Sweden

Mycorena partners with Atria Sweden to commercialise mycoprotein-based products

© Mycorena
Fungi, Mushrooms & Mycelium

Mycorena Partners With Leading Meat Company to Commercialise Mycoprotein-Based Products

Swedish mycoprotein producer Mycorena has announced it is partnering with leading animal meat supplier Atria Sweden to launch a range of mycoprotein-based products. The meat alternatives will be made with Mycorena’s mycoprotein ingredient, Promyc, which is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids. The protein is made using a proprietary fungal fermentation process. Atria Sweden — a leading producer of sausages, hamburgers, cold cuts, and other meat products for the retail and food service sectors — has entered into the collaboration with the aim of reducing its carbon footprint. As part of the partnership, Mycorena will scale up its production of Promyc, while Atria will use its product development capabilities to create a range of meat alternatives. “Mycoprotein is an exciting new Swedish …

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Foodiq Spoothie product in kitchen

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Investments & Finance

Nicoya AB Invests in Foodiq’s Innovative Alternative Dairy Tech

Foodiq a Nordic co-manufacturer that says it is committed to transforming the food industry, announces it has received investment from Swedish foodtech investment company Nicoya to support the company’s growth and expansion. According to its own statements, Nicoya has set itself the goal of achieving a positive impact on people, planet and health through the investment.  Foodiq is currently introducing its dairy-free Multi-Layer Cooking (MLC) technology, which aims to pave the way for ‘next generation’ plant-based foods. According to Foodiq — developer of Fabea+, an ingredient made from fermented fava beans — its MLC technology is intended to create the conditions for a transformative change towards a more sustainable and tastier food future. All-in-one processing Foodiq’s MLC technology provides the ability to perform multiple functions …

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Fotortec

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Company News

Chilean Biotech Fotortec Partners with Sustainable Firms to Introduce Food Waste Upcycling Technology in Sweden

Chilean biotech Fotortec announces a partnership with Swedish consultancy firms A Better Future AB and Xylo Sweden AB to introduce its innovative food waste upcycling technology and mushroom-based ingredients into the Swedish market.  Fotortec aims to redefine waste by repurposing food waste or by-products into new and valuable items. The company has developed a scalable technology for cultivating mushrooms using food waste. These mushrooms can be transformed into beneficial ingredients, including flavor enhancers, protein isolates, fertilizer, energy-boosting methane gas, animal feed, and raw materials suitable for packaging. The company franchises its technology to third parties and this collaboration marks Fotortec’s expansion into the Nordics. Better Future AB and Xylo Sweden AB will represent Fotortec in Sweden, promoting sustainable and circular solutions for the region, aligning with their sustainable future goals. “This …

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Oatly expands in Amazon marketplace to meet the growing demand for oat milk in Europe

© Oatly Germany GmbH
Company News

Oatly Expands with Amazon to Meet Rising Demand for Plant-Based Milk in Europe

Swedish oat milk manufacturer Oatly and marketplace Amazon are joining forces to make plant-based milk more accessible to European customers.  Oatly (Nasdaq: OTLY) today announced an expansion of its direct relationship with Amazon through a new pan-European arrangement: Oatly oat drinks will be on Amazon’s markets, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, and Belgium.  Under the arrangement, Oatly will list its most popular oat drinks on the platform, including Oatly Barista Edition, Oatly Light, Oatly Semi, Oatly Whole, Oatly “No” Sugars, and Mini Barista. Additionally, Amazon Prime members will receive the products at Prime speed, alongside subscribe and saving money options.  Bryan Carroll, General Manager of UK & Ireland, will lead a new pan-European business group to manage the Amazon relationship. Making plant-based milk accessible …

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dan-gold-unsplash-courtesy LiveGreen

Image courtesy LiveGreen
Health

Updated Nordic Nutrition Recommendations Advise Plant-Forward Diet With Minimal Meat

The much-anticipated sixth edition of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) has finally been published, taking into account sustainability as well as health. The report has made headlines by recommending a mostly plant-based diet, rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. It advises that meat consumption should be restricted to a maximum of 350 grams per week, while dairy consumption should be moderate and limited to low-fat products. Alcohol, processed foods, and products high in fat, sugar, and salt should all be kept to a minimum. Along with advising a shift in dietary patterns, the report has increased recommended intakes for nutrients such as vitamin C and folate, while adding recommendations for other nutrients such as vitamin K and choline for the first time. …

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Oumph! Smash Burger

© Oumph!
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Oumph! Launches Fava & Pea Smash Burger, the “First Ever” Vegan Smash Burger in Sweden

Award-winning Swedish plant meat brand Oumph! introduces a smash burger created with pea and fava beans, stating the launch makes Oumph! the first Swedish brand to launch a plant-based smash burger.   The product is initially targeted at foodservice, launching into 80+ locations of the Brödernas chain with more restaurants to follow, then it is set to roll out into supermarket retail. Positive consumer feedback at the Fast Food & Café show in Stockholm earlier this year, included comments such as, “This is the best plant-based burger I’ve ever tried” and “WHAT? Is this plant-based?”   Smash burgers represent an emerging trend in foodservice, entailing a larger patty designed for the cooking method of smashing the ‘meat’ into the grill with a spatula resulting in …

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Meat alternatives made from fermented Swedish peas

© Bärta
Investments & Acquisitions

Bärta Seeks SEK 3M for Alt Meats Made From Fermented Swedish Peas Following 26% YOY Growth

Sweden’s Bärta is aiming to raise up to SEK 3 million (around $277,000) in an ongoing funding round conducted via fundraising platform Pepins. Several investors — including Kale United, Aggregate Media, and Michel Bracké — have already participated. It comes after unit sales of the brand’s meat alternatives, which are made from organic fermented Swedish peas, increased by 26% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2023. Bärta describes its plant-based meats as “premium vegan products” with a high nutritional value, a rich flavour, and a very low environmental impact. Currently, five frozen and three chilled products are available, including fish-style fillets, marinated chunks, and burgers. Most of the products have a very simple ingredient list, featuring peas, fermentation cultures, rapeseed oil, and sea salt. The …

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Cultivated meatballs developed by Swedish startup Re:meat

Image courtesy of Re:meat
Cultivated Meat

EXCLUSIVE – Re:meat Emerges From Stealth to Build Scandinavia’s First Cultivated Beef Plant

Sweden’s pioneering cultivated meat startup Re:meat aims to redefine the production of meat by leveraging the sustainability potential of cellular agriculture instead of changing consumers’ meat-eating habits. Re:meat spoke exclusively to vegconomist about its plans and developments, in the only international media piece (outside of Sweden) since the company emerged from stealth mode. Founded in 2022 by Jacob Schaldemose Peterson, Marie Gibbons, and Gittan Schiöld; Re:meat says its team combines experience in cell biology, bioprocess engineering, business management, innovation, go-to-market, B2B sales, politics, and large-scale capital investment projects to build Scandinavia’s first large-scale production of cultivated meat, starting with beef.  World’s first cultivated Swedish meatballs? The company claims to have developed the first-ever cultivated version of Swedish meatballs made using its patent-pending technology. According to …

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MAX Burgers

© MAX Burgers
Fast Food

Sweden’s Oldest Burger Chain MAX Burgers Launches “Supreme Green” Meat-Free Menu

Swedish chain MAX Burgers has launched its new Supreme Green meatless menu, as the company works towards the goal of making half the burgers it sells red-meat-free. MAX Burgers’ original Green menu was introduced in 2016, and the chain has now debuted more meat-free options to “make going green the natural choice”. These include the vegan Real Green Burger, which is made from mung beans, and the lacto-ovo vegetarian Crispy Supreme burger, made from Swedish yellow peas. Fully plant-based items on the Supreme Green menu also include the Plant Beef Burger and the Crispy Green Nuggets. Some options are not suitable for vegans as they contain dairy cheese. Founded in 1968, MAX Burgers is Sweden’s oldest restaurant chain and now has 191 locations; most are …

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Veg of Lund, DUG's parent company receives patent approval for potato ice cream

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Company News

Veg of Lund Secures Swedish Patent Protection for “Unique” Potato Ice Cream

Swedish plant-based foods company Veg of Lund — DUG Drinks’ parent company — announces new patent approval for a “unique” ice cream that combines potatoes, rapeseed oil, and a vegetable protein emulsion.   This ice cream patent protection covers only the Swedish market. Still, the company says it has filed applications to secure international protection as well. Professor Eva Tornberg, founder and chairman of the board at Veg of Lund, commented: “We are pleased that a patent is approved in Sweden. The fact it is based on such an everyday crop as potatoes shows the uniqueness and strength of the patent.” Veg of Lund’s patent portfolio Eva Tornberg founded Veg of Lund in 2016, inspired by the potential of potatoes as a sustainable protein source for plant-based foods. These tubers’ …

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Lantmännen's new biorefinery

Image credit: Lantmännen LinkedIn
Manufacturing & Technology

Lantmännen Invests SEK800M in New Biorefinery to Meet Growing Demand for Wheat Protein

Swedish cooperative Lantmännen officially inaugurated yesterday a new biorefinery in Norrköping, Sweden, designed to extract wheat protein, known as gluten.  In an announcement, Lantmännen said that it invested SEK 800 million in the new facility and hired 30 new employees to increase its production significantly to meet demand, as more businesses discover new uses for the gluten as an ingredient. “The demand for Swedish wheat protein is high both nationally and internationally. It is very positive that we can offer more customers our high-quality wheat protein,” said Lars-Gunnar Edh, Head of Energy Sector, Lantmännen. Another milestone Lantmännen is an agricultural cooperative owned by over 19,000 Swedish farmers with operations in over 20 countries and an annual turnover of over €4.5 billion.  Swedish farmers provide raw wheat …

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Kale United acquires Lily & Hanna's

© Lily & Hanna's
Investments & Acquisitions

Kale United Acquires Over 95% of Swedish Vegan Ice Cream Brand Lily & Hanna’s

Plant-based holding company Kale United has announced its acquisition of Lily & Hanna’s, a vegan ice cream brand based in Sweden. Kale United said it had agreed to purchase just under 70% of the shares in Lily & Hanna’s from the founder, and had also offered to purchase all other shares in the company from the remaining shareholders. As a result, Kale United will acquire over 95% of the business. The holding company said the acquisition would increase its turnover by more than 50% at group level, and increase its net asset value by around 10%. Lily & Hanna’s products are available at all major retailers in Sweden and are also sold in several other European countries. The coconut-based ice creams come in flavours such …

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Oatly x MiLB

Image courtesy of Oatly
Company News

Oatly Brings the Plant-Based Revolution to Baseball Fans in the US & Canada 

After its recent partnership with SWISS to offer a vegan coffee drink onboard all flights, popular oat drink company, Oatly (Nasdaq: OTLY) announces a multi-year partnership with Minor League Baseball (MiLB) across the US and Canada.  As the first national, plant-based sponsor of a sports league in the US (so says Oatly), the collaboration involves on-site branding and media, product sampling, and giveaways across the league’s 120 stadiums.  Additionally, Oatly’s dairy-free frozen dessert bars in Vanilla and Chocolate Fudge flavors will be available at 50-plus select MiLB stadium concessions, bringing “the plant-based revolution to baseball fans nationwide.”  Amplifying the sustainability message “Our mission at Oatly is to make it easier for people to eat better and live healthier lives without heavily taxing the planet’s resources. This sponsorship allows us …

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 Hooked Foods raises 10MSEK & opens crowdfunding

© Hooked Foods
Investments & Finance

Hooked Foods Raises SEK10M From Top-Tier Investors & Opens Crowdfunding Campaign

After securing another ten million Swedish kronor (around $967,000) for its sustainable plant-based seafood, Swedish company Hooked Foods has announced its first limited crowdfunding round on Crowdcube. “We closed our raise with top tier investors, will continue to grow and YOU now have the unique opportunity to join our wave and invest in this round as well. Take your chance below, get your spot in our limited crowdfunding and join our movement!” said Tom Johansson, co-founder and CEO at Hooked Foods, on social media. A healthier seafood ecosystem Hooked was born in 2019 after Tom Johansson and Emil Wasteson were challenged to create a sustainable plant-based alternative to seafood to lead the transition to a healthier ecosystem. The company says that to date, it has …

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Havredals partners with Shady Burgers to create a menu of vegan burgers.

© Image courtesy of Havredals
Fast Food

Havredals & Shady Burgers Partner to Offer “Next Level” Vegan Burgers

Swedish plant-based food company Havredals and popular Swedish burger chain Shady Burgers have joined forces to create Shady Vegan — a new menu that takes plant-based burgers “to the next level”. The companies have developed five vegan burgers to add to Shady Burgers’ menu, claiming they are capable of convincing even the most avid meat-eater because they taste “just as good as meat.”  “For us, quality is everything. We searched the whole country for an amazing vegan burger – eventually, we found Havredals that meet our demands for quality, taste, and vision,” explains Shady Burgers.  “Incredibly good” Based in Uppsala, Havredals develops plant-based foods ranging from oat drinks and creams to burgers and minced meat. Its first product, Havredryck Original, launched in early 2020. Havredals products …

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Mycorena's clean-label fungi-based fat is commercially available

© Mycorena
Fermentation

Mycorena to Launch Clean-Label Fungi-Based Fat Verified by Juicy Marbles

Swedish food tech company Mycorena has announced that it is ready to launch its clean-label fungi-based fat commercially after successfully developing a full-scale process. The new fat ingredient will be released under the brand name Mycolein, joining Mycorena’s mycoprotein brand, Promyc. In 2021, Mycorena announced the “world’s first” fungi-based fat solution, saying it could mimic animal fat’s behaviour and sensory qualities to enhance plant-based food products’ taste and structural properties. The first fungi-stabilised fat “Recognising the challenges faced by our partner food companies in sourcing a stable fat ingredient, in 2021, we launched the first fungi-stabilised fat as a prototype product. And now, after nearly 1.5 years of development, we have successfully created a full-scale process for producing the product and are fully prepared to launch it commercially,” said …

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Simris upgrades its algae farm to produce more ingredients

© Simris
Algae, Microalgae & Seaweed

Simris Upgrades its Algae Farm to Double Down on Mission to Replace Fish

Simris Group AB (previously Simris Alg AB) recently announced that after a deep cleaning and various upgrades of its algae farm operations in Hammenhög, Sweden, in January, its algae growth rates are more than three times the previous record rates.  Simris Group is a pioneering Swedish agribusiness growing microalgae founded in 2011 by Fredrika Gullfot. Besides growing algae, the company identifies high-value, natural, biologically active compounds (such as EPA and DHA Omega-3) in microalgae and cyanobacteria to extract for skincare, nutrition, and biopharmaceutical applications.  In 2020, Simris announced a capital raise to launch its products in the US market, claiming it has developed an industrial process to produce omega-3, as an alternative to fish oil and krill. Natural products Simris sustainably grows microalgae and cyanobacteria in optimised …

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Mycorena brewing protein

© Mycorena
Company News

Mycorena Develops System for Brewing Protein in Space Using Algae and Fungi

Swedish food tech company Mycorena announces that its innovative circular system for brewing protein in space using algae and fungi has been selected as a finalist of the Deep Space Food Challenge (DSFC). According to the company, out of 300 teams from 32 countries, only 11 remain in the competition.  The DSFC is a competition coordinated by NASA and the Canadian Space Agency to develop technologies that enable resource-efficient food production for long-term space missions. Additionally, it aims to accelerate innovation to create sustainable food production systems that produce nutritious, safe, and delicious food. Algae-fungi circular solution Mycorena developed a technology for the competition that uses fungi and algae in a closed-circuit system called AFCiS to optimize resource efficiency. It involves bioreactors and food production modules, …

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Meat-free popup

© Burger King
Fast Food

Burger King Opens Meat-Free Popups in Three Nordic Cities

Burger King has opened three meat-free popup restaurants in the cities of Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. Customers in the Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish capitals can now choose from a range of offerings made using The Vegetarian Butcher’s plant-based meat — including meat-free versions of classic options such as the Whopper and Chicken Royale. Some sauces containing eggs and dairy are still available, but customers can ask for these to be omitted to make their orders fully vegan. “By opening a restaurant that only serves plant-based and meat-free alternatives, we get a good opportunity to test products that are not yet part of our traditional menu for our further product development and innovation within the plant-based segment,” said Carsten Lambrecht, country manager for Burger King Denmark. …

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Millow woman eating

© Millow
Fungi, Mushrooms & Mycelium

Introducing Millow: “The Purest Meat Analog Ever” Made of Mycelium and Oats

Sweden’s Millow is an alt meat company leveraging the power of mycelium and the nutritional profile of oats to produce a clean-label and versatile meat analog that can be fried, baked, barbequed, or roasted. “The purest analog ever”, “Nothing artificial, non-MO, zero binders, pure wholefood, easily digestible, high protein, high fibre, low water usage, land responsible, cruelty-free,” says Millow on its website. Based in Gothenburg, the company uses a revolutionary in-house biotechnology called MUTE — Mycelium Utilized Texture Engineering — developed by Professor Mohammad Taherzadeh, who has been researching mycelium as a potentially sustainable and nutritious functional food for more than 25 years. A new category of meat alternatives? Millow’s proprietary process differs from solid-state, submerged, or biomass fermentation. Instead, the company’s tech is based on …

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