This week’s edition captures the steady drumbeat of momentum across the global protein innovation landscape. From strategic investments and AI breakthroughs to new ingredients and scale-ups, there’s a lot to keep tabs on.

First, a major European lender is backing the next phase of plant-based innovation with a €20 million loan that aims to accelerate product development and unlock scale. Could this mark a turning point for southern Europe’s alt-protein scene?

Elsewhere, a New Zealand startup has hit an impressive milestone in precision fermentation, achieving high-yield lactoferrin production – a move that could challenge conventional dairy from both a nutritional and functional perspective.

Meanwhile, a Nordic foodtech firm is expanding its proprietary MLC technology with fresh funding of €10 million. Its ambition? Nothing less than a disruption of the global dairy landscape.

In functional ingredient news, a new casein alternative is hitting the market – minus the emulsifiers. The startup behind it is already moving towards commercial scale-up, which suggests industry demand may be shifting toward cleaner-label solutions.

Stateside, a shelf-stable plant-based meat startup just closed a US$1.2 million funding round. The team is betting on long shelf-life and affordability to appeal to new markets – especially in regions with limited refrigeration infrastructure.

AI also makes an appearance this week. A Spanish company has unveiled an artificial intelligence platform designed to optimize fermentation processes, aiming to cut development time and boost yield. Could this be the key to smarter scale-up?

Lastly, in a sign of growing collaboration in the space, a contract manufacturing specialist is teaming up with a fermentation startup to produce animal-free dairy protein at a new US facility.

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. In the meantime, we hope you have another amazing week!

🧫 Liberation Labs to produce Vivici’s dairy protein at new US fermentation facility

💶 Heura Foods secures €20 million EIB loan to accelerate plant-based innovation

🧬 Roslin Institute’s FaTTy cells could streamline cultivated meat fat production

🌾 Bunge unveils new soy protein line backed by US$550 million investment and major facility expansion

🌿 Lantmännen Biorefineries buys into Sproud as interest in pea protein deepens

🥛 Daisy Lab achieves high-yield lactoferrin production using precision fermentation

🤖 MOA Foodtech launches Albatros AI platform to streamline fermentation development

🥼 Multus launches food-grade basal media to support scalable cultivated meat production

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 Super Early Bird Tickets are available now!

Join us for yet another free-to-attend webinar exploring how cutting-edge bioinnovation is transforming the future of food. From precision fermentation and cell-based agriculture to AI-driven bioprocessing and functional ingredient development, this session will spotlight the technologies and strategies redefining how we produce and experience food.

Featuring leading voices from biotech, food tech, and venture communities, this interactive discussion will examine the breakthroughs, challenges, and collaborations driving sustainable, scalable, and consumer-ready solutions across the global food system.

🔍 Key takeaways:
✅ Explore the latest bioengineering approaches reshaping food production
✅ Understand the role of synthetic biology, precision fermentation, and cell cultivation in food innovation
✅ Learn how emerging platforms are enabling faster development and commercialization
✅ Discover investment trends, regulatory updates, and go-to-market strategies in the alt-protein and biotech food sectors
✅ Gain actionable insights on partnering across science, technology, and business to accelerate impact

💬 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, Adam Tarshis, CEO of Mozza Foods, discusses how the company is using molecular farming to produce real dairy proteins – without the need for cows. By engineering soybeans to produce casein, Mozza Foods aims to deliver animal-free dairy ingredients with the same taste and functionality as traditional dairy, but with far lower environmental impact.🎙️💡

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