Canadian dairy-free cheese brand Daiya has added two spicy innovations to its portfolio: Chipotle Cheddar Shreds and Pepper Jack Slices. The new additions tap into growing demand for bold, ‘flavour-forward’ foods. They aim to bring versatility to the dairy-free cheese aisle, and are made with Daiya’s signature Oat Cream ingredient blend. Made with real chipotle peppers, the new spicy shreds combine smoky heat with a sharp cheddar-style base. Daiya describes them as a category-first innovation, bringing ‘the boldest heat’ to a dairy-free shredded cheese format. The shreds are well-suited to Latin-inspired dishes, ideal for adding to tacos, burgers, quesadillas and more. According to Daiya, they have been designed to appeal to flexitarians craving satisfying and bold flavours. The Pepper Jack Slices combine a creamy cheddar-style base with real jalapenos and red bell peppers, suitable for melting into sandwiches and burgers. The brand noted its focus on ensuring the spice was balanced without being overpowering, expected to appeal to younger consumers who crave exciting flavour varieties. John Kelly, chief marketing officer at Daiya, said: “We’re pushing flavour and form further than ever. These bold new cheeses show what dairy-free can really do – craveable heat, creamy melt and no holding back.” Both new products are now available at selected retailers across North America.

The European Commission has announced a new strategy aimed at establishing the EU as a global leader in life sciences, with a strong focus on food innovation. The plan includes €350 million in funding to help scale up fermentation technologies that can support the development of sustainable food ingredients and alternative proteins. The Strategy for European Life Sciences identifies fermentation as a key area of growth, highlighting its potential to create high-value food products using renewable raw materials. It focuses on two main approaches: biomass fermentation, which uses agricultural byproducts to produce foods that mimic the taste and texture of meat; and precision fermentation, already used in cheese-making and now being adapted by European startups to produce ingredients such as whey protein, palm oil alternatives and chocolate compounds. The EU sees this as a strategic move to reduce dependence on food imports, cut emissions and support a new wave of biotechnology-led innovation across the continent. While European start-ups are leading research in the field, the Commission acknowledges that scaling production remains a major barrier – one it aims to overcome through public-private partnerships, funding packages and knowledge-sharing initiatives. The strategy is backed by nonprofit group Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe), which says the plan could help start-ups commercialise academic research in the alternative protein space. A recent report supported by the group found that with proper policy support, alternative proteins could generate up to €65 billion for Germany’s economy and create 250,000 jobs by 2045. The strategy includes: €150 million in Horizon Europe funding to support sustainable bioeconomy solutions and help commercialise fermentation-made foods An additional €200 million earmarked for 2026–2027, to drive collaboration between researchers and businesses in biomanufacturing and life sciences A strategic research agenda on food systems to improve taste, texture and affordability of next-gen food products Plans to address public confusion around ultra-processed foods, which is seen as limiting consumer adoption of healthier, more sustainable options like plant-based meat GFI Europe and the Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN International) say clearer public messaging is needed, especially as research shows plant-based meat can reduce LDL cholesterol, improve gut health and lower the risk of bowel cancer. Lea Seyfarth, policy officer at GFI Europe, said: “It’s great to see the Commission recognising the central role that food innovation can play in boosting Europe’s life sciences sector and proposing measures that can harness the region’s growing expertise in transformative technologies such as fermentation". “With the incoming Danish presidency highlighting the importance of biotech in food production, momentum is building behind innovative ways to develop a more sustainable food system. This strategy is a step towards unlocking the EU’s potential to become an alternative protein world leader, driving growth and reducing reliance on imports.”

Prime Roots has unveiled a new range of upgraded deli products made from mycelium-based whole food protein, following seven years of research and development. The new offerings, made from a proprietary whole-food fungi protein, include Smoked Turkey, Cracked Pepper Turkey, Smoked Ham, Black Forest Ham, Salami, Cupping Pizza Pepperoni and Bacon. The company's fungi-based proteins have been shown in studies to support muscle growth more effectively than animal-based proteins like milk, offering both nutritional and functional benefits. Kimberlie Le, co-founder of Prime Roots, said: “As a new-school deli brand, we’ve always been committed to giving people the flavour and health benefits they expect from their favourite deli classics. We’re thrilled to unveil our upgraded recipes and new packaging that has been refined over years of feedback and that will drive real results." According to the company, its products are nitrate-free, cholesterol-free and contain complete proteins. The range is also gluten-free, soy-free, GMO-free and free from artificial ingredients. In addition to health claims, Prime Roots says its products have a significantly lower environmental impact than traditional meats, using 91% less carbon, 92% less water and generating 89% less water pollution. The plant-based products are now available sliced fresh at deli counters, grocery stores and restaurants, across more than 30 US states.

Veganz Group has established a new subsidiary, Mililk FoodTech, as it prepares to bring in strategic investors later this year. The move comes as part of a broader effort to commercialise the company's patented food-printing technology and expand its footprint in the plant-based food sector. Founded on 27 June 2025, Mililk will focus on developing and licensing technologies for plant-based food production, initially concentrating on milk alternatives. It will also explore applications in juices, smoothies and functional beverages. The company is currently in advanced discussions with potential investors based on a pre-money valuation of €80 million. Veganz plans to retain majority ownership following the investment round, which is expected to raise between €10 million and €20 million in the third quarter of 2025. Mililk’s core offering is based on its proprietary Mililk technology, which uses 2D printing to produce food and beverages more efficiently than conventional methods. The process reduces packaging by up to 94%, cuts CO₂ emissions by up to 90% and eliminates the need for refrigeration, significantly lowering transport and storage costs. Anja Brachmueller, CEO of Mililk, said: "In view of the enormous market potential for our Mililk technology platform, we are currently only scratching the surface. The initial order forecast from North America makes it imperative for long-term investors to come on board so that we can build up production capacity as quickly as possible to meet the high demand." "In the US, we have already identified a production site that has all the necessary permits and offers enough space to produce more than 60 million liters of our plant-based milk alternatives per year. In Europe, we also want to establish six new production sites. Thanks to our strategic partners Develey, Jindilli Beverages and Lassonde Industries, Mililk is excellently positioned to establish itself as a leading provider of sustainable food technologies." Top image: © Mililk

Danone has completed the acquisition of Kate Farms, a US provider of plant-based clinical nutrition, from Novo Holdings. Founded in 2012, Kate Farms develops plant-based, organic nutritional formulas for patients with medical conditions and individuals needing daily nutritional support. Its products are used in more than 1,400 hospitals across the US and are known for being allergen-free and clinically supported. The acquisition, which first announced in May , reflects Novo Holdings’ investment strategy focused on scalable, science-backed health solutions. Kate Farms will operate under Danone’s North America Medical Nutrition business. Brett Matthews, who has led Kate Farms since 2015, will now serve as chairman and CEO of Danone North America Medical Nutrition. Kartik Dharmadhikari, partner of Novo Holdings, said: "Kate Farms has emerged as a category leader in specialised medical nutrition by pairing scientific and clinical innovation with a deep understanding of patients' needs – particularly for those who cannot rely on standard diets. Novo Holdings is proud to have supported the company's growth from its early stages to this landmark transaction." Matthews added: "Becoming part of Danone...is a really proud moment for Kate Farms and will make a positive difference to the people, families and communities we serve. Together, we are in a better position to provide high-quality nutrition to those with a wide range of health needs." "We are deeply appreciative of the support that investors Novo Holdings, Goldman Sachs, Kaiser Ventures, Main Street Advisors, Aliment, Coeffecient, Ithaka and individual investors have provided to Kate Farms since the early stages of our company's growth. Partners like Novo Holdings have enabled us to accelerate our business' trajectory, ultimately resulting in this exciting new chapter with Danone." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Top image:   © Kate Farms

GNT has expanded its plant-based Exberry Organics natural colour portfolio with the launch of a new vibrant pink solution. Exberry Organics Brilliant Pink is a liquid-based concentrate made from purple sweet potatoes grown in compliance with EU and US organic standards. It is created using physical processing methods and supports simple label declarations, such as ‘concentrate (sweet potato)’ in the EU and ‘organic vegetable juice for colour’ in the US. The new shade provides a bright pink colour designed to perform well in formulations that require high heat processing. It is well-suited to low-pH applications including beverages, gummies, chewy toffees, frozen desserts, yogurt and fruit preparations. Anne van der Meijde, product manager at GNT Group, said: “The organic sector is seeing renewed interest as consumers look for more natural and sustainable food and drink, but there can be a perception that these products are less indulgent”. “Exberry Organics Brilliant Pink helps manufacturers create attractive, appetising organic products without having to compromise on the ingredient list.” The Brilliant Pink solution is the latest to join the Exberry Organics range, which features existing options across a broad spectrum of shades including pink, red, purple, blue, green, orange and yellow.

Lawrence Moore, commercial director at Oato, believes that oat milk will continue to thrive despite a recent bout of negative press. In this opinion piece, he highlights oat milk's potential to keep the plant-based milk category booming and challenges some of the concerns raised about its health and sustainability credentials. Certain corners of the UK press have opted to make the oat milk category the target of their ire of late, with often lazy, prosaic shouts of ‘overpriced’ or ‘unhealthy’. This generally offers up polarising criticism to a category which has been quite remarkable in terms of its growth in recent years and, contrary to some reports, is still in good order. Plant-based dairy alternative drinks, as a whole, are performing pretty well in UK retail (+2.5%), and oat milk (+7.5%) remains the star attraction according to Kantar sales data. The much vaunted ‘backlash’ is certainly not evident in any sales numbers of late. Nor is this reflected in category innovation – the plant-based milks arena goes from strength to strength when it comes to new ideas and oat milk is no exception. This is emblematic of how shoppers still delight in something genuinely different, with brands still highly active in product development. Fortification has been evident in new SKUs appearing on UK supermarket shelves, as has its de facto opposite number – the minimum ingredient oat milk. Of course, it remains a matter of taste and usage for UK consumers, with most current research pointing to coffee and cereal as the main time to shine for oat milk. That’s one aspect of the category that is showing little change. Innovation doesn’t stop there, either. Smaller pack formats have ready appeal for smaller households, and those comprising a mix of dairy fans and plant-based adopters. If anything, the significant marketing investment from leading brands in the space and the backdrop of innovation has propelled the category further into the mainstream than ever. Kantar point to 35% of UK households consuming plant-based drinks. They can’t all be ‘millennial hipster coffee snobs’! Indeed, even in the most fashionable of coffee shops (where the oat milk latte once commanded a premium for the privilege of being plant-based), oat milk is generally now offered as a no-cost option, with the large (and arguably less trendy) coffee chains leading on the initiative. This democratisation of plant-based can only be a good thing, potentially enticing flexitarians and those simply seeking something different, into the oat milk gang. Oat milk remains the king of dairy alternatives for coffee due to a subtle sweetness, smooth texture and a beautiful velvet microfoam, which can be artistically enhanced in the hands of a skilled barista. So what of the ‘backlash’? Sugars and high GI There have been many criticisms of oat milk around the sugar content of oat milk vs some other plant-based milks. There is certainly some truth in this, albeit that the sugars are natural ones and offer desirable taste and texture for many, particularly in coffee. For those who want less, oat milk variants which are unsweetened or low-sugar are now manifold. Environmental concerns Water-use footprint of oat milk is often brought to the fore in pieces by those who seek to disparage. Inevitably, there is a counterpoint to this in terms of lower land use and greenhouse gas emissions. Solar power is a mainstay of certain oat milk brands and mitigation of environmental impact remains important for those in the industry. Locally sourced ingredients are finding a place in the category, with British oats becoming a differentiator for some brands. Tetra-Pak cartons are a source of consternation for many UK consumers, as kerbside recycling remains variable dependent upon geography, and these represent the majority of packs on shelf – though not all. Nutritional value debate Oat milk’s detractors would readily point to its nutritional profile being inferior to traditional dairy or other plant-based milks. For this reason, fortification remains as popular as ever, with vitamins and calcium featuring in many oat milks on shelf. The naturally occurring fibre content remains salient with many category shoppers. Consumers aren’t always choosing oat milk for nutritional or dietary reasons. Oat remains a choice in a portfolio of options for many shoppers, even those who actively consume and often love dairy. And the future? The changing nature of the consumer is where the oat milk category will show resilience. It is no longer an ‘either/or’ for many people. It’s a choice, based upon taste, texture, diet, value, trend, veganism and plenty more besides. That is to be embraced by category players. Dairy isn’t ‘the enemy’ – arguably, it never was for many category loyalists. We live in an age of unparalleled choice when it comes to our shopping – the category’s job is to embrace and expand that choice in the most appropriate and sustainable way we can, offering value and accessibility for as many consumers as possible. Far from being yesterday’s news, oat milk remains very much part of the future FMCG landscape and will likely continue to become a shopped category for a widening audience – and that’s not an exaggeration!

Flora Food Group’s dairy alternative brand Violife has introduced a new product: Supreme Cheddarton, a higher-protein plant-based cheese containing 30% less fat than traditional dairy cheddar. According to the brand, its product is set to ‘transform’ the cheddar cheese alternatives market by offering a good source of protein – a nutrient that is often lacking in plant-based cheese products. The cheese, made with lentil protein, provides 9.5g of protein per 100g. While still offering less than traditional dairy variants, it provides significantly more than most plant-based cheddar products currently available in UK retail. For example, Violife’s Epic Cheddar Flavoured Block contains 1.3g per 100g, Cathedral City’s dairy-free mature cheddar contains 0.2g per 100g, and Applewood Vegan Dairy Cheese Block contains 0.1g per 100g. Additionally, its 30% reduced fat content in comparison to traditional dairy cheddar makes it well-suited to those with dietary preferences for lighter, reduced-fat products. The cheese is also fortified with vitamin B12 and is free from the top 14 common allergens, including dairy, gluten and nuts, while remaining free from artificial preservatives and GMO ingredients. According to Violife, its new offering offers a ‘rich and mature’ taste with a ‘perfectly balanced crumbly yet creamy texture,’ with the ability to melt well. Monica Bordin, head of Violife global brand and Violife North America, described the launch as a “breakthrough moment” for plant-based cheese. She commented: “With Supreme Cheddarton, we’re combining rich flavour, crave-worthy texture and real nutritional benefits – all without compromise”. “As category leaders, we continue to expand plant-based choices for retailers and food service providers with a strong innovation pipeline designed to meet evolving consumer demands.” Supreme Cheddarton is available now in Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Waitrose stores nationwide. It will roll out across Asda stores from 1 July and in Morrisons from 16 July.

The UK government has announced its Digital & Technology Sector Plan as part of its broader Industrial Strategy, including a £184m Engineering Biology Scale-up Infrastructure Programme to build and upgrade facilities. The plan, published this week, highlights engineering biology as a key frontier technology for the UK. Engineering biology encompasses a broad range of technological approaches to producing new sustainable products, or developing existing products in more sustainable ways. Within the F&B industry, technologies that fall into this category include precision fermentation, cellular agriculture – such as cultivated meat and seafood technologies – and advanced bioengineering of plants. The government is investing up to £2.8 billion over five years in advanced manufacturing and R&D. It is allocating an initial an initial £196 million for a National Engineering Biology Programme to fund researcher-led projects. Driving targeted critical R&D for ‘transformative applications’ of engineering biology, it will support investment into engineering biology monitored through metrics such as R&D collaborations and investment leveraged. The sector plan also supports innovation in crop genetics and breeding to improve UK-grown plant protein sources, such as peas and fava beans. It highlights that the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act (2023) will create a new regulatory framework and enable a route to market for precision-bred products, encouraging investment and innovation in agri-tech. The plan sets out how it will support networks of researchers, innovators and larger companies in the country through new schemes like the UKRI Engineering Biology Innovation Network. It highlights a timeline of its plans through to 2035, which includes the completion of the Food Standards Agency’s cultivated meat regulatory sandbox, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Europe, announced last year. The government has pledged to join the newly formed Regulatory Innovation Office to build on its success and pave the way for companies in the space to bring products to market. Cell-based meat start-up Multus, based in London, is highlighted within the plan as an example of the UK’s growing regional clusters of expertise. Industry think tank the Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe) welcomed the government’s plan, noting its potential to support researchers and scientists developing fermentation-based and cell-based foods. According to a report shared by the Green Alliance, foods made with these technologies could add £6.8 billion each year to the UK’s economy and create 25,000 jobs by 2035 if supported by regulatory reforms and sufficient public investment. GFI highlighted that while research into protein diversification has seen a significant increase in the UK, lack of infrastructure is a key barrier to British businesses i commercialising researchers’ findings. Linus Pardoe, senior UK policy manager at GFI Europe, said: “It’s positive to see the government recognise the UK’s many strengths in engineering biology and commit to boost this sector through a new Industrial Strategy”. He added: “The UK has everything it takes to become a world leader in developing and commercialising alternative proteins, and initiatives like the new infrastructure funding promised today could be an excellent way of unlocking new opportunities, boosting our food security, helping grow the economy and creating future-proof jobs”.

Canadian food-tech company New School Foods has announced the formation of NS/TX Industries (NS/TX): an expanded company that will house its manufacturing platform, consumer brand and manufacturing operations. The company’s patented scaffolding process is claimed to be the first to use directional freezing at scale, delivering ‘hyper-realistic’ whole cut alternatives that combine plant-based muscle fibres and connective tissue into a single macrostructure. This technology and assembly line was used to produce New School Foods’ alt-seafood products, including its flagship plant-based salmon. The technology has now been shown to work for red meat alternative applications, such as steak and bone-in ribs. According to New School Foods, the industry-standard manufacturing process of extrusion has proven limited in its ability to create alt-protein products that meet consumer expectations. Through the NS/TX platform, the company said it will deliver further meat alternative products with an authentic look, cook, taste and texture. To support a wide range of alt-meat and alt-seafood products, the platform has been designed to support maximum flexibility. The scaffold macrostructure can be made into any shape and size, with scaffolds able to be embedded with plant-based ‘bones’ to emulate steak and ribs. Texture can be modified by tuning muscle fibre diameter, length and resistance to match any meat type. Additionally, texture, flavour and appearance can be modified by customising the pattern and composition of the connective tissue. Multi-layered scaffolds can be infused with nearly any protein, liquid oil, flavour or colour, the company said in a statement. NS/TX aims to support a broader mission and more powerful manufacturing capabilities. It will serve as the overarching entity for New School Foods, the company’s consumer and restaurant-facing product brand; NS/TX R&D, a scientific and culinary innovation team that collaborates with other companies to develop custom formulations and products using the platform; and NS/TX Manufacturing, opening the company’s technology to the world and working with other food brands to build and scale their own (private/white label) and co-branded offerings. New School Foods, the consumer-facing segment, offers a portfolio including the flagship whole cut plant-based salmon fillet, a recently launched salmon burger alternative, and new meat products in the future. Chris Bryson, founder and CEO of New School Foods, said: “Our scaffolding technology has proven to be more flexible than we imagined, and shown that it can be a superior manufacturing”. “We have spent the last year scaling up our manufacturing process into an assembly line that can create all of these products, and we decided that we don’t want to reserve this technology for a single brand. The creation of NS/TX allows us to partner with other brands to develop and manufacture the next generation of alternative protein products alternative to extrusion for red meat as well as seafood applications”. The directional freezing process results in a product that begins ‘raw’ and transforms when cooked, just like ordinary meat. In scaling up the process over the last year, the company said it recognised that, just like the traditional meat industry, the excess material from shaping its whole cuts provide excellent additional products, including ground or flaked meats and fish, expanding efficiency and minimising material loss. This announcement follows a string of major milestones for the company, including the launch of its flagship salmon fillet in more than 30 restaurants across Canada, partnerships with Bondi Produce and Gordon Food Service, and the completion of its vertically integrated V1 production line. To date, the company has secured over $19 million in funding from investors and partners including Inter IKEA, Protein Industries Canada and SDTC. Images: © NS/TX

US plant-based snack bar brand Nature’s Bakery has unveiled its latest product innovation: Hearty Bars. The soft-baked bars are available in two flavour varieties, blueberry and chocolate chip. They are made with plant-based ingredients like whole grains, real fruit and Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa. Each bar offers 9g of plant-based protein from fava bean and sunflower sources. They are vegan and nut-free, crafted for consumers of all ages to support a balanced, on-the-go lifestyle. Nature’s Bakery said the bars aim to stand out in a ‘crowded snack aisle filled with chewy and crunchy options’. They feature the brand’s signature soft-baked texture, providing a good source of fibre and suitable for lunchboxes and on-the-go snacking. Alice Kim, senior innovation manager at Nature’s Bakery, said: “A clear mission guided our innovation journey: to create a school and family-friendly snack bar that offers satisfying protein and whole grains in a way that appeals to all ages”. “We named them Hearty Bars because they're designed to be a truly satiating snack to keep you going with wholesome ingredients like oats, whole grains and unique plant-based proteins. After extensive testing and refinement, we perfected a recipe that the whole family can enjoy.” Heart Bars are now available on the Nature’s Bakery website and in Target stores nationwide, as well as on Amazon later this month.

Dutch food-tech company Rival Foods has raised €10m in Series B growth financing, supporting the scale-up of its plant-based whole cut meat alternatives. The round was led by pension investor APG, on behalf of APG, with participation from Pymymic and ROM Utrecht Region, with follow-on investment from existing shareholder PeakBridge. Rival Foods was founded in 2019 as a spin-off from Wageningen University & Research. Its proprietary platform produces whole cut meat alternatives – products that closely mimic the structure, flavour and mouthfeel of animal-derived meat cuts while being fully plant-based, clean label and minimally processed. The products are free from artificial additives and are designed to meet high culinary standards in the industry, developed specifically for foodservice, retail and brands. This latest funding round will enable Rival Foods to double its production capacity at its facility in Geldrop, the Netherlands. According to the start-up, it will also allow for further optimisation of production costs to achieve competitive pricing to animal meat, without compromising on taste, texture or nutritional value. Birgit Dekkers, CEO and founder of Rival Foods, said: “This investment marks a major milestone in our mission to make high-quality plant-based meat mainstream”. “With the backing of world-class investors, we’re ready to scale fast and reshape the future of protein. We’re called Rival for a reason – we’re here to be one.” Rival takes a B2B-first approach, working with chefs, retailers and food brands across Europe. In addition to scaling its operations, the Series B funding will support team expansion and international growth, as well as new foodservice and retail partnerships. Lodewijk Meens, senior portfolio manager at APG, said: “Rival Foods have built something special: a scalable process to turn standard plant proteins into exciting fibrous, meat-like structures”. “With this investment, our client ABP seeks to achieve strong financial returns while simultaneously reducing the environmental footprint of food consumption. We are proud to support Birgit and her excellent team as they continue to add manufacturing capacity and expand market presence.” Images: © Rival Foods