brand-new for 2025 is the Sticky Toffee Reindeer, featuring a gooey toffee centre wrapped in Nomo’s smooth plant milk chocolate, in a festive reindeer shape to provide a convenient snack or fun stocking filler. Also new are the Mini Mint Reindeers, combining mint with chocolate for a classic seasonal flavour. They come in a 53g bag, designed for sharing with friends and family over the holiday season. Finally, the new Festive Slab Bar – a Sainsbury’s exclusive – is launching in a 105g multi-portion size, featuring a fudgy chocolate filling topped with a Mini Cookie Dough Reindeer (one of Nomo’s existing best-selling seasonal options, returning for 2025 also as a stand-alone product). Other products being reintroduced as part of the 2025 seasonal line-up include the Kids Selection Box, Creamy Choc Advent Calendar and the bigger-than-ever Ultimate Choc Advent Calendar, now featuring 24 mini bars in original chocolate, caramel, mint and orange flavours, plus a full-sized caramel bar for Christmas Day. Tara Stevens, senior brand manager at Nomo, said: “We know how important festive traditions are, and our 2025 Christmas range is all about making sure everyone can be part of the magic. From our playful chocolate reindeers to our biggest-ever advent calendar, this range is full of bold, fun and flavour-packed treats that reflect the heart of Nomo – delicious chocolate with zero compromise.”

India has reduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on a range of plant-based food and beverage items, including milk and meat alternative products, as part of a wider reform. The changes were announced by India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, with a goal to ‘enhance the quality of life of every last citizen’. The tax rate for a wide variety of food and beverage products, including plant-based milk drinks such as soya milk, and texturised vegetable protein (TVP) products, has been reduced from 12-18% to 5%, effective from 22 September 2025. The changes are part of a broader tax reform, approved by the GST Council and led by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Other household items such as cosmetics and homeware are also covered within the reform. The cuts will align the GST for plant-based alternatives more closely with that applicable to traditional meat and dairy products – fresh cow’s milk currently is not taxed in the country, while most conventional meat and dairy products fall into the 0-5% range. The Plant Based Foods Industry Association, a non-profit organisation aiming to accelerate plant-based innovation in India, has praised the move as a ‘landmark step’ that supports the growth of the plant-based industry in the country. In a LinkedIn post, the Association wrote: “A special thanks to the Economic Division, MoFPI (Ministry of Food Processing Industries) for patiently hearing our requests and ensuring our representations reached the concerned bodies – making this milestone possible”.

The Tofoo Co has re-entered the frozen category with the launch of a new range available in Tesco stores across the UK. The range includes three brand-new products designed to meet increasing demand for high-protein, plant-based options in the freezer aisle. ‘Straight to Wok Tofoo’ offers pre-marinated tofu pieces in two flavours, Sweet Chilli and Soy & Ginger, designed to provide a convenient solution for adding to stir fries and similar dishes. Meanwhile, the Tempura Tofoo offers bite-sized tofu pieces in a light, crispy batter, suitable for snacking or adding to meals. These products are The Tofoo Co’s first frozen offerings to hit the market since it launched its Chunkies product in 2021, which since appears to have been discontinued. David Knibbs, founder and managing director of The Tofoo Co, said: “Our move back into frozen is a critical part of our brand growth. We know shoppers are looking for plant-based options that are quick, tasty and easy to use – and these new products tick all the boxes.” All new products in the range began rolling out at Tesco stores yesterday (8 September), priced at £3.75.

A new peer-reviewed study has highlighted the potential of almond, cashew, hazelnut and walnut milks to enhance both the nutritional profile and sensory appeal of coffee beverages, findings that could influence future product development in the plant-based and out-of-home sectors. Researchers at Dongguk University in South Korea prepared roasted and unroasted nut-based milks, blending them with arabica espresso, and compared their physicochemical properties, fatty acid profiles, antioxidant activity, volatile compound composition, colour, viscosity, particle size and sensory acceptance against commercial dairy milk coffee. Each nut milk was prepared from raw or roasted kernels and blended with espresso in a 3:1 ratio, with dairy milk coffee used as the control. "Since the use of animal-based milk raises environmental concerns and health issues such as allergies and lactose intolerance, the demand for plant-based milk alternatives is growing," the study noted. "This study aimed to develop nut-based milks – almond, cashew, hazelnut and walnut – combined with arabica espresso and assess their physicochemical and sensory qualities." Healthier fats, more antioxidants The analysis revealed that nut-based coffees contained significantly higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, compared with the saturated fat-dominated profile of dairy milk coffee. These compounds are associated with improved cholesterol management and reduced cardiovascular risk. Roasting further enhanced the nutritional profile, with roasted almond and hazelnut milks showing increased oleic acid, while roasted cashew and walnut milks displayed notable rises in linoleic and linolenic acids. Antioxidant activity was also consistently higher in nut-based samples, especially hazelnut and walnut coffees, with roasted variants showing the greatest increases. Walnut milk coffee recorded the highest total phenolic content, a marker of bioactive compounds linked to anti-inflammatory benefits. Aroma profiling using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified 33 volatile compounds across the samples. Nut-based coffees were characterised by higher concentrations of benzaldehyde, responsible for almond-like aromas, and nutty pyrroles such as 1-methylpyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde. Dairy milk coffee, by contrast, was richer in caramel and floral compounds such as furfuryl alcohol and 5-methyl furfural, often intensified by heat treatments in milk processing. Roasting intensified Maillard-reaction-derived volatiles in nut milks, deepening roasted and nutty notes, but also reduced certain heat-sensitive aromatic compounds found in unroasted nuts. From a physical perspective, nut-based coffees exhibited higher viscosity and larger particle sizes than dairy milk coffee, particularly in cashew and almond versions. These attributes may contribute to a richer mouthfeel but can also influence beverage stability. Roasting darkened the beverages and increased browning index values, with roasted walnut coffee showing the most pronounced change in colour. Sensory findings and market potential Sensory evaluation, conducted with 17 trained panellists, found cashew milk coffee to be the most preferred overall, praised for its smooth texture, balanced nuttiness and clean aftertaste. Hazelnut milk offered a distinctive roasted flavour, walnut milk delivered a more pronounced earthy profile and almond milk’s character was shaped by its higher benzaldehyde content, contributing a bitter-almond note. With the plant-based milk category continuing to expand and coffee operators seeking to differentiate through flavour and functionality, these findings offer valuable guidance for industry. Roasted nut milks in particular appear to combine improved nutritional value with enhanced flavour complexity, providing opportunities for positioning products that meet both health-oriented and sensory-driven consumer expectations. The study’s authors conclude that this work “can serve as a foundational resource for understanding the sensory attributes and physicochemical properties of nut-based milk coffee and analysing the correlations between these properties and overall preference”. For coffee chains, ready-to-drink brands and plant-based dairy manufacturers, this research suggests a clear path for combining flavour innovation with functional nutrition, a proposition increasingly sought after in the premium beverage market. The authors concluded: "Despite its lower preference than that of commercial milk, nut-based milk coffee demonstrated potential as a health-promoting beverage owing to its high unsaturated fatty acid content (eg, oleic and linolenic acid) and antioxidant effects". "To improve the acceptability of nut-based milk coffee, further research is warranted to control the production of specific aldehydes responsible for undesirable flavors, and additional physical experiments should be conducted to enhance the texture of these beverages."

The European Parliament Agriculture Committee voted to ban the use of names such as ‘burger,’ ‘sausage’ and ‘steak’ for plant-based foods yesterday (8 September) in an ongoing debate surrounding the labelling of meat alternatives. The proposal, led by French MEP Céline Imart, reintroduced the topic after it was voted down by the Parliament’s plenary in 2020. It seeks to protect the animal agriculture industry by reserving such meat-related words ‘exclusively for the edible parts of animals,’ calling for the ban of their use on both plant-based and cell-cultured products. After gathering a majority vote, it will now move to a vote in the plenary with all members of parliament. At the beginning of the year, two decrees prohibiting the use of meat-related words on plant-based products in France were annulled following a 2024 ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) . The CJEU ruled that EU law already provides sufficient regulations to protect consumers from being misled by labelling. Despite this, the European Commission also put forward a similar proposal in July seeking to ban 29 words that should be ‘reserved for products derived exclusively from meat at all stages of marketing.' These included species-related words like ‘chicken,’ ‘beef,’ ‘pork’ and ‘lamb,’ as well as descriptive words such as ‘chop,’ ‘wing,’ ‘drumstick’ and ‘ribs’. Rafael Pinto, senior policy manager at the European Vegetarian Union (EVU), said: “There is no data to support the argument that consumers are confused by plant-based burgers, sausages or any other alternative. Policymakers continue to bring up this non-issue, when it’s simply not a problem for citizens.” He argued that instead, a ban of the terms will be damaging to farmers producing raw plant-based materials like pea or soy – and could actually hinder consumer transparency due to the use of “unknown names,” alongside the clear impact on plant-based meat alternative producers. The vote follows a recently launched European Academies Science Advisory Council report, calling for policymakers to increase support for meat alternatives, as well as a commitment from the EU to develop a protein diversification strategy and increase domestic plant-based protein production. Pinto added: “This vote shows a disconnect between citizens’ needs and policymakers’ priorities...It also goes against the EU’s targets to promote innovation, reduce red tape and increase food security. We call on the members of parliament to vote this text down in plenary.” In a statement on LinkedIn, Ivo Rzegotta, public affairs manager at the Good Food Institute Europe, said this latest motion from the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture goes "significantly beyond the equally problematic proposal by the EU Commission from July". He wrote: " Both initiatives – from the Commission and the Parliament's Committee on Agriculture – are problematic because familiar terms for meat alternatives are practical navigation aids that enable informed purchasing decisions. They help people assess what they can expect in terms of taste and texture and how the products are prepared." " Arbitrary interventions in proven labelling practices, as currently being discussed at the European level, would make it more difficult for consumers to navigate the market and would also harm domestic companies."

Eat Just, the maker of the mung bean-based Just Egg alternative product, has recently announced the launch of its new chicken alternative in Texas, US. The product comes after years of research and development in the company’s meat division, aiming to address consumer demand for higher quality plant-based products. It was first showcased at an exclusive Franklin Barbecue event in Austin during May, and is now rolling out across H-E-B stores across the US state. According to Eat Just, the product has won back-to-back sensory tests against conventional chicken as well as other plant-based alternatives. In its latest taste test, it is claimed to have outperformed conventional chicken strip products across four categories – taste, texture, appearance and overall. This is due to Eat Just’s precision manufacturing technology, which builds ‘tender and juicy’ meat-like fibres using soya and wheat protein along with other natural ingredients. The process grew out of earlier research in Eat Just’s cultivated meat division, with the company being the first worldwide to sell cultivated meat commercially, and one of two to have sold in the US. While Just Meat is fully plant-based, it utilises many of the cell-based meat programme’s R&D breakthroughs. Just Meat contains 18g of protein per serving – more protein per ounce than a conventional chicken thigh – and no cholesterol. It aims to overcome the quality barrier to plant-based chicken adoption, with 2025’s Taste of the Industry report highlighting the need for improvement when it comes to taste and texture of plant-based meat alternative products. The report called on companies to increase product quality to address growth challenges, specifically identifying the ‘unbreaded strips and chunks’ category as in need of R&D and innovation. Just Meat is now available as an 8oz package in the frozen section of 240 H-E-B locations across Texas.

Sproud, a Swedish brand known for its pea protein-based milk alternatives, has unveiled its latest product: a low-sugar matcha drink designed to cater to consumer interest in plant-based beverages. The launch comes on the heels of Oatly's recent introduction of a matcha product, highlighting the competitive landscape in the alternative milk market. The new Sproud Matcha drink is crafted from high-quality ingredients, including matcha and spirulina, and is notable for its unique foamable quality, setting it apart from other matcha alternatives. With a formulation that includes 2.5% pea protein and minimal sugar, Sproud aims to attract health-conscious consumers seeking nutritious and versatile drink options. The product can be enjoyed hot or cold, making it suitable for various occasions throughout the day. Sara Berger, CEO of Sproud, said: “Matcha is having a moment: consumers are increasingly looking for more variety in drinks. Providing healthy plant-based alternatives is our identity, so we are thrilled to be able to add Sproud Matcha to our range and keep our customers happy from the first thing in the morning to the last thing at night.” The UK matcha market has seen significant growth, generating £38.7 million in retail revenue in 2024, with projections indicating that the market could double by 2030. This surge in popularity presents a lucrative opportunity for brands like Sproud to capture a share of this expanding segment. This launch follows the company's recent achievement of B Corp Certification in August. Additionally, Sproud’s products have gained traction in major retailers, including listings in Sainsbury’s stores nationwide, further solidifying its presence in the competitive plant-based market. Sproud Matcha is now available for purchase in 1l cartons through the Sproud website, marking a strategic entry into the matcha beverage category that aligns with current consumer trends favouring plant-based and low-sugar options.

The Rainforest Alliance has announced the launch of a new regenerative agriculture certification solution, designed to provide farmers and companies with a science-based standard to track their impact on soil health and biodiversity. Announced today (8 September 2025), the solution is launching with an initial focus on coffee. It aims to help coffee farmers build more resilient livelihoods and support the restoration of ecosystems across tropical landscapes. From early 2026, certified regenerative products will bear the solution’s distinct seal. This shows consumers that these products come from farms and companies that are committing to regenerative agriculture practices. Regenerative agriculture aims to reduce farming’s impact on the environment, described by the Alliance as a ‘climate-smart’ and ‘promising’ approach. It can also improve farmers’ livelihoods – recent studies show regenerative practices can improve income by up to 20-30%. The Rainforest Alliance has integrated these principles into its new Regenerative Agriculture Standard, providing a clear pathway for measuring progress and outcomes across five key impact areas: soil health and fertility, climate resilience, biodiversity, water stewardship and livelihoods. By effectively implementing these practices, coffee producers can build more productive and resilient farms while unlocking new market opportunities, the Alliance said in a statement announcing the launch. Independent auditors will periodically visit farms and companies to ensure they are meeting these standards. When they do, they will be awarded certification and permitted to display the regenerative seal on their products. The announcement comes as extreme weather and environmental degradation continue to disrupt crop yields, supply chain stability and commodity markets. These challenges are impacting the livelihoods of millions of coffee farmers, particularly smallholders who produce over 70% of the world’s coffee. Santiago Gowland, CEO of The Rainforest Alliance, said: “Markets need to move beyond a ‘do no harm’ mindset to one that repairs and restores. Now is the time to transition to a new model of agriculture – one where every cup of coffee gives back more than it takes from the land and the people who care for it.” “After years of research and collaboration with farmers and companies, we are proud to introduce a Regenerative Agriculture Certification to help drive this shift.” Sourcing Rainforest Alliance Certified Regenerative coffee can enable brands to make claims based on credible data, strengthen their ESG performance and meet rising consumer demand for more environmentally friendly products. The Regenerative Agriculture Standard is already being implemented across coffee farms in Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico and Nicaragua. Companies already sourcing from these farms are set to launch their first Rainforest Alliance Certified Regenerative coffee products to market in 2026.

Food Founders Studio has closed its initial funding round of CHF 1.2 million (approx. $1.5 million) and unveiled its first venture, a plant-based flavour improvement technology developed with a European university partner. The capital will support the studio’s mission to commercialise breakthrough food technologies currently trapped in European university labs. The funding round was led by a consortium of private investors, including a prominent Swiss family office acting as anchor investor. The inaugural venture targets off-flavours in legumes, a common issue in plant-based products. The proprietary process improves taste and cuts formulation costs. The company says it outperforms existing solutions. Alexandre Morel, co-founder and CTO of Food Founders Studio, said: “Our inaugural venture tackles one of the plant-based industry’s most significant obstacles: legumes’ off-flavours that prevent mass market adoption. The proprietary technology, developed through our first university partnership, offers a scalable, cost-effective solution that significantly improves taste while reducing formulation costs, more than any competing solution we’ve seen so far.” “This technology addresses exactly what the industry desperately needs: better taste,” noted the venture’s CEO, who will be formally introduced in the coming weeks. “By solving the off-flavour challenge, a problem known to all up to the consumers and yet never truly solved despite many claims, we’re enabling food manufacturers to create products that can win on deliciousness, not just sustainability credentials.” Robert Boer, investment director at Food Founders Studio and former investment director at Blue Horizon, added: “What is unique about our venture studio model is the systematic approach to de-risking food tech innovation. This model addresses the fundamental disconnect between breakthrough university research and commercial viability that has plagued food tech for years, in a way that delivers both meaningful returns for investors and scalable impact for our food system.”

Huel, a player in the plant-based nutritionally complete meal sector, has launched Daily Greens RTD, expanding its product line to meet the growing demand for convenient and health-oriented nutrition solutions. This new RTD beverage is poised to disrupt the traditional powdered supplement market by offering a refreshing, lightly carbonated alternative packed with essential nutrients. The Daily Greens RTD builds on the success of Huel's existing Daily Greens Powder, now available in a ready-to-drink format that emphasises convenience for consumers with busy lifestyles. Each can contains a blend of 42 vitamins, minerals and superfoods, along with adaptogens and 4g of dietary fibre, designed to support mental clarity, immunity, gut health and sustained energy levels. Notably, the beverage is low in calories (just 25 per can) and sugar (1g), making it an attractive option for health-conscious consumers. Huel's new offering comes in three flavours: Apple, Cucumber & Mint; Peach & Hibiscus; and Blueberry, Lemon & Thyme. The company aims to position the Daily Greens RTD as a versatile addition to consumers' daily wellness routines, appealing to those seeking both taste and nutrition in a convenient package. James McMaster, CEO of Huel, said: “With our new Daily Greens Ready-to-drink, we're transforming a category traditionally dominated by powders by launching this convenient, great-tasting beverage. It’s not just another wellness drink; it’s a smarter, faster way to get complete daily nutrition.” The Daily Greens RTD will be available for purchase on Huel's website and will roll out to major retailers including Sprouts, Target, LifeTime Fitness and Amazon this fall. This expansion into brick-and-mortar stores underscores Huel's ambition to increase its market presence and accessibility to a broader audience. As the health beverage market continues to grow, Huel's entry into the RTD segment signals a significant shift towards more functional, nutrient-dense options that cater to the fast-paced lifestyles of modern consumers.

A protein traditionally derived from milk, casein is responsible for many of the characteristics that consumers love about cheese – from its sharp and tangy flavour to its stretch and melt. Could animal-free variants of this dairy protein help to meet taste and texture standards that many plant-based cheeses have struggled to meet thus far? We explore. From own-label retailer offerings and giant household brands to premium artisan suppliers, dairy-free cheeses made from the likes of cashew, coconut and almond are now available in their masses to consumers seeking plant-based options. But the category has historically faced challenges when it comes to matching the taste of traditional cheese, facing criticism with regards to grainy or rubbery textures and unpleasant off-notes. Thankfully, products on the market have upped their game in recent years, with some impressive and unique options now widely available at major and independent retailers, garnering praise from dairy-free cheese lovers. When it comes to the most particular of cheese fans, however, it may be difficult to appeal to their palates without replicating the performance and taste of traditional dairy as closely as possible. Innovating with precision Precision fermentation, an advanced biotechnology method in which microbes are used as hosts to produce target proteins and other ingredients, could offer an exciting solution when it comes to appealing to these consumers – including those who are not necessarily vegan, but would like to enjoy their favourite cheese products while reducing their environmental footprint. The technology is not new to the cheese world; it has been used for decades to produce rennet, a traditionally animal-derived enzyme ingredient that plays a key role in the curdling process in cheesemaking. However, in the alternative dairy and animal-free cheese world, its use is more novel – and is rapidly unlocking a new realm of opportunity in animal-free, sustainable production of the milk protein casein. Romain Chayot, co-founder and managing director of French precision fermentation dairy start-up Standing Ovation, told The Plant Base: “Casein is essential for the distinct characteristics of dairy products. It enables mozzarella to stretch, camembert to curdle, yogurt to achieve its creamy texture, barista milk to foam perfectly and ice cream to gain its desirable texture and volume.” He added: “Moreover, dairy producers are actively seeking alternative casein sources to meet ESG goals, secure food sovereignty and innovate within dairy categories. Casein uniquely offers a broad range of functionalities unmatched by other dairy proteins.” Companies like Standing Ovation are using precision fermentation technology to produce real casein proteins that are identical to those found in real dairy milk, but with no animal involvement. © Studio Lazareff/Standing Ovation “We use microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast or fungi, cultivated in industrial fermenters at scales of several hundred cubic metres,” explained Chayot. “Despite the rapid growth of plant-based dairy alternatives, many products still lack authenticity in taste and texture.” He explained that Standing Ovation’s casein can resolve these issues, offering numerous application prototypes including soft, hard and spreadable cheeses, and providing potential to match dairy products traditionally made from cow, buffalo, goat or sheep milk proteins. “Our patented technology could enable a single factory to match the annual casein output of thousands of cows, drastically lowering greenhouse gas emissions, water use, land requirements, and eliminating antibiotics or hormones usage,” Chayot enthused. The vegan debate Modern biotech fermentation methods like precision fermentation have continued to gain traction in the alt-protein space over the past few years. Due to this, V-Label, an international trademark for labelling vegan and vegetarian foods, has introduced a new certification, the F-Label, dedicated to foods made with these technologies. The organisation introduced the label to provide clarity to consumers, assuring them that the traditionally animal-derived compounds in these products have been made in an animal-free process. While some will consider that this animal-free nature deems the ingredients as suitable for vegans, individual beliefs surrounding the term ‘vegan’ and what products it covers can vary in an increasingly complex food landscape with rapidly developing technologies. With this in mind, the F-Label was unveiled as a certification separate from the organisation’s vegan-certified trademark, which covers foods made only with plant-sourced ingredients like pea and soya. Those Vegan Cowboys, a Belgian start-up founded in 2019, believes that precision fermentation-made cheese products can appeal to the masses – vegans included – thanks to its ability to remove animals from the production process, aligning with the company’s broader mission to take animals out of the food chain. Its focus is solely on casein for cheesemaking. Hille Van der Kaa, Those Vegan Cowboys’ CEO, said: “Other precision fermentation companies often work on whey. This is relatively easier to produce. But you don’t make gold yellow hard cheese with whey. Since other companies are already pretty good at this, we decided to focus on casein and casein alone. This is the hardest nut to crack and requires all our attention.” The company has been working with cheese producers to test its casein in different types of cheese and under different conditions. © Those Vegan Cowboys “For example, for mozzarella it is [crucial] that the cheese gives a good stretch and for other cheeses, melting behaviour is again very important,” Van der Kaa noted. “From our partners we learn what works well and what doesn’t, and have learned that in certain applications, the functionality of our casein is better than the animal variant. We develop our casein so that it has the best functionality for the desired application.” Next-generation dairy While currently available plant-based cheeses provide an alternative to their dairy counterparts, and are made from nuts, pulses and other plant ingredients, precision fermentation-made cheeses contain dairy proteins – but made without the animal. They are often considered as ‘next-generation’ dairy products, with potential to satisfy both dairy lovers and many vegans, too. Working collaboratively with the traditional dairy industry has been a crucial part of progressing toward commercialisation for many of these start-ups. Standing Ovation has been working with French dairy giant Bel – which also offers a number of plant-based options within its portfolio – since 2022, while Those Vegan Cowboys announced a new partnership with European dairy giant Hochland earlier this year to test its cow-free casein in semi-hard and hard cheeses. Prior to this, it also announced a partnership with fellow precision fermentation start-up Formo, based in Germany, in March 2024. The partnership announcement was described as a ‘first-of-its-kind’ collaboration, unique in both size and impact, to enable the large-scale production of animal-free caseins. It demonstrates the power of collaboration between start-ups in the alternative protein industry, working together toward a common goal rather than seeing each other as competitors. Through this initiative, the two companies have combined efforts across strain engineering and bioprocessing, each aiming to bring to market their own line of vegan cheeses while maintaining their distinct identities. In a statement, Formo’s CEO, Raffael Wohlgensinger, said: “In order to gain a leading market share together with our partners, production of animal-free casein needs to be able to compete with animals on a cost level”. “The initiated collaboration allows us to improve the technological efficiency and scale of production to achieve this very goal.” For Those Vegan Cowboys, the collaborative aspect is a signal that its casein will be a part of the future for Hochland and other traditional dairy producers. Its partnerships are a key stepping stone on its way to scaling up and launching to market – both its own cheeses, as well as the casein as an ingredient supplier – with the start-up expecting to reach commercialistion within a few years, CEO Van der Kaa confirmed. © Those Vegan Cowboys “At the stage we are in now, it is incredibly important that traditional parties support the development and indicate their willingness to invest in this,” she enthused. “They are our customers in the here and now and in the future.” “Among our partners are several small cheese companies, as well as multinationals and even farmer cooperatives. They are often companies with a long-term vision, daring to look beyond the next two years.” Future farming Another company that emphasises the benefits of making farmers part of the transition toward a more sustainable and animal-free future of food production is NewMoo. While also a start-up producing cow-free casein, NewMoo does not use precision fermentation – instead, it uses plant molecular farming to produce its ingredient. This involves genetically engineering plants to express novel ingredients: in this case, teaching the plants to express bovine casein proteins for the animal-free cheese industry. Co-founder and CEO, Daphna Miller, explained that the company’s co-founders have extensive experience within the traditional dairy industry, leveraging this understanding of the sector’s advantages, needs and challenges to develop a solution. She pointed out that the company’s molecular farming approach can provide a sustainable solution that is cost-effective, requires less factories and allows farmers to be a part of the process. “Our product – a liquid casein base – mimics the functionality of milk, and actually seamlessly integrates into current dairy factories,” she said. “We plant the seeds in fields, collect our special casein seeds, and then with special know-how, we produce our liquid caseins base for dairy brands.” Miller added that the final liquid casein base is clean from DNA residues, meaning no GMO declaration is required. Furthermore, she noted the benefit of the liquid format in contrast with a powder, avoiding complex and costly processes to separate and purify the caseins. “Additionally, it helps us minimise time and capital expenditure for dairy producers – by ensuring our product seamlessly integrates into their existing factories and processes,” explained Miller. “Moving a cheese producer’s machine within their own factory by just 100 metres can change the taste of their product and can take weeks to get back to their known beloved taste. This truly is a win-win situation: it benefits the consumers, the dairy producers, farmers, the health- and animal welfare-conscious flexitarians, and the global climate.” Dairy reimagined While companies producing these advanced solutions must navigate regulatory approval processes and often challenging scale-up journeys, their potential impact on the future of animal-free cheese is huge. © Those Vegan Cowboys The products will not be suitable for everyone – some consumers with milk allergies, for example, can still experience an allergic response triggered by precision-fermented milk proteins. And some vegan consumers may feel it does not align with their values to consume any food that contains bioidentical animal protein, no matter whether ananimal was used in the production process or not, preferring to stick to cheese alternative products made only with plant ingredients. With commercialisation in sight across multiple markets for several of these start-ups by 2028, the future looks promising. Those Vegan Cowboys’ Van der Kaa concluded: “Regardless of what happens politically, you see that the market has already fully embraced the change. And it will probably still [happen in] fits and starts in the coming years, but the positive turnaround seems unstoppable.” Top image: © Studio Lazareff/Standing Ovation