NEW TECH FOODS

Arkeon, a biotech start-up converting CO2 into functional protein ingredients, has built a new pilot production plant in Vienna, Austria. Located in Vienna’s Seestadt Innovation Hub, the facility supports the development of Arkeon’s production process and expands its infrastructure with a 150-litre bioreactor system. Arkeon says that the system will improve its process and lays a biotechnological foundation for future large-scale production. The plant was built in partnership with Steamtec, Böhm Stadtbaumeister & Gebäudetechnik, Kanzler-Dach, Bioengineering, RW Serviceteam and others. Arkeon said that it has also commissioned a demo facility with a 3000-litre bioreactor system, which is scheduled for the end of 2024 and is expected to mark the company’s entry into commercial production capacity. Last week, the Vienna Business Agency initiated the construction of the Technology Centre Seestadt, where the new demo facility will be located. The project aims to create additional production and office space for new start-ups, including Arkeon. Günther Bochmann, technological project lead of Arkeon, said: “The successful implementation of our pilot production plant represents a solid basis and illustrates that our company has set up the technical foundation to unlock our production technology at large scale. It is an essential step on our way to scale to large commercial production outputs.” #Arkeon #Austria

The increasing demand for sustainable food and the growing need for ethically-sourced proteins have converged to produce rapid developments in food technology. Indeed, Barclays Investment Bank estimates that the alternative protein sector could reach a 20% share of the market by 2040 with a value of $450 billion. Neil Shah, director of Edison Group, tells us more. The growing appetite for protein Exponential population growth over the past century has led to a rapidly increasing demand for protein. With global food consumption projected to rise from 2.5 billion metric tons in 2021 to over 3,000 billion metric tons in 2026, revenues for the meat industry are set to double by 2040. Yet this outlook for traditional sources of protein paints only a partial picture. Alongside these quantitative developments, the food industry is facing a significant qualitative evolution. Changing ethical attitudes and a heightened awareness of food security have driven an upsurge in the alternative protein industry. As of 2021, 50% of British people were including meat substitutes in their diet while the global number of vegans rose from 0.5% to 3% between 2020 and 2021. Meat substitutes offer an alternative to traditional protein sources with a significantly reduced environmental impact. The cultured meat industry, for example, could use 95% less land than traditional meat production. Meanwhile, the production of plant-based products creates less greenhouse gases, with 1kg of wheat resulting in 2.5kg of emissions, compared to 70kg for the same amount of beef. With such environmental benefits, the alternative protein sector is primed to soar in revenue over the coming years and ultimately constitute a large share of the global food industry. This combined demand for protein and sustainability couples to create fertile soil for the alternative protein industry. Over recent decades, the mass production of alternative protein has moved from pipedream to production line, with brands like Quorn and Beyond Meat leading an industry advancement projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 18% from 2022 to 2032. Indeed, this sector’s potential is reflected in investor trends. In the first half of 2022, Venture Capital groups invested a total of $1.05 billion into alternative protein producers, representing a 174% increase from the previous year and reflecting a growing confidence and interest in the sector. A craving for innovation While the practice of vegetarianism has ancient roots, alternative proteins have seen a rapid evolution over recent years. From plant-based beginnings, the industry has progressed through meat imitation to alternative meat production, with scientists now laying the seeds for cultured meat, eggs and dairy grown from animal cells. Accompanying these technological advancements are the developmental challenges inherent in an innovation-based industry of this kind. One such challenge exists in the scaling-up of the industry. As demand for alternative proteins grows, the sector must undergo a similar expansion to meet consumer needs; yet as a child of the laboratory, alternative protein breaking into the mass market enters a landscape much larger than its own. Cellular agriculture, for example, is currently limited in its production to 20,000-litre bioreactors due to cell morphology, while the typical industrial bio-reactors have a capacity of c200,000 litres. Beyond the difficulties involved in upscaling, the industry also faces the challenge of replicating the sensory experience of conventional meat and dairy products for those customers unwilling to part from the tastes, texture and smell of traditional animal products. Food for thoughtful investors The combined factors of growth and innovation pumping through the alternative protein industry make the sector a fertile pasture for investment. Valued at $220 billion in 2019, the global food tech market is estimated to grow to $340 billion by 2027 and offers an exciting opportunity for investors. Alternative protein manufacturers founded over the last decade have witnessed rapid success. As an example, the 100% plant-based baby food manufacturer, Else Nutrition, has an estimated revenue of C$ 11m in 2022, following the launch of its debut product in late 2020. This figure constitutes a significant rise from 2021, when annual revenue lay at C$ 4.7m, and the company projects revenues to continue following this growth pattern, with estimated revenue for 2023 predicted to be C$ 27.5m. Another company operating in the alternative protein space is Steakholder Foods which, despite its mantra that meat “is an ancient and universal tradition,” demonstrates no backward thinking in its approach to protein production. Using cellular biology and 3D bioprinting technology, Steakholder Foods has developed a method of creating real meat from ethically harvested animal cells. Founded in 2019, the company now possesses assets valued at $16.9m and aims to hold a 15% share of the cultured meat market by 2025. With the cultured meat industry projected to reach an output of 40,000 tons in end products by 2025, and annual sales of $450 billion estimated in the alternative protein sector by 2040, companies like Else Nutrition and Steakholder present investors with an interesting opportunity as we move into a future of sustainability and innovation.

Sustainability has been top of mind for both food and beverage processors and consumers for many years. In 2023, sustainability will continue to be at the forefront of industry trends and innovations. Positive climate action is increasing in urgency, and consumers are growing increasingly conscientious about how their own decisions, including the brands they support, are impacting the environment and the future health of the planet. Carlos Fernandez, executive vice president of customer sustainability and market development at JBT Corporation, tells us more. In a recent IDC industry survey, nearly 30% of food and beverage decisionmakers considered customer demand for eco-friendly products and offerings as the top factor motivating organisational change toward greater sustainability. In today’s uncertain economic climate, including inflation, increased competition and supply chain challenges, processors will continue to strengthen their commitment to sustainability in their operations. Reduce food waste Food waste contributes to two of our biggest global challenges today – hunger and climate change. Nearly 690 million people are hungry around the world – 10 million more than in 2020, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Furthermore, it is estimated that food waste was responsible for 8-10% of global emissions between 2010 and 2016, as stated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The food and beverage industry holds great responsibility to be mindful of the needed resources to improve food security, and technological innovation is necessary to find new solutions to reduce food waste. Technology providers that tackle this problem through the products they offer can help their food and beverage manufacturing customers contribute to a healthier, more equitable world. This includes developing and utilising technology that makes the most out of natural resources. For example, juice processors can do more than just extract juice. They can also process valuable byproducts, including peel, oils and pulp. Many existing technologies already have many sustainability and cost-saving advantages that reduce the need for artificial preservatives while extending shelf life and improving food safety. Save water and energy Electricity and fuel represent significant costs to food and beverage manufacturers and contribute heavily to their carbon footprint. Every day, food and beverage processors are setting new climate plans, goals and targets, looking for new ways to reduce their emissions. Investing in efficient equipment and technologies is critical to achieving those goals. Today, more than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing high water scarcity, including many parts of the world where our food and beverages are made. The increasing frequency of droughts and dropping water tables add to the concerns around water scarcity risks, particularly for processors with water-intensive operations. In 2023, we will see the accelerated adoption of efficient steaming technology, water reuse systems that reduce processors’ water, energy, chemical usage and more. Adopt packaging alternatives Today, 60-70% of consumers are willing to pay more for brands that implement sustainable packaging alternatives for their products, and as a result, food and beverage companies are aligning their strategies by adopting more sustainable packaging. In 2023, we will continue to see companies across the sector shift to packaging alternatives that use compostable, paper and paperboard materials. Tray-sealing packaging will continue to increase in popularity as it significantly reduces the use of plastic and energy, while also preserving product quality all the way from the production line to the end-consumer. Mono-material plastics are being adopted across the industry, which can be substantially easier to recycle than the current industry standards of multi-material layered plastics. Cell-based protein innovation In addition to already popular plant-based proteins and dairy alternatives, culture-based proteins, while not mainstream yet, are growing in demand and will emerge as a leading alternative-protein source in 2023. Because this production method eliminates the need to raise and farm animals for food, cell-based proteins have the potential to revolutionise the way food is produced, with major cost, environmental and global health and food supply benefits. Factory farming is a major producer of greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient pollution, and today, more than one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity can be attributed to the way we produce, process and package food. Data from two comprehensive new studies found that cell-based meat could cause up to 92% less global warming, 93% less air pollution and use up to 95% less land and 78% less water compared to conventional beef production. And while sustainability is a driving factor, the price of cell-based meat must also be comparable to traditional options today to see widespread adoption. Investment, research and development, and infrastructure are critical to accelerating the development of cultivated meat, and to protect the environment and address global food scarcity as a result. Prioritise ESG In light of the current economic conditions, it is essential for food and beverage manufacturers to prioritise sustainability initiatives in 2023, while also thinking long-term about where the industry is headed and how organisations can adapt to consumer demand and remain competitive. Investing in innovative technology solutions that help take meaningful steps toward achieving environmental and business goals will be key in 2023. Prioritising environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) is an integral part of profitable growth strategies. Manufacturers that leverage innovative technologies to address the social and environmental impact of the industry to reduce food and packaging waste, water consumption and electricity will continue to be a source of growth and transform the industry for years to come.

Traditionally, palletisation has been a manual operation – and in many cases it still is. It is estimated that 250,000 people are employed in this type of work worldwide. Over an eight-hour shift, a worker could be lifting up to 8,000kgs of products, presenting a danger to the body and posture. Could collaborative robots free employees from harmful palletising work? Mark Gray, country manager for UK and Ireland at Universal Robots, finds out. Since the dawn of the industrial revolution, the process of stacking large quantities of identical items onto a pallet, with the aim of safely storing or transporting them, has existed. Known as palletising, the process is a necessity for any business that produces things at scale for commercial consumption. From canned and bottled goods to PET packaged food items – the products on these pallets keep the world fed and satiated. But these pallets do not stack themselves... The dark side of palletisation Irving Paz Chagoya, global industry segment leader for palletising and packaging at Universal Robots is aware of the widespread dangers palletising poses: “Traditionally, palletisation has been a manual operation – and in many cases it still is. Workers bend, lift and twist for hours on end, which can cause long-term musculoskeletal damage.” Setia Hermawati, senior research fellow at the University of Nottingham and an ergonomics expert specialising in manufacturing, identifies three main risk factors in manual palletising: Force : During manual palletising, workers have to manually handle items and use forces in activities such as lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying. The continuous use of force is shown to be associated with cumulative work-related muscle disorders such as back, neck and upper limb injuries. The risk of manual handling is exacerbated when the items are too heavy, difficult to grasp and are positioned in a manner that requires torso bending or twisting. Repetition : Repetitive tasks place excessive strain and fatigue on the cardiovascular system due to the demands placed on the working muscles, as the muscles may not have sufficient time for recovery. Even repetitive handling of light items may pose a risk of upper limb disorders if workers need to perform them more than once every five seconds, according to the UK’s Health and Safety Executive. Posture : Manual handling that involves torso twisting and bending means that the joints are beyond their neutral position and close to the extreme end of their maximum range of movement and is closely associated with musculoskeletal injuries. In addition, manual palletising workers generally stand between the conveyor and the pallet for extended periods. This is associated with various potentially negative health outcomes such as lower back pain, cardiovascular problems, etc. Automating palletising can relieve workers from all the associated health risks, reduce tedium and improve overall well-being. This allows workers to both protect their health and focus on other more suited tasks, such as quality assurance. Opportunity for the F&B industry Although the repetitive and often dangerous nature of palletising means it lends itself very well to automation, the food and beverage industry has traditionally been slow to adopt robotics. This is likely due to a number of reasons including the complexity of operations, and that many manufacturers admit they still don’t know where to start when it comes to deploying automation. But, the industry has experienced some seismic shifts following the pandemic, with consumer habits changing overnight. For instance, an increased focus on personal hygiene and safety meant consumers became more conscious of tamper-proof packaging to act as a protective barrier. These changes highlighted how unprepared lots of companies were to quickly respond. By automating palletising, not only can the industry become more efficient and better align its palletising strategies with consumer demands, but it will also help the business involved to grow. Sam Bouchard, CEO of Robotiq, a robotics integrator aiming to free human hands from repetitive tasks, commented: "In many factories where we've installed our palletising solution, the palletising task is the bottleneck that prevents company growth. Increasing palletising capacity with a collaborative robot has allowed those businesses to produce more, and hire more workers in the upstream production processes." He continued: “In addition having a collaborative robot palletising cell enables the business to offer better working conditions to the humans who take care of the robot". Solving the labour crisis According to PwC’s 2020 Annual Manufacturing Report, British manufacturers are facing the largest shortage of workers since 1989 – and things haven’t improved much in the last three years. For the food and beverage industry – the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, which employs over 475,000 people – this is no different, especially as the industry has traditionally been heavily reliant on labour from Europe. In addition to this, musculoskeletal problems – caused by the more manual tasks associated with manufacturing– often lead to the early exclusion of senior workers from this type of work. Despite these workforce pressures and the benefits provided by automation, many have been slow to automate often due to the perception that automation is expensive and seen to be taking away jobs from humans. This doesn’t need to be the case. On the topic of cost, it has been shown that cobots can achieve ROI in around 12 months. In fact, a single robotic arm can work nonstop for at least 35,000 hours, which is approximately four years of 24/7 work. As for dispelling the fears of job losses, cobots are designed to work alongside humans, not replace them. With minimal training, existing workforces can design, implement and monitor automated palletising solutions. What do the next five years have in store? Looking ahead, collaborative palletising solutions are well suited to wide a range of industries, including food and beverage, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. This adaptability combined with advances in cobot technology, means food and beverage manufacturers can not only better respond to changing consumer attitudes but can reduce workplace injuries due to manual palletisation, making it easier for workers to stay in the workforce longer.

Cell-based meat tastings could reportedly be legal in the Netherlands in weeks, according to RTL Nieuws, the country’s biggest commercial news service. Although the first ever piece of cell-based meat was created in the Netherlands – the infamous burger developed by Mark Post in 2013 – it is currently still illegal for anyone to taste cell-based meat within the country. The law on tasting is a problem for Dutch food tech companies #MosaMeat in Maastricht and #Meatable in Delft, who are required to carry out ‘tastings’ with computer software and AI, which may not accurately represent human tastes. Krijn de Nood of Meatable previously told RTL Nieuws that he is 'longingly' eager to taste his home-grown sausages. He said at the time: "We think that what we make now is already tasty, but we want to make sure that what we make is good for the consumer”. The report states that although a motion to allow tastings was passed in the House of Representatives in 2022, approval from the Cabinet is still required and is finally set to be granted with the “first tastings expected to be held in the autumn”. “Finally, after five years, [celll-based meat tastings] seem to have arrived,” Dutch MP Tjeerd de Groot told RTL Nieuws. “Once upon a time, the Netherlands was a forerunner, then we let it go a bit and I hope that we can catch up.” While full regulatory approval allowing cell-based meat to be sold commercially is still a distant prospect, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently held an event to review the latest data on cell-based meat, following the regulatory approval of cell-based chicken products by Upside Foods and Good Meat in the US. This could indicate that the authority is looking to adopt a more innovative approach to regulation. Krijn de Nood of Meatable told RTL News that he is “longingly” eager to taste his product. “We think that what we make now is already tasty, but we want to make sure that what we make is good for the consumer,” he said. #theNetherlands

We are excited to announce the shortlist for the World Dairy Innovation Awards 2023 ! With new innovation categories this year, the judges had a tough time selecting the shortlisted entries for each category. In the dairy product categories, we have some outstanding contenders, including plant-based milk alternatives, strong advancements in children and infant formulas and health and sugar control innovations. In our innovation and business categories, we have some commendable entries bringing new technology into consumers’ hands and animal-free intolerance-friendly products. The winners of The World Dairy Innovation Awards 2023 will be announced in a grand ceremony in a few weeks’ time at Zenith’s Global Dairy Congress . Stay tuned for more updates and join us in celebrating the innovators and visionaries who are pushing the boundaries of dairy excellence! Artisan Product Inner Mongolia Yijiahao Cheese – Yili professional thick milk premix Yili Group – Organic Camel Milk Powder CP-Meiji – Meiji RAY ElkeMelk – Cow specific milk Butter/dairy spread Land O’Lakes – Butter Balls Milkio – Grass-Fed Sheep Ghee (Clarified Butter) Cheese Inner Mongolia Yijiahao Cheese – Double-layer cheese lollipops Castle MacLellan Foods – Barber’s Mature Cheddar and Chorizo Cheese Bake Yili Foodcode – popped cheese China Feihe – Feihe Zhuoran High-calcium Cheese Lolly China Feihe – Zhuoran High-calcium Cheese Lumps Meiji – Hokkaido Tokachi Rich Taste Slices Children’s dairy product Inner Mongolia Yijiahao Cheese – Cheese Bomb Yeeper Dairy (Qingdao) Group – Bekari Quanyangshidai Sheep Milk Powder for Children Yeeper Dairy (Qingdao) Group – Yeeper lamb sheep milk powder for children China Feihe – Xingfeifan Zhuoyao Infant Formula Stage 1 China Feihe – ASTROBABY Children Formula Stage 4 China Feihe – AstroBaby Platinum Infant Formula (0-6 Months, Stage 1) China Feihe – ZHUORAN High-Calcium Yogurt China Feihe – ZHUORAN High-Fiber Yogurt Dairy alternative HiBarlee – Hazlenut Flavoured Highland Barley Drink VIETNAM DAIRY – 9 kinds of plant milk (Vinamilk Super Nut) TCI – VeCollal® Biomimetic Collagen Drink GOE Wellness – Healthfullicious’ly M’ylk Creamy Plant Based Hemp Drink NotCo – NotMilk Barista™ Daiya – Cutting Board Mexican 4 Cheeze Style Blend Shreds JÖRĐ – JÖRĐ Oat and Vanilla Drink Meiji – Choco Koka Cacao Spread Dairy dessert/confectionery Inner Mongolia Yijiahao Cheese – Cheese pearls jam of Yili professional dairy Arla Foods Ltd x Baileys – Baileys® Extra Thick Strawberries and Cream Dairy drink CP-Meiji – Milk Shake Hunt and Brew – Hunt and Brew launches Single Origin Cocoa drink, no added sugar! Arla B.O.B – Arla B.O.B Semi Skimmed Milk That Tastes Like Whole Meiji Co. – Meiji Five Star Support Dairy protein product Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group – Satine A2 Beta-casein Organic Pure Milk Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust – N-ICE Cream (Nottingham High Protein Ice Cream) Arla Protein – Arla Protein Chocolate Pudding Arla Protein – Arla Protein Salted Caramel Pudding Meiji Co. – Savas Milk Protein Yogurt Dairy snack Yili Foodcode – popped cheese Yasso – Vanilla Bean Poppables China Feihe – Feihe Zhuoran Cheese chocolate ball Ice cream/frozen yogurt Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group – Xujinhuan Cheese Flavored Ice cream Arla Foods Ingredients – High protein ice cream with Nutrilac® ProteinBoost Yasso – Vanilla Bean Poppables Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams – Biscuits With The Boss Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams – Butterscotch Popcorn Meiji Co. – Dear Milk Yogurt Bright Dairy & Food Co. – Momchilovtsi Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group – AMBROSIAL Youqier Meiji Co. – Enhanced Nutrient Absorption Yogurt Drink Functional dairy Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group – Zhennong High Calcium Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group – ShuHua AnTangJian Sugar Control Lactose-Free milk China Feihe – AIBEN bovine colostrum Milk Powder China Feihe – Aiben Lactoferrin Formula Milk Powder Meiji Co. – Fat Fighting MI-2 Yogurt Meiji Co. – Probio Yogurt R-1 (iron and vitamin C fortified) Meiji Co. – Meiji Meibalance with Fermented Dairy Dairy alternative Innovation JULIENNE BRUNO® – BURRELLA® GOE Wellness – Healthfullicious’ly M’ylk Creamy Plant Based Hemp Drink TCI Co. – Flounder Collagen Bone & Muscle Support Drink DSM – Plant Power Oat life’s®OMEGA VIETNAM DAIRY – 9 kinds of plant milk – Vinamilk Super Nut Tetra Pak – Whole Soya Næra™ Icelandic Snacks – Vegan Oat Skyr Bites Imagindairy – Unimaginable dairy without the cows by precision fermentation Intolerance-friendly Innovation New Culture – Animal-free dairy cheese MEILU BIOTECH – AusNuotore Qingyue Young Children Goat Formula Milk Powder GOE Wellness – Healthfullicious’ly M’ylk Creamy Plant Based Hemp Drink CP-Meiji Co. – Lactose Free Dairy Milk with Malt Manufacturing/technology innovation Arla Foods Ingredients – Refreshing Fermented Protein Drinks DSM – AI-powered Culture Co-Creation Platform Junlebao Dairy Group Co. – Junlebao® Kefir® K-10 TCI Co. – Flounder Collagen Bone & Muscle Support Drink Junlebao Dairy Group Co. – Junlebao® Chewing Bar Cereal Yogurt China Feihe – Low-temperature preparation of lactoferrin and its intelligent control ElkeMelk – ElkeMelk Cell-based innovation New Culture – Animal-free dairy cheese Imagindairy – Unimaginable dairy without the cows by precision fermentation Marketing campaign Hunt and Brew – Hunt and Brew shows us that the hunt for the perfect coffee is an animal instinct Arla Foods Ingredients – Refreshing Fermented Protein Drinks with a novel healthy twist Les Producteurs de lait du Québec – On élève la barre (Raising the bar) Dairy Farmers of Canada – Meet Daisy and her Mini-Games Dairy Farmers of Canada – Net-Zero by 2050 – We’re In Saputo Dairy USA – Frigo Cheese Heads Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co. – AMBROSIAL Environmental Protection marketing campaign ElkeMelk – Cow specific milk New/start-up business New Culture – Animal-free dairy cheese ElkeMelk – Cow specific milk Imagindairy – Unimaginable dairy without the cows by precision fermentation Packaging design Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co. – Satine No Printing No Ink Environmentally friendly Edition Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co. – Satine PRO UF Milk Limited Edition of Blue and White Porcelain Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co. – Satine Limit pasture · Hulunbuir Organic Pure Milk Fromagerie Milleret & Amcor – Le Brie Baron CSR/sustainability initiative Joyday – Public Welfare in 2022 Dairy Farmers of Canada – Net-Zero by 2050, We’re In Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co. – Satine A2 Beta-casein Organic Pure Milk Arla Foods – Sustainability Incentive Model Meiji Co. – Sustainability Division Meiji-Ajinomoto Carbon Footprint Plan with Farmers Tetra Pak – Fibre-based barrier About the World Dairy Innovation Awards The World Dairy Innovation Awards , in association with Zenith Global , are a celebration of innovation and excellence across every category of the international dairy industry. Now in their 16th year, these awards are a fantastic way for you to enhance the promotion of your dairy brand and to ensure it gains global recognition. For more information about our selection of awards programmes, please visit foodbevawards.com or email awards@foodbev.com.

Israeli start-up Future Meat Technologies has secured $14 million in a seed funding round as it intends to build the "world’s first" cultured meat pilot production facility. The round was led by S2G Ventures, one of the forces behind Beyond Meat’s IPO, and Emerald Technology Ventures, a Swiss-based venture capital firm. Other investors included Henry Soesanto, the CEO of Monde Nissin, a producer of meat alternatives, Manta Ray Ventures, and Bits X Bitesm, a Chinese food and agriculture tech VC. Founded in 2018, Future Meat Technologies is focused on developing a distributive platform for the cost-efficient, GMO-free production of meat directly from animal cells, without the need to raise or harvest animals. The biotechnology company will use its funding to develop its research and open its new cultured meat pilot production facility south of Tel Aviv, which is estimated to begin operations in 2020. “With this investment, we’re thrilled to bring cultured meat from the lab to the factory floor and begin working with our industrial partners to bring our product to market,” said Rom Kshuk, CEO of Future Meat Technologies. He added: “We’re not only developing a global network of investors and advisors with expertise across the meat and ingredient supply chains, but also providing the company with sufficient runway to achieve commercially viable production costs within the next two years.” Future Meat Technologies aims to introduce hybrid products that combines plant proteins for texture and cultured fats, which creates the distinct aroma and flavour of meat. It plans to release these products from its pilot production facility by 2021 and launch a second line of 100% cultured meat products by 2022. Founder and chief scientist at Future Meat Technologies, Prof. Yaakov Nahmias, said: “The worldwide demand for protein is growing exponentially, and the only way to meet this demand is by fundamentally reinventing animal agriculture. “Future Meat Technologies created a cost-effective solution for cultured meat manufacturing that is scalable and sustainable by design.” According to Future Meat Technologies, its manufacturing model results in 99% less land use and 80% less greenhouse gas emissions than traditional meat. Matthew Walker, managing director of S2G Ventures said: “The Future Meat team has developed a technology platform and roadmap that offers the cleanest and most efficient means of cell-based meat production, both in terms of capital expenditure and cost per pound, that we’ve seen to date.” This Series A funding marks the seconds largest investment round in the cultured meat sector. #FutureMeatTechnologies #Israel

We have some exciting news. FoodBev has added the first-ever ‘cell-based innovation’ category to its World Dairy Innovation Awards for 2023! The new category recognises the hard work and ingenuity of companies that are pushing the boundaries of science and technology, creating a healthier, more sustainable dairy industry. In the coming years, cell-based technology could provide the answer to multiple growing food demands. It requires fewer resources than its conventional agricultural methods and offers a safer, purer and more consistent supply due to its being developed in a laboratory environment. Our awards now celebrate the accomplishments of both start-ups and industry titans who have embraced this technology and are working hard to make this space a commercial, scaleable reality. Marketing manager Dan Bunt said: “Curating the category list for this year’s award has been an excellent opportunity to better understand the in-depth developments currently taking palace within the dairy industry. I look forward to hearing more about the products, businesses and innovations that enter this year.” The new category aims to spur innovation and encourage more dairy companies to invest in cell-based technologies. As sustainability becomes a prerequisite for the dairy industry, the need for creative solutions has never been greater. The World Dairy Innovation Awards aim to bolster these efforts toward creating a greener dairy industry and a greener future. #FoodBevAwards #WorldDairyInnovationAwards

Cell-based crustacean producer Shiok Meats has acquired Gaia Foods, a cultivated red meat start-up based in Singapore. Gaia Foods was founded in 2019 and in October last year created its first structured beef product using its patent-pending technology. Shiok Meats currently produces crustaceans such as shrimp and crab, and its acquisition of Gaia aligns with its aim of expanding its product range to penetrate the cell-based animal meat market. Under Shiok Meats’ ownership, Gaia’s technical team will remain in place to lead the development process on the cell-based red meat side of the company. Gaia is backed by angel investors and Big Idea Ventures, which is also an investor in Shiok Meats. “The alternative protein space is evolving rapidly, and we are very excited to collaborate and integrate with Gaia Foods,” said Sandhya Sriram, CEO and co-founder of Shiok Meats. “They are an incredibly talented technical and scientific team with promising technology to produce 3D/structured and textured meats. “With both seafood and red meat on our suite of offerings and the recent fundraise from strategic investors, we are ready to power through to commercialisation. Meaningful expansions like these will continue to be one of our priorities.” Gaia Foods co-founder, Vinayaka Srinivas, added: “This collaboration has all the necessary synergies that will make our respective capabilities even stronger. This couldn’t have come at a better time. We look forward to working together with Shiok Meats to further our technology and expand our business and markets.” Last year, Shiok Meats raised $12.6 million in a Series A funding round led by Aqua-Spark. #ShiokMeats #GaiaFoods #Singapore

More than 70% of consumers are willing to buy cheese made using precision fermentation, according to new research co-published by cultivated dairy company Formo and the University of Bath. Precision fermentation enables the production of specific proteins via microorganisms, which can then be replicated into real dairy proteins by inserting a copy of cow DNA. According to Formo (formerly known as Legendairy Foods), the process is more efficient than using animals to make proteins and prevents the negative impacts of industrial animal agriculture such as CO2 emissions. 5,054 individuals from the UK, Brazil, Germany, India and the USA were surveyed as part of the consumer acceptance study – marking the first large-scale study of its kind. The results – which were published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems – found that 70.5% of consumers surveyed would be willing to buy fermentation-derived dairy products; while 79% of consumers would be likely to try them. “Just as we have seen plant-based milk taking an increasing share of the milk market in recent years, we now see that consumers are ready for a new kind of animal-free dairy cheese product,” said Christopher Bryant of the University of Bath. “Seeing the growing consumer groups of flexitarians and young people driving adoption of animal-free cheese is a big indicator that these products will appeal to consumers far beyond the niche markets of current vegan cheese.” Across all countries, animal-free cheese was recognised as the most ethical and environmental product; while flexitarians showed the highest levels of enthusiasm for the product compared to other dietary preferences. The survey also revealed that consumers understood taste improvements over current vegan cheese products. Oscar Zollman Thomas, Formo’s lead researcher on the project, said: “Most cheese lovers think current vegan cheeses are nowhere near the flavour or functionality level that meets their cheese needs. Precision fermentation is allowing us to fundamentally change that and make real cheese without animals involved.” In September last year, the Good Food Institute reported that a record $435 million was invested in alternative protein fermentation companies in the first seven months of 2020. Meanwhile in May, Spanish dairy company Pascual launched a global incubation programme for start-ups working within cell-based, fermentation based and applied techniques in the dairy industry. #UK

Spanish dairy company Pascual has launched what it claims is the first global incubation programme for cellular agriculture technologies in the dairy industry. Mylkcubator will be run by the company’s new corporate venture unit, Pascual Innoventures, in partnership with Eatable Adventures – a global food tech accelerator which has launched more than 20 corporate programmes. The goal is to select ten start-ups with innovative solutions in the cellular agriculture space for the dairy industry within the following technologies: cell-based, fermentation based and applied technologies. The first edition of Mylkcubator will last six months, from selection to the demo day. The programme will give the participants access to mentors and Pascual’s R&D facilities to develop and test their products. Pascual Innoventures aims to become an early stage investor, supporting start-ups that share the same purpose, while also thriving as a corporation by launching its own start-ups with the intentions of incorporating them into its future business operations. The Good Food Institute (GFI) recently reported that a record $435 million was invested in alternative protein fermentation companies in the first seven months of 2020. Gabriel Torres Pascual, director of Pascual Innova and third generation of the Pascual family, is leading the new unit together with Sejal Ravji, director of Pascual Innoventures. Torres said: “…Pascual Innoventures was born with a long-term vision and the purpose of giving the best for the future of food. We will work hand in hand with start-ups that allow us to move into the future”. #Pascual #Mylkcubator #Spain

BlueNalu has signed agreements with two seafood providers in Asia – Thai Union and Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation – to accelerate market development strategies for cell-cultured seafood in the continent. The Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) represent a mutual interest in the commercialisation of cell-cultured seafood in Asia. They form part of BlueNalu’s Asia-focused strategy, given the area’s “high-demand for quality seafood and the potential for diminishing supply”. The MOUs will see the companies collaborate to conduct market research and gather consumer insights from various regions, as well as assess regulatory requirements. The two partnerships – which are independent from each other – will also involve the exploration of business and product opportunities that could accelerate the launch of cell-cultured seafood throughout Asia. Thai Union recently participated in BlueNalu’s latest $60 million round of financing, marking its biggest funding round to date. With the capital, the cellular aquaculture start-up plans to build its first commercial pilot production facility in San Diego. “We are excited by the collaborations with Mitsubishi Corporation and Thai Union, as these will help us to accelerate our pathway to commercialisation and advance BlueNalu’s mission to provide the world with sustainable seafood options that could provide so many benefits for consumers, our ocean and our planet,” said Lou Cooperhouse, president and CEO of BlueNalu. “We recognised early on that our ability to make the biggest impact at BlueNalu will be in part due to collaborations with leading global organisations that can facilitate the quickest and most efficient pathway to market possible, at the least possible cost. “We are keen to continue working with industry partners in Asia and other markets, and we are actively pursuing opportunities to create such relationships worldwide.” Last year, BlueNalu signed a similar MOU with South Korean company Pulmuone – which also participated in its Series A funding round – to accelerate the introduction of its cell-based seafood into the Asian marketplace. #BlueNalu #Mitsubishi #Asia #Japan