Israel

PoLoPo

© PoLoPo
Plant Cell Cultivation

PoLoPo Moves to Field Cultivation of Bioengineered Protein Potatoes, Boosting Capacity to Three Tons

Molecular farming startup PoLoPo has transitioned from greenhouse-scale production to large-scale field cultivation of genetically modified potatoes engineered to produce high levels of protein, including ovalbumin, a key component of egg protein. This move increases the company’s production capacity from tens of kilograms to an estimated three tons per harvest. PoLoPo’s protein-producing potato plants are part of the company’s proprietary approach to molecular farming. The plants are engineered through metabolic engineering techniques to produce and store proteins in their tubers. These proteins are then extracted and dried into functional protein powders for use in various applications, including food production. The potatoes, now being grown in fields located in the Eshkol region of southern Israel, are expected to yield three tons of product by spring 2025. …

more

Organisations and brands:

Israel's Gavan Technologies has raised $8 million in an A funding round to commercialize Fatrix, a plant protein-based fat that replaces butter.

© Nimrod Saunders
Investments & Finance

Gavan Raises $8M to Introduce Clean Label “One-to-One” Butter Alternative in Europe

Israel’s Gavan, a food tech company focused on replacing animal fat with sustainable alternatives, announces it has raised $8 million in a Series A funding round. The funds will be used to establish a new European pilot production facility for its flagship ingredient, Fatrix, a plant protein-based fat that replaces butter “one-to-one” in bakery and dairy alternatives. The site is scheduled to commence operations in April 2025, aiming to debut its “cutting-edge” fat solution in the European food market. The round was led by MoreVC, with participation from Lever VC, EIT Food, and DarkBoot Group, a private equity firm involved in Gavan’s incubation. Co-founder and CEO Itai Cohen, shares, “This funding round opens the door for Gavan to enter the European food market, where we …

more

Organisations and brands:

Cocoa-tech startup Celleste Bio has raised $4.5 million in a seed round to produce its cell-cultured cocoa ingredients for the food industry.

© Celleste Bio
Investments & Finance

Celleste Bio Secures $4.5M to Scale Production of Cell-Cultured Cocoa, Mondelēz VC Arm Participates

Cocoa-tech startup Celleste Bio has raised $4.5 million in a seed round to produce its cell-cultured cocoa ingredients for the food industry. The round was led by early-stage investor Supply Change Capital, with the participation of Mondelēz International’s venture capital arm SnackFutures Ventures, Consensus Business Group, Barrel Venture Partners, The Trendlines Group, and Regba Agriculture. The new funds will help Celleste Bio boost its research and development, infrastructure, and technological capabilities to achieve commercial scale. Michal Beressi Golomb, CEO of Celleste Bio, shared, “Climate change and conventional farming practices are depleting our rainforests, resulting in unprecedented environmental and financial challenges to grow enough cocoa to meet the needs of a $100B — and growing — chocolate industry. This round provides us with the financial and strategic …

more

Organisations and brands:

Israel's Aleph Farms has submitted a regulatory approval application to sell its cultivated beef products in Thailand, marking the country's first application for cultivated meat.

© Aleph Farms
Cultivated Meat

Aleph Farms Submits Thailand’s First Cultivated Meat Application, Eyes 2026 Market Launch

Israel’s Aleph Farms has submitted a regulatory approval application to sell its cultivated beef products in Thailand, marking the country’s first application for a cultivated meat product. The safety dossier was filed to the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) under the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for novel foods. While timelines can be uncertain, a novel food regulatory process can take around 18 months, which means the regulatory green light could arrive mid-2026. Upon receiving approval, Aleph Farms plans to sell its flagship product, the Petit Steak, under the Aleph Cuts brand with partner and investor Thai Union, a global leader in animal protein. Co-founder and CEO Didier Toubia shares, “Like many of its neighboring countries, Thailand currently imports the majority …

more

Organisations and brands:

W-Cycle

© W-Cycle

Packaging

W-Cycle and Melhoramentos Develop Freezer-to-Oven Compostable Packaging that Breaks Down in 100 Days

W-Cycle Ltd., an Israeli clean-tech company specializing in sustainable packaging, has entered into a strategic partnership with Brazil’s Melhoramentos to produce compostable food containers using high-performance cellulose fibers and agricultural waste materials. Under the terms of the agreement, valued at a minimum of USD 3.45 million over an initial three-year period, W-Cycle will provide Melhoramentos with its proprietary food-grade packaging formula and consulting services. These resources will enable Melhoramentos to produce high-performance biodegradable packaging using renewable materials. The company will also integrate its own cellulose fibers, sourced from its extensive forestry operations covering more than 80 million square meters. The new packaging will be designed to offer key features like grease resistance, moisture-proofing, and the ability to withstand extreme temperatures. This makes it a viable …

more

Organisations and brands:

Steakholder Foods 3D bio-prints the world's first cultivated fish fillet

© Shlomi Arbiv
Cultivated Seafood

UMAMI Bioworks and Steakholder Foods Successfully Scale 3D-Printed Cultivated Fish, Poised to Expand the Seafood Market

Singapore’s UMAMI Bioworks and Israel’s Steakholder Foods have completed a two-year R&D collaboration to develop a scalable process for 3D-printed cultivated fish production, funded by the Singapore-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD). According to the companies, the partnership has “laid the groundwork” for producing structured cultivated fish fillets at scalable volumes using 3D printing technology and customized bio-inks, marking a significant step toward bringing these products to the market. As part of the project, a grouper fillet, claimed to be the world’s first 3D bio-printed cultivated fish fillet, was unveiled in early 2023. Building on this innovation, the companies have developed a portfolio of prototypes to showcase the versatility of 3D printing and cultivated cells in making alternatives that match the characteristics of traditional seafood. Mihir …

more

Organisations and brands:

Imagindairy secures self-affirmed GRAS status for animal-free dairy proteins

© Tal Shahar
Fermentation

Imagindairy Receives Regulatory Approval From Israeli Ministry of Health for Animal-Free Milk Proteins

Imagindairy, a producer of animal-free milk proteins made using precision fermentation, has received regulatory approval from the Israeli Ministry of Health. The approval confirms that Imagindairy’s products are safe for consumer use and allows the company to market them within Israel. Imagindairy’s products are identical to cow’s milk proteins in taste and nutritional value, but are made without the use of animals. They can be used to produce a variety of animal-free dairy products, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream; these have a much lower environmental impact than conventional dairy products, and are also free of cholesterol, lactose, and hormones. The regulatory approval in Israel comes after Imagindairy’s animal-free whey protein achieved self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status in the US last year. …

more

Organisations and brands:

Plantbased Business Hour

The Demand for Plant-based, Juicy Steak with Amos Golan of Chunk Foods

Founder and CEO of Chunk Foods, Amos Golan, joins the CEO of VegTech Invest and host Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour to discuss the demand and success of thick, juicy, plant-based steaks and the global outlook for foodservice today. Specifically, they discussed: Chunk Foods seemed to pop on the scene out of nowhere. Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you started Chunk in Israel? What has the reception been like in the US? Why initially foodservice only, and how big of a push is clean label? While I am sure IP is proprietary, what can you tell us of your fermentation technique and your production techniques to get whole cuts of meat? We speak endlessly of the US …

more

Organisations and brands:

Forsea's cultivated eel

© Liran Maimon
Cultivated Seafood

Forsea Achieves “Record-Breaking” Cell Density in Cultivated Eel Prodution

Cultivated seafood startup Forsea Foods announces a significant tech breakthrough for producing cultivated eel at scale. The Israeli startup claims it has reached a “record-breaking” cell density of over 300 million cells/ml using minimal growth media, setting a new industry standard. “This is the highest cell density recorded in the field, moving Forsea to the forefront of cultured seafood production efficiency,” the startup said. Forsea’s cultivated seafood platform implements organoid technology to create a natural growth environment for animal cells, forming three-dimensional tissue structures (whole cuts) without scaffolding. The technology also simplifies production, enhances scalability, and reduces the need for expensive growth factors. Moria Shimoni, CTO of Forsea, comments, “The breakthrough to this level of cell density highlights the strength of our organoid technology. It’s …

more

Organisations and brands:

Brevel's is ready to operate its FOAK facility to showcase its fermentatio tech for producing microalgae proteins.

Image courtesy of Brevel
Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

Brevel Launches FOAK Facility to Demonstrate Microalgae Protein Fermentation at Commercial Scale

Israel’s Brevel, a biomass fermentation startup producing microalgae proteins, announces that it has completed the construction of its demonstration facility and secured two commercial agreements with leading F&B companies. The startup inaugurated a new site in Southern Israel this June, featuring headquarters, R&D space, and proprietary industrial-scale fermenters. The facility has been designed to implement a First-Of-A-Kind (FOAK) strategy to showcase the fermentation process at a commercial scale for the first time. With the FOAK strategy, Brevel aims to demonstrate that its fermentation technology is viable for real-world applications, reducing the perceived risk for investors, customers, and partners. “Once such validation is achieved, the focus shifts to operational and market challenges, significantly reducing overall risk,” Brevel comments. Collaborations to realize alt proteins Brevel says it has …

more

Organisations and brands:

SuperMeat's cultivated burgers, grilled

Image courtesy of SuperMeat
Cultivated Meat

SuperMeat’s 100% Cultivated Chicken Hits Price Parity with Premium Options at $11.79/lb

SuperMeat today announces it is able to produce 100% cultivated chicken (85% muscle and 15% fat) at $11.79 per pound when produced at a large scale, matching the cost, taste, and texture of premium US pasture-raised chicken. Additionally, the company claims it can produce three pounds of cultivated meat — equal to the amount of edible meat from one chicken — in around two days. In contrast, it takes 42 days to raise, slaughter, and process a chicken. The company says that advancements in its proprietary production process have led to these breakthroughs, demonstrating that the scalability and viability of cultivated meat are possible. “Current sentiment around cultivated meat includes skepticism regarding its scalability and market readiness, with concerns that cultivated meat may be more …

more

Organisations and brands:

PoLoPo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CSM Ingredients to develop egg protein powder for baking applications.

© PoLoPo
Company News

PoLoPo and CSM Ingredients Partner to Develop Price-Stable Egg Protein Powder for the Baking Industry

PoLoPo, a molecular farming startup that grows proteins in potatoes, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the global ingredient-tech company CSM Ingredients to develop egg protein powder for baking applications. Commercial baking uses ovalbumin, the main protein in egg whites, extensively in many products, from croissants to donuts. However, constant avian flu outbreaks are disrupting egg production and the supply chain, leading to rising egg prices and instability. The collaboration aims to provide an affordable, price-stable, and more sustainable alternative to traditional egg protein. Christian Sobolta, CSM Ingredients Group Managing Director, shared, “The global market for ovalbumin powder is projected to reach $36 billion by 2032, and PoLoPo presents an opportunity to change the dynamics of this category in a way that benefits both the planet …

more

Organisations and brands:

Aleph Farms hosted its first cultivated beef tasting in Thailand, marking a significant regional milestone.

© Aleph Farms
Cultivated Meat

Ahead of Thai Market Launch, Aleph Farms Gathers Chef Feedback on Cultivated Beef Steaks

Aleph Farms recently hosted a chef evaluation in Thailand for its cultivated beef steaks, Aleph Cuts, to gather insights from experts as it prepares to introduce a product in the country. After conducting workshops with chefs to meet local culinary preferences, the “world’s first cultivated beef steaks,” were presented to local food industry professionals in Bangkok. The initiative also received media attention from the Associated Press (AP), which covered the tasting in a video. Amir Ilan, resident chef at Aleph Farms, grilled two thin, seasoned cuts for a taster dish in front of the attendees. AP described the scene as filled with the aroma of cooked meat, while the cultivated beef generated positive reactions for its taste. Thomtanut Hatayodom, founder of Thai food chain Easy! Buddy, …

more

Organisations and brands:

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 …

more

Organisations and brands:

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 …

more

Organisations and brands:

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 …

more

Organisations and brands:

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 …

more

Organisations and brands:

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 …

more

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.

© PoLoPo
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 …

more

Organisations and brands:

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 …

more

load more