Cheese from yellow peas

© University of Nottingham

Science

Researchers Making Cheese From Yellow Peas Receive £300K From Innovate UK

The University of Nottingham and its spinoff The Good Pulse Company have received funding from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, to further their research into making plant-based cheese from yellow peas. The sum of over £300,000 will allow the researchers to develop commercial processes for the cheese alternatives, which are produced using UK-grown peas to make them as sustainable as possible. The products are also said to be far more nutritious than many vegan cheeses currently on the market, with a higher protein content and no need for modified starches or artificial additives. The project has previously received over £370,000 in funding from Big Idea Ventures and leading scientific research organisation Rothamsted Research. So far, the researchers have developed over 100 plant-based cheese prototypes, …

more

Plant-Based Egg Substitute

©AcreMade

Products & Launches

PURIS Launches AcreMade Plant-Based Egg Made From Upcycled Peas

PURIS, a leading supplier of pea protein in North America, announces the launch of its first consumer brand: AcreMade plant-based eggs. Its debut product, the Plant-Based Egg Substitute, is a shelf-stable powder that can be scrambled, cooked or baked.  Described as a “game-changer” for egg-based cooking, AcreMade’s Plant-Based Eggs are nutritionally comparable to traditional eggs with 5 grams of protein per serving and zero grams of cholesterol. The eggs are also free from the top nine allergens, including gluten and soy.  According to AcreMade, it is the only brand to use yellow field peas as the main protein source for a plant-based egg. The brand’s Upcycled Certified™pea starch benefits the environment by helping to build soil health and requiring few resources to grow. Upcycled Certified™ …

more

yellow peas

@ Сергей Михайлов - stock.adobe.com

Agriculture / Agribusiness

Equinom Achieves a “Game-Changing” 75% Protein Content for Yellow Pea Protein Ingredient

Equinom announces today it has achieved a record 75% protein content in a minimally processed yellow pea protein ingredient using its Manna™ technology platform.  According to the company, based on current market research and publicly available information, no other pea protein exists on the market today with this high level of protein content without the use of chemical processing. Equinom states that while advancements still need to be made to make this possible at commercial scale, the achievement demonstrates its ability to rapidly develop unique plant protein ingredients optimized for food applications that help producers to meet rising demands for sustainable foods. “We’re proud of this significant achievement with our pea protein and are truly excited by the possibilities our innovative approach can unlock for …

more

ZENB creates Plant Council Advisory Board

Hunter Fieri. © ZENB

Company News

ZENB Forms Plant Council Advisory Board to Inspire Product Innovation

Direct-to-consumer plant-based brand ZENB has announced the formation of a Plant Council Advisory Board. The council will support the brand in its product innovation, trend forecasting, nutrition, and more. The following industry experts are featured on the board: Hunter Fieri: A celebrity chef who previously hosted ZENB’s WHAT PLANTS CAN DO documentary. Keri Glassman: A registered dietitian and nutritionist who has worked with numerous celebrities and been featured on various national TV shows in the US. James and Dahlia Marin: A couple who are both registered dietitians and run a plant-based integrative dietetic practice. Risa Schulman: A functional food and dietary supplements expert with 25 years’ experience. Nutritious whole plant alternatives ZENB hopes the support of the Plant Council Advisory Board will help to get its …

more

BH_Soybean

© Benson Hill

Agriculture / Agribusiness

Benson Hill Announces ‘Crop Accelerator’ to Supply Massive Demand for Plant Meat

Benson Hill, a publicly listed company since this September, announces the opening of its Crop Accelerator, a state-of-the-art research facility located near the Company’s St. Louis HQ. The company reports that the Crop Accelerator, designed to provide a more than twenty-fold expansion in testing capacity, is operational ahead of schedule and that its first soybean and yellow pea seeds were planted on September 17. The Crop Accelerator employs 27 staff and is looking to hire more innovators in plant science, data science and food science as it continues its expansion to meet demand for such ingredients, as the plant-based meat market is forecast to reach approximately $140 billion by 2029.  The 47,000 square-foot facility features dynamically adaptive Conviron® growth houses and chambers, equipped with multi-channel LEDs, additive CO2, temperature, humidity and …

more

Novo Farina Simpleas Snacks_Simpleas Mince

©Novo Farina

Investments & Finance

Pea Protein Pioneer Novo Farina Secures £3M Funding Round Led By Billionaire Richard Koch

Pea protein producer Novo Farina Ltd announces it has raised in excess of £3 million from private investors led by billionaire Richard Koch, the author and investor behind ventures such as Filofax, Belgo, Plymouth Gin, Betfair, Fanduel, and Auto1. The Norfolk UK company uses whole yellow peas for its portfolio which includes its lead product INovo-TexTM – a texturised pea protein for meat alternatives, Pea Flour and Pea Crumb,  for the food manufacturing industry, food services and retail, as well as its first end product launched last year – Simpleas Snacks, which are stocked by WHSmith, East of England Co-op, Amazon and independent retailers. Koch noted today, “I am delighted to invest in Novo Farina, which has a unique series of healthy and ecologically sound …

more

Equinom pea

©Equinom

Agriculture / Agribusiness

GoodMills collaborates with Equinom for Unique Pea Variants Created With Artificial Intelligence

As the global pea protein market size is projected to grow from $745 million in 2020 to $1,400 million by 2025, GoodMills, Europe’s largest milling company, announces a new collaboration with Equinom, the plant tech company that creates new seed varieties using patented AI-driven breeding technology. Equinom creates superior seeds naturally by crossbreeding exotic, ancient and modern varieties. Utilising its seed bank, Equinom employs computer-based breeding and traditional genomic technologies to predict and simulate new varieties. Equinom reports it will research how best to crossbreed Yellow Pea seeds to achieve a tailored raw material with outstanding sensory properties: the ingredients derived from it are expected to be without off-flavours and provide ideal protein composition for an outstanding texture in finished products such as meat and …

more

VLY Foods Team

© VLY Foods

Investments & Finance

Vly Raises €6.1M For Yellow Pea-Based Milk That “Matches Cow’s Milk for Nutrients, Taste & Functionality”

Vly, a German producer of pea-based milk, today announces an investment of €6.1M led by Five Seasons Ventures, alongside previous investors Global Founders Capital and Good Seed Ventures. The company will use the fresh funds to upscale in DACH and new European markets, including the UK, further product development and key talent. “We have started with milk, but we want to create a range of new dairy alternative products” Vly was founded in 2018 by Niklas Katter, Moritz Braunwarth and Nicolas Hartmann, who after 400 iterations in research and development, created the milk using yellow split pea protein. The finished product is said to be neutral in taste, high in nutrients, low in sugars, and is functional, meaning it can be used for everything from …

more