Spain’s Heura Foods, best known for producing plant-based meat alternatives, has announced it will be expanding into new categories to improve nutritional density and transform foods often labelled as ultra-processed.
The company will use its patent-pending technology to replace ingredients such as additives, modified starches, and saturated fats with plant proteins and healthy lipids. The technology works by using thermo-mechanical techniques to structure product textures in categories where this was not previously possible.
At Future Food Tech London on October 2, Heura unveiled prototypes of cheese, snacks, and pasta made with the technology. The company explained its vision to enhance nutritional density without compromising on taste at a live demo kitchen attended by over 100 industry leaders.
Revolutionising health solutions
The technology will not just allow Heura to develop new product innovations; it will also be available to other companies through licensing. In this way, Heura hopes to accelerate the protein transition and enable the production of foods that address global health challenges.
“Today’s prototypes shatter expectations, proving that exceptional taste and unmatched nutritional value aren’t goals for the future — they’re realities we can deliver right now,” said Marc Coloma, CEO and co-founder at Heura Foods. “Six additional patents to cover more food categories with these principles are expected in the next nine months, which will redefine nutritional value standards across the food industry.
“What was once deemed impossible now ignites a new era for the alternative protein industry, thrusting plant proteins to the forefront of revolutionising health solutions across countless food categories.”
Transforming food production methods
In February, Heura revealed it had secured €40 million in what was claimed to be the biggest plant-based funding round of 2023. The company said it would form a strategic coalition with the investors, which included Flora Food Group (formerly Upfield), to fast-track innovation in plant-based foods and “redefine the food system on a global scale”.
The same month, Heura announced that its turnover had reached €38.3 million the previous year, while international sales rose by a huge 63%. Additionally, 2023 saw the launch of the first product made with Heura’s patent-pending technology, a high-protein and additive-free plant-based ham alternative that has reportedly proven extremely popular in Spain.
“These new technologies are set to transform current food production methods, but their real power lies in scaling efficiently and adapting to regional consumer preferences,” said Coloma. “That’s why we’re forging partnerships with industry leaders to accelerate a change that no one can drive alone.”
