COP29: Was food sector progress made?
COP29 has drawn to a close. How significant was its progress towards making food more sustainable?
Sustainability
EUDR compliance a challenge for Thai palm oil
In Thailand, an unconventional palm oil supply chain makes traceability, and therefore EUDR certification, much more difficult.
EUDR ‘no risk’ status at risk as member states object
The European Council has raised a serious grievance about the no risk amendment to the EUDR, passed by the European Parliament, in last week’s vote to delay the regulation by a year.
Europe’s fast-food majors failing on poultry welfare progress
Fast-food giants across Europe are failing foul on poultry welfare measures, with few making recent progress and others moving backwards on previous gains, a damning new report criticises.
Top food tech trends for 2025 revealed
Innovation in the food space has seen a boom in recent years. But this is just the beginning.
Lidl bolsters British food investment to £21bn over five years
German discounter Lidl is boosting its spend on British produce over the next five years, exceeding its original target, to £21bn.
Insect protein buzz waning as patents slow
Insect protein’s predicted take off has been less than a flutter as market innovation stagnates, with worldwide patents sliding year-on-year again.
EUDR delay venom and outrage: the aftermath of the vote
EUDR’s 12-month delay has been met with condemnation from organisations across the world following yesterday's controversial vote.
RSPO standards updated: What are the changes and do they align with EUDR?
The RSPO’s standards on sustainable palm oil certification have been approved. Do they align with Europe’s upcoming regulation?
Cultivated freshwater eel tech opens new opportunities in Japanese market
A cultivated seafood tech business has developed a system of cell cultivation to allow for commercial freshwater eel farming.
Meat and dairy reduction ‘vital’ to climate health – new report warns
The meat and plant-based industries have locked horns as a new report cites diet change as a key tool in the fight to control global warming and even reverse the climate crisis.
Cultivated meat and precision fermentation – will consumers eat it?
Emerging meat alternatives – cultivated meat and precision fermentation-derived meat – need to present an appealing image to consumers if they are to succeed.
Inside the EUDR country benchmarking
Country benchmarking could affect due diligence requirements, and therefore the complexity of EUDR compliance. How do these risk classifications work?
Why biodiversity is vital to food security
Biodiversity makes soil function effectively, pollinates plants and ensures the functioning of the food system. But what's being done to support biodiversity and is it too little too late?
Opinion
Is Trump stoking an EU/US trade war?
Will Trump’s rebooted presidency bring about a transatlantic trade war or is it all hot air? Fake news or not, the returning president has made worrying noises – from crippling tariffs to climate ignorance – that are sending markets in a spin.
What do South African consumers think of plant-based meat?
South Africa has one of Africa’s largest plant-based meat markets. How do consumers view these meat-free alternatives?
Big Interview
A sensible rebel: Juicy Marbles' boss on breaking even, NPD and beyond
After raising “peanuts” to launch a plant-based meat business around Covid-19, Juicy Marbles is set to break even within its fourth year and is planning NPD along with another funding launch.
Would consumers pay more for animal welfare?
A study of Swiss consumers of milk and butter explored whether they would accept increased prices if it meant better lives for dairy cows.
Is the Nordic Diet the next major food trend?
Health trends are big business for food and beverage brands. So, will the new Nordic Diet take the industry by storm or be a foodie flash in the pan?
Will COP29 focus on food?
As COP29 garners global attention, its focus on food systems continues to grow.
Start-up pitch
How Fabas Foods is making alt dairy nutritious and sustainable
Alt dairy is proving to be one of the great plant-based success stories. But associations to UPF and questions over sustainability are holding it back. Fabas Foods believes it has the solution.
Can plant-based overcome UPF links to avoid future trust issues?
Plant-based diets remain popular, but associations with UPF and low-quality ingredients has shaken consumer trust in alt meat, fish and dairy brands. So, what can the sector do to restore public opinion?
How can alternative proteins and regenerative agriculture work together?
Despite both being sustainability-focused, regenerative agriculture and protein diversification have not always got along. How can the two sectors work together?
Protein Vision 2024
Protein Vision 2024: Big name speakers reveal inside story
Quorn, Redefine Meat, THIS, La Vie and Rude Health are among the high-profile brands providing their valuable market intelligence at this year’s Protein Vision digital event.
How Mérieux NutriSciences is busting food safety threats
Food safety is constantly changing. Following its recent acquisition of Bureau Veritas’ food safety business, Mérieux NutriSciences aims to address the risks to product food safety.
Start-up pitch
How Roslin Technologies is making cultivated meat affordable
The cultivated meat market is growing, but price remains a major barrier to success. Roslin Technologies believes it has the answer, with its animal stem cell solution.
Innovation watch: Spotted at SIAL 2024
Edible cutlery, reimagined sushi, and vitamin-enriched cheese are just a handful of exciting food and drink innovations entering the market.
Could governments introduce rationing?
Rationing could be a reality as populations grow and climate change bites. But would consumers support it and what would it mean for food manufacturers?
EUDR delay: The winners and losers
The proposed EUDR delay could be a relief for many if approved, but its mooting has also been controversial. Who are the winners and losers of the delay?
Redefine Meat plots NPD as plant-based market 'regains sales'
Plant-based meat alternative heavyweight Redefine Meat has plotted a series of new launches and retail listings as the market rebounds following a recent tumble and stagnation.
Protected cheeses and vineyards receive €6.8m EC ‘resilience’ funding
Protected cheeses and world-renowned vineyards will take a share of the European Commission’s new €380m support package to help build climate resilience.
Replacing oils and fats with water: Deep-tech start-up secures €4.2m
Healthier food-tech business MicroLub, which uses tech to replace fats and oils with water – while claiming sensory retention – has closed a €4.2 seed investment round to commercialise.
Lidl invests in own-label plant-based, targeting 25% category sales
European discounter major Lidl is betting big on plant-based following booming sales, introducing a raft of new listings under a new own-label range.
Start-up pitch
How BettaF!sh is creating seafood from seaweed
The plant-based seafood market is underserved – enter BettaF!sh. This week we're discovering how founder, Deniz Ficicioglu, is revolutionising the fish-free fish space in the first edition of FoodNavigator’s start-up pitch series.
EUDR extension greenlit by European Council as 200 NGOs call for go-ahead
The European Council has greenlit the Commission’s proposals to delay EUDR by 12 months, despite protests from hundreds of environmental and other groups calling for its immediate implementation.
EUDR and getting it right: Four lessons from the RSPO
Broad unpreparedness led the world to rebel against EUDR’s enforcement. Now the clock could be reset for another 12 months, what can the global supply chain do to reach compliance?
Future Food-Tech 2024
How two start-ups are improving food safety and quality with innovation
Food safety and quality are two sides of the same coin. But how is the process of making food not only safe but beneficial for the consumer being made more efficient?
Revealed: the drivers set to boost Veganuary 2025's sales
The Veganuary movement is rocketing, gaining power and influence. It has become a staple across Europe, so how will brands drive Veganuary 2025 sales to new heights?
Why shoppers are turning towards costly organic food and drink
More consumers are buying pricier organic food and drink, despite continuing cost-of-living pressures, with sales expected to rocket as governments push to make organic farming central to future sustainability strategies.
EUDR: Answering the key questions
On the day the Commission announced it was advising a delay to EUDR, new FAQs were released to provide further clarity on the regulation.
Future Food-Tech 2024
Do consumers want alternative raw materials?
Alternative raw materials aim to provide sustainable versions of commodities, including cocoa, coffee and palm oil, that are both integral to food and linked to deforestation. Will consumers accept them?
UK Government to create regulatory sandbox for cultivated meat
With £1.6m funding, the new regulatory sandbox aims to streamline the novel food application process of cultivated meat in the UK.
Meat-free sausages bucking category dip, but they’re on a knife-edge
Sales of branded meat-free sausages are growing despite a wider plant-based category slump, but meat and alt-meat processor, Pilgrim’s, says any sales positivity could easily reverse.
Will the proposal to delay EUDR be passed?
Following months of rumours and speculation, the European Commission has proposed a 12-month delay to the current EUDR deadline. So, will the proposal be passed and what does this mean for stakeholders?
EUDR: Inside the guidance
On the day the EUDR was delayed, the EC released guidance, aiming to clarify some of the key elements of the regulation.
Opinion
How the food industry can excel – hot takes from Future Food-Tech
What was the gossip and top trends from this year’s Future Food-Tech? The FoodNavigator editorial team reveal their key insights and takeaways.
Future Food-Tech 2024
Future Food-Tech 2024: Exciting innovations from the show
Brands put innovation on centre stage at Future Food-Tech 2024. Here are just a few of our favourites from the two-day food and beverage celebration.
Future Food-Tech 2024
Three hot start-ups designing and creating sector-challenging proteins
There are myriad ways to design and create proteins. We spoke to some of the key players in this varied space.
Future Food-Tech 2024
Alt meat’s slow progress: Who’s to blame, government or business?
Food-tech industry leaders have turned the table and asked who is responsible for the sluggish pace at which alternative proteins gain legislative approval in Europe.
How Diageo is cutting Scope 3 emissions through packaging
Diageo is aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions through changes and reductions in packaging.