Brand moves, biotech breakthroughs, and fresh insights into consumer mindsets – this week’s issue brings a well-rounded snapshot of what’s happening across the alt protein world.

Let’s begin with a big one. A household name in plant-based has officially dropped ‘meat’ from its branding, signaling a strategic pivot toward a broader, ‘protein-first’ vision. The refresh hints at new products, new messaging – and maybe even a new audience?

Meanwhile in the EU, fresh funding is flowing. A Czech startup working at the intersection of cultivated meat and microalgae has secured €3 million to move from lab to pilot scale. Could hybrid cell-cultivated solutions help sidestep cost and scale challenges?

In retail news, two innovators have teamed up on a plant-based salmon filet – and it’s already flying off shelves. Their first limited-edition launch sold out in just one hour. Is this the beginning of a new era for premium alt seafood?

In the USA, one early-stage cultivated seafood venture has netted over US$300,000 in NSF funding to push forward its work on black sea bass. The grant will support key R&D as the company prepares for scale-up.

Turning to academia, a new startup competition has launched in Southeast Asia, offering young companies support from a global food giant, a leading university, and the Singapore government. The goal? To accelerate sustainable protein innovation across the region.

On the tech front, our recent webinar spotlighted companies turning CO₂ into food. From photobioreactors to precision fermentation, it’s a bold reminder that the fermenter may soon rival the farm as our primary protein producer.

And finally, what do European meat lovers really think of cultivated meat and its plant-based cousins? Two new reports dig deep into consumer perceptions—offering actionable insights for brands seeking to earn trust, not just shelf space.

To stay ahead of the curve in the world of alternative protein production, you can follow us on LinkedIn for daily updates and breaking news and look on our website for loads more developments.

🔄 Beyond Meat drops the ‘Meat’ in rebrand and pivots toward protein-first future

🐟 Juicy Marbles and Revo Foods launch plant-based salmon filet after Kinda Cod sells out in an hour

🧫 Mewery secures €3 million to accelerate co-cultivated meat tech toward industrial testing

🥗 What does ‘flexitarian’ really mean? New research maps the gray zone between omnivore and vegetarian

🥛 DAIRY PRIDE Act returns to crack down on 'mislabeled' plant-based milk alternatives

🧪 Atlantic Fish Co secures US$305,000 NSF grant to scale cultivated black sea bass

🕊️ Bühler mourns loss of visionary former CEO and owner Urs Bühler, aged 82

🏭 CREMER Sustainable Foods backs plant-based brands with full-service production, says Nils Rupp

🚀 The Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at the National University of Singapore and EnterpriseSG launch startup competition to accelerate sustainable protein innovation

It’s back - bigger and better than ever before - so save the date today! The Future of Protein Production Amsterdam, set for October 29-30, 2025, at RAI Amsterdam, will bring together more than 1,000 delegates and +60 exhibitors to explore alternative protein technologies. With an agenda that includes +35 presentations, and eight panels dedicated to the cultivated meat, fermentation, and plant-based sectors, this event offers networking with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors, along with a free-to-attend exhibition of cutting-edge solutions in scaling and commercialization. Preliminary Agenda and Early Bird Tickets are available now!

Join us on 28 August 2025 at 1pm London / 2pm Berlin / 8am New York City, for another free-to-attend webinar: From Tech to Table: Making Plant Protein Work for Real Food and Real Consumers in partnership with Happy Plant Protein.

Plant protein is evolving fast – but are we making it too complicated? Join us for a practical look at the next wave of plant-based innovation, where the focus is shifting to taste, cost, and simplicity. From streamlined processing to functional ingredients that don’t overpromise, we’ll explore what it really takes to make great food, at scale.

📌 What we’ll cover:

✅ Why fewer processing steps can mean better sustainability, trust & margins
✅ What manufacturers actually want from next-gen proteins
✅ Can less-refined ingredients still deliver on taste and nutrition?
✅ What consumers expect – and how not to overengineer it

🔍 Featuring:
✅ Industry experts in R&D, manufacturing & consumer insights
✅ A look at Happy Plant Protein’s flour-to-protein breakthrough
✅ A panel packed with real-world know-how

💬 Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a panel of experts and interact through a Q&A session.

🎙️💡 Listen to the latest episode now! This week, Michelle Lu, Founder & CEO of Novel Farms, outlines a pragmatic, first-principles approach to reducing the cost of cultivated meat. With a sharp focus on cost, flavor, and scalability, Novel Farms aims to unlock the full potential of cultivated meat while staying grounded in commercial reality. 🎙️💡

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