Belgium

Revo Food's vegan salmon fillet with animal-free heme

Image courtesy of Revo Foods
Company News

Revo Foods & Paleo Unveil €2.2M EU-Backed Project for Salmon Alternatives with Animal-Free Heme

Two alternative protein startups, Austria’s Revo Foods, a manufacturer of 3D-printed vegan seafood, and Belgium’s Paleo, a precision fermentation startup developing animal-free heme, have joined forces to advance sustainable and realistic seafood alternatives. In a project initiated earlier this year and funded by the European Union’s Eurostars program with €2.2 million, the companies are working to develop a “unique” animal-free salmon heme for Revo Foods’ 3D salmon fillet. Speaking to Cultivated X, Hermes Sanctorum, CEO of Paleo, explained that the project is specifically focused on tailoring the company’s heme technology to enhance Revo’s plant-based seafood. “We’re currently in the testing phase, refining our approach to meet quality and sensory expectations,” he said. Alternatives that deliver “real” taste Paleo’s heme lineup for the plant-based sector includes …

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Davai Dumplings

© Davai Dumplings
Company News

Davai: Flavourful Plant-Based Dumplings That “Use Vegetables in the Best Possible Way”

Founded in Belgium in 2016, Davai Dumplings produces flavourful plant-based dumplings packed with vegetables. The company aims to offer vegan options that emphasise nutritious whole foods rather than meat alternatives. Lately, Davai has begun working to save vegetables that would otherwise go to waste, with help from the Dutch organisation No Waste Army. The brand recently obtained two pallets of broccoli that had been rejected by supermarkets for being too small, processing 500kg of it into 70,000 dumplings. The products sold out within days, with many going to existing partners such as recipe box brand Foodbag. Davai’s dumplings are inspired by pelmeni, a traditional Eastern European snack. However, they also contain flavours originating from other regions, such as Asia and Italy. Two varieties are currently …

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Vegan Cowboys casein launches on US market

© Those Vegan Cowboys
Fermentation

Those Vegan Cowboys to Enter US Market with Microbial Casein That Outperforms Dairy

Belgian biotech company Those Vegan Cowboys announces it has developed a product using a new type of microbial casein. The startup will reveal the kind of cheese and its market entry at tomorrow’s Future Food-Tech summit in London. Casein proteins are essential for making great-tasting cheese that stretches and melts well. According to the startup, the new casein, under certain conditions, outperforms cow’s casein, especially in cheese production. It can offer better properties such as improved stretch, for example, in mozzarella, and a lower melting point, allowing cheese producers to use less casein, which reduces costs. CTO Will van den Tweel says, “Along the way, we realized that, functionally, the existing cow’s casein may not be the best source of casein for cheese.  The casein …

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Natural colors

© Lantana Bio
Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

Biotope Unveils Fifth Cohort Focused on Solutions for Leather, Food Waste, and Natural Colors

Biotope, a Belgian biotech incubator and early-stage investor, has revealed the three startups selected to be part of its fifth and latest cohort: Corium Biotech, I-Challenge, and Lantana Bio. Launched by the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Biotope aims to bring agrifood startups to seed-stage readiness within 18 months, de-risking biotechnology investments to drive innovation in the biotech space. Annick Verween, Head of Biotope, shared: “Biotope focuses on potentially impactful solutions which can benefit from a dedicated biotech ecosystem to support them. Our new, fifth cohort is a perfect reflection of this mission – all of the startups represented are passionate entrepreneurs with groundbreaking biotech solutions that have the power to create lasting change for people and the planet.” Leather, food shelf life, and natural …

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mycorena whole cut

© Mycorena
Company News

Mycorena Acquired by Biomass Fermentation Firm Naplasol, Member of Animal Protein VEOS Group

After facing significant financial challenges, mycoprotein pioneer Mycorena filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, seeking new ownership to build upon its innovations and market presence. Today, Naplasol, a VEOS group member, announces the acquisition of the Swedish company. Naplasol specializes in biomass fermentation to produce mycoproteins and offers various ingredients for food applications. VEOS Group, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Belgium, is a global leader in the animal protein market with production facilities worldwide. It serves the food, pet, and feed industries and is supported by a global sales network. According to the announcement, Naplasol plans to produce Mycorena’s flagship product, Promyc, at its industrial facility in Bree, Belgium, to enhance its portfolio and offer new sustainable proteins. Wim Slee, co-CEO of VEOS Group, …

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MAASH announces it has acquired a site in France to launch the first mycoprotein factory in the country.

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Company News

MAASH to Launch First Mycoprotein Factory in France Following Metex NOOVISTA Acquisition

Belgian biotechnology startup MAASH announces it has acquired the French biotech Metex NOOVISTA to launch what it claims will be France’s first mycoprotein factory and its first European production plant. Metex NOOVISTA, a METEX Group subsidiary, specializes in fermented functional ingredients. Its factory is in Carling, on the Chemesis industrial platform in Saint-Avold, at the heart of the Grand Est region and the Moselle Department. Under the expertise of CEO Frédéric Van Gansberghe and the management of Gaspard Gilbert, MAASH aims to modify the site rapidly and establish itself as a European leader in mycoproteins. The company says it has preserved ten workers from Metex and announces ambitious production plans for the mycoprotein factory: an initial capacity of 10,000 tons annually, with two more production lines of …

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Albert Heijn

© Albert Heijn
Market & Trends

Albert Heijn Named Most Vegan-Friendly Supermarket in Belgium

Albert Heijn has been recognized as the supermarket chain with the most extensive vegan offerings in Flanders and Brussels, according to a recent study conducted by BE Vegan and ProVeg Belgium. The analysis evaluated the availability of plant-based products in six major supermarket chains: Albert Heijn, Delhaize, Carrefour, Colruyt, Lidl, and Aldi.  Albert Heijn leads the rankings, with Delhaize in second place and Colruyt in third. Notably, Colruyt has moved up to third place, overtaking Carrefour for the first time. “It is mainly the expansion of plant-based ready meals that places Colruyt in third position. There are more options for easy plant-based meals. Colruyt is also catching up in the area of ​​meat and fish substitutes: the offer has increased by 30% since 2022, and …

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Dutch retailerJumbo replaces gelatin with plant-based alternatives

© Jumbo
Retail & E-Commerce

Dutch Retailer Jumbo Swaps Gelatin in Pastries for Plant-Based Alternatives

Dutch retailer Jumbo has removed gelatin from all its fresh pastries, replacing the animal-derived ingredient with plant-based alternatives. The chain claims to be the first in the Netherlands to make the change. Modifying the recipes took 18 months, with solutions varying depending on the product. For example, the tompouce — a popular cream-filled iced pastry — now contains alginate and gellan gum instead of gelatin. While many of the pastries still contain dairy or eggs, the recipe changes will reportedly reduce the amount of gelatin used by Jumbo by 13,000 kilograms per year, as well as making the products suitable for vegetarians. The reformulated pastries have received very positive feedback on taste and quality after being tested by consumers, and are now available at all …

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© Bolder Foods
Cheese Alternatives

Bolder Foods Showcases “Impressive” Mycoprotein Cheese Prototypes at Givaudan Event

Bolder Foods, a Belgian company using biomass fermentation to produce plant-based cheese alternatives, has showcased its new cheese prototypes to investors and entrepreneurs at an event hosted by Givaudan. The cheeses are made with Bolder Foods’ new MycoVeg technology, which blends fungal biomass with fermented vegetables. Tasters praised the creaminess of the products, describing them as “impressive” and “a very promising use of mycoprotein“. According to the company, the fungi used for MycoVeg is more hydrophilic than other mycoproteins, meaning it is highly water-binding and provides a very creamy texture. The news comes after Bolder Foods was named a semi-finalist in the 2024 FoodTech World Cup, which is sponsored by Givaudan. Bolder Foods co-founder and CEO Ilana Taub was also recently named an F&A Next …

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Lidl Belgium drops prices of plant-based protein products

© Lidl Belgium
Retail & E-Commerce

Lidl Belgium Drops Prices of Plant-Based Protein Products as Price Parity Trend Continues

Lidl Belgium has announced it is permanently cutting the prices of its plant-based protein products from May 15, after a recent study conducted by iVox on behalf of the retailer found that 42% of Belgians would purchase more vegetarian and vegan foods if they were cheaper. The change will create price parity between all Lidl plant-based protein products and their animal equivalents, making plant-based foods more accessible to consumers. This is part of a wider strategy by Lidl Belgium to encourage a shift towards sustainable proteins. Additionally, the retailer aims to double sales of plant-based protein products by 2030, and will expand its range to make 20% of protein sources plant-based by 2030. This will involve launching a variety of legumes, seeds, and alternative protein …

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Crème de la Crème ice cream

© Crème de la Crème
Investments & Acquisitions

Greenyard Acquires Belgian Plant-Based Ice Cream Producer Crème de la Crème

Global fresh produce supplier Greenyard has announced the acquisition of Crème de la Crème, a Belgian food tech company producing plant-based ice cream and frozen desserts. Crème de la Crème has 25 years of experience in the sector and has developed hundreds of plant-based ice creams, including for major companies such as Alpro and Carrefour. The products are sold as far afield as the Middle East and East Asia. Last year, Greenyard acquired Italian plant-based ice cream producer Gigi, which has developed a unique method of replacing cream with plant fibres. Through the acquisitions, Greenyard says it aims to offer a range of plant-based products “for any moment of the day”. “We are happy to integrate the Crème de la Crème team into the Greenyard …

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Raffael Wohlgensinger and Hille van der Kaa – Image courtesy of Those Vegan Cowboys
Cheese Alternatives

Formo and Those Vegan Cowboys Reveal “First-of-its-Kind” Collab to Expedite Production of Cow-Free Cheese

Two precision fermentation companies — Germany’s Formo and Those Vegan Cowboys from Belgium — today announce a strategic R&D alliance to accelerate the production of animal-free casein and finally retire cows from cheese production. This “first-of-its-kind” collaboration will bring together over 60 world-leading scientists to create a “powerful and experienced” research team that will improve technological efficiency, including efforts in strain engineering, bioprocessing, and large-scale production of caseins. The companies believe that by joining forces, they can more quickly achieve price parity with milk proteins, thus making cow-free cheese more competitive and accessible to consumers. The companies explain that they plan to combine their manufacturing outputs to achieve economies of scale; nevertheless, each firm will maintain its distinct identity and market its lines of cow-free …

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Plant-based cheese startup Dreamfarm expands to Belgium

© Dreamfarm
Cheese Alternatives

Almond-Based Cheese Startup Dreamfarm Expands to Belgium Following “Incredibly Successful” Italian Launch

Italian plant-based cheese startup Dreamfarm has announced it is expanding to Belgium, rolling out at Delhaize stores from March 14. The expansion follows the company’s “incredibly successful” launch in the Italian market. Dreamfarm offers almond-based products that provide healthy alternatives to cheese. While many plant-based cheeses are made predominantly with coconut oil, which is high in saturated fat, Dreamfarm’s products have minimal saturated fat and a Nutriscore of A. The company’s flagship product is a liquid-state mozzarella alternative, which is made using a proprietary processing technique and is the first plant-based mozzarella to ever achieve certified liquid status from the Italian government. Dreamfarm has also developed a plant-based cheese spread. “After two years of testing, we are very pleased with the first products we are …

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Beyond Steak launches in Belgium

© Beyond Meat
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Beyond Steak Arrives in Belgium, Launching at 250 Delhaize Stores

Beyond Meat has announced that its award-winning Beyond Steak has launched in Belgium for the first time. In a LinkedIn post, the brand revealed that the product is now available at Delhaize, one of the country’s leading supermarket chains. Over 250 Delhaize stores are stocking the plant-based steak. Delhaize has been offering Beyond Meat products since 2019, when it first listed the Beyond Burger. The brand’s Smash Burger, Chicken Burger, and Tenders are also available at the retailer. The launch comes six months after Beyond Steak arrived in the UK, where it received a gold award in the esteemed Casual Dining Innovation Challenge 2023. The judges described the product as a “sustainable gamechanger”, praising its high protein content and low saturated fat levels. “Resonating with …

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Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter at the inauguration – Image courtesy of Paleo
Fermentation

Paleo Opens New Facility in Belgium for Animal-Free Heme, Reveals Expansion Plans for 2024

On the back of its successful €12 million funding round last year, biotech company Paleo has opened a new pilot-scale facility in Leven, Belgium, at the Bio-Incubator Leuven.  The company, which specializes in developing proteins via precision fermentation, aims to use the new laboratory facilities to accelerate the production and commercialization of its flagship product, animal-free heme. Speaking to vegconomist, the company outlined its plans for 2024, including making significant progress in bringing its products to market and preparing for a Series B investment round. Last year, the company opened an office in Singapore to serve future activities in the Asia-Pacific region, where market approval for novel foods takes less time than in Europe. Expansion of the leadership team As part of the 2024 strategy, Paleo …

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Supermarket shelves with alt milk courtesy ProVeg

Image courtesy ProVeg
Milk- and Dairy Alternatives

Plant-Based Brands Condemn “Discriminatory” Taxes on Milk Alternatives in Belgium

Plant-based brands are drawing attention to the disparities in taxes on milk alternatives in Belgium, which have been described as “discriminatory”. Like cow’s milk, rice and soy milks are exempt from taxes, but other types — such as almond, oat, and pea — are not legally considered to be alternative milk sources. This means they are taxed at a rate of 22 cents for sweetened drinks and 17 cents for unsweetened. Unexpected bill One company that has fallen victim to this disparity is Tiptoh, a Belgian pea milk producer. When the company first launched, the founders assumed their product fell within the milk alternative category. However, they then received a bill for €30,000 in excise duties, plus a €10,000 fine. “I had no idea we …

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Belgium ends war on plant-Based food labeling

© Lidl Belgium
Politics & Law

Belgium Ends War on Plant-Based Food Labelling: Vegan Burgers & Steaks Can Keep Their “Meaty” Names

Article update 15 Jan 2024: Fien Louwagie, Communications Manager, ProVeg Belgium, said: “Whilst the process for developing the guidelines has not officially changed, we believe it is unlikely to get any further before the next election. We hope that, post-election, the new Government will acknowledge the fact that consumers are not confused at all by plant-based foods carrying “meaty” names and will therefore abandon the development of guidelines altogether.” The Belgian government has concluded the so-called “veggie war,” allowing plant-based products to display meaty names such as ‘vegan burger’ or ‘vegan steak‘, as revealed by Nieuwsblad. The Minister of Economy, Pierre-Yves Dermagne, recently announced that Belgium would not establish guidelines on naming and labelling vegetarian and vegan products. The decision came amidst significant disagreement at the …

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Garden Gourmet Voie Gras Nestle

© Garden Gourmet
Products & Launches

Nestlé’s Plant-Based Foie Gras Alternative, Voie Gras, Returns With a New Recipe

Nestlé has announced the re-release of Voie Gras, its plant-based alternative to foie gras, under its Garden Gourmet brand. Available to consumers in Belgium, Spain, and The Netherlands, the product previously gained popularity during its seasonal launch last year in Spain and Switzerland. Produced at Nestlé’s R&D centre in Singen, Germany, the recipe has been revamped by product developers and contains miso paste, sea salt, and a soy base, aiming to achieve the authentic texture and flavour of traditional foie gras. Marjolijn Niggebrugge, European Business Head of Plant-Based Meal Solutions at Nestlé, comments, “Garden Gourmet stands for food where taste feels good. Voie Gras is our testament to offering great-tasting seasonal options that cater to the growing demand for plant-based alternatives, balancing taste with environmental …

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Those Vegan Cowboys announces a €15 million funding round to develop further and scale its precision fermentation platform for animal-free casein-

© Those Vegan Cowboys
Fundraising

Those Vegan Cowboys Open €15 Million Financing Round to Scale Casein for Animal-Free Cheese

Belgian biotech Those Vegan Cowboys has opened a financing round to raise €15 million to further advance and scale its precision fermentation platform (named Margaret) to develop casein for animal-free cheese. After selling The Vegetarian Butcher to Unilever, Jaap Korteweg and Niko Koffeman founded Those Vegan Cowboys in 2020 to make grass-fed dairy products using microbes instead of cows. With the funds, they assembled a talented team of scientists and established a “milk lab” in Ghent, Belgium. Last year, the company successfully developed a batch of caseins and crafted its first proof of concept, a cheese prototype made with dairy-identical caseins. Now, the company states that it is ready for its next phase of growth, which involves a significant scale-up of its operations.  “We gave ourselves 7 …

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Precision fermentation startup Paleo expands into the plant-based pet food market with an animal-free heme ingredient.

Image courtesy of Paleo
Fermentation

Bleeding Burgers for Vegan Dogs? Paleo Files World’s First Patent for Animal-Free Heme for Pet Food

Paleo, a precision fermentation startup from Belgium that produces alternative proteins for plant-based foods, is venturing into the plant-based pet food market with an animal-free heme ingredient. Today, the company announces that it has filed and published what it claims is the “world-first” patent application for using its animal-free heme in pet food formulations.  Paleo’s portfolio of heme includes the animal myoglobins found in beef, chicken, pork, lamb, tuna, and mammoth. However, Paleo tells vegconomist, that it is considering developing common preys for cats and dogs, including rat, mouse, and rabbit proteins. The biotech’s proteins are said to be highly pure, 100% GMO-free, and bioidentical to animal myoglobin. Initially, the product could be presented as a protein powder, but the company says it is considering the advantages …

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