NEW TECH FOODS

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

Cell-based fish start-up Bluu Biosciences has raised €7 million in a seed funding round, receiving investments from Manta Ray Ventures, CPT Capital, Lever VC, Norrsken and Be8. Berlin-based Bluu Biosciences claims to be the first company in Europe to specialise in the development of cell-based versions of fish. The biotech start-up is focusing on the creation of cultivated versions of carp, trout and salmon, with the aim of building a more sustainable and ethical ecosystem for fish meat. This cultivated fish is produced from fish cells that are placed within bioreactors and provided with nutrients to stimulate their growth. The resulting fish meat is thus produced without harming fish or the ecosystem, providing a nutritious protein source free from pollutants with a ‘significantly lower’ CO2, water and energy footprint than traditional fish processing. The start-up claims that the investment will support the company’s biotechnology research and development work, as well as new product development efforts. Sebastian Rakers, co-founder and managing director of Bluu Biosciences., said: “Cultivated fish has the potential to feed a large portion of humanity. Our task is to rapidly operationalise the findings from biotechnological research to leverage this potential. “Bluu Biosciences has set out to produce tasty and nutrient-optimized fish products from fish cells that are free of genetic engineering, antibiotics and environmental toxins. “Above all, that means intensive research and development work to develop the optimal fish cell lines for subsequent production. Bluu is in the excellent position of using proprietary technologies and non-GMO immortalized cell lines to achieve that.” #BluuBiosciences #Berlin

Cultivated meat company Meatable has raised $47 million in a Series A financing round, bringing the company’s total funding to $60 million. Founded in 2018, Meatable is a Dutch start-up working to produce, at scale, cultivated meat that looks and tastes like its conventionally farmed counterpart, with the same nutritional profile. The company says that its proprietary opti-ox technology enables it to produce meat rapidly and sustainably, without harming animals. The start-up’s latest financing push was backed by a consortium of life sciences and food investors, including Section 32, DSM Venturing, Rick Klausner, Jeffrey Leiden and existing Meatable supporters. The company finalised its first showcase product in 2020, following a $10 million seed funding round the previous year. Meatable now plans to use the proceeds from its Series A round to advance small-scale production at the Biotech Campus Delft and diversify its product portfolio. While Meatable is currently focused on cultivated pork and beef, the firm’s technology is said to be adaptable to any cell-based species, providing the opportunity for further product development. “We are committed to joining Meatable in its mission to address the world’s most pressing challenges,” said Rick Klausner, former director of the US National Cancer Institute and former executive director of global health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “They have a great team and game-changing technology that can address the challenges around the global food insecurity issues our planet is facing,” he added. Krijn de Nood, CEO and co-founder of Meatable, said: “Cultivated meat has the potential to continue to produce the product we love – meat – using a much more efficient production process. “Having Rick Klausner, Jeffrey Leiden, Section 32 and DSM support us in realising that potential is a huge step for Meatable. “We are honoured to welcome a like-minded group of investors who support us on our mission – to develop, accelerate and bring to life sustainable, healthy and environmentally sound technologies that can improve the human condition.” #Meatable #theNetherlands

Vietnamese seafood processor Vinh Hoan Corporation (VHC) has announced a strategic investment in Hong Kong-based cultivated fish start-up Avant Meats. VHC will become a shareholder in Avant after agreeing to acquire Vinh Technology, which was incorporated in Singapore and holds a minority interest in Avant. As part of the deal, VHC will establish a strategic partnership with Avant to accelerate the commercialisation of cultivated fish proteins by enabling the start-up to utilise its global sales network and industrial manufacturing capacity. Last month, Avant raised $3.1 million in a seed funding round to accelerate research and development and bring its cultivated fish products to market in 2021. “VHC is a global leader in aquaculture and functional proteins. VHC’s knowledge of customer requirements will provide valuable guidance for our product development and commercialisation,” said Carrie Chan, co-founder and CEO of Avant. Under the terms of the agreement, VHC will also use the Vinh Technology division to access strategic opportunities in agri-tech, food tech and biotech-related to seafood and alternative proteins. Vinh Technology will join VHC’s three other divisions: Vinh Aquaculture, Vinh Foods and Vinh Wellness. According to the two companies, the strategic partnership demonstrates how Avant’s biotechnology platform can collaborate with industry players, as it looks to offer a sustainable model to produce alternative proteins. “We look forward to working with Avant to commercialise a new generation of cultivated fish proteins for food and functional applications,” said Khanh Truong, founder and chairwoman of VHC. Tam Nguyen, CEO of VHC, added: “Avant offers a unique opportunity for us to diversify our future product portfolio to offer additional choices to address emerging consumer needs and trends.” #VinhHoan #Avant #HongKong #Singapore

Australian cultured meat company Vow Food has secured $6 million in a seed funding round to further develop its exotic lab-grown meats. The start-up claims to be the first company in the world to produce a food product from the cells of an undomesticated animal, with its Kangaroo Dumpling in 2019. Since then, Vow has expanded its portfolio to include 11 different animals including standard livestock such as pork and chicken, but also more exotic fare like alpaca and water buffalo. The oversubscribed funding round was led by Square Peg Capital and joined by existing investors Blackbird Ventures and Grok Ventures, as well as new investor Tenacious Ventures. Vow has recently completed a new food design studio and laboratory in Sydney and has grown its team from five to 22 people in less than a year. “There’s no doubt that cultured meat is becoming available and will soon be mainstream, as evident earlier this month with the world’s first cultured meat product approved for sale in Singapore,” said George Peppou, co-founder and CEO of Vow. With the funding, Vow is looking to outperform meat instead of replacing it. “This is about so much more than an alternative to animal agriculture, it’s about a category of products totally distinct from, and better than, what animals are capable of producing,” added Peppou. Tim Noakesmith, Vow’s co-founder and chief commercial officer, said: “We believe that the only way to change the behaviour of billions of people is to make many products that are simply better than what we have today.” James Tynan at Square Peg Capital said: “In Vow, we found a team with the most audacious vision for the future of food. They’re tackling one of the biggest problems on the planet and have delivered results with less than 1% of the resources of its competitors. We’re thrilled to help them make this vision a reality.” #Vow #Australia

BioTech Foods has revealed that it is heading a €5.2 million cultured meat project – majoritively funded by the Spanish government – that will investigate the potential health benefits of cellular agriculture. The project aims to investigate meat produced from cellular agriculture that, together with the development of healthy fats and functional ingredients, will enable the manufacture of healthier meat products than traditional red meat. Based in the Basque Country, BioTech has been producing its own cell-based brand called Ethicameat, which it claims is 100% natural, animal based, slaughter-free, high in protein and fat-free. Seven entities will work alongside BioTech Foods as part of the cultivated meat project – Argal, Martínez Somalo, DMC Research, BDI Biotech, Neoalgae, BTSA and Agrowingdata. The consortium will also be joined by ten research organisations including Barcelona Science Park, University of Granada and CTIC CITA. According to BioTech Foods, the project proposes a more sustainable and healthier agri-food sector. One of the main focuses is the prevention of colon cancer and dyslipidemia through reduced consumer exposure to saturated fat. In its place, the consortium aims to research functional ingredients and the preparation of healthy lipids into a final consumer product. The Spanish government has granted the project €3.7 million, while the total budget of the initiative amounts to €5.2 million. Currently, BioTech Foods says the biggest challenge for the sector is producing cultivated meat on an industrial scale. Last month, Eat Just’s cultured chicken was approved for sale in Singapore in what has been deemed the world’s first regulatory approval for cultured meat. #BioTechFoods #Spain

Singapore-based company TurtleTree Labs has raised $6.2 million in an oversubscribed Pre-A funding round to accelerate the development of its cell-based milk solutions. The biotech firm has developed a proprietary technology that uses mammalian cells to produce milk, with no animal needed. TurtleTree Labs plans to use the new funds to expand its focus into functional, bioactive proteins and complex sugars found in human milk – components which are said to have potential benefits in the areas of gut and brain health. The company’s latest financing push was backed by existing seed investors, Green Monday Ventures and KBW Ventures. Other participants in the Pre-A funding round included Eat Beyond Global and Verso Capital. Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, founder and CEO of KBW Ventures, will join TurtleTree Labs as an advisor. “TurtleTree Labs’ technology is able to significantly reduce carbon footprint and address food resilience in the long term. This is a win-win for planet and for communities,” said Lim Hock Chuan, chief executive of Temasek Foundation Ecosperity, which presents The Liveability Challenge, a start-up competition won by TurtleTree Labs earlier this year. “We are happy that The Liveability Challenge is able to showcase sustainable ideas and innovations from around the world, and support winners like TurtleTree Labs and other innovators to secure funding and opportunities to further develop their solutions.” Singapore recently became the first country in the world to approve the sale of lab-grown meat when Eat Just secured the greenlight for its cultured chicken. #TurtleTreeLabs #Singapore

KFC has joined forces with a Moscow-based biotechnology company, in a project aimed at creating the ‘world’s first’ laboratory-produced chicken nuggets. The 3D Bioprinting Solutions research laboratory is developing additive bioprinting technology using chicken cells and plant material. The nuggets produced through the collaboration with KFC will aim to mimic the taste and appearance of the fast food giant’s original product. To this end, KFC says that it will provide its partner with all of the ‘necessary ingredients’, such as breading and spices. According to KFC, the bioprinting method has several benefits. Biomeat reportedly has exactly the same microelements as the original, while excluding various additives that are used in traditional farming and animal husbandry. Cell-based meat products are also said to be ‘more ethical’, as the production process does not harm any animals. In addition, KFC cites a study by the American Environmental Science & Technology Journal, which reported that a cellular method can allow energy consumption to be cut by more than half and greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced 25-fold, compared to traditional farm-based meat production. The technology is also said to require 100 times less land. “At KFC, we are closely monitoring all of the latest trends and innovations and doing our best to keep up with the times by introducing advanced technologies to our restaurant networks,” said Raisa Polyakova, general manager of KFC Russia & CIS. “Our experiment in testing 3D bioprinting technology to create chicken products can also help address several looming global problems. We are glad to contribute to its development and are working to make it available to thousands of people in Russia and, if possible, around the world.” Yusef Khesuani, co-founder and managing partner of 3D Bioprinting Solutions, added: “3D bioprinting technologies, initially widely recognised in medicine, are nowadays gaining popularity in producing foods such as meat. “In the future, the rapid development of such technologies will allow us to make 3D-printed meat products more accessible and we are hoping that the technology created as a result of our cooperation with KFC will help accelerate the launch of cell-based meat products on the market.” #KFC #3DBioprintingSolutions #Moscow