Upcycled Plant Power (UPP) has partnered with East of Scotland Growers (ESG) to deploy its automated selective harvesting technology across ESG’s farms. UPP is a UK food-tech company creating vegetarian protein products and fibre ingredients from previously wasted broccoli crops. ESG is a farmer-owned agricultural collective with a focus on sustainably grown, high-quality vegetables. The partnership will enable UPP to secure a reliable supply of broccoli biomass for ingredient production. Under the agreement, ESG will operate UPP’s selective harvester to automate the broccoli harvesting process. Harvested side stream material will be supplied to UPP as a consistent feedstock, enabling both companies to unlock value from the biomass. The value to UPP over the five-year term of the partnership is expected to exceed £1 million, assuming multi-unit deployments from year two. For farmers, UPP said its solution reduces dependency on casual harvest labour and mitigates labour-cost inflation, while also reducing crop loss caused by labour shortages and boosting efficiency for farms. The partnership is structured so that ESG shares in the gross margin from UPP’s sale of upcycled ingredients, allowing growers to monetise side streams without additional operational risk or capital investment. Andy Laing, business development director at East of Scotland Growers, said: “This collaboration improves farm profitability while contributing to a food system that is more sustainable and resilient”. “We have been working with our supermarket partners to address Scope 3 emissions reduction, and working with UPP is helping us meet those goals.” UPP recently celebrated a successful £3.5 million funding round, including a £1.5 million follow-on investment from climate-focused firm Elbow Beach. Andy Summerfield, investor director at Elbow Beach, commented on the new partnership: “UPP’s partnership with East of Scotland Growers is exactly the kind of solution we want to support; transforming under-utilised agricultural biomass into high-value, nutritious ingredients while delivering meaningful economic returns to farmers”. “By backing scalable solutions that reduce waste, lower emissions and strengthen supply-chain economics, we are helping accelerate the transition to a more sustainable and commercially robust food future.”

The Every Company has teamed up with Landish Foods, a US-based nutritional wellness brand, to launch

Canadian dairy-free cheese brand Daiya has added two spicy innovations to its portfolio: Chipotle Cheddar Shreds and Pepper Jack Slices. The new additions tap into growing demand for bold, ‘flavour-forward’ foods. They aim to bring versatility to the dairy-free cheese aisle, and are made with Daiya’s signature Oat Cream ingredient blend. Made with real chipotle peppers, the new spicy shreds combine smoky heat with a sharp cheddar-style base. Daiya describes them as a category-first innovation, bringing ‘the boldest heat’ to a dairy-free shredded cheese format. The shreds are well-suited to Latin-inspired dishes, ideal for adding to tacos, burgers, quesadillas and more. According to Daiya, they have been designed to appeal to flexitarians craving satisfying and bold flavours. The Pepper Jack Slices combine a creamy cheddar-style base with real jalapenos and red bell peppers, suitable for melting into sandwiches and burgers. The brand noted its focus on ensuring the spice was balanced without being overpowering, expected to appeal to younger consumers who crave exciting flavour varieties. John Kelly, chief marketing officer at Daiya, said: “We’re pushing flavour and form further than ever. These bold new cheeses show what dairy-free can really do – craveable heat, creamy melt and no holding back.” Both new products are now available at selected retailers across North America.

US biotech start-up Helaina has raised $45 million in a Series B funding round led by investment firm

Alt-protein specialists Heura Foods and Swap (formerly Umiami) have teamed up to launch a clean label

Meat alternatives brand Impossible Foods has teamed up with UK bar chain BrewDog to deliver a new plant-based opt for plant-based meals, so we wanted to make it even easier to make the switch through this hook-up

separate decrees in January by France’s Council of State , which would have seen businesses face fines of up to reduce bureaucracy, red tape and increase competitiveness on Mondays and Tuesdays, and then come up plant-based sector… We call on the college of Commissioners and President Ursula von der Leyen to step up

It identifies five key trends expected on menus and coffee spots in the coming months and years, spotlighting However, some baristas already look to be lining up innovative new speciality tea offerings with potential Earl Grey was under the spotlight in cocktails and drinks in the US earlier this year, while oolong and jasmine varieties from China are rising in popularity and specialised milk tea shops are popping up

Real Food From The Ground Up is adding a new vegetable base to its portfolio with the introduction of Made with purple carrot – the latest vegetable to be included in the brand’s line-up – the new crackers squash vegetable bases for our growing snack brand,” said Deb Holt, CMO of Real Food From The Ground Up

UK plant-based recipe kit start-up Grubby has partnered with dairy-free cheese brand Julienne Bruno to In March 2025, the start-up acquired the excusive rights to the recipes and manufacturing methods for

Swedish oat milk company Oatly has teamed up with Nestlé-owned coffee giant Nespresso, to launch a limited-edition

Food tech company Enough has announced the successful raise of €40 million in growth funding to scale up According to Enough, its technology makes Abunda up to 15 times more efficient than protein from beef , using up to 93% less water, 97% less feed and causing 97% fewer CO2 emissions. Initially, the factory will produce 10,000 metric tonnes of Abunda per year, with plans to scale this up This will support scaling up capacity at the Netherlands factory while also growing its teams across