Verley, a French biotech company (previously Bon Vivant) has announced the launch of what it claims is a ‘world-first’ portfolio of functional, precision-fermented dairy proteins. The proteins are designed to overcome the limitations of both traditional and plant-based alternatives to dairy ingredients. Verley’s technology aims to address the challenge of producing dairy proteins that combine high nutritional value with high-quality taste, texture and sustainability, by enhancing stability, digestibility and processing performance. It leverages precision fermentation – a process where microorganisms can be trained to produce traditionally animal-derived proteins, such as whey and casein, in an entirely animal-free process. Traditional dairy proteins often struggle under heat, acidic conditions and nutrient-dense formulations, Verley explained, while plant-based alternatives contain fewer essential amino acids, making them nutritionally incomplete. Verley claims to be the first company to develop patented functionalisation technologies for recombinant whey. Its proteins are stable, versatile whey nutriments with complete amino acid profiles, developed for demanding food formulations such as UHT beverages, sports nutrition and functional dairy products. The range includes three functionalised whey proteins. FermWhey Native offers a high-purity beta-lactoglobulin with an optimised amino acid profile, well-suited to sports nutrition and nutrient-dense food applications due to its muscle recovery support benefits. FermWhey MicroStab features a microparticulated structure that ensures heat and acid resistance, making it suitable for UHT beverages and fresh dairy products. Traditional milk ingredients do not tolerate severe heat treatments such as ultra-high pasteurisation, as this can cause damage to heat-sensitive amino acids and reduce dairy’s nutritional value. Finally, FermWhey Gel is designed to offer advanced gelling properties, allowing manufacturers to create spoonable dairy and cheese products with improved texture and stability, eliminating the need for additional stabilisers. Stéphane Mac Millan, CEO & co-founder of Verley, commented: “We are entering a new era of food innovation. Precision fermentation has proven its potential, but its true impact lies in functionality. Our patented functionalisation technologies allow us to develop proteins with 11% more leucine – which is key for muscle maintenance and overall health – than native WPI, and 50% more than soy alternatives.” With three patent families and nine filed patents, Verley is now preparing to introduce its FermWhey proteins to the global food and beverage market through partnerships with dairy manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. The company said it is focusing on scaling production to meet industry demand while maintaining sustainability ‘at the core’ of its innovation.

French seafood alternatives company Olala has ceased operations after just over three years in business. The company was founded in Paris, France, by François Blum and Simon Ferniot in October 2021. It offered a range of plant-based alternatives to popular seafood products, including tuna and salmon. In a statement shared on LinkedIn, the company said it had ‘not found its market’ and was unable to reach a sufficient level of turnover to sustain its operations, stating that its industrial model required ‘a different market dynamic’. The announcement coincides with the company obtaining the IFS Food certificate for its production plant in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Olala was also expecting to launch two new products over the next two years, co-founder Ferniot told The Plant Base in a recent interview for a wider feature on seafood alternative innovation. Olala’s statement reads: “It is difficult to predict whether the world of plant-based alternatives to animal products will be a market of the future, but we can testify to the very strong resistance that persists among foodservice players.” “Still too few of them accept, in the current economic conditions, [seeing] their food costs increase, even if it is for excellent environmental reasons (overfishing, state of the oceans) or health reasons (heavy metals, pollution, quality of farmed fish). This experience, despite its premature end, was an enrichment for all those who contributed to the existence of this company and its products, thus offering the public a new way of eating that is more respectful of our oceans.” The company apologised to suppliers left with unpaid invoices following the closure, and thanked its team, customers, partners and investors, who included Senseii Ventures, Bpifrance and Algama Foods. The statement concluded: “This experience, despite its premature end, was an enrichment for all those who contributed to the existence of this company and its products, thus offering the public a new way of eating that is more respectful of our oceans. A page is turning but the adventure of more sustainable food continues!”

Introducing Cosun Protein's latest innovation: a revolutionary plant-based protein set to redefine nutrition and delight your taste buds. Powered by our unique proprietary technology, this next-generation protein is ready to disrupt the market. It's not just the best-tasting plant protein – it's a high-quality product that will be the new standard. Here’s why: Mild and neutral taste Ask any consumer and they’ll tell you – taste is their number one priority. This is where Tendra can make all the difference. Through our proprietary extraction technology and purification process, we deliver a flavour- and aroma-neutral plant protein that is ideal for great-tasting animal-free and dairy-alternative products. Easily dissolvable Tendra overcomes another common plant protein formulation challenge: poor solubility. In contrast, Tendra dissolves easily and remains stably dispersed in solutions. The end result is a smooth dairy-alternative product, without any of the graininess that can be associated with plant proteins. Excellent emulsification properties Another challenge has been achieving good levels of emulsification with plant proteins. Tendra delivers excellent emulsifying and foaming functionalities, essential in creating tasty and attractive animal-free and dairy-alternative products. This functionality can be achieved even at low concentrations, while increasing the dosage will not affect functionality or taste. Sustainability Consumers want clean label ingredients that are sustainably sourced. Tendra comes from GMO-free fava beans, grown right here in Europe in an environmentally friendly manner. The fava bean is also a hugely efficient nitrogen fixer, naturally enriching the soil and providing food and energy for the next crop of plants. Tendra: A winning ingredient across multiple applications Tendra is the star ingredient in multiple plant-based products and proved itself in plant-based alternatives for dairy, sauces and dressings, cheeses, desserts and sports nutrition. Tendra can make a significant difference in these applications. Visit our website to explore all our recipes and download them easily here . Cosun Protein is committed to creating next-generation plant-based proteins that transform product innovation. Our most recent breakthrough, Tendra fava bean protein isolate, leverages the high-protein content of fava beans and is the result of our proprietary extraction technology. Introduced in 2022, Tendra is a game-changer. Tendra can make significant impact with its unique properties for plant-based proteins. Known for its high solubility, neutral taste and excellent emulsification properties, Tendra is ideal for achieving the desired texture and mouthfeel in plant-based alternatives. We love to share! All our recipe sheets are available on our website , just click the download button. For more information about Tendra or to request a sample, feel free to contact us at  info@cosunprotein.com  or visit us here .

Benson Hill filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The company plans to pursue a sale of its business, which may involve selling all or part of its assets, while continuing to support its farmers, partners and customers during the process. In addition to its existing cash reserves, Benson Hill has secured a commitment of approximately $11 million in Debtor-in-Possession (DIP) financing. Subject to court approval, this financing is expected to provide the "necessary liquidity" to maintain operations throughout the Chapter 11 process. As part of the process, the company has filed several “first-day” motions, which seek customary relief to support its continued operations, including meeting obligations to customers and employees while working to effectuate the sale of its assets. Dan Jacobi, chairman of the board of directors of Benson Hill, said: “Benson Hill has made significant strides in advancing our seed innovation portfolio by developing soybeans with enhanced compositional traits that deliver value creation for end users and improved sustainable solutions for growers". "We have worked diligently to transform our business, including reducing costs, divesting assets, retiring debt and optimising our operations by transitioning to a licensing model. Despite our efforts, a combination of industry challenges and financial constraints has led the Board to determine that a process under Chapter 11 is the best path forward.” Last year, Benson Hill sold its Creston, Iowa, soy processing business to White River Soy Processing for $72 million.   Meanwhile, in 2023, the company entered into an agreement to divest its Fresh business in a two-part transaction for $21 million.

US food-tech start-up Savor has announced the commercial launch of its vegan butter, made without animal or plant ingredients, instead constructed directly from carbon dioxide. The launch – claimed to be the world’s first launch of fats molecularly constructed from point-captured CO2, green hydrogen and methane – follows several years of intense R&D, culinary innovation, production scale-up and regulatory assessments from the California-headquartered company. Savor celebrated its achievements this month with special dinners in San Francisco and New York City, US, where guests were among the first in the world to try its butter replacement ingredient. Select restaurants like Michelin-starred SingleThread and One65, and bakeries including Jane the Bakery are set to be among Savor’s first customers this year. Kathleen Alexander, co-founder and CEO of Savor, said: “Savor was founded to find the most sustainable way to feed humanity. Truly sustainable solutions can’t just reduce our environmental footprint, they have to be affordable, approachable and craveable.” She said that Savor’s proprietary technology is the industry’s “only technology with the potential to replace palm oil and other widely used fats with a very low-carbon equivalent, within the next decade”. “Savor's method of producing fats and oils offers differentiated scalability and versatility, allowing us to create rich, delicious ingredients while reaching price parity with conventional fats more rapidly,” Alexander explained. Check out The Plant Base's feature on butter and spread innovations here , featuring an interview with Savor's CEO Kathleen Alexander! The technology has attracted the attention of multinational consumer packaged goods companies, Savor said, whose R&D teams are working on ingredient innovation projects that can leverage the start-up’s ability to create customisable fats and oils. The company is actively negotiating joint development agreements with some of the partners, who Savor said have been ‘particularly impressed’ by the versatility and tunability of fatty acid profiles produced by Savor’s platform. The commercial launch follows a series of recent milestones for Savor, including the achievement of self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) designation from the FDA, allowing legal sales in the US market.

Scottish nutrition brand Vybey has expanded into the snacking category, launching a new range of plant-based protein bars. The new Complete Nutrition bar line-up includes three flavours: Chocolate Brownie, Raspberry White Chocolate and Mint Chocolate. The range joins the existing products in Vybey's portfolio, which include meal replacement shakes and a nootropic coffee alternative blend. The bars are made with dates, gluten-free oats, almonds, pea protein, coconut powder and tapioca powder. Aiming to support both mental and physical wellbeing, the ‘brain and body’ nutrition bars combine 20g of plant-based protein with healthy fats, gut-friendly fibre and braincare nutrients to boost focus, memory and all-round cognitive health. Each 80g bar contains 300 calories. Gordon Belch, Vybey’s co-founder, said: “Our hard-earnt learnings within vegan, dairy-free and planet-friendly ingredient decks, coupled with our pioneering push into the cognitive upsides of nootropics (Braincare range), meant we were perfectly poised to champion the next generation of ‘nutritionally optimal’ snacking bars that can be used as an on-the-go snack, as pre/post workout fuel or as a makeshift meal”. He added that the lines between indulgent treats and functional foods have “blurred like never before,” leading to the development of the bars’ “nostalgic flavours”.

Danone UK and Ireland’s plant-based brand, Alpro, has announced a multi-million-pound investment in bringing 100% British oats to its oat beverages. The alt-milk specialist has teamed up with the Navara oat mill in Kettering, UK, to source the oats locally and directly from British farmers. The oat mill is less than ten miles away from Alpro’s own factory, with most of the farmer suppliers within 80 miles of the mill. These changes in oat sourcing and production process will significantly cut food miles while supporting local farmers by giving them new avenues for their crops, Alpro said. According to Circana, sales of oat drinks have reached more than £275 million in the UK – up from £155 million five years ago, making up two-fifths of all plant-based drink sales this year. However, only 1% of the oat drinks sold in the UK have been guaranteed to be made from 100% British oats, Circana’s data reveals. Alpro said its investment into British oats will significantly increase the percentage of oats sourced locally in the market. The investment has expanded Danone’s Alpro site in Kettering, where around 58 million litres of the British oat drink are planned to be produced annually, equating to a quarter of the site’s annual production of plant-based drinks. Jon Ruberry, category marketing director for Danone UK and Ireland, said: “We continue to see a big appetite amongst consumers for healthy, plant-based products, with half of plant-based shoppers driven by health”. “We are confident in the future of the plant-based category and this expansion is a key part of our ambition to bring greater choice to supermarket shelves, meeting the rising consumer demand in a way that benefits local communities and farmers.” James Skidmore, managing director of Navara Oat Milling, commented: “The rise in the use of plant-based food ingredients has certainly brought changes to the farming industry – however, this exciting new investment by Danone has opened up more opportunities for oat famers to broaden the products they produce and markets that they grow for. When businesses back British agriculture, famers have more options for their crops, leading to increased resilience and potential for growth.” The announcement builds on Alpro’s previous £41 million investment into the Kettering facility, which saw the installation of new equipment to reduce energy consumption and cut CO2 and water usage.

Demolish Foods has unveiled the latest iteration of its platform for manufacturing plant-based meat cuts, Gen4, promising  ‘unprecedented precision’ in replicating conventional meat. While innovation in plant-based alternatives to whole cuts of meat has increase in recent years, the meat alternatives category is still largely dominated by grounded and shredded formats. In a statement announcing the launch, Demolish said the alt-protein industry has reached a ‘make-or-break’ point, requiring a ‘transformative’ whole cut manufacturing solution that delivers on taste, texture, nutrition, price and scalability. The company’s latest platform builds on its Gen3 solution, which was announced last year, designed to replicate meat’s hierarchical structure from microscopic muscle fibres to complex whole cuts. According to Demolish, the Gen4 platform offers a ‘dramatic advancement’ in technical capabilities and commercial viability, replicating all perceptible components and structures of meat with high precision while scaling up manufacturing throughput. Conventional and Demolish chicken muscle fascicles and breasts The Gen4 solution can customise meat beyond the species level and capture the natural variations found in typical animal cuts, Demolish said. Manufacturers can precisely engineer both chewy and juicy sections within the same piece to replicate the authentic texture complexity found in premium meat experiences. Gen4 cuts can also fuse multiple structures, such as combining the major and minor pectoral muscles of a chicken breast, and is designed to ensure sustained juiciness. The platform is fully certified for commercial manufacturing, sale and export, and can produce whole cuts in both chilled and frozen forms. Demolish said its flagship chicken breast, made using the technology, is gluten-free, non-GMO and uses just eight ingredients, responding to clean label demand and creating a nutritional profile that matches conventional meat in protein, fat, sodium and caloric content. Improvements on Gen3 include a 6x increase in production throughput, a 35% reduction in operational expenditure, multi-vendor ingredient flexibility enabling supply chain resilience, and cost-optimised formulation options with minimal impact on final product quality.

Brevel, a climate food-tech company specialising in microalgae protein, has successfully expanded its seed funding round to a total of $25 million. This increase includes more than $5 million raised through the exercise of investor warrants from the initial closing of the round in June 2023. The funding will support Brevel's efforts to enhance its go-to-market strategy and further develop its innovative microalgae proteins for diverse food and beverage applications. Key investors in this round include NevaTeam Partners, Siddhi Capital, the European Union’s EIC Fund, Good Protein Fund, The Food Tech Lab and PVS Investments. The successful warrant exercises reflect investor confidence in Brevel’s progress and potential within the burgeoning alternative protein market. “Our investors chose to reinvest based on Brevel's impressive advancements since our last funding round,” stated Yonatan Golan, co-founder and CEO of Brevel. Golan highlighted the company's commitment to providing nutritious, affordable protein alternatives that can effectively replace animal protein in various formulations. Brevel’s mission is to minimise its carbon footprint while delivering flavour-neutral and functional microalgae protein on a global scale. Brevel has achieved several significant milestones recently, including the completion of its first commercial factory, which has successfully scaled production to 5,000 litres. The company also secured a commercial and joint-development agreement with The Central Bottling Company (CBC Group) and made notable advancements in its protein and polar lipid ingredient developments. The recent funding will enable Brevel to accelerate its commercial activities and establish partnerships for future production lines, as well as to finalise additional offtake agreements in preparation for large-scale production. Shai Levy, partner at NevaTeam Partners and a board member at Brevel, commented on the investment: “Brevel exemplifies bold innovation in the food industry. The decision by shareholders to exercise their warrants demonstrates strong confidence in Brevel’s mission and execution. We believe their technology will significantly influence the future of alternative proteins.” Brevel’s proprietary technology uniquely combines light and sugar-based fermentation within indoor bioreactors, allowing for the efficient production of nutrient-rich microalgae without genetic modification. This approach enhances the commercial viability of microalgae by producing high-quality, nutrient-dense products at competitive costs. The company’s advanced downstream processing yields a neutral-flavoured microalgae protein isolate powder, which can be integrated into a wide range of meat and dairy alternatives. This protein boasts a complete amino acid profile, excellent emulsifying and gelling properties, and is non-allergenic and non-GMO. Brevel’s business model mirrors that of soy protein, focusing on the co-products derived from microalgae biomass. Golan explained: “Our combined light and fermentation platform allows us to capitalise on all components of the microalgae, not just the protein. This enables us to achieve price parity for our superior protein and each co-product.” As Brevel prepares for its next product roll-out this summer, Golan is set to present at the Investor Day on Climate event on April 2, part of the European Innovation Council Summit. This event will showcase 20 leading climate tech start-ups, highlighting Brevel’s innovative approach to addressing climate change and food security through advanced technologies.

Alt-dairy specialist Armored Fresh has expanded its portfolio to launch JustAlt, a functional food brand with a focus on high-protein, low-sugar and clean label ingredients. The first JustAlt product line-up includes sugar-free high-protein bars and spreads, aiming to provide functional, performance-driven nutrition that can fit seamlessly into consumers’ pre- and post-workout fuelling and healthy snacking routines. The protein bars are formulated with JustAlt's alternative proteins containing all nine essential amino acids, developed to provide sustained energy throughout the day. They are available in chocolate, peanut butter and fruit flavours. Meanwhile, the protein spreads offer a creamy, high-protein alternative to traditional dairy spreads, described as a ‘simple, healthier swap for everyday use’. They can be spread on toast as well as paired with crackers and fruit. Rudy Yoo, founder and CEO of Armored Fresh, said: “JustAlt isn’t about restrictive diets or niche markets – it’s about making better choices easier for everyone. We focus on creating practical, great-tasting alternatives that help people stay at their best – whether they need a pre- or post-workout protein boost or a healthy snack throughout the day.”

Unilever has today announced a binding agreement to sell its plant-based brand, The Vegetarian Butcher, to Dutch company Vivera. This decision aligns with Unilever's ongoing strategy to streamline its portfolio by focusing on larger, scalable brands. Acquired by Unilever in 2018, The Vegetarian Butcher has experienced robust growth, expanding its reach to over 55 markets globally across both retail and foodservice channels. The brand has been recognised for its innovative product offerings and effective marketing campaigns, which have resonated with consumers seeking plant-based alternatives. Heiko Schipper, president of Unilever Foods, said: “The Vegetarian Butcher has delivered significant growth and launched many extraordinary products since our acquisition. However, the unique supply chain and technological requirements of the brand differ from those of Unilever’s broader food portfolio. This divergence necessitates a sale to enhance both Unilever's focus and The Vegetarian Butcher's potential for future growth.” The transaction reflects Unilever's commitment to refining its operational focus, particularly in the plant-based segment, which has seen increasing consumer demand. Rutger Rozendaal, CEO of The Vegetarian Butcher, expressed optimism about the acquisition, highlighting the synergies between The Vegetarian Butcher and Vivera. “We are excited to combine our strengths and deliver greater value to our partners and consumers,” he noted. Vivera’s CEO, Willem van Weede, added: “The impressive and relentless dedication of the people of The Vegetarian Butcher have brought the vision of Jaap Korteweg to life on unprecedented scale and ‘sacrificing nothing’. He continued: "Vivera is proud to unite with such like-minded believers in and experts of plant-based products, with the same big ambition towards a better and much more plant-based food chain. We are looking forward to together accelerate this important transition, leveraging the complementary competencies of our both companies." The sale is pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, with completion expected by the third quarter of 2025. Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

With increasing awareness of the benefits of a diverse, plant-rich diet on maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, the functional plant-based foods market is ripe for innovation in gut-friendly solutions that can support digestive, immune, cognitive health and beyond. The Plant Base speaks to the experts to find out what’s next for this rapidly growing segment. Gut health has been a focal point for the functional food industry in recent years, particularly as awareness of the gut microbiome and its role in supporting overall health and wellbeing has permeated popular culture. From the success of personalised nutrition service Zoe – which promises to increase the diversity of good bacteria in your gut through use of its test kits and tailored nutrition programmes – to the boom in gut health-focused books and TV shows, like the popular 2024 Netflix documentary Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut, gut health has expanded beyond the interests of nutrition aficionados and into the mainstream. With plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes providing a rich source of gut-friendly fibre, the plant-based food and beverage industry is poised to grab a slice of the action and capitalise on this rising consumer interest. Myriam Snaet, head of market intelligence and consumer insights at Beneo, said: “Increasing consumer interest in preventative health measures and growing understanding of the impact the gut has on the wider body are both fuelling digestive health product development”. She noted that interest in plant-based food and beverages can often be paired with interest in gut health and digestive system support, pointing out that initially, the plant-based drinks category attracted those who had difficulty digesting lactose. “Now, however, the segment is also drawing in those who care for their digestive health as part of a healthy lifestyle. Beneo’s latest research shows that 42% of consumers see prebiotics as an appealing claim on food packaging, whereas this rises to 59% for those interested in plant-based drinks.” The biotic boom A vast wealth of dietary solutions is available for those looking to improve their gut health, claiming to support a range of positive health outcomes related to boosting the gut microbiome’s good bacteria. Solutions in this realm often fall into the prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics categories. Prebiotics, such as beta-glucan and inulin, can be found in a range of plant-based, fibre-rich foods including whole grains, soya beans, bananas and onions. They provide food for the microorganisms living inside the gut and can encourage the growth of healthy bacteria. Probiotics, meanwhile, are the live microbes themselves that flourish in the gut, contributing to a diverse microbiome and in turn assisting with digestive health, immune support and beyond. They can be found in fermented plant-based foods and beverages such as kimchi, kombucha and sauerkraut, soya-based products such as tempeh and miso, and dairy products like kefir and yogurt. Many plant-based dairy yogurts also contain beneficial live cultures thanks to traditional fermentation processes. Finally, postbiotics – a category that has more recently begun to gain traction in the dietary supplements and functional foods world – are the byproducts of prebiotics and probiotics. They are bioactive molecules, created following digestion of prebiotics and probiotics, with research increasingly highlighting various health benefits linked to these compounds including fighting off harmful bacteria and supporting metabolism. “According to Health Focus International, high costs, drug shortages and safety concerns around prescription medication have fuelled the resurgence of food as medicine and continue to drive consumer interest in medicinal ingredients like prebiotics,” said Beneo’s Snaet. She explained that Beneo’s chicory root fibre ingredients, Orafti Inulin and Oligofructose, enable manufacturers to add natural prebiotic fibres that will improve taste and texture, while allowing for fat and sugar reduction in products across key applications such as altdairy, cereals, bakery and confectionery. “Research on prebiotics has expanded significantly in recent years, providing new insights and further substantiation on their diverse effects on gut health and overall wellbeing,” she told The Plant Base . “It has delved deeper into the mechanisms by which prebiotics exert their effects on the gut microbiome and how this is related to the health benefits conferred on the host. A lot of research is ongoing with chicory root fibre in the field of emerging science.” According to Snaet, Beneo’s chicory root fibres have been shown to support a healthy microbiota, and the selective increase in probiotic Bifidobacteria , in more than 50 human intervention studies. NutriLeads, based in the Netherlands, produces plant-based precision prebiotic fibre ingredients that can be added to various functional foods, beverages and dietary supplements. Its flagship ingredient, BeniCaros, is made from upcycled carrot pomace – a byproduct of juicing. With a serving size as low as 300mg, it can be formulated into a diverse range of product formats. Joana Carneiro-Wakefield, NutriLeads’ CEO, said: “Precision prebiotics have the right molecular complexity to selectively nourish beneficial gut bacteria, a process supported by strong scientific evidence. Precision prebiotics like Benicaros target specific families of bacteria found in most people’s microbiomes. This targeted approach ensures consistent support for gut health across diverse gut microbiome compositions, making the benefits the same for every person.” The ingredient is a polysaccharide, scientifically known as rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I), extracted from the carrot pomace. Carneiro-Wakefield explained that NutriLeads’ founders initially discovered RG-I’s immune benefits while studying ginseng, but sourcing it from ginseng was costly and unsustainable. “Benicaros is a precision prebiotic designed with a unique molecular complexity to selectively nourish beneficial gut bacteria, increasing their abundance and stimulating short-chain fatty acid production for a balanced gut ecosystem and better overall health,” she continued. “Unlike many prebiotics, Benicaros works through cooperative fermentation (cross-feeding) among specific gut bacteria, ensuring consistent benefits across diverse microbiomes.” Carneiro-Wakefield pointed out that in pre-clinical and clinical trials, Benicaros supplementation was shown to increase the abundance of beneficial gut bacteria, including Bifidobacterium and anti-inflammatory species, regardless of baseline microbiome differences. “It reduced cold symptom severity by 20-33%, duration by 28-43% and improved quality of life by 10–30%,” she pointed out. “Additionally, Benicaros accelerated protective immune responses during a mild rhinovirus challenge, enhancing the body’s natural antiviral defences.” Elsewhere, ingredients giant ADM is forecasting increased innovation in probiotics and postbiotics across the plant-based category as consumers seek products that can support not only digestion, but healthy ageing, mood, skin health and more – all areas increasingly being linked to a healthy gut. “With burgeoning consumer segments, such as GLP-1 users, heralding in an era of new nutritional support needs, we anticipate a surge of plant-based products with biotic inclusion entering the marketplace,” said Vaughn DuBow, senior director, product portfolio marketing, health and wellness at ADM. He explained that ADM sees this innovation impacting all plant-based formats, with a particular emphasis on plant-based and blended dairy and snack categories in the years ahead. Formats like on-the-go drinkable yogurts for digestive support can support high protein content and diversity, he added. ADM’s own plant-based drink concept, inspired by drinkable yogurts, taps the company’s functional ProFam Pea 580 protein ingredient alongside its Bifidobacterium longum CECT7347 heat-treated postbiotic (HT-ES1). DuBow highlighted new research demonstrating it may support overall gut and digestive health, with the potential of supporting reduced bloating. “Postbiotics and spore-forming probiotics are crucial for bringing added health benefits to plant-based products,” DuBow said. “These resilient solutions can retain efficacy through tough formulation environments, such as high-water content and high heat, commonly associated with dairy and meat alternatives and plant-based active nutrition formulations.” The company has also developed a protein bar concept combining its soy and pea proteins with ADM and Matsutani’s Fibersol ingredient, a prebiotic dietary fibre. “Fibersol is another seamless addition to plant-based formulations, as it is highly soluble, heat-, acid-, shear- and freeze/thaw-stable, along with having outstanding clarity and low viscosity,”DuBow continued. “[It] does not impact taste or texture, while also being suitable for individuals with digestive sensitivities as a low-FODMAP ingredient, classified by Monash University.” Product innovation No longer confined to the world of supplements and health food stores, functional food and beverage products for gut health support have taken on a life of their own, spanning myriad product categories and appearing all over major supermarkets – from the beverage aisles to the snacking segments. There is a growing awareness of the gut health benefits provided by consuming 30 different types of plants each week, as demonstrated in research from the American Gut Project. Additionally, new research published in January 2025 by the University of Trento, Italy, analysed biological samples from 21,561 individuals (vegans, vegetarians and omnivores), with the study results finding that vegans had the healthiest gut microbiome, followed by vegetarians and omnivores. Food brands have a unique opportunity to tap into this growing awareness by crafting plant-based products that are naturally rich in a diverse range of wholesome ingredients. Jon Walsh, co-founder and CEO of ‘gut-friendly’ food brand Bio&Me, said: “Our co-founder Megan Rossi, and other gut health specialists, all concur that 30 is the magic number of different plants you should look to consume each week from what’s known as the ‘Super Six’: vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, seeds and wholegrains”. Co-founder Rossi is a renowned gut health specialist, known as The Gut Health Doctor, who joined forces with Walsh to create a line of granolas, porridges, mueslis, kefir yogurts and flapjacks that aim to ‘make gut health deliciously easy’. Most of the brand’s range (excluding the dairy products) are naturally plant-based, including the most recently launched flapjack line. “We really wanted to shake up the cereal bar category as some of the products stocked in supermarkets are not as healthy as they first seem,” explained Walsh. “This is because they frequently include added sugars. We’ve seen ‘healthier’ popular bars on the market contain as much as 30% sugar.” He also observed that brands often use “exotic sounding names,” such as ‘coconut sugar’ and ‘brown rice syrup’ to disguise that they contain added sugars. According to Rossi, these ingredients are still treated like “standard sugar” in the body, irrespective of the source. Bio&Me’s flapjacks – available in Toffee Apple, Superberry and Cocoa Hazelnut varieties – each contain at least nine plant-based foods, with ingredients such as wholegrain oats, dates, almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and even seaweed. “Each bar contains just 5-6% of naturally occurring sugars,” Walsh said. “The aim is to provide a moreish wholesome snack, whenever and wherever you need one, a snack that will help keep your gut microbes happy too.” In the beverage sector, Hip Pop is leveraging the demand for functional products that support gut health with its vegan-friendly range of kombuchas and ‘Living Sodas,’ a prebiotic soda line with live cultures. Emma Thackray, Hip Pop’s co-founder, said: “Clean label and transparency of supply chain and ingredient origins is being valued by the consumer and this is growing – particularly in the last 12 months with the public discussion around ultra-processed foods”. “Based on the research and trends we’re seeing across our own customer base, there’s definitely an increasing desire for functional drinks to support gut health, with a number of launches in this space throughout 2024. We’ve seen frequency and rate of sale of traditional ‘unhealthy’ soft drinks decline – something that would have been unthinkable only a couple of years ago.” The Living Soda range aims to provide a healthy alternative to traditional sugary and artificially sweetened fizzy drinks. They are packed with a quarter of the RDA of fibre per can, plus apple cider vinegar and live cultures to support the gut, and come in Tropical Peach, Ginger and Turmeric, and Pink Grapefruit flavours. Additionally, its kombuchas are brewed traditionally with loose leaf tea and a kombucha culture, with a probiotic bacteria added to the drinks. Flavours include Ginger and Yuzu, Apple and Elderflower, Blueberry and Ginger, and Strawberry and Pineapple, as well as limited-edition seasonal offerings like its Gingerbread Fizz. It also offers a CBD kombucha in three fruity flavour varieties, infused with live cultures alongside 15mg of CBD, harnessing multiple functional beverage trends in one product line. “We want all our drinks – both the soda and the kombucha – to be low in sugar and calories,” said Thackray. “We do not use sweeteners, neither artificial nor the ‘natural’ ones such as stevia or erythritol. Sweeteners always leave a very distinctly bitter aftertaste, which is impossible to mask.” She acknowledged the significant challenge of reducing sugar and eliminating sweeteners while achieving a great taste, adding that each drink produced by Hip Pop takes “months to achieve the right balance between the small amount of natural sugar we do use, along with the fruits and flavours, to create just the right amount of sweetness”. “Our drinks are less sweet than either traditional pop or diets, zeros or ‘faux healthy stuff’ with sweeteners added, but the feedback we get from customers is that they love this – and once they’ve tried our natural tasting drinks they keep coming back for more,” Thackray enthused. Alongside new innovative product formats, one of the most traditionally relied upon methods of getting gut-friendly cultures into the diet is through fermented vegetables. The Plant Base expects to see growing interest in these types of age-old, naturally vegan products as consumer preferences shift toward desire for minimally processed, natural and organic products. US brand, Flanagan Farm, aims to increase accessibility to raw, organic fermented foods. It launched five flavours – Classic, Kimchi, Beet, Dill and Roasted Garlic – of organic sauerkraut in a convenient pouch format last year. Jorge Azevedo, CEO of Flanagan Farm’s parent company Fermented Food Holdings, said: “If you look on grocery shelves, you’ll see $9 jars of sauerkraut and you’ll see non-organic more affordable options. Now with Flanagan Farm, consumers can get pouches of organic kraut for less than $5.” “It’s estimated that 15% of US consumers are already incorporating fermented foods into their diets; we knew there was strong existing consumer interest with room to grow.” The brand’s sauerkraut is fully fermented and unpasteurised to keep in the gut-friendly probiotics and each bag has a vent on the back to let air out, designed to enable the product to continue fermenting and lock in more live cultures. “You’ll notice other brands use vinegar, preservatives or cook their products to make them last long in the pantry,” said Azevedo. “Our brine prevents bad bacteria, such as mould and yeast from growing, while the good bacteria thrive. These good bacteria propagate in the presence of food, such as the starches found in cabbage.” He added: “As the bacteria digests the starch in this natural fermentation process, they create lactic acid that flavours and naturally preserves the sauerkraut. The secret to our probiotic-rich kraut is giving it the right amount of time to soak up all the nutrients.” Azevedo pointed to the “undeniable link” between veganism and plant-based diets, and the shift toward more natural, whole and minimally processed foods that provide gut health support. “People are increasingly wanting full transparency with the foods they eat. They want to know where their food comes from, how it was made, as well as how it could positively impact their wellbeing and the world,” he concluded. “As such, seeking out plant-based options and fermented foods are aligned.”