Nuveg unveils a new product: instant rice noodle high protein soup

© Nuveg

Products & Launches

Nuveg is Pioneering Spanish In-House Production of Dehydrated Plant-Based Solutions

Nuveg, a Catalonian brand of dehydrated plant-based food products, has unveiled its latest development at the 2024 Alimentaria fair: a high-protein instant noodles soup that is said to provide the protein equivalent of two eggs. Nuveg’s rice noodle soup is made with organic dehydrated ingredients and the company’s high-protein broth, enriched with nutritional yeast for the savory umami flavor. Free from animal products, gluten, sugar, and artificial additives, the product targets vegans, athletes, and health-conscious consumers looking for a convenient option. With this new product, the company expands its existing lineup of 15 vegan-friendly products, including vegan powdered eggs, a Parmesan-flavored yeast, meat-free Bolognese sauce, and chicken curry, among others. All Nuveg products stand out for their fiber-rich and high protein content — up to …

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Zyrcular Foods plant-based chicken gyozas

© Zyrcular Foods

Fairs & Events

Zyrcular Foods Showcases Multicultural Plant-Based Solutions for Catering at Alimentaria Barcelona 

Zyrcular Foods, a Spanish firm specializing in the development, production, and distribution of alternative protein products, is showcasing its portfolio of 100% plant-based and mycoprotein (Quorn) alternatives for food service at Spain’s leading food, beverage, and gastronomy show Alimentaria, which will take place until March 21st. Zyrcular Foods’ product line includes a multicultural and diverse range of offerings, including alt meat and fish burgers from the company’s brand Amara, nuggets, chorizo, pulled meat, bacon, and meatballs, and its latest innovation, plant-based gyozas in curry chicken flavor. The company also offers alternatives to salmon and tuna made with pea protein under the plant-based seafood brand Current Foods. Zyrcular Foods states that its participation at Alimentaria demonstrates its commitment to providing a variety of high-quality plant-based options for …

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Poseidona raises funding for algal protein ingredients

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Investments & Acquisitions

Female-Led Startup Poseidona Raises €1.1M for Innovative Algal Protein Ingredients

Spanish food tech company Poseidona has raised €1.1 million in a pre-seed funding round, with the aim of further developing its innovative and sustainable algal protein ingredients. The round was led by climate tech and blue economy VC fund Faber. Other participants included Dozen Investments, Sprout & About, Proveg International, and WA4STEAM (Women For STEAM). Poseidona uses algal sidestreams and invasive seaweeds to create cost-effective proteins with significantly lower water use, land use, and carbon emissions than animal-based or conventional plant-based proteins. Currently, the company is focusing on side streams from the production of gellifiers, but it also plans to begin using Rugulopterix Okamurae, an invasive seaweed in the Mediterranean. This will contribute to the management of marine ecosystems, and could be expanded to use …

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Semana sin carne

© ProVeg Spain

Charity & Campaigns

More Than 32,000 People Join Spain’s Meat-Free Week Semana Sin Carne

On the occasion of World Meatless Day, which is on March 20, ProVeg has announced the seventh edition of Semana Sin Carne (Meat-free Week), a 7-day challenge to encourage the population to adopt a more plant-based diet and give the health of our planet a break. The seven-day challenge will begin next Monday, March 18 and all interested people will be able to live a different plant experience each day of the challenge. Every day you will be provided with a daily menu, exclusive vegan recipes, nutritional tables, comparisons or nutritional advice and support, among many other things. Eating plant-based saves money The organization states that “a more plant-based diet will make you save on the shopping cart,” which, in turn, is in line with …

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Heura closes Series B round, forming plant-based alliance

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Facts & Figures

Heura Announces €38.3M Turnover and 63% Growth in International Sales

Spanish plant-based food startup Heura has announced that its turnover reached €38.3 million in 2023, while international sales rose by a huge 63%. In France, growth was particularly significant at 88%. A partnership with supermarket chain Waitrose allowed Heura to increase its presence in the UK, and the brand saw double-digit growth in all the other European markets where it has a presence. The announcement comes after Heura raised €40 million in Series B funding, in what was claimed to be the largest plant-based funding round of 2023. Among the investors was Upfield, which will work with Heura on a food tech collaboration. All the investors in the round will also join a board that aims to accelerate the transition to a sustainable food system. …

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Libre Foods bacon

© Libre Foods

Politics & Law

The Government of Catalonia Invests €12M in Open Access Facility for Alternative Proteins 

The government of Catalonia will invest €12 million in a pre-industrial facility to extract, produce, and develop alternative protein ingredients and foods. The facility, located in Alcarràs, Lleida, will provide open access, from R&D to pre-industrial manufacturing, for companies to validate their developments before mass production. As reported by local news, the complex will feature different production lines, including plant protein extraction, wet extrusion, and final product processing. It will also offer a dedicated precision fermentation facility and an analysis laboratory to help companies bring innovations to market. According to local media Aral, the facility will “open access to any of the hundreds of Spanish producers currently interested in developing innovative lines of alternative foods to meat.” The project is part of the Biohub Cat, an …

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Grupo Agrovin has launched an alternative to animal-based fining agents for wine based on yeast proteins.

© Agrovin

Ingredients

Agrovin Unveils New Yeast Alternative to Animal-Based Wine Clarifiers

Agrovin, a Spanish biotech supplier of oenological products, winemaking equipment, and services, has launched an alternative to animal-based fining agents based on yeast proteins. Branded Clarifine Proyeast, the new development is a 100% vegan, organic, and allergen-free clarifier for wine. It can be used to produce organic wines according to European and NOP regulations. Agrovin extracts a yeast protein from the strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae to develop the product. With a molecular weight of more than 15 KDa, it is said to offer a higher absorption degree, favoring the cleanliness of the wines by collecting the impurities. Clarifine Proyeast is said to deliver cleaner whites and rosés with greater brilliance, refined reds that preserve their color, and a reduction of astringency, improving mouthfeel. Additionally, it protects …

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Marc Coloma, CEO and co-founder of Heura Foods at the Heura Lab

Marc Coloma, CEO and co-founder of Heura Foods at the Heura Lab, image supplied

Company News

Following €40M Investment, Upfield & Heura Reveal Plans to Fast-Track Innovation in Plant-Based Foods  

Last week, Spain’s Heura announced it had secured €40 million in what it claimed to be the largest plant-based financing round of 2023. The investors in the Series B round are to form a strategic coalition aiming to fast-track innovation in plant-based foods. Heura and Upfield today explain what this will entail. The work between Heura and Upfield aims to rapidly accelerate the protein transition towards a sustainable food system. Aside from the animal suffering and environmental damage caused by animal agriculture, one of the problems in our food system is its inefficiencies: plant-based crops feed more people while occupying less land. Today, plant-based food occupies only 23% of global agricultural land, yet provides 82% of our calories[1]. Data shows that cutting meat and dairy …

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The new butchery in Málaga

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Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Vegan Butchery Chain El Vegans Opens New Location in Málaga, Spain

After expanding with stores in Catalonian cities such as Hospitalet, San Cugat, Sabadell, and Granollers, El Vegans, a vegan butcher’s shop from Barcelona, has opened its first branch in Málaga. El Vegans was founded in 2018 to help people transition to animal-friendly diets by offering plant-based and delicious alternatives to meat and cheese. Located in Huelín, El Vegans is also the first butcher of its kind in the southern city, offering traditional deli and butcher’s shop items in more sustainable versions: from escalopes, burger patties, various cheeses, and vegan blood sausage, to prepared dishes such as seitan cannelloni, soy meat skewers, croquettes, and fillings for fajitas or kebabs, sweets, and beverages. The products of this innovative store are mainly made in-house with natural ingredients, such …

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Heura closes Series B round, forming plant-based alliance

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Investments & Acquisitions

Heura Raises €40M, Forming Strategic Plant-Based Alliance With Upfield & More

Spanish plant meat leader Heura has raised €40 million in Series B funding, in what it claims is the largest plant-based funding round of 2023. Heura states the funding will drive the company to profitability and reinforce its position as a frontrunner in the industry. The brand is already a leader in the Spanish market and continues to expand across markets such as the UK, France, and Italy. The round saw participation from leading plant-based company Upfield, venture capital firm Unovis Asset Management, food tech fund the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund, and impact investor Newtree Impact. According to Heura, these investors will form a strategic coalition, creating “one of the biggest plant-based alliances”. The companies will join a board that aims to increase Heura’s impact …

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KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub

© KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub

Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

The Flexitarian Project is Born, the Largest Collaborative Plant-Based Project Between Startups & Spanish Food Companies

The largest Spanish collaborative project between startups and large food companies has taken its first steps at the Open Innovation & Investment Day, the event that marks the closing of the initial phase of work of KM ZERO Venturing, the first Spanish open innovation program for startups in foodtech. Under the name of The Flexitarian Project, this pioneering initiative has been confirmed by its promoters, the companies Familia Martínez, CAPSA VIDA and Helados Estiu together with the startups Väcka, Wevo, Grin Grin Foods, Gimme Sabor, and Quevana, with the aim of bringing healthy, sustainable and accessible plant-based products to the market for the consumer, in addition to promoting the visibility of plant-based foods. The potential of collaborations to change the food industry Along with this …

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Egg Alternatives

Barcelona’s UOBO Launches Liquid Plant-Based Eggs for Food Service

Barcelona-based startup UOBO has launched liquid plant-based eggs for food service in a 1-litre bottled format for the Spanish market. The startup says that it has garnered impressive results since its launch on social media platforms, with its first post receiving over 250,000 views in less than 24 hours. In addition, UOBO claims to have already received over 40 requests from interested restaurants, caterers, and distributors. The company’s 100% vegetable whole-eggs are said to adapt seamlessly to traditional recipes while offering great taste. UOBO can be cooked into multiple dishes, including omelets, scrambled eggs, pastries, custard, and mayonnaise. Even though UOBO is described as a nutritious alternative to eggs, the company has not as yet revealed its ingredients on social media.  Making better eggs Founded …

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Isabel Jurado, Head of V-Label Spain

© V Label Spain

Interviews

V Label Spain: “Our Mission is For a Vegan to Fill His or Her Supermarket Basket in the Same Way as an Omnivore”

Isabel Jurado, Head of V-Label Spain, has been vegan for almost the last 30 years. As a spiritual person, Isabel always felt close to the subject of animal wellbeing and the protection of the environment, trying to live a life in line with her values. What is the Unión Vegetariana Española, and what does the organization stand for? UVE is the organisation advocating for the interest of the vegan and vegetarian movement in Spain. We act to raise awareness of the benefits of a plant-based diet for the people, the planet and the animals. In addition, as a leading organisation, we manage the awarding of the V-Label in Spain. What successes do you like to look back on? Our purpose has been the same since …

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Image courtesy of Cocuus

Printed Technology

Spain’s Cocuus Plans to Produce 1,000 Tonnes of 3D Printed Plant-Based Bacon in 2024

Cocuus, a Spanish food tech company producing 3D-printed plant-based foods at scale, has revealed an ambitious goal for 2024: to make 1,000 tonnes of 3D-printed plant-based bacon. With the global alternative proteins market expected to reach a minimum value of $290 billion by 2035, according to BCG and the Blue Horizon Corporation, the company aims to accelerate the production of 3D-printed plant-based bacon for distribution in retail and other channels. Early investors Cargill and Big Idea Ventures will support the food tech’s mass production of plant-based food.  Last year, Cocuus and partner company Foody’s opened what they claimed as the world’s first industrial-scale facility for 3D-printed plant-based meat in Northern Spain, equipped with Cocuus’ advanced printing technology: only one machine can produce 250 kilos of plant-based …

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Vegan Asian street food RIP Foods shuts down its operations.

© RIP Foods

Company News

RIP Foods Closes its Doors After Four Years, “It Was David Vs Goliath”

Barcelona-based RIP Foods, a B2B plant-based meat startup for foodservice, announces its closure after four years of operations.  Kevin Forssmann, the company’s founder, told vegconomist that “despite creating one of the best plant-based meats in the market,” financial difficulties and the inability to secure further funding played a significant role in the company’s closure. He said, “Unfortunately, our space requires funding, and most investors in our space are after IP’s.” RIP (Rich in Plants) started in 2021, offering plant-based chicken mince developed with a fat encapsulation process claimed to mimic the taste and mouthfeel of meat. Initially targeting the HORECA channel supplying chicken mince, the startup switched to ready-to-cook products due to chef demand. In 2022, focusing on Asian street food, RIP introduced Spain’s first plant-based meat …

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3d bioprinted bacon launches at Carrefour

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Investments & Finance

Spanish Food Tech Sector Raises €226M in 2023, Demonstrating Resilience Despite Global Economic Crisis

Spanish food tech accelerator Eatable Adventures has released the fourth edition of The State of Foodtech in Spain 2023, revealing the strength and resilience of the ecosystem at the national level.  Figures of the investment landscape during the year show that despite the global economic crisis and the sharp drop in investment worldwide, Spanish startups managed to secure €226 million in 2023. According to Eatable Adventures, this total represents a decrease of only 16% compared to the previous year — a moderate slowdown. For context, according to the data from last year’s Eatable Adventures study, the food tech investment in Spain reached €268 million in 2022, marking a growth of 9.3% compared to 2021. Among the leading national investors stands out Capsa Vida, which supported the food …

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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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Libre Group shot

© Libre Foods

Fermentation

Libre Foods Wins €335K Grant to Pioneer Low-Cost Mycelium for Meat Alternatives

Libre Foods, a Spanish biotech based in Barcelona, has been awarded a €335,000 public R&D grant by Neotec (a program that supports technology-based companies) to develop a low-cost mycelium ingredient for meat alternatives.  Mycelium holds the potential to enhance the texture and nutrition in meat alternatives; however, scaling its production to lower the final product’s costs remains an industry challenge, argues Libre Foods. With the funds, the Spanish biotech plans to launch an advanced screening platform, integrating rapid imaging robotics and machine learning to discover and optimize fungi-based applications and accelerate product development. The platform could increase efficiency in R&D by more than 800 times, explains the company. Low-cost mycelium The technology’s first task will be developing a low-cost mycelium ingredient with a superior nutritional and …

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Cultzime builds intelligent bioreactors

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Cultzyme Builds Intelligent Bioreactors to Unlock the Potential of Biomanufacturing

Cultzyme is a Spanish bioprocessing solutions company founded last year to help biotech companies accelerate the development of cell-based foods, novel therapies, and materials. The company builds multipurpose bioreactors with an intelligent system that is said to streamline bioprocessing using the latest digital technology. Branded as Bioreactor Intelligent Operative Nanotechnology (BION), the advanced system integrates the latest hardware, AI, and cloud computing to control the biomanufacturing process and achieve consistent outcomes more efficiently and at lower costs. BION delivers scalable methods, real-time monitoring, advanced sensors, and automated control to optimize production processes. Additionally, the system provides precise control and data analytics to improve efficiency. The digital system also features innovative applications for precise temperature and maceration control and measurement to understand the internal evolution of the product, avoiding …

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Juicy Marbels secures a long term deal for its filet mignon at Waitrose

Image credit: Juicy Marbles FB

Food Service

Juicy Marbles Steak Arrives at Barcelona Hot-Spot Aiming to Begin an “Inclusive Plant-Based Revolution”

Amarre 69, one of the most popular vegan restaurants in Barcelona, ​​stands as a pioneer in the future of premium vegan meat with the “Juicy 69 Experience” event spotlighting the plant-based Juicy Marbles steak. The objective of the event is to enhance the recognition of Amarre 69 among the local public in Barcelona and promote the plant-based movement in the city in a unique and fun way. Taking place this Sunday, December 10th; from 1pm, the general public will be invited to enjoy the “Juicy 69 Experience”, entailing a free tasting of Juicy Marbles tapas and a musical presentation by Daniella Barbarito, providing a vibrant and festive atmosphere. The initiative will bring together different personalities, media and the general public on the occasion of the …

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