Plant protein specialist Burcon has announced the first successful commercial production of its Peazazz C pea protein ingredient at its Galesburg facility in Illinois, US. The company is a global provider of plant-based ingredients, with an extensive patent portfolio covering novel proteins derived from pea, canola, soya, hemp, sunflower and other plant sources. Its Peazazz protein is made using the company’s proprietary technology that transforms yellow field peas into high-purity protein islolates, offering a neutral flavour, light colour and versatile functionality. Product applications include beverages, dairy alternatives, baked goods, nutrition bars and more. With commercial production of Peazazz now underway and ramping throughout the second half of the year, Burcon said it is actively progressing customer supply agreements that will support long-term recurring revenue. The Galesburg facility provides capacity to scale production, positioning Burcon to executive its growth strategy and expand market penetration. Kip Underwood, CEO of Burcon, said: “The successful start-up of our Galesburg facility marks a key operational milestone in Burcon’s commercial scale-up”. “In less than 90 days since commissioning, our team has brought next-generation protein production online, enabling us to meet accelerating customer demand and unlock scalable revenue opportunities.” Burcon confirmed it is on track to achieve key operational and financial milestones through 2025 into 2026, anticipating $1-3 million in revenue for calendar year 2025 and over $10 million in revenue for calendar year 2026.

The Kraft Heinz Not Company – the plant-based joint venture of Kraft Heinz and NotCo – has unveiled two new products, NotMayo Chipotle Squeeze and Kraft NotMac & Cheese Cups. Both innovations aim to meet the demand for plant-based options that do not sacrifice on flavour or convenience. The NotMayo Chipotle Squeeze responds to the rise in popularity of spicy condiments, with data showing that spicy flavours are outpacing regular mayonnaise growth. Chipotle, sriracha and general ‘spicy’ flavours have been identified as three of the top five grossing mayonnaise flavours, with chipotle seeing consecutive growth in the category over the past five years. The product is made with plant-based ingredients including soya bean oil and chickpea flour, with added chipotle pepper purée. It is vegan and kosher, and is available in a squeeze bottle format for $4.99. Also available now are the Kraft NotMac & Cheese Cups, a plant-based, microwaveable macaroni and cheese cup line created specifically for younger consumers seeking vegan convenience. The vegan alternative to cheese sauce contains coconut oil and fava bean protein, and is claimed to deliver the same creamy taste as classic and familiar Kraft Easy Mac while providing a dairy-free option. The cups are available in original flavour and sold in a four-pack for $6.99. They are ready in just 3.5 minutes, suitable for snacking or quick meals.

Plukon Food Group has acquired fellow Dutch food group Vega Insiders, a producer of plant-based protein products based in Udenhout, the Netherlands. Vega Insiders develops a range of vegan food products for retail and foodservice customers. Its range includes falafels and a variety of meat alternative products, including vegan meatballs, mince and kebab fillings. The company is part of the Zilverwerf Group and has a factory in Udenhout with capacity to produce a wide range of fresh and frozen food products. According to Plukon, headquartered in Wezep in the Netherlands’ Gelderland province, the acquisition follows its ambition to align with a company that shares its values, vision and ‘entrepreneurial spirit’. Vega Insiders will continue to operate under its own name as part of the Plukon Food Group, and all 18 of its current employees will remain with the group under the terms of the deal, Plukon confirmed. Plukon aims to strengthen its organisation and quickly integrate Vega’s vegan product development expertise into the group. Kees Kraijenoord, CEO of Plukon Food Group, commented: “This acquisition fits perfectly within our strategy; Plukon has been working on alternative protein concepts for years. With this, we strengthen our product diversity and innovative strength in the field of complementary proteins.” “Plukon Food Group has long wanted to have a dedicated vegan production location. With this acquisition, that ambition becomes reality and we can actually scale up within a fully plant-based environment.” Mart Beniers, founder of Vega Insiders and owner of Zilverwerf Group, said: “After years of building Vega Insiders, I was looking for a future-proof place for the company. In Plukon, I found a partner with the same mentality: enterprising, realistic and with knowledge of the market.” Plukon produces fresh meals, salads and poultry as well as alternative protein products. It has 40 locations in Europe, across seven countries, and achieved a turnover of €3.4 billion in 2024 with 11,000 employees. Top image: © Vega Insiders

US breakfast foods maker Purely Elizabeth has launched a new Protein Oatmeal range in the US, expanding its portfolio of granola and oat-based products. The new line delivers 10g of plant-based protein per serving and features organic whole grains such as oats, quinoa and buckwheat, combined with ingredients like dried fruit, cinnamon and maple. Available in three flavours – Apple Harvest Crumble, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and Maple Cinnamon Roll – the range is Non-GMO Project-verified, certified gluten-free, vegan and free from artificial flavours. Elizabeth Stein, founder and CEO of Purely Elizabeth, said: "With the launch of our new Protein Oatmeal, I hope to offer a convenient, nourishing breakfast that truly supports our community's wellness goals. We created this line to make it easier than ever to get 10g of protein, fibre and superfood grains into your morning – without sacrificing taste." Purely Elizabeth’s new Protein Oatmeal retails for $6.49 and is available at retailers nationwide and online via the brand's website.

Alt-seafood start-up Efishient Protein has successfully developed its first plant-based prototype of a grouper fish fillet, designed for commercial preparation and distribution. The B2B company specialises in cultivated fish, with earlier milestones on its journey including developing a stable cell line for cultivated tilapia and a tilapia fillet prototype. Both of these achievements aim to support future commercialisation in collaboration with large-scale fish product manufacturers. Made from plant-based ingredients, the new fillet replicates the structure and texture of traditional grouper – one of the world’s most widely consumed white fish. It will serve as the foundation for the development of a future grouper fillet that incorporates real fish cells, aiming to offer the closest possible experience to wild fish in taste, texture and nutritional profile. Dana Levin, CEO of Efishient Protein, said: “Our vision is to empower large-scale food producers with innovative fish alternatives that are not only delicious and nutritious but also safe, traceable and free from antibiotics, heavy metals, and microplastics”. “This prototype is a clear demonstration of our ability to bring real progress to the cultivated seafood sector and meet market needs.”

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has warned that several major crops, including wheat and beans, could lose half their optimally suitable land by 2100. The organisation has upgraded its Adaptation, Biodiversity and Carbon Mapping Tool (ABC-Map) geospatial app with a new indicator, providing information on the suitability of major crops in evolving climate scenarios to the end of the century. Developed for policymakers, technicians and project designers, the ABC-Map offers an initial screening of the climate-related risks, biodiversity indicators and carbon reduction potential of a selected project. The open-source app uses satellite imagery based on Google Earth engine, with information from global datasets. Data from a study by French fin-tech start-up Finres, commissioned by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and funded by the French Development Agency, is incorporated into the indicator. The study, ‘ Have crops already reached peak suitability: assessing global climatic suitability decreases for crop cultivation ,’ uses a new method to assess crop suitability in varied climate scenarios. It concludes that five out of nine major staple and cash crops – wheat, coffee, beans, cassava and plantain – are already losing optimal growing conditions, and some could lose half their optimal suitable land by 2100. In particular, the study’s researchers suggest coffee production in some of the major coffee-growing regions could decline sharply by the end of the century. Beans and wheat could also experience significant losses, especially in regions such as North America and Europe. Maize and rice could initially find more suitable areas for cultivation, researchers suggest, but this situation could reverse by the end of the same time period under high-emission scenarios. The ABC-Map features indicators in three sections: adaptation, biodiversity and carbon. The new indicator expands the scope of the adaptation section, which previously only displayed information on past trends in a given area, such as temperature and rainfall. Users can input a location and select a crop from 30 options, with the tool highlighting the suitability of selected crops in that area for time periods stretching to 2100. It provides a ‘crop suitability score’ for two different climate emission scenarios. The FAO said it is also planning to introduce an indicator with information on livestock heat stress and another for crop water requirements, which would estimate expected rainfall and potential irrigation needs.

French dairy group Bel has revealed it will be discontinuing its plant-based cheese brand Nurishh by the end of this year. Nurishh was introduced to Bel’s portfolio in 2020 – a year that saw soaring demand for plant-based alternatives and a surge in innovations hitting the market – as part of Bel’s acquisition of All In Foods. The dairy-free cheese range was developed in Saint-Nazaire, France, and has since expanded with availability in 14 countries across Europe, the Middle East and North America. Despite a broad portfolio of innovations across grated, sliced, spreadable and block formats, and a number of investments made with All In Foods, a spokesperson for Bel Group confirmed to The Plant Base that Nurishh will be discontinued by the end of 2025 as the brand has not been able to establish a profitable and sustainable business. © Bel Group The spokesperson commented: “Today, Nurishh represents 1% of the plant-based market in retail. Our main competitor has captured 22% of it. By arriving second in the market, we have not succeeded in differentiating ourselves enough to secure our clients listing and attract new consumers.” The spokesperson affirmed that while the Nurishh brand will be removed from shelves, plant-based still remains “a key pillar” of Bel’s strategy. The company is focusing its resources on its core brands, which include Babybel, The Laughing Cow and Boursin. A new innovation roadmap for Bel includes the launch of a new plant-based Boursin in France and Europe, additional flavours of its Babybel plant-based product, and supporting the development of plant-based The Laughing Cow products in North America. Bel recently debuted a new version of its plant-based Boursin Garlic & Herbs cheese in the UK , now available to consumers in the same traditional foil puck format as its dairy counterpart. The company has also teamed up with Avril, Lallemand and Protial on a three-year R&D initiative – backed by a €9 million investment – to advance vegan cheese innovation with a focus on taste, nutrition and sustainability. Top image: © Bel Group

British pie brand Pieminister has added a Chana Rama pie to its portfolio of vegan options, made with Bold Bean Co’s Queen chickpeas and said to be its ‘lowest-carbon’ pie ever created. The pie contains sweet potato, cauliflower, spinach and spices alongside Bold Bean’s chickpeas, and is now available to foodservice operators via the wholesale channel. It aims to meet demand for high-quality and environmentally friendly vegan options, claimed to offer the lightest carbon footprint of all pies in the brand’s range. Jon Simon, Pieminister’s co-founder and managing director, said: “Expanding our vegan range is key to our mission of becoming as sustainable and ethical as possible”. “We don’t assume ‘plant-based’ equals low impact, so we conduct our own rigorous supply chain audits. That means working with like-minded partners like Bold Bean Co, who meet our high welfare standards and guarantee their ingredients are deforestation-free.” The new vegan option joins several recent vegetarian and gluten-free pie launches, including a gluten-free version of the Big Cheese pie and a lighter, filo pastry pie with goat’s cheese. These form part of the brand’s ambitions to broaden its offering and cater to a wider range of dietary requirements.

Valio has confirmed it will close the Kauhava factory it acquired from Raisio in March 2025 by the end of this year, with operations to relocate to its Joensuu site. The company announced potential plans to close the Kauhava plant and relocate its operations in April, stating that it would enter into a six-week negotiation process over the potential closure. In a statement shared today (4 June), Valio has revealed that a decision has now been made to transfer all production lines at the Kauhava factory to another of its Finnish sites in Joensuu. This will impact all 11 employees currently working at the factory, the dairy and food group confirmed. Valio said the relocation aims to improve production efficiency and profitability, as well as enhancing flexibility and agility in its operations. Juha Penttilä, Valio’s vice president of operations, commented: “From the perspective of the employees working at the factory and their families, it is always extremely unfortunate to close a plant and reduce personnel. We want to handle the negotiations well from the personnel’s point of view. We aim to offer as many people as possible jobs at Valio's other sites.” The Kauhava factory produces fava bean products for the H ä rkis and Beanit brands. These brands, and the production plant, were bought by Valio as part of its $7 million acquisition of Raisio’s plant protein business earlier this year. Penttilä said that the group plans to leverage its “long-standing expertise in producing innovative plant-based products” at the Joensuu facility. “Production of plant-based items will also transfer to Joensuu from the Vantaa factory, which will be relocated over the next few years,” he said. “This allows us to make use of existing knowledge and equipment, and to achieve long-term synergies – including with the production currently overseen at the Kauhava plant.” The Joensuu factory’s main output is dairy products, currently producing about a third of all Valio’s cheeses. The plant annually produces around 25 million kilograms of cheese blocks, packaged cheeses for consumers and cream cheeses. It also produces milk powders.   Around 200 members of staff currently work at the Joensuu site. By the end of the year, the factory will start manufacturing cheese slices from the Vantaa factory, and later grated cheese, MiFU and Oddlygood Veggie products.

Plant-based start-up Meala FoodTech has partnered with DSM-Firmenich to launch Vertis PB Pea, a texturizing pea protein designed to bring better nutritional value to meat alternatives. The multifunctional ingredient can replace modified binders like hydrocolloids, catering to increased demand for cleaner labels in the alt-meat category. Through Meala’s partnership with DSM-Firmenich, the solution is now available to customers in Europe. Protected by two patents, Vertis PB Pea consolidates the functionality of multiple components into a single, versatile ingredient. It delivers binding, gelation and emulsifying properties while increasing the protein content of the final product. This holistic solution can replace entire binding systems often found in meat alternatives, while keeping labels short and recognisable – it can simply be labelled as ‘pea protein’ on ingredients lists. Recent research from the EIT Food Consumer Observatory found that two-thirds of Europeans dislike unknown ingredients in their food, while just over half (56%) actively try to avoid processed foods. As this awareness grows, consumers are seeking more minimally processed options – particularly in the plant-based sector, where many alternatives have previously relied on additives to deliver a meat-like texture. Manufacturers in this space are therefore looking for more natural ingredients that can shift consumer perceptions of these products while still achieving great taste. According to Meala, the solution has been tested with ‘great success’ across a range of meat alternative applications and suits numerous formulations including burgers, sausages and nuggets. It maintains performance under heat and low temperature, and provides ‘excellent’ texture and water retention for juiciness and structure, the company highlighted in a statement announcing the launch. Hadar Ekhoiz Razmovich, CEO and co-founder of Meala FoodTech, commented: “We’re looking forward to working with DSM-Firmenich to lead the new era of plant-based alternatives that successfully merge high performance and robust nutrition, to create a new generation of delicious, better-for-you and better for the planet meat alternatives.” “Meala delivers a powerful, high-protein texturizing solution, providing manufacturers with a scalable alternative to less-desirable additives.”

Protein Industries Canada has announced an additional CAD 15m (approx. $10.9m) in funding, provided by the Canadian government, to help strengthen Canada’s plant-based ingredient supply chain through genomics and artificial intelligence (AI) programmes. The new investment aims to support the advancement of genomics and AI technologies to enable plant breeders, farmers and other companies across Canada’s agri-food sector to build a more resilient, efficient and sustainable food system. This full-value-chain approach is expected to expand the range of Canadian-made ingredient options while creating new economic opportunities and bringing new tools to plant breeders, farmers, ingredient processors and food manufacturers. Through a new five-year Genomics Stream, Protein Industries Canada will invest CAD 7 million (approx. $5m) into the commercialisation of new and improved broad-acre crop varieties, with a focus on pulse and cereal crops. Projects under the stream will apply genomic tools in plant breeding and variety development to meet industry demand, aligning innovation across the value chain. The additional CAD 8 million (approx. $5.8 million) investment into AI programming will boost Protein Industries Canada’s current investment under the government of Canada’s Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy. Projects to be considered may involve the development of tools that accelerate seed genetic work, supply chain optimisation, on-farm information gathering, quality assurance and food safety protocols, and ingredient and food formulation. Robert Hunter, CEO of Protein Industries Canada, said: “This new investment will deliver value across the entire supply chain, starting with enhanced genetics that improve crop functionality and provide farmers with more resilient, high-performing options”. “At the same time, our investment into artificial intelligence will support the development of tools that boost on-farm productivity and sustainability. Together, these advancements – combined with our full value-chain approach – will strengthen Canada’s position as a global supplier of nutritious, functional plant-based food, feed and ingredients, while contributing to our goal of building a $25 billion industry for Canada.”

Plant-based seafood did not take off quite as explosively as the meat alternatives market initially. However, with innovation in alt-seafood accelerating, the category can draw valuable lessons from alt-meat's journey. The Plant Base explores. While hyper-realistic plant-based alternatives to beef burgers or pork sausages have become more achievable in recent years thanks to advancements in food technology, replicating seafood has proven far more challenging. The distinct flavours of fish and shellfish are difficult to mimic using plant-based ingredients, as are the diverse range of textures, from the delicate flakiness of cod to the soft tenderness of mussels. But replicating the taste and texture is just one piece of the puzzle, as the plant-based meat industry learned. While consumers expect these products to closely resemble their animal-based counterparts, expectations around clean labelling and ingredient quality have also risen. With growing awareness of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), the alt-meat industry has faced increasing scrutiny – some even suggest this could be a key factor behind slowing sales in the meat-free category. Now, much like the alt-meat sector, plant-based seafood producers face pressure not only to replicate the sensory qualities of traditional seafood but to do so with a clean, minimal and natural ingredients list. Back to nature Theresa Wilms, technical sales manager and lead of the plant-based category team at GNT Group, noted: “Using ingredients that consumers know and trust can really help improve perceptions of healthiness and naturality”. “We create [our] Exberry colours from non-GMO fruit, vegetables and plants. We use around 30 different raw materials to create our portfolio, and together they can deliver hundreds of shades from across the whole rainbow in almost any food and beverage application.” As the plant-based seafood category expands, creating visually appealing products is key to standing out on-shelf and capturing consumer interest. In the meat alternatives category, Mintel research suggests consumers feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options – one factor behind slowing sales. When numerous variants of the same meat alternative – a plant-based chicken fillet, for example – crowd the meat-free aisle, visual appeal becomes crucial in influencing purchasing decisions. While plant-based seafood innovation has been slower, the category is expanding, with more varieties now emerging, from battered fish-style goujons to vegan shrimp alternatives. Colour plays a crucial role in the visual appeal of plant-based seafood. As the industry moves away from artificial ingredients, natural colour solutions will be key in new product development. “We’ve created highly realistic colour solutions for all sorts of plant-based seafood products, including caviar, tuna steaks and prawns,” said GNT’s Wilms. “Canned tuna is proving popular at the moment. With these products, it’s really important to achieve the pinkish hue that consumers expect. There was a 2024 study that showed canned tuna substitutes that looked beige or yellowish were considered unappealing, as they didn’t have the appearance that shoppers were used to.” Wilms told The Plant Base that plant-based colours rely on the natural pigments found in fruit, vegetables and plants, therefore they have their own technical considerations in alt-seafood applications and beyond. “For example, a plant-based salmon fillet might require a combination of orange and pink colours to achieve the target shade,” she explained. “If you’re using an orange concentrate made from carrots, the carotenoid pigments can shift from orange to yellow if there’s a lot of fat in the base product. For the pink, you could potentially use concentrates containing anthocyanin pigments, such as black carrot or radish.” © GNT “The difficulty is that plant-based products usually have a pH level of around 5 to 7, and anthocyanin pigments start to shift blue at those levels. Beetroot concentrates can provide a pH-independent source of pinks, but their betanin pigments are sensitive to heat, so formulation requires careful consideration.” GNT’s products support clean label declarations, using ingredients like carrot and beetroot concentrate. Its recently launched Exberry Shade Vivid Orange is particularly suited for clean label seafood alternatives, including salmon fillets, smoked salmon and prawns. A sea change Part of the challenge for alt-seafood producers is overcoming negative consumer perceptions. Like meat alternatives, alt-seafood has faced scrutiny over concerns about ultra-processed foods. However, the issue is more nuanced. A food’s healthiness depends on factors such as its nutritional profile and ingredient quality, rather than processing methods alone. Rosie Bambaji, marketing lead for plant-based seafood brand Happiee, wants to challenge misconceptions about these products. The brand has created a plain plant-based shrimp product, suitable for use in stir fries, curries and other dishes, in addition to breaded shrimp and calamari options, all available in UK retail. “I think there’s an element of misunderstanding, where a consumer would look at these products and think they are unnatural, because they are replicating a shrimp,” she reflects. “The reality is, if you look at the ingredients, [our product] is a clean product. Its got a root vegetable base, water, natural flavouring, familiar ingredients… it’s just been put into a mold to make the shape of a shrimp, just like you’d need to mold a burger.” While health may be a key factor for some consumers choosing to reduce or eliminate traditional meat, Bambaji pointed out that this is not so much the case with alt-seafood. Instead, the emphasis tends to be on the environmental benefits. She highlighted that the industry has some way to go in educating consumers around the sustainability of choosing plant-based seafood over fish. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, approximately one-third of the world’s fish stocks are currently overfished, impacting marine ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as food security. Bambaji noted that encouraging awareness of these issues will be crucial to driving growth in the alt-seafood sector. She also pointed out that a recent study, conducted by Portland State University in the US, found microplastics in 99% of fish and shellfish samples – a worrying statistic that underscores the growing health risks posed by global plastic pollution. The alt-seafood category may also face challenges due to negative perceptions around taste and texture. However, Bambaji believes the industry can learn from the alt-meat pioneers, noting that sometimes people just “have to try it to believe it”. “Once people try it, they’re often quite engaged, much like what the Beyond Burger achieved,” she commented. She added that during her time as a plant-based buyer for Sainsbury’s, only around 30% of the fixture was shopped by vegetarians and vegans, with a substantial 70% coming from flexitarians. While this group is essential for growth, she pointed out, they are harder to retain. To retain these consumers, their needs around taste and texture must be met. Bambaji said that the industry has been held back in this regard, noting that it has “taken a while to get some good alternatives on the shelf”. “I think the European market is well versed in soya protein and pea protein, which creates a really nice flaky texture – in terms of tuna, we’re seeing a lot of product innovation in the UK. But what they weren’t able to do with those kinds of alternatives was create that rubbery texture of shrimp, calamari and the kind of products Happiee does.” © Happiee Happiee began as a brand in Singapore, offering a broader range of products, including meat alternatives, before launching in the UK in 2023. It was from this foundation that the brand’s alt-seafood R&D originated, leveraging ingredients less commonly used in Europe. The brand’s shrimp alternative contains a base of tapioca starch, alongside konjac, a root vegetable used widely in Asia. Know your focus Focusing on quality taste and texture, and identifying market gaps can help alt-seafood brands stand out in a crowded space – an issue the alt-meat industry has also faced. Simon Ferniot, CEO and co-founder of French plant-based seafood company Olala Foods, said: “We chose to focus mainly on tuna and salmon, the products that are both the stars of the seafood category in terms of consumption and that have also been pointed to for potential environmental issues posed by their related industry.” He added: “Consumers expect plant-based products to be of indisputable quality, both from a taste and nutritional standpoint. And why shouldn’t they? Therefore, we have put all of our development efforts [into] these aspects.” The brand chose pea protein due to its high-protein ratio, taste and the fact that it is free from common allergens, enabling development of a more inclusive product. Olala also includes highly concentrated omega-3 algae oils, responding to demand for plant-based products that can offer the essential fatty acids found in fish. Additionally, it features a mimimal ingredients list, with its tuna flakes product containing just five ingredients, including water. The variety of products available is expanding globally, with the next wave of innovation in the category expected to introduce a diverse range of creative formats. GNT’s Wilms told The Plant Base: “We’ve seen a lot of innovation in Asia, where brands have been launching plant-based alternatives to many types of seafood including ribbonfish, sea urchin and goby. There’s a lot of excitement about new production methods too, especially 3D printing, as manufacturers try to tackle the challenge of mimicking the distinctive textures of fish and seafood.” In the Netherlands, start-up Monkeys By The Sea embraces what founder Thijs Wullems describes as a “relentlessly creative” approach – finding the right balance of ingredients, continuously refining its sourcing and innovating in production. “We believe it’s more about creating new taste experiences and pioneering a new category rather than simply ‘mimicking’ traditional seafood,” Wullems explained. “That said, chefs and consumers often look for familiar reference points when cooking and serving dishes. © Monkeys By The Sea Therefore, our initial range includes high-volume seafood staples like tuna chunks, tuna salad, fish fingers and whitefish fillets – all reimagined with plant-based ingredients.” The brand’s ingredient portfolio, as its name suggests, was inspired by monkeys living near the sea – Wullems pointed out that research shows their enhanced brain capacity compared to jungle apes is linked to a more diverse diet from land and sea. “We embrace this philosophy by using a mix of marine and land-based ingredients. Key components include purified seawater from a local marine reserve, seaweed and microalgae, along with plant-based proteins like pea, potato, rice, mycoprotein and wheat. We focus on sustainable sourcing, keeping our supply chain as local as possible, to reduce food miles.” In addition to launching its latest product, ‘Wave Rider’ – a seafood-inspired burger made with rice protein, beet fibre, algal oil and sea lettuce, which Wullems described as being “in a category of its own” – the company has several new innovations in the works for 2025 and is actively working on R&D partnerships in areas such as marine proteins, precision fermentation and circular ingredients, Wullems revealed. “We see the future of seafood-inspired products being shaped by stronger collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the supply chain. The industry needs to move beyond competition and focus on scaling sustainable solutions together,” he said. “We also expect more crossover between plant-based and traditional seafood companies, finding new synergies rather than operating as two separate worlds.” Wullems concluded: “The urgency of protecting our oceans demands it – and we’re already leading the way. Two of our current distributors are top seafood suppliers, a clear sign that the industry is evolving. These partnerships prove that sustainability and tradition can go hand in hand, opening new doors for the future of seafood.” Note: This feature was included in the April/May print issue of The Plant Base magazine. Since its publication, one of our interviewees, Olala Foods, has sadly ceased operations. Read here for more information on the company's closure. Top image: © GNT