NEW TECH FOODS

Biotech company Checkerspot has partnered with Huvepharma to commercialise a new microalgae-derived oil that replicates key nutritional fats found in human milk, which is said to be a potential game-changer for the infant formula industry. The collaboration will bring high sn-2 palmitate algal oil to industrial scale, offering a sustainable and consistent alternative to palm-derived oils currently used in infant nutrition. The ingredient is designed to mimic the triglyceride structures in human milk fat, which play an essential role in nutrient absorption and digestive comfort for infants. Unlike existing products that rely on palm oil and enzymatic modification, Checkerspot’s oil is produced directly through fermentation of microalgae using simple sugars. This process eliminates dependence on palm-based feedstocks, reduces environmental impact and ensures a highly controlled and contamination-free ingredient. Kiril Domuschiev, president and CEO of Huvepharma, said: “Checkerspot’s breakthrough high sn-2 palmitate algal oil is a leap forward for infant nutrition, both in terms of nutritional quality and environmental impact. Huvepharma’s deep expertise in fermentation at scale and global market presence, ideally positions the partnership to deliver this innovation reliably and competitively to the infant nutrition industry." The partnership combines Checkerspot’s proprietary molecular and strain engineering technology with Huvepharma’s established manufacturing and distribution capabilities. Together, the companies aim to meet growing demand for more sustainable and high-performance fats and oils in infant formula and advanced nutrition. John Krzywicki, CEO of Checkerspot, added: “Partnering with Huvepharma allows us to bring high sn-2 palmitate algal oil to industrial scale and make it accessible to infant formula brands worldwide. This is a key milestone in redefining how high-performance fats and oils for nutrition are sourced and produced." The companies plan to position algal oil as a scalable, palm-free solution to the infant formula industry’s sustainability and supply challenges, supporting manufacturers looking to more closely replicate the nutritional profile of human milk fat.

Asterix Foods has emerged from stealth with $4.2 million in seed funding to scale a new, low-cost alternative to precision fermentation. The round was led by CPT Capital, with participation from ReGen Ventures, SOSV, Grok Ventures and the Israeli Innovation Authority. Precision fermentation has become central to food and biotech innovation, enabling the production of high-value bioactive proteins through genetically engineered microbes. However, the process is notoriously expensive to scale, building a single facility can cost between $125 million and $500 million in capital expenditure. Asterix says it has developed a more affordable and flexible approach. Instead of modifying microbes, the company uses plant cell suspension cultures grown in Massively Parallel Modular Bioreactors (MPMB). This set-up, the company claims, can cut facility costs by over 95%, shorten development timelines from years to months and eliminate the need for costly cleanrooms, while maintaining or even improving protein yield and functionality. Dan Even, CEO of Asterix Foods, said: “Bioactivity makes these proteins so powerful for the food industry, unlocking new applications in food, nutrition and health. Our system shows how future production facilities can be deployed quickly, flexibly, and at dramatically lower cost.” Because plant cells are multicellular and equipped to produce complex proteins like glycoproteins, they offer an advantage over microbial systems, which often struggle with such molecules and require stringent contamination controls. Asterix’s platform uses plant cells that are naturally more resistant to contamination, allowing safe operation in simpler bioreactors that can be housed in standard food manufacturing environments. The company’s pilot facility in central Tel Aviv, Israel, demonstrates how this flexibility works in practice. Its modular bioreactors can run year-round, continuously, without the extensive downtime typical of precision fermentation plants. They also consume less energy and water by operating at room temperature and avoiding sterilization cycles. Harry Kalms, investor at CPT Capital, commented: “Asterix’s capex-light and modular system gives them and their customers flexibility to locate production exactly where it’s needed. CPT has long supported removing animals from the supply chain but what’s exciting now is the clear pull from the market." "Companies are recognising the limits of today’s protein supply chain and looking for ways to produce high-value, bioactive proteins at a fraction of the cost, and at unprecedented volumes.” Po Bronson, general partner at SOSV, added: “Plant cell suspension cultures are already used by global corporations for vaccines and food pigments. Asterix is now pushing this platform further, opening new opportunities to produce alternative proteins with unprecedented cost-efficiency and precision.” With its technology validated across multiple proteins, Asterix is now partnering with corporates to target ingredients critical to future food supply chains. The new funding will be used to expand its Tel Aviv pilot site and begin delivering samples to customers.

UK agritech firm Straw Innovations has launched a rice farming machine designed to boost yields, cut emissions and strengthen food security in Asia. The launch marks a major step in its expansion into the Philippines, Indonesia and India. The machine, called the Straw Traktor, has been shown to increase rice production by up to 65% a year while halving methane emissions, one of agriculture’s most potent greenhouse gases. It enables farmers to harvest rice three times a year instead of two, while improving soil health and generating new income streams from what was once treated as waste. The Straw Traktor was officially unveiled at the Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub (RSBH) in Pila, Laguna, Philippines – the first facility of its kind globally. Developed by Straw Innovations, in partnership with Aston University, SEARCA, Koolmill Systems and funded by Innovate UK, the hub demonstrates how rice straw can be transformed into biochar, renewable energy, compost and livestock bedding. Representatives from the British Embassy Manila, the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) and local government officials attended the launch, underscoring growing international collaboration on sustainable agriculture. Rice is a staple for over half the world’s population, with 90% produced in Asia. But extreme weather, population growth and inefficient farming methods have strained production and intensified the climate impact of rice cultivation. Paddy fields are a major source of methane – a gas more than 80 times more potent than CO₂ – largely due to the burning and decomposition of leftover straw. Founder and director of Straw Innovations, Craig Jamieson, said: "This new system brings together world-leading technologies and business models for the first time to set a new benchmark for rice processing globally. For rice-producing communities and the environment, it’s nothing short of transformational.” The Straw Traktor works in flooded conditions, collecting straw from fields and rotavating the soil to prepare for the next planting. It also spreads biochar, a soil amendment that boosts fertility and carbon sequestration, raising yields by an additional 10%. The machine’s design caters to smallholder farmers, offering a high return on investment through added revenue from upcycled products. At the RSBH, Straw Innovations’ solution is integrated with Koolmill’s energy-efficient rice milling technology, Takachar’s Takavator biochar system, and the Biogas Hub, forming a low-emission model for sustainable rice production. Research by Aston University and SEARCA will assess the system’s socio-economic and environmental impacts, helping to scale the approach across Asia. The roll-out of the Straw Traktor in Indonesia and India is being supported by Innovate UK, UKAid and Takachar under the Energy Catalyst programme, with launches planned for next year. Economic and climate counsellor at British Embassy Manila, Lloyd Cameron, added: “Businesses which treat climate risks as opportunities will define the markets of the future. When UK science meets Philippine innovation, rice straw becomes more than a byproduct, it becomes part of the solution. That partnership lies at the core of the Rice Straw Bioenergy Hub: harnessing new technology, developing local business models and increasing productivity.” SEARCA center director Mercedita Sombilla commented: "Aligned with SEARCA’s mission to empower farmers, the development of rice straw management solutions will not only contribute to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions but also enable communities to turn agricultural wastes into livelihood opportunities that increase incomes". "The promotion of policy-backed innovative technologies and strategies indeed help drive the use of climate smart practices that are beneficial to agriculture and environment."

Japan is set to host a major international symposium on cultivated food regulation next month, as the government nears the release of its first-ever guidelines for cell-based products. The event – Japan Cell-Ag-Ready Dialogue 2025 – will take place on 13-14 November in Tokyo, gathering policymakers, scientists and industry leaders to debate how Japan should govern the emerging cultivated food sector. Organised by the Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA) in partnership with The University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) and government agencies, the two-day hybrid symposium comes at a pivotal moment for the country’s food innovation agenda. The event will open with a keynote from a Consumer Affairs Agency official overseeing Japan’s cultivated food policy, followed by government-commissioned experts from the National Institute of Health Sciences and the Tokyo University of Agriculture discussing risk assessment frameworks for novel foods. Regulatory specialists from Singapore, the US, Europe, Australia and China will join a panel to compare global approaches to safety evaluation and oversight of cultivated foods, a discussion expected to help inform Japan’s evolving Novel Food framework. The second day will turn to the perspectives of Japanese stakeholders, including consumer groups, a former Nikkei journalist specialising in food safety and Wagyu producers collaborating with US-based Eat Just, which is said to be one of the first companies to commercialise cultivated chicken. The agenda also includes experts on misinformation and food risk communication. International participants from the Good Food Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Roslin Technologies, Safe Food Advocacy Europe, Hoxton Farms, BlueNalu and others are expected to contribute insights on technology, regulation and market readiness.

New Wave Biotech has partnered with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) to apply hybrid AI-powered simulations to one of industrial biotechnology’s most persistent challenges: lipid extraction. The collaboration will also explore intracellular bioprocesses, aiming to improve scalability across a range of applications. Lipids, key ingredients in products from food and feed to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, are seeing growing demand. In the UK, concerns over food security are rising, with the Office for National Statistics reporting a 5.1% increase in food prices over the past year. More efficient lipid processing could help reduce costs, strengthen supply chains and improve sustainability for both industry and consumers. Current extraction methods, however, have long presented challenges. Solvent-based techniques, while widely used, rely on large volumes of toxic and flammable chemicals and require energy-intensive recovery. Non-solvent approaches are safer but remain expensive and inconsistent, limiting the scale-up of sustainable alternatives to palm oil, cocoa butter and animal fat substitutes. Through the partnership, New Wave Biotech will provide CPI with its hybrid AI platform to optimise both solvent and non-solvent lipid extraction. By running thousands of in-silico simulations, the platform can assess performance, cost and sustainability trade-offs before laboratory trials, helping companies scale more efficiently. Nix Hall, CTO of New Wave Biotech, said:  “We’re excited to work with CPI to optimise lipid bioprocesses, which are essential for scaling many of the next generation of sustainable products. Lipid costs are visible in everything from food to cosmetics, and solving this challenge is key to making alternatives affordable and accessible". "By combining predictive accuracy with techno-economic and sustainability insights, our platform helps innovators cut down on trial and error and move faster towards solutions that benefit both industry and consumers.” Stephen Wright, manager of downstream processing at CPI, added: “Partnering with New Wave Biotech gives us powerful new tools to help clients scale sustainable products. Unlike many AI/ML tools that need huge datasets, this platform achieves high accuracy from minimal data, allowing us to identify the best downstream routes much earlier and with greater confidence.”

Italian food ingredients company Foreverland has opened its first production facility in Puglia, Southern Italy, to produce its flagship cocoa-free chocolate alternative, Choruba. Choruba is made from Mediterranean crops such as carob, pumpkin seeds and chickpeas. The cocoa-free alternative aims to replicate the indulgent flavour and texture of chocolate while reducing environmental impact. By decreasing reliance on cocoa, it also offers manufacturers a way to manage supply volatility, price fluctuations and climate-related pressures. The plant is expected to produce over 500 tonnes of the ingredient annually, which is designed to help food manufacturers navigate cocoa market challenges and meet sustainability targets. The new facility is part of Foreverland’s growth strategy, allowing the company to scale production, run industrial trials with larger clients and serve small and medium-sized businesses. A dedicated pilot fermentation room will enable the team to refine processes, protect proprietary know-how and validate production economics. Alongside the plant opening, Foreverland announced a new retail partnership with Italian protein company Small Giants. The collaboration has produced Choruba Protein Bites, peanut butter and chocolate-flavoured snacks made with Small Giants’ yeast-based protein and coated with Choruba. The vegan, high-protein snacks are priced at €3.29 for a three-pack or €1.99 for a single bar and are available online and in Gulliver supermarkets across Italy. Massimo Sabatini, co-founder and CEO of Foreverland, said: “The launch of our Puglia facility marks the moment Foreverland moves from pilot projects to full-scale production". "The new plant allows us to work hand in hand with manufacturers, speed up recipe development and bring sustainable chocolate alternatives into everyday products across Europe – all while ensuring we can meet demand at accessible price points. Our partnership with Small Giants is a strong example of this next phase, showing how sustainable chocolate alternatives are ready for the mainstream.” Edoardo Imparato, CEO of Small Giants, added: “Retailers and consumers are looking for real alternatives in categories like chocolate, where sustainability challenges are growing. Through our collaboration with Foreverland, we’re bringing products made with innovative ingredients to market shelves. They deliver on taste, nutrition and responsibility. It’s a concrete step towards making sustainable indulgence the new normal in European supermarkets.” Foreverland is also exploring expansion into France and the Nordics, building on its current presence in Italy and Germany.

Alt-dairy start-up Climax Foods has rebranded to Bettani Farms; has appointed former Califia Farms CFO, Sandeep Patel, as CEO and chairman; and has raised $6.5 million in Series A funding. Bettani, based in California, US, has developed a protein-rich, non-GMO ingredient platform that is also free from dairy, soy and nuts, for use in plant-based cheese products. Its proprietary protein ingredient, Caseed, is made from regenerative seed crops and mimics the functionality and mouthfeel of dairy casein while remaining 100% plant-based and free from common allergens. According to Bettani, the ingredient’s creamy texture, neutral flavour profile and white colour make it ideally suited for developing a range of protein-rich, dairy-free alternative to popular cheeses like mozzarella, feta, goat’s cheese, cream cheese, brie and blue. It can offer 12-20g of protein per 100g of cheese. Additionally, the start-up said its natural, farm-sourced ingredient can provide a more cost competitive alternative to fermentation-based casein equivalents. The funding round was led by S2G Investments, a multi-stage investment firm focused on scaling solutions across food and agriculture, energy and oceans. It also saw participation from new and existing investors including At One Ventures, Gratitude Railroad, Manta Ray Ventures and Toba Capital. New CEO Patel joins Bettani from Califia Farms, with other previous experience including a role as president and CFO of PopSockets. Sandeep Patel He also brings extensive industry experience across packaged food, agriculture, consumer products and sustainable technologies from his time as a managing director at Goldman Sachs and Barclays, where he advised food industry leaders, entrepreneurs and investors. Under his leadership, Bettani will focus on commercialising Caseed and Caseed-powered cheeses in partnership with frozen food makers, foodservice operators and existing dairy-free cheese brands seeking to improve their formulations. Patel commented: “Bettani is poised to do for pizza what oat milk has done for coffee. Just as oat won coffee over the last five years with its superior taste, mouthfeel, performance and allergen profile, our Caseed-powered cheeses deliver the melt, stretch, texture and flavour consumers crave in pizza and other hot foods – without the allergens and high carbon footprint of dairy.” Sanjeev Krishnan, managing partner at S2G, said: “As Bettani starts this new chapter, we believe it’s clear the company has the strong leadership and vision needed to make protein-rich, dairy-free cheeses commonplace”. “We’re proud to continue to support Bettani and the commercialisation of its technology at a critical time when demand for protein-rich, allergen-free and more sustainable food products is increasing.”

ImpacFat, a Singapore-based company developing stem-cell derived omega-3 fish fat, has announced its expansion into Japan, establishing a research and operational presence in Tokyo. The company signed an agreement with JR East to set up its facilities at Link Scholar’s Hub (LiSH) in Takanawa Gateway City. ImpacFat aims to develop functional ingredients rich in DHA and EPA and expand their use in food, supplements and cosmeceuticals while contributing to sustainable food innovation in Japan. This marks ImpacFat’s first move outside Singapore. The company plans to work closely with local researchers, industry partners and stakeholders to advance cell-cultured technology for food, supplements and cosmetics. Japan’s seafood and health supplement markets make it a key target as the global omega-3 ingredient market is projected to surpass $8 billion by 2030, said the company. ImpacFat also announced the close of a strategic investment round with Japanese and regional partners, including Toyo Seikan Group, 144 Ventures (Leave a Nest Group) and Lin Xiangliang, CEO of Esco Aster. The investments will support the company’s technology commercialisation and cross-border research initiatives. Mandy Hon, CEO and co-founder of ImpacFat, said: “Expanding into Japan is a defining moment for ImpacFat. Japan has long been a global leader in food innovation, and we are honoured to work alongside Toyo Seikan Group, Leave a Nest and our other Japanese partners to build a sustainable cultivated food ecosystem." "By establishing our presence in Takanawa Gateway City, we hope to connect science, innovation and sustainability to create meaningful impact for both Singapore and Japan.” Takuji Nakamura, president of Toyo Seikan Grou, said: “We believe that ImpacFat’s development of functional ingredients derived from fish fat cells, rich in nutrients such as DHA and EPA, can meet the rising global awareness of food security and the growing demand for healthy and delicious food". "Toyo Seikan Group will leverage its core technologies in sterilisation and moisture/gas barrier to build, together with ImpacFat, a value chain that maximises the potential of cell-cultured fish fat. With our cross-border ecosystem partners, we aim to accelerate this movement under the concept of refine in Japan, test in Singapore, and launch into the Asian market.”

DSM-Firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health has entered a strategic partnership with FarmTrace, a global farm connection and analytics platform, to simplify the way environmental data is collected and processed on farms. The agreement integrates DSM-Firmenich’s "environmental footprinting solution," Sustell, with FarmTrace’s platform, automating the flow of farm-level information. The move aims to reduce the need for manual inputs and questionnaires, which have often been barriers to scaling sustainability reporting. According to the companies, the integration will make sustainability measurement more accessible and consistent, allowing farmers and supply chains to expand reporting across large networks of farms. David Nickell, VP of sustainability and business solutions at DSM-Firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health, said: “Farmers are being asked to do more than ever, and sustainability shouldn’t add complexity. Through our partnership with FarmTrace, we are enabling end-to-end integration of accurate, real-time farm data into Sustell, so we can focus on what we do best: translating data into actionable insights that drive environmental improvement.” Katherine Zambaldi, CEO of FarmTrace, added: “Sustainable food systems need scalable solutions. By linking our data infrastructure with Sustell, we’re helping unlock value from existing farm technology and enabling sustainability insights without adding administrative burdens.” "By eliminating the friction of time-consuming manual data collection, the integration between FarmTrace and Sustell saves farmers time, makes sustainability measurement more accessible and consistent, and enables supply chains to scale environmental reporting across hundreds or thousands of farms. This marks a significant step in DSM-Firmenich’s mission to make measurable sustainability a practical reality for every farm, everywhere.”

Volare has expanded its leadership team with the appointments of Benjamin Armenjon as chief commercial officer (CCO) and Antti Åke as chief operating officer (COO), as the company advances construction of its first large-scale insect protein facility in Pori, Finland. Armenjon joins Volare with more than a decade of experience in insect-based ingredients, including senior leadership roles at Ÿnsect, where he most recently served as CCO. He will oversee Volare’s commercial strategy, partnerships and customer growth. Åke brings extensive industrial scale-up expertise from previous roles at Bayer, Covestro and WasteWise Group, where he led the development of a pyrolysis plant as CEO. At Volare, he will be responsible for plant operations and managing the company’s growing team. The appointments come after Volare’s €26 million funding round earlier this year , which is being used to finance construction of 'Volare 01,' described by the company as the world’s most efficient protein production facility. The site will use black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens ) larvae to upcycle food industry side streams into protein, oil and fertiliser for aquafeed, pet food and chemical industry applications. Commenting on his new role, Armenjon said: “The food industry urgently needs scalable solutions. Volare is uniquely positioned to deliver insect-based ingredients that reduce pressure on natural resources while creating real value for customers. Sustainability and growth can go hand in hand and that’s exactly what we’re proving.” Åke added: “Volare is entering a decisive phase, moving from technology development to full-scale industrial operations. This is a rare opportunity to both scale innovative technology and create meaningful impact in the global food system. I look forward to applying my experience to make Volare’s vision a reality.” Volare CEO Jarna Hyvönen said the appointments marked “a major step in Volare’s journey”, adding: “We are building the next generation of insect protein production: lean, effective and designed to scale sustainably. With our first industrial plant under construction, this is exactly the leadership we need to deliver on our mission.”

Oobli has received a “no questions” letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), confirming that its brazzein-54 sweet protein is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for use in food and beverages. Brazzein-54, a protein naturally found in the oubli fruit, becomes the third sweet protein on Oobli’s platform to achieve FDA GRAS status, following brazzein-53 and monellin. Jason Ryder, Oobli's founder and CTO, said: "Oobli is changing the future of sweetness through the use of sweet proteins as a replacement for traditional cane sugar and other alternative sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, stevia and erythritol". "The oubli fruit sweet protein is one of several sweet proteins that is derived from fruits primarily found in West Africa and other equatorial environments. Sweet proteins are a class of proteins that deliver a sugar-like sweetness but don't affect blood sugar, insulin or the gut microbiome." The company said it is the first to receive FDA clearance for use of the oubli fruit sweet protein. Ali Wing, CEO of Oobli, added: "The 'no questions' letter from the FDA is further testament to the strong potential that sweet proteins have to disrupt our global dependence on sugar and alternative sweeteners". "The oubli fruit sweet protein can be safely used in a wide range of foods with support from the scientific community and the FDA. It can replace 70% or more of sugar in products such as sodas, teas, baked goods and more, making the opportunities to reduce our sugar consumption virtually endless."

Lallemand Specialty Cultures has inaugurated a new application research and development laboratory in Rennes, France, relocating its operations from La Ferté-sous-Jouarre to a newly built 400 square metres facility. The business unit, founded in 2012 and focused on food cultures for dairy, meat and plant-based products, said the move strengthens its capacity for innovation and collaboration with partners. The new site includes 200 square metres of laboratories for the formulation and testing of microorganism-based solutions and for evaluating their performance in conditions similar to industrial production. The facility also houses offices and meeting spaces to support knowledge-sharing. As part of the relocation, Lallemand has transferred its strain collection of more than 2,000 bacteria, yeasts and molds – initiated over a century ago – to Rennes. This collection supports the development of new solutions in areas such as bioprotection, shelf-life extension, and sensory improvement. Current research priorities include bioprotection for dairy and cured meat products, as well as fermentation technologies aimed at enhancing taste and texture in plant-based alternatives. The Rennes laboratory will also continue to work closely with Lallemand’s Blagnac site, which focuses on fermentation processes. Lauriane Fillous, president of Lallemand Specialty Cultures business unit, said: “This laboratory is intended as a meeting point between science and application, between our internal teams and external partners, and between development and the concrete needs of the market". Pablo Alvarez Martin, Lallemand Specialty Cultures' R&D director, added: “This relocation project is fully aligned with our ambition to advance R&D in an environment that encourages exchange and collaboration”.