Welcome to another week of intriguing developments in the world of alternative proteins. And as has been the case pretty much every week so far in 2024, there’s a plethora of fascinating stories to bring you!

Now, although it was widely reported in the past week, we have had confirmation from the horse’s mouth that the planned construction of a facility for producing cultivated meat at scale in Illinois, USA, will now not go ahead. Is this the end of cultivated meat or just prudence in uncertain economic times? It depends what publications you read, we guess…

Acknowledging the challenges in scaling, an Israeli company developing cultured beef has announced a new partnership to produce cultivated meat at Thailand’s first production plant for cell ag applications. The company’s CEO suggested a “prudent, capital-efficient scale-up” lets them “navigate infrastructure investments thoughtfully, enabling sustainable penetration into key regions”.

Again, depending on your source, the news that one of the leaders in plant-based meat has unveiled a fourth iteration of its ‘beef’ product is being reported by some as a last-ditch attempt to salvage sales and share. More likely it is simply a pioneer improving its formula – high-quality protein, good fats, fiber and key nutrients in what the company suggests is its meatiest product yet. Some of the ludicrous headlines we’ve seen are ‘beyond’ comprehension!

Elsewhere, precision fermentation has been in the news, following the announcement that a major F&B brand will be using the whey protein of a specialist in the field to create an ice cream product that is lactose-free, cholesterol-free, and a whole lot better for the environment. And if you didn’t know what precision fermentation was, a new definition has been released by the Precision Fermentation Alliance and Food Fermentation Europe.

And with 8.5 weeks until The Future of Protein Production Chicago, we’re getting to know the +75 speakers who will be on the agenda. First in the spotlight is Adam Yee, CTO of SOBO. Get your tickets for the conference here

We’ll be landing in your inboxes again in seven days’ time! Until then, have a wonderful week…

Having spoken with experts wielding the scissors to cut through the complexity of regulations, Louise Davis learns how companies bringing novel foods to market can best navigate the challenging compliance landscape

Willy Verstraete and Myrsini Sakarika, a Professor and a researcher, both from the Centre for Microbial Ecology and Technology, reflect on the significant advances in the field of sustainable proteins

The Future of Protein Production Chicago is the meeting place for accelerating the commercialization of proteins in the Americas. The conference and exhibition will showcase over 30 exhibitors and 75 speakers and bring together over 400 people.

Register now to take advantage of the Early Bird discount. Tickets are limited, so secure your spot now at the best price!

Sign up now to join this month’s free-to-attend webinar!

Fermentation, our familiar friend from bread and beer, is fermenting a new wave in food: sustainable, protein-packed alternatives! The exciting world of fermentation-enabled food proteins offers a diverse range of ingredient options, both for the microbes themselves (yeast, algae, fungi, etc) and the nutrients they feed on (sugars, lipids, starches, etc). As we will discuss in this webinar, challenges remain. Cost and regulation are hurdles to overcome. But the potential is undeniable. Fermentation-enabled proteins are poised to transform our food system, offering a sustainable, efficient, and delicious path to a protein-secure future.

This is a free-to-attend webinar. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from industry experts as well as interact through Q&A sessions.

Listen to the latest episode now! New episodes are released each month. In the latest episode, we had the pleasure of chatting with Sue Garfitt, CEO of The Protein Brewery. With her extensive experience in the food industry, Sue takes us on a fascinating journey through the innovative strides behind their pioneering product, ‘Fermotein’, produced via fungal biomass fermentation. We explore the challenges of scaling production, the ever-evolving global regulations, and gain invaluable insights into how The Protein Brewery is carving out its unique stance in the competitive alternative protein market.

Click here to listen to this and all of our podcasts!

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