Vegetable-led pasta brand Sunny & Luna has added a brand-new pumpkin gnocchi product to its range, debuting at Sainsbury’s stores across the UK. Made with pumpkin and cauliflower, the gnocchi contains 50% vegetables and aims to provide a nourishing twist on Italian comfort food that counts as one of British consumers’ five daily fruit and veg portions. It joins the brand’s existing cauliflower gnocchi (made with fresh cauliflower) and spinach gnocchi (made with fresh spinach and cauliflower) in the chilled fresh pasta aisle at Sainsbury’s this month, marking the brand’s first major supermarket listing. Guilia Berretti, founder of Sunny & Luna, said: “Growing up making pasta with my grandmother in Milan ignited my love for Italian food. Later, as a fashion model, I saw how carb-heavy foods like pasta were often demonised, especially among young women.” She added: “Sunny & Luna was born to change that – to give people the Italian comfort food they love, with the nutrition they need to thrive. Getting that into millions of homes every week is a huge moment for our mission.” The brand’s products are made in Italy using authentic Italian recipes and contain no preservatives or other artificial additives. Other products available in the range include a tagliatelle made from lentils, chickpeas and peas. In addition to the Sainsbury’s listing for the three chilled products, the brand’s broader range is available at Ocado, Whole Foods, Planet Organic, Zapp and independent delis and grocers across the UK.

Dutch start-up Time-Travelling Milkman (TTM) has secured €2 million in Pre-Series A funding to accelerate the commercialisation of its Oleocream solution – an ingredient designed to enhance creaminess in plant-based and hybrid dairy products. The food-tech company, founded in 2020 and based in Wageningen, has received backing from Sparkalis – the venture arm of Puratos – to support global expansion in premium bakery and patisserie categories, and Evercurious, a venture capital fund backing European early-stage deep-tech start-ups. The round also includes follow-on funding from Oost, a long-standing shareholder and regional development agency in the Netherlands. With production scaled to 1,000 tonnes per year, TTM will use the capital to scale the commercial roll-out of Oleocream in the dairy and dairy alternatives market. With commercial trials underway and new product launches expected in the coming months, TTM hopes to ‘redefine creaminess’ in dairy and plant-based categories across Europe. Oleocream is a clean label, allergen-free ingredient that is rich in unsaturated fats and highly compatible with high-heat processes, fermentation and low acidity applications. TTM describes it as a ‘breakthrough’ solution, designed to tackle three challenges for the alt-dairy and dairy categories: rising prices, ecological disruption and the ‘underwhelming’ taste experience of many plant-based alternatives. According to the start-up, Oleocream can deliver creaminess at a fraction of the cost of dairy fat and lowers product emissions by more than 80%. It is made using a patented process that converts European sunflower seeds into functional ingredients. Its development was propelled by rising consumer demand for healthier and less processed foods, as well as increasing pressure to transition away from tropical fats and toward more sustainable alternatives. It also aims to support the emergence of hybrid dairy, which combine plant-based ingredients with traditional dairy, as a fast-growing category. TTM said consumers will soon enjoy Oleocream in products such as breakfast spreads, desserts and cream cheeses that feature shorter, cleaner and healthier ingredients lists. Dimitris Karefyllakis, co-founder and managing director of TTM, said: “We’re seizing a rare opportunity in a sector where both investments and sales have stalled. “After years of optimization and scaling, we’re ready to deliver Oleocream at commercial volumes efficiently, consistently and affordably.” Top image: © Time-Travelling Milkman

UnButter, a Canadian vegan butter brand, aims to provide a disruptive new innovation for the plant-based category with the launch of its shea-based, allergen-free product. Brand founder Vivian Villa believes the product has potential to appeal to all consumers due to its taste, as well as being free from common allergens and high in healthy fats. It brings shea – a fat extracted from the nuts of the shea tree, commonly used in hair and skin care products due to its hydrating properties – to the dairy alternative category in what is claimed to be a market-first. The shea-based butter offers a creamy and versatile dairy-free option that can be used across multiple use occasions, from cooking and baking to spreading on toast. It is debuting in three flavour varieties: Lighty Salted, Salted, and Herb + Garlic. Commenting on the launch, Villa said: “We’re thrilled to introduce UnButter to Healthy Planet customers across Ontario. This partnership means more people will have the opportunity to enjoy a plant-based butter alternative that doesn’t compromise on taste or texture, that is wonderfully high-fat due to the shea base.” UnButter is rolling out at Healthy Planet stores across Ontario, Canada. The brand is participating in a series of in-store sampling events throughout the month, giving consumers the chance to try the butter alternative before purchasing.

Alt-dairy and cereal brand Moma Foods has introduced four new oat milk products into its UK retail line-up, launching this autumn. The brand is targeting incremental sales with a raft of innovation spanning flavoured and functional oat milks, and RTD lattes. Each product is designed to tap into fast-growing consumer trends in taste, health and premiumisation. Two flavoured oat milks – Salted Maple & Hazelnut Oat Drink, and Pistachio Oat Drink – will launch into Moma’s range, aiming to deliver café-style taste without the cost or complication of syrups and barista equipment. Moma revealed that consumer testing crowned Maple & Hazelnut the ‘most appealing autumn-inspired flavour,’ while the Pistachio variety taps into the pistachio boom. The green nut’s popularity has surged following the global viral Dubai Chocolate trend. Both flavours roll into Morrisons, Waitrose and Amazon from 22 September, available in 1L cartons for an RRP of £2.20. Also launching is the new fortified Immunity Support Oat Drink, launching at Waitrose on 12 October with an RRP of £1.80 per 750ml. Fortified with five essential vitamins and minerals plus calcium and B2, the drink is positioned as ‘your daily oat, boosted with benefits’. It aims to provide an easy route into functional health for consumers without the need for added supplements. Each 250ml serving delivers 100% of the recommended daily vitamin D intake. The global ‘boosted’ beverage market is now worth over £111.4 billion, with ‘immunity boosters’ taking a 25% slice. In the UK, research shows over half of consumers fail to meet daily vitamin and mineral requirements, fuelling demand for fortified foods and beverages. Finally, responding to rising demand for innovative RTD dairy-free options, Moma will debut its RTD Oat Chai Latte – available in a 250ml can for £1.80 via Waitrose and Amazon, from 12 October. The chai latte features a blend of aromatic spices and creamy oat milk. Within total milk, iced coffee and flavoured milk are growing – but Moma noted that dairy alternatives continue to under trade in these spaces due to ‘a lack of exciting and delicious options’. The brand aims to unlock this category opportunity with its latest launches, tapping into affordable indulgence demand. Natasha Thompson, marketing director at Moma Foods, said: “Consumers want flavour, function and quality from oats, and our latest launches deliver on all three. We’re giving retailers category-driving innovation, while staying true to our commitment to UK-grown oats and extraordinary taste.”

Danish foodtech innovator Summ Ingredients, formerly known as Nutrumami, is poised to transform the food ingredients landscape with the introduction of its first multifunctional ingredient, FermiPro. Following a recent rebranding and a successful funding round, the company aims to redefine how food ingredients are formulated, addressing the growing demand for healthier, plant-centric options. Summ Ingredients has successfully raised €1.7 million in funding, with contributions from EIFO, BoxOne, and existing investors Kost Capital and Planetary Impact Ventures. This investment will facilitate the production and market rollout of FermiPro, which is expected to be available to food producers by autumn 2025. Frederik Jensen, CEO and founder of Summ Ingredients, commented: “We aim to pioneer a new ingredient category – multifunctional, fermented proteins – that deliver taste, texture and nutrition in one solution”. This approach not only simplifies formulation for food manufacturers but also enhances the appeal of plant-based foods. FermiPro stands out as a fermented protein that combines multiple functionalities, offering food producers an innovative toolkit for product development. Key benefits include: Enhanced flavour :  FermiPro provides complex umami flavours and kokumi (mouthfulness), replicating the depth typically found in meat-based dishes. Natural texture building : It effectively replaces traditional additives such as gums and starches, improving mouthfeel without compromising on quality. Nutritional boost : The ingredient enriches products with protein, minerals and B-vitamins, creating a more complete nutritional profile. This multifunctionality allows food producers to reduce reliance on flavourings, texturisers and E-numbers, promoting cleaner label products that use more legumes and other plant-based ingredients. Summ Ingredients is already leveraging FermiPro across various food categories, with several products in the pipeline: FermiPro Cultured ProMix: A plant-based cheese that achieves double-digit protein content and 30% less fat without using modified starch or texturants. FermiPro Bouillon Creamer: An all-in-one solution for ready meals, delivering rich flavour and creamy texture. FermiPro Saucier: A dairy-free, starch-free option that offers creaminess and umami for sauces. FermiPro Texture+: A clean label solution for hybrid and plant-based meats without additives. FermiPro Plant Booster Clean label Seasonings: Achieving up to 30% salt reduction while maintaining robust flavour profiles. The rebranding to SUMM Ingredients reflects the company’s ambition to integrate multiple functions into a single ingredient, enhancing health, flavour and sustainability. To support this vision, Summ Ingredients has appointed Kasper Bus as chief commercial officer. With extensive experience in the food and ingredients sector, Bus will play a critical role in aligning the company’s technological innovations with market needs. Jensen noted: “With Kasper on board, we gain a strong commercial driver who can bridge our technology with market demands, essential for our global expansion”. Summ Ingredients is advancing its innovations through a proprietary cross-fermentation platform, with two patent applications filed. This technology leverages the synergistic effects of various microorganisms applied to diverse plant materials, unlocking new multifunctional ingredients suitable for a wide range of applications, from cultured plant cheeses to umami-rich seasonings. Looking ahead, the company is also developing a second multifunctional ingredient aimed at sugar reduction and improved mouthfeel, further expanding its potential to transform food formulation.

Bel Group’s Babybel cheese brand has introduced Mini Babybel Hellfire in the UK, a spicy dairy-free snack launched in partnership with television series Stranger Things. The snacks are described as offering a ‘bold and intense’ flavour for ‘adventurous snackers,’ available at Sainsbury’s and Morrisons stores in nets of six. They are made from 100% plant-based ingredients, including coconut oil, modified potato starch and a hot chilli blend containing red bell pepper, red jalapeno chilli pepper and cayenne chilli pepper. The cheese snacks also provide a source of calcium. This collaboration between Babybel and Stranger Things has been launched in celebration of the upcoming TV show’s fifth series, set for release in late 2025. Babybel introduced its first plant-based version in 2022. Parent group Bel has recently confirmed plans to focus on additional dairy-free flavours of its iconic cheese wheels as part of an innovation roadmap centred around its core brands. This announcement came as the group revealed it would be discontinuing its 100% plant-based brand Nurishh by the end of 2025 , having been unable to establish a profitable and sustainable business for the brand.

This month, the spotlight is on Leaft Foods: a New Zealand-based food-tech innovator developing functional ingredients and consumer products made from green leaf protein. We spoke to Ross Milne, the company’s CEO, to find out more. Could you tell us about Leaft Foods’ journey and how the company came to be established?  Leaft Foods emerged from a pivotal moment in 2014 when our co-founders, John and Maury Leyland Penno, attended a Stanford University innovation bootcamp that sparked their interest in how livestock farmers could move toward more sustainable food production methods while continuing to produce high-quality food.  Maury had developed her business acumen through roles at prestigious organisations including Team New Zealand, Boston Consulting Group, and dairy giant Fonterra. Meanwhile, John combined scientific expertise as an agricultural researcher with entrepreneurial experience from co-founding and leading Synlait Milk as CEO.  In 2017, their focus shifted toward a more radical concept: extracting high-quality protein directly from green leaves. This led them to concentrate on rubisco, a protein that exists in virtually every green plant on Earth and happens to be the planet’s most abundant protein.  In 2019, the founding team was completed when I came aboard as CEO with a unique perspective and skillset. I'd spent my career engineering some of the world’s largest food manufacturing facilities for GEA, recently had embraced plant-based eating and was seeking to apply my expertise toward more sustainable food systems.  While many companies in the alternative protein got caught up in market excitement and then strong economic headwinds in recent years, Leaft focused intensively on research, development and refinement, working quietly to solve complex technical challenges while maintaining a clear focus on commercial economic viability.  Our ultimate goal is transformative: to create a new path to protein production by bypassing both traditional animal agriculture and seed-based plant proteins in favour of extracting superior nutrition directly from leaves. We view this not as an incremental improvement, but as the foundation for an entirely new approach to feeding people sustainably.  Why rubisco protein? Rubisco represents what has long been called the ‘utopia protein.’ It’s a truly amazing protein and it is present in every green leaf. Its abundance means we can build a more efficient food system that is a step-change towards a lower carbon future.  It’s a remarkable convergence of nutritional excellence, core food systems functionality and environmental benefits. It delivers an amino acid profile that exceeds whey protein, which is the gold standard for complete proteins, with all essential amino acids present in optimal ratios, including tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan.  Rubisco’s exceptional digestibility is another critical factor. As an enzyme protein built for biological activity rather than storage, it releases amino acids much faster than traditional plant proteins, delivering peak concentrations precisely when the body needs them most. This represents a shift from reactive nutrition (protein for recovery after exercise) to proactive nutrition (protein available during performance).  Beyond basic nutrition, our Rubisco offers amazing functional properties that are desired in food matrices, such as its foaming, emulsification and gelling properties. This makes it ideal for food manufacturers seeking to replace egg whites or dairy proteins in their formulations. The environmental impact is also significantly lower than animal-derived proteins like whey, because we take the cow out of the system.  The sustainability benefits extend to how our crops are farmed. Lucerne (alfalfa), which we use as our primary source, fixes its own nitrogen from the atmosphere, reducing fertilizer requirements. Its deep taproot system makes it highly water-efficient while improving soil structure and health. And unlike annual crops, lucerne grows year after year without replanting and can be harvested multiple times annually, maximising land productivity. How does your technology to extract the protein from green leaves and turn it into a functional ingredient work? How does this tech address previous challenges associated with extracting rubisco protein?  Most protein extraction efforts focus on maximising the yield of one component. Our breakthrough was recognising that we could optimise protein quality while creating value from 100% of the raw material. The timing convergence was crucial too. We had access to New Zealand's world-leading food production and research expertise and our strong history in dairy. Equally important was having the team and resources to spend time testing and refining. This, in conjunction with our direct farmer relationships, helped us understand how the crop could really be integrated into a farming system.  You recently launched your first consumer product, Leaft Blade. Why did you choose to target the performance nutrition category?  We chose performance nutrition because it plays directly to Rubisco's greatest strength, which is speed. While traditional proteins are designed for recovery after exercise, we saw an opportunity to flip that model entirely with proactive nutrition that works before performance happens. Rubisco's enzyme structure means it delivers amino acids up to six times faster than conventional proteins. For athletes and fitness enthusiasts, this translates to amino acids flooding their system precisely when muscles send their ‘build’ signal during exercise, rather than hours later during recovery.  The performance market was also the right fit for introducing something completely new. These consumers understand protein science, and they get concepts like amino acid profiles and absorption rates. They're willing to invest in demonstrable benefits and are quick to recognise when something genuinely works better. By entering performance nutrition where function matters most, we could showcase what Rubisco actually delivers rather than fighting preconceptions about plant protein limitations as other companies have.   We're not just launching another plant protein. We're creating an entirely new category. The leaf protein category for consumer products doesn't exist yet, but we're defining and leading it.   Are you developing products in any other product categories? What other applications would the ingredient be well-suited to?  We're definitely seeing exciting opportunities beyond performance nutrition, particularly on the B2B ingredient side where Rubisco's functional properties really shine. Our B2B customers immediately grasp the potential when they see Rubisco's emulsifying, foaming and gelling capabilities in action. Because Rubisco behaves like premium functional proteins such as egg whites or whey, it opens doors in categories where plant proteins have traditionally struggled. We see strong potential in bakery applications where Rubisco's foaming properties could replace egg whites, and in dairy alternatives where its emulsifying capabilities could improve texture and mouthfeel.  Because our products are highly functional, we're competing against high-value proteins like egg, rather than commodity plant proteins. This positions us well economically while solving real formulation challenges for food manufacturers. We're also exploring opportunities that leverage our zero-waste process. Since we extract value from 100% of the leaf material, not just the protein, we can create multiple revenue streams from a single input.  Are there any notable market trends and consumer demands that your solution can tap into?  The biggest shift we're witnessing is growing consumer sophistication around protein quality. People are moving beyond just counting grams of protein. They want to understand amino acid profiles, absorption rates and functional benefits. This education trend works in our favour because once consumers understand what makes Rubisco unique, the value proposition becomes clear.   There's also some fatigue with traditional plant-based proteins. Many consumers have tried products that compromise on taste, texture or nutrition, and they're hungry for alternatives that don't force those trade-offs. Sustainability consciousness continues to grow, but consumers are becoming more discerning. They want genuine environmental benefits, not just marketing claims. The clean label trend is also massive and accelerating. Consumers want ingredients they can pronounce and understand. ‘Protein from green leaves’ is inherently clean and simple.   How have you seen the alternative proteins market evolve in recent years?   The alternative protein sector has been through a complete cycle since we were founded: from explosive hype to significant correction, and now we're seeing a more mature, realistic phase emerging. When we began, the sector was experiencing massive excitement and capital influx. Everyone was talking about disrupting animal agriculture, and valuations were skyrocketing based on potential rather than proven fundamentals. A lot of companies got caught up in that momentum. Then reality hit. The market realised that many alternative protein products were compromising significantly on taste, texture or nutrition compared to what they were trying to replace. Consumer adoption plateaued and investors became much more cautious.  What we're seeing now is a more discerning phase. Consumers are moving beyond novelty and demanding products that truly deliver. It’s not enough to make sustainability claims. A product needs to deliver on performance, taste and value. I think the companies that survive this shake-out will be ones focused on fundamental breakthroughs, rather than incremental improvements. There's growing recognition that we need genuinely transformative solutions, not just better versions of existing plant proteins.  What has been Leaft Foods’ biggest achievement to date?  Our biggest achievement has been cracking the code that stumped researchers for over a century. We successfully extracted Rubisco protein on a commercial scale while preserving its extraordinary functional properties. We've proven the entire system works at a large scale, which is important to business growth and viability. Our 30,000 square foot facility’s current production is impressive, but it is also just the start of what we can do. We've also demonstrated that this breakthrough can deliver genuine value to both B2B customers and consumers.  Have you faced any particular challenges on your journey? How did you navigate them?  We've certainly faced our share of challenges, but I think our approach to navigating them has been key to our progress as a company.  The biggest technical challenge was the fundamental extraction paradox I mentioned. This took years of painstaking work by our team of scientists and engineers. Timing the market has been both a challenge and an advantage. We started during the height of alternative protein hype, but rather than getting swept up in that excitement, we made a decision to stay heads-down building. That discipline paid off.  The commercialisation challenge was also substantial. We're creating an entirely new category with leaf protein, so there's no established playbook. We had to figure out how to position something that doesn't exist yet. Our strategy has been to let performance speak for itself.  What’s next for Leaft? Any exciting plans in the pipeline?  We're at a really exciting inflection point with our current production validating both our business model and unit economics. From here, we map our journey to profitability as we take the next steps to scale up. On the consumer side, we're seeing strong early adoption of Leaft Blade among performance athletes and weekend warriors. The B2B ingredient business is moving forward too. We're working with partners across different food categories who want to leverage the functional properties of our protein.  Our first strategic partnership we’re announcing on the B2B side is with Lacto Japan ,  a leading distributor of speciality food ingredients, to introduce Leaf Rubisco Protein to Japan's sophisticated food manufacturing sector. Through that partnership, we're already engaged with several of Japan's most important food manufacturers across plant-based foods, bakery products and sports nutrition categories. The early market validation has been strong. Lacto's team was impressed not just with the protein system itself, but with how well it performs in actual applications, meeting the exceptionally high standards that Japanese consumers expect.   For aspiring food-tech start-ups, what valuable advice or insights would you share to help them navigate the challenges and opportunities in this dynamic sector? Having weathered numerous cycles in the food manufacturing space, I'd say the most critical lesson is that fundamental economics always apply. In some periods, it may feel like they don't matter, but they inevitably come back to bite you. We've always maintained a long-term vision for Leaft that's helped us look through market cycles and stay focused on what actually matters. I’d also encourage new entrants to the industry to be honest about their boundary conditions. We've always been clear on the yield targets we needed to hit for scale and the quality thresholds required for customer acceptance. Having clarity on these constraints forces you to find solutions that actually work commercially, not just technically at lab-scale.

A new report, commissioned by plant-based food company Oddlygood Group, has found that over half (53%) of consumers who have stopped drinking plant-based drinks in the past year would be likely to return. ' The Plant-Based Glass Ceiling Report ,' compiled following a survey of 2,000 consumers, showed that as many as 62% of lapsed consumers still feel positive about the category, suggesting an opportunity for growth. Oddlygood Group – headquartered in Finland and owner of plant-based brands Oddlygood and Rude Health – commissioned the report to identify growth in a ‘stagnating’ market for plant-based drinks, which has fallen 0.8% value in the past year according to NIQ data. It surveyed three consumer groups: non-users of plant-based drinks, lapsed users, and low users. The results uncovered a strong opportunity among lapsed users who have stopped drinking plant-based beverages within the last year. This group is predominantly young – 49% are under 35 years old – and over half (58%) said they feel confident in understanding the health benefits of plant-based drinks. However, clearer and accredited on-pack health information was named as the top factor that would persuade this group to return to the category (28%), suggesting an opportunity to regain their loyalty through meeting these needs. This was followed by improving taste (26%) and price (26%). Low users showed similar motivations. Clear, accredited health information was named as the top factor that would boost consumption (33%), followed by confidence that the drinks contain natural ingredients (27%). Among non-users, the top factor that would persuade them to try plant-based drinks was taste (22%) followed by price (19%). These consumers would be most likely to try a coconut drink (13%) over the more popular oat and other variants. Oddlygood noted that this could represent an untapped entry point into the dairy-free category, with Rude Health already seeing significant growth in this area. Its organic coconut drink is now the brand’s top-selling SKU and number one coconut SKU in the category, according to NIQ. In yogurt alternatives and desserts, taste and health perceptions are key barriers. Quality emerged as a bigger challenge than with drinks: for lapsed users, it was identified as the single largest barrier. Over one-fifth (22%) of lapsed users feel they are paying more for an inferior product in this category, while 21% believe plant-based varieties taste artificial and a similar share (22%) believe they are too bland. These figures suggest that addressing quality perceptions will be key to wining back lapsed users and driving market growth. Niko Vuorenmaa, CEO of Oddlygood Group, commented on the findings: “One of the biggest growth opportunities for plant-based drinks, ‘gurts’ and desserts lies with the many consumers who don’t yet choose them – and those who have recently lapsed. To unlock this, we need to understand what holds them back and what will inspire them to try again.” He added: “Real growth won’t come from preaching to the converted, but from engaging the consumers outside the category – this report is about exploring how we as one of Europe’s largest plant-based challengers can do this and how the category needs to evolve”. Oddlygood acquired Rude Health in October last year , expanding the company’s presence in the UK market. The Finnish alt-dairy specialist was launched by dairy company Valio in 2018 and became a spin-off in 2021, offering a range of oat, soy and almond drinks as well as alternatives to cheese, yogurts, cooking products and desserts. Following its success in the Nordics, the company launched in the UK in June 2023, which it now sees as a key territory for its brands.

Honestly Tasty has today (18 September 2025) announced its acquisition of fellow UK artisan vegan cheese brand La Fauxmagerie. La Fauxmagerie was founded in 2019 by Rachel and Charlotte Stevens. The brand, which offers a range of artisan dairy-free cheeses made with 100% plant-based ingredients, is based in London. Prior to the acquisition, its range was available from the Cheese Cellar – a wine and cheese restaurant located in the basement of vegan restaurant Purezza in Camden, London – as well as through a retail partnership with British supermarket Waitrose. Purezza acquired a majority stake in La Fauxmagerie as part of a merger deal in 2023. Honestly Tasty, founded in 2018 by Mike and Beth Moore, will now take full ownership of the La Fauxmagerie brand, driving product innovation and expanding its availability. The company has been making La Fauxmagerie cheeses for over a year, and will now move from production partner to parent company of the brand. A new dedicated online store will be opened for La Fauxmagerie, while its previous website will become Saporia: a broader plant-based marketplace platform offering a wider range of products. Tim Barclay, founder of Saporia, said: “La Fauxmagerie’s store was pioneering, but Saporia takes things further – we’re not just a cheesemonger, we are a full marketplace that celebrates the best plant-based flavours from around the world.” La Fauxmagerie’s core range will remain the same, but Honestly Tasty said it plans to introduce exciting new cheeses into the range following the acquisition. Mike Moore commented: “Taking full ownership means we can innovate, expand the range and keep the exceptional quality and craftsmanship that people love”. Co-founder Beth added: “We’re dedicated to bringing more choice, innovation and artisan quality to plant-based cheese fans everywhere. This acquisition is about nurturing La Fauxmagerie’s legacy while growing its reach for years to come.” The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Heinz is set to launch of a new range of bean and pulse-based meal pouches, designed to cater to the growing consumer demand for convenient, nutritious and flavourful meal options. The new meal pouches, which are ready to eat in just 90 seconds, include three distinct flavours: Chilli Black Beanz, Curry Chickpeaz and Tomato Cannellini Beanz. Each pouch is crafted from natural, plant-based ingredients, contains no artificial flavours and is low in sugar while being a source of protein and fibre. Additionally, each serving contributes at least one portion towards the recommended five-a-day fruit and vegetable intake. Chilli Black Beanz:  This dish features hearty black beans simmered in a smoky chipotle sauce, ideal for pairing with rice or tacos for a quick, Mexican-inspired meal. Curry Chickpeaz:  Mildly spiced chickpeas combined with spinach in a coconut curry sauce offer a flavourful option that can be served with rice or naan for an easy curry night. Tomato Cannellini Beanz:  Cannellini beans in an Italian-inspired tomato and garlic sauce, making them a good accompaniment to fresh sourdough, perfect for a modern twist on traditional beans on toast. Heinz's new range aims to meet the needs of busy consumers who seek both convenience and taste. "Combining our years of beans expertise with consumer cravings for adventurous recipes and world foods, our new range takes everything people love about beans – taste, convenience, comfort – and serves them up in new, delicious ways," said Alessandra de Dreuille, director of meals at Heinz. The launch comes at a time when the global consumption of beans and pulses has surged by 30% over the past decade, driven largely by changing eating habits. According to recent surveys, 63% of UK consumers express a desire to eat healthier, 61% are reducing their meat intake and 49% are looking to increase their protein consumption. Despite this growing interest, UK consumption of beans remains relatively low, with the average consumer consuming only 28g per day. Additionally, adventurous flavour trends are gaining momentum, with cuisines such as Mexican, Italian and Indian leading the way in UK kitchens. This trend presents a opportunity for brands like Heinz to innovate and capture the attention of health-conscious consumers seeking diverse meal options. Heinz Beanz Meal pouches are now available in Sainsbury’s stores nationwide and online via Ocado, with a recommended retail price of £2.50.

Health food brand Whitworths has unveiled what it claims is a first for the UK market: a minimally processed meat-free mince, made with just three natural ingredients. Now available via Ocado for £3.20 per 200g, the mince aims to meet the growing consumer demand for less processed, nutrient-dense plant-based alternatives. While many currently available meat alternatives fall into the ultra-processed foods (UPF) category, Whitworths’ Nutty Kitchen Supermince is minimally processed and made from simply walnuts, lentils and red quinoa. According to the brand, the Supermince provides a naturally meaty texture while offering a wholesome and clean label alternative to meat alternatives that contain artificial additives and long ingredients lists. The category has been subject to significant scrutiny from consumers over the UPF issue in recent years. Whitworths’ entry into the meat alternatives category reflects a broader strategy for the company to leverage its expertise in nuts, pulses and seeds to bring more accessible and nutritious innovations to British retailers. The product is available in Original, plus three flavour options: Mexican, Italian and Indian. Each flavoured option is blended with herbs and spices, designed to work across a range of classic recipes, from spaghetti Bolognese to chilli and tacos. It can be cooked in the same way as traditional mince, and is high in fibre, helping to address the UK’s fibre gap – most adults currently consume only two-thirds of the recommended daily intake. The walnuts and lentils also provide a good source of plant-based protein. Additionally, walnuts are known to contribute to cardiovascular and heart health, further boosting the product’s health credentials. Phil Gowland, commercial director at Whitworths, said: “We know shoppers are increasingly frustrated with plant-based products that feel over-processed or fall short on taste and texture”. He added: “Whitworths Nutty Kitchen Supermince is different. It’s simple, unprocessed, natural and bursting with essential nutrients we all need on a daily basis whilst still delivering that meaty texture people love”. The brand believes the product could help ‘reinvigorate’ the plant-based meat category by appealing to flexitarians and health-conscious shoppers as well as vegetarians and vegans.

Estonian food-tech start-up Äio has announced the successful completion of its first full-scale production run of its sustainable yeast-based oil, reaching a volume of 1 tonne. This volume represents a 300-fold increase from the company’s laboratory capabilities. The production run, completed between late 2024 and mid-2025, marks a key milestone in Äio’s mission to address the growing demand for more natural, sustainable alternatives to environmentally polluting and potentially harmful food ingredients. The start-up uses biomass and precision fermentation to transform industrial side streams into nutrient-rich oils and fats. Its encapsulated oil is high in protein, fibre and functional lipids, offering a nutritious and sustainable alternative to ingredients such as palm and coconut oil, eggs and even cocoa powder. In food applications, the yeast-based oil can deliver a natural umami flavour and versatile texture profile, enabling its use in a wide range of products such as plant-based meat and confectionery. Reports indicate that palm oil cultivation drives approximately 10% of global deforestation. Additionally, the World Wildlife Fund reported that current food production systems have contributed to a 70% decline in terrestrial biodiversity since 1970, highlighting the need for solutions that can reduce the sector’s environmental footprint. Nemailla Bonturi, Äio’s CEO and co-founder, said: “As a scientist, I’ve been developing this fermentation process since 2013. Seeing something that I started in a small lab in Brazil now being produced at this scale in Europe is incredibly rewarding.” Bonturi added: “This first tonne is the first of many to come, and crucially, it proves our process can scale beyond pilot settings and validates the commercial potential we’re working toward”. The company is now preparing for its next major goal: establishing a commercial production facility capable of producing 2,000 tonnes annually. Äio has completed pre-engineering concept work for this and is now developing partnerships with companies involving feedstock supply, distribution and off-take agreements. Äio has begun sharing product samples with manufacturers in both food and personal care, and plans to launch a fundraising round by late 2026 to accelerate its expansion within the alt-fats and oils market. Martin Mets, CFO at Äio, revealed that the company has already reduced its unit costs by 80% in recent years, through scale and optimisation, and expects to see a similar cost reduction curve continue in the years ahead. Bonturi commented: “The fundamental economics have shifted. Five years ago, sustainable alternatives carried a significant price premium. Today, supply chain disruptions and regulatory pressures have created conditions where precision fermentation can achieve cost parity with conventional oils while eliminating environmental and ethical concerns.” “For manufacturers, ecologically conscious ingredients are no longer a ‘nice-to-have,’ they’re a necessity… We’re now showing that the commercial viability for plant-based alternatives to traditional oils is very real.”