The Every Company has teamed up with Landish Foods, a US-based nutritional wellness brand, to launch a line of ready-to-mix, high-protein beverage powders. Establishing a new brand named Fermy under the companies’ joint venture, two new products will be introduced: Protein Coffee Enhancer and Protein Matcha Latte. Both products contain Every’s egg white protein, made in an entirely animal-free precision fermentation process and delivering 8g of protein per serving. The approach yields nature-equivalent egg proteins that enable food manufacturers to boost a wide range of products with a clean-tasting protein, allowing the nutritional profile of consumers’ favourite vegan-friendly products to be improved without impacting texture or flavour. Fermy products, which also feature ingredients such as MCT and lion’s mane mushroom, aim to cater to the growing demand for accessible, clean and sustainable protein with additional cognitive benefits. Daniel Novak, CEO at Landish Foods, explained that while the company has always been committed to sourcing pure ingredients with minimal environmental footprint, plant proteins can face texture and taste challenges when used in beverages like coffee and matcha. He added: “Our new line of Fermy products supports our customers’ health-first lifestyles by providing a functional, protein-dense beverage that’s superior in flavour and texture, while also being sustainably produced”. Lance Lively, VP of growth at Every, said: “Our collaboration with Landish is a game-changer for protein lovers nationwide. Fermy’s ready-to-mix powders seamlessly integrate into coffee and other beverages, making it easier than ever for busy consumers to meet their protein goals without disrupting their morning routines.” #Every #Landish #US

Eat Just has introduced its latest reformulated recipe, Just Egg V5, claimed to offer significant improvements in flavour, texture and functionality. The plant-based egg alternative brand said consumers will notice a ‘cleaner’ flavour profile than offered by previous versions, allowing the ‘pillowy’ and creamy texture to shine through. The Just Egg V5 recipe is said to provide a more neutral palette for traditional egg-based dishes, ranging from a simple scramble or omelette to a savoury quiche or strata. Baking applications like breads, cookies, pancakes, muffins and crepes will also benefit from the new formula, as the brand revealed its latest iteration matches a conventional egg’s functionality more closely than ever before, providing better binding and aeration qualities. The new version is the latest in a series of updates the company has made to its mung bean-based egg alternative since its original launch. The brand’s ultimate goal has been to develop a plant-based egg that tastes better, is more functional and offers a better nutritional profile than a traditional egg. This has involved work across multiple disciplines, from culinary expertise to protein science, operations and engineering. When developing its new formula, the team revealed it had originally set out to simplify the manufacturing process for Just Egg’s pourable variant. After testing several process changes in its protein processing plant in Appleton, Minnesota, Eat Just said it discovered ‘surprising and positive’ benefits to the final product, resulting in a streamlined process and better quality product. Chef, TV personality, writer and activist Andrew Zimmern praised the brand’s latest recipe, having been one of the first people to try the very first Just Egg over a decade ago. “This latest iteration is fluffier and lighter, with better egg texture and more eggy flavour – and it performs better than any previous version I’ve tried,” Zimmern said. “I cannot tell the difference between this and a conventional scrambled egg. Absolutely unbelievable.” Just Egg V5 can now be found in the egg section of retailers across the US, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Walmart, Target and Kroger. #plantbasedegg #eggalternatives #US #reformulation #JustEgg #EatJust

Ingredients specialist Balchem is set to launch a new cold water-soluble oat-based creamer at the IFT First 2024 event in Chicago next month. VitalBlend Oat 2540 will be unveiled for the very first time at the show, taking place from 14-17 July. Described by the company as a ‘first-of-its-kind’ creamer, it is designed to offer a smooth texture and creamy mouthfeel, suitable for a variety of applications. IFT First attendees will be invited to sample the new creamer in Frappuccino concepts, as well as a range of Balchem’s existing beverage system solutions that aim to balance ‘superior’ sensory profiles with added nutritional benefits. Ria Dake, senior business director at Balchem Human Nutrition and Health, said: “People are leading increasingly busy lives while also taking a more proactive approach to their health, driving demand for convenient and nutritious products. But creating foods and beverages that tick all the boxes is easier said than done.” “With our expertise and cutting-edge technology, we support our customers every step of the way – from ideation through commercialisation. As a complete ingredient system supplier, we’re able to meet specific development needs with maximum flexibility, collaborating with our clients to craft tailored solutions while ensuring a reliable supply chain.” #Balchem #US

In this instalment of The Plant Base's ‘Start-up spotlight,' we speak to Raya Liberman-Aloni, CTO and co-founder of PoLoPo, an Israeli start-up that employs molecular farming to produce traditionally animal-derived proteins in potato plants. Can you tell us a little more about PoLoPo and its role in the sustainable protein industry? PoLoPo is a B2B ingredient company that uses molecular farming to produce animal-based proteins in potato plants. Our first target is ovalbumin, which is also known as egg protein. PoLoPo’s ovalbumin is identical to its animal-derived counterpart. It is identical in its function and nutritional value and is a one-to-one replacement for egg protein powders. We have also been able to increase the potato’s native protein, patatin. What motivated the establishment of PoLoPo, and what led the company to focus on molecular farming? Molecular farming is emerging as a major pillar of food technology. It is a sky-is-the-limit field with the ability to radically rewrite how humanity is nourished and how our planet’s finite resources are used. This has been a long-time passion for our co-founder and CEO, Maya Sapir-Mir, and me. We both worked in plant science and genetics for more than a decade after our PhD studies and post-doctoral work at the agricultural R&D institute, The Volcani Center, in Israel. How does PoLoPo's technology work? To be brief, we insert a DNA sequence into the potato plant’s genome. When appropriately expressed in the right tissue and at the right time, which we call our 'secret sauce,' the plant produces the protein we are interested in. The protein accumulates in the potato tuber, without affecting the potato growth and yield. Once plants are 'trained' to produce the protein we want, they grow as typical potato plants. Then, we harvest the potato tubers, extract the proteins using traditional potato processing lines, and dry them into powder. What advantages can PoLoPo's technologies bring to the F&B industry and how do you envision these innovations shaping the future landscape? With our technology, we can help the food and beverage industry become far more sustainable and stable. The industry depends on farming animals for protein, which is easily impacted by climate change, disease and market fluctuations. What we are producing isn’t a novel ingredient by any stretch of the imagination – it’s an ingredient that is already widely used. In fact, the global market for ovalbumin powder is projected to hit $36 billion in just eight years. Can you tell us about the SuperAA platform and what this could potentially mean for the cell-ag industry? The SuperAA platform is essentially the biofactory, the method of manufacturing the target ingredients – in this case, egg protein. This platform is tunable and can be applied to other ingredients. We’ve started with ovalbumin, but other animal proteins, notably dairy protein, could be produced on the SuperAA platform. What challenges has PoLoPo faced and how has it overcome these? It’s a difficult climate for food-tech fundraising, but agritech is (rightly) seen as distinct from the rest of the pack. We are fortunate to have a strong, cost-effective path to scale since potatoes are quick and inexpensive to grow, they’re resilient, they grow nearly anywhere, the yield is large vis-à-vis resources used like land and water. What we’ve created is completely compatible with existing infrastructure for harvesting and processing, and compatible with any F&B manufacturing line that is already using ovalbumin powder, so there is really no risk to any commercial partner. Looking to the future, what's next for PoLoPo? As an ingredient provider, we will be working with more food and beverage companies interested in our proteins. We’ll also work with growers interested in a pilot programme. Down the line there is the possibility of producing dairy protein or other animal-based ingredients. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know? More than 70% of global agriculture is animal farming, including growing feed crops for animals, with extremely poor and inefficient resource utilisation. Instead of growing plants to feed animals in concentrated animal feeding operations, imagine growing plants that are far more efficient protein factories. Not only would we slash the environmental impact of animal farming, we can reclaim an enormous amount of land. #PoLoPo #Israel

Silo, a zero-waste restaurant based in London, UK, has established a new site for the cultivation of koji, soy sauce and beer grain miso in commercial quantities. The new ‘Fermentation Factory,’ launched in partnership with Crate Brewery, is headed up by Silo’s R&D leader, Ryan Walker. The project aims to scale up what has traditionally been an in-house venture, transforming ‘challenging ingredients’ into high-value products that can be used in mainstream kitchens and bars. This summer, Silo will supply its fresh koji business-to-business, supporting other restaurants, bakeries, breweries, bars and home cooks in reducing waste. As well as fresh and dry koji, the factory will manufacture and distribute a miso product made from spent beer grains from Crate Brewery, and a ‘zero soy sauce’ made using waste bread from the restaurant. Silo takes the ‘uglier’ parts of waste ingredients and upcycles them into what it describes as ‘liquid gold’ – producing a range of garums, ferments and misos, used throughout the restaurant’s tasting menu. These umami flavour enhancers encapsulate founder Douglas McMaster’s ‘closed-loop’ cooking style, lending unique flavour profiles to the restaurant’s dishes. Koji, a cultivated fungus, is used as a starter to energise the fermentation process. The Fermentation Factory will cultivate large quantities of this product, making it available to businesses that seek to produce their own miso and ferments sustainably in-house. Silo aims to make sustainability accessible and economically viable on a commercial scale by providing businesses with the core tools for closed-loop processes. The Fermentation Factory will open its doors later this summer in an abandoned nightclub, marking the next stage in Silo’s mission to ‘make zero-waste living a global reality’ as it celebrates its ten-year anniversary. #Silo #UK

A panel at the Veg-net 2024 event, with The Plant Base’s editor Melissa Bradshaw joining the panellist line-up, will explore new plant-based consumer insights unveiled exclusively at the event. Veg-net has been developed to offer brands within the plant-based category the opportunity to connect with buyers from UK and European retailers, wholesalers and foodservice companies. Taking place at the Radisson Blu London Stansted Airport, the new event will offer a range of sessions from keynote speakers sharing insights and knowledge on topics such as investment, production, retail and foodservice. As part of the panel sessions, new exclusive research conducted by Plant Futures in partnership with Vypr will be unveiled to delegates and industry experts. The research will showcase how the sector is poised for growth and how plant-based brands can expand their appeal to consumers. Fresh insights into consumer buyer behaviour will enable founders to hone their marketing strategies and define key target audiences, with new data on emerging consumer preferences and market potential aiming to help bolster the sector’s growth. The morning will kick off with a keynote panel introducing the research, chaired by AJ Sharp, founder and managing director of Sharp Relations. The Plant Base’s editor, Melissa Bradshaw, will join as a panellist to discuss the research findings alongside Ben Davies, CEO at Vypr; Katie Cross, senior buyer at Ocado; and Jacob Linden, chief financial officer and head of investments at Kale United. Kym Zielinski, insights specialist at Plant Futures, said: “We’re excited to share these new insights with the plant-based community to support brand founders and drive collaboration with retailers within this dynamic sector”. She added: “There is so much to be excited about in plant-based right now, but it’s essential that we deepen our understanding of consumer needs and shopping behaviours to drive successful market penetration and unlock more opportunities”. #research #VegNet #UK #events #consumerinsights

Ingredients specialist Loryma has introduced a wheat-based binding solution that can be used to create clean label meat alternatives. The solution aims to provide an alternative to conventional binders such as methylcellulose, enabling manufacturers to create foods with shorter and more consumer-friendly ingredients lists. Alt-meat producers can use texturates and the new Lory Bind variant to imitate the typical structure, elastic texture and mouthfeel of meat products such as nuggets, schnitzels and salami. The binder also provides protein, which can bring the nutrient profile of vegan meat alternatives closer to traditional meat. The wheat-based ingredient is easy to handle and can be integrated into manufacturers’ usual meat processing technology for the production of plant-based alternatives. It enables a range of vegan applications, suitable for both hot and cold consumption. Norbert Klein, head of research and development at Loryma, said: “For us, this new Lory Bind variant marks another milestone in the development of clean label binders for the vegan food industry. This solution not only aligns with consumer expectations but also supports manufacturers in producing plant-based products entirely free from E-numbers.” #Loryma #plantbased #cleanlabel

Agribusiness giant Bunge and Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Foods (CP Foods) have teamed up to test a blockchain-powered traceability platform for shipments of deforestation-free soybean meal. The two companies have so far shipped three vessels totalling 185,000 metric tons of soybean meal from Brazil to Thailand, with the products fully traceable from farm origin to final delivery. "This marks a significant milestone for CP Foods to achieve 100% deforestation-free supply chains by 2025," said Paisarn Kruawongvanich, chief executive officer of Bangkok Produce Merchandising, a CP Foods subsidiary. The soybean shipments comply with the companies' socio-environmental supplier verification protocols and have grown in high-priority regions with zero deforestation since 2020, aligning with CP Foods' sourcing standards. In addition to traceability, the blockchain platform also provides customers with information on the carbon footprint of the volumes sold and whether the farms have adopted regenerative agricultural practices. "Adding a layer of blockchain technology improves the transparency in end-to-end traceability that Bunge has been doing for some years," said Rossano de Angelis Jr, Bunge's vice president of agribusiness in South America. The partnership comes as global food and agriculture companies face increasing pressure from consumers and regulators to improve the sustainability of their supply chains, particularly when it comes to commodities like soy that have been linked to deforestation. Bunge currently monitors more than 16,000 farms covering around 20 million hectares in South America, using satellite technology to identify changes in land use and soybean planting. Over 97% of the soy it sources in Brazil is deforestation and conversion-free. "This ability to increase end-consumer confidence in soy projects is only possible thanks to the robust supplier's socio-environmental verification and monitoring system that we have structured over the last decade," de Angelis added. The ongoing collaboration between Bunge and CP Foods aims to further automate the connection between their supplier management and monitoring systems with the blockchain-powered traceability platform. For Bunge's distribution director in Asia, Mohit Purbey, the project exemplifies the company's ability to create tailored sustainability solutions for its customers. "It is also an example of how Bunge can create tailored solutions to help our customers fulfil their own sustainability commitments," Purbey said. #Bunge #CPFoods #soyabean #deforestation

Tälist, a provider of talent solutions for the alt-protein industry, has launched a new AI-powered matchmaking platform to connect job seekers and employers in the alternative protein sector. The goal of the AltProtein.Jobs platform is to accelerate the industry and, in turn, the transition to a sustainable food system, ensuring fast and precise matches between those looking for jobs and companies looking to hire within the alternative protein space. The AI-based platform boasts ‘highly accurate matches,’ using advanced data analytics to ensure the best matches between thousands of candidates and jobs. It is time efficient, with AI-supported candidate screening in seconds that significantly reduces recruitment time. Additionally, filling roles faster significantly reduces the costs of vacancies and can save companies money. Since its launch last month, Tälist’s matchmaking service has found: 25,000 matches with a score of 7 or higher (out of 10), 9,400 matches with a score of 8 or higher and 2,000 matches with a score of 9 or higher. Pia Voltz, founder and CEO of Tälist, said: “Finding the best candidates can be just as challenging as finding the right partner. We bring the concept of dating platforms to HR. Thanks to our platform AltProtein.Jobs, companies can find qualified candidates who also fit in culturally. This leads to higher satisfaction and long-term success.” Oliver Boldt, Tälist’s CTO, commented: “Our AI-based algorithms compare the skills, experience and preferences of candidates with the specific requirements of open roles, calculate matching scores, and indicate compatibilities (and incompatibilities). This involves processing volumes of data that are impossible for humans to handle. The result is a more successful and efficient recruitment strategy that saves both time and resources.” ProVeg Incubator director, Albrecht Wolfmeyer, added: “Tälist’s job board is one of the best resources for anyone searching for new career opportunities as well as for companies advertising their open roles". Arun Saini, a candidate on the platform, concluded: “As a jobseeker on the platform, the matchmaking tool is a great support. It's like a career coach, guiding me towards the perfect opportunities.” #Tälist #AI

This year, the plant-based milk category has been teeming with new offerings pointing to noteworthy rising trends in the dairy-free domain. We explore what’s stirring up the alt-milk market. The alt-milk market has edged further into the mainstream than other plant-based dairy categories, such as cheese and yogurt. With 2023 research from Mintel highlighting that one in three people now consume plant-based milk, the offerings within this space are constantly evolving and being optimised to meet increasing demand for boosted nutrition, improved taste and sustainable ingredients. Rodolfo Garza, global business development manager for milk and plant-based alternatives at DSM-Firmenich, describes dairy-free milk as the “golden child” of the plant-based segment, with sales outpacing those of meat, seafood and cheese analogues in Europe. “In such a dynamic and crowded market, the task for brands now is to draw consumers to their offerings, especially as shoppers become ever more discerning about the features they want to see in plant-based milks,” he told The Plant Base. “Unsurprisingly then, quality and diversification – both in terms of ingredients and positioning – are emerging as central themes. But what does this look like in the market? We’re seeing a big focus from consumers on plant-based milks that foam like cow’s milk so they can enjoy a latte or cappuccino while still staying true to their plant-based preferences.” Barista-style options have been gaining traction in recent years, driven by consumer desire for higher-quality cups of creamy coffee while still dodging the dairy. “The capacity to form and hold a rich, creamy foam with the right bubble size is what primarily sets ‘barista editions’ apart from typical plant-based milk alternatives,” Garza said. “At the same time, these solutions also need to boast improved pH stability to avoid curdling upon contact with acidic coffee. Beyond these more functional qualities, manufacturers must make sure their ‘milks’ deliver a delicious flavour and velvety mouthfeel, with no off-notes that can creep into plant-based products.” DSM-Firmenich offers a Barista Toolbox, comprising a collection of enzymes, hydrocolloids, flavours and functional premixes to help producers achieve the required attributes to elevate the coffee-drinking experience within alt-milk formulations, navigating challenges around crafting a long-lasting micro-bubble foam, eliminating curdling and achieving the right levels of sweetness. The last few months have seen a number of alt-milk brands in the US and Europe expanding their portfolio with new barista-level products, including Rude Health, The Coconut Collab, Oatly, OddlyGood and Califia Farms. “Consumers are unwilling to compromise on taste or texture in their at-home experiences,” said Damien Threadgold, general manager for Califia Farms UK. “Barista-style options offer consumers the chance to recreate their favourite products at home, including unique taste profiles to elevate coffees and other drinks, such as smoothies.” Califia Farms recently expanded its barista range to include an almond product, as well as an organic oat product in response to consumer demand for organic and sustainably sourced products. Aside from sustainability, health remains paramount to many consumers and brands in the alt-milk space are under pressure to provide offerings that cater to shoppers’ health and nutrition preferences. In the barista segment, brands such as OddlyGood and Oatly have unveiled ‘light’ lower-calorie, low-fat and sugar-free options to fulfil these needs. “Plant-based dairy offers its own unique contribution to an individual’s wider nutrition,” Califia Farms’ Threadgold pointed out. “Most plant-based dairy options have fewer calories than dairy, which was an initial pull for consumers. However, there are now more nutritional benefits that consumers are looking for.” He pointed to the inclusion of protein as a significant consumer trend that the brand expects to see grow in plant-based alternative products. “There are also products that look to replicate the nutrition of dairy, to satisfy those that are looking for a closer match to the benefits of a dairy product. In the US, we launched Califia Complete, a product that matches the benefits of dairy milk and continues to grow in popularity in this market.” Califia Complete is made from a blend of pea, chickpea and fava bean protein, offering a nutritional profile that rivals that of diary: 8g of protein per 8oz serving, all nine essential amino acids, calcium, vitamins A, D and B12, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and riboflavin. It also contains less sugar than its traditional dairy counterparts. In Canada, dairy giant Lactalis has launched a brand-new plant-based brand, Enjoy!, dedicated to unsweetened and high-protein dairy-free beverages. It has introduced classic unsweetened oat, unsweetened hazelnut and unsweetened almond beverages among its portfolio, each also offering 8g of pea protein per serving. Nathalie Cusson, general manager of Lactalis Canada’s fluid division, said that the new brand responds to demand for positive health impacts like high-protein alongside non-GMO and gluten-free certifications, as well as clean label requirements. DSM-Firmenich’s Garza highlighted how emphasising specific health and nutritional properties linked to different consumer needs can be a strategy for brands to “rise above the noise” in a saturated market. “Here, some are sticking to classics like protein content to address post-gym consumption occasions, while others branch out with vitamin, mineral and even adaptogen claims better suited to after-dinner or bedtime drinks,” Garza continued. “In our view, the future of plant-based milks can best be described as a move from ‘speciality’ to ‘staple’. As generations Z and Alpha increase their spending power, their preference towards flexitarian diets will propel dairy alternatives into the default position, perhaps even overtaking cow’s milk as the coffee-shop favourite.” #CalifiaFarms #Lactalis #altdairy #US #Europe #plantbasedmilk #UK #milkalternatives #barista #dsmfirmenich

Steakholder Foods has entered a strategic partnership with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to bring its food-tech solutions to the Taiwanese market. Through the partnership, the companies expect to develop and commercialise a range of food products utilising Steakholder Foods’ 3D printing technology and plant-based premixes, tailored specifically to Taiwanese cuisine. Under the agreement, the companies will develop commercial high-quality, plant-based meat alternatives, with the aim of empowering Taiwan to independently produce meat substitutes. The products will be tailored to meet local palate preferences. Leveraging Steakholder Foods’ 3D bioprinting tech, the collaboration aims to help reduce Taiwan’s dependence on traditional meat supply chains, fostering greater food diversity and sustainability across the region. To accelerate expansion across Taiwan, the partnership will focus on commercialising Steakholder Foods’ products through collaborations with leading food companies in Taiwan. A key part of this strategy will involve the sale of Steakholder Foods’ commercial-scale 3D printers and premixes to commercial partners. Steakholder Foods’ CEO Arik Kaufman said: “This partnership with ITRI represents a significant step forward in our mission to create sustainable, innovative food solutions. By combining our advanced 3D printing technology with ITRI’s extensive research capabilities, we now have the ability to deliver a range of delicious plant-based food options that will help significantly reduce environmental footprint across Taiwan.” Yair Ayalon, VP of strategy and business development at Steakholder Foods, commented: “We chose ITRI as our collaborator because of its cutting-edge food technologies and expertise in material science, combined with its deep understanding of the Taiwanese market. By uniting our pioneering 3D printing technology with ITRI’s invaluable regional consumer insights and local operations, we are uniquely positioned to introduce alternative meat as a sustainable and locally sourced protein option for Taiwan’s consumers.” Ayalon continued: “This powerful combination of strengths will allow us to efficiently commercialise and scale these alternatives through collaborations with leading local food companies. It was a real pleasure to see Israeli and Taiwanese scientists collaborating effectively, enhancing the synergy between our teams.” Deputy general director of ITRI Central Region Campus, Shih-Chi Lee, added: “Aligning with Steakholder Foods allows us to extend the boundaries of food technology and sustainability in entirely new ways. Our collaborative efforts will pave the way for exciting advancements in Taiwan’s food industry, expanding our portfolio with new food products and categories, and ultimately contributing to solving food security and creating a healthier planet.” #3Dprinting #Taiwan #meatalternatives #plantbasedmeat #altmeat #SteakholderFoods #alternativeproteins

Chunk Foods has unveiled two new alt-meat innovations, including what it claims is the market’s ‘largest ever’ slab of plant-based meat. The company, which develops plant-based whole cuts designed to mimic the taste and texture of traditional meat, showcased its two new offerings at the National Restaurant Association Show this week. ‘Chunk Cubes’ and ‘Chunk Slabs’ aim to provide easier solutions for foodservice establishments to serve plant-based meat within their dishes. The new ‘Slab’ can provide a meat-free alternative to briskets and salami, suitable for smoking, grilling and carving. It weighs more than three pounds. Meanwhile, ‘Cubes’ are specifically tailored toward fast-casual establishments and can be prepared in standard prep methods such as griddles, microwaves, sous vide and convection ovens. They were created using the same technology and clean label ingredients as Chunk’s existing offerings, developed to provide a protein topping addition for dishes such as salad bowls. Chunk’s products are made with its proprietary fermentation technology, developed to enable plant-based whole cuts that look, cook and taste like beef. They can provide a 1:1 replacement on a menu without the need for additional training or new cooking processes. The products are pre-portioned and vacuum-packed for easy preparation. #ChunkFoods #meatalternatives #plantbasedmeat #altmeat #plantbasedbeef