Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

Umaro Founders

Amanda Stiles & Beth Zotter ©Umaro Foods

Umaro Foods Makes $1M Deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank for Seaweed Bacon

Umaro Foods, producers of seaweed-based bacon, has secured an investment deal with Mark Cuban on the latest episode of Shark Tank. During the show, Cuban agreed to invest $1 million in the brand, which plans to launch its bacon product into foodservice later this year. Through the deal, Umaro joins a growing roster of successful plant-based food companies backed by Cuban, including Unreal Deli, Legendary Burger and pet food brand Wild Earth. The Shark Tank reveal comes just days after Umaro announced a $3 million raise in Series A funding for its innovative bacon. Founded by Berkeley scientists Beth Zotter and Amanda Stiles, Umaro uses proprietary red algae protein as a base for creating seaweed-based meats. The startup says it captures the natural umami taste …

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FoodTech – Micro algae- Omega3: Polaris Raises €5 Million to Support Its Strong Growth

Commercial expansion in Asia and the United States Ramp-up in high EPA/DHA plant-based Omega 3 solutions Significant increase of its sustainable production capacity QUIMPER, France & PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Polaris, a pioneer in Omega3 and leader in fatty acids with high concentrations of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which play a key role in cardiovascular, brain health and help to reinforce the immune system, has announced that it is raising €5 million, led by Seventure Partners, via its Health for Life Capital™ fund. This funding will allow the company which operates in Japan, South Korea and recently the United States, to continue its international expansion, strengthen its position in nutraceutical industry and specialized nutrition (children, sports, pregnancy) and to expand its sustainable production unit in …

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Algae

©Nastya Tepikina @stock.adobe.com

Global Algae Proteins Market Trajectory & Analytics Report 2021-2026

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Algae Proteins – Global Market Trajectory & Analytics” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. Global Algae Proteins Market to Reach $1.1 Billion by 2026 The global market for Algae Proteins estimated at US$771.3 Million in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$1.1 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6.6% over the analysis period. Alternative proteins are likely to benefit from increasing popularity of protein bars and snacks among health-conscious individuals. The increasing shift away from beef towards beans is driving manufacturers to offer algal protein-based options at affordable price points. Algal proteins are known for their numerous health benefits over their animal-based counterparts. Based on its disease-fighting properties due to the presence of phytonutrients and …

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Umaro bacon

© Umaro Foods

Berkeley’s Umaro Foods Secures $3M for Seaweed Bacon

Umaro Foods, formerly known as Trophic, has received $3 million in a round led by AgFunder for its proprietary red protein, Umaro. The company harnesses the umami flavors of seaweed to create plant-based bacon which is set to launch into food service in Q2 of 2022. The round saw participation from Alexandria Venture Investments, Impact Science Ventures, Ponderosa Ventures, Clear Current Capital, Ahimsa Foundation, and Sustainable Food Ventures. Co-founded in 2018 in Berkeley by CEO Beth Zotter, a tech entrepreneur with a background in renewable energy, and CTO Amanda Stiles PhD who formerly led the Research team at Ripple Foods; Umaro Foods is also developing technology for which the company received an ARPA-E grant in order to upscale seaweed farming on a vast level. “Seaweed …

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Seawith

©Seawith

Seawith Completes $5.43M Series A for Seaweed Scaffolded Cultivated Steak 

Seawith – a cultivated steak pioneer from South Korea – has announced the completion of a ₩6.5 billion ($5.43 million) Series A investment, as the startup looks to lead the cultivated meat movement in the country. Seawith champions algae as a scaffolding to grow meat, which the company claims will allow it to produce thick-cut cultivated beef at $3 per kilogram.  “Many foreign protein alternative food development companies are also interested in our technology” Seawith announced a fresh investment of ₩1 billion to complete the funding round, with the company now focusing on investment in production facilities and commercialization. The investment is expected to further boost the development of cultivated meat technology in South Korea, as the movement gathers steam across Asia. Cultivated meat was …

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Heme Made From Algae! Triton Algae Innovations on the PBH

Miller Tran, VP of Research and Development and Founding Member of Triton Algae Innovations, discusses heme made from non-GMO algae and if it will replace animal heme, with Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour.   Specifically, they discuss, Heme made from algae, Algae as a carbon sink, Minimizing waste streams, and Algae-tech: is it here,  scalable, and non-GMO. Below is a clip and transcription from their conversation. Here is the podcast. Display content from YouTube Click here to display content from YouTube. Learn more in YouTube’s privacy policy. Always display content from YouTube Open “The One Thing Every Entrepreneur Should Know In Otder To Succeed.” directly Elysabeth: I’m wondering what you wish you knew ten years ago that you know now? Miller Tran: I wish I …

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CaviArt roll

©CaviArt

Luxury Seafood Brand Cavi-Art is Developing Seaweed-Based Shrimp

Luxury Seafood Brand Cavi·art®, producer of the best-selling vegan caviar in Europe, is working to expand its range of affordable gourmet seafood alternatives by creating a shrimp alternative made from seaweed. Out to revolutionise the shrimp category Jens Møller Products ApS, the company behind Cavi·art®, uses its long-term experience in working with seaweed to develop vegan alternatives to luxury seafood. Established in 1994 in Denmark, the family-owned company that is known for its vegan caviar, now seeks to revolutionize the shrimp category. The company’s flagship is the seaweed-based Cavi·Art® which it says is the “roe of the future”, which comes in several varieties including black, pink, and even Wasabi flavoured caviar. According to the Danish seafood innovator, Cavi·art® offers an environmentally conscious alternative to caviar, …

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New Wave shrimp

©New Wave Foods

Seaweed Industry Sees Major Growth – Investment Up by 36% to $168M

The seaweed industry saw its number of investment deals double while the amount invested grew by 36% to $168 million in 2021. The new figures show how a vibrant seaweed industry is emerging outside of Asia, with investors taking note of the sustainable future biomass.  The data comes from a new Phyconomy study, showing that the number of new seaweed startups has grown by 50% in the past two years, with Europe having the most active seaweed startup ecosystem – although North American startups find it easier to attract capital, according to the report. Phyconomy is an information portal for the seaweed industry established in 2020 to track the emerging seaweed economy. Other key takeaways from its report include that the midstream of the value …

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algae/ microalgae

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ProVeg Incubator Presents Future Food Series: Algae

On January 20th, ProVeg Incubator will present Future Food Series: Algae, the sixth event in the Future Food Series. Along with Zintinus, the event will explore the wonderful subject of algae and its diverse applications across the food industry. The event features guests including Algama Foods, Oceanfruit, Betterfish, Genesea, Sophie’s Bionutrients, and EABA. The power of algae in food tech It is estimated that there are over a million species of algae worldwide. Algae have all of the essential nutrients required for human health, are an important source of protein, and are among the most sustainable resources on our planet. The global market size for algae products reached an estimated value of $4.7 billion in 2021 and this is projected to grow steeply in the …

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©Notpla, photo credit: David Lineton

Notpla Seaweed Packaging Raises £10M For Fully Edible, Biodegradable Plastic

Notpla, a seaweed packaging startup, has raised £10 million in Series A funding for its sustainable packaging solution. Named Ooho, the alternative to plastic is an edible and fully biodegradable packaging made of seaweed.  As first reported by Silicon Canals, London-based Notpla will use the fresh funds to grow its manufacturing capacity while developing new innovations, such as a transparent flexible film and a seaweed paper. According to the company, seaweed is one of the planet’s most abundant sources of biomass and its production is highly sustainable.  Seaweed production does not compete with food crops, requires no fertilizer or freshwater, and sequesters carbon dioxide. Founded in 2014 by Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez and Pierre-Yves Paslier, Notpla’s products easily biodegrade in just 4-6 weeks without the need …

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cultivated seabass fillet

© GFI/University of Lisbon

Scientists Use Algae to Develop Cultivated Seabass Fillet Without Bones

Scientists from the University of Lisbon have begun a project called Algae2Fish, with the aim of developing a boneless cultivated seabass fillet. The project has been made possible with funding from The Good Food Institute. Associate Professor Frederico Ferreira from the university’s Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences will lead a team of scientists working on the project. They will use fish cells to grow a cultivated seabass fillet free of the mercury and microplastics often found in conventional fish. 3D printing technology will be used to produce scaffolds that will give the fillet structure, replicating the fibrous texture of fish. The scaffolds will be formed using material from algae and plants, with the algae contributing valuable omega-3 fatty acids such as those found in conventional …

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Yemoja Microalgae Burger

©Yemoja

Yemoja Uses Red Microalgae to Develop “Bleeding” Burgers

Yemoja, a marine ingredient startup from Israel, has developed bleeding vegan burgers using a red microalgae formulation. The innovation paves the way for medium-rare style plant-based burgers and steaks with added authenticity, as well as a clean substitute to heme.  As microalgae ingredients increasingly gain traction in plant-based food, Tel Hai-based food tech Yemoja is poised to become a player in the space with its new formulation – named Ounje – which mimics the red juices of real meat without artificial color additives. Yemoja primarily cultivates high-value, standardized microalgae bio compounds for the nutraceutical and cosmetics B2B sectors. Display content from YouTube Click here to display content from YouTube. Learn more in YouTube’s privacy policy. Always display content from YouTube Open “About Ounje by Yemoja …

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Eugene Wang of Sophies Bionutrients in Wageningen Office

Eugene Wang of Sophies Bionutrients in Wageningen Office, image courtesy of Sophies Bionutrients

Sophie’s BioNutrients Develops First Microalgae Cheddar Cheese with Ingredion

Sophie’s BioNutrients, the next-gen food tech from Singapore, has produced its first microalgae-based cheese. Closely mimicking a conventional cheddar profile, the cheese is made Sophie’s BioNutrients dairy-free microalgae milk in partnership with the Ingredion Idea Labs innovation center. “A dairy and lactose-free alternative to cheese that, thanks to microalgae, offers a higher protein content than most available dairy-free alternatives” The exploding vegan cheese market sees products derived from a wide range of ingredients, from nuts and oils to cauliflower or hemp, with innovation at the forefront of the young industry. However, Sophie’s BioNutrients believes microalgae-based cheese offers superior sustainability – microalgae boasts an exceptionally low carbon footprint – as well as nutrition and a complete taste and texture profile. The team at Sophie’s BioNutrients collaborated …

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Algae

©Nastya Tepikina @stock.adobe.com

The Worldwide Algae Products Industry is Expected to Reach $6.4 Billion by 2026 – ResearchAndMarkets.com

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Global Algae Products Market by Type (Lipids, Carotenoids, Carrageenan, Alginate, Algal Protein), Facility Type, Form (Liquid, Solid), Source (Brown Algae, Green Algae, Red Algae, Blue-green Algae), and Region – Forecast to 2026” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. According to the publisher, the global algae products market size is estimated to be valued at USD 4.7 billion in 2021 and projected to reach USD 6.4 billion by 2026, recording a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period. The awareness regarding the health benefits of algae products is one of the key factors that is gaining consumer attention. By type, lipids are projected to dominate the market during the forecast period Lipids are energy-rich organic compounds that are insoluble in water. Certain amounts …

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Rik Creemers And Laura Thissen Hand Over Office Keys Courtesy of Sophies Bionutrients

Microalgae Milk Pioneer Sophie’s Bionutrients Moves to Europe’s Alt-Protein Hotspot

Singapore-based Sophie’s Bionutrients introduced the world’s first milk alternative made from protein-rich microalgae earlier this year. CEO and founder Eugene Wang now aims to shift the business to the Netherlands to tap into its plant-based protein ecosystem. Algae-based ingredients have piqued food industry interest in recent years as a sustainable, animal-free source of protein, lipids and micronutrients. Traditionally grown in open ponds, they are extremely fast-growing and require few inputs – but Wang sees an even better way to grow microalgae for food, based on fermentation using various food industry waste as feedstock. “Since I am trying to make it into foods, all I care about is the protein,” he explained. “I don’t care about the lipid. Since I am just caring about protein I …

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