Plant-based food manufacturer Atlantic Natural Foods (ANF) has terminated its agreement with Above Foods, which would have seen Above acquire ANF and take it toward a public environment. Both parties have mutually agreed to the withdrawal following ANF’s three-year journey toward going public in partnership with Above Foods, ANF revealed in a press statement released on 18 December 2024. ANF, which produces plant-based meat and seafood alternative brands Loma Linda, Neat and Tuno, said that factors such as the global impact of Covid-19, supply chain disruptions and rising food inflation played a key role in its decision. The shelf-stable food manufacturer will now transition back to private ownership following a strategic realignment that has seen the pending transaction terminated. The two companies will ‘maintain collaborative ties,’ ANF confirmed, with ANF retaining shares in Above Foods, and Above retaining interest in ANF. Doug Hines, chairman of ANF, said: “Operating in the industry's ever-changing landscape has not been without its challenges, but we remain steadfast in our commitment to resetting the standards for the years ahead. We are drawing on tried-and-true food preparation and supply methods that have withstood the test of time to meet the needs of our global consumers.” He added: “This strategy allows us to reinstate our commitment to returning the company to its core principles, products and consumers while carrying out our mission of creating healthy food for the world in 2025 and beyond.” Top image: © Loma Linda #AtlanticNaturalFoods #AboveFoods #US

UK tofu brand The Tofoo Co is launching four new products ahead of the new year and beginning of Veganuary. The new range of added-value products aims to entice new consumers to try tofu for the first time. It follows a year of growth for Tofoo Co, with the company’s recent acquisition by Comitis Capital. Stir Fry Block, a soy, garlic and ginger-flavoured tofu block with a ‘strong umami flavour,’ is designed to provide an easy plant-based protein swap for stir fries. Veggie Balls, made with blended tofu and vegetables with Italian-style spices, offer a high-protein, whole foods-based alternative to other plant-based meatball products. Sweet Chilli Cubes build on the success of Tofoo’s existing Lightly Spiced pieces, developed for consumers to enjoy a convenient, pre-diced tofu cube in a sticky, sweet chilli marinade. Finally, Tofoo Dippers are a tofu-based take on a plant-based chicken nugget, designed to provide a ‘satisfyingly crispy crunch,’ perfect for snacking or as part of easy mid-week meals. Tofoo MD David Knibbs previously hinted at further innovations on the way after a series of NPD launches already introduced in 2024, including Tofoo Seitan in May and Tofoo Katsu in September. The brand now holds a 55% share of the UK tofu category, according to Nielsen data, and has seen a 20% growth increase YoY in value. All four new lines launch at the end of December 2024. Tofoo Co Stir Fry (RRP £2.75 per 280g) is available in Waitrose, Sweet Chilli Cubes (RRP £2.85 per 180g) are available in Tesco and Asda, Veggie Balls (RRP £3 per 240g) are available in Sainsburys, and Tofoo Dippers (RRP £2.50 per 160g) are available in Asda stores. #TheTofooCo #UK

Swiss food-tech company Planted has received a media-for-equity investment from SevenVentures, the investment arm of German media company ProSiebenSat.1. The investment, confirmed to be in the ‘mid-single-digit-million’ euros range, will see SevenVentures become a media partner for the plant-based meat specialist. SevenVentures will support Planted with campaigns on the channels of ProSiebenSat.1 and its Joyn streaming platform, running from spring 2025 until the end of 2027. The aim of the long-term collaboration is to further increase Planted’s brand awareness, and to expand the positioning of its products in retail and gastronomy. Planted’s mission is to bring better proteins to the table of consumers who love the taste and texture of meat, but want to eat a sustainable, plant-based diet. The food-tech combines patented structuring and fermentation technologies in its production, focusing on delivering meat-like flavours and juicy textures using only natural ingredients. By avoiding additives and using natural ingredients, Planted aims to set a new standard of health in the plant-based meat category. Through an upcoming campaign, the alt-protein start-up plans to communicate this USP to a broader target group, leveraging SevenVentures’ support and access to the German-speaking region. The brand’s product lines currently include alternatives to chicken, kebab meat, duck, bratwurst, schnitzel and most recently, steak . Since it was established in 2019, it has built up a B2C and B2B business in the markets of Benelux, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and the UK. Its products are now available in over 10,000 retail outlets and on the menus of more than 6,500 restaurants. In addition to its headquarters in Kemptthal, Switzerland, Planted plans to open a second production plant in Memmingen, Germany, in 2025 . The partnership with SevenVentures will support Planted’s aims to expand its position in Germany. #Planted #SevenVentures #Germany #Switzerland

US plant-based food brand All Y’alls Foods has debuted a brand-new cheesy garlic topping designed for salads, potatoes and more. The new ‘It’s Big Crunchy Cheezy Bits Y’all’ product joins the Texas-headquartered brand’s Tasty Toppers line-up, which also includes a crunchy bacon bits topping. Made from organic soya beans and containing 33g of protein per 2.69 oz bag, the new cheese- and garlic-flavoured crunchy bits are designed for versatility and can also be enjoyed straight from the bag as a snack. Brett Christoffel, founder and CEO of All Y’alls Foods, said: “We know consumers have been seeking cleaner dairy- and gluten-free options beyond the established swimmers and square cheese snacks that have been around for decades, so we make ours without gluten, GMOs or dairy”. He added: “Because we do not use artificial colouring, these are not cute, nor are they uniform in shape or colour – but what they are is full of enjoyable flavour, crunch and protein”. #AllYallsFoods #US

Oatly has announced the closure of its facility in Senoko, Singapore, as part of an 'asset-light' supply chain strategy that aims to improve cost structure. The decision to close the Singapore plant, in the company’s Europe and International segment, was made as part of an ongoing evaluation of Oatly’s Asian supply chain network. The $30 million facility was established in 2021 in partnership with local F&B producer Yeo Hiap Seng (Yeo's), supporting the production of Oatly's oat drinks in Singapore. Following the closure of the manufacturing site, the Swedish oat milk giant said it expects growth in the Europe and International segment’s Asia-Pacific region to be supported by the segment’s existing facilities in Europe. These actions are expected to further increase capacity utilisation of the European factories. The company’s CEO, Jean-Cristophe Flatin, expressed “deep gratitude” to members of staff at the Singapore plant. According to Channel News Asia, the companies have confirmed that 34 Oatly employees and 25 members of staff contracted by Yeo's will be affected, bringing the total number of impacted workers to 59. Oatly CEO, Flatin, commented: “Over the past two years, our supply chain teams have done a good job at improving utilisation, efficiency and reliability while also finding solutions to enable us to gradually expand capacity when needed to support our growing business”. “These actions have led to strong service rates and improved gross margins. Additionally, our prior decision to separate our Greater China business from the rest of the Asian business has enabled us to increase our local focus and competitiveness, which has led to significant improvements in the health of our Greater China segment.” Flatin added that the closure of the Singapore facility is expected to capitalise on those improvements and further strengthen the company’s efficiency with capital and costs. “We also expect the continued simplification of our operations to enable us to sharpen our focus on execution as we drive toward consistent, structural profitable growth and ultimately deliver on our company’s mission.” As part of the closure, Oatly expects to incur non-cash impairment charges of approximately $20-25 million in Q4 2024. Additionally, it estimates restructuring and other exit costs to result in $25-30 million of net cash outflows through 2027 after taking into consideration anticipated proceeds from selling certain equipment. The company expects will provide additional details on its Q4 earnings call in early 2025. #Oatly #Singapore #YeoHiapSeng

Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME have developed a protein-based sweetener claimed to be around 10,000 times sweeter than sugar. In the joint research project, titled NovelSweets, the researchers have teamed up with partners to use biotechnology methods to produce innovative, protein-based sweeteners that could replace sugar and existing artificial alternatives. Researchers are working with industry partners MetaX Institut für Diätetik and Candidum, to support the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture in its efforts to reduce the sugar content of ready-made products and beverages in response to the rise of health issues caused by poor nutrition. The World Health Organization recommends a maximum daily intake of 25g of table sugar per person, equivalent to about five to ten teaspoons. Many processed foods such as convenience foods, sauces, fruit juices, breakfast cereals, fruit-flavoured yogurts and soft drinks are high in sugar – a 250ml glass of cola contains 27 grams, more than the recommended daily amount. Sweet-tasting proteins (SPs) are molecules that occur naturally in some plats and fruits. Due to their structure, they bond very readily – like sugar – to human taste receptors on the tongue. One of the most well-known SPs is brazzein, a protein found in the African plant Pentadiplandra brazzeana. Several start-ups in the food-tech space are working with brazzein to develop new sweetener ingredients, such as Oobli and Ginkgo Bioworks. As extracting the protein from the plant is a ‘lengthy and laborious’ process, the NovelSweets team partners are developing protein varieties based on the protein sequence of brazzein, optimising them with an eye to pH and temperature stability, then using biotechnology tools to produce them. Additionally, they are improving the new varieties in terms of sweetness and flavour – Stefan Rasche, a researcher at  Fraunhofer IME, explained that brazzein naturally feels ‘scratchy’ in the throat. “We’re changing the protein sequence to prevent this kind of undesirable effect. The goal is a better sensory experience, without any unpleasant flavour or aftertaste,” he said. Microbial fermentation is used to produce the improved candidates. The gene that encodes the SP, containing a description of the protein’s amino acid sequence, is implanted into yeast cells, which multiply inside a bioreactor under controlled conditions to produce as much of the SP as possible. Following purification and drying, the protein-based sweetener is ready. The researchers have named the sugar substitute ‘X3’. According to the team, X3 tastes ‘a little like honey,’ making it an ideal sweetener ingredient. “A single gram of the substitute is as sweet as about 10kg of sugar,” said Rasche. “This means that by working with our partners, we have managed to develop an SP that is about 10,000 times sweeter than table sugar.” “A typical cola contains about 106g of sugar per litre. That’s equivalent to 1,800 kilojoules (kJ). Just a few milligrams of our SP is enough to achieve the same level of sweetness, so the calorie content can be significantly reduced.” Rasche added that since it is entirely sugar-free and has “practically no calories,” it does not raise blood sugar levels or cause dental cavities. The team’s first plan is to add the substitute to beverages. Project partner MetaX is currently testing and developing the first range of products containing X3, such as a low-protein beverage powder made with cocoa. Before the approval process can start, the manufacturing process must be optimised along with further product validation measures, so the full potential of the X3 protein version can be unlocked. Top image: © Fraunhofer IME #Germany #brazzein #sweeteners

Tate & Lyle and BioHarvest Sciences have joined forces to develop plant-based molecules for healthier, sustainable and affordable food and beverage ingredients. BioHarvest’s Botanical Synthesis platform produces plant-derived ingredients by growing targeted plant cells, 'which can mirror and magnify the phyto-nutrients contained in specific plants,' said the companies. This process delivers all benefits of the plant without having to grow the plant, and it enables scalable production of non-GMO ingredients with high nutritional value, using less land and water than traditional methods. The partnership will focus on developing next-generation botanical sweeteners using plant-derived molecules. The sweeteners will deliver a sugar-like taste without aftertaste, providing affordable, sustainable options for healthier products. Nick Hampton, chief executive of Tate & Lyle, commented:  “We are always looking to provide our customers with the latest innovation in the marketplace – this partnership with BioHarvest allows us to do just that.  Our open innovation programme is all about creating cutting-edge solutions for the food and beverage industry. By partnering with entrepreneurial innovators like BioHarvest, we aim to disrupt the future of food for the better.”  Victoria Spadaro-Grant, Tate & Lyle’s chief science and innovation officer, said: “This partnership is very exciting for Tate & Lyle. BioHarvest provides the first and only fully validated industrial scale plant cell technology platform for production of plant metabolites. Initial exploration will focus on our sweetener platform, but our partnership also provides for expansion into other areas.”  Ilan Sobel, CEO of BioHarvest Sciences, stated:  “We aspire to improve human wellness by availing our plant derived molecules to hundreds of millions of people and Tate & Lyle represents an ideal partner". "Tate & Lyle is a global powerhouse in food ingredient innovation, and we expect that its regulatory and nutrition expertise, industry knowledge and complementary research initiatives will help expedite and commercialise the next generation of plant-based molecules developed through our Botanical Synthesis platform.”  Yochi Hagay, CTO and co-founder of BioHarvest, added:  “This partnership forms a major milestone in the history of BioHarvest Sciences. It follows more than 15 years of intensive R&D and manufacturing scaling of our Botanical Synthesis technology process to the point that global innovators like Tate & Lyle can now leverage our capabilities to develop new plant-derived molecules to better meet consumer demand for healthier food and beverages.” #TateandLyle #BioHarvest

UK meat alternatives company, This, is introducing two new plant-based chicken products for Veganuary: This Isn’t Chicken Kyiv, and This Isn’t Chicken Wings. This Isn’t Chicken Kyiv is launching in Sainsbury’s chilled meat alternative aisles from 1 January 2025, aiming to provide a plant-based twist on the classic chicken dish. Crafted  from soya and fava protein to provide a succulent texture, the Kyiv is stuffed with wild garlic plant-based butter and a crispy sourdough breadcrumb. It will be priced at £4.95 per 250g pack. In the frozen aisle, This Isn’t Chicken Wings will hit Asda stores from 6 January and Morrisons from 13 January. Priced at £3.75 per 110g pack, the wings promise a hyper-realistic sensory experience, featuring a seaweed-based crispy skin that mimics the texture and taste of traditional chicken wings. The wings deliver on protein and fibre while also being lower in saturated fat than their meat counterparts, the brand emphasised in a statement announcing the launch. They can be marinated and baked, deep-fried or air-fried, designed for versatility. Mark Cuddigan, CEO of This, commented: “Whether you’re fully plant-based or just plant curious this Veganuary, get ready, because This changes everything. We’re always pushing the boundaries when it comes to plant-based food innovation and our new Kyiv and frozen wings give consumers meat-free options that don’t compromise on flavour or texture.” The launch of the wings into retail follows a Veganuary collaboration with Brewdog early this year, in which This’ skin-on wings were available at the UK bar chain for a limited time . In another ‘market-first’ innovation launched by This in 2024, its plant-based chicken thighs hit Tesco shelves in May , also featuring the seaweed ‘skin’ layer. The brand has added over £5 million in retail sales value over the past 12 months and is planning a new campaign for launch in January. #This #UK

Algae biotechnology company Algenuity has established its European commercial headquarters in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The strategic move aims to position the company at the heart of Europe’s biotech and food-tech innovation ecosystem, accelerating its mission to deliver sustainable, algae-based solutions to global markets. Algenuity will retain its UK research and development facility, while the European headquarters will drive the manufacturing, sales and distribution of algae ingredients. Founded in 2009, Algenuity has ambitions to transform the food and beverage industry with its white Chlorella ingredient. The solution offers a neutral colour and ‘superior’ sensory properties and nutritional profile, Algenuity said, enabling formulation advantages across a range of applications. The ingredient can enable food manufacturers to reduce or replace animal-derived ingredients such as eggs, milk and butter, while reducing saturated fat, removing allergens and creating healthier, more sustainable products that meet the demands of health-conscious and environmentally conscious consumers. To scale the ingredient, Algenuity has partnered with Protinext BV, a contract development and manufacturing organisation specialising in microbial fermentation and biotechnology production. The partnership provides Algenuity with the commercial production capacity to bring white Chlorella to market at commercial scale, with operations set to commence in 2025. According to Algenuity, its new facility in the Netherlands will support the delivery of white Chlorella biomass at an annual capacity of up to several thousand tonnes dry weight. Andrew Spicer, chief technology officer and founder of Algenuity, said: “This is an important milestone for Algenuity. White Chlorella is not just another plant-based ingredient; it’s a step change in sustainability and functionality.” He added: “Its exceptional colour, taste, and robust nutritional benefits make it a game-changer for the food and beverage industry. We’re excited to bring this superior ingredient to the market and set a new standard for plant-based and microbial fermentation innovation.” #Algenuity #TheNetherlands #UK

Yeastup, a Swiss yeast-based ingredients company, has raised CHF 8.9m (approx. $9.9m) in funding to support a new large-scale production site. The company will repurpose a former dairy site in Switzerland to establish the new facility, requiring limited CAPEX while leveraging existing high-standard equipment. According to Yeastup, the site will have the capacity to upcycle over 20,000 tons of brewer’s yeast annually. Yeastup extracts functional ingredients from brewer’s spent yeast using a patented process. The technology isolates protein, beta-glucan and mannoprotein in a single industrial process, opening up a wide range of application opportunities for these ingredients across the food, nutraceutical and cosmetic industries. Its yeast-based vegan protein, Yeastin, has a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of 1, comparable to egg protein. It offers good solubility and neutral taste, making it a particularly versatile ingredient. Elsewhere, Yeastup’s fibre ingredient line, Upfiber – consisting of beta-glucans and mannoproteins – can provide gelling and water-binding properties, designed to meet demand for healthy ingredients for functional foods and dietary supplements. © Yeastup According to Yeastup, its protein production process requires 74% less CO₂ than the production of alternative pea proteins, making it an attractive choice with regards to sustainability. The new site previously operated as a production facility for Swiss dairy producer Cremo. Ralph Perroud, CEO of Cremo, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with Yeastup, whose innovative process not only brings new life to our facility but also demonstrates how existing dairy infrastructure can be successfully utilised for the alternative protein sector. We see this as an opportunity to reposition ourselves and explore innovative pathways together with Yeastup.” Supporting investors include Beyond Impact, Gentian Investments, Newtree Impact and Angel House.  Benoît de Bruyn, managing director of Newtree Impact and designated new board member of Yeastup, said Newtree chose to invest due to Yeastup’s upscaling process, which results in “significantly better products and economics compared to others in this space”. Daniel Gnos, CEO of Yeastup, commented: “As a former food technologist in brewing and start-up entrepreneur in the functional food space, it’s incredibly rewarding to see how our groundbreaking innovation has convinced consumers, partners and investors. There are so many compelling reasons why this makes sense for all stakeholders. This support motivates me and the entire team to go the extra mile for Yeastup.” Top image: © Yeastup #Yeastup #Switzerland

Protein Industries Canada has announced a new project with industry partners to bring more soya processing to Canada, while strengthening international markets for soya products. The project will involve collaboration with Canadian soya specialist Alinova Canada; Japanese soya milk producer Marusan Ai Co; and Canadian plant-based companies Earth’s Own Foods and Flamaglo Foods. Alinova, a joint venture between DJ Hendrick International Inc (DJHII) and Marusan Ai Co, will lead the partners in developing and commercialising a new soya powder. This builds on the success seen in DJHII’s previous Protein Industries Canada project, in which the initial partners assessed the feasibility of a commercial soya powder processing plant in Eastern Canada. The new project will see the pilot-scale facility built in Ontario, a region of high soya production in Canada. Both the operation of the new facility and its location will allow the partners to more efficiently focus on product development work and market testing, with Japan being a particular focus. Bringing this processing into Canada is expected to add value to the country’s soya crops, the majority of which are currently exported for processing internationally. By building on Japan’s established standing as a significant soya market, the project’s focus on commercialising there aims to help Canada capture new economic opportunities and strengthen its global competitiveness. As the facility is being built, Earth’s Own and Flamaglo Foods will test small batches of the new soya milk powder in products for Canada’s grocery retail market. Once construction is complete, Alinova Canada and Marusan Ai Co will work to fully expand processing capacity of the soya milk powder and test its commercial viability in the Japanese market. A total of CAD 23.9 million (approx. $16.9m) has been committed to the project, with Protein Industries Canada investing CAD 6.7 million and the partners together investing the remainder. Alinova Canada president Hiroyuki Inagaki said that Marusan Ai recognises the importance of plant protein for global consumer wellbeing, adding that the company predicts the possibility of a global shortage. “We have discussed this possibility with our Canadian partner, DJHII, and together we have a plan to mitigate this risk by working with Eastern Ontario non-GMO soybean growers, and two Canadian plant protein formulation partners,” Inagaki commented. “We believe that together with [their] reliable supply of Canadian soya beans, and our longstanding experience in food processing technology, we can manufacture a novel made-in-Canada soya milk powder ingredient, and find many food product applications.” #ProteinIndustriesCanada #Canada

In this instalment of ‘Start-up spotlight,' we speak to J an Pacas, CEO and founder of All G. Australian health-tech company All G produces bovine- and human-identical milk proteins using precision fermentation, aiming to transform dairy and deliver 'next-generation nutrition' for one billion people. Read on to find out more about the company's bold vision. Could you give us a bit of background about All Gs’ journey and how it was established? All G was founded with an ambition to revolutionise the food industry with sustainable, low-carbon, animal-free solutions. After my previous ventures with Flare and Mad Paws, I wanted a new a challenge. With All G, I saw an opportunity reshape how we feed a growing population and address our planet’s biggest environmental issues. Fortunately, I also crossed paths with Dr Jared Raynes, one of the world’s most brilliant minds in dairy protein, and the first person to create a casein micelle using precision fermentation. From our very first conversation, we saw precision fermentation as the future, and it was clear that we had the right combination of commercial and scientific expertise to create something extraordinary. What kind of impact do you believe you could have on the plant-based food and beverage industry? We believe All G’s impact on the plant-based food and beverage industry will be transformative. Our initial focus is on dairy, and whilst the market has seen great progress, most plant-based products still fall short of replicating the full nutritional profile and functional properties of dairy proteins. Our technology changes that. Using precision fermentation, we produce bovine and human-identical proteins that deliver the taste, texture, and nutritional benefits consumers expect from dairy, but without the cow. Can you tell us more about the technology you use to create your animal-free proteins? We isolate the specific gene for the target protein or nutrient and then insert it into a microbe like yeast or bacteria. We effectively use these microbes as high efficiency protein producers. The production process happens in a bioreactor and takes around five days. The microbes are fed a sugar-based feedstock and secrete the desired protein. This allows us to replicate proteins identical to those found in dairy and human milk, delivering the same functional and nutritional qualities without any animal involvement. Which dairy proteins are you producing with your tech? Currently, we’re focused on producing high-value dairy proteins such as bovine lactoferrin and humanised milk proteins – key components for applications like functional foods and infant formula, as well as caseins with signficant applications for the dairy industry. What kind of product categories will benefit most from your solution? Where is your initial focus and do you plan to expand this in future? As our technology improves, we have the ambitious goal of recreating infant formula using only human proteins. Today, infant formula is made using cow’s milk. But there is a significant difference in the nutritional profile between cow and human breast milk. Human milk provides the ideal composition of nutrients, bioactive proteins, and immunological factors tailored to support infant growth, gut health and immune system development. It will be a long journey to fully recreate infant formula, but it is an exciting and worthy challenge. We’re excited by this future and the improvements it will offer infants around the world. What stage of commercialisation is All G currently in with its solution? It’s an exciting time as we transition from pilot-stage to full commercial rollout of bovine lactoferrin. We’re progressively increasing our production scale and will have a commercial launch in 2025. On the regulatory side, we’re on track for self-GRAS approval in the US by the end of the year, unlocking our first commercial entry into the adult nutrition space. We’re seeing strong interest from key players across the dairy and ingredient industries. These collaborations will play a vital role in helping us scale quickly and access established market channels. Have there been any particular challenges for All G on its journey so far? A key decision for us was to pivot away from developing beta-lactoglobulin. It’s an obvious initial protein candidate because it’s technically easier to produce, but we ultimately realised that market demand is limited and so it lacks commercial viability. Instead, we decided to pursue more complex bovine casein micelles and human-identical proteins like lactoferrin. Whilst this is a more ambitious technical challenge, the market need is clear. Looking back, it’s been one of the best decisions we’ve made, positioning us to lead in a space where real, impactful change is needed. How do you approach collaboration with other food and beverage industry businesses? We’re quite open in the way we engage with the industry. As a small start-up, we can’t expect to lead in all steps of the value chain. We need to remain highly focused on areas like strain development which are the secret sauce of the technology. For other areas, like scale manufacturing, which requires significant investment, we will necessarily need partners to help us succeed. Currently, we are working closely with bioreactor partners to help us scale up quickly and in a cost-effective way. What has been the company’s biggest achievement to date? Our biggest achievement to date has been the development of what we believe is the world’s most advanced lactoferrin strain. The yield and purity are exceeding our targets, and we expect our production cost to be well below conventional bovine lactoferrin for commercial launch in 2025. Equally important is the strong IP we’ve created around our caseins, particularly our groundbreaking work on casein micelles. This isn’t just about producing isolated proteins; it’s about replicating the full complexity of dairy, achieving the texture, mouthfeel and performance that consumers expect from traditional dairy products. Our patents give us a significant competitive edge, securing our innovations and positioning us as leaders in animal-free dairy proteins. These milestones highlight the strength of our science and the vision of our team. We’ve laid a strong foundation, and this is only the beginning. With this momentum, we’re poised to drive the future of food innovation and set a new standard in the industry. For aspiring start-ups in the food and beverage industry, what valuable advice or insights would you share to help them navigate the challenges and opportunities in this dynamic sector? My number one piece of advice is to listen closely to your customers. They are usually (not always!) right. The food and beverage market is full of opportunity, and precision fermentation alone presents a world of possibilities. This means we need to be extremely careful about how we allocate our limited resources. We are convinced that precision fermentation is the future, it’s really just a question of the best way to navigate into that future. We need to balance our long-term goals with a short-term need to gain commercial traction and prove that precision fermentation is a viable technology. Our close working relationships with customer have been so important in this regard. Customer perspectives and needs have guided our strain development, regulatory pathways, manufacturing process and target markets. #AllG #Australia