A new snacking brand, Morish, has entered the UK market with a range of roasted seaweed products in five flavour varieties. The new brand, based in London, aims to deliver ‘bold, purpose-led snacks made with clean ingredients and big flavour’. Its Crispy Seaweed Snacks bring deep umami flavour in a convenient snack format, providing a rich source of fibre, iodine, vitamin B12 and protein. They are designed to support sustained energy, fullness and everyday nutritional balance. The five flavours launching are extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, sea salt, and shiitake. They are certified organic, gluten-free and vegan, developed to provide a wholesome alternative to carb-dense, ultra-processed snacks. The seaweed sheets are harvested from South Korean waters and lightly roasted, lightly seasoned with no artificial additives. Seaweed grows without land, fresh water or fertiliser use. It also absorbs carbon from the ocean and supports marine biodiversity. Through sustainably cultivating seaweed and pairing it with unrefined oils, Morish said it aims to offer a product that is good for both consumers and the planet. Though the seaweed snacks are vegan, it is not a fully plant-based brand. Morish has also introduced two meat snack products – Chicharrónes, and Air-Dried Steak snacks. The Crispy Seaweed range is now available online and via Morish’s selected distribution partners. Top image: © Morish

US plant-based functional beverage brand Cure Hydration has added a new Peach Mango flavour to its electrolyte drink line-up. The tropical-forward offering underscores the brand’s continued investment in flavour innovation as demand grows for clean label hydration products. Peach Mango’s flavour profile pairs ‘juicy peach’ notes finished with ‘smooth mango’. Like the other flavours in the brand’s line-up, it is made with coconut water powder, pink Himalayan salt, lemon juice powder and organic natural flavours. The drink is naturally sweetened with stevia and monk fruit, and contains no added sugar or artificial ingredients. It is available in single-serve powdered stick format, as well as in larger, multi-serve packs. Cure Hydration's range is available at major retailers including Albertsons, Kroger and Whole Foods Market as well as online and via Amazon.

French ingredient company Verley has raised $38 million in an oversubscribed Series A round to expand production of precision-fermented whey proteins and enter the US market, just four years after its founding. The round was led by Alven, with new investors Blast and Bpifrance participating through the French Tech Seed fund under the France 2030 programme. Existing investors Sofinnova Partners, Sparkfood, Captech and Founders Future also joined the round. Verley will also receive additional non-dilutive support from Bpifrance. The funding comes amid growing global demand for protein ingredients. The protein market reached $31.8 billion in 2025 and continues to expand, driven by population growth, changing dietary habits and rising use of GLP-1 weight-loss treatments, which are increasing the need for high-quality, digestible protein. Conventional whey production faces structural constraints and environmental pressures, limiting its ability to scale sustainably. Verley produces beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), a functional whey protein, using precision fermentation. The company’s ingredients are designed to integrate into existing food manufacturing processes while using far fewer natural resources than conventional dairy production. Operating solely in the B2B ingredients sector, Verley supplies manufacturers developing high-protein, clean-label, and easily digestible products. Its FermWhey portfolio targets applications such as protein shots and ready-to-drink beverages, offering high purity, solubility, emulsification, gelling properties and optimised nutritional profiles. Since its founding, Verley has moved from technological validation to industrial readiness. The company achieved self-affirmed GRAS status in 2024 and received a U.S. Food and Drug Administration “no questions” letter in 2025, confirming the safety of its proteins for the US market. Verley has also built a strong intellectual property portfolio covering both fermentation processes and proprietary protein functionalisation technologies designed to enhance performance beyond conventional dairy proteins. Demand for Verley’s ingredients already exceeds current production capacity. The Series A proceeds will fund US commercial deployment, customer scale-up, and expanded production, alongside continued research and development. After the US launch, Europe and the Middle East will be priority expansion regions. Stéphane Mac Millan, CEO and co-founder of Verley, said: “Verley’s mission is to address the growing global demand for high-quality nutrition while preserving the planet’s natural resources. Verley is now ready to help alleviate the pressure the dairy industry is facing. We are very proud to be building a European champion leveraging decades of know-how in the dairy industry.” Hélène Briand, co-founder and chief innovation & commercial officer, added: “This financing allows us to scale not only our production, but the performance promise behind our ingredients. Our functionalisation technologies are designed to meet real industrial constraints and application needs. That focus on performance is what makes precision fermentation relevant and viable at scale.”

Plant-based dairy brand Elmhurst 1925 has added three new innovations to its barista-inspired portfolio: Cashew Barista Edition, Unsweetened Coconut Cashew Barista Edition, and Brown Sugar Oat Creamer. The new offerings have been designed to pair perfectly with hot or iced coffee, offering ‘professional coffeehouse creaminess, rich texture and crave-worthy flavour’. Each of the products is crafted using no gums, seed oils or ‘filler’ ingredients, reflecting the brand’s focus on simple ingredients and better nutrition. Cashew Barista Edition is a café-grade plant milk made from whole cashews, delivering a naturally creamy, buttery and subtly sweet flavour. According to the brand, it offers ‘exceptional’ steam-and-froth performance, and is crafted to complement light, medium and dark roasts. It is made with just a handful of ingredients including cashews, filtered water, cane sugar, salt and natural flavours. Unsweetened Coconut Cashew Barista is Elmhurst’s first unsweetened Barista Edition plant milk, crafted with a blend of real coconut cream and cashews. With no added sugar, the plant milk delivers a ‘naturally luxurious’ texture that blends smoothly in hot and iced beverages, and can be steamed for lattes. It is made with filtered water, coconut cream, cashews, white rice and salt, offering a clean label alternative for consumers seeking gum-free and oil-free options. Finally, the Brown Sugar Oat Creamer is positioned as a ‘warm and nostalgic favourite,’ reimagined with a clean label focus. It is made with whole grain, gluten-free oat milk, a touch of brown sugar, and no gums, fillers or oils. The creamer contains just 1g of sugar and 15 kcal per teaspoon. Like all Elmhurst 1925 products, the new launches are Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, dairy-free, OU Kosher, vegan and made without artificial ingredients. Each product is created using the brand’s patented HydroRelease method, which uses only water to separate and recombine the nutritional components of nuts, grains or seeds before recombining them into plant-based beverages. This process maintains the source ingredients’ nutritional integrity and eliminates the need for additives, while upcycling waste into energy and operating with 100% renewable hydropower. The three new products are now available online, via Amazon, in Sprouts Farmers Market stores and select Target locations across the US, with more retailers to follow.

On 11 February 2026, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in the long-running Dairy UK v Oatly AB case, unanimously dismissing Oatly’s appeal and finding that Oatly’s trade mark 'Post Milk Generation' was invalid. Michael Skrein, partner, and Eva Burkhart, trainee at law firm Reed Smith, examine how the judgment will influence branding and marketing in the plant-based sector moving forward. Unfamiliar with the Dairy UK v Oatly AB case? Read about it here. The legal framework – a harsh decision? The Dairy UK v Oatly AB case posed two questions: Does 'Post Milk Generation' use the term 'milk' as a 'designation' within the meaning of the relevant Regulation? Is the term 'Post Milk Generation,' when used in relation to oat-based food and drink, clearly being used to describe a characteristic quality of those products? Question one is a binary question. There either is or is not a 'designation'. The Supreme Court took what might be thought a controversial view that the term 'milk' was used as a designation. It may have been considered that Oatly’s case would be saved by the use of the word 'Post,' signalling distance from dairy rather than an attempt to appropriate it. However, the Supreme Court held that the mark does not clearly describe a characteristic quality of oat-based food and drink products, and therefore falls outside the proviso. It could also be considered that the word 'Post' actually is, rather than is not, used to describe a characteristic quality of the products – 'Post' meaning that the product is from a world that has moved on from milk. However, the Supreme Court found that the word 'Generation' undermines that argument, because the trade mark is not 'clearly' describing any characteristic of the contested products. The Court judged that on its face, it is focused on describing the intended consumers (for example, a younger 'post-milk generation'), rather than the characteristic quality of the goods themselves. One might wonder whether the Supreme Court would have ruled differently if the word 'Generation' had not been used. It's likely it would not have, due to the binary decision but also because the Court took the view – perhaps a little harshly – that the term did not make clear whether the product is entirely free of milk, or only that the milk content is low. Implications for the plant-based sector At first glance, the judgment appears uncompromising: if a product is not derived from animal milk, it cannot be marketed using reserved dairy designations such as 'milk' or 'cheese'. The Court made clear that the purpose of the regulation is to maintain 'fair conditions of competition,' not merely to prevent consumer deception. Even if consumers understand that oat-based products are not dairy, that understanding does not escape the statutory restriction. However, the decision should not be seen as necessarily requiring a wholesale rebrand across the plant-based sector. The prohibition on using 'milk' as the product name for plant-based drinks is not new. UK plant-based brands have long marketed their products as 'oat drink' or 'almond drink' in response to the dairy designation rules, as strictly interpreted in the EU case of TofuTown. The Supreme Court has not changed that baseline. Instead, it has confirmed that the restriction extends beyond product names and may capture branding and slogans where dairy terminology is used 'in respect of' the goods. Crucially, the Court’s reasoning preserves an important safety valve: the proviso allowing designations that are ' clearly used to describe a characteristic quality of the product '. The Court expressly indicated that a hypothetical mark such as 'Milk-free' would be caught by the prohibition at first glance, but would be saved because it clearly describes a product characteristic. The operative distinction is therefore one of clarity. Descriptive, product-focused statements, such as 'milk-free,' 'dairy-free' or 'plant-based alternative to milk,' are likely to remain viable. What is in peril, however, is more expressive use: metaphorical, cultural or generational messaging that invokes dairy terms without clearly describing the product (such as 'Milk Reimagined', 'Milk 2.0,' 'Goodbye Milk,' and 'Milk Break'). Strategic changes For manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, co-packers and brand owners, the practical implications are strategic rather than existential. For instance, trade mark portfolios (registered and pending) incorporating dairy terms for plant-based goods may now require reassessment, while earlier, compliance-led brand development, with legal review at concept stage, will further reduce vulnerability. Additionally, clear descriptive positioning is likely to be more resilient than evocative branding, given the emphasis on clarity, and retailers – especially in own-label – may adopt a more conservative approach, pushing compliance expectations further down the supply chain. The sector may also see transactional scrutiny increase in investment, M&A and due diligence, particularly where valuation is linked to trade mark strength. Finally, from an export perspective, brands should remember to align these strategies across jurisdictions, noting that the UK position reflects retained EU law. Commercial imperatives and next steps The judgment also underscores a wider competitive dynamic. By reserving certain category terms to dairy producers, the regulatory framework effectively restricts access to familiar food vocabulary. Plant-based brands may therefore need to communicate substitution and functionality without using the most immediately recognisable 'shorthand,' which may increase the cost of consumer education. It will be a matter of taking care. The overall impact for the plant-based sector is real but not catastrophic. The judgment does not mandate wholesale rebranding. Rather, it clarifies that dairy terminology is strictly regulated and that non-literal or expressive use will be vulnerable unless it clearly describes a characteristic of the product. The commercial imperative is therefore to innovate, differentiate and build brand equity within those parameters.

Gavan Technologies has appointed former ChickP chief executive Liat Lachish Levy to lead its next phase of commercial expansion, as the Israeli foodtech firm looks to scale production of its plant-based fat system in Europe and compete directly with conventional butter on cost. The leadership change follows the launch of the company’s first European production facility and signals a shift from technology development to industrial execution, targeting large bakery and dairy manufacturers seeking clean label fat alternatives. Lachish Levy replaces co-founder Itai Cohen and will focus on scaling output, expanding partnerships with multinational food producers and accelerating adoption of the company’s flagship ingredient, Fatrix. Gavan says Fatrix, a protein-based fat system made from vegetable oil, water and plant protein isolate, is designed as a 'drop-in' replacement for butter and animal fats, replicating their texture and functionality in applications such as brioche, pound cakes, cooking creams and cream cheese. In a potentially significant claim for manufacturers facing ongoing dairy price volatility, the company said the product is already cost-competitive with conventional butter at the current production scale. Gavan’s newly launched European facility, which has an initial capacity of hundreds of tonnes annually, is built on a modular model that allows for incremental expansion as demand increases. The company says its production approach requires lower capital expenditure than some fermentation-based or structured lipid alternatives, a factor that could improve unit economics and speed deployment in additional markets. The company is initially targeting the bakery and dairy sectors, where manufacturers are under pressure to reduce saturated fat and eliminate hydrogenation while maintaining processing performance and margin. Fatrix contains very low saturated fat, zero trans fats and requires no hydrogenation. Lachish Levy brings more than 20 years of experience across FMCG and food ingredients. At ChickP, she led the commercialisation and international expansion of chickpea protein ingredients through partnerships with global food groups. Board chair Rony Patishi-Chillim said the appointment reflects a transition “from innovation to execution” as the company seeks to build what it describes as a category-defining functional fats platform. Founded in 2018, Gavan develops plant-based protein extraction and structured fat systems positioned as alternatives to animal-derived ingredients, using what it calls a zero-waste production model.

Roquette has launched a new pea protein isolate designed to reduce the characteristic 'beany' off-notes that have long constrained wider use of plant proteins in mainstream F&B applications. The ingredient, marketed as Nutralys Pea 850F, is positioned as a clean-tasting isolate that enables formulators to avoid flavour masking systems or processing aids – a move that could appeal to manufacturers seeking shorter ingredient lists and simpler front-of-pack claims. For B2B manufacturers, the development addresses one of the most persistent formulation challenges in plant-based innovation: balancing protein fortification with acceptable sensory performance. While pea protein has become a preferred option due to its amino acid profile, relative cost stability and non-allergen status compared with soy, its vegetal notes have often required additional flavour systems, sweeteners or texturisers, increasing cost and label complexity. Roquette said the new isolate delivers comparable functional performance to its existing Nutralys S85F benchmark, including emulsification, moderate gelling and solubility suitable for ready-to-drink, ready-to-mix and dairy-alternative formats. The key differentiator, it claims, is improved sensory neutrality confirmed through internal panel testing. The launch comes as high-protein positioning continues to drive new product development across beverages, dairy alternatives and specialised nutrition. According to industry data cited by the company, three in five consumers globally are increasing their protein intake, while food and beverage launches featuring protein and weight management claims rose 29% year-on-year in 2024/25. That growth has been amplified by the rise of GLP-1 weight management therapies, which have reshaped consumer interest in protein-dense, lower-calorie foods. Ingredient suppliers are increasingly targeting this segment with reformulated, higher-protein offerings that do not compromise taste. By addressing off-notes at source rather than relying on flavour masking, Roquette is positioning the ingredient as a cost and time efficiency play for R&D teams. Reducing the need for additional ingredients may shorten development cycles and support clean label positioning – a factor that remains commercially relevant in both European and North American retail channels. The product expands Roquette’s broader Nutralys portfolio, which includes proteins derived from pea, wheat and fava bean, and reflects continued competition among plant protein suppliers to differentiate on sensory performance rather than solely on protein percentage or price.

US-based food-tech start-up Plantible Foods has received a ‘No Questions’ letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), validating the safety of its Rubi Protein ingredient made from duckweed. The letter, in response to Plantible’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notice for Rubi Protein, positions Plantible as the first company to receive FDA acknowledgement for the use of isolated RuBisCO protein in food applications. Rubi Protein is derived from water lentils (Lemna), a member of the ‘duckweed’ family of aquatic plants. It is grown in enclosed commercial greenhouses and processed at Plantible’s facility in Eldorado, Texas. The ingredient contains approximately 85% protein by weight and is primarily composed of RuBisCO, the key enzyme responsible for photosynthesis in all green plants and the most abundant protein in nature. A critical step in unlocking large-scale commercial adoption, the FDA’s response affirms Plantible’s conclusion that its ingredient is GRAS under the intended conditions of use. Now, Plantible said it is accelerating its production capacity to meet growing demand across multiple food and beverage categories following completion of this regulatory milestone. Rubi Protein offers a neutral taste profile, high solubility and strong emulsification and foaming functionality. According to Plantible, it can help manufacturers to improve functionality, sustainability and costs without compromising taste or texture. The regulatory milestone is expected to accelerate adoption across baked goods, beverages, plant-based meat and dairy analogues, protein bars, snacks and soups. Tony Martens, founder and CEO of Plantible, said: “The completion of the FDA review validates years of investment in safety, transparency and scientific diligence”. “As global demand for stable, sustainable and clean label proteins continues to rise, Rubi Protein provides manufacturers with a highly functional ingredient that is both nutritionally robust and environmentally efficient.” Martens established Plantible in 2016 alongside fellow Dutch entrepreneur Maurits van de Ven, aiming to rebuild the global food system and unlock the power of plants to promote the health and longevity of people and the planet. The company opened its first commercial production facility in Texas last year, marking the transition from R&D to full-scale manufacturing. Top image: © Plantible Foods

The plant-based food and beverage category is entering its next phase of growth – but what does that look like for the industry's key players, and where are the opportunities as this competitive landscape continues to mature? Angela Flatland, senior sales director for plant-based at Spins, delves into why a thorough understanding of this developing sector is crucial for those looking to succeed within it. For much of the last decade, plant-based foods have been treated as a category defined by peaks and valleys. Headlines have switched between explosive growth and claims that plant-based is dead. The reality, as the data shows, is far more nuanced. Plant-based is not disappearing. It is evolving. At Spins, we recently examined a full ten-year timeline of plant-based performance across the store. What emerged was not a story of decline, but one of maturation. Like any young category, plant-based has moved from rapid expansion into a period of reset and rebalancing. Understanding this evolution is critical for brands and retailers looking to succeed in the next wave. A decade in context: From breakout to rebalance Plant-based, as a modern retail segment, is still relatively young. The years between 2016 and 2018 marked the true kick-off, when legacy animal-based categories began to see credible plant-based alternatives emerge at scale. Plant-based milk and plant-based meat, led by brands such as Oatly, Beyond Meat and Impossible, drove consumer momentum during these years. Momentum accelerated through 2020, when consumer curiosity surged during the early stages of the pandemic. But by 2021 and 2022, the category began to mature from a booming new category to what we're seeing today. Retailers had expanded assortments rapidly, often placing nearly every new plant-based SKU on shelf. As a result, saturation set in. Performance flattened, and in some segments declined, triggering the negative narrative around plant-based growth. What the ten-year view makes clear is that this phase is not an endpoint. It is a reset. Assortments are being refined, weaker products are exiting, and the category is recalibrating around what consumers actually want. This pattern mirrors the lifecycle of many budding categories that are now staples of the grocery store. Social discovery is reshaping demand One of the most important forces shaping the current plant-based landscape and beyond in CPG sits outside the aisle. Consumers are discovering food differently than they did even five years ago. Gen Z shoppers increasingly rely on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to find new products, while Millennials blend social discovery with the platforms and legacy ones like Google and Facebook. Search and social data show that interest in plant-based products has softened from its pandemic-era peak, but it has not disappeared. Instead, it now coexists with rising interest in searches for high-protein diets, food tracking apps like Yuka, and functional nutrition. Viral moments, such as Netflix documentaries or TikTok-driven ingredient trends, still create meaningful sales spikes for plant-based brands that are well-positioned. Retail performance: Signs of stabilisation Point-of-sale data reinforces the idea that the worst of the downturn may be behind us. Compared to its performance two years ago, plant-based is closing the gap between plant-based units sold and total food and beverage, cutting the gap nearly in half, signalling improving trends as the category moves toward 2026. Channel performance tells an equally important story. Natural retailers continue to outperform conventional channels, with plant-based growth up in natural (+2.6%) while conventional remains under pressure (-3.6%). The reasons are familiar: stronger assortments, more innovation and a shopper who is less price-sensitive. Distribution has tightened across both channels, reflecting broader inventory discipline to account for inflation and tariffs, but velocities are up. This signals steady demand – shifting us away from the questions of what shoppers are left to what shoppers are buying.  In tandem with the overall trend towards more gut health and protein-conscious consumers, categories like functional beverages and kombucha, yogurt, wellness bars, tofu and protein supplements are experiencing growth in the plant-based aisle in the natural channel.  Changing consumers and raised expectations Spins' consumer panel data shows that plant-based meat and milk have lost share, largely to animal-based alternatives. In plant-based meat, roughly two-thirds of dollar losses have shifted back to animal meat, with the remainder moving to categories like refrigerated entrees and beans and lentils. In plant-based milk, the shift is even more pronounced, with the majority of losses going back to dairy milk. This does not signal a rejection of plant-based values. Instead, it reflects rising competition. Animal-based categories have raised the bar, leaning into many of the same better-for-you attributes that once differentiated plant-based: clean labels, grass-fed, hormone-free, antibiotic-free and natural positioning. Premium natural and specialty animal products are now driving most of the dollar growth in those categories. In other words, consumers are making more nuanced trade-offs. They are choosing products that best meet their needs in a given moment, regardless of whether they are plant- or animal-based. What is winning in plant-based today? Despite maturation, there are clear pockets of strength within plant-based. Products that deliver added nutritional value are outperforming their counterparts. Plant-based sources of protein continue to resonate across the store, even as consumers experiment with where that protein comes from. High-fibre plant-based items are driving disproportionate growth, supported by increased awareness around digestive health and the influence of GLP-1 medications. Probiotics and gut health are another bright spot. According to Spins' Gen Z and Millennial trends report, younger consumers in particular prefer to get digestive support from food rather than supplements, fueling strong performance for plant-based yogurts and fermented products. Functional ingredients are also having a moment. Items containing matcha, functional mushrooms and maca root are outperforming the broader plant-based set, aligning with consumer interest in energy, mood and holistic health. Sustainability attributes further reinforce growth, especially labelled organic and fair trade claims. There is strong synergy between the plant-based category and sustainability attributes, connecting to consumers' values-based diets. Standards such as labeled organic plant-based positioned products are growing 18%, while others like regenerative organic certification (+14%), glyphosate residue free (+115) and upcycled ingredients (+4%) trail closely behind. The next wave: Where innovation is headed Looking ahead, innovation data offers a roadmap for the next phase of plant-based growth. Categories tied to trending nutrients are seeing the strongest traction, particularly wellness and snack bars, plant-based yogurt, and refrigerated juices, shakes and smoothies. These segments combine high innovation rates with strong alignment to consumer values around protein, fibre and functional benefits. Importantly, innovation is shifting away from centre-of-plate replacements and toward non-meal eating occasions. Snacking, beverages and supplements are where new plant-based products are entering the market and gaining acceptance. International flavours represent another growth lever, reflecting broader macro trends across the industry and the inherently plant-forward nature of many global cuisines. Protein remains central to the conversation. While there are early signals that the protein cycle may eventually moderate, the data suggests there is still room to run, particularly for products that balance protein with overall nutritional integrity. Plant-based is evolving, not ending Plant-based continues to align with the values that consistently shape food purchasing decisions: health, sustainability and impact on people, animals and the planet. The category’s next wave will not be defined by sheer expansion, but by smarter innovation, clearer differentiation and products that win on taste, nutrition and trust. For brands and retailers, the opportunity lies in embracing this evolution. Those who understand the competitive landscape, lean into meaningful attributes and meet consumers where they are will help shape what plant-based becomes next.

US plant-based nutrition brand Aloha has added a limited-edition Cookies and Creme protein bar to its portfolio. The launch brings a familiar flavour to the brand’s line-up of high-protein, high-fibre bars while aiming to address common trade-offs around taste and ingredient quality in the protein bar category. Aloha Cookies and Creme bar features a creamy white chocolate coating layered with crunchy chocolate cookie pieces, cocoa and a touch of sea salt. It is made with organic, whole food ingredients and the brand’s blend of pumpkin seed and brown rice protein. Each bar delivers 14g of protein, 10g of fibre and just 5g of sugar, with no sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners. Like all of Aloha’s protein bars, the bar is dairy-free and 100% plant-based. It is also free from common allergens gluten and soya. Brad Charron, CEO of Aloha, said: “Cookies and Creme is such a nostalgic flavour combo for so many people. We wanted to evoke the comfort of a classic, but do so in a way that is undeniably Aloha. Meaning, it not only tastes great but uses premium, organic ingredients for nutrition that actually hold up.” The bar is available for a limited time on Aloha’s website from 17 February, with distribution to select retailers beginning in April.

British mushroom grower Urban Farm-Produce (previously Urban Farm-It) has entered a £1.9 million seed round to accelerate its lion’s mane growth strategy. The company, based in Kent, UK, cultivates and transforms functional mushrooms into fresh, dried, ready-to-eat and ingredient-grade formats without synthetic ingredients and heavy processing. Its vertically integrated supply chain aims to provide retailers and manufacturers with a domestic, transparent and reliable solution at a time when provenance and food security are becoming increasingly crucial for industry and consumers across the nation. Investment raised through the seed round, set to close in May 2026, will fund revenue generating infrastructure, expand production capacity and fuel the launch of new lion’s mane formats for retail, foodservice and the health sector. Specifically, the company plans to expand its fruiting room capacity, establish a substrate production facility for full vertical integration, enhance operational efficiency to drive margins toward a 24% target, and fuel brand expansion through premium retail and D2C channels. Lion’s mane – a trending functional mushroom associated with a range of health benefits including cognitive and nervous system support – can help to meet consumer demand for minimally processed and locally sourced foods, as well as providing a significantly less carbon-intensive alternative to meat products. Elliot Webb, founder and CEO, commented: “Consumers now expect better food security, stronger sustainability and exceptional flavour, and Lion’s Mane delivers all three. We’re not trying to imitate meat or mask ingredients, we're delivering whole food nutrition in its purest form, grown right here in Britain.” The company announced its rebrand to Urban Farm-Produce last month, reflecting its shift from a grow‑your‑own brand into a vertically integrated supplier delivering certified‑organic lion’s mane at national scale. Urban Farm-Produce has reported £1.6 million in committed revenue for 2026 as demand accelerates and the company continues to strengthen its retail position. Webb said the business’ structure and partnership with supply solutions specialist Oakland International give the company a head start putting it “years ahead of the market”. “We’ve built something incredibly difficult to replicate,” he added. “This investment round isn’t about experimentation; it's about accelerating a proven model with real world traction and strong commercial demand.”

San Francisco-based Palmetto Superfoods has become the first US foodservice operator to bring leaf protein to its menu, through a partnership with food-tech start-up Leaft Foods. Leaft Foods, based in New Zealand, produces rubisco protein – a plant-based protein ingredient sourced from green alfalfa leaves. Its new partnership with Palmetto has resulted in the launch of the Blade Smoothie at the smoothie and acai bowl chain’s San Francisco Bay Area locations. The smoothie contains Leaft’s flagship rubisco ingredient, Leaft Blade, which offers 522mg of essential amino acids per gram. The protein is engineered for rapid digestion, with amino acids delivered significantly faster than traditional proteins. Each serving also delivers vitamins and minerals that can support gut health, immunity, circulation, hormonal balance, and hair and skin health. Blade Smoothie, available at $13.95, features a blend of Japanese Matchacado, spirulina, pineapple, kiwi, avocado, chia seeds, dates, coconut milk and Leaft Blade protein. Charles Lee, CEO and founder of Palmetto Superfoods, said: “The Blade Smoothie represents a new chapter for Palmetto Superfoods. Thanks to our partnership with Leaft Foods, we’re proud to introduce our first greens smoothie – one that’s powerful, functional and packed with clean plant protein.”