This week, The Protein Brewery announced a €22m Series A investment to help scale up production of its fungi-based alternative protein Fermotein. FoodNavigator asks founder Wim de Laat what benefits the novel food ingredient will bring to manufacturers,...
The expected future increase in crop yields due to higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will be offset by stressors linked to climate change. Now is the time to prepare by developing future-proof varieties, researchers urge.
The ingredients specialist has announced plans to construct a new facility in Valencia, Spain, to expand its capabilities to meet the growing demand for probiotics.
Gousto has partnered with Unilever-owned spread brand Marmite to deliver recipe innovation that the recipe box company hopes will draw in consumers new to the category.
The latest round-up of innovation from around Europe spotlights a new line of 'fresh frozen' pasta in what the manufacturer claims is a UK first and details Mars' efforts to develop recyclable packaging in France with the launch of its...
UK retailer Asda has opened a new ‘sustainability trial store’ that leverages refill stations as part of its plastic reduction strategy. What does this latest move away from single-use packaging mean for branded manufacturers?
The Danish biotech making upcycled flour from spent coffee grounds is preparing to scale up production having secured €1.1m in seed funding, co-founder and CCO Alejandro Franco tells FoodNavigator.
Coca-Cola has unveiled the first-generation prototype of its paper bottle: saying it is convinced that paper packaging has a role to play in the future.
The Kraft Heinz Company has entered into a research partnership with APC Microbiome Ireland aimed at developing new natural cultures for fermented foods. This could unlock the ‘ultimate natural and clean label opportunities’ for product development, the...
Apeel – the startup behind an invisible plant-based edible skin proven to dramatically extend the shelf-life of fresh produce - has raised $30m in new funding from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Temasek, and Astanor Ventures.
Plant-based meat brand Heura has discovered a fat analogue using extra virgin olive oil that it claims allows it to launch the ‘world’s healthiest burger’.
Hospital food in the UK’s National Health Service could be ripe for innovation after an independent review called for tastier, healthier and better-quality meals to be served to millions of NHS patients and staff.
Researchers at Finnish dairy cooperative Valio said they have discovered '30% less sugar' chocolate made with milk-based protein is equal to regular chocolate in taste and texture.
While the US is the most developed market for kombucha, the category is growing in Europe with the drink’s natural and functional positioning ready to tap into health and wellness trends. But the evolution of the French, German and UK markets shows the...
Fusion beverages are making a splash as an emerging category of functional food. The demand is spurred by consumers who prefer beverages that go beyond quenching their thirst and offer nutritional benefits.
Verso Food has secured a patent covering its fava bean processing technology for plant-based foods and meat analogues. FoodNavigator hears from the company's CEO Tomi Järvenpää about the product development opportunities it could unlock, the group’s...
Nestlé’s nine-month sales for 2020 and Unilever’s third-quarter trading statement illustrate the revitalised consumer demand for staples and comfort foods, once feared to have fallen out of fashion.
Food manufacturers, supermarket retailers, and foodservice operators continue to step up their plant-based offerings. UK branch of animal welfare charity PETA highlights some of the most ‘exciting’ and ‘new’ vegan products in its 2020 Vegan Food Awards....
Kerry has launched its new, expanded range of organic-certified extracts and flavorings in compliance with the upcoming European Union regulations for organic flavor labeling.
What does the future hold for Europe’s savoury snacks category? FoodNavigator asks ESA Director General Sebastian Emig if wellness ingredients are here to stay, whether CBD will hit the mainstream, and what kinds of opportunities 2021 presents to snacks...
Ajinomoto has launched a nutrition strategy that the company believes will enable it to leverage its unique expertise in amino acids to deliver solutions that meet its two global strategic priorities: salt reduction and optimal protein intake for the...
After its first experiment producing meat on the International Space Station a year ago, cultured meat company Aleph Farms has announced its new ‘Aleph Zero’ programme, which aims to accelerate ‘extra-terrestrial food production’.
Given that a ‘three-tier’ restriction system has recently been implemented across England, the likelihood of staple December activities seems rather slim. Everything from the crib service, Santa’s grotto, cracker-pulling wars - it’s all up in the air,...
While all the key brands in plant-based meat are exploring new protein sources, most still use soy or pea as the primary protein source. Oats, rapidly emerging as star players in the plant-based milk category, have not, however, made any real impact in...
An Israeli start-up has launched its AI-powered food intelligence platform in the UK. The company – called Tastewise – says it can offer real-time industry insights on how consumers order, cook, and eat, to help brands with product innovation.
Cereal crops like maize and wheat deserve greater consideration as part of a healthy, nutritious diet, according to a new paper. FoodNavigator caught up with the authors to learn why.
In a plausible scenario for the future of dairy, food majors worldwide source dairy ingredients from fermentation factories, say researchers from Lund University.
The EU has allocated over 2.7 million euros to the research programme of the ‘Meat4All’ consortium, led by Spanish firm BioTech Foods and its Ethicameat B2B concept.
myAir has created a range of snack bars that contain proprietary botanical blends designed to deliver a specific stress-release effect depending on an individual’s cognitive response to stress.
Rabobank recently unveiled the start-ups that will take part in its virtual FoodBytes! Pitch 2020 competition. Those selected provide an interesting window into trending topics in food and agriculture. FoodNavigator speaks to Anne Greven, Global Head...
This week’s NPD round-up sees Nestlé preparing for the festive season with a new line of Starbucks at-home offerings. A range of savoury crackers made with cricket flour are also preparing to hit shelves, as is Meatless Farm’s first entry into frozen...
Similarities in how water buffalo and cattle have responded to human domestication through selective breeding, could aid the development of more productive, healthy and sustainable livestock, researchers from the University of Edinburgh’s Royal School...
An egg membrane powder for the food and supplement industries has been developed in the Netherlands. Marketed as ‘Eggbrane’, the insoluble powder is designed to help alleviate joint stiffness and pain.
Dark kitchens, direct-to-consumer sales and online ordering have been given a significant boost by to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. It is incumbent that as food businesses innovate and find new routes to market to stay afloat in these...
Ingredients supplier Kerry Group has unveiled an ambitious sustainability strategy including a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 33% by 2030 and achieve net zero before 2050. It is also exploring those sectors such as immunity and food...
Today’s consumers expect heightened levels of traceability – particularly when it comes to meat. Dutch retailer Albert Heijn is working with its suppliers and DNA testing expert IdentiGEN to provide shoppers with certainty around the meat they eat.
Ketone drinks have been embraced by professional athletes looking to boost their performance. But these ‘magic potions’ have the potential for mass appeal, believes the scientist who helped develop them, although taste and price remain huge barriers in...
The UK government has released a £10m funding package to help build the country’s first large-scale industrial insect farm and accelerate the development of sustainable food production systems.
Spanish sugar maker Azucarera has created a moisture-resistant bakery coating which it claims is the only ingredient of this kind in the market that does not contain palm oil.
Alternative protein is the theme of this week's new product development round-up, with Nestlé launching a 'new and improved' plant-based burger. Meat analogue start-up This has teamed with a Michelin-starred gastro pub in London, and Moving...
The beans and ketchup manufacturer employs two key strategies to cut salt in its core products, Kathy La Macchia, Head of Nutrition, Consumer Science and Culinary at Kraft Heinz EMEA tells FoodNavigator, “and we’ve had some huge successes”.
Despite the nightmare that has been 2020, it has been a good year for food companies, according to the 2020 top 75 Most Valuable UK Brands report from ad giant WPP and insight firm Kantar.
The French ingredients maker says it is on track to open the world’s largest pea protein factory in Manitoba, Canada, later this year in December, despite COVID-19 headwinds.