Eggs made with lupini beans, algae-based prawns, soy-based chorizo, and 3D-printed beef whole-cuts were among the food tech innovations presented at ProVeg New Food Conference in Berlin this September. Companies and startups shared their food solutions using protein technology to build more sustainable — and more delicious — food systems. Sustainability sits at the core of future food trends, which ultimately spiral around people’s (and pets’) favorite foods.
Alternative eggs
- Plant B Egg is a Hamburg-based food tech that recently launched its cruelty-free lupins-based liquid eggs, which the company claims have the same functionality as conventional chicken eggs but with 50% fewer calories.
- Neggst from Berlin mimics real eggs by developing white and yolk separate in a vegetable shell, just like real eggs, making vegan fried eggs possible. The company will launch its eggs next year and promises its vegetable eggs will have organic egg prices.
Plant-based seafood
- Happy Ocean Foods, also based in Berlin, mimics shrimps in look, taste, and smell using algae and soy. Happy Ocean Foods recently succeeded on Germany’s Lion’s Den TV show.
- EatMyPlants is an alt seafood startup from Berlin working on microalgae-based foods produced using fermentation processes. EatMyPlants plans to launch a vegan tuna soon.
Plant-based and cultivated meat
- Rügenwalder Mühle is a German producer of proteins known for its animal meat that has over two dozen vegan specialties in its range. According to the company, it sold more meat-free products than animal meat products in 2021.
- Planted from Switzerland is an alt-meat brand that makes pea protein products selling in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and France with products such as kebabs and chicken-style pieces. Recently it raised €61million in a B Series funding round.
- Heura from Spain is among the fastest-growing plant-based companies in Europe. Heura offers chorizo, nuggets, and bratwurst made from soy and pea and recently revealed two new products.
- Redefine is an Israeli startup that launched whole pieces of meat made from plants to German restaurants for the first time, produced with a 3D printer.
- Libre Foods is based in Barcelona, making Europe’s first bacon from fermented mushrooms. The company presented its bacon at the New Food Conference, and the resemblance to the animal counterpart was astounding, according to attendees.
- Cultimate Foods from Berlin cultivates fatty tissue from animal cells to give plant-based alternatives the ultimate meat kick that current products are missing.
- Meatable is a Dutch startup developing cultivated beef and pork. It recently revealed its cultivated pork sausages which are to be approved in Europe.
Plant-based dairy and cultivated cheese
- vly is a german plant-based startup based in Berlin that makes dairy products using lupines, cashews, peas, or field beans. The new brand has already sold a million litres of pea milk in the german market.
- Naturli’ Foods from Denmark presented its new vegan butter made from rapeseed, shea, and coconut. Naturli’ also makes milk-free-zone almond cheese and Do Not! Call Me M_lk.
- Simply-V is a plant-based dairy maker from Germany selling fresh and semi-hard almond-based cheese. It offers traditionally matured Camembert and a goat roll, among other products.
- Jay & Joy from France makes vegan parmesan and plant-based Roquefort that sells in many European wholefood shops.
- Formo from Berlin is a food tech that breeds nature-identical milk proteins from microorganisms such as yeasts to produce cultured cheese such as mozzarella, among other cheeses.
- Bon Vivant from France develops milk from natural milk protein DNA using precision fermentation.
Pet food
- Because, Animals is a cultured pet food company that produces cell-cultured meat, rabbit for dog food, and mouse for cat cookies. Because, Animals claims that cultivated meat is a safer alternative to regular pet food.
“Pet food is often overlooked when it comes to changing our food system. Many believe that only the unsaleable “waste” from the meat industry ends up in the bowls. But animal feed keeps the system going because it is the only way to make meat production profitable,” said Because, Animals.
