Mycoprotein

Revo Foods

Nature’s Fynd Receives Health Canada’s Approval to Market Alt Products Powered by the “Fungus from Yellowstone Park”

August 24, 2023August 23, 2023

Chicago-based Nature’s Fynd has received authorization from Health Canada, the federal department responsible for national health standards and policy, to commercialize its alt meat and dairy products made with a novel fungi protein called Fy. Nature’s Fynd grows its fungi protein using proprietary fermentation and a fungus called Fusarium strain flavolapis, discovered in Yellowstone Park’s geothermal springs. The novel protein is used as a whole ingredient to make animal-free foods. According to Health Canada, the product approval came after a comprehensive assessment of Fy Protein’s safety for human consumption. In the USA, Nature’s Fynd received FDA greenlight for its fungi ingredient in March 2021. Similarly, the Canadian food company Smallfood also discovered a wild microalgae strain capable of producing premium proteins through biomass fermentation. The company is …

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Nature's Fynd

ENOUGH Secures €40M to Scale Production of Mycoprotein to Meet Demand for Sustainable Proteins

August 21, 2023

Food tech company ENOUGH announces it has raised €40 million in funding to increase the production of its mycoprotein ingredient ABUNDA to meet the growing demand for sustainable proteins. This new funding brings the total capital raised by ENOUGH to over €95 million. Based in The Netherlands and the UK, ENOUGH currently has a team of 56 employees. With the new injection of capital, the company also aims to double its workforce in Glasgow, London, and Sas van Gent. The round was co-led by World Fund, a European climate tech VC, and previous investor CPT Capital. Axa Impact Fund (AXA IM Alts), 280ppm (HAL Investments), Olympic Investments Inc. (Onassis Group), Tailored Solutions, and Scottish Enterprise also backed ENOUGH in this round. “The alternative protein market is a …

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ENOUGH

Image: ProVeg New Food Hub

What’s the Role of Fungi Protein in the Future of Food?

June 12, 2023

On May 30th, Quorn Foods hosted its first-ever Mycoprotein Summit, an exclusive gathering of changemakers to explore the role of fungi protein in a healthier and more sustainable food future. Held at London’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the inaugural Mycoprotein Summit shared research presentations and panel discussions from pioneering thinkers, leading academics, and industry experts, spotlighting fungi-based protein. ProVeg International’s Content Writer and Creator Gemma Tadman was invited to attend the innovative summit. In ProVeg’s latest New Food Hub article, Gemma shares her experiences, key takeaways, and business recommendations. Mycoprotein is a ‘high-quality’ protein A stand-out learning comes from scientific research on Mycoprotein amino acid digestibility and muscle growth potential. During a panel discussion at the Summit, lead speaker Dr Tim Finnigan, Visiting Professor at …

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ProVeg

Fermentation

Mycorena and RIP Foods Partner Up to Create Mycoprotein-Based Street Food

June 8, 2023

Mycoprotein specialist Mycorena and Spain’s plant-based street food brand RIP Foods are collaborating to develop mycelium-based street food appealing to mainstream customers. Today, Mycorena announced their first joint creation using mycoprotein — a vegan kofta inspired by Middle Eastern flavors. The product is set to launch soon in the Netherlands at plant-based restaurant Karma Kebab. “Mycorena and RIP Foods share many traits, working tirelessly with R&D and strongly focusing on innovation and technology to improve taste and texture that will please flexitarians and meat eaters,” said the Finnish company. First step in the Mediterranean market Based in Barcelona, RIP raised €625,000 in a pre-seed funding round last year. Its retailer and food service portfolio includes plant-based gyozas and various flavors of bao, skewers, spring rolls, and katsu. Recently, the company …

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Quorn & Prime Roots Collaborate to Expand Market for Mycelium-Based Alt Meats

June 5, 2023June 5, 2023

Quorn and Prime Roots have announced a collaboration in the US to develop market expansion opportunities for mycelium-based alt meats. The companies will also develop new products together, and Quorn will make a minority investment in Prime Roots. The collaboration is a natural fit, as both brands use proprietary mycelium-based technologies to produce meat alternatives. Both are also members of the Fungi Protein Association, formed last November to represent the interests of the industry. Based in Berkeley, California, Prime Roots makes deli-style products from koji fungus; these include alternatives to salami, pepperoni, bacon, pâté, and fois gras. Last month, the company secured $30 million in Series B funding, taking the total amount it has raised to $50 million. Prime Roots also became the first mycelium-based …

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Prime Roots

Denmark’s Tempty Foods Becomes First Brand to Use Mycoprotein by Marlow Ingredients

May 23, 2023

In April, Quorn’s parent company Marlow Foods announced that it was creating an ingredients division to make its mycoprotein available to other manufacturers. Now, Denmark’s Tempty Foods is set to become the first brand (other than Quorn itself) to use the protein. Tempty is already available in Denmark’s food service sector, and was the first Danish company to ever offer mycoprotein-based products. The partnership with Marlow will allow it to further expand and accelerate growth. “The introduction of Marlow mycoprotein into our products will give us a sustainable and competitive edge. It will also empower us to continue creating next-generation alternatives that focus on the key values of taste and nutrition, rather than imitating meat,” said Martina Lokajova, CEO and co-founder of Tempty Foods. “Huge …

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Marlow Foods

Tempty Foods

Quorn expands Chiqin range with vegan strips

Products & Launches

Quorn UK Expands ChiQin Range With Chef-Approved Vegan Strips for Food Service

May 8, 2023May 5, 2023

Meat alternatives brand Quorn has expanded its successful ChiQin range with a new product for food service — Vegan Strips. Initially launching in the UK, the new products are set to roll out in the Nordics, Germany, and BeNeLux, according to the company. Made with Quorn mycoprotein, the strips have already been certified by the Craft Guild of Chefs, the UK’s main professional chef association. The previously launched Buttermilk ChiQin Burger has also been certified. “The Craft Guild of Chefs certification gives our products a seal of approval that’s recognised across the industry, which we don’t take for granted. We’re delighted to achieve this stamp of excellence on our crispy coated ChiQin products,” says Phil Thornborrow, Foodservice Director at Quorn Foods UK. Describes as “crispy, …

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Finland’s EniferBio Raises €11M to Scale Up Production of Upcycled Mycoprotein

April 19, 2023

Finnish biotech startup eniferBio, which produces upcycled mycoprotein powder from food and agricultural byproducts, has raised €11 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Aqua-Spark, with participation from Tesi, Valio, Voima Ventures, and Nordic Foodtech VC. EniferBio will use the funding to scale up production of its mycoprotein powder to thousands of tons per year, along with seeking regulatory approval both in the EU and further afield. Called PEKILO, the mycoprotein is produced through fermentation and contains up to 70% protein. It is also highly sustainable, requiring very little land and water to produce. While the protein was initially developed decades ago as a more sustainable form of animal feed, eniferBio is exploring an array of other applications, including human food. The …

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eniferBio

Ingredients

Quorn Parent Company Marlow Foods Creates Ingredients Division, Making Mycoprotein Available to Manufacturers

April 18, 2023

Marlow Foods, the parent company of leading UK brand Quorn, is set to make its hero ingredient mycoprotein available to other food and beverage manufacturers. Derived from fungi, mycoprotein is rich in protein and fiber and low in saturated fat. Studies indicate that it can boost healthy gut bacteria, along with reducing the intestinal genotoxins that cause bowel cancer. The ingredient also uses 90% less land and water than beef, while generating 98% fewer carbon emissions. After producing mycoprotein for over 40 years, Marlow has created a new division called Marlow Ingredients to make the protein available to other producers. The ingredient will initially launch in Europe, before expanding further afield. The move is part of the company’s mission to become a net-positive business by …

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Marlow Foods

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

March 22, 2023March 22, 2023

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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NASA

Fermentation

Danish Yummowia Project Leverages Syn Bio to Transform Yeast into Mycoprotein Meat

March 9, 2023

Yummowia, a project spin-off from the Technical University of Denmark led by Professor Irina Borodina to develop an engineered mycoprotein meat alternative from yeast, has been accepted into the Bio Studio accelerator program of the BioInnovation Institute (BII) in Denmark. Backed by a maximum grant of €1 million per year for up to three years, BII will assist the project with business development expertise, intellectual property support, access to an investor network, and wet lab and office infrastructure. BII’s Bio Studio program supports world-leading entrepreneurial principal investigators (PI) who want to translate innovative research ideas into new solutions to benefit planetary and human health. Additionally, BII, with its Venture Lab accelerator, helps grow and scale startups such as FÆRM, which is crafting the next generation of plant-based …

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BioInnovation Institute

Yummowia

Printed Technology

Revo Foods and Mycorena Receive €1.5M to Develop 3D-Printable Mycoprotein

January 25, 2023January 25, 2023

Austria’s Revo Foods and Sweden’s Mycorena have received a €1.5 million grant for their joint project of developing 3D-printable mycoprotein. The funds come from Swedish innovation agency Vinnova, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency, and cross-border EU funding program Eurostars. Applications were highly competitive, so the companies’ success demonstrates that there is significant interest in innovative mycoprotein solutions. “Getting this recognition from such an attractive and competitive initiative like Eurostars further emphasises that the technology we are developing is really an important part of creating a sustainable food system,” said Paulo Teixeira, Chief Innovation Officer at Mycorena. Whole-cut alt seafood First announced in October, the joint project is working on technologies and processes to create mycoprotein suitable for additive food manufacturing. It has a particular focus …

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Revo Foods

Aqua Cultured Foods Begins Building Chicago Facility Ahead of Commercial Launch in 2023

January 13, 2023

Food tech startup Aqua Cultured Foods announces it has begun building out a new facility that will enable it to begin scaling production of whole-cut plant-based seafood. The company is also holding tasting events with strategic partners as it prepares to introduce its products in Q2 2023. According to Aqua, the new Chicago facility is nearly triple the size of the company’s current headquarters. The space is already food-grade and needs minimal upgrades to customize it for scaling the production of fermentation-enabled protein. Aqua adds its space-efficient methods are similar to vertical farming and that it only uses standard equipment, which allows for a rapid and affordable buildout. Founded in 2020, Aqua is creating ‘ultra-realistic’ calamari, shrimp, scallops, and tuna and whitefish filets with mycoprotein fermentation. …

Plantbased Business Hour

MycoTechnology: The Mighty Mushroom’s New Fermented Frontier

December 14, 2022

MycoTechnology is alt protein’s secret giant. Marketing Director, Jonas Feliciano, and Senior Director, Strategy, Lisa Wetstone, share MycoTechnology’s approach to growth, raising awareness and communicating with the consumer about the mighty mushroom’s new fermented frontier. It is a new episode of The Plantbased Business Hour with Elysabeth Alfano. Below is a short clip and transcript from their conversation. Podcast here. Display content from YouTube Click here to display content from YouTube. Learn more in YouTube’s privacy policy. Always display content from YouTube Open “Cruelty-Free Investing Executive Director Shares the Benefits of Investing with Purpose” directly Elysabeth: As we talk about being the world’s best kept secret, Jonas, that’s maybe not the best thing when you’re trying to sell to customers. I’m wondering, who’s getting it? Who …

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MycoTechnology

©Prime Roots

All-Star List of Global Industry Leaders Unite to Form Fungi Protein Association

November 8, 2022November 7, 2022

An impressive cast of fungi protein manufacturers from around the planet has united to form a new trade body, the Fungi Protein Association (FPA). The FPA’s founding members include Quorn, Nature’s Fynd, ENOUGH, The Better Meat Co., The Protein Brewery, Prime Roots, Mycotechnology, Mycorena, Aqua Cultured Foods, Mush Foods, MyForest Foods, Bosque Foods, and nonprofit organizations ProVeg and The Good Food Institute. The FPA will represent the interests of its member companies, including advocating for fungi as a sustainable protein in public policy, conducting consumer research, and more. Fungi, a sustainable protein The Fungi Protein Association asserts that meat, egg, and dairy alternatives made using fungi proteins are nutritious, delicious, and more sustainable than wheat, soy, or other plant proteins. The association cites a 2022 …

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Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

Meet Future Wins Plant-Based Start-Up Competition With Fermented Mycoprotein Whole Cuts

October 27, 2022October 27, 2022

Out of the 50+ startups that applied, Meet Future, an Estonian-based food tech that produces whole cut meat and seafood alternatives made from mycoprotein, was announced winner of the Plant-Based Start-Up Competition. Vevolution, a leading vegan marketplace and Plant-Based World Expo Europe, a B2B 100% plant-based food & beverage expo, selected Meet Future for its mycoprotein whole cuts, both of which are considered the second wave of plant-based alternatives. Next-gen whole cuts Triin Remmelgas and Andrean Razumovski founded Meet Future in 2021 to create the next generation of whole cut meat substitutes using fermented mycoprotein and clean-label recipes. Since then, the startup has developed a proprietary mycoprotein texturization technology to replicate animal tissue’s muscle and fibrous structure in its meat and seafood analogs. Meet Future’s first product …

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Meet Future

Plant Based World Expo (PBW)

ENOUGH Appoints John Gray as Managing Director for EU Operations

October 25, 2022

Food tech startup ENOUGH, a leader in mycoprotein production, has appointed John Gray as Managing Director for its EU operations. Gray has been hired to strengthen and lead the company’s commercial B2B focus and build scale. John Gray was previously MBU Director Europe & Global Poultry Lead for OSI – one of the world’s largest privately held food manufacturers with more than 65 facilities in 18 countries. Gray’s appointment comes just after one month after ENOUGH inaugurated what it claims to be the world’s largest mycoprotein facility. According to ENOUGH, Gray has an exceptional track record of building and supporting customer relationships in both branded and own-label arenas in the global marketplace. His 30 years of experience across the food manufacturing, marketing, sales, food …

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ENOUGH

Image courtesy Revo Foods

Printed Technology

Mycorena & Revo Foods to Develop “Whole New Realistic Meat-Like Product Segment” For Alt Seafood

October 13, 2022October 13, 2022

Mycoprotein specialist Mycorena and 3D printed seafood expert Revo Foods have begun a research collaboration to develop a mycoprotein suitable for 3D printing alt seafood products. The printable mycoprotein will have a soft fibrous texture, light colour and neutral taste, making it particularly suitable for seafood alternatives, according to the companies. Says Austria’s Revo Foods: “Being able to combine the meat-like properties of mycoprotein with the unrestricted shaping possibilities of 3D food printing, a whole new realistic meat-like product segment can be created.” Revo Foods is developing new food processing technologies, including 3D tech, for plant-based seafood products including its salmon and tuna alternatives which are already seeing retail success around Europe. Most recently, Revo announced the Austrian launch of new products Revo Gravlax, Revo …

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