Israel

Steakholder Foods has received its first-ever purchase order from Bondor Foods, a renowned frozen foods manufacturer and institutional market distributor.

© Steakholder Foods
Company News

Steakholder Foods Secures First Revenue Stream with New Order of Plant-Based Fish Blends

Alternative proteins and 3D printing innovator Steakholder Foods (Nasdaq: STKH) announces it has received its first-ever purchase order from Bondor Foods, a renowned frozen foods manufacturer and institutional market distributor. Under a new commercial sales agreement, Steakholder Foods will supply its SHFISH premix blend for Bondor Foods’ new line of plant-based white fish and salmon patties. The order marks the company’s first income milestone, securing its initial product revenue stream in 2024. The deal follows successful local partnerships to integrate plant-based steaks and fish into gourmet menus and the recent opening of a demonstration center at its headquarters in Rehovot, Israel, to showcase the possibilities of 3D-printed foods. Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder Foods, shared: “We are extremely excited to announce this first purchase order …

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Israel's Believer Meats has announced a strategic partnership with GEA Group to make cultivated meat more affordable, accessible, and sustainable

© Believer Meats
Manufacturing & Technology

Believer Meats & GEA Partner to “Produce Cultivated Meat Products at the Right Cost”

Israel’s Believer Meats and GEA Group, one of the world’s technology and equipment suppliers for food manufacturers, have announced a strategic partnership to make cultivated meat more affordable, accessible, and sustainable. The collaboration will focus on co-developing technologies and processes to improve the unit economics and sustainability of cultivated meat production, starting with chicken and potentially expanding to other products. The collaboration follows Believer Meats’ recent MOU with AGWA, Abu Dhabi’s new food and water cluster, and a notable collaboration with the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein at NC State. Gustavo Burger, CEO of Believer Meats, shared, “Believer is on track to overcome the biggest obstacles to scalability. By partnering with GEA—one of the world’s foremost engineering and biotech equipment manufacturers—we are taking the next step in innovating …

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DairyX

© DairyX
Fermentation

DairyX Uses Yeast to Develop Smart Casein Proteins for Animal-Free Dairy

Israel’s DairyX Foods has announced a major development in its work to create authentic animal-free milk proteins using precision fermentation. The startup has created a new method that uses yeast to produce “smart casein proteins” that can self-assemble into micelles, the primary building blocks of dairy products. Additionally, it has refined a technology that enhances the gelation of the micelles, allowing for the development of firm, stretchy animal-free dairy products using traditional dairy manufacturing processes. This method could eliminate the need for additives such as stabilizers, emulsifiers, and thickeners. It could also help to make animal-free dairy affordable, as the company is creating yeast strains that produce exceptionally high casein yields in short timeframes. Furthermore, it provides a “drop-in replacement” for milk, meaning it can …

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Marinexcell Dr. Yossi Buganim

Dr. Yossi Buganim © Marinexcell
Interviews

Marinexcell: “Our Vision Is To Create a Sustainable and Reliable Source of Seafood Products”

Led by Professor Buganim, a globally renowned scientist in stem cell research, MarineXcell uses stem cells to cultivate shrimp, lobster, and crab meat. MarineXcell’s unique technology “addresses a significant bottleneck in the cultured seafood industry”, says the Israeli company: our methodology not only facilitates the creation of these cells but also ensures the sustained propagation and growth of iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells), even in sub-optimal conditions. What is MarineXcell’s value proposition? Why do you exist? MarineXcell is an innovative company supported by Yissum, the Tech Transfer company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, that aims to revolutionize the seafood industry by developing a proprietary process for the mass production of genuine shrimp, lobster, and crab meat based on stem cells. Our vision is to …

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Spirulina specialist SimpliiGood has announced that it will launch its much-awaited spirulina-based smoked salmon in early 2025.

Image courtesy of SimpliiGood
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

SimpliiGood’s Much-Awaited Spirulina Smoked Salmon to Launch in Europe Next Year

Spirulina specialist SimpliiGood has announced that it will launch its much-awaited spirulina-based smoked salmon in early 2025. Claimed as the first nutritious whole cut from microalgae, the spirulina smoked salmon offers 40% protein and features a clean label with fewer than ten “kitchen cupboard” ingredients, free from stabilizers and preservatives. We contacted Baruch Dach, founder and CTO at AlgaeCore Technologies, SimpliiGood’s parent company, to get the details of the product and its launch. “At this point, I can only say that the launch is going to happen in Europe, where we see better growth and higher acceptance for alternative products. Relatively, awareness seems higher than in other territories,” he told us. “The market’s first choice” The product was initially a single-ingredient salmon containing 95% of …

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Molecular farming startup PoLoPo announces that it will start supplying one of its flagship proteins, patatin, for F&B products to commercial clients, pending USDA's regulatory approval.

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Company News

Unexpected Demand for Affordable Patatin Pushes Molecular Farming Startup PoLoPo to Prioritize Product Launch

Molecular farming startup PoLoPo announces that it will start supplying one of its flagship proteins, patatin, for F&B products to commercial clients, pending the USDA’s regulatory approval. The Israeli startup has developed a platform to grow the egg protein ovalbumin, widely used in the food industry, and patatin in large volumes in potato tubers, securing a lower cost. As explained by the startup, patatin, the native protein of potatoes, is expected to have a relatively straightforward regulatory process. Despite being derived from genetically engineered plants, it is extracted and processed into a powder that contains no genetic material, making it non-GMO. CEO and co-founder Maya Sapir-Mir comments, “We are keeping our eyes on the prize, which is bringing molecular-farmed egg protein to market, but conversations …

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believer meats' cultivated chicken dish

© BELIEVER Meats
Cultivated Meat

Believer Meats Study is “First” Demonstration of Cost-Efficient Manufacturing of Cultivated Meat

The continuous manufacturing of cultivated meat could address the associated scalability and cost challenges facing the industry, finds a new study published in the Nature journal conducted by Believer Meats founder Professor Yaakov Nahmias and a team at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The research used a technology called tangential flow filtration, with a new bioreactor assembly that permitted biomass expansion to 130 billion cells per liter. This provided yields of 43% weight per volume. A new animal-free culture medium costing just $0.63 per liter was also used. The process involved cultivating chicken cells over a 20-day period, with daily biomass harvests. The researchers found that the method could significantly reduce the cost and complexity of cultivated meat production, potentially making cultivated products more accessible …

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Egg'n'Up eggless desserts

© Egg'n'Up
Egg Alternatives

Egg’n’Up: Laying Golden Egg Replacements for the Food Industry

The Israeli startup Egg’n’Up, a subsidiary of SavorEat, the company behind the 3D printing robot chef, describes itself as the hen that lays golden egg replacements. The food industry relies heavily on eggs due to their versatility and multiple functionalities despite current price volatility, food safety issues, egg allergies, high environmental footprint, and the growing trend to eliminate animal proteins from everyday products. According to Egg’n’Up, the reason behind the continued use of eggs in food processing is that available egg substitutes do not entirely satisfy the food industry’s requirements for functionality and taste. 1:1 egg replacement Founded in 2021 by Racheli Vizman, Oded Shoseyov, and Ido Braslavsky, according to PitchBook, and supported by a team of managers with a track record in the food …

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Premazon will roll out new plant-based fish products using Steakholder Food's premix blend for fish.

© Steakholder Foods
Company News

Steakholder Foods Unveils Plant-Based Fish Kebab Deal with Frozen Food Distributor Premazon

Following successful local partnerships to integrate plant-based steaks and fish into gourmet menus, Steakholder Foods (Nasdaq: STKH) announces a new agreement to bolster its presence in the growing plant-based food market. Leveraging Steakholder Foods’s proprietary SHFISH premix blend to meet the highest taste, texture, and nutrition standards, the renowned frozen foods manufacturer Premazon will roll out new plant-based fish products. Premazon, a key player in the institutional market, produces “warm serve” products optimized for superior nutritional values, including lower fat and sodium. It operates in Israel and boasts a vast distribution network encompassing hotels, restaurants, catering services, and various food service establishments. Through this partnership, it will expand its portfolio with a new line of plant-based white fish kebabs catering to a diverse and rapidly growing consumer …

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© Kokomodo
Plant Cell Cultivation

Kokomodo Creates Cultivated Cacao, Preserving Climate-Proof Supplies for the Future of Confectionery

Climate change poses a significant threat to the future supply of cacao (the unprocessed version of cocoa), with the majority of farmland predicted to become unfit for production by 2050. Recent severe weather events have negatively impacted cacao harvests in Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world’s biggest producers, causing significant shortages and high prices. But Kokomodo, a startup leveraging plant cell technology to “cultivate cocoa’s future” aims to ensure a stable, year-round cacao supply of sustainable premium cocoa. To do so, Kokomodo is developing a platform to produce cacao locally with cells and advanced bioreactors independently from land (deforestation), climate, and tropical regions. The startup, which operates a pilot-scale lab in Israel, not exactly a tropical country with cacao bean plantations, has already developed its first …

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Fabumin has developed a functional and multipurpose egg replacer for the food industry from legume "wastewater" or aquafaba that can be produced at industrial scale.

© Fabumin
Egg Alternatives

Fabumin Attracts Attention from Grupo Bimbo and Haagen Dazs for its Unique Upcycled Aquafaba in Powder Form

Israel’s Fabumin has developed a functional and multipurpose egg replacer for the food industry by upcycling legume water waste, otherwise known as aquafaba, an ingredient known for its unique emulsifying, foaming, and thickening properties similar to egg albumin. The startup has reportedly attracted interest from food companies such as Grupo Bimbo and Haagen Dazs for its product. What sets Fabumin apart from other aquafaba egg replacers is that its product — a powder offering significant advantages over liquid options that require refrigeration — is made at legume processing factories by upcycling their side streams, allowing a large-scale production. “Every day, the legume industry produces a considerable amount of waste water that is poured into the drain. The result is a heavy load on the wastewater …

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bioreactor platform ever after foods

Image courtesy of Ever After Foods
Cultivated Meat

Ever After Foods Raises $10M for “Unmatched” Cost-Effective Bioreactor Platform for Cultivated Meat Producers

Israel’s Pluri (Nasdaq: PLUR) (TASE: PLUR) announces that its cultivated meat subsidiary Ever After Foods, formerly Plurinuva, has secured $10 million in a funding round from US and EU strategic investors, including a second investment from Israel’s Tnuva Group and Pluri itself. With the new capital, Ever After Foods aims to propel its technology platform to become a technology enabler for cultivated meat producers. The company claims it has developed a cutting-edge bioreactor platform to produce cultivated foods with “unmatched” cost-efficient scalability. Eyal Rosenthal, CEO of Ever After Foods, shared, “Ever After Foods’ unique and innovative production platform empowered the change in our business model. The shift to a technology enabler will allow us to serve more players in the value chain. “Securing funding from …

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A plant-based fish fillet by Steakholder Foods

© Steakholder Foods
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Steakholder Foods & Sherry Herring Partner to Launch Gourmet Vegan Salads with 3D Printed Plant-Based Fish

Alt proteins and 3D printing innovator Steakholder Foods (Nasdaq: STKH) announces a partnership with Sherry Herring, a gourmet fish delicacies brand, to commercialize a new line of vegan fish salads in Israel. The salads will feature seafood made with Steakholder Foods’ proprietary SHFISH premix blend specially developed for 3D-printing plant-based white fish. Fillets crafted with SHFISH are said to mimic the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of fish while being more sustainable and environmentally friendly, “redefining the seafood experience.” The new vegan fish salad line will tap into new market segments and cater to the rising popularity of plant-based diets by leveraging Sherry Herring’s established distribution network in delis and restaurants, the company said in the announcement. Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder Foods, highlights the collaboration …

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Following the successful creation of a cultivated eel prototype claimed as the world’s first, Israel's Forsea Foods debuted the product at its first official tasting at Restaurant "a" in Tel Aviv.

© Liran Maimon
Company News

40 Guests Taste Forsea’s Cultivated Eel at Official Tasting: “Feedback was Uplifting”

Following the successful creation of a cultivated eel prototype claimed as a world first, Israel’s Forsea Foods announces it has recently debuted the product at its first official tasting at restaurant “a” in Tel Aviv. According to the announcement, more than 40 guests had the opportunity to taste Forsea’s cultivated eel fillets in various dishes. The menu’s centerpiece was Unagi kabayaki, a Japanese specialty of grilled fresh eel on a bed of aromatic rice (featured image). Roee Nir, CEO and co-founder of Forsea, shares, “Since the start of the year, we have made significant advancements in improving our cell lines. We also have been working diligently to enhance our recipes. This event was a great opportunity for us to present our unprecedented achievements to partners and …

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Brevel cheese

Image supplied by Brevel, credit Eldad Shatz
Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

Biomass Fermentation Leader Brevel Inaugurates Commercial Plant for Affordable, Nutritious Microalgae Protein

Israel’s Brevel, a biomass fermentation startup using microalgae protein to create sustainable ingredients, announces the grand opening of its first commercial plant. Last July, the company secured $18.5 million in seed funding led by NevaTeam Partners and backed by the European Union’s EIC Fund, facilitating the current phase of commercial-scale production and global expansion. Located in Israel’s desert periphery, the new site covers 27,000 square feet (2,500m²) and includes headquarters, a large R&D center, and a large commercial manufacturing area. It features multiple bioreactors at different scales: 3, 50, 500 L, and the company’s first 5,000 L bioreactor. At the new site, Brevel can produce hundreds of tons of its flagship ingredient — a 60-70% microalgae protein concentrate for meat and dairy alternatives. The first …

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The Israeli-based food-tech startup NewMoo has emerged from stealth mode, unveiling a plant molecular farming platform for producing caseins in agricultural plant seeds. 

Image courtesy of NewMoo
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

NewMoo Emerges from Stealth Using Plant Seeds as ‘Bioreactors’ to Grow Casein Proteins for Animal-Free Dairy

NewMoo has emerged from stealth mode, unveiling a plant molecular farming platform for producing caseins in agricultural plant seeds. “Our approach doesn’t require expensive bioreactor machinery to grow our proteins. The plant seeds themselves act as bioreactors,” explains the Israeli startup. Considered the “holy grail” of milk structure by the dairy industry, caseins are responsible for the taste and functional properties consumers love about cheese: melting, stretching, and bubbling. NewMoo claims that its caseins are equivalent to cow-derived proteins in terms of nutrition, composition, and functionality. By utilizing plants instead of cows for production, NewMoo offers a cost-effective, animal-free, and sustainable method for creating a wide range of dairy products, including cheese. Daphna Miller, NewMoo co-founder and CEO, comments, “This method of making previously animal-based foods …

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Israel's InnovoPro, a leading provider of chickpea protein solutions, has appointed Greg Belt as its new CEO.

Greg Belt, image supplied
People

InnovoPro Appoints Gregory Belt as CEO to Drive Expansion of Chickpea Proteins in F&B

InnovoPro, a leading provider of chickpea protein solutions, has announced the appointment of Gregory Belt as its new CEO. Based in the USA, Belt will spearhead the company’s strategic expansion into the food and beverage market. Belt has a proven track record and deep expertise in building new ventures and strategic planning for innovation-driven growth. His experience, gained from companies like AB InBev, has allowed him to gain commercial traction, particularly in the dynamic landscape of North America. With a ‘wealth of experience’ and a fresh perspective, Belt is poised to lead InnovoPro into its next phase of growth and expansion, focusing on clean-label products and natural emulsifiers. After seven years of leadership as co-founder and first CEO, Taly Nechushtan will transition to the role …

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Raw potato on color background

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Egg Alternatives

PoLoPo Seeks USDA Approval, Says Production of Egg Proteins in “Plants, Not Animals, Will Set Off a Domino Effect in Sustainability”

Israeli agrifood startup PoLoPo announces it has initiated the regulatory approval process to grow egg proteins in genetically modified potatoes in the USA.  PoLoPo explains that it has applied for a Regulatory Status Review (RSR) to the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to review its molecular farming platform called Super AA. The approval process evaluates whether GMO potatoes are as safe for agriculture and do not present additional pest risks as conventionally farmed potatoes. The USDA approval, expected within six months, will allow the company to advance its commercial plans, including partnering with local farmers to use its technology. The startup claims to be the first Israeli molecular farming company to seek US regulatory approval. PoLoPo CEO Maya Sapir-Mir comments: “This …

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a 3-d printed steak on a plate

© Redefine Meat
Studies & Numbers

Israel’s Alt Protein Industry Poised to Generate 10,000 Jobs and $2.5 Billion by 2030, New Report Predicts

A report has been published by the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA), the World Economic Forum (WEF) through the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) network led by C4IR Israel, and the Good Food Institute Israel. The paper examines the role of government support for alternative proteins and presents the Israeli ecosystem as an innovative blueprint for other nations to adopt. The report’s promising projections suggest that by 2030, with a well-coordinated national support strategy, Israel could support over 200 alternative protein companies and establish a dozen manufacturing facilities.  This growth could create 10,000 jobs — one-third of which would be in manufacturing — and contribute an estimated $2.5 billion to the economy through exports, wages, and taxes. In addition, the report’s figures show that Israel ranks second …

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Daphna Heffetz, CEO, Wanda Fish

Daphna Heffetz CEO. Image credit Chen Galili
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Wanda Fish: “Our Mission is to Supply a Delicious and Healthy Product That Will Also Do Good to Our Planet”

Wanda Fish Technologies is an Israeli food-tech startup producing cultivated fish products. Less than three years after it was founded, the company has just announced the successful development of its first whole-cut cultivated bluefin tuna prototype, toro sashimi. This progress has partly been made possible by Wanda Fish’s collaboration with Tufts University, which began in 2022 with the aim of accelerating the development of cultivated fish. The startup also raised $7 million in seed funding last year to scale the production of its cultivated bluefin tuna. CEO and co-founder Daphna Heffetz spoke to us about the challenges and benefits of cultivated seafood production, as well as the future potential of the technology. Can you introduce us to Wanda Fish? What was your motivation to start …

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