The Compleat Food Group's meat and seafood alternative brand, Squeaky Bean, has added a new product to its range: Salmon Style Flakes in a Sweet Chilli Marinade. The product aims to provide UK consumers with a tasty and versatile plant-based fish alternative that can be enjoyed across a wide range of eating occasions, and is ready to eat straight from the pack. Squeaky Bean’s latest launch responds to 41% of the UK population reporting that they are actively following meatless diets or reducing meat intake. It builds on the success of the brand’s Tuna Style Flakes, offering a convenient and nutritious choice for flexitarians, vegans and vegetarians. The flakes aim to emulate the full experience of eating traditional salmon, from appearance to texture and taste. They are paired with a sweet chilli marinade, one of the most popular flavours in the parent category, and offer a rich source of protein and omega-3. Yyvonne Adam, chief marketing officer at The Compleat Food Group, said: “We’re proud to be the number one brand in fish alternatives, and our new Salmon Style Flakes in a vibrant Sweet Chilli Marinade are a testament to our commitment to innovation and great taste”. She added: “With the UK fish market valued at £2 billion, and fish alternatives growing by 34% year-on-year, Squeaky Bean is leading the charge in meeting consumer demand for tasty, sustainable options that cost significantly less than traditional salmon and we’re thrilled to be first to market with a product that’s bold, convenient and genuinely delicious”. The new salmon-style flakes are launching exclusively at Sainsbury’s from October 2025, with an RRP of £3.25 per 120g.

Danish food-tech start-up Matr Foods has completed a €40 million fundraise to scale up the production of its organic, fermented plant-based meat alternatives. The fundraise includes €20 million in Series A equity and €20 million in venture debt – the largest secured by a food-tech company in Denmark. Existing investor Novo Holdings and incoming investor the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) co-led the fundraising, alongside debt from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The funding will support the scale of Matr Foods’ fermentation process at its Ansager site in Jutland, Denmark, to produce its clean label plant-based meat products. A significant scale-up will be enabled by the investment, bringing production from pilot scale to 4,000 tonnes per year in order to meet rising consumer demand for alternative proteins. Established in Copenhagen in 2021, Matr uses traditional fungal fermentation techniques to produce meat alternatives from locally sourced ingredients like oats, split peas, lupins, beetroots and potatoes. According to the start-up, its products offer a juicy texture and meaty, umami flavour, providing a sustainable and nutritious protein option without the need for additives or heavy processing. Its flagship product, Matr Fungi Mince, is made entirely from natural ingredients grown in Scandinavia. It is rich in protein and fibre and low in fat, claimed to offer a similar amino acid profile to traditional meat but with a carbon footprint of just 1.5kg CO2e per kg – 94% lower than that of beef. Matr’s new production line is expected to be operational by early 2027, resulting in 60 new jobs locally and accommodating customers in Germany, Switzerland and Denmark. Randi Wahlsten, CEO of Matr, said: “We are looking forward to finally being able to meet the demand of the many customers and chefs who have been unwavering in their support and enthusiasm for Matr products”. “It is truly humbling to be met with such support and feel the great craving for organic, clean label plant products that offer gastronomic excitement.”

Veggiecus, a German producer of plant-based protein blends, has expanded into frozen, ready-to-use meat alternatives, designed for easy use in foodservice or as private label products. The company said it is responding to growing demand for simple, ready-to-use plant-based meat alternatives in gastronomy and foodservice. Its new frozen range includes plant-based kebab strips, meatballs, schnitzels and burger patties. All varieties are pea protein-based, feature short ingredients lists, are low in allergens and completely soy-free. They are designed for flexible use across a variety of dishes in foodservice, and are quick and simple to prepare, aiming to provide convenience for kitchens with limited or untrained staff. Kathrin Rietmann, business development manager at Veggiecus, said: “Many businesses want to offer plant-based meat alternatives, but lack the capacity or expertise to mix their own blends or manage complex processes”. “With our new ready-made products, we make it even easier for restaurateurs and system catering operators: unpack, cook briefly in a pan, air fryer or deep fryer, and serve – with no compromise on quality, texture or taste.” Rietmann observed “huge demand” in the kebab segment, with many chains lacking the capacity for a separate vegan spit. “Our frozen solution is the perfect fit,” she added. Veggiecus is the plant-based division of Theodor Rietmann, a family-owned business established in Germany in 1967. Initially a producer of baking ingredients for industry, the company has expanded significantly and has been developing dry mixes for plant-based meat alternatives since 2021. These have been used across various applications including sausages, patties, minced products, nuggets, and specialities such as Turkish garlic sausage Sucuk.

UK plant-based meal brand Bol has introduced a new sub-range under its Power Pots line: Protein+. The nutrition-boosted meals aim to meet rising demand for natural, high-protein and high-fibre meals. They combine global-inspired flavours with whole food, each pot offering 30g of protein, at least 19g of fibre, and up to two of UK consumers’ recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables daily. Three variants are launching as part of the sub-range: Thai Green Curry, Teriyaki Style Rie Bowl, and Chickpea Jalfrezi. Like the rest of Bol’s Power Pots, the products are designed for convenience and ready to eat within five minutes. Thai Green Curry features a fragrant coconut curry with tofu, edamame beans, lime and jasmine rice, containing 22g of fibre. Teriyaki Style Rice Bowl combines tofu, red pepper, edamame and black turtle beans in a sweet-savoury teriyaki glaze, containing 19g of fibre. Finally, Chickpea Jalfrezi offers a bold and spicy tomato curry with chickpeas, lentils and basmati rice, containing 32g of fibre. Data from Mintel shows that 73% of UK shoppers consider fibre essential to health, yet 96% of adults do not hit the government’s recommended 30g per day. Meanwhile, searches for ‘natural protein’ are up by 30% on Ocado this year, and interest in meat-free alternatives is surging among 18-34 year olds according to Vypr 2025 research. Paul Brown, founder and CEO of Bol, said: “This new PROTEIN+ range is responding to what today’s consumer is really asking for: great-tasting, nutrient-dense meals that are fast, filling and free from UPF ingredients”. The Protein+ pots are now available in Tesco stores nationwide, as well as online via Ocado and Amazon, with an RRP of £3.50.

Brenntag Specialties has announced the opening of its new Innovation & Application Center for Food & Nutrition in Leeds, UK. The facility will focus on research and development for the company’s Food & Nutrition applications, and will provide services for customer projects related to ingredient selection and formulation guidance. Brenntag experts will serve customers and suppliers with concepts and prototype development, technical solutions and stability studies for a wide range of applications including plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, as well as bakery, dairy, meat, ready meals, sauces and dips, beverages and nutrition. Technology installed in the new centre includes ovens from MIWE and Rational; an autoclave from Tuttnauer; a meat grinder from Mainca and meat tumbler from Vakona; a homogeniser from GEA; mixers from Stephan and Hobar; and dispersion units from Silverson. It also houses ice cream and sorbetto machines, a water bath for sous vide, a vacuum sealer and a canning machine. Additionally, an array of analytical technologies available at the site includes a texture analyser; viscometer; colourimetry tech; microscopy tech; moisture analyser; and Brix, Ph and water activity measurement solutions. The new centre is located in the Lawnswood Business Park in North Leeds, alongside Brenntag’s UK headquarters and the existing Center for Personal Care. It is the latest member of Brenntag Specialties’ global network of 71 industry-focused facilities. Jerzy Jasinski, global president for nutrition and president of Brenntag Specialties EMEA, said: “Brenntag acts as an important link with our customers and suppliers to bring innovation closer to the marketplace”. “The new centre is a great addition to the strong network of now already 31 Food & Nutrition Innovation & Application Centers globally, and 13 in the EMEA region.” Brenntag, the broader parent company of Brenntag Specialties and player in ingredients and chemicals distribution, is headquartered in Essen, Germany. It has more than 18,100 employees worldwide and operates a network of around 600 sites in more than 70 countries.

British plant-based granola brand Rollagranola has launched Little Rollas, a new range designed specifically for children. The line of naturally sweetened granola products has been designed for young palates, with flavours crafted to be ‘natural and honest’ while still appealing to kids’ taste buds. Three flavours have launched as part of the new range: Vanilla, Berry and Cocoa. Vanilla features a blend of pecans, vanilla, cashew and coconut; Berry includes pecans, cashews, strawberries and raspberries; and Cocoa contains sultanas, cocoa, cashew and almond. Each serving provides 4g of plant protein sourced from chickpeas, and is fortified with vitamin D to support healthy bones. The products are gluten-free, dairy-free, and contain no artificial ingredients. The formulations also contain over 25% nuts and seeds. Sean Longden, Rollagranola’s founder, said: “Our move into kids’ products reflects parents’ growing demand for healthy breakfast options that their kids will actually eat. Little Rollas offers a naturally sweet, nutrient-rich alternative that parents can trust.” Rollagranola’s range is now available in major online retailers including Ocado and Amazon. The new kids’ line is available nationwide via the brand’s website, priced at £4.99 per 350g pack, with retail launches to follow soon.

US President Donald Trump announced on social media this week that he is considering blocking imports of cooking oil from China. This decision comes in response to China's recent cessation of all purchases of US soybeans, a situation Trump described as an “economically hostile act” against American farmers. In a post on Truth Social, Trump asserted: “I believe that China purposefully not buying our soybeans, and causing difficulty for our soybean farmers, is an economically hostile act". He continued: "We are considering terminating business with China having to do with cooking oil, and other elements of Trade, as retribution. As an example, we can easily produce cooking oil ourselves; we don’t need to purchase it from China.” Trump's statements have already begun to reverberate through the agricultural sector, with oilseed and related agriculture stocks experiencing significant gains. Companies like Australian Oilseeds Holdings surged over 260%, while Sadot Group climbed by 90%. Other notable increases included Origin Agritech Limited at 42%, and Bunge Global rising by 15%. These market reactions reflect investor optimism regarding potential shifts in US agricultural policy and the prospect of increased domestic production. The backdrop of this announcement is the escalating trade tensions between the US and China. The trade spat intensified this spring when Beijing halted soybean purchases, redirecting its imports to Argentina and Brazil. This shift has resulted in significant losses for US soybean farmers, with estimates suggesting a quarter of their market has been lost due to these trade dynamics. Trump’s latest comments appear strategically timed as he prepares for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, scheduled for November 10 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit in South Korea. The president also threatened to impose a 100% tariff on all Chinese goods starting November 1, following China’s recent restrictions on rare earth exports. For the food and beverage industry, these developments signal potential volatility ahead. Companies that rely on soybean imports for cooking oils and animal feeds must prepare for potential disruptions in their supply chains. Increased domestic production of cooking oil could offer opportunities for local suppliers, but it may also foster greater competition within the sector. As the agricultural market braces for potential policy shifts, stakeholders will need to closely monitor the evolving trade landscape and its implications for pricing, availability and strategic sourcing of key ingredients.

Carlsberg Britvic-owned plant-based drinks brand Plenish has introduced Plenish Zero Sugar Oat M*lk, made with just four naturally sourced ingredients and no oils or additives. The drink is made using only water, gluten-free organic oats, plant-based calcium and salt. By not breaking down the oats into natural sugars like most oat drinks, Plenish claims to have created a UK-first innovation that responds to growing demand for sugar-free options without compromising on creaminess or taste. Data from Kantar shows that sugar content has become the leading health concern for consumers, with sugar-free products now driving growth ahead of core oat drinks. Russell Goldman, managing director for Breakthrough Brands at Carlsberg Britvic, said: “At Plenish we recognise the evolving concerns from consumers around making healthier choices, avoiding artificial ingredients and reducing their sugar intake. It’s about expanding choice within our oat drink portfolio to meet evolving consumer needs.” The launch continues Plenish’s expansion of its milk alternatives range following the launch of Plenish Enriched Oat M*lk earlier this year, a clean label oat drink fortified with essential vitamins and minerals. Plenish Zero Sugar Oat M*lk started rolling out at Waitrose stores from 13 October 2025, at an RRP of £2.35, and is also available via the brand’s website.

This month, our start-up spotlight is on Summ Ingredients, a Danish food-tech innovator formerly known as Nutrumami. The company produces multifunctional fermented protein ingredients suitable for use across a range of plant-based applications. Frederik Jensen, the company's founder, tells us more. What led to SUMM Ingredients’ establishment and what is its long-term goal? A frustration with the status quo of industrial ingredients and their shortcomings in making food that is better for you and for the planet. Most ingredients are monofunctional, so formulators rely on complex flavour and texture systems, and other additives, to make food at scale. In 'better-for-you,' there’s usually a compromise – taste, texture, nutrition or a long, questionable ingredient list. Our vision is to enable a new category of multifunctional ingredients that shape a simpler, better way to create the foods we love. How can your FermiPro solution range respond to a broad range of consumer needs across different food and beverage applications? FermiPro is multifunctional across taste attributes, texture attributes and nutrition, with functions that matter across many key categories. We’re still focused on where we add the most value with our first ingredients: the savoury space – ready meals, sauces, plant-based cheese, hybrids/plant-based proteins, and snacks. What potential benefits do your solutions have for the plant-based F&B industry in particular? Plant-based has faced headwinds – some justifiable (e.g. taste) and some less so (including narratives pushed by lobbying that position meat as 'healthier than plants'). We aim to help move from plant-based to plant-centric, by enabling taste and texture from whole plants themselves, reducing reliance on additive-heavy systems to 'make it work'. What is FermiPro made of? How does the fermentation method to develop these ingredients work? We’re raw-material agnostic; currently we use faba beans and oats. Our approach is inspired by foundational fermentation – many different microorganisms fermenting together so complex flavours and functions can emerge. We use solid-state fermentation to build complex enzyme systems, and pair that with submerged fermentation where mixed microbes express the functions we seek. Then, we take the entire fermented material and dry it into a powder. Simple process, complex functionality. Why was it important for SUMM to embrace a multifunctional approach? We see it as the only way to unlock the next generation of food at scale – delivering taste, function and wholesomeness together, so you don’t have to trade one for another. Can you tell us about the sugar-reduction and mouthfeel ingredient you’re working on? Will this also be made via fermentation? Yes. We’re using the same cross-fermentation toolkit to provide complementary functions – including helping reduce sugar – alongside improved mouthfeel. Currently, the solution is progressing through development and validation. We’ll share timing once performance with partners is fully confirmed. What has been the company’s biggest achievement to date? As a start-up, there are many wins (and probably more failures!). We celebrate the small wins, but it’s hard to declare a 'big achievement' until we’ve made clear market and consumer impact. To date, our technical progress with FermiPro – and how it enables tasty, nutritious, plant-centric foods – is a highlight. None of it happens without the team. What has been the biggest challenge on SUMM’s journey so far? How did you navigate it? Scaling – finding the right partners and infrastructure to do it cost-effectively – alongside the usual suspects in R&D and funding in today’s environment. We’ve managed by thinking creatively: not over-specifying an ideal set-up, but adapting our product and process to real-world facilities where possible. What valuable advice would you share with aspiring food & beverage start-ups? Food is tough. It doesn’t scale like software, and it’s not even like physical hardware – there’s shelf life, safety and health regulation to contend with. If you’re on a VC track, milestones and deadlines come fast. So what I at least find helpful is also to take time to think about the long game – 10, 20 years and beyond. Be clear about what you’re building and why; that perspective helps you prioritise daily decisions and navigate the noise.

A new study suggests that younger adults and men in the UK are significantly more open to foods created using precision fermentation, a technology that uses genetically engineered microbes to produce ingredients like milk proteins, eggs or palm oil outside of traditional agriculture. The research, commissioned by science marketing consultancy Diffusion and conducted by Censuswide with a nationally representative sample of 2,005 UK adults, found that 36% of consumers currently support the development and widespread use of precision fermentation, compared with 24% who oppose it. Support varies sharply across demographics. Men are almost twice as likely as women to back the technology (46% vs 27%), while 54% of 25-34 year-olds and 48% of 35-44 year-olds expressed support, compared with just 25% of those over 55. Among women and older age groups, net support is negative, underscoring the need for greater public engagement. The study also highlights that nearly 40% of UK consumers remain neutral or undecided, suggesting a widespread lack of understanding of how precision fermentation works or its potential applications. This undecided group could potentially be swayed by education and awareness campaigns. Support for precision fermentation is slightly higher than for cultivated meat, which Diffusion found to have an even split of 33% in favor and 33% against. Ivana Farthing, science communication lead and UK MD at Diffusion, said: “We are still in the early days of precision fermentation emerging from the lab and into the public consciousness, so it’s no surprise to that many have yet to make up their minds about this breakthrough. But for researchers and foodtech startups, this consumer ambivalence represents both a risk and an opportunity." "In the United States we have already seen seven states ban the sale of cultivated meat, with some even outlawing further research and development. It's a lesson we need to learn – new industries that don’t shape the debate risk being shaped by the debate.” Farthing added that the study points to a significant education gap. “Our research shows there is a big education and awareness gap that needs to start being filled on the science and methodology of how precision fermentation actually works to create food ingredients and to address likely concerns around safety standards, nutritional value and sustainability." "With population growth and rising climate pressures on traditional agriculture, precision fermentation could be an essential solution to maintaining an abundant and affordable food supply. If we want to keep that option open for humanity, we need to start engaging the public now to build trust and understanding. If we wait to react to misinformation from science sceptics and online conspiracy theorists, the battle may already be lost.” Top image: © Good Food Institute

The Compleat Food Group’s meat alternative brand Squeaky Bean has expanded into the hot pie category with a new fermented vegetable pie line. Claimed to be a first-to-market innovation, the plant-based pies feature rich, savoury flavours from the fermented vegetables – according to the brand, this enables a kind of umami depth typically associated with meat. They are launching in two varieties, Braised Veggie Pie and Spanish Chorizo Style Pie, now available in Tesco stores across the UK at an RRP of £3.75 per 209g pie. Braised Veggie Pie includes chestnut mushrooms, beetroot and onion with a rich stout gravy and warming spices, complete with a puff pastry lid for an indulgent and comforting option. Meanwhile, the Spanish Chorizo Style Pie celebrates Mediterranean flavours, combining creamy butter beans, courgettes and a fermented vegetable filling, also topped with puff pastry. Squeaky Bean said the inclusion of butter beans marks the beginning of a new direction for the brand, with ‘more bean-based innovation to come’. This aligns with increasing consumer interest in more ‘natural’ and veg-led options, while the pies’ fermented vegetable ingredients also tap into the rising popularity of gut-friendly foods. The pies are chilled and designed to be oven-cooked within 30 minutes, designed to provide a convenient main course option for any consumer, whether vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian. Yvonne Adam, chief marketing officer at The Compleat Food Group, said: “At Squeaky Bean, we’re always looking for ways to inject plant-based excitement into other categories, and we identified an opportunity with pies. The hot pie category is now worth £424 million and vegan pies are growing at over 14% in value, so it’s the perfect time for us to bring something new to the table.”

The Good Food Institute (GFI) Asia Pacific has initiated a partnership with South Korea’s World FoodTech Council, focused on accelerating domestic alternative protein innovation. The World FoodTech Council is a national consortium with over 3,300 members. Its work centres around establishing global standards, certification support systems and international cooperation on emerging food technologies. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by the two organisations during a ceremony in Seoul today (15 October 2025) at the World FoodTech Conference. The ceremony was attended by GFI APAC chief executive officer, Mirte Gosker, and World FoodTech Council co-chair Ki Won Lee. In a keynote speech during the conference, Gosker said: “For more than a decade, South Korea has invested more money into scientific R&D as a percentage of GDP than any other Asian country – an asset the country is now leveraging to become an alternative protein powerhouse”. She added: “Just as Asia was early in understanding the untapped potential of renewable energy technologies to satisfy soaring global demand, every country will inevitably need innovative ways to make more meat with fewer resources – and our region is once again laying the groundwork to sell the world what it needs”. Under the MOU, the two organisations will collaborate to support strategic regulatory policies on novel foods in Korea, strengthen domestic R&D initiatives, and catalyse new scientific talent development pathways for researchers in adjacent fields. World FoodTech Council’s Lee commented: “Food-tech tackles the defining challenges of our era – from population growth and climate change to public health in the age of AI. In partnership with GFI, we are committed to positioning K-FoodTech as a key driver of the future food system and a leader in this transformative industry.” Plant-based kimbap, courtesy of Korean start-up Unlimeat © Unlimeat Innovation in Korea’s alternative protein ecosystem has been making good progress over the past year, with GFI currently working to establish GFI Korea, led by its South Korea start-up lead Yeonjoo La. In December 2024, North Jeolla Province announced the launch of its Food Tech Research Support Center, a facility dedicated to plant-based food development and set to open next year. During the same month, the Food Tech Industry Promotion Act was enacted to establish a foundation for the convergence of the food industry with cutting-edge technologies, due to go into effect this December with South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) as the responsible agency. In March 2025, Korea announced the launch of an additional Food Tech Research Support Center, this time focused on cultivated meat, set to open in 2027 with support from MAFRA. GFI noted that while Korea is making exciting developments in the space, it still observes a ‘structural gap’ in the integration of the country’s expertise within global discussions. For example, at this year’s AltProtein Asia scientific symposium – co-hosted by GFI APAC at Singapore’s Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein – scientists joined from Singapore, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand to exchange knowledge on tackling technical bottlenecks hindering taste, scale and price parity for alternative proteins. In 2026, GFI said it will ensure Korea is ‘not just present, but takes a central role’ in the dialogue, directly benefitting Korean researchers and allowing others to benefit from their expertise. GFI’s South Korea start-up lead, La, commented: “South Korea is home to one of Asia’s most advanced tech ecosystems, including 10 biotech innovation and manufacturing clusters, dozens of alternative protein companies, and the highest number of researchers per capita of any country on Earth”. “By connecting Korea’s scientists, policymakers and technologists with their overseas counterparts, we can supercharge plant-based and cultivated meat development, rapidly increase regional regulatory knowledge-sharing, and create an impact far greater than the sum of its parts.”