Remilk, an Israel-based precision fermentation company producing dairy proteins without animals, has partnered with Gad Dairies to launch The New Milk – a cow-free milk alternative identical in taste and functionality to conventional dairy. The initial line-up includes a Barista Milk for foodservice and two consumer products: a classic milk and a vanilla-flavoured variant. Remilk produces its milk proteins via microbial fermentation, creating β-lactoglobulin identical to that found in cow’s milk but without using animals. The protein is already approved by regulators including the US FDA, Israel’s Ministry of Health and authorities in Canada and Singapore. Unlike plant-based substitutes, The New Milk replicates the taste, texture and functionality of dairy, while remaining lactose-free, cholesterol-free and kosher-pareve. It is fortified with calcium and vitamins and contains 75% less sugar than conventional milk. The launch follows more than five years of R&D and over $150 million invested in Remilk’s patented fermentation platform. Aviv Wolff, founder and CEO of Remilk, said: “We founded Remilk with a clear vision – to create a better, healthier and tastier world through real milk made without cows. Today, in a remarkable global milestone, that vision is becoming a reality: The New Milk is launching in Israel." "Our partnership with Gad Dairies, a brand with an unmatched culinary legacy, is the natural next step to ensure the highest-quality, best-tasting products. We’re proud of this collaboration that bridges vision and innovation with uncompromising taste and quality.” Amir Aharon, CEO of Gad Dairies, added: “Our collaboration with Remilk represents a global breakthrough for Gad – milk born from advanced science and technology, yet rooted in decades of culinary tradition. The New Milk proves that it’s possible to combine premium quality, sustainability and industrial innovation without sacrificing taste." "This is a defining moment for the dairy category. For us, The New Milk is more than a product, it’s a historic milestone where generations of dairy tradition meet groundbreaking technology. It continues Gad’s commitment to placing taste and quality at the centre.” The product is rolling out this week across cafés, restaurants and hotels in Israel, with retail launches scheduled for January 2026.

Kääpä Biotech, a Finnish start-up specialising in functional mushroom ingredients, has successfully secured a €9 million strategic investment. The milestone will contribute to the company’s growth plans in the global nutraceuticals market, accelerating its mission to bring premium, traceable and clinically validated functional mushroom ingredients to the forefront of global wellness and health. Global agri-food tech fund manager PeakBridge led the investment round, together with food-tech venture capital fund Zintinus. The capital will enable Kääpä to increase production capacity, expand vertical integration, scale operations, strengthen the market position of its NordRelease ingredients and meet surging demand from international consumers across the wellness, nutrition and supplement sectors. Eric Puro, CEO and co-founder of Kääpä Biotech, said: “The functional mushroom market continues to expand rapidly, with the sector fuelled by increasing customer demand for high-quality, trustworthy and science-backed functional mushroom products”. “We are overjoyed by the strengthening relationship with PeakBridge, who invested in us earlier this year . In addition to the strategic partnership and funding, PeakBridge’s tailored value-add programmes for portfolio companies are a cornerstone of their partnership approach, guided by a team with deep food industry expertise.” Gali Artzi, partner and CTO at PeakBridge, commented: “Kääpä Biotech exemplifies what we look for in this space: vertical integration that addresses real supply chain vulnerabilities, rigorous bioactive standardisation and a European base that cuts dependence on Asia's concentrated production”. “Functional mushrooms represent more than a wellness trend; they're a convergence of centuries of traditional use, growing clinical evidence and modern extraction science that delivers measurable health benefits. Kääpä is a true sector leader and we’re thrilled to extend our support into this next chapter.” In September 2025, Kääpä unveiled a new mushroom cultivation facility in Paimio, Finland, expanding its production and R&D capabilities. In June 2025, it opened an additional cultivation site in Salo, Finland, further strengthening its capacity to meet growing demand for Nordic-origin, premium functional mushroom ingredients.

This month, our start-up spotlight is on Lasso, a food-tech company from the team behind plant-based meat producer Tender Food (now just one brand under the broader Lasso portfolio). Lasso uses its technology, Lasso SpinTech, to produce protein- and fibre-rich ingredients for a range of food and beverage applications. Mike Messersmith, Lasso's CEO, tells us more. What led to Lasso’s establishment and what is the company’s long-term goal? Lasso’s technology (Lasso SpinTech) was first developed in a multi-disciplinary lab at Harvard, where the team worked on applications ranging from textiles to pharma to food. Flexibility has always been built into the core of the platform, giving it the ability to create solutions across a range of food categories.  We started with plant-based meat and introduced it under the Tender Food brand to support funding and scale-up. As the food industry has evolved, with consumers demanding protein and fibre-rich foods across categories, it made sense to expand the range of Lasso SpinTech applications and realise the company’s full potential. Lasso is now a food-tech company focused on the technology and its many applications beyond plant-based meat. Tender will remain a brand under Lasso’s broader portfolio, soon to be joined by several to-be-announced new brands, all built on Lasso SpinTech.  Lasso’s long-term goal is to improve food processing and set a new standard by creating better packaged foods in a way that no one has before. How does your technology, Lasso SpinTech, work? Lasso SpinTech is a patented fibre-spinning technology, resembling a high-tech cotton candy machine, that uses centrifugal force to create texture with protein and fibre. It can replace outdated methods that rely on gums, artificial binders and additives, excess sugars and high-heat processing that strips nutrients. The system uses physics to weave together ingredients into nutritious fibre structures. How can this technology enable Lasso to provide a differentiated solution and respond to untapped opportunities within the plant-based food and beverage industry? Our mission is for Lasso SpinTech to have as large an impact as possible on the food industry. Our breakthrough system upends the outdated standards of ultra-processed foods and makes previously unattainable new consumer products – providing an entirely new approach to what consumer packaged goods can look like.  Long-term, we want to partner with food brands and manufacturers to use our technology to unlock better products for consumers. Short-term, we’re launching our own branded products to prove our differentiation and use that traction to accelerate licensing relationships.  We’ve already proven this model; early success with the Tender Food brand at small scale has led to many inbound licensing relationships from blue-chip CPG companies across the globe. As we continue to expand our capabilities and educate partners on what it can do for them, we’ll have the opportunity to revolutionise the industry and meet the needs of modern consumers.   The first applications explored by the team were in plant-based meat alternatives, under the Tender Food brand. Where else have you recently been innovating? What product categories are next for Lasso? We have developed over 15 concepts for new product prototypes in categories like protein bars, snacks and pet foods. There are so many categories across food right now that are experiencing significant transformation. Our focus for the technology has been on what types of high-demand, beloved food categories would benefit from superior nutrition, clean labels and amazing texture. As it turns out, there are many! We are very excited about the snacking category in particular, looking at spaces like salty snacks, fruit snacks and other categories that are seeking protein and fibre solutions. Are there any notable industry trends right now that you foresee having a big impact on the future of the plant-based, and broader food and beverage, industry? How can Lasso respond to these? Two of the biggest trends we’re paying attention to are the growing rejection of ultra-processed foods, and GLP-1 medications fundamentally changing how people eat — both of which are converging to reshape demand for satiety, protein and simpler foods that align with long-term health goals. Lasso is directly responding to both of these trends by creating better, cleaner and simpler foods. Consumers are rapidly changing how they eat and snack, demanding more nutritious options and greater transparency about ingredients and how their food is made. Our advanced technology is the answer: ingredient-flexible (giving us the ability to accommodate less processed ingredients as they come to market) and simple processing that invents entirely new types of bars, snacks and foods across the store.  How do you approach collaboration with other businesses in the food industry?  Our goal is not to gatekeep, but to partner with manufacturers, businesses and food innovators to bring the next generation of clean label, nutrient-dense foods to the world –without compromising on price, taste or nutrition.  This means licensing our technology to major food companies to scale clean label products to millions, and working alongside sustainable ingredient companies to codevelop innovative ingredients into economically viable products. Have you encountered any big challenges on your journey so far? How have you navigated these? Tons. One example was winning our largest restaurant customer to date, which brought immediate demand that threatened to outpace what our local ghost kitchen could supply. Rather than decline, we pursued what we were told was impossible: accelerating the build for our first-of-its-kind pilot production line from nine months to just three. This type of turnaround is unheard of in food manufacturing, let alone for novel technology.  This endeavour meant bringing pilot-scale technology into a commercial setting for the first time – rapidly integrating upstream and downstream processing, optimising throughput and training a workforce. It also required coordination across engineering, operations, materials science, product and supply chain. In just three months, we launched the line and scaled production from thousands to hundreds of thousands of pounds. We learned a lot during this sprint – not just what our team is capable of, but what our technology is capable of. Everyone we consulted (including our board) told us this build was impossible: nine months minimum, external consultants, millions of dollars. But what we proved was that the simplicity and unprecedented power of our system made it radically faster and more cost-efficient to deploy than anyone expected. Fabrication, installation, and training – all completed in a fraction of the time and budget typical in food manufacturing. It was a breakthrough moment that validated our tech’s scalability and deployability while revealing a deeper truth: the future of our company wasn’t just in the product, it was in the platform. That realisation catalysed our strategic expansion from Tender Food to Lasso. What is Lasso’s biggest achievement to date? At an early stage start-up,it feels like there are big milestones every month. Two in particular come to mind. First, the core innovation itself is incredibly novel and extraordinary. If it was easy to create breakthrough new food equipment, everyone would do it. Our team of scientists and engineers have seen the journey from working all day to make a few ounces of food to now being able to have a machine that can run all day making thousands of pounds. That scaling journey has been a ton of hard work and technical thought, but is very rewarding. Secondly, over the past year, the team has really embraced a growth mindset of thinking incredibly creatively about what other applications beyond plant-based meat we could impact. That has forced us to evaluate lots of closely held assumptions on ingredients, how we make food and what our potential could be. The journey has produced some spectacular failures and unexpected breakthroughs, which is all part of the journey of creating something truly unique and special in business. Tender Food plant-based meat products What’s next for Lasso? Any exciting plans for the future you can share? We have three main focuses coming up: Launch a handful of new branded applications in new categories like snacking  Finalise key manufacturing and licensing partnerships that have been in development and get them up and running Continue deploying the technology with a focus on scale-up and supporting continued ingredient expansion For aspiring start-ups in the plant-based food and beverage industry, what valuable advice or insights would you share to help them navigate the challenges and opportunities in this dynamic sector? You really need to look at every step of your business value chain and think through how it would scale. If something is different when you are making ten units, how will it feel when you are making 10,000 units? Sometimes companies start off to make the world’s best delicious fresh product and then find that after six months, they actually aren’t a food company, they are a fresh logistics and delivery company and that is very outside their core competencies. Trying to map those scaling implications early can help you make the necessary adjustments to be ready for success when it hits.

French food-tech start-up Edonia has joined forces with catering group Newrest, to bring microalgae-based meals to public canteens nationwide. The start-up, headquartered in Paris, transforms spirulina into Edo, its proprietary, clean label alternative protein ingredient. Its first pilot as part of the partnership with Newrest began this autumn at the caterer’s central kitchen in Barentin, Normandy, France. The initial roll-out saw over 10,000 meals served, using Edonia’s ingredient. According to Edonia, its Edo solution is richer in protein and iron than meat, and is made using no additives and minimal processing. The company raised €2 million in funding last year, led by Asterion Ventures and supported by BPI, to scale up production and accelerate its commercial launch. Following its funding round and industrial pilot in Agen, supported by the government-funded France 2030 investment programme, Edonia confirmed it has already secured €15 million in pre-contracts with major food groups. This marks the company’s shift from lab into large-scale production, a key milestone for the start-up. Marc Giraud, managing director of France at Newrest, said: “We were impressed by Edo – simple to cook, tasty, and naturally rich in nutrients. This partnership reflects our ambition to innovate and lead the plant-based transition across our kitchens.” Hugo Valentin, CEO of Edonia, commented: “Microalgae have long been a promise for sustainable food - we’re turning that promise into reality. With Edo, we make microalgae practical for industry and desirable for consumers – natural, nutrient-dense and far from the ultra-processed meat imitations on the market.” Valentin added that partnering with Newrest supports the company in accelerating this transition at scale.

French start-up Green Spot Technologies has raised €5 million to expand its industrial operations and introduce Milatea, a new brand of fermented ingredients designed for bakers, pastry chefs and chocolatiers. Operating from its facility in Carpentras, France, Green Spot Technologies upcycles plant-based by-products into premium ingredients, supporting a circular and low-carbon food system. It uses sidestreams of fruits, vegetables and cereals, such as apples, fava and grapes, enabling it to reduce food waste and aligning with circular production principles. The funding round was led by Team for the Planet, with additional support from the European Innovation Council (EIC), EIT Food and new angel investors. The investment includes a combination of equity and bank loans aimed at accelerating the company’s growth. With this capital, Green Spot Technologies plans to increase its production capacity tenfold, from 100 to 1,000 tons per year. The company will also extend its reach across the bakery, pastry and confectionery sectors, while launching its Milatea range of ready-to-use ingredients that combine functionality and flavour.

Oatly has launched Oatly Baristamatic, a newly developed oat drink created specifically for automated coffee machines. The drink is designed to help coffee machines operate more smoothly without compromising on the popular taste of Oatly’s best-selling Barista Edition. It optimises machine performance by reducing the risk of sedimentation in milk containers, supporting overall machine flow. The beverage has been developed using the original Oatly Barista recipe, delivering the same functionality but with a slightly higher fat content (3.2g vs 3g) to help support foam stability and a lower viscosity to allow better flow through automated machines. Oalty Baristamatic is also fortified with vitamin D, B12, riboflavin and calcium. Like the rest of the brand’s range, it is soya-free and free from added sugars, sweeteners, emulsifiers, stabilisers, colours and artificial flavours. Bryan Carroll, general manager at Oatly UK and Ireland, described Oatly Baristamatic as a “breakthrough” innovation that has been tested and approved by coffee machine manufacturers. “It delivers all the versatility of the classic Barista Edition – hot or cold, smooth or frothed – while supporting coffee machine performance,” he continued, adding that the drink ensures a “smoother experience for both machine and human,” whether the coffee is made by a barista or poured from an automated machine at a service station. Baristamatic is available now directly from Oatly or from major wholesalers in January 2026.

Smart farming company Oishii, best known for its high-end strawberries, has launched its first-ever limited-edition artisanal jam collection, created in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Yuu Shimano. The new line features two varieties – Daifuku-inspired Strawberry Spread and Strawberry Yuzu Preserves – both made with Oishii’s Koyo Berries, a varietal known for its sweetness and balanced acidity. The launch marks Oishii’s gourmet pantry debut, expanding its product range beyond fresh produce. According to the company, the jams were developed as a way to reduce food waste by upcycling imperfect or surplus strawberries from its vertical farms. Oishii co-founder and CEO Hiroki Koga said the collection reflects the Japanese concept of ichigo ichie, which means “treasuring fleeting moments". Koga stated: “These jams are a true celebration of the unique flavours I grew up with in Japan and a reflection of our mission to bring innovative, elevated culinary experiences to US consumers. Each jar represents exceptional taste and the Japanese philosophy of ichigo ichie – treasuring fleeting moments.” The Daifuku-Inspired Strawberry Spread blends Oishii strawberries with koshian red bean paste, drawing inspiration from traditional Japanese mochi desserts. The Strawberry Yuzu Preserves, developed with Shimano, combine strawberries and Japanese yuzu citrus for a bright, tangy flavour. Chef Shimano added: “This collaboration honours our shared history, Japanese heritage and commitment to excellence. The combination of strawberries and yuzu reflects my approach to creating bold yet harmonious flavours.” The jams retail for $35 per jar, or $65 for a two-jar set, available via the   brand 's website and select retailers while supplies last.

Miyoko Schinner, the founder of US plant-based dairy brand Miyoko’s Creamery, said she has been unsuccessful in taking back ownership of the company after it was put up for sale last month. Schinner founded the start-up, which produces vegan artisan cheese and butter products, in California in 2014. In 2022, she was removed from the company and her role as CEO, and a legal dispute was initiated in which the company’s leadership team accused Schinner of stealing confidential information. The lawsuit was settled in May 2023, with Schinner and the company wishing each other well and parting ways. Last week, AgFunderNews reported that Miyoko’s Creamery had entered an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors (ABC) process due to entering insolvency after it was ‘unable to pay its debts in full’. Schinner publicly announced her intention to bid for ownership of the business again, and shared a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign on LinkedIn to help support her with the cost of the transaction. Though she raised over $103,000, Schinner revealed this morning (11 November 2025) that she was unsuccessful. In a LinkedIn post, she wrote: “The company that bears my name went to someone else with a higher bid. While they may have deeper pockets, I may have deeper connections with the community. At the end of the day, I'd rather take that to my grave than a pile of money.” Schinner said that she has now begun initiating the refund process with GoFundMe, returning funds to the over 1600 people who donated via the crowdfunding site. In another LinkedIn post shared yesterday, she said the liquidator has a fiduciary responsibility to accept the highest bid, adding: “48 hours wasn't enough to solidify deals, figure out the structure of a new entity, and make sure that the funds would not be a simple spin on a roulette wheel”. “I would like to add that had the company approached me at the outset and offered to sell it back to me, this might have been a different story. Instead, I found out about the auction through word of mouth, through the public sphere.” So far, the winning bidder has not been identified or issued a public statement. According to AgFunderNews’ report, Resolution Financial Advisors handled the ABC process. However, the company has not yet released a statement or responded to FoodBev Media’s enquiries.

Beyond Meat has reported its financial results for the third quarter ended 27 September 2025, reporting a 13.3% decrease in net revenues year-over-year. Net revenues for Q3 were $70.2 million, and gross profit was $7.2 million – down from $14.3 million in the year-ago period. Gross profit and gross margin – 10.3%, compared to 17.7% year-on-year – included $1.7 million in expenses related to the suspension of the company’s operations in China. Loss from operations was $112.3 million, compared to loss from operations of $30.9 million in the year-ago period. This included $77.4 million in non-cash impairment charges related to certain long-lived assets. It also included $700,000 in incremental legal and other fees associated with arbitration proceedings related to a previously-disclosed contractual dispute with a former co-manufacturer, and $600,000 in costs related to a partial lease termination of a portion of its headquarters in El Segundo, California, US. Net loss for the quarter was $110.7 million, or $1.44 per common share, compared to net loss of $26.6 million ($0.41 per common share) in the year-ago period. Due to continued market uncertainty, Beyond has limited its revised 2025 outlook, now projecting net revenues in the range of $60 million to $64 million for Q4. Ethan Brown, president and CEO of Beyond Meat, said the company is taking “strong” measures to accelerate its path to sustainable operations. These include pursuing “further and sizeable” cost reductions, gross margin expansion investments and targeted strategic growth initiatives. The company has already been implementing measures targeted at optimising its operations for cost efficiency in recent years. In February, coinciding with the posting of its fourth quarter 2024 results, the alt-meat maker revealed plans to suspend its operations in China and cut 64 jobs . Additionally, the company reduced its North America workforce by around 44 employees later in the year. In September, Beyond announced an exchange offer for its 0% convertible senior notes due 2027. The offer enables holders to swap them for 7% convertible notes due 2030, alongside common stock shares, in an effort to eliminate over $800 million of debt. Brown commented: “As we approach the end of 2025, we’ve achieved three important building blocks for our broader transformation efforts. These are significantly reducing our overall leverage in connection with the previously announced exchange of substantially all of our 2027 convertible notes; meaningfully extending our debt maturity; and finally, adding substantial liquidity to our balance sheet.” He added that while category headwinds and an accompanying softer top-line “continue to weigh on and reverberate throughout our current performance,” the company will be closing 2025 with “important transformation spadework underway, and genuine optimism and excitement” for Beyond’s future.

Maia Farms, a Canadian start-up developing fungi-based food ingredients, has partnered with Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB) aiming to address food insecurity and advance sustainable nutrition. The partnership introduces Maia Farms’ Maia Shred – a textured oyster mushroom and pea-based protein – to the GVFB’s network. The ingredient is high in fibre and protein, and is free from common allergens. This initiative supports GVFB’s mission of providing healthy and culturally inclusive foods to the communities it serves. The food bank supported over 212,000 client visits, distributed 4.5 million pounds of food to 195 community agencies, and maintained 83% of all food distributed as fresh and perishable in the first quarter of FY2026. Nearly 32% of GVFB clients are children and 18% are seniors, underscoring the need for accessible and nutrient-dense foods across generations. Gavin Schneider, CEO of Maia Farms, said: “We are deeply grateful to be working on this important collaboration with the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. We have a shared mission to improve livelihoods by delivering nutrient rich food to our community.” “This initiative is the first chapter of Maia’s Nourish Life campaign, which we are growing nationwide. Mushroom mycelium is the connective fabric that will build a strong network.” Maia Farms uses a liquid fermentation process to create high-performance food ingredients from oyster mushrooms. Its clean label portfolio includes textured protein blends, powders and fresh formats.

The Singapore Food Agency, under the second phase of its Singapore Food Story R&D programme, has awarded SGD 42 million (approx. $32.3 million) to 11 alt-protein and food-tech projects. The projects were selected through two grant calls: Second Future Foods Grant Call, focusing on seeking innovative solutions to strengthen the nutrition and functionality of alternative proteins; and Food Safety Grant Call, supporting the development of non-animal New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for toxicological evaluation of food innovations. Additional funding has also been awarded to the Centre for Precision Fermentation and Sustainability (PreFerS) to translate research outputs into market-ready solutions. PreFerS is a research facility in Singapore, established by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Singapore’s National Research Foundation. This project aims to accelerate efficient and sustainable production of high-value ingredients like healthy lipids and functional proteins. Among the projects to receive funding under the Future Foods Grant is a National University of Singapore (NUS)-led initiative to enhance the flavour, nutritional and functional properties of microalgae biomass for food applications. Meanwhile, as part of the Food Safety Grant, a collaborative project from NUS, Umami Bioworks, Meatiply, Sciex, ID Labs and AIM Biotech has been awarded funding to support its work in developing a neurotoxicity assessment platform for evaluation of food safety risks posed by contaminants from cell-based and fermentation-derived foods. Other projects to receive support span various research areas including allergenicity and immunotoxicity of precision fermentation proteins, and a toxicokinetic and safety platform for the evaluation of small-molecule additives in cultivated meat. Ngin Hoon Tong, senior director of Science and Technology division of Singapore Food Agency, said: “As we continue to navigate an increasingly complex global food landscape, sustained R&D investment in novel foods [remains] an important strategy“. “These awarded projects represent the next wave of breakthrough technologies that will enhance our food resilience and position Singapore as a leader in sustainable food innovation.”

US start-up Meati Foods, a producer of mycelium-based meat alternative products, has been acquired by Yasir Abdul, CEO of tech company InvenTel. Meati Foods, founded in Colorado in 2017, is known for its clean label, whole-cut-style meat substitutes made from fungi via fermentation. The company made headlines earlier this year following an unexpected financial crisis, which saw Meati forced to give notice of mass layoffs to its 150 employees . A sudden cash sweep by the company’s lender in February reportedly left the team scrambling for capital, ultimately unable to recover. In May, the company was reported to be preparing for a distress sale valued at just $4 million – despite having raised over $450 million in funding and a previous valuation of $650 million following a $150 million Series C investment round in 2022. Now, tech leader Abdul has announced the acquisition of Meati Foods, and has now re-established it as a refreshed business named Meati Holdings. As the president of Meati Holdings, Abdul said he saw the opportunity to revive the brand and make it a ‘leader in the clean food space’. He commented: “Our initial goal is to stabilise operations – as the Thornton, Colorado facility, where Meati products are made, is currently unprofitable and unsustainable”. Abdul added: “Unfortunately. when start-ups and founders build a brand, they have tunnel vision. Often, they do not understand the numbers, the revenue or the gross profit. Meati is now poised for growth.” He has revealed plans to explore other options for Meati, including a direct-to-consumer business model. Abdul said the goal is to grow the company’s operational value and leverage his existing retail relationships, made through his experience heading up InvenTel, to expand Meati’s distribution.