Fermentation

Bee-io honey CEO Ofir Dvash

CEO Ofir Dvash ©Bee-io

Bee-io: Israel’s Bee-Free Vegan Honey Set for Commercialization

As more consumers learn the truth about the destructive honey industry, various startups are offering vegan honey alternatives in the emerging space. One such company is Bee-io, an Israeli food tech company set to start cultured honey production on an industrial scale.  Honey alternatives such as agave or rice syrup have seen considerable growth over recent years, but the vegan honey segment is about offering consumers real honey without the bees. Bee-io is producing proteins in microorganisms using bioreactors and fermentation to mimic the processes used by bees in honey production.  Bee-io has been traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the symbol BHNY since May 2021 and recently merged with shell company Whitestone group. The company is set for rapid international growth and …

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Bon Vivant logo

©Bon Vivant

French Startup Bon Vivant Raises €4M For Precision Fermented Plant Milk

Lyon-based startup Bon Vivant recently raised €4 million to develop its plant-based milk using precision fermentation, which reportedly will be much closer in taste to the existing alternatives on the market. Participants in the funding round include Alliance for Impact, High Flyers Capital, Kima Ventures, Founders Future and Picus Capital. The company was founded in late 2021 by Hélène Briand, an agricultural engineer, and Stéphane Mac Millan, a businessman. Through precision fermentation, Bon Vivant aims to accurately mimic the taste and texture of milk, without using cows and with respect for the environment. “This method of production is a process we have used for centuries, the scientific understanding of which was made possible in the 19th century by the French researcher Louis Pasteur. Today, Bon …

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GFI State of Industry 2022

©GFI

GFI’s 2022 State of the Industry Reports Reveal Record Global Investment in Alt Seafood

The Good Foods Institute (GFI) has released its annual State of the Industry Report covering the fields of cultivated, fermented and plant-based proteins, as well as alternative seafood. The report’s biggest findings are summarized here.  Asia Dominates Alt-Seafood Global investments in alternative seafood soared in 2021, nearly doubling the total amount invested in 2020. By far, the greatest concentration of investment and research activity took place in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, where the majority of the world’s fish is consumed, and where startups and investors see the most lucrative opportunities. New Crop Innovations  The past year saw a surge of interest in novel crops outside of wheat, soy and peas with high protein content and protein functionality. Aquatic crops such as microalgae, seaweeds and …

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© Kzenon - stock.adobe.com

Enzymit Raises $5M, Aims to Replace Fermentation with “Designer Enzyme” Platform

Enzymit, the Israeli syn-bio production platform company, has announced the close of a $5 million seed round. Enzymit plans to accelerate its computational design platform to develop designer enzymes that can replace almost every chemical reaction used in modern fermentation methods, according to the company. As the bioproduction industry grows, Enzymit has identified a lack of enzymes and organisms suitable for production as a challenge for the fermentation industry, as well as inefficient, unsustainable, and polluting chemical reactions. All of which makes the development of new production organisms challenging, claims Enzymit, while it bases its platform on enzymatic manufacturing, engineering ‘new-to-nature’ enzymes for bio-production.  Aiming to cut production costs and development times in the sector, Enzymit is developing a novel enzymatic process that can convert …

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Christian and Sean 'O Sullivan Taste the Future

©SOSV

Leading Startups Gather at “Taste the Future” to Showcase the Best in Alt-Protein

On March 24th, over 100 guests from journalism, finance and the alt-protein industry gathered at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills for Taste the Future: an exclusive culinary experience showcasing some of the best innovations in animal-free protein. Organized by SOSV and Apeiron Investment Group, the event featured host appearances by Paul Wesley, Liam Payne and The Good Food Institute.  Eight food companies – Abbot’s Butcher, Grounded, Perfect Day, The Every Company, NotCo, Impossible Foods, Formo and California Cultured – representing plant-based, cultivated and fermented proteins, were present to offer unique dishes prepared by famed chef Matthew Kenney.  The menu’s signature entrees included:  Grounded Grilled Cheese on Sourdough Perfect Day Animal-Free Soft Cheese Ravioli Abbot’s Butcher Beef & Chorizo Tacos  Questlove’s Impossible Cheesesteak NotCo NotBurger …

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Aqua Cultured Seafood Appetizer

©Aqua Cultured Foods

Aqua Cultured Foods Doubles Production Output of Novel Fish and Seafood Alternatives

Food tech startup Aqua Cultured Foods announces new advancements in its fermentation technology that allow it to double the biomass output of whole-muscle seafood alternatives.  According to Aqua, these developments have dramatically improved the growth timeline for its seafood products, which include tuna, whitefish, calamari, popcorn shrimp and scallops. The startup says it has filed five patents relating to its unique method of protein production, and is preparing for its next financing round.  Novel fermentation  Based in Chicago, Aqua has previously created sushi-grade fish filets and calamari using microbial fermentation techniques that “grow” protein from a proprietary strain of fungi. By controlling environmental conditions such as culture medium, oxygen, temperature, and humidity, the company says it can create the same look, texture and moisture level found …

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Mushroom MycoTechnology

© MycoTechnology

MycoTechnology Closes $85M Series E, Bringing Total Raise to $200M, in Preparation for IPO?

MycoTechnology, Inc., which describes itself as the world’s leading explorer of mushroom mycelia, announces it has closed a Series E round of $85 million bringing its total to over $200M. Notable returning investors in the round include Tyson Ventures and Maple Leaf Foods. IPO in late 2022? Tyson, Greenleaf Foods, and Kellogg’s were notable participants in the company’s August 2020 Series D, during which an IPO for late 2022 was discussed, with CEO Alan Hahn commenting to FoodNavigator at the time that there were some exciting projects coming up that may “trigger” the opportunity to become publicly listed. In the November of that same year, Mycotechnology was named winner, along with BlueNalu, of Syngenta’s Radicle Protein Challenge, an initiative to invest a total of $1.25 …

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VegTech Invest logo square

©VegTech Invest

VegTech Invest Launches First Plant-based Innovation & Alternative Proteins Index

VegTech Invest, the firm behind the first Plant-based Innovation & Climate ETF (NYSE: EATV), is officially launching the VegTech™ Plant-based Innovation & Alternative Proteins Index. Calculated and distributed by Morningstar Indexes, the new index aims to lead and define a new global investment category.  According to VegTech, the index also serves as a benchmark for the emerging plant-based and alt-protein sector. It focuses on large, mid-, and small-cap companies that produce, among other innovations, consumer packaged goods, ingredients, biotechnology, and agtech using plant-derived or animal-free technologies. By offering these companies increased exposure, the index aims to attract greater investment toward a more eco-friendly, efficient and cruelty-free food supply chain.  “An underweighted sector”  Before listing its calculated index, VegTech first introduced a non-weighted tracking index, The …

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Tyler Huggins, CEO and Co-founder Meati

CEO Tyler Huggins ©Meati

Meati: “We Intend To Be the Final Frontier of Animal-Free Protein, Creating a Superfood Protein Category That Will Change the Way People Eat”

Boulder Colorado’s Meati is creating mycelium-based whole cuts of meat through fermentation – two trending categories in plant-based. One of the most funded companies in the sector, Meati recently launched preorders for two alt chicken SKUs which both sold out in less than 24 hours. “I think we are only scratching the surface of what’s possible,” Tyler Huggins Yesterday the Meati Chicken Cutlet and Crispy Cutlet finally launched in the US with help from chef and Momofuku founder David Chang. And with newly hired Meati president Scott Tassani, previously of General Mills, aiming for $1 billion in Sales by 2025, it’s safe to say this startup is one to keep an eye on and will be making big moves in vegan meat. It was definitely …

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Event hosts Albrecht Wolfmeyer of ProVeg Incubator and Fabio Ziemssen of Zintinus

Event hosts Albrecht Wolfmeyer of ProVeg Incubator and Fabio Ziemssen of Zintinus

Future Food Series on Precision Fermentation Features Key Industry Speakers

As fermentation fast becomes a game-changer in the alt protein industry with precision fermentation startups leading the trend, the Future Food Series has announced a new event on precision fermentation featuring key speakers in the field. Hosted by the ProVeg Incubator, the free online event takes place on March 31st and includes startup founders and industry experts in precision fermentation. Themes will include applications of precision fermentation, scale-up, regulatory hurdles, as well as the specific challenges and impacts of the sector.  Speakers include: Dr. Jeremy Chignell, Senior Fermentation Scientist at BIO-CAT Microbials Eva Sommer, Founder and CEO of Fermify Ahmed Khan, Founder and Editor of CellAgri Dr. Hannah Lester, CEO & Principal Consultant of Amgen Regulatory Consulting “Precision fermentation food products can have a great …

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©MeliBio

MeliBio Secures $5.7 Million in Seed Funding to Disrupt Global Honey Industry

MeliBio, the world’s first company making real honey without bees, announces a $5.7 million seed funding raise to commercialize its first line of bee-free honey. The seed round, led by Astanor Ventures, brings the startup’s total funding to $7.2 million to date. The raise follows a successful test launch of MeliBio’s honey in four New York City restaurants and at one CPG company, and the startup will now begin scaling its operations and manufacturing. More than 30 companies around the world have already signed on to try its novel honey, MelioBio says. Giving bees a break Founded in 2020 by Darko Mandich and Aaron Schaller, PhD., MeliBio uses precision fermentation and plant science to create its proprietary honey products. The brand conducted a blind industry …

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Nature's Fynd Breakfast Patties Whole Foods

©Nature's Fynd

Nature’s Fynd Sausages Made With “New-to-the-World” Microbial Protein Arrive at Whole Foods

Nature’s Fynd, a food company using protein-rich fungi to make meat and dairy alternatives, announces the launch of its Meatless Original Breakfast Patties in select Whole Foods Markets in April. Made with Fy Protein, a nutritious protein first obtained from microbes living in geothermal springs, the breakfast patties offer consumers a brand new protein option. With the Whole Foods launch, a large-scale audience will be able to try this first-of-its-kind protein for the first time.  Containing 11 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber per serving, Nature’s Fynd says the patties also have 75% less fat than traditional pork sausage.  A “new-to-the-world” protein Using breakthrough liquid-air surface fermentation technology, the vegan and non-GMO Fy Protein can be used to create a vast range of …

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© Meati

Meati Foods & The Better Meat Co. Lawsuit Escalates Over Mycelium

Update 11th March, comment sent by Paul Shapito of Better Meat Co: ” No one claims (Gus Pattillo) was ever employed by Meati. The dispute relates to when Pattillo was on a 2017 fellowship at the Dept. of Energy at the same time the founders of Emergy (a battery company which in 2019 rebranded as a food company called Meati) were also doing work at the Dept. of Energy.” Meati Foods and The Better Meat Co., two mycelium-based meat leaders in the US, are embroiled in a legal battle over their alt meat intellectual property. Meati has accused Better Meat of stealing its mycelium harvesting tech, while in a separate lawsuit, Better Meat accuses Meati of damaging its reputation and fundraising. As first reported by …

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The Arkeon team. © Arkeon

Blue Horizon Invests in Arkeon, a Company Turning Carbon Dioxide Into Protein

Blue Horizon Ventures has announced a seed investment in Austrian company Arkeon Biotechnologies. Using proprietary fermentation technology, Arkeon is turning carbon dioxide into proteins with a very low environmental impact. The technology makes it possible to generate all 20 essential amino acids from carbon dioxide, using a microorganism that produces them in just one fermentation process. The resulting proteins require 99% less land and only 0.01% of the amount of water used by conventional agriculture. Additionally, the process is carbon negative, using carbon captured from industry and absorbing more CO2 than is created. Arkeon will use the funding to scale up its production of amino acids and peptides, creating clean-label ingredients that can be used in plant-based and cultivated foods. Blue Horizon investments Blue Horizon …

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ProProtein founder Kaisa Orgusaar

Founder and CEO Kaisa Orgusaar © ProProtein

Estonia: ProProtein Opens Seed Round for Cow-Free Casein

ProProtein, the female-driven Estonian alt dairy startup, has initiated a seed funding round to develop its precision fermentation platform. Looking for €700,000, ProProtein aims to develop scalable biotech to produce dairy proteins from yeast. Through March and April, ProProtein will be raising its seed round funding, following the company’s announcement of a successful casein expression by co-founder and CSO Tiina Tamm PhD. Caseins are essential functional proteins in milk that give cheese the ability to melt and stretch as well as traditional flavors. Casein without the cow Calling the latest casein expression a “big milestone”, ProProtein hopes the next funding round we will focus on optimizing its yields and going through safety analysis, with the ultimate goal to produce real dairy cheese without cows. Female-led …

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