Ferments de Futur infographic

© Ferments de Futur

Fermentation

Ferments du Futur Opens New Innovation Centre for Future Food in France

Ferments du Futur is a unique European public-private partnership to accelerate research and development in the field of healthy and sustainable food of the future through fermentation technologies. Two years after its official launch in December 2022, Ferments du Futur has opened an innovation centre in the heart of the Paris-Saclay science and innovation cluster. The state-of-the-art centre is open to all and will help accelerate research and innovation in one of the most promising areas for the future of food. The project was made possible through the work of dozens of action-orientated public and private partners. Focus groups, multi-year meetings and many informal discussions helped build strong momentum for action that identified key areas where innovation should be accelerated and scientific and technological breakthroughs …

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© Kokiriki

Products & Launches

Kokiriki Unveils New Plant-Based Product Line at SIAL Paris 2024

French vegan food producer Kokiriki has announced the launch of several new plant-based products, set to be showcased at the upcoming SIAL Food Expo in Paris. The event, taking place from October 19th to 23rd, 2024, will serve as a platform for Kokiriki to introduce its latest innovations in plant-based cuisine, aimed at addressing the growing demand for vegan alternatives in the global food industry. Based in Pontchâteau, France, Kokiriki is a family-owned company that focuses entirely on the production of 100 % plant-based food. The company’s new product lines include an expansion of its Ready-to-Eat offerings as well as a range of “Like a Fish” products, designed to mimic the taste and texture of seafood. This marks a strategic extension of Kokiriki’s portfolio, which …

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Raisio Food Solutions' plant-based ready-to-use sauce with noodles on a white plate

© Raisio

Food & Beverage

Raisio Unveils New Plant-Based Offerings at SIAL 2024

Raisio, a Finnish food company with over eight decades of experience in health-focused, responsibly produced food, is set to showcase its latest plant-based innovations at SIAL 2024. Specializing in gluten-free oats and plant proteins, Raisio has earned a reputation in the oat industry and plant-based food sector as a provider of plant-based food solutions. Raisio launches shelf-stable plant-based Sauces for HoReCa At SIAL, Raisio will highlight its new Beanit® ready-to-use plant-based sauces, developed specifically for the B2B and HoReCa sectors. These sauces, made from fava beans and peas, offer a convenient solution for professional kitchens, as they are shelf-stable and can be used or heated with minimal preparation. The new products combine rich plant-based protein with flavorful sauces, designed to meet the growing demand for …

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© Rival Foods

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Rival Foods to Showcase Its Newest Plant-Based Innovation at SIAL Paris

Rival Foods, a Dutch start-up known for its innovative shear cell technology, is set to introduce a new line of plant-based meat products at this year’s SIAL trade fair in Paris. Following the success of its plant-based ‘chicken’ range, which includes whole-cut filets, blocks, and pulled varieties, the company is expanding its offerings with a new range of ‘meat’ products. Made from just six natural ingredients, including soy and wheat protein, the new meat pieces offer a high-protein, low-fat, and low-salt alternative, designed to replicate the texture and versatility of traditional meat. Rival Foods aims to cater to both the foodservice industry and home cooking, providing an option that fits seamlessly into a wide range of dishes without compromising on taste or nutrition. “These meat …

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Brie cheese i a wooden board by Standing Ovation

© Standing Ovation

Investments & Finance

Standing Ovation Raises €3.75M for Fermented Casein, Eyes 2025 USA Launch with New CEO

French biotech Standing Ovation, which specializes in precision-fermented casein for animal-free dairy, announces it has raised €3.75 million in Series A+ funding. The funds will accelerate the company’s growth and the distribution and sales of its flagship protein ingredient — Advanced Casein — in the USA in 2025. This new capital adds to the €12 million secured in the original round, led by Astanor Ventures in 2022. Peakbridge, Seventure, Good Startup, Big Idea Ventures, and the industrial group Bel also participated. The Paris-based startup has also received €3 million in funding from the French government and Bpifrance to accelerate the production of its fermented caseins, bringing the total raised by the company to €23 million in just four years. Laetitia de Panafieu, the Astanor representative on …

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Planted steak launches in retail

© Planted Foods AG

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Planted Presents Plant-Based Whole Muscle Steak at SIAL Paris, Announces Listings in French Retail and Food Service

Swiss food tech company Planted has announced that it will be exhibiting at this year’s SIAL Paris. With ‘planted.steak’, Planted has developed a plant-based steak that is already available for consumers in many European restaurants. Following its successful launch in food service, it is now also available in retail outlets in Switzerland at Coop and in Germany at REWE. The steak will be presented to the international trade public at this year’s SIAL Paris in October. Planted’s vegan steak launches in France “We are very proud to showcase our latest innovation the planted.steak at SIAL this year, which has launched across food service as well as retail in Europe such as at Coop, Edeka and REWE. It will also be making its debut in French …

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Pulmuone to showcase products at SIAL Paris

© Pulmuone

Fairs & Events

Pulmuone to Showcase Plant-Based & K-Food Innovations at SIAL Paris 2024

Major Korean tofu manufacturer Pulmuone has announced it will be present at the food industry trade show SIAL Paris from October 19-23. Pulmuone will showcase a range of plant-based and K-food innovations at the event, which will take place at the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre. The company is known for offering various plant-based protein foods containing meat alternatives and tofu, along with traditional Korean street foods in the noodle and rice cake categories. 40-year history Pulmuone was founded in 1984, and entered the US market in 1991 with the establishment of a new subsidiary in the country. The company subsequently expanded into China, Japan, and Vietnam. In 2020, Pulmuone launched a new plant-based brand called Plantspired for the global market, featuring a range of …

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Heura plant-based butcher shop

© Heura

Retail & E-Commerce

Heura Opens Itinerant Plant-Based Butcher Shop in France as Traditional Butchers Close

Paris has reportedly lost a third of its traditional butcher shops over the past two decades, and Spanish plant-based meat brand Heura is stepping up to fill the gap. The company has announced the launch of an itinerant plant-based butcher shop that will initially come to three E-Leclerc hypermarkets in France, followed by a series of other stores in the coming months. Customers will be able to try flagship Heura products such as burgers, mince, and nuggets, along with the brand’s additive-free plant-based ham. Chef Clément Werbrouck, who is the Head of Plant-Based Cuisine at Heura, will also be present to give cooking demonstrations showing how plant-based meat can be incorporated into French cuisine. Heura first launched in France in 2021, and the brand’s products …

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Umiami whole cut chicken fillet in salad bowl

©Umiami

Company News

Plant-Based Whole Cut Pioneer Umiami Achieves B Corp Certification

French plant-based whole-cut leader Umiami announces that it has achieved B Corp certification this week. Following a certification process initiated in 2021, the company says it is delighted to belong to the community founded by B Lab, having obtained a score of over 80 points in a scoring system focused on five major areas: corporate governance, employees, customers, communities, and the environment. Umiami acquired a former Unilever facility in the Alsace region at the end of 2022, with the site covering 14,000 m2 offering production capabilities of up to 22,000 tonnes of meat and seafood alternatives per year and creating around 70 jobs in the region. Last October, the company secured €32.5 million in a Series A round, bringing its overall capital raised to €100 …

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Garden Gourmet partners with the 2024 Olympic Games

Image: Margaux van Helleputte on LinkedIn

Society

Garden Gourmet Partners With the 2024 Olympic Games to Help Double Plant-Based Food Consumption

Nestlé-owned Garden Gourmet has announced it is an official supporter of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will be held in Paris. The company will help to achieve the goal set by the Olympics of doubling the amount of plant-based food on offer to halve carbon emissions. Garden Gourmet’s food will be available at several Olympic and Paralympic Games sites, and will be served to athletes, volunteers, staff, spectators, and the media. Garden Gourmet products include plant-based burgers, sausages, filet pieces, and more. The company launched limited-edition vegan foie gras last year, and recently introduced alternatives to fish fillets, fingers, and nuggets. “Modern taste of France” It is hoped that the collaboration between Garden Gourmet and the Olympics will encourage the transition towards more …

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Vegan goat cheese by Les Nouveaux Affineurs

© Les Nouveaux Affineurs

Cheese Alternatives

Les Nouveaux Affineurs Presents La Bûche, a Gourmet Goat’s Cheese Likely to Ruffle Feathers in France

Paris-based Les Nouveaux Affineurs this week presents its new creation, La Bûche (“the log”), a veganized goat’s cheese created with fermented cashews. Founded in 2017 by Nour Akbaraly, and receiving a €2M cash injection in 2020, Les Nouveaux Affineurs says that it “imagines, creates, and produces natural, vegan & vegetable alternatives to cheese”. Its popular products are indistinguishable from their traditional counterparts, and during a blind-testing amongst the public, Parisians were shocked and amazed to learn that this cheese did not come from cows.  La Bûche is described by the French startup as a “ripened and fermented product handled with care for multiple weeks. Its delicate white crust and its soft center reveal notes that will remind you of goat cheese.” The product is crafted …

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Frayme Mylo bag in white

© Stella McCartney

Non-Food

Stella McCartney Presents New White Edition of Frayme Mylo Bag at Paris Fashion Week

Stella McCartney has launched a new limited edition version of her Frayme Mylo bag, in white instead of black. The bag is made from Mylo (Bolt Threads’ mycelium-based leather alternative), and is based on the design of McCartney’s classic Falabella bag. It has just been exhibited at the designer’s AW23 runway show at Paris Fashion Week, marking the first time Mylo has been available in a colour other than black. The event was held at Paris’ oldest equestrian stables, with models walking the runway alongside rescued ponies. “It’s an honor to continue our long and storied relationship with the Stella team to establish Mylo, and material innovation, as the future of fashion,” said Bolt Threads on LinkedIn. “Embodiment of a vision” The original black Frayme …

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Les Nouveaux Affineurs

©Les Nouveaux Affineurs

Fairs & Events

Plant-Based Alternatives Invited to the French Salon de l’Agriculture For a Second Year

Last year, three key players in the vegan scene were present at France’s International Agricultural Show Salon de l’Agriculture. This year, the show takes place from February 25 to March 5 and three vegan startups are again present to show consumers that it is possible to consume food differently, in a sustainable and cruelty-free manner. The three startups present this year are Heura from Barcelona; Les Nouveaux Affineurs from Paris; and Onami Foods of Brittany. Huge success for plant-based alternatives Impressively, Heura states that it “sold more products at the biggest meat event in France than at any other event (even vegan) in the past! In fact, we were out of stock at 3pm when we had planned a much larger stock than last year. …

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Jay&Joy in London

© Jay&Joy

Cheese Alternatives

France’s “First Plant-Based Creamery” Jay&Joy Now Available in the UK

Paris-based Jay&Joy, which describes itself as the first plant-based creamery in France, creates a range of organic, artisan vegan cheeses from almond milk, cashew nuts, and coconut, and recently celebrated its expansion into the UK market. The product portfolio includes vegan goat’s cheese, camembert, blue cheese, maroilles, feta, parmesan, and grated cheese. Two products — Jean Jacques, a vegan Maroilles cheese, and Jeanne, a vegan “bluish” cheese — are now available through Planet Organic, the leading organic grocery chain, while further products have rolled out into independent stores. Founded in 2015, The Jay&Joy company began with its Jay&Joy laboratory, introducing to the market five products: Jay Nature, Jeta Frais, Jack Pimenté (Spicy Jack), Joy Volcan and Joy Prairie. A year later, the founders opened “France’s …

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DSM range of solutions applied to different foods

© DSM

Fairs & Events

DSM to Showcase Innovations That “Make Raw Materials Work Harder” at Fi Europe

DSM, a leader in health and nutrition solutions, will introduce its latest consumer-inspired F&B innovations at this year’s Food ingredients Europe 2022 (FiE). At the event, DSM will showcase its next-generation sustainable innovations for meat and fish alternatives and plant-based dairy, among other categories. DSM has identified various plant-based consumer trends and offers ingredient solutions for manufacturers competing in the F&B market.  Alternatives should taste like real meat According to DSM, the plant-based challenge is mimicking animal products’ taste. Most consumers (82%) expect analogs to taste like real meat or dairy. AT FiE, DSM will showcase innovations that help manufacturers bridge the taste, nutritional, texture, and appearance gap with animal products.  Among the solutions, DSM will present products designed explicitly for plant-based cheese, vegan flavors …

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Les Nouveaux Affineurs Albert cheese

© Les Nouveaux Affineurs

Cheese Alternatives

Les Nouveaux Affineurs’ Award-Winning Artisan Cheese Launches in Migros

Just a year after its participation in the Plant-Based Expo in London kicked off its international development, French artisan cheesemaker Les Nouveaux Affineurs has announced its launch into Swiss retailer Migros. Albert, the startup’s best-seller, has received numerous awards including Gold Medal at the 2021 Plant Food Trophies, Best Cheese Alternative 2021 by LuxLife, and Flavor of the Year 2022. The plant-based French cheese is now available in 400 locations of Switzerland’s largest supermarket, Migros, a retailer increasingly focusing on vegan products. Last summer, Les Nouveaux Affineurs took its faux-mages to the streets of Paris for blind testing, in an experiment where Parisians were astonished to learn that the cheeses were in fact 100% plant-based. Plant-based direction at Migros Migros, Switzerland’s largest retailer and employer, …

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Land&Monkeys owners

© Land&Monkeys

Retail & E-Commerce

Plant-Based Bakery Land&Monkeys Opens Sixth Paris Location

Land&Monkeys plant-based bakeries have been expanding rapidly in Paris since early 2020. There were already five of them in Paris, and now a sixth one is opening in the La Défense business district, in Nanterre. “This project is the story of a call for tenders… well, before that, it’s the story of the meeting between Land&Monkeys and EXALT, a subsidiary of the COMPASS group, a major player in collective catering in France and worldwide. EXALT has a soft spot for our gourmet and committed concept and we love the way they inspire thousands of people every day in their workplaces with an imaginative and surprising catering offer,” explains the 100% vegan bakery. The founders decided to present the Land&Monkeys concept in a call for tenders …

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La Vida Vegan hazelnut spread

© Brinkers Food

Company News

Brinkers Presents New Chocolate Spreads at SIAL Paris 2022

Family-owned company Brinkers Food will be attending SIAL Paris 2022 to exhibit its new developments and trends in the chocolate spread category and will compete for the SIAL Innovation Award with a selection of its new products. Brinkers is a certified organic producer of high-quality chocolate spreads. The company is based in the Netherlands and started its spread journey more than 130 years ago with a margarine substitute. SIAL (Salon International de l’alimentation) is an international food innovation exhibition taking place in Paris for five days from the 15th to the 19th of October. With 7,200 exhibitors and 200 countries represented, visitors can discover the latest trends and innovations in the food industry. The event also holds the SIAL Innovation competition, which rewards the best …

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Paris skyline

Copyright anthony-delanoix_unsplash

Fairs & Events

Ingredients Show Fi Europe & Hi Europe Returns to France in December

Ingredients show Fi & Hi Europe is set to attract over 20,000 attendees from more than 135 countries around the world when it returns to France from 6-8 December at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Key exhibitors attending include ADM, Beneo, Brenntag, Cargill, DSM, and Ingredion.  Over 1,200 exhibitors will attend both in person and virtually, covering a wide variety of live and on-demand content, as well as data-driven matchmaking options. Each exhibitor will have an online profile allowing them to network with others ahead of the event and gather leads using the event’s lead scanning system. The online event begins 28th Nov covering industry topics such as plant-based, health & wellbeing and reformulation, as well as category updates on key trending segments like …

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Burgal

© Ducasse Paris

People

Michelin Chef Alain Ducasse Opens “Burgal” Vegan Burger Kiosk in Paris

Alain Ducasse, the French chef with 21 Michelin stars and the head of more than 40 restaurants in France and overseas, recently opened a vegan burger kiosk called Burgal in the Bastille district of Paris. Alain Ducasse is one of the forerunners in terms of vegetarian and vegan cuisine, having first set a vegetarian menu back in 1996 in his restaurant Le Louis XV located in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. In September of last year, he also opened his Sapid restaurant, whose dishes are 95% vegan. The kiosk will be open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm, with a focus on vegetable patties made of zucchini, parsnips, carrots, lentils, onion and quinoa. As for the side dishes and desserts, the chef has also …

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