Paulo Teixeira Melt&Marble

Paulo Teixeira © Melt&Marble
Company News

Melt&Marble Strengthens Leadership to Scale Precision-Fermented Fat Production

Melt&Marble, a company specializing in precision-fermented fats, has announced two significant additions to its leadership team as it prepares for large-scale commercial production. Tue Hodal, a veteran of industrial biotech and pharma, has joined the company as its first Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Paulo Teixeira, previously the Chief Innovation Officer at Mycorena, has been appointed as the company’s new Product Manager. Focus on bioprocess optimization Hodal brings over 25 years of experience in operational expansion, particularly in the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors. His past roles include high-level positions at major firms such as Chr. Hansen, Novo Nordisk, and Lundbeck. Most recently, he served as CTO at Bacthera, a company focused on bacterial biotherapeutics. At Melt&Marble, Hodal will oversee the optimization of bioprocesses and downstream operations …

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Plant Based Seafood Co. x Wintzell's

© Plant Based Seafood Co.
Food Service

Iconic Wintzell’s Oyster House Reinvents Southern Seafood with Plant-Based Offerings from Mind Blown

Wintzell’s Oyster House, a Southern seafood institution founded over 85 years ago, has introduced plant-based seafood options in partnership with Mind Blown Plant Based Seafood Co. Its Montgomery, Alabama, location now offers a range of plant-based alternatives, including oysters, shrimp, and crab cakes, available as part of its regular menu. Wintzell’s has built a reputation over the years with its “Fried, Stewed, and Nude” oysters, and the decision to introduce plant-based options is a response to changing customer preferences for more sustainable dining choices. “At Wintzell’s, we take pride in tradition, but we also recognize the importance of offering innovative and sustainable choices for our customers. Partnering with Mind Blown™ allows us to expand our menu while staying true to our commitment to serving the …

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Hoxton Farms

© Hoxton Farms
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Hoxton Farms and Sumitomo Target Asia’s Health Crisis with Cultivated Pork Fat

Hoxton Farms and Sumitomo Corporation have formed a strategic partnership to bring Hoxton Fat, a cultivated pork fat, to the Asia-Pacific market. This collaboration will focus on addressing public health and food security challenges in the region through innovative food ingredients. The partnership with Sumitomo Corporation will leverage the latter’s expertise in agri-food and supply chain management to facilitate the introduction of Hoxton Fat to food manufacturers across Asia. The two companies will also work closely with food safety regulators, including the Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA), to ensure the ingredient meets regulatory standards prior to commercialization. Max Jamilly, CEO of Hoxton Farms, commented on the partnership: “Sumitomo’s established network and expertise are key to bringing our cultivated fat to Asia, where we see …

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beverages Angel Yeast

© Angel Yeast
Fairs & Events

AngeoPro Yeast Protein Named Best Ingredient Innovation at World Food Innovation Awards

AngeoPro Yeast Protein, an ingredient developed by Chinese manufacturer Angel Yeast, has been named Best Ingredient Innovation at the 2025 World Food Innovation Awards. The awards were hosted by FoodBev and took place on March 17, 2025, at the IFE International Food and Beverage Exhibition’s Trend and Innovation Platform in London, UK. AngeoPro Yeast Protein beat a record number of entries to take the top spot. The accolade recognizes products that meet consumers’ evolving needs, offering innovative, sustainable, and nutritious options. AngeoPro is a plant-based option that is said to provide a complete amino acid profile, superior digestibility, and exceptional functional properties. The ingredient has a neutral taste and is created using fermentation. According to Angel Yeast, it significantly reduces land, water, and energy consumption …

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Califia Farms

© Califia Farms
Beverages

Califia Farms Rolls Out New Coconut Cream-Based Beverages with Reduced Sugar Content

Califia Farms has launched a new line of coconut-based juice beverages featuring reduced sugar content. The new product range, branded as Creamy Refreshers, consists of four fruit and coconut cream blends and is now available at major US retailers including Albertsons, Target, and Kroger. The beverage line includes the following flavors: Strawberry Creme, Key Lime Colada, Piña Colada, and Orange Creme. Each contains between 8 and 10 grams of sugar per serving—approximately 60% less than comparable leading fruit juice beverages, according to the company. All varieties are free from soy and gluten. The products were initially introduced to the trade at Expo West and are sold at a suggested retail price of $5.99. Califia also plans to feature the new line at an upcoming promotional …

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© Redefine Meat
Sustainability / Environment

Report Says Non-Animal Proteins Are Critical to Achieving Israel’s Food Security by 2050

A report by the Samuel Neaman Institute has described non-animal proteins — including legumes, plant-based meat, and cultivated products — as critical to achieving food security for Israel by 2050. The authors outline the challenges posed by population growth and environmental issues, noting that Israel has a low self-sufficiency ratio in food groups such as cereals, legumes, and nuts. This increases the country’s reliance on imports and its vulnerability to global supply chain disruptions. Consequently, boosting domestic production of non-animal proteins could enhance Israel’s resilience to geopolitical and economic uncertainties, while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact of producing and importing animal products. Greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption could all be significantly decreased. The report suggests aligning the Israeli diet with Mediterranean diet …

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Johannes Schmid-Wiedersheim © Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
Interviews

IFFA: “Alternative Protein Solutions Have Grown Strongly at IFFA”

IFFA, the leading international trade fair for innovations in meat and alternative protein processing technology, will take place in Frankfurt from May 3 to 8, 2025. Under the motto “Rethinking Meat and Proteins,” the event will spotlight key future topics shaping the meat and protein industries. Showcasing the entire value chain—from processing and packaging to cutting-edge ingredients and emerging trends at the point of sale—IFFA 2025 will provide a comprehensive industry overview. The key topics for 2025 are maximum performance, value creation from data, sustainability in practice and new product worlds. Johannes Schmid-Wiedersheim is Director of IFFA and Texcare International. He has worked in the trade fair industry for over 20 years and has been with Messe Frankfurt since 2012. In addition to his responsibilities …

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Alt protein research

Image courtesy of GFI Europe
R&D

GFI Research Grant Program Will Provide Up to $3.5MM for Alternative Protein Projects in Two Key Areas

The Good Food Institute (GFI) is requesting proposals for its annual Research Grant Program, which will fund up to $3.5MM in open-access research for alternative proteins. The organization invites proposals for projects that will take up to 24 months and cost up to $250,000, with additional funding available for collaborations involving new-to-the-field partners. Proposals should target one of two key priority areas: Empowering high-quality research Three online informational sessions will be held for those interested in learning more about the research topics and submission process. Each will feature a pre-recorded webinar and a live question-and-answer session. Since 2019, GFI’s Research Grant Program has awarded 129 grants and provided over $24 million in open-access research support across 25 countries. Last year’s program funded research into upcycled …

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Sanah Baig plant based foods institute

Sanah Baig - Image supplied.
People

Plant Based Foods Institute Welcomes Former White House Policy Advisor Sanah Baig As Executive Director

The Plant Based Foods Institute (PBFI) announced the appointment of Sanah Baig as its new Executive Director, effective June 9, 2025. Baig, who has extensive experience in agricultural and food policy, most recently served as Senior Policy Advisor for Agriculture and Nutrition at the White House. She also held the role of Deputy Under Secretary at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), where she led the agency’s $4+ billion science enterprise, focusing on agricultural innovation at the intersection of climate resilience, nutrition security, and food systems equity. In a statement, Baig expressed her excitement about joining PBFI, stating, “Leading PBFI at this pivotal moment is an unparalleled opportunity to architect a food system where plants take center stage. Through deep collaboration with partners across the …

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farm

Image supplied.
Guest Posts

What Do We Really Know About American Farmers? A Financial Perspective on Agriculture’s Future

Elysabeth Alfano is the CEO of VegTech™ Invest, an Advisor to a food innovation ETF. She is a consultant to multi-national companies focused on sustainability and an Advisor to C-Suite interested in understanding the growth and whitespaces in the food industry. She is also the host of the podcasts The Plantbased Business Hour and Upside & Impact: Investing for Change. In a recent episode of the Upside & Impact: Investing for Change podcast, former Deputy Under Secretary for the USDA, Sanah Baig, provided an in-depth look at the current state of American farming and the economic realities shaping its future. As impact investors, we at VegTech Invest see both challenges and opportunities in this evolving agricultural landscape, particularly as it relates to sustainability, food security, and the role of innovation …

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Melhoramentos compostable packaging

© Melhoramentos
Packaging

Melhoramentos Expands Stake in W-Cycle’s Compostable Packaging That Survives -40°C to 220°C

Brazilian forestry and publishing company Melhoramentos has increased its investment in Israeli clean-tech firm W-Cycle, extending a partnership focused on the production of compostable, plastic-free food containers. The move follows an initial strategic investment of $3.4 million in November 2024, which granted Melhoramentos exclusive distribution rights for W-Cycle’s molded fiber packaging products across Latin America. The ongoing collaboration involves the integration of cellulose fibers from Melhoramentos’ 80 million square meters of sustainably managed forests into W-Cycle’s food-grade packaging formulations. This shift repurposes a portion of Melhoramentos’ pulp output—traditionally used in paper and cardboard—toward the production of molded fiber containers designed for food contact. W-Cycle has developed SupraPulp™, a proprietary cellulose-based material that enables the manufacturing of compostable trays and containers. These products are engineered to …

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Daiya Foods lifestyle shot

© Daiya Foods

Business Wire

Vegan Food Market Growth Forecast Report and Company Analysis 2025-2033 Featuring Beyond Meat, Danone, Archer Daniels Midland, Tofutti Brands, Vitasoy Australia Products , SunOpta, and Daiya Foods – ResearchAndMarkets.com

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Vegan Food Market Size and Share Analysis – Growth Trends and Forecast Report 2025-2033” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. Vegan Food Market is expected to reach US$ 46.09 billion 2033 from US$ 20.06 billion in 2024, with a CAGR of 9.68% from 2025 to 2033 The vegan food market is growing due to a number of factors, including growing environmental awareness, animal welfare awareness, health consciousness, plant-based product developments, the growing number of vegans, growing availability, social media influence, and backing from large food corporations. The market for vegan cuisine is expanding rapidly in all regions. Due to environmental and health consciousness, North America has the most demand, followed by Europe, where plant-based diets are also becoming more popular. Due to …

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Aleph Farms steak

© Aleph Farms
Investments & Finance

Aleph Farms Accelerates Global Growth with $29M to Expand Production and Improve Efficiency

Israeli cultivated meat producer Aleph Farms has raised $29 million in a funding round to expand production capacity and implement a revised biomanufacturing process. The round includes $22 million through a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) and an additional $7 million from existing investors. The company expects to raise a further $10–15 million in the coming months as part of the same round. The capital will support the expansion of Aleph’s pilot facility in Rehovot, Israel, and the development of intermediate-scale production sites in Europe and Asia. These new facilities are intended to operate under the company’s updated ‘1.2’ production platform, which combines cell proliferation and differentiation in a single bioreactor. The updated method removes the need for scaffolding and a secondary tissue bioreactor, …

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Image supplied.
Company News

Bunge Agrees to Sell European Margarines and Spreads Business to Vandemoortele

Global agribusiness and food company Bunge has announced an agreement to sell its European margarines and spreads business to Vandemoortele, a family-owned food group in Europe with a strong presence in margarines and plant-based fats. Through the agreement, Vandemoortele expects to acquire Bunge’s margarines and spreads business in Germany, Finland, Poland, and Hungary, along with its related manufacturing sites and a portfolio of 20 consumer brands. Bunge’s Margarines & Spreads activities in Europe represent a turnover of over €450 million and employ more than 800 people. Vandemoortele says the acquisition reinforces the commitment of its Plant-Based Food Solutions business line to supporting the European food sector’s transition to sustainable plant-based foods. The company hopes to be a frontrunner in plant-based cheese, creams, sauces, and dressings, …

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OLALA!

© OLALA!
Company News

French Plant-Based Seafood Brand OLALA! Announces Closure Due to Insufficient Turnover

OLALA!, a French producer of plant-based seafood alternatives, has announced that it is ceasing operations after three years. On LinkedIn, OLALA! explained that it had not found its market and had failed to achieve sufficient turnover to sustain itself. The brand said food service companies had a strong resistance towards paying extra for plant-based products, even when they have sustainability and health benefits. OLALA! expressed gratitude to its team, investors, distributors, and wholesalers for their contributions over the past few years, and also thanked customers such as Kumo, EXKi, Land&Monkeys, VEGETAL FOOD, and Nausicaa Centre National de la Mer. Additionally, the company apologised to suppliers who had been left with unpaid invoices due to the closure. “A page is turning” A year ago, OLALA! announced …

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Differential Bio

© Differential Bio
Investments & Finance

Munich Startup Differential Bio Raises €2 Million to Transform Biomanufacturing With AI

Munich-based AI biotech startup Differential Bio has emerged from stealth to redefine biomanufacturing with its Virtual Scale-up Platform. The platform integrates advanced microbiology, lab automation, and artificial intelligence to eliminate bottlenecks in biomanufacturing. It aims to overcome one of the most significant hurdles in the industry — the slowness and expense of scaling bioprocesses from lab to industrial levels. Differential Bio has already raised €2 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Ananda Impact Ventures and ReGen Ventures. Other participants included Carbon13, Climate Capital, Better Ventures, CDTM Ventures, and a prominent group of angel investors. The Virtual Scale-up Platform brings together three core innovations — advanced microbiology to miniaturize fermentation processes, robotics to automate lab workflows and generate high-quality data, and AI algorithms to …

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E.Leclerc marque repere vege

© E.Leclerc
Retail & E-Commerce

French Supermarket E.Leclerc Launches Végé Line with 45 Affordable Plant-Based Products

French retailer E.Leclerc’s private label brand, Marque Repère, has launched a new sub-brand, Végé, which offers a selection of plant-based products to providing affordable and accessible options for consumers. The range, consisting of approximately 45 items, includes products such as plant-based nuggets, breaded cutlets, falafels, mince, sausages, desserts, and beverages. These items are priced similarly to their animal-based counterparts and are currently available at a discount until March 29. Affordable and accessible Végé products are designed to cater to both vegetarians and those interested in exploring plant-based food. A large proportion of the new products are entirely vegan, however some are vegetarian, so for vegan consumers it’s important to check the label. Available at E.Leclerc locations, the range is positioned in the deli, fresh, and …

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© GoodMills
Protein

GoodMills Develops Wheat and Fava Protein for Improved Texture in Meat Alternatives

GoodMills Innovation, a subsidiary of the GoodMills Group, Europe’s largest milling organisation, has introduced a new plant-based protein ingredient designed for use in meat analogue applications requiring layered, fibrous textures. The product, VITATEX® Wheat Fava Flakes SVP Pro, combines wheat gluten and fava bean protein through a co-texturisation process, resulting in a structure intended to replicate the fibrous nature of animal meat. The co-extrusion method used in the production of the flakes enables protein cross-linking that creates a cohesive matrix with defined layers. According to Antje Dittrich, application manager plant-based at GoodMills Innovation, “While limited cross-linking occurs when proteins are individually textured and then blended, the co-extrusion process incites strong cross-linking activity that results in a stable, cohesive structure with distinct layers and a long-lasting …

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Animal Outlook volunteers

© Animal Outlook
Market & Trends

Animal Outlook Finds Behavior Change Strategies and Volunteer Efforts Fuel Growth of Vegan Diets

Animal Outlook, an animal protection nonprofit, has released its 2024 Behavior Change and Volunteer Impact Report, which looks at the role of volunteer engagement in advancing animal protection and promoting vegan eating habits. In 2024, volunteers and interns dedicated nearly 6,000 hours to the organization’s initiatives, contributing to key milestones. Among these, 73,938 individuals completed the VegPledge, a campaign encouraging participants to try vegan eating for a specified period. Of those who took part, 76.9% reported their intent to continue consuming vegan food after the pledge period, with 63.1% planning to make the change permanent. Additionally, 83.1% of VegPledge participants expressed that they now consider the impact of their food choices more thoughtfully. The report also highlights the growing influence of the Animal Outlook Network, …

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Odd Burger

© Odd Burger
Fast Food

Odd Burger Pauses US Expansion Due to Tariff Concerns, Strengthens Canadian Operations

Canadian vegan fast-food chain Odd Burger has suspended its planned US expansion due to increasing political tensions between Canada and the United States. Just last week, the company outlined plans to expand into the US, which included raising capital to cover costs associated with tariffs and building new manufacturing facilities. The strategy was intended to help mitigate the impact of tariffs and strengthen the company’s supply chain. At the time, McInnes had expressed confidence in the company’s ability to quickly scale while maintaining pricing stability and product quality. However, these expansion efforts are now on hold, and the capital will instead be directed toward strengthening Odd Burger’s operations in Canada. The decision to pause US expansion also comes in response to upcoming US tariffs, scheduled to take …

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Most Read in the Last 30 Days

The field of vegan news has grown enormously in recent years, making it increasingly important for decision-makers to keep track of the dynamic scene. While the mass of vegan news certainly does not determine its quality, the increasing coverage of vegan issues in mainstream media highlights the lasting impact that veganism has on our society and the future of the food industry.

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The relevance of vegan news is especially evident in google data, as vegan google searches increased by 47% in 2020, reaching a popularity almost twice as high as in 2015.

While the overall vegan newsfeed is steadily expanding in response to the growing interest, several sub-reporting media have been formed to cover different issues connected to a vegan lifestyle. Most importantly, vegan food sites, recipe sites, and vegan business sites are shaping the vegan news landscape, with the latter underlining the immense economic potential of the vegan industry.

Vegan News About Food

For publishing, perhaps more than any other industry, it is necessary to capture and reflect social change, with the press ramping up coverage of plant-based issues in response to the rising success of vegan lifestyles. Vegan news mostly focus on the positive effects of a vegan diet, addressing human health, animal welfare and the planet. Therefore, vegan food news is one of the strongest sectors in vegan reporting.

vegan news about food
©insta_photos-stock.adobe.com

Because concerns about the health-ramifications of a meat-rich diet are rising sharply, vegan food news is a crucial news branch in which plant-based foods and recipes are discussed. In particular, vegan food news channels carry the message that there are a lot of vegan food options on the market, saving animals’ lives.

If plant-based products as a whole were seen as a brand, it is safe to say that the brand awareness of plant-based products is increasing year by year. In 2021, more vegan alternatives were launching than ever before, opening a giant market supported by the passion for a healthy vegan diet.

However, the key players in the search for a vegan turnaround are the stakeholders within the industry, including established companies and startups that are gradually expanding their plant-based portfolio. At this pivotal point, the need for another vegan news category has formed, the vegan business news.

Vegan Business News

Vegconomist is an online magazine that specializes in vegan business news and is geared towards a B2B audience. Created by Peter Link in 2018, vegconomist shares news from all over the business world, including vegan hotspots like the UK, Germany, and the United States, but also Asian countries and the African continent.

Vegconomist is now available in four languages, with each site having a different focus based on the language region. While the English-language page is internationally oriented, the German, French and Spanish pages each have a regional focus.

global vegan news
© everythingpossible - stock.adobe.com

Furthermore, vegconomist provides a newsletter that decision-makers and anyone looking to know more about vegan brands, new products in the growing plant-based meat and dairy market, as well as investments and market trends, can sign up for to receive emails containing the latest vegan business news.

If you don't want to miss out on any vegan business news, you can sign up for the vegconomist newsletter here.