NEW TECH FOODS

A new field study by Exomad Green has found that biochar can significantly improve soil health and agricultural productivity, strengthening its case as a regenerative farming solution. The trial, conducted at the Agrovidas agricultural fair in Bolivia, tested the impact of incorporating biochar into demonstration plots. Applied at a rate of 4.5 tonnes per hectare in November 2023, the treatment was designed to improve soil structure, nutrient retention, and organic matter content. The results showed marked improvements across several key soil health indicators. Soil pH shifted from highly alkaline (7.48) to near-neutral levels (6.4), creating more favorable conditions for crop growth. The soil’s cation exchange capacity – a measure of its ability to hold and exchange nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium – also increased. In addition, organic matter levels rose, pointing to greater biological activity and improved fertility. Exomad Green described these findings as evidence of biochar’s potential to serve as a cornerstone technology for sustainable agriculture. Diego Justiniano, CEO of Exomad Green, said: "This comprehensive soil field study demonstrates biochar's transformative power in regenerating soil health. The remarkable improvements we observed in pH regulation, nutrient availability and organic matter content represent a significant breakthrough for sustainable agriculture. This technology not only improves agricultural productivity but also contributes to carbon sequestration, making it an essential tool for addressing both food security and climate challenges.”

UK biotech company CellRev has ceased trading after failing to secure Series A investment, CEO Chris Green confirmed in a LinkedIn post. Founded by Martina Miotto, CellRev set out to transform bioprocessing with an industry-first continuous adherent cell manufacturing platform. The company demonstrated 60 days of continuous culture, secured its first strategic partnerships and filed three patent families. However, the company’s initial target market was heavily impacted by wider industry shifts from late 2022 onwards. In response, CellRev pivoted to focus on reagents and life science applications, eventually concentrating on vaccines as a beachhead. Between 2024 and 2025, the company developed a data set showing a three-fold viral titre increase, with third-party validation confirming earlier viral peaks in a measles process. It secured its first commercial partnerships, with pilots already underway and expanded into the Cell & Gene Therapy market through additional collaborations During the same period, CellRev established distribution partnerships, attracted continuing customer enquiries and gained recognition as one of just 20 companies selected for the BioTools Innovator Program. The team also brought on experienced industry advisors to strengthen its commercial and scientific strategy. Despite these achievements, CellRev was unable to meet commercial milestones quickly enough to attract Series A investors. “The bar is higher than anyone (in 2021) could have foreseen, and we were operating in Life Sciences (if you know you know),” said Green. “We are still adamant that what CellRev set out to do is transformative and very much needed; however, we ran out of time.” Green thanked past and present employees, partners and supporters, noting that CellRev’s journey delivered valuable learnings and forged strong industry connections. Top image: © CellRev

NoPalm Ingredients has promoted Julie Cortal-Oosterveer to the role of chief commercial officer as the company accelerates its push toward industrialisation and commercialisation. Founded in 2021, NoPalm Ingredients is a Dutch biotechnology company that produces microbial oils as a sustainable, palm-free alternative to palm oil. Cortal-Oosterveer joined the Dutch biotech firm in 2022 as head of business development, where she played a central role in driving commercial growth. Her work included delivering several strategic revenue-generating projects, developing a robust pipeline across the food and beauty sectors, establishing partnerships with global players and leading the company’s go-to-market strategy and industrial pilots. In her new position, Cortal-Oosterveer will oversee NoPalm Ingredients’ global go-to-market strategy, customer and supplier success and efforts to consolidate its position as a leading alternative to palm and other tropical oils. Cortal-Oosterveer said: “Now it’s all about execution: bringing our go-to-market strategy to life, securing feedstock partnerships to scale rapidly and reliably and working with forward-thinking customers to turn our pipeline into lasting revenues."

JBT Marel has introduced the ProDose Pineapple Wax Dosing Machine, a fully automated system designed to streamline and standardise the post-harvest waxing process for fresh pineapples. The new technology replaces traditional manual dosing methods, which require labour-intensive wax solution recharging every 20 minutes and can lead to inconsistent coating. According to the company, automating the process reduces the risk of human error, waste and spoilage, while improving efficiency and product quality. The ProDose system applies wax evenly across each pineapple and allows operators to adjust application settings based on the variety and post-harvest requirements. The machine also features real-time monitoring, wireless data transmission and a mobile app for record-keeping and process control. Christina Campos, JBT Marel's general manager, said: “The ProDose Pineapple takes what is typically an error-prone step in postharvest processing and automates it, solving a critical challenge for one of the most in-demand segments of the produce industry. It’s a groundbreaking advancement that reflects our commitment to raising the bar for food safety, quality and preservation while reducing manual effort and waste.” Fernando Edagi, product line director for JBT Marel Fresh Produce Technologies, added: “Beyond consistency and efficiency, our ProDose Pineapple gives producers greater control and flexibility over the waxing process. With a range of application settings, it allows operators to adjust for the specific post-harvest needs of different pineapple varieties and external conditions.”

The Better Meat Co has appointed Pamela Marrone to its board of directors. Marrone brings an extensive experience as both a serial entrepreneur and a biotechnology leader to the role. She has founded and co-founded several companies, including AgraQuest, acquired by Bayer CropScience for more than $425 million, and Marrone Bio Innovations, which went public in 2013 and merged with Bioceres Crop Solutions in 2022. Paul Shapiro, CEO of The Better Meat Co, said: “Marrone offers a rare blend of scientific depth, commercial execution and mission-driven leadership. Her track record of turning cutting-edge biology into scaled products will be invaluable as we scale up production of our Rhiza mycoprotein ingredient.” The Better Meat Co produces Rhiza, a mycoprotein ingredient used by food manufacturers to boost the nutritional profile of meat products. The company recently closed an oversubscribed $31 million Series A funding round , to expand its patented mycoprotein fermentation technology to commercial scale.

Laura Noone Reducing our reliance on animal agriculture is a key challenge in the pursuit of a more sustainable world, one that can support and feed a growing population. There have been many alternative products explored, but one truth remains the same: people like eating meat. Cultivated meat, although not without its challenges, offers a way to produce meat, without the animal. Sounds too good to be true? It’s complicated! The technology has advanced significantly in the last 10 years, but is not yet ready for commercial scale. Important technological and economic barriers will need to be solved. At Bright Biotech, we are one part of the puzzle. By providing animal-free, scalable and cost-effective growth factors, a key cost driver of producing cultivated meat products, we hope to enable this industry to change the world. Here, scientific engagement associate Laura Noone explains how the company is working to make that possible. Cultivated meat is an alternative way of producing meat Cultivated meat, also known as lab-grown or cell-based meat, replicates animal-sourced meat at the cellular level, allowing us to enjoy a Sunday roast free of the animal welfare or environmental concerns associated with livestock farming. This alternative method of producing meat removes the need to slaughter animals and instead animal cells are grown in large containers under precisely controlled conditions. The cells are then collected and used to make products like the minced beef or chicken fillets you find in the supermarket today. Why reducing animal agriculture is key to our climate future Replacing even a small portion of animal-sourced meat provides a pathway to drastically lower environmental impacts. Animal agriculture contributes almost 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions globally, the majority produced from cattle. Further benefits include reducing the land and water required for animal agriculture, estimated to require 30% of the habitable surface of the earth and 70% of the annual freshwater available. These impacts are only expected to rise as population increases. “Without changing food systems, we’ll likely miss the 1.5°C target [of the Paris Agreement] in 30 to 45 years and the 2 ° C target within 100, even if we immediately stop all other sources of emissions”. - said Michael Clark, a researcher of the environmental impact of food at the University of Oxford, when speaking to The Independent. Alongside environmental issues, 60% of all disease in humans are transmitted from animals. Approximately 30% of these so-called zoonotic diseases originate from livestock. Prime examples of zoonotic diseases include bird flu and SARS-CoV2 (Covid-19). Reducing livestock could not only decrease the frequency of zoonotic transmission, helping prevent millions of deaths, but also reduce the emergence of antibiotic-resistant diseases, resulting from the overuse of antibiotics in livestock farming. There are multiple alternatives to animal-sourced meat There are three main alternatives to animal meat: protein products based on plants, fermentation or cultivated meat. In some instances, plants are combined with fermentation to make a protein product. Each of these products aims to do the same thing – replace a portion of animal-sourced meat with alternatives. Plant-based products are the main form of alternative protein sold and consumed globally. While these products have been around for decades – starting in the 1980s with the emergence of several plant-based companies like Tofurkey – the industry began to see significant growth in the late 2010s. Companies such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Food garnered significant attention and alternative proteins began to be accepted by large industry players such as fast food chains (eg. Burger King, TGI Fridays UK), food corporates (eg. Nestlé, Kraft Heinz) and even traditional meat companies (eg. Tyson Foods). Investment peaked in 2020 with $2 billion and 2021 with $2.5 billion. However early success was followed by consumer dissatisfaction – in 2023 as part of the UK Smart Protein Consumer Report, 37% of respondents said taste is a key reason to avoid plant-based meat products and 43% report price as a key barrier. In the years following on from 2021, unit sales have declined. One thing is clear: the search is on for better alternatives. Fermentation is another alternative, often combined with plant-based products to create products. There are two key types of fermentation: biomass fermentation that can be used to produce protein in the form of microbial biomass at scale (eg. Quorn) and precision fermentation which uses microbes to produce specific proteins, such as heme protein (eg. Impossible Foods). Fermentation can produce taste and texture much closer to animal-based meat. However, there is some consumer hesitancy to the technology with lower familiarity and comfort with the technology than plant-based products. The fermentation market has followed a similar path to plant-based, with investment peaking in 2021. Cultivated meat offers the best opportunity to meet the taste and texture of traditional meat, as it is identical at a cellular level, but faces technological and economic barriers. Currently, cultivated meat products are only available in very small quantities in the US and Singapore, and the industry is still largely at small-scale production. Even while consumption is nearly non-existent, the industry has already faced backlash with controversial bans from US states Alabama and Florida along with the first countrywide ban in Italy. These responses indicate that, in addition to the technical challenges of producing cultivated meat at scale, consumer acceptance may be an additional barrier. However, even so, the ability to produce meat that is an exact, or even improved, replacement to traditional meat may offer the best chance of reducing reliance on animal agriculture. Progress in the cultivated meat market Similar to plant-based and fermentation technologies, the cultivated meat industry has experienced a ‘boom and bust’ investment cycle. Investment peaked in 2022 with $922 million raised, falling to $225 million in 2023 as early companies missed key milestones. Even as market expectations have adjusted, the technology continues to improve with recent breakthroughs. In 2023, ten new cultivated meat facilities opened from lab scale to commercial scale and a further seven were announced. Cultivated meat companies have achieved approval in Singapore in 2020, the US in 2023 and Israel in 2024. The UK approved cultivated meat for use in pet food in 2024. The new start-ups have been able to reach key milestones with less funding, illustrating progress in the market. Achieving commercial scale is the next step with longer timelines than originally anticipated. Cultivated meat faces uncertain timelines to commercial scale The cell culture technology underlying cultivated meat stems from the pharmaceutical industry, which was developed with emphasis on producing clinical breakthroughs rather than low-cost products. Therefore, applying cell culture technology to the food industry poses a natural challenge to reaching scale and price parity to animal-sourced meat. A 2022 review suggested that a kilogram of cultivated meat may cost around $63 before supermarket mark-up, putting a quarter-pounder burger at $18, though price estimates continue to change as advances are made. Five main challenges are widely cited in cultivated meat: 1) cell culture media costs, 2) optimisation of cells, 3) bioprocess design, 4) cell scaffolding complexities and 5) product finalisation and consumer appeal. The price of cell culture media is considered a major bottleneck, estimated to contribute 55-95% of marginal cost of the product, with 99% of that cost attributable to growth factors. Growth factors are the main focus of our company, Bright Biotech, with our technology aiming to overcome this key pain point. The challenge of growth factors Growth factors, proteins which stimulate the growth and development of cells, are typically obtained from animal sources in the form of Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) or produced by precision fermentation where microbes generate growth factors in bioreactors. FBS is low cost, but poses problems around consistency and is animal-sourced, contradicting with the mission of cultivated meat to replace animals. Growth factors are difficult to produce through microbial fermentation, with low yields and expensive bioreactors, resulting in their high cost and low supply. There are multiple approaches to reduce the bottleneck of growth factor supply. Several companies have produced technologies to avoid using growth factors such as gene editing cell lines to produce their own growth factors. Many companies recycle cell culture media to reduce the amount of growth factors needed. However, cultivated meat companies still widely report that sourcing a plentiful supply of growth factors is a challenge, particularly as they move towards large production scales. Using plants to make growth factors (molecular farming) There are a number of start-ups exploring the use of molecular farming to manufacture growth factors. The great benefit of molecular farming over fermentation is that, because the protein production takes place in plants, the production system is considerably lower cost. However, many molecular farming systems struggle with the regulatory challenges from growing genetically modified plants in open fields and the relatively low yields that make it difficult to scale up. At Bright Biotech, we are the only company producing growth factors in a chloroplast expression system. As opposed to other molecular farming systems (transient and nuclear expression), the DNA of the growth factor is inserted into the chloroplast of a plant cell. Our chloroplast expression technology has three key advantages for growth factor production: High yield: The high copy number of chloroplast DNA in plant cells (up to 10,000 copies per cell) results in consistently elevated levels of protein expression throughout the growth period with a yield of 2-5g of protein per kg of leaf biomass. Stability: Chloroplasts lack gene silencing and epigenetic changes that destabilise nuclear expression systems, enhancing reliability of yield over many generations. Containment: Chloroplast DNA is maternally inherited, meaning it does not spread through pollen. This considerably reduces the risk of chloroplasts with growth factors being transmitted to other crops by cross-pollination. By harvesting the leaves before flowering, the dispersal of seeds is also prevented, adding an extra layer of containment. This containment potentially allows for open field cultivation, further reducing production costs. We produce growth factors that are high activity, high purity (>95%), animal-free, endotoxin-free and tag-free. Our production system is well-suited to overcome the costs, regulatory and safety considerations of the cultivated meat space. While there are several challenges facing the cultivated meat space, we have overcome a key bottleneck by being able to provide a plentiful supply of affordable, high quality and animal-free growth factors.

It’s easy to get caught up in the news and activities of the industry’s global giants, but what about the smaller firms pushing boundaries with bold ideas? In this instalment of start-up spotlight – which celebrates lesser-known companies and their innovations – we speak to Daan Raemdonck, CEO and co-founder of Koppie, a coffee alternative company made from fermented pulses . Koppie's co-founders Daan Raemdonck (top) and Pascal Mertens (bottom) Koppie’s approach to creating a coffee alternative using fermented pulses is innovative. Can you walk us through the R&D process that led to the development of your proprietary ‘Koppie Bean’? From the start, we set out to create a “coffee bean,” believing this would help both industry and consumer adoption: just swap out coffee beans for our Koppie bean, and use it like you’re used to. This of course significantly limited the base product options and automatically made it a single ingredient play. Technically, you could recreate a bean from powders, but we decided against that. We then conducted a broad screening, based on numerous elements: sustainability, local harvests, known allergens, product size, as well as price obviously. The next step was trialling it with our technology in mind, and validating the final product with taste experts. This is how we arrived to pulses and our current prototypes. The beauty here though is that our technology does the heavy lifting, hence, we can review the above criteria depending on the region we’d be operating in. For instance if a certain pulse is more prominent or fitting with that climate, we could switch to that pulse with almost equal product performance. What makes your fermentation and roasting technology unique, and how scalable is it for wider commercial production? To our knowledge, we’re the only company selling a fermented and roasted bean which is still a bean at the end and which fits existing machinery/home equipment. So the end-product in itself is a unique story. Beyond that, of course there’s elements in our process which are novel and unexpected, hence the patentability. As you’ll surely understand, we’re not in a stage where we can share what these elements are. Taste is everything in the beverage space. How did you ensure that the Koppie Bean met the sensory expectations of traditional coffee drinkers? Quite soon, we realised we needed experts, which started in conversations with local coffee bars, but expanded to the collaboration with the ZHAW – Coffee Excellence Center. Whenever we do a significant product update, we ask a Q-grader panel (coffee specialists/sommeliers) to rate and review our end result. Not only do they critique our product as if it was coffee, but they also share where it falls short, which in turn helps us improve again for next time. Now, there is an interesting contradiction in what the “speciality coffee” scene would describe as good coffee versus what the average person might describe and like as “coffee”. This has given us quite a challenge in terms of development. This is where we’ve set an “ideal flavour profile” for ourselves as a target, and are actively collaborating with our partners to see what could happen. You've focused on seamless integration with existing roasting, grinding and brewing infrastructure. How important was this in terms of gaining traction with industry partners? While I can't speak on behalf of our partners directly, their expertise is in blending, roasting and getting it to the end-consumer in the best possible conditions. So it was only logical for us to ensure our product could integrate seamlessly into those existing processes, enabling them to do what they do best, potentially better than we could ourselves. That said, we’re also prepared to offer a roasted version ourselves, particularly for partners such as ingredient companies who may need that option. With sustainability becoming a core focus for manufacturers, can you elaborate on how Koppie’s environmental footprint compares with traditional coffee, and how you communicate that value to potential B2B partners? Sustainability has been the reason why we started our project in the first place. It’s only after reading about coffee’s sustainability impact that we decided to see if we could fix it and stumbled across a lot of research which indicated highly likely supply-demand imbalances in the future. Picking pulses is not only a driver from a taste point-of-view, but also because they are great crops and can flourish locally. We have yet to conduct our own full scale LCA, but there are clearly learnings out there in the market, and they are all very similar. Knowing that 70-80% of the emissions of coffee are linked to growing conditions, that gives you a lot of the information you need to know. We definitely communicate this towards our partners, and some are very receptive to it. Sometimes that’s because they already have a more sustainable coffee range, sometimes with carbon offsetting or it’s because they’ve made ESG promises around emissions reductions. In both cases we can help them in a very easy wat to achieve their goals, while providing the consumer with a good product. Given the volatility of coffee supply chains, how do you see your product helping roasters and retailers future-proof their portfolios? There’s two elements to that question in our view: First, price volatility, this is basically what any corporation (and consumer) wants to avoid. Price swings make it difficult to look ahead and disrupt existing business. As climate change worsens and the effects become more pronounced, these swings will only become more frequent. Hence, inherently in the future of coffee you’ll get more volatility. We can help overcome at least part of those swings and provide stability in cost. The second element is pure supply access. If demand continues to grow as expected we might end up with a 4 Mio Tonne coffee gap by 2030, according to a recent World Coffee Research article. That means, all companies active in coffee, will be struggling to fulfill their demand. One of the worst things for any business – except if purposefully created – is not being able to fulfil an active consumer demand. Hence, either they find ways to secure supply, like Ferrero has done with hazelnuts for example, by moving up the value chain. That in turn would bring massive change to the way we grow and farm coffee. Alternatively, they could look to solutions such as ours to complement the supply of coffee and reduce their own risk. This is the core of our offer to our partners: reduce volatility and ensure price stability and availability, no matter the shocks on the coffee supply side. You're already in discussions with roasters and retailers. What has the response been from more traditional players in the category? Are you seeing openness to hybrid blends? To our slight surprise, yes there’s an openness, also with more traditional players. It’s often forgotten, but there is already a significant coffee alternative industry: for example, Nestlé sells blends with chicory in France, Lavazza is selling orzo in Italy. The idea of 'alternatives' is in that sense not new, the difference now is the level of rigour and technology we’re bringing to the table to ensure the product actually tastes great and fits your typical ritual and behaviour. Most often, we find it’s the partners who propose a hybrid solution. This, again, makes a lot of sense given the core business and capabilities of the partners. How important is it for foodtech start-ups to align with upcoming regulations such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and how have you approached this from day one? Regulation can be one of the strongest drivers of change for any industry. As a start-up, it’s therefore essential to stay up to date of what’s changing. We believe EUDR is a positive evolution, although like all regulation, comes with some headaches and questions on application. While it definitely poses challenges for farmers, traders and coffee roasters, it’s unlikely to be enough of a driver to push them into our direction. It’s just one more reason to consider us: it’s local, no threat of deforestation and farmers are fairly compensated. In coffee, these are labels that companies typically pay extra for. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in bringing Koppie to life, and how did you overcome them – particularly when it came to investor buy-in or scaling your tech? There’s still a million things that have to go right before this really is an established 'business,' so in some ways I think the most difficult parts are still ahead of us really. Looking back though, I think there’s been moments where we simply wondered whether the technology would ever deliver what we were trying to create. Those moments where you experiment, you try, you review, but you seem to be stuck in a certain area where you don’t want to be. Especially in the start, investing our own money and working for free, that was difficult to get through and keep believing. The same is true in the investor game. It can feel extremely random at times seeking the investment, and it’s definitely a journey with ups and downs. In the end we were lucky to find partners who believed in us, and who perfectly fit our criteria of what we’re looking for. It could’ve just as well ended up on the other side of the coin and we wouldn’t have this conversation. What advice would you give to other early-stage food and beverage start-ups working on novel ingredients or products – especially when trying to balance innovation with commercial viability? Be fair to yourself, and to your business when you’re calling it quits. Most start-ups fail. It’s better, I think, to agree upfront with yourself and those who matter such as your partners, when you might throw in the towel. Especially if you’re working on a novel technology, which can be hit or miss, I think it can drive you crazy if you just keep going. Having the peace of mind that you’ve set a clear deadline will help. When it comes to technology I’d like to refer to a quote from Annick Verween who manages the VIB Biotope accelerator programme: “Don’t love your technology, love your customer instead”. Love your sales pipeline, love the end-consumer whose problems you are – hopefully – solving. The technology itself is a means to an end, not a goal. While it’s exciting to keep diving deeper and deeper into the tech, that’s dangerous if you’re not yet sure about your product-market-fit. The coffee category is steeped in ritual and heritage. How have you navigated the challenge of innovating without alienating consumers who value tradition? I’m not sure we have already navigated that to be honest. We have a product that comes quite close to coffee. Most people will drink it with gusto. We’ve had numerous 'that’s much better than I expected' or 'I’ve had way worse coffee'. Those are the moments that make any product developer beam with pride. I’m sure there will be a group of 'purists' that wants nothing to do with us, and that’s totally fine. Again, we’re not against coffee, we’re actually trying to futureproof the ritual that is so beloved to many. Our business case is built on the belief there’s a consumer out there, open to trying a product that tastes well, is local, and brings sustainability benefits at a fair price. Finally, what’s next for Koppie? Are you planning to explore other applications of your fermentation tech, or will you remain laser-focused on transforming the coffee experience? We’ve just started, we don’t have the luxury not to focus in our view. Of course we’ve explored mentally where else we could take the technology, and we see options. However, we fundamentally believe in focus on the core, especially in this stage. Perhaps with the next investment round, extensions or add-ons will become an option, but for now it’s all about coffee. Anything else you would like our readers to know? The whole reason we started this project was due to an Oxford University Study on the footprint of food products. I almost couldn’t believe it when I read that coffee was the number 3 foodstuff CO2 emitter by kg. That statistic continues to baffle people when we share it, so I’d love to give it more attention here as well. Top image: © Koppie

German start-up Myriameat is collaborating with two undisclosed industry partners to develop a hybrid sausage combining conventional and cell-cultured meat, without plant-based additives. The project, supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the state of Lower Saxony under the “more developed regions” programme, aims to deliver a product with the taste and texture of traditional meat but with a lower environmental footprint. Myriameat’s prototype uses pork produced from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) via a proprietary process that generates structured muscle tissue rather than unorganised cell mass. The company says this represents a significant technological advance in cultivated meat production. By replacing part of the conventional meat with cultivated meat, the approach could reduce reliance on livestock while maintaining quality and flavour. Myriameat believes the technology could eventually be applied to fully animal-free meat products, including sausages, roasts and fillets.

Protein Industries Canada has announced that its CEO, Robert Hunter, is no longer with the organisation. Hunter has served as CEO since January 2025. Protein Industries Canada did not disclose a reason for his departure, but said it has already initiated an expedited search for a new chief executive to ensure a smooth transition and to continue advancing the organisation’s mandate. Robert Hunter Protein Industries Canada is one of Canada’s five global innovation clusters, with a mission of growing the country’s plant-based food, feed and ingredient sector. It aims to build a more sustainable and resilient agri-food sector through initiatives and industry partnerships. Last month, it announced a new pilot project in partnership with Louis Dreyfus Company and Seven Oaks Hospital Chronic Disease Innovation Centre, aiming to bring new pea protein ingredients and products to Canadian consumers – particularly seniors looking to manage muscle loss and sarcopenia. Tyler Groeneveld, chair of the board of directors, said: “The board of directors’ priority is the long-term sustainability and operational success of the organisation. Protein Industries Canada will continue to advance our strategic plan, The Road to $25 Billion. We remain committed to strengthening Canada’s plant-based ingredient and food processing sector.”

UK-based agri-tech firm Moa Technology has discovered a new class of crop protection chemistries that could form an entirely new category of products to help farmers manage weeds more safely and sustainably. The company has identified 80 new herbicidal modes of action over the past three years using its proprietary technology platforms, several of which are already showing effective control of challenging weeds in field trials across the US, Canada, France, Spain, the UK, Australia and South America. In addition, Moa scientists have uncovered a novel class of “amplifier” molecules, which are non-herbicidal on their own but may enable farmers to reduce the concentration or volume of existing agricultural herbicides. The approach could also create opportunities for hybrid biological-synthetic solutions in weed control, potentially lowering environmental impact. Moa has entered its first collaboration in this new product category with US-based Gowan Company. The partnership will focus on developing an amplifier for a specific active ingredient, with Gowan making an undisclosed investment including upfront payments, milestone-based value sharing and royalties. Pilot field trials are already under way in Australia to test an amplifier’s ability to reduce herbicide use against annual ryegrass ( Lolium rigidum ), a major weed that costs Australian grain growers an estimated AUD 3.3 billion (approx. $2.1 billion) annually in losses and control costs. Additional trials are taking place in the UK targeting cereal grassweeds, including Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum ), where glyphosate resistance was recently confirmed for the first time. Moa's CEO, Virginia Corless, said: "We are excited to discover this entirely new category of weed control solutions to help solve a real and immediate problem for farmers and the environment globally. Our groundbreaking technology platforms and proprietary data are continuing to produce valuable new insights and discoveries at the forefront of plant science, creating new opportunities, solutions and revenue streams for ourselves and for ambitious and forward-looking industry partners like Gowan." Laurent Cornette, global herbicide asset manager at Gowan, added: "Together with Moa's scientists, we're pioneering innovative solutions for highly efficient weed control at minimal active ingredient rates – empowering farmers with sustainable tools for the future. The possibilities are inspiring, and I have no doubt this partnership will drive transformative benefits for the agricultural community." Top image: Moa Technology's Virginia Corless. (Credit: Gary Brown)

US-based ingredient technology firm MycoTechnology has named Robert Scott to its board of directors. Robert Scott Scott, who brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the food and beverage sector, currently serves as president of Albany State University, Georgia. His career spans senior roles at Kraft Heinz, Coca-Cola, Abbott Nutrition and Procter & Gamble, as well as academic posts at Spelman College, Boston College and Norfolk State University. At Kraft Heinz, Scott led the transformation of the company’s global R&D organisation, while at Coca-Cola he headed new ingredient discovery and sweetener technology development across multiple global markets. Founded in 2013, MycoTechnology specialises in creating functional ingredients using mushroom mycelia fermentation, targeting applications in sweeteners, proteins and other natural solutions for the food and beverage industry. MycoTechnology's chairman of the board, Rob Case, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Robert to the MycoTechnology board of directors. “Robert’s broad understanding of the food and beverage industry and specifically his beverage category sweetener expertise will be especially valuable ​ as we commercialise and bring to market our revolutionary new​ ingredient, Honey Truffle Sweet Protein, ​ which is naturally derived from the honey truffle and delivers a uniquely clean taste profile with minimal off-notes.” ​ MycoTechnology's CEO, Jordi Ferre, added: “In addition, Robert’s contributions to the board will be important by providing the customer view as we continue to expand our portfolio of natural ingredient solutions from mushroom mycelia fermentation into the global food and beverage markets". Top image: © MycoTechnology

Discovery Park, Kent’s life sciences hub, has added two high-growth biotech start-ups to its CoLab innovation space. MilaK, a precision fermentation company developing animal-free whey proteins, is targeting sports nutrition applications before expanding into infant formula and medical nutrition. Backed by Innovate UK, the company has scaled to seven employees and plans to unveil its first supplement prototype in the coming months. iLoF, a digital health business specialising in AI-enabled personalised drug development, is initially focusing on alzheimer’s disease. Founded in 2019 and backed by Microsoft Ventures and Hamamatsu Ventures Japan, the company has secured more than $10 million in funding and intends to recruit five additional staff at the Sandwich site by the end of 2025. Both firms have moved into CoLab, a flexible laboratory and co-working facility operated with Canterbury Christ Church University, offering shared equipment and access to Discovery Park’s 180-strong business community. MilaK's founder, Milena Hutchings, said: “MilaK is building a platform for functional nutrition to support human health, whilst also being better for the environment. Our new R&D base at Discovery Park gives access to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and opportunities to collaborate with other UK biotech innovators." "This allows the team to accelerate our early-stage research timelines. We’ve been truly impressed by the facilities and ethos at Discovery Park and the support we have received through CoLab, together with Canterbury Christ Church University.” Mehak Mumtaz, chief operating officer at iLoF, commented: “Our optical technology platform is accelerating medicine towards a new, personalised era, where clinical trials and treatments can be easily matched to the patient. We are growing rapidly, making Discovery Park the perfect fit as our new home, offering flexibility for our next stage of growth. We’re already exploring synergies with other Discovery Park tenants, demonstrating the benefits of being part of this exciting ecosystem.” Chris Broom, head of business development at Discovery Park, added: "We're delighted to welcome both iLoF and MilaK to CoLab at Discovery Park. These companies represent exactly the kind of innovative, science-led businesses that thrive in our collaborative ecosystem. MilaK's sustainable approach to protein production and iLoF's AI-driven personalised medicine platform both address critical global challenges in health and sustainability. Their presence here strengthens Kent’s position as a leading destination for biotech companies developing technologies to shape our future."