As the European Union (EU) prepares for a new political term, the spotlight is on Christophe Hansen, the Luxembourgish candidate for the Agriculture and Food portfolio, who is set to be confirmed on November 27 2024. Industry stakeholders are urging Hansen to prioritise the proposed EU Action Plan for Plant-based Foods, a move they argue is critical for addressing climate change, health crises and food security. During a recent hearing with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), Hansen highlighted the need for a holistic approach to food systems rather than a top-down directive on dietary choices. He said that meat is “part of a balanced diet” and that “everything should be eaten in moderation”. His comments come amid increasing pressure from advocacy groups, like ProVeg International, which argues that plant-based diets represent a sustainable solution for Europe's pressing environmental challenges. Soizic Larcher, EU policy officer at ProVeg, commented: “There is broad scientific consensus now that plant-based diets are the most sustainable diet and that Europe should be shifting to these diets to ensure we have a fighting chance to bring down emissions from agriculture". “Plant-based diets offer a multi-pronged solution for Europe as it faces the climate crisis, health crisis, and growing concerns about food security,” added Jasmijn de Boo, global CEO of ProVeg. "Now that the Commission has been presented with a specific recommendation to draft an action plan to accelerate the shift to greater plant-based food production and consumption, we expect Mr Hansen to be a champion of the plan and ensure its rapid and full adoption and implementation”. The proposed action plan, which aims to strengthen the plant-based agri-food chain from production to consumption, is seen as a vital step in promoting sustainable food systems across Europe. 📝 EU Action Plan for Plant-based Foods 📝 Key actions and policy updates include: Reviewing and updating EU food labelling rules to help consumers make informed choices about nutritional value and food sustainability. Introducing a multi-tiered animal welfare label (initially voluntary, with evaluation for potential mandatory implementation). Encouraging food and beverage manufacturers to step up reformulation efforts for healthier, more sustainable products. Updating EU public procurement rules to promote healthy diets. Providing fiscal incentives (eg., VAT reductions) for sustainable food. Offering financial and social support to ensure food and beverages remains affordable, especially for lower-income groups. Recommending that the EU and Member States adopt or update food-based dietary guidelines to integrate sustainability and promote consumer uptake of diets aligned with these guidelines. Hansen's predecessor, Janusz Wojciechowski, faced similar calls, but the urgency has intensified as the EU grapples with rising food prices and the impacts of climate change on agriculture. ProVeg has highlighted Denmark's successful implementation of a plant-based action plan, urging Hansen to follow suit. The EU-funded Smart Protein Project, for example, indicates a shift in consumer behaviour, with many Europeans already reducing their meat intake – a trend that policymakers are encouraged to support. The project brings together the Good Food Institute, ProVeg and 31 partner organisations from 21 countries, and focuses on developing protein-rich foods derived from plants, fungi and byproducts. Commissioner's comments In his responses to MEPs, Hansen acknowledged the challenges facing farmers, including economic pressures from global competition and the effects of extreme weather. He committed to visiting farms across Europe and engaging with stakeholders to develop a vision for future agricultural policies within his first 100 days in office. Hansen also addressed the need for the EU to increase its domestic protein production for livestock feed, a point where he diverged from ProVeg's stance that emphasises growing crops for plant-based food markets. His remarks signal a potential balancing act between traditional agricultural practices and the push for sustainable alternatives. The success of the EU’s agricultural strategy will hinge on the new commissioner’s ability to navigate the complexities of modern food systems while addressing the urgent calls for sustainability and resilience in the face of climate change. Industry impact The anticipated confirmation of Hansen as the new EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food is poised to significantly impact the food and beverage industry in several key ways: 1. Shift towards plant-based products The proposed EU Action Plan for Plant-based Foods aims to bolster the production and consumption of plant-based alternatives. For food and beverage manufacturers, this could mean an increased demand for innovative plant-based products, as consumer preferences shift toward healthier and more sustainable options. Companies may need to invest in research and development to create appealing plant-based alternatives to traditional meat and dairy products. 2. Regulatory changes Hansen's focus on updating food labelling regulations and enhancing animal welfare standards will require manufacturers to adapt their practices. Clearer labelling on nutritional content and sustainability will not only help consumers make informed choices but could also pressure companies to reformulate products to meet new standards. This could lead to increased operational costs but also present opportunities for brands that can effectively market their compliance and commitment to sustainability. 3. Fiscal incentives and support The introduction of fiscal incentives, such as VAT reductions on sustainable foods, could provide financial relief for manufacturers producing eco-friendly products. This could encourage more companies to enter the plant-based market or expand their existing lines, ultimately fostering a more competitive landscape. Additionally, financial support for lower-income groups could increase overall demand for affordable plant-based options, benefitting manufacturers. 4. Sustainability initiatives With a strong emphasis on sustainability, companies in the food and beverage sector will likely need to enhance their sustainability initiatives. This could involve adopting more environmentally friendly sourcing practices, reducing waste, and improving supply chain transparency. Manufacturers that proactively embrace these changes may gain a competitive edge as consumers increasingly prioritise brands that demonstrate social and environmental responsibility. 5. Market dynamics and consumer behaviour As the EU encourages a shift towards more sustainable diets, manufacturers will need to stay attuned to changing consumer behaviours. The trend towards plant-based diets, supported by the Smart Protein Project findings, suggests that consumers are becoming more health-conscious and environmentally aware. Companies that can effectively tap into these trends by offering innovative, sustainable products will be better positioned in the market. 6. Collaboration and partnerships The new policies may encourage collaboration between farmers, manufacturers and policymakers to create a more integrated food system. This could lead to partnerships focused on sustainable sourcing and production practices, benefitting all parties involved. For instance, manufacturers might work directly with local farmers to source ingredients, ensuring quality while supporting the local economy. 7. Long-term strategic planning As Hansen commits to a holistic approach to food systems, food and beverage companies will need to engage in long-term strategic planning. This includes assessing their product portfolios, supply chains and marketing strategies to align with the EU’s sustainability goals. Companies that anticipate these changes and adapt accordingly may position themselves as leaders in the evolving landscape. Who is Christophe Hansen? Hansen grew up on a farm, giving him firsthand experience of the agricultural sector. This personal connection to farming may inform his policies and initiatives, as he understands the realities and challenges faced by farmers. He has a foundation in European politics, having served as an MEP since 2014. His experience in the European legislative process equips him with a deep understanding of EU policies and the intricacies of agricultural and food-related legislation. During his time as an MEP, Hansen has been involved in the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, where he addressed various issues on farming, food security and rural development. This role has allowed him to engage with stakeholders from across the agricultural sector, providing him with insights into the challenges and opportunities facing farmers and food producers. In his introductory statements, Hansen has articulated a vision for the future of EU agriculture that includes fair income for farmers, accessible land markets and reduced bureaucratic barriers. His focus on supporting young farmers and promoting innovation indicates a forward-thinking approach that seeks to modernise the agricultural sector while maintaining its traditions. #EuropeanCommission #EuropeanUnion #agriculture #farming #MEP #plantbased Headline image: ©Twitter Final image:  ©LinkedIn

Global oat drink company Oatly has announced the launch of Barista Lighter Taste into retail stores across the UK. Barista Lighter Taste is the latest addition to the brand’s popular Barista range, crafted specifically for coffee lovers. It offers a lower fat level (2.1% vs 3%) than the original Oatly Barista Edition, designed to allow more of the nuances of flavour notes in lighter roasted coffee. According to the brand, its new innovation maintains all of the same performance capabilities of the original Barista Edition, allowing it to froth and foam to the expectations of professional and at-home baristas. It was originally trialled earlier this year, available only in a select number of coffee outlets. Since gathering feedback from baristas across Europe, the product has now officially launched in the UK with a new name and packaging re-design. The milk alternative also works well in tea and other hot beverages, as well as baking and in cereal, Oatly said. It can be found in all UK major supermarkets as well as on Amazon. Bryan Carroll, general manager for Oatly UK and Ireland, said: “The creation of Barista Lighter Taste is the next step of our Barista strategy as we look to expand the choice and format options for customers and consumers”. Oatly has debuted several new innovations and formats within its Barista range in the last few years, aiming to offer convenience to buyers and suppliers. Barista Lighter Taste follows recent releases of the larger Barista Edition 1.5-litre cartons, and the smaller Jiggers (individual 20ml on-the-go single serves) and Barista 500ml formats which launched into the UK last year.  Oatly’s drinks are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals including calcium, riboflavin and vitamins B12 and D. They are free from soy and dairy, and are low in salt and saturated fats. #Oatly #UK

Molecular farming firm PoLoPo has has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CSM Ingredients, a global player in food ingredient research, innovation and production. The strategic partnership is set to help bring PoLoPo’s egg-free egg protein – grown in potatoes – to the commercial baking market. PoLoPo uses proprietary metabolic engineering techniques to turn potato plants into micro-biofactories. Potato plants manufacture and store the target proteins in the tuber. Tubers are harvested when they reach sufficient size, then their proteins are extracted and dried into a functional protein powder that integrates seamlessly into current food processing lines and formulations. The companies will work together to develop PoLoPo’s ovalbumin powder for baking requirements, including foaming, gelation and water binding functions, as well as provide side-by-side assistance with process optimisation, regulatory and safety requirements. Commercial baking and other CPG food categories use ovalbumin for its functional properties such as texture, thickening and increasing shelf life. PoLoPo’s molecularly farmed albumin offers the same performance as conventional ovalbumin, while being a cleaner, more sustainable, more affordable, and more price-stable ingredient. In addition, CSM Ingredients group – a global ingredient-tech company comprising both CSM Ingredients and HIFOOD, an Italy-based developer and producer of plant-based, clean-label, added-value ingredients – has selected PoLoPo for Generate, CSM Ingredient’s group’s innovation hub for ingredient start-ups and food concepts. Generate offers R&D expertise, application opportunities, cutting-edge facilities and commercial support to its start-ups, including validating proofs of concept, shepherding market entry, and access to CSM business networks. “Start-ups like PoLoPo are visionary innovators that play a pivotal role in developing concepts and pushing boundaries, and CSM is committed to bring these innovations to the broader food value chain,” said CSM Ingredients group managing director, Christian Sobolta. “The global market for ovalbumin powder is projected to reach $36 billion by 2032, and PoLoPo presents an opportunity to change the dynamics of this category in a way that benefits planet and profits.” “This non-exclusive collaboration enhances our strengths and capacity in meaningful ways, from R&D to implementation to opening more doors with packaged food companies that want to work with the product,” said PoLoPo CEO, Maya Sapir-Mir. “Commercial baking is clearly a key lane for us, and CSM’s technical and commercial expertise is strategically valuable for reaching that industry.” In May, PoLoPo submitted for USDA regulatory approval , expected within six months, at which point US partners and growers may begin cultivating PoLoPo’s potato plants. #PoLoPo #CSMIngredients #US #potato #egg #ovalbumin #molecularfarming

Barvecue, a plant-based ‘comfort food’ brand based in the US, has launched a new clean label ‘crumbled bacon toppings’ product. The shelf-stable product, which complements Barvecue’s existing portfolio of frozen foods, is designed to provide a tasty and nutritious addition to salads, baked potatoes, pizzas, soups and more. Barvecue’s crumbled bacon toppings are made with US-grown and processed ingredients, including pea protein, sweet potato, organic apple cider vinegar, expeller-pressed canola oil and a blend of spices. According to the brand, they offer equivalent protein and decreased fat compared to competitors, containing no cholesterol and only ‘wholesome’ ingredients, in keeping with the company’s commitment to providing clean label options that deliver ‘exceptional’ taste and texture. Foodservice packs will be available for nationwide shipping from WebstaurantStore early this month. Retail packs will soon follow, launching at retailers in the US as well as being available now on Barvecue’s website. Chase Slenker, plant-based category manager at WebstaurantStore, commented: “Barvecue's new plant-based crumbled bacon is an innovative new product in the plant-based space and is a much-needed improvement to traditional bacon bits and existing ‘flavoured’ plant-based bacon products. The real smoke flavour and authentic texture leaves a lasting positive impression and I'm excited for foodservice operators across the US to be able to try this product in their recipes.”

US food-tech company MeliBio, a producer of bee-free honey using precision fermentation, has received a new strategic investment from Future Food Fund by Oisix, a venture capital fund based in Tokyo, Japan. The investment will support MeliBio in its mission to transform the honey industry with its bee-free honey technology, developed through plant science and precision fermentation. MeliBio’s method contributes to the protection of 20,000 wild bee populations, helping preserve biodiversity and support global ecosystem health. The company aims to address climate change challenges by protecting pollinators, crucial to the survival of natural habitats, as well as building a stronger domestic supply chain in the US. The company’s flagship product, Mellody, is available through MelioBio’s retail and foodservice partners. Earlier this year, it debuted a spicy habanero version of its Mellody honey , claimed to be the world’s first vegan hot honey product to hit the market. Darko Mandich, CEO and co-founder of MeliBio, said: “This investment from Future Food Fund is an exciting step forward for MeliBio. It aligns perfectly with our mission to not only transform the honey industry but also to make a measurable impact on biodiversity and the environment.” He added: “As we scale, we’re proud to contribute to the protection of wild bee species and the reversal of harmful environmental practices that threaten them. With every spoonful of Mellody, everyone becomes a true hero in protecting our precious bees.” Hiro Hasegawa, venture partner at Future Food Fund, commented: “Unfortunately, the modern honey industry, in its pursuit of efficiency, has led to the widespread proliferation of specific bee species across the globe, causing a decline in native species in various regions”. Hasegawa said he was impressed by MeliBio’s “thoughtful focus” on bees and the ecosystems they shape in harmony with other local species, as well as their work toward sustainable food production for humans. “Darko, the co-founder and CEO, with over a decade of experience in the honey industry, has worked on honey sourcing from beekeepers, managing processing facilities, and building supply chains across Europe and the US, which made him acutely aware of the industry’s problems,” he continued. “At Future Food Fund, we are excited to support MeliBio’s vision of giving bees a break while offering a new model for food production through their exceptional products.” Alongside the funding announcement, MeliBio revealed it has expanded its US presence with several new foodservice and distribution partners, as well as recently securing a significant patent win in Germany for its technology. The company also announced a partnership with tech company Pow.Bio this April to enhance its precision fermentation capabilities and scale its bioprocesses. #MeliBio #US #Japan

Oat milk chocolate brand Happi is adding three new seasonal products to its range ahead of the festive season. The UK brand is adding a brand-new Christmas Pudding flavour to its range of Hot Chocolate Spoons, offering hints of warm spices. The spoons can be stirred into a mug of hot plant-based milk, transforming it into a creamy, dairy-free hot chocolate beverage. Gavin Cox, founder of Happi, said: “Our Hot Chocolate Spoons have always been incredibly popular at Christmas, so this year we decided to add a sprinkle of festive flavours with these new Christmas Pudding Spoons”. Happi has also added a Candy Cane flavour to its range of oat milk chocolate buttons, providing a peppermint twist on the classic product, inspired by the traditional red and white festive confectionery and described as ‘perfect stocking fillers’. The product follows the success of the brand’s Candy Cane Festive Bar last year, offering the popular flavour in buttons format for sharing and snacking, Cox said. Finally, the brand’s has debuted a Festive Slab Bar displaying a ‘Have a Sweet Xmas’ message, ideal for gifting during the season. Each product is crafted from oat milk and 47% cacao, made with Single Origin Colombian Cacao from Luker Chocolate. They contain no added soya and are vegan-friendly. #Happi #UK #seasonal

Finnish biotech start-up Enifer has filed for Novel Food authorisation from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for its Pekilo mycoprotein ingredient. The start-up said this latest development represents a significant milestone in its mission to bring an innovative, eco-friendly protein to the European food market. Pekilo is described as a nutrient-rich drop-in ingredient, produced through a specialised fermentation process that involves a unique strain of fungus. The process yields a mycoprotein powder with a neutral taste and colour, offering a rich source of protein and fibre. It can be incorporated into a wide range of food products, from meat alternatives to baked goods. The Pekilo fermentation process was originally developed in Finland in the 1970s, designed to upcycle byproducts from the forest industry into animal feed ingredients. While Pekilo has successfully been used in feed for over 15 years, it is now entering new territory with the discovery of its many potential use cases in human F&B products. In the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, Pekilo was studied and shown to have potential for human consumption. After allergenicity tests and sensory evaluations were conducted, a 1984 study at Massachusetts Institute of Technology confirmed its suitability for human nutrition. Following this, in the 1990s, technical advancements in the forest industry meant that suitable side streams were no longer available. However, Enifer has now revived the original technology and adapted it to utilise new raw material streams from the food and agricultural sectors, while advancing the development of Pekilo as a food ingredient. In the EU, any food that has not been consumed ‘to a significant degree’ before May 1997 is considered a Novel Food. As a result, Pekilo is considered a novel ingredient with a distinct production process, requiring evaluation and approval under the EU’s Novel Food regulations. The application is now submitted and a thorough risk assessment process will begin, Enifer confirmed, which could take several years to complete. Meanwhile, the company plans to pursue Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) approval in the US, and seek novel food approval in Singapore. In preparation for Pekilo’s launch, Enifer is collaborating with global partners including Skretting (the aquafeed division of Nutreco), Purina (in the pet food industry) and Valio (for consumer food products). Earlier this year, the company secured funding for its first €33 million production facility set to be completed by the end of 2025. The site is expected to upcycle food industry side streams to produce up to 3,000 tons of fungi-based protein annually at full capacity. Elisa Arte, Enifer’s ingredient development manager, said: “We’re incredibly proud to continue the work that visionary scientists began in the 1980s and to take this vital step towards bringing Pekilo to the market as a food ingredient. Our team has worked hard to compile the data needed to demonstrate Pekilo’s safety for human consumption, and we’re looking forward to starting the approval process with EFSA.” #Enifer #Finland #Europe #mycoprotein

German clean label ingredients specialist Kröner Stärke is launching a new line of textured vegetable protein (TVP) meat replacement texturates. The company is known primarily for its bakery ingredients, which offer preservative properties and other functional benefits without the use of additives. The expansion into TVP ingredients follows a €36 million investment into a new production area at its plant in Bocketal, Germany. Equipment for drum drying and extrusion is included at the new wing at the plant, capable of creating extruded products in the form of granules, strips, fibres and powders, beginning with protein from wheat or pea. The new range will make use of natural ingredients only, addressing increasing consumer concerns around highly processed meat alternatives with artificial ingredients. Raw materials will be processed using untreated spring water, heat and physical processes without the use of chemicals. The texturates will also be available in organic form. #KrönerStärke #Germany

European food-tech start-ups Revo Foods and Paleo have announced a new partnership, backed by €2.2m in EU funding, to develop plant-based salmon alternatives containing precision-fermented myoglobin. Myoglobin is a heme protein originally found in animal muscle tissue. Essential to the taste, texture and nutritional value of meat products, the traditionally animal-derived protein can now be produced through an animal-free fermentation process – an area Belgian food-tech Paleo specialises in. These proteins can then be integrated into plant-based meat alternatives to give them an authentic taste, colour, aroma and iron-rich nutritional profile. 🩸 Read The Plant Base's 'Start-up spotlight' interview with Paleo here to learn more about its innovation in myoglobin development 🩸 Revo Foods, based in Vienna, Austria, produces vegan seafood alternatives using its proprietary 3D structuring technology . Its first 3D-printed product to hit supermarket shelves , ‘The Filet,’ is a mycoprotein-based salmon alternative, and is now available at Rewe and Spar stores in Austria. The new partnership will see Paleo develop a myoglobin ingredient designed to mimic salmon, and integrate it into the recipe for Revo’s ‘The Filet’. Using 3D structuring technology, multiple materials can be integrated into each other, such as fats into a protein component. This is demonstrated by the authentic salmon-like white stripes featured in Revo’s product. The company recently opened what it claims is the world's largest production facility for 3D food printing in Vienna. Paleo and Revo aim to develop sustainable and high-quality alternatives that will be even more similar to conventional salmon than Revo’s current product. With the help of Paleo’s myoglobin, the salmon will taste more authentic and offer improved nutritional value, particularly with regards to iron and protein content. Revo’s technology enables efficient integration of myoglobin into food products. Using myoglobin from precision fermentation can also further reduce the ecological footprint of the product, contributing to environmental protection. According to Revo, the environmental benefit of its existing alternatives is already significant – up to 90% of fresh water and 75% of CO2 can be saved compared to conventional fish, the company said. The project began in August 2024 and will run for two years. It is supported by funding from Eureka Eurostars, an international EU funding programme for small and medium-size enterprises that want to collaborate on R&D projects to develop innovative products, processes or services. #RevoFoods #Austria #Belgium #Europe

Austrian food-tech start-up Revo Foods has unveiled ‘Food Fabricator X2,’ the “world’s first” industrial production method for 3D-printed foods. The 3D process is set to enable new product categories for the first time, such as authentic whole-cut meat alternatives or products with customised shapes, structures or textures. Featuring a novel multi-nozzle system, this innovation enables continuous food production, which Revo Foods says marks the first time that mass production of products is possible with 3D food printing technology. Using a high-precision extrusion system, different ingredients can be combined with each other in any predefined structure, enabling the production of previously “impossible” products. The technology enables the new food industry segment of “mass customisation” for the first time, meaning the flexible control of product parameters such as sizes, shapes, materials or texture, without the need for hardware adjustments during the process. A new area of application is the customisation of texture palettes for plant-based meat alternatives. The controlled integration of a fat component into a plant-based protein fibre matrix is essential for whole-cut meat alternatives such as steaks or fish fillets, though Revo Foods says that this has not yet been achievable with any other technology at a large scale, until now. Robin Simsa, CEO of Revo Foods, said: “3D food printing on an industrial level allows us to change the way we think about food. Products that were previously very exclusive and more likely to be found in gourmet restaurants can now be produced on a large scale. I am excited about the new creative opportunities that open up to food product developers with the help of this technology.” As a proof-of-technology, in September last year Revo Foods launched ‘The Filet – Inspired by Salmon,’ as reported by The Plant Base . The Filet used the technology for the first time – Revo FFX1 – marking the first scale-up of its 3D printing system. Revo Foods claims that the salmon fillet alternative, which is based on mycoprotein, was the “first 3D-produced food available in supermarkets”. To increase production capacity and meet demand, Revo Foods has announced its first public investment opportunity in the form of digital company shares. Using the capital, the company’s first stage of upscaling will be completed over the next two years, with expected completion in 2025. An investment in Revo Foods is possible until 18 April 2024. At the start of the first public investment round, the company has already raised €435,000, which it says underscores the public interest in the new technology and the company’s mission. Investments in Revo Foods can be made through German green-tech investment platform FunderNation. #3Dprinting #Europe #Austria #plantbasedmeat #RevoFoods #Plantbasedseafood

Austrian food-tech start-up Revo Foods is launching a 3D-printed vegan salmon fillet in Rewe stores, claimed to be the world’s first 3D-printed food product to hit supermarket shelves. The salmon-inspired product marks a milestone for both 3D-printed food and vegan seafood. Its main ingredient is Promyc, a mycoprotein ingredient developed by Swedish start-up Mycorena, using filamentous fungi. Promyc was engineered by Mycorena’s food scientists to specially suit the application for 3D-printing purposes, a first-of-its-kind application for mycoprotein. The development was supported by €1.5 million of European funding through the Eurostars 3 programme, with co-funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. Promyc contributes most of the protein to the Revo fillet including all essential amino acids, healthy fibres composed of beta-glucans as well as B vitamins and important minerals such as Zinc and Calcium. It also has a Nutriscore rating of ‘A’, due to high protein and Omega 3 content. According to Revo Foods, Promyc’s mouthfeel and taste profile allow it to authentically imitate the experience of a piece of salmon thanks to the fibres naturally formed by Mycorena’s fungi mycelium, offering a “structure unlike anything other seen in the market today”. Paulo Teixeira, chief innovation officer at Mycorena, said: “The collaboration between Revo and Mycorena allowed the adaptation of the Promyc production process to achieve required characteristics fitting Revo’s 3D-MassFormer technology, as well as any other 3D printing application”. “With this, Mycorena’s mycoprotein products are fully fitted to an emerging manufacturing technology that we believe will play a key role in the future of food.” Revo Foods’ new extrusion technology is designed to enable seamless integration of fats into a fibrous protein matrix, leading to a new generation of seafood alternatives with the typical ‘flakiness’ and juicy fibres of fish fillets. Utilising its patent-pending 3D-MassFormer technology, Revo Foods claims to have created the first-ever continuous production process capable of mass-producing 3D-printed food. “With the milestone of industrial-scale 3D food printing, we are entering a creative food revolution, an era where food is being crafted exactly according to the customer needs,” said Robin Simsa, CEO of Revo Foods. “We are not just creating a vegan alternative; we are shaping the future of food itself.” The official launch into the European retailer Rewe will take place tomorrow (14 September 2023). Customers across Europe can also order the product at Revo Foods’ online shop from 1 October. #3Dprinting #Mycorena #Plantbasedseafood #RevoFoods

Alongside the industry heavyweights famed for pioneering the plant-based category, smaller businesses with big ambitions are also championing the future of sustainable, animal-free food. The Plant Base’s new Start-up spotlight feature will put a well-deserved focus on these earlier-stage businesses, celebrating new plant-based innovation. This month we speak to Hermes Sanctorum, CEO of Paleo, an innovative company using precision fermentation to create animal-free, species-specific myoglobin proteins. The company even managed to recreate the heme protein of a mammoth, an animal no longer in existence on this planet! Read on to find out more. Can you outline the company’s core objectives and long-term vision? We use precision fermentation to make highly functional ingredients to create a real meat experience. We strongly agree with the analysis that in order to convince more people to reduce meat consumption, you need to make a great alternative. To do so, we develop myoglobins that exist in actual conventional meat. From a practical point of view, you can dream about everyone becoming vegan but it needs to work, you really need to address people’s needs and what they treasure. The meat experience is part of it, so we address it in a different way. We are developing a B2B company, so we produce a highly functional ingredient – myoglobin – and our potential clients can manufacture their final product using it. How is Paleo innovating in the space? As far as I understand it, we are the only company that develops myoglobins that are identical to what you would find in meat, of different species, and then as a GMO-free product. That last part is important. I know of course that there are other players that try to make proteins in an intracellular way, but we make sure that our ingredient does not contain any recombinant DNA and that’s an important one for European markets. Then, of course, you have the portfolio of different myoglobins that we are developing, including the mammoth one – that gets the strongest attention! We of course focus on other myoglobins, but the mammoth is a showcase of what you can do, you can even make an extinct animal protein – what better way to prove that we are animal-free? Why the focus on myoglobins? Myoglobins are present in a very low concentration in conventional meat, but it is a really powerful ingredient and it has that same effect in plant-based food. There are also differences among myoglobins from different species, so it’s a really interesting protein. It was an obvious choice to work with. There are other parts that also matter in that meat experience that are complementary to what we are doing. For instance, there are a lot of companies now that focus on animal fats through precision fermentation or cultured cells. I don’t consider those competitors. We are all complementary to making a fantastic product to decrease meat consumption. How does your fermentation process work? We make sure that our yeast perform under extracellular secretion. That’s how we make sure that the protein is outside the cells, then we separate the yeast cells and the myoglobin in a rather easy way. You don’t have to go through expensive purification steps to make sure that all kinds of debris is out of it, or especially recombinant DNA, so in the end we have a very pure myoglobin that is of great interest to the industry. What challenges have you faced? Commercially there is a great interest in our myoglobins, there is a lot of interaction with potential clients. The biggest black box, in fact, is the regulatory framework. I call it a black box because there is regulation but we are not 100% sure how long it is going to take to come out of it. I’m quite sure that in the end our myoglobins are safe and will be authorised, I don’t doubt that. The time is a big question mark – I get that question a lot of course, when will we be commercially available. That will depend on the regulator. We are currently assessing which region to start in and which track we are going to follow. What are your plans for the future? What do you hope to have achieved? Our major goal is to decrease meat consumption, so that means that Paleo, together with other companies should have a great commercial activity, our ingredients will be manufactured in a lot of products for the whole world. That’s the major goal for me. Of course I have investors on board who also have financial expectations, but for me that’s the long-term view of the company – it needs to have a positive impact on the planet. What is your biggest achievement so far? From a technological point of view, I am of course proud of the fact that we are able to recreate that mammoth protein, especially as a GMO-free product. When we started to develop that process, we really didn’t know whether we could do it. The more financial part is that we managed to close a venture round in economically difficult times. We did an investment round in February this year with some really highly recognised parties like DSM-Firmenich Venturing, a major player in the ingredients business, and Planet A Ventures. They asked for an independent lifecycle analysis and made sure that we had the positive impact that we claimed. If the LCA was negative, they wouldn’t have made the investment, so that was quite a credibility check for us. DSM-Firmenich would never have invested in us had they not tasted our product and it hadn’t been good! They are tough in their expectations, but it makes you proud. It truly works, and deserves the investment and potential that we see. #alternativeprotein #Belgium #Paleo #StartupSpotlight