My Co, an investor in food, agri and biotech start-ups, has acquired Australian Plant Proteins out of administration for an undisclosed sum. Established in 2020, Australian Plant Proteins (APP) is a producer of pulse protein isolates for the southern hemisphere. The company utilises proprietary membrane extraction technology to create isolates with a protein content of 85%, offering functional advantages such as fortification, improved solubility, neutral flavour and texture enhancement. Its patented fractionation technology harnesses protein from faba beans, yellow pea, lentils, mung beans and other pulses. APP entered administration last year, but its acquisition by My Co was confirmed on 27 March, aiming to secure APP’s future while strengthening Australia’s agricultural supply chain and promote local sourcing. My Co will integrate APP into its portfolio of companies, aiming to enhance operational efficiencies and marketing strategies while paving the way for new product development that meets evolving consumer tastes. In addition to enhancing production capabilities, APP will embark on several key projects, including establishing a fibre and starch processing facility. Operating from a facility in Victoria, Australia, APP has been a key supplier to the growing demand for plant-based alternatives in the region. Vicky Pappas, CEO of My Co, described APP’s potential as “immense,” adding that its “game-changing technology” aligns with My Co’s vision of fostering innovation in the food sector. She continued: “This acquisition opens doors to numerous possibilities for APP. With our proven track record in food manufacturing and expertise in successfully scaling brands like BioCheese and Meliora, we are eager to leverage our resources and expertise to support APP’s growth.” Phil McFarlane, co-founder of APP, commented: “Unlike conventional methods that often rely on harsh chemicals or enzymes, APP extracts protein from pulses using a clean, non-solvent method, resulting in a highly functional protein isolate with over 85% protein content. Our patented technology ensures our protein isolates are not only of the highest quality but also more sustainable and environmentally friendly.”

Austrian food-tech start-up Revo Foods, a specialist in seafood alternatives made from mycoprotein, has announced the launch of a new black cod filet alternative. The launch builds on the success of Revo’s ‘The Filet – Inspired by Salmon,’ which hit the headlines in 2023 after it became the world’s first 3D-printed plant-based alternative to hit supermarket shelves. Now, the start-up is harnessing its 3D structuring technology to offer a whitefish-filet alternative to black cod, named ‘El Blanco – Inspired by Black Cod’. Similarly to the salmon filet, the new product is made from fermented fungi protein (mycoprotein) and microalgae oils, offering a high omega-3 fatty acid content. Revo’s 3D extrusion technology enables the product’s layered structure. Based on computer-guided models, it allows continued production of structured, protein-rich foods, transforming unstructured proteins such as mycoprotein into products with aligned, heterogenerous fibres. A key component is the integration of fat into the protein matrix, leading to the flaky texture typical of conventional black cod. Mycoprotein has been chosen as the main ingredient in all of Revo’s products thanks to its complete amino acid profile with high bioavailability, while being rich in fibre and low in carbs and saturated fat. It does not require high-temperature processing, allowing nutrients to be preserved and not degraded during production. It also grows rapidly, doubling in biomass every five hours. Revo said that this makes it ‘one of the most efficient protein sources known to humans’. The production takes place at Revo Foods’ production site, The Taste Factory, where its 3D extrusion technology is used at scale with an output of several tons per month. Revo confirmed that El Blanco will be the first of several new products enabled with 3D technology. It will begin rolling out this month (April 2025) at supermarkets in Austria and Germany. The food-tech company aims to bring fresh innovation to the seafood alternatives category by delivering more realistic alternatives to 'whole cut' style seafood products. Last year, it debuted a unique fungi-based alternative to octopus tentacles, 'The Kraken,' a category-first innovation suitable for recreating traditional octopus dishes.

Fam Stumabo has announced the launch of a new model of its Yuran Hytec 300 cutting machine for meat and alt-proteins, this time integrated with an exit conveyor. The Yuran Hytec 300 EC builds on the success of the Yuran Hytec 300, launched last year. The machine can dice, strip-cut and shred a wide range of meat, poultry, alternative protein and pet food products. Integrating an exit conveyor into the new system brings several advantages specifically for batch processing, Fab Stumabo said. The system facilitates discharging the cut product into totes, a Eurobin trolley or additional conveying systems, removing the need to stop the machine when replacing totes during batch feeding. The product is fed via the belt and guided towards the feed roll to ensure a positive transfer into the circular knives. These cut the product into strips, which are then diced by the crosscut knife spindle at the desired height or length. For shredding and pulled look applications, the machine also offers the option of a pre-break system for initial reduction in combination with subsequent cutting and shredding spindles. The Yuran Hytec 300 EC boasts increased capacity, with the 300mm wide conveyor belt that can accommodate products with larger dimensions. Additionally, the versatile cutting options, with dual independent variable-speed motors, allow precise adjustments to cut size and shape without the need for extra cutting tools. The quick-removable splined shafts of the cutting spindles enable fast and efficient changeovers from one cut size to another, reducing production downtime. The system is designed for ease of use and hygiene, with a design that ensures easy, thorough and safe cleaning of the machine. Thomas Bogaerts, project engineer at Fam Stumabo, said: “The Yuran Hytec 300 EC is used in cutting fresh, crust-frozen, tempered frozen, and hot cooked meat and poultry products. It excels in providing efficient and consistent ‘pulled look’ shredding of cooked beef, poultry and pork meats, making it ideal for barbecue meats, salad and pizza toppings, sandwiches, and handheld snacks.” He added that the innovative exit conveyor can help eliminate product loss or spillage, as well as cutting pieces more effectively. “The clearance between the discharged cut product and the integrated conveyor maintains the quality required for even the most sensitive applications. It will further provide a more controlled discharge due to a seamless transition and even distribution of the cut product.” The machine will be showcased at the IFFA meat and alternative protein technology trade show in Frankfurt, Germany, this May.

US mycelium technology company Ecovative has secured over $11m in funding to support the growth of its spin-out company MyForestFoods’ mycelium-based bacon. The investment will support the addition of a new production and packaging line for MyBacon, and a new MyForest Foods Food Science Lab, enabling the company to launch new mycelium-based whole cut products into retail. The capital was secured through an internal funding round, as well as an Albany County Award of $1.68m in grant and loan funding from the Advance Albany County Alliance. MyBacon is crafted using Ecovative’s AirMycelium platform, a proprietary technology that combines organic farming practices with advanced mushroom growing technology. The technology is built on Ecovative’s decades of expertise in mycelium R&D, enabling the production of proteins in less than two weeks while requiring minimal land and resources. The bacon alternative contains just five simple ingredients – organic mycelium, salt, sugar, coconut oil and natural flavours. It aims to provide a cleaner label alternative to many ultra-processed plant-based meat substitutes, with consumers increasingly demanding ingredient transparency and simpler ingredient formulations. Ecovative said its latest funding will enable it to meet ‘surging’ consumer demand as it continues its nationwide distribution expansion. As well as bolstering MyBacon’s growth, the investment will also enhance R&D in the company’s Forager division, which leverages Ecovative’s mycelium platform to produce fashion and wellness innovations. Eben Bayer, Ecovative’s CEO, said: “Our AirMycelium platform enables us to grow high-performance products that meet real market needs, from delicious whole-cut proteins to next-generation materials for fashion and wellness". “This investment accelerates our ability to scale these technologies globally while revitalising existing agricultural infrastructure and creating high-value, meaningful products consumers actually want." Top image: © MyForest Foods

Milk alternatives specialist Califia Farms has launched a brand-new fruity beverage line, Creamy Refreshers, in the US. The Creamy Refreshers drinks blend coconut cream with real fruit juice, aiming to bring nostalgic ‘vacation-inspired’ flavours to consumers. They are designed to be enjoyed over ice, available in four flavours: Strawberry Crème, Key Lime Colada, Piña Colada and Orange Crème. The products contain 8-10g of sugar per serving and are free from soya and gluten. They aim to provide a reduced-sugar alternative to popular fruit juices. The launch builds on research showing that the US juice market is expected to reach $3.35bn this year, with nearly two-thirds of consumers drinking juice weekly. Suzanne Ginestro, CMO at Califia Farms, said: “Over the last 15 years, Califia Farms has loved experimenting with the endless possibilities of plants. Creamy Refreshers is a perfect example of how that innovation unlocked something new, delicious and fresh. Today's consumer embraces mindful indulgences and we're proud to bring a new little sweet treat to retail shelves.” The drinks first debuted at the Expo West trade show and are now available across the US at Albertsons, Target and Kroger stores with an MSRP of $5.99 per 1.4-litre bottle.

UK non-profit vegan advocacy organisation The Vegan Society has announced the appointment of Libby Peppiatt as its new chief executive officer, effective from 14 May 2025. Peppiatt will replace interim CEO Abbey Mann, who has been in the role temporarily following the departure of former chief executive Steve Hamon in September 2024. She joins the company from her former CEO role at mental health charity Restore, bringing experience in scaling national behaviour change campaigns, workplace wellbeing initiatives, and other mental health programmes and services. Her experience in the charity sector includes senior positions at wellbeing charities Mind and Rethink, and an involvement in the national anti-stigma campaign Time To Change. She has been vegan since 2014 and is committed to making veganism mainstream, with a firm belief in a world ‘where all beings are recognised and respected in their own right’. Commenting on her new appointment, Peppiatt said: “Veganism is a movement for justice, challenging an unjust food system that harms both animals and people. Food justice doesn’t just mean the end of animal exploitation, it also means ensuring that everyone, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to nutritious, ethical and sustainable food, free from exploitation and harm.” She added: “Together, we will build on our legacy, advance our cause, and ensure that veganism continues to thrive as a force for positive change. The future is one where justice for animals, human equity and environmental sustainability go hand in hand, and I am excited to work alongside this incredible community to make it a reality.”

The UK government has invested £1.4m into a new innovation hub, aiming to enable the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to broaden its expertise in new technologies such as precision fermentation. Precision fermentation uses organisms like yeast to produce ingredients such as dairy proteins, like whey and casein, in an animal-free process. This can help bring the familiar flavour and texture of familiar animal-based foods, like meat, eggs and cheese, to plant-based products. While the technology has been used for decades to produce ingredients such as rennet for cheesemaking, its use in alternative protein production still remains fairly new. According to a newly released report by Verified Market Research, the global precision fermentation market was valued at $1.6bn in 2023 and is expected to reach $34.2bn by the end of 2031. A Life Cycle Assessment of French company Verley (previously Bon Vivant)'s precision fermentation milk protein, conducted in collaboration with independent experts from the public research body INRAE, found that it caused 72% fewer emissions, used 81% less water and used 99% less land than cow’s milk. Precision-fermented dairy proteins are not yet available to British consumers, but there is growing interest in the technology in the country, with the Food Standards Agency’s regulatory process currently evaluating several applications. Check out our latest Crunchtime podcast episode, in which we speak to V-Label's Lubo Yotov about the recently launched C-Label, for cell-based foods, and F-Label, for foods made with precision fermentation and other advanced biotech fermentation methods. Listen here! This latest announcement from the UK government is part of its new Regulatory Innovation Office. It will boost the FSA’s ability to carry out risk assessments on precision-fermented products, while providing greater regulatory clarity to start-ups wishing to sell these products in the UK. The government has invested in a network of university research centres focused on advancing precision fermentation and other modern food production technologies, including the Microbial Food Hub, the Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub, and the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre. Non-profit think tank the Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe welcomed the funding from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology. The organisation’s senior policy manager, Linus Pardoe, commented: “This announcement shows the government is working to capitalise on the UK’s potential to become a world leader in food innovation, helping entrepreneurs work with scientists to bring products to market in a way that upholds our gold standard safety regulations.” He added: “Focusing on precision fermentation – a hugely promising way to reduce the climate impact of many foods – is a particularly welcome move, and investing in the FSA’s risk assessment capacity is a positive step towards modernising the regulatory pathway to deliver benefits to the public and innovators.” This recent funding is separate from the FSA’s regulatory sandbox for cultivated meat, announced at the end of last year, which will enable regulators to work alongside companies, academics and organisations including GFI Europe, to expand their knowledge about cultivated meat. Top image: © Verley

Goodmills Innovation, a clean label ingredients provider based in Hamburg, Germany, has developed a new wheat and fava bean protein claimed to offer an ‘amazingly close to meat-like’ texture. The new solution, Vitatex Wheat Fava Flakes SVP Pro, is described as a robust, clean label texturate for products with a pronounced fibre and layer structure, and long-lasting bite. The co-texturisation of wheat and fava bean protein promotes amino acid cross-linking, which can enable the creation of realistic meat-like alternatives to products such as pulled meat, barbecue skewers or sliced meat. The fava bean compensates for the low levels of lysine in the wheat component, ensuring an optomised amino acid profile, while the wheat content ensures better availability of methionine. Antje Dittrich, application manager for plant-based at Goodmills Innovation, explained: “While limited cross-linking occurs when proteins are individually textured and then blended, the co-extrusion process incites strong cross-linking activity that results in a stable, cohesive structure with distinct layers and a long-lasting bite. This technology allows us to achieve a meat-like structure, which is ideal for products where bite and mouthfeel are key to enjoyment.” The coarse granulation of the Vitatex Wheat Fava Flakes SVP Pro allows for easy handling and further processing after a short soaking time. Additionally, the flakes have a high water absorption capacity (up to 1.9 times water absorption) and remain stable under mechanical stress. According to Goodmills, they resist shearing forces during the production process and retain a fibrous structure even after frying, boiling, cooking in convection ovens, defrosting or deep frying. The solution also retains its structure during pasteurisation and sterilization processes. The light texture is designed for easy colouring if required, and absorbs flavours well while also offering fewer off-notes than with pea protein-based products, Goodmills added. The solution is non-GMO and sourced from EU-certified raw materials, leveraging the benefits of regionally grown and sustainably sourced European fava beans.

Hello, and welcome to the eighth episode of FoodBev Media's Crunchtime  podcast series! In this episode, we're exploring the impact of the C-Label, for cell-cultivated foods, and the F-Label, for foods made with precision fermentation and other advanced biotech fermentation methods, on the food and beverage industry. These new labels have been introduced by V-Label, the globally recognised certification for vegan and vegetarian products, in recognition of the rapidly advancing food-tech landscape and the complexities these advancements bring to the forefront when it comes to labelling foods and beverages. FoodBev Media's deputy editor and editor of The Plant Base, Melissa Bradshaw, joins head of V-Label Switzerland, Lubo Yotov, to discuss the significance of the new labels and how they will serve to improve transparency and consumer trust across the food-tech sector. Enjoy the episode!

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

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

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