NEW TECH FOODS

The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC) has announced a partnership with foodtech firm NotCo to accelerate innovation in the US market. Under the agreement, TMICC will pilot NotCo’s AI platform to create new product formats and nutritional profiles, expanding the role of ice cream in consumers’ diets. The company said the move builds on its 160-year legacy as a category leader. NotCo will deploy its proprietary AI platform, Giuseppe AI, which has been trained on a decade’s worth of food and ingredient data. The platform is already in use by several global food and beverage companies to support product design and formulation. The collaboration aims to combine TMICC’s consumer insights with NotCo’s AI capabilities to accelerate development cycles and deliver new ice cream concepts tailored to shifting consumer demands. Zbigniew Lewicki, chief research, design and innovation officer at TMICC, said: ”At The Magnum Ice Cream Company, we believe AI will be a catalyst for unlocking the next generation of food innovation". "Partnering with NotCo allows us to explore how advanced AI tools can help us solve complex formulation challenges faster and more precisely, while keeping consumer needs at the heart of everything we do. We believe that the real magic happens when AI, robotics and human expertise come together, each exceptional on its own, but exponentially more powerful in combination." Matias Muchnick, co-founder and CEO of NotCo, added: “It's extraordinary that ten years after we first envisioned AI transforming everything, we're now helping, among others, the world's largest ice cream company overcome their most complex growth and innovation challenges. As we look ahead to our next chapter, we’re beyond excited to partner with TMICC and supercharge its innovation roadmap with our AI technology.”

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a “no questions” letter to Onego Bio, confirming that its precision-fermented egg protein Bioalbumen is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for use in a variety of food and beverage applications. The decision affirms that Bioalbumen – a functional ovalbumin protein with the same amino acid sequence as chicken-derived egg protein – can be used as a dietary protein source and as a foaming, gelling and binding agent in products including baked goods, beverages, meat alternatives, confections and sauces. Bioalbumen is produced using the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei through precision fermentation. Onego Bio said the ingredient offers nutritional and functional parity with conventional egg protein, while providing food manufacturers with an alternative supply chain that could reduce exposure to market volatility and Avian Influenza-related disruptions. Yellow cake made with Bioalbumen Maija Itkonen, CEO and co-founder of Onego Bio, said: “This GRAS ‘no questions’ letter from the FDA is an important milestone for Onego Bio and the culmination of long-term scientific research". "Bioalbumen provides the same high-quality nutrition and performance as conventional egg protein. Our US commercial and R&D team continues to sample and provide trial support to an array of food customers ranging from craft bakeries to large scale food manufacturers.” The regulatory clearance follows Onego Bio’s announcement of plans to build a production facility in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. The site will scale up Bioalbumen manufacturing to meet demand and anchor the company’s US operations. Itkonen added: “At Onego, integrity and transparency are at the heart of everything we do – our business, our technology, our intellectual property and our collaboration with customers and partners. That’s why we pursued the full FDA GRAS review process." "Based on that commitment, the FDA’s conclusions now confirm our right to commercialise and gives customers full confidence in incorporating Bioalbumen as a reliable food solution.”

Dutch foodtech company The Protein Brewery has closed a €30 million Series B funding round to accelerate the commercialisation of its mycoprotein ingredient, Fermotein, and expand its production capacity. The round saw participation from new investors Invest-NL and the Brabant Development Agency (BOM), alongside existing backers Novo Holdings, Unovis Asset Management and Madeli. The investment will be used to strengthen sales and application capabilities, support launches in the US and Europe, expand operations at the company’s Mijkenbroek facility and further develop the Fermotein innovation platform. Thijs Bosch, CEO of The Protein Brewery, said: "This funding is a springboard for global expansion. With Fermotein, we are not just offering another protein – we are redefining how food is made: nutritious, sustainable and scalable at a lower cost." "The Protein Brewery is ready to lead the protein and fiber transition. We are now entering a defining moment: all building blocks of operation are in place, and we are ready to accelerate." Founded in 2020, The Protein Brewery uses proprietary fungal strains to produce Fermotein through a patented fermentation process. The company says its approach allows for more cost-efficient scaling compared with other alternative proteins. The ingredient is high in protein and fibre, and can be used across bakery, snacks, dairy alternatives, protein shakes, bars and meal replacements. The company is preparing to launch Fermotein with customers in the US in the coming months, with further expansion planned in Singapore, the EU and UK, pending regulatory approval. Investors emphasised the Netherlands’ growing role in sustainable protein innovation. Thomas Grotkjær, partner at Novo Holdings, highlighted: "The Protein Brewery has built the infrastructure, laid the groundwork and is now positioned to bring biotech-driven food innovation to the global stage. This funding fuels its ability to drive real impact in the food industry." Daan Meijer, investment manager at Invest-NL, emphasised: "With its unique fermentation-based solution, The Protein Brewery stands out in the alternative protein space and strengthens the Netherlands’ leadership in food innovation. As a Dutch company driving the proteintransition, The Protein Brewery is setting a new standard in sustainability, a vision we are proud to support." Daan van Lange, senior investment manager and team lead climate tech of the BOM, added: "We’ve supported The Protein Brewery since its inception, and seeing it scale from an idea into a full-fledged operation is remarkable. The Protein Brewery is a prime example of how local innovation can have global impact. And it’s happening in Brabant. The Scale-Up Plant of Europe: a leading powerhouse for foodtech scale ups and innovation." Top image: © The Protein Brewery

Innovative methods of producing food through fermentation could add nearly £10 billion to the UK economy by 2050, according to new analysis. The study, conducted by systems-change company Systemiq with support from the Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe, modelled several scenarios to assess the potential impact of next-generation fermentation on the food and drink sector. Fermentation has long been a staple of food production, but companies and researchers are now adapting the process to create animal-free proteins, fats and other ingredients. These can replicate the taste and texture of meat and dairy, as well as produce alternatives to palm oil, chocolate and cotton. Systemiq estimated that under current policies the UK fermentation market could reach £2.4 billion by 2050. More ambitious interventions, such as increased research and infrastructure investment, could raise this to £5.9 billion – comparable to the size of the UK beer manufacturing industry. Factoring in equipment, raw materials and exports, the overall market value could rise to £8.2 billion, with up to £2.4 billion in exports. The research suggested that under the most ambitious scenario, fermentation could contribute £9.8 billion annually to the economy by 2050. Around a third of this growth would come from precision fermentation ingredients such as animal-free dairy and egg proteins. The findings come as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) launches a one-year Innovation Research Programme to build regulatory expertise in new food production methods, particularly precision fermentation. Backed by £1.4 million from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s Regulatory Innovation Office, the programme aims to support regulatory readiness and provide businesses with clearer approval pathways. The UK government has also invested in academic research hubs including Imperial College London’s Microbial Food Hub and the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC) at the University of Leeds. Rupert Simons, partner at Systemiq, said: “We see huge potential for the UK to become a global leader in fermentation for food, and hope our research plays a part in making that a reality with regulators and investors.”  Linus Pardoe, senior UK policy manager at GFI Europe, added: “Fermentation is an ancient technology being reimagined to tackle the modern-day challenges facing our food system. These figures reveal the value to the UK economy of a thriving fermentation sector producing familiar, tasty and nutritious food. “The FSA’s new programme is an important step, helping bring new fermentation-made products to market that meet the UK’s gold standard safety regulations, but the government and industry need to invest in order to unlock this full potential.” Top image: © Onego Bio

Terra Oleo, a Singapore-based biotechnology firm, has officially emerged from stealth mode, announcing a $3.1 million funding round backed by Breakthrough Energy Discovery. The company aims to revolutionise the production of fats and oils by offering sustainable alternatives to palm oil derivatives and cocoa butter, targeting applications in personal care, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food sectors. As global supply chains for palm oil and cocoa face mounting pressures from climate change, regulatory scrutiny, and land scarcity, prices and volatility have surged. In 2024, cocoa stocks plummeted by 26%, and palm oil exports fell 5.83% year-over-year, highlighting the urgent need for viable alternatives. Terra Oleo's innovative approach utilises precision fermentation to convert agro-industrial waste into high-performance lipid ingredients, addressing these challenges head-on. The company’s tunable platform is designed to produce tailored lipid profiles that meet the specific requirements of various industries while eliminating the energy-intensive refining processes and toxic byproducts associated with traditional methods. This unique capability positions Terra Oleo to deliver superior unit economics and accelerate market adoption compared to other solutions on the market. Terra Oleo's technology has the potential to significantly impact the environment, with estimates suggesting it could eliminate up to 900 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually from palm oil and cocoa supply chains. Co-founders of Terra Oleo (from left): Min Hao Wong, Shen Ming Lee and Boon Uranukul This aligns with the growing demand for sustainable practices in the personal care and food sectors, where companies are increasingly prioritising eco-friendly ingredients. The firm has already secured product testing agreements with several leading players in the oleochemicals, food, personal care and cosmetics industries, indicating strong interest and validation of its technology. With demand on the rise, Terra Oleo is poised to transition from laboratory-scale operations to commercial production, ensuring its products can match or exceed the performance of conventional offerings. Founded by Shen Ming Lee, Boon Uranukul and Min Hao Wong, Terra Oleo leverages their combined expertise in science, industry and strategy to drive its mission of decarbonising palm oil and cocoa production. "We founded Terra Oleo to reinvent how we produce the fats and oils that power our everyday lives," stated Lee. "With support from the Breakthrough Energy Fellows programme and our investors, we are excited to bring sustainable, scalable alternatives to market." The Breakthrough Energy Fellows Program, which supports early-stage innovators in developing technologies capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions at scale, has selected Terra Oleo as a participant for 2025. This prestigious backing will facilitate the company's transition from lab to pilot while advancing customer formulation testing and validation.

Dutch food-tech company Revyve has raised nearly €24 million in Series B financing to accelerate the rollout of its functional yeast proteins, designed to replace eggs and additives in mainstream food categories. The Series B funding round, which brings the company’s total funding to more than €40 million, was co-led by ABN AMRO Sustainable Impact Fund and Invest-NL, with additional backing from Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM), Lallemand Bio-Ingredients’ Swiss affiliate Danstar Ferment, Grey Silo Ventures (the CVC of Cereal Docks Group), Oost NL and Royal Cosun. Revyve produces yeast proteins that replicate the performance of eggs in applications such as bakery, sauces, meat alternatives and plant-based dairy. The ingredients are marketed as natural, sustainable and cost-competitive, helping food manufacturers respond to challenges including volatile egg prices, consumer scrutiny of ultra-processed foods and industry-wide pressure to reduce carbon footprints. Cedric Verstraeten, CEO of Revyve, said: “Food manufacturers are cutting back on eggs to offset increasing prices and reach sustainability targets, but replicating their unique functionality is crucial to maintaining the texture and mouthfeel consumers are used to". "This is exactly where our Yeast Proteins come in, providing an affordable and clean label solution for egg replacement or egg reduction. This funding round marks a tipping point for us: allowing us to modularly scale production and branch out to more food categories and serve our sustainable solutions to larger customers worldwide.” The company commissioned its first commercial-scale facility in Dinteloord, the Netherlands, in 2024 . The site, which is already operating at capacity for several customers, has demonstrated Revyve’s ability to produce industrial volumes. The new investment will enable the company to expand output to more than 1,600 tons per year. Hanna Zwietering, senior investment manager at ABN AMRO, commented: “We are excited to partner with Revyve as they pioneer pressing sustainable alternatives to traditional egg ingredients. Its solution addresses a critical need in the food transition: scalable ingredients with a low environmental footprint and compelling economics for food manufacturers." "We believe this combination of commercial viability and measurable sustainable benefits makes Revyve uniquely positioned to grow into a global leader. We look forward to supporting their journey." Lisette Kersting-van der Boog, senior investment manager of Invest-NL, added: “With their functional egg-replacement ingredients, Revyve can play a major role in accelerating the global protein transition and fostering circular solutions that reduce pressure on land, water and animals. We are proud to invest in this Dutch company, which strengthens the country’s innovative power with a pioneering technology that has the potential to transform food production worldwide.” Revyve is currently supplying customers across Europe, North America, Mexico and Australia. The company will showcase new applications and partnerships later this year at Anuga in Cologne and Food Ingredients Europe in Paris.

Krones, a global provider of process, filling and packaging technology, has announced significant expansions to its portfolio with the acquisition of a 60% stake in GHS Separationstechnik and the full takeover of Can Systems Worldwide (CSW) based in the Netherlands. These moves aim to enhance Krones' capabilities in both process technology and can handling systems, positioning the company for continued growth in the competitive food and beverage sector. The acquisition of GHS Separationstechnik, headquartered in Landshut, Germany, marks a pivotal enhancement to Krones' process technology offerings. By securing 60% of GHS's shares, Krones gains access to advanced decanter centrifuges, which are critical for solid-liquid separation processes. These systems are essential in various applications, including the processing of vegetable oils, juices, alternative food products, and PET recycling. GHS, which employs approximately 25 staff members, reported revenues of around €10 million in 2024, underscoring its significant role in the market. In a complementary move, Krones has fully acquired CSW, a manufacturer specialising in machinery for handling can ends. Based in Deventer, CSW serves a diverse clientele in the beer, beverage and food industries, boasting approximately 35 employees and generating revenues of €20 million in 2024. This acquisition allows Krones to strengthen its expertise in can handling, particularly in the automatic feeding, unwinding, and unpacking of lid rolls. CSW will maintain its operational independence, ensuring continuity in service and product quality for its international customers. These acquisitions are part of Krones' broader strategy to enhance its technological capabilities and market reach. With over 20,000 employees and sales reaching €5.3 billion in 2024, Krones is well-positioned to leverage these new assets to meet the evolving needs of the food and beverage industry. The integration of GHS and CSW into Krones' operations is expected to drive innovation and improve efficiency across its product lines.

Danish foodtech innovator Summ Ingredients, formerly known as Nutrumami, is poised to transform the food ingredients landscape with the introduction of its first multifunctional ingredient, FermiPro. Following a recent rebranding and a successful funding round, the company aims to redefine how food ingredients are formulated, addressing the growing demand for healthier, plant-centric options. Summ Ingredients has successfully raised €1.7 million in funding, with contributions from EIFO, BoxOne, and existing investors Kost Capital and Planetary Impact Ventures. This investment will facilitate the production and market rollout of FermiPro, which is expected to be available to food producers by autumn 2025. Frederik Jensen, CEO and founder of Summ Ingredients, commented: “We aim to pioneer a new ingredient category – multifunctional, fermented proteins – that deliver taste, texture and nutrition in one solution”. This approach not only simplifies formulation for food manufacturers but also enhances the appeal of plant-based foods. FermiPro stands out as a fermented protein that combines multiple functionalities, offering food producers an innovative toolkit for product development. Key benefits include: Enhanced flavour :  FermiPro provides complex umami flavours and kokumi (mouthfulness), replicating the depth typically found in meat-based dishes. Natural texture building : It effectively replaces traditional additives such as gums and starches, improving mouthfeel without compromising on quality. Nutritional boost : The ingredient enriches products with protein, minerals and B-vitamins, creating a more complete nutritional profile. This multifunctionality allows food producers to reduce reliance on flavourings, texturisers and E-numbers, promoting cleaner label products that use more legumes and other plant-based ingredients. Summ Ingredients is already leveraging FermiPro across various food categories, with several products in the pipeline: FermiPro Cultured ProMix: A plant-based cheese that achieves double-digit protein content and 30% less fat without using modified starch or texturants. FermiPro Bouillon Creamer: An all-in-one solution for ready meals, delivering rich flavour and creamy texture. FermiPro Saucier: A dairy-free, starch-free option that offers creaminess and umami for sauces. FermiPro Texture+: A clean label solution for hybrid and plant-based meats without additives. FermiPro Plant Booster Clean label Seasonings: Achieving up to 30% salt reduction while maintaining robust flavour profiles. The rebranding to SUMM Ingredients reflects the company’s ambition to integrate multiple functions into a single ingredient, enhancing health, flavour and sustainability. To support this vision, Summ Ingredients has appointed Kasper Bus as chief commercial officer. With extensive experience in the food and ingredients sector, Bus will play a critical role in aligning the company’s technological innovations with market needs. Jensen noted: “With Kasper on board, we gain a strong commercial driver who can bridge our technology with market demands, essential for our global expansion”. Summ Ingredients is advancing its innovations through a proprietary cross-fermentation platform, with two patent applications filed. This technology leverages the synergistic effects of various microorganisms applied to diverse plant materials, unlocking new multifunctional ingredients suitable for a wide range of applications, from cultured plant cheeses to umami-rich seasonings. Looking ahead, the company is also developing a second multifunctional ingredient aimed at sugar reduction and improved mouthfeel, further expanding its potential to transform food formulation.

This month, the spotlight is on Leaft Foods: a New Zealand-based food-tech innovator developing functional ingredients and consumer products made from green leaf protein. We spoke to Ross Milne, the company’s CEO, to find out more. Could you tell us about Leaft Foods’ journey and how the company came to be established?  Leaft Foods emerged from a pivotal moment in 2014 when our co-founders, John and Maury Leyland Penno, attended a Stanford University innovation bootcamp that sparked their interest in how livestock farmers could move toward more sustainable food production methods while continuing to produce high-quality food.  Maury had developed her business acumen through roles at prestigious organisations including Team New Zealand, Boston Consulting Group, and dairy giant Fonterra. Meanwhile, John combined scientific expertise as an agricultural researcher with entrepreneurial experience from co-founding and leading Synlait Milk as CEO.  In 2017, their focus shifted toward a more radical concept: extracting high-quality protein directly from green leaves. This led them to concentrate on rubisco, a protein that exists in virtually every green plant on Earth and happens to be the planet’s most abundant protein.  In 2019, the founding team was completed when I came aboard as CEO with a unique perspective and skillset. I'd spent my career engineering some of the world’s largest food manufacturing facilities for GEA, recently had embraced plant-based eating and was seeking to apply my expertise toward more sustainable food systems.  While many companies in the alternative protein got caught up in market excitement and then strong economic headwinds in recent years, Leaft focused intensively on research, development and refinement, working quietly to solve complex technical challenges while maintaining a clear focus on commercial economic viability.  Our ultimate goal is transformative: to create a new path to protein production by bypassing both traditional animal agriculture and seed-based plant proteins in favour of extracting superior nutrition directly from leaves. We view this not as an incremental improvement, but as the foundation for an entirely new approach to feeding people sustainably.  Why rubisco protein? Rubisco represents what has long been called the ‘utopia protein.’ It’s a truly amazing protein and it is present in every green leaf. Its abundance means we can build a more efficient food system that is a step-change towards a lower carbon future.  It’s a remarkable convergence of nutritional excellence, core food systems functionality and environmental benefits. It delivers an amino acid profile that exceeds whey protein, which is the gold standard for complete proteins, with all essential amino acids present in optimal ratios, including tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan.  Rubisco’s exceptional digestibility is another critical factor. As an enzyme protein built for biological activity rather than storage, it releases amino acids much faster than traditional plant proteins, delivering peak concentrations precisely when the body needs them most. This represents a shift from reactive nutrition (protein for recovery after exercise) to proactive nutrition (protein available during performance).  Beyond basic nutrition, our Rubisco offers amazing functional properties that are desired in food matrices, such as its foaming, emulsification and gelling properties. This makes it ideal for food manufacturers seeking to replace egg whites or dairy proteins in their formulations. The environmental impact is also significantly lower than animal-derived proteins like whey, because we take the cow out of the system.  The sustainability benefits extend to how our crops are farmed. Lucerne (alfalfa), which we use as our primary source, fixes its own nitrogen from the atmosphere, reducing fertilizer requirements. Its deep taproot system makes it highly water-efficient while improving soil structure and health. And unlike annual crops, lucerne grows year after year without replanting and can be harvested multiple times annually, maximising land productivity. How does your technology to extract the protein from green leaves and turn it into a functional ingredient work? How does this tech address previous challenges associated with extracting rubisco protein?  Most protein extraction efforts focus on maximising the yield of one component. Our breakthrough was recognising that we could optimise protein quality while creating value from 100% of the raw material. The timing convergence was crucial too. We had access to New Zealand's world-leading food production and research expertise and our strong history in dairy. Equally important was having the team and resources to spend time testing and refining. This, in conjunction with our direct farmer relationships, helped us understand how the crop could really be integrated into a farming system.  You recently launched your first consumer product, Leaft Blade. Why did you choose to target the performance nutrition category?  We chose performance nutrition because it plays directly to Rubisco's greatest strength, which is speed. While traditional proteins are designed for recovery after exercise, we saw an opportunity to flip that model entirely with proactive nutrition that works before performance happens. Rubisco's enzyme structure means it delivers amino acids up to six times faster than conventional proteins. For athletes and fitness enthusiasts, this translates to amino acids flooding their system precisely when muscles send their ‘build’ signal during exercise, rather than hours later during recovery.  The performance market was also the right fit for introducing something completely new. These consumers understand protein science, and they get concepts like amino acid profiles and absorption rates. They're willing to invest in demonstrable benefits and are quick to recognise when something genuinely works better. By entering performance nutrition where function matters most, we could showcase what Rubisco actually delivers rather than fighting preconceptions about plant protein limitations as other companies have.   We're not just launching another plant protein. We're creating an entirely new category. The leaf protein category for consumer products doesn't exist yet, but we're defining and leading it.   Are you developing products in any other product categories? What other applications would the ingredient be well-suited to?  We're definitely seeing exciting opportunities beyond performance nutrition, particularly on the B2B ingredient side where Rubisco's functional properties really shine. Our B2B customers immediately grasp the potential when they see Rubisco's emulsifying, foaming and gelling capabilities in action. Because Rubisco behaves like premium functional proteins such as egg whites or whey, it opens doors in categories where plant proteins have traditionally struggled. We see strong potential in bakery applications where Rubisco's foaming properties could replace egg whites, and in dairy alternatives where its emulsifying capabilities could improve texture and mouthfeel.  Because our products are highly functional, we're competing against high-value proteins like egg, rather than commodity plant proteins. This positions us well economically while solving real formulation challenges for food manufacturers. We're also exploring opportunities that leverage our zero-waste process. Since we extract value from 100% of the leaf material, not just the protein, we can create multiple revenue streams from a single input.  Are there any notable market trends and consumer demands that your solution can tap into?  The biggest shift we're witnessing is growing consumer sophistication around protein quality. People are moving beyond just counting grams of protein. They want to understand amino acid profiles, absorption rates and functional benefits. This education trend works in our favour because once consumers understand what makes Rubisco unique, the value proposition becomes clear.   There's also some fatigue with traditional plant-based proteins. Many consumers have tried products that compromise on taste, texture or nutrition, and they're hungry for alternatives that don't force those trade-offs. Sustainability consciousness continues to grow, but consumers are becoming more discerning. They want genuine environmental benefits, not just marketing claims. The clean label trend is also massive and accelerating. Consumers want ingredients they can pronounce and understand. ‘Protein from green leaves’ is inherently clean and simple.   How have you seen the alternative proteins market evolve in recent years?   The alternative protein sector has been through a complete cycle since we were founded: from explosive hype to significant correction, and now we're seeing a more mature, realistic phase emerging. When we began, the sector was experiencing massive excitement and capital influx. Everyone was talking about disrupting animal agriculture, and valuations were skyrocketing based on potential rather than proven fundamentals. A lot of companies got caught up in that momentum. Then reality hit. The market realised that many alternative protein products were compromising significantly on taste, texture or nutrition compared to what they were trying to replace. Consumer adoption plateaued and investors became much more cautious.  What we're seeing now is a more discerning phase. Consumers are moving beyond novelty and demanding products that truly deliver. It’s not enough to make sustainability claims. A product needs to deliver on performance, taste and value. I think the companies that survive this shake-out will be ones focused on fundamental breakthroughs, rather than incremental improvements. There's growing recognition that we need genuinely transformative solutions, not just better versions of existing plant proteins.  What has been Leaft Foods’ biggest achievement to date?  Our biggest achievement has been cracking the code that stumped researchers for over a century. We successfully extracted Rubisco protein on a commercial scale while preserving its extraordinary functional properties. We've proven the entire system works at a large scale, which is important to business growth and viability. Our 30,000 square foot facility’s current production is impressive, but it is also just the start of what we can do. We've also demonstrated that this breakthrough can deliver genuine value to both B2B customers and consumers.  Have you faced any particular challenges on your journey? How did you navigate them?  We've certainly faced our share of challenges, but I think our approach to navigating them has been key to our progress as a company.  The biggest technical challenge was the fundamental extraction paradox I mentioned. This took years of painstaking work by our team of scientists and engineers. Timing the market has been both a challenge and an advantage. We started during the height of alternative protein hype, but rather than getting swept up in that excitement, we made a decision to stay heads-down building. That discipline paid off.  The commercialisation challenge was also substantial. We're creating an entirely new category with leaf protein, so there's no established playbook. We had to figure out how to position something that doesn't exist yet. Our strategy has been to let performance speak for itself.  What’s next for Leaft? Any exciting plans in the pipeline?  We're at a really exciting inflection point with our current production validating both our business model and unit economics. From here, we map our journey to profitability as we take the next steps to scale up. On the consumer side, we're seeing strong early adoption of Leaft Blade among performance athletes and weekend warriors. The B2B ingredient business is moving forward too. We're working with partners across different food categories who want to leverage the functional properties of our protein.  Our first strategic partnership we’re announcing on the B2B side is with Lacto Japan ,  a leading distributor of speciality food ingredients, to introduce Leaf Rubisco Protein to Japan's sophisticated food manufacturing sector. Through that partnership, we're already engaged with several of Japan's most important food manufacturers across plant-based foods, bakery products and sports nutrition categories. The early market validation has been strong. Lacto's team was impressed not just with the protein system itself, but with how well it performs in actual applications, meeting the exceptionally high standards that Japanese consumers expect.   For aspiring food-tech start-ups, what valuable advice or insights would you share to help them navigate the challenges and opportunities in this dynamic sector? Having weathered numerous cycles in the food manufacturing space, I'd say the most critical lesson is that fundamental economics always apply. In some periods, it may feel like they don't matter, but they inevitably come back to bite you. We've always maintained a long-term vision for Leaft that's helped us look through market cycles and stay focused on what actually matters. I’d also encourage new entrants to the industry to be honest about their boundary conditions. We've always been clear on the yield targets we needed to hit for scale and the quality thresholds required for customer acceptance. Having clarity on these constraints forces you to find solutions that actually work commercially, not just technically at lab-scale.

Solar Foods has filed a GRAS (Generally Recognised as Safe) notification with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its microbial protein ingredient, Solein, as it seeks to secure a “no questions” letter confirming the product’s safety. The submission builds on the company’s self-affirmed GRAS status for Solein, obtained in September 2024 , which allowed Solar Foods to begin marketing and sales in the US. To obtain FDA’s no questions letter, Solar Foods was required to provide a dossier containing safety data and supporting documentation. The agency will conduct a preliminary review before undertaking a scientific evaluation, during which it may request additional information. If FDA raises no objections, it will issue the no questions letter, which will also be published in the agency’s GRAS inventory. Solar Foods expects to receive this by the end of 2026. Troels Nørgaard, chief commercial and product officer at Solar Foods, said: “In the United States, there are several procedures available for introducing new foods to the market. After obtaining the self-affirmed GRAS status last year, we are now aiming to obtain the no questions letter from the FDA." "This may widen the possibilities for sale of Solein as some potential customers may require this additional documentation. The no questions letter can also contribute to advancing Solein’s expansion into other markets that do not grant specific novel food approvals." Solein is produced using Solar Foods’ proprietary technology, which converts carbon dioxide and electricity into protein-rich microbial biomass. The ingredient received its first regulatory approval in Singapore in 2022 and applications remain under review with UK and EU regulators. Solar Foods anticipates receiving EU novel food approval in 2026, following an ongoing evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Top image: © Solar Foods

Biotech start-up Novella Innovative Technology has launched Novella Strawberry, a new nutraceutical ingredient developed from whole strawberry cells using the company’s proprietary AuraCell cultivation platform. The patent-pending product, which will debut at SupplySide West 2025 in Las Vegas, is positioned as the first in Novella’s line of fruit-cell bioactive complexes. Unlike conventional strawberry extracts, which isolate a limited set of compounds, Novella Strawberry preserves the fruit’s full cellular matrix, delivering a broad spectrum of phytochemicals including anthocyanins, ellagic acid, phenolic acids, terpenoids and alkaloids. According to the company, its technology cultivates intact strawberry cells in a closed, controlled environment, eliminating the need for agricultural production. Novella says the process reduces resource use by 99% compared with field cultivation, while ensuring consistent yields and avoiding pesticide use. Human-cell assays carried out by Novella indicate that the ingredient delivers antioxidant activity up to 100 times stronger than conventional strawberry extracts, due to its higher stability and preserved cellular structure. The enhanced potency, the company claims, allows for significantly lower dosages in supplement applications. Shimrit Bar-El, co-founder and chief product officer for Novella, said: "We collect the high value nutrients from the strawberry at the peak of its power, grow them in a clean environment without pesticides, then amplify them. The result is a potent compound that can easily be absorbed in the body." Itay Dana, co-founder and chief business development officer for Novella, added: "Our solution will significantly relieve the bottleneck in the nutraceutical industry's growing demand for strawberry-sourced nutrients while leaving field grown strawberries to be enjoyed as refreshing natural treats." He continued: "Our AuraCell platform doesn't extract and doesn't need solvents. We preserve nature's full intelligence and deliver it intact. Novella Strawberry answers the consumer demand for performance and sustainability by delivering a holistic ingredient that is pure, potent and generates zero waste." "Novella Strawberry is exactly what the next wave of dietary supplements needs. It performs powerfully on its own, but its real potential is in enhancing other products – amplifying results while reducing required daily dose. It's a perfect marriage of science and strategy, with remarkable commercial potential." "he company highlights that its bioreactor-cultivated bioactives remain within their native plant-cell environment, offering a form of natural microencapsulation. This protects sensitive compounds during formulation, improves stability, and supports synergistic interactions with other actives. Novella Strawberry is available as a water-dispersible powder suitable for capsules, powders, functional foods and beverages. Beyond supplements, Novella has partnered with Australia-based Metaphor Foods to incorporate its antioxidant ingredients into food preservation applications.

Estonian food-tech start-up Äio has announced the successful completion of its first full-scale production run of its sustainable yeast-based oil, reaching a volume of 1 tonne. This volume represents a 300-fold increase from the company’s laboratory capabilities. The production run, completed between late 2024 and mid-2025, marks a key milestone in Äio’s mission to address the growing demand for more natural, sustainable alternatives to environmentally polluting and potentially harmful food ingredients. The start-up uses biomass and precision fermentation to transform industrial side streams into nutrient-rich oils and fats. Its encapsulated oil is high in protein, fibre and functional lipids, offering a nutritious and sustainable alternative to ingredients such as palm and coconut oil, eggs and even cocoa powder. In food applications, the yeast-based oil can deliver a natural umami flavour and versatile texture profile, enabling its use in a wide range of products such as plant-based meat and confectionery. Reports indicate that palm oil cultivation drives approximately 10% of global deforestation. Additionally, the World Wildlife Fund reported that current food production systems have contributed to a 70% decline in terrestrial biodiversity since 1970, highlighting the need for solutions that can reduce the sector’s environmental footprint. Nemailla Bonturi, Äio’s CEO and co-founder, said: “As a scientist, I’ve been developing this fermentation process since 2013. Seeing something that I started in a small lab in Brazil now being produced at this scale in Europe is incredibly rewarding.” Bonturi added: “This first tonne is the first of many to come, and crucially, it proves our process can scale beyond pilot settings and validates the commercial potential we’re working toward”. The company is now preparing for its next major goal: establishing a commercial production facility capable of producing 2,000 tonnes annually. Äio has completed pre-engineering concept work for this and is now developing partnerships with companies involving feedstock supply, distribution and off-take agreements. Äio has begun sharing product samples with manufacturers in both food and personal care, and plans to launch a fundraising round by late 2026 to accelerate its expansion within the alt-fats and oils market. Martin Mets, CFO at Äio, revealed that the company has already reduced its unit costs by 80% in recent years, through scale and optimisation, and expects to see a similar cost reduction curve continue in the years ahead. Bonturi commented: “The fundamental economics have shifted. Five years ago, sustainable alternatives carried a significant price premium. Today, supply chain disruptions and regulatory pressures have created conditions where precision fermentation can achieve cost parity with conventional oils while eliminating environmental and ethical concerns.” “For manufacturers, ecologically conscious ingredients are no longer a ‘nice-to-have,’ they’re a necessity… We’re now showing that the commercial viability for plant-based alternatives to traditional oils is very real.”