© VEGEPOLYS VALLEY International France’s Vegepolys Valley is the fourth largest competitive cluster in the country in terms of members, with 679 actors from the plant sector — from genetics to products — innovating for a more competitive, qualitative, environmentally, and health-friendly agriculture. Flavie Delattre, the new president of Vegepolys Valley, told La Tribune in an interview that in 2023 alone, the membership count saw a substantial increase with the addition of 130 new players (reaching 645), indicating a genuine commitment to advancing plant-based innovation, even amid challen ..read more

© NCSU & Bezos Earth Fund The Bezos Earth Fund has awarded North Carolina State University $30 million over the next five years to establish the first Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein. This project will create a biomanufacturing hub for sustainable dietary proteins that are environmentally friendly, healthy, and affordable. “Sustainable protein has tremendous potential, but more research is needed” This funding is part of the Earth Fund’s larger $100 million commitment to create a network of open-access research and development centers focused on sustainable protein alternatives ..read more

© Orbillion Bio Recent studies tracking US consumer attitudes toward cultivated meat have found a relatively positive outlook for a product yet to be available for mass consumption. A YouGov survey of 9,272 US adults conducted in May 2024 revealed only 50% of the participants preferred to eat animal meat when asked to choose between traditional and lab-grown meat, assuming it was identical to meat. Interestingly, 14% responded that they wouldn’t eat either. This 50% preference for animal meat was consistent across various categories — region, gender, politics, age, and race — with only sligh ..read more

© Hownd HOWND this week announces the launch of three lines of its hypoallergenic functional treats into Pets at Home stores across the UK. The news shortly follows the March launch of the brand’s Superfood range into Pets At Home online. Three flavours, in fully recyclable packaging, will be available from August 5th: Keep Calm with Camomile, Lavender and Valerian Root for stress relief; Got an Itch? with Shiitake Mushrooms and Turmeric for healthy skin & coat; and Yup You Stink! with Mint, Parsley and Lovage herbs for bad breath. Founded in 2015, HOWND has evolved into a multi award-wi ..read more

Image: Brinc/GlassWall Syndicate GlassWall Syndicate (GWS), described as the world’s largest alternative protein investor network, has announced that it is now hosted by Hong Kong-based global venture capital and accelerator firm Brinc. Brinc’s resources and network — including teams across regions such as MENA, India, Singapore, China, and Japan — will allow GWS to enter a new growth phase, increasing critical funding avenues for companies working to combat the climate crisis. Brinc will support GWS in a strategic expansion beyond alternative proteins into sub-verticals such as Climate Adap ..read more

© Billie Green After looking closely at meat producers in the Americas launching plant-based products last year, this series regards meat producers in Europe that have entered the plant-based market. As vegans, some consumers may prefer not to fund companies that are in the business of killing animals. However, it would be remiss not to acknowledge that large producers have the ability to mass-produce at scale and bring plant-based products into the mainstream, thus helping to lower prices. This will be the final installment of our three-part series, following the first and the second, cover ..read more

© Unilever/Hellmann's Hellmann’s UK has announced it is renaming its vegan mayo to “Plant-Based Mayo” with the aim of appealing to a broader range of consumers. The company said its consumer research had shown that the word “vegan” deters some flexitarians, who feel that the product isn’t intended for them. The term “plant-based” is reportedly seen as more inclusive. The mayo’s recipe has also been altered; it now contains less rapeseed oil, while sunflower oil and xanthan gum have been added. The updated product is currently rolling out at supermarkets in 400ml glass jars and 430ml and 750m ..read more

Report Details Momentum Across the Company’s Three Strategic Focus Areas: Products, People and Planet ROSEMONT, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#USFoods–US Foods Holding Corp. (NYSE: USFD) – one of America’s leading foodservice distributors – announced today the release of the company’s 2023 Sustainability Report. Within the comprehensive report, US Foods highlights progress across its sustainable product offerings, support for associates and communities, and initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of its operations. “We are committed to being a responsible company that is both environmentally ..read more

© Pulmuone South Korean plant-based foods producer Pulmuone has signed a business agreement with ABB Korea Robotics, the local corporation of Switzerland’s ABB, to develop cultivated seafood. The collaboration aims to automate the cultivation process for seafood using ABB’s robotics technology, with a target of mass-producing cultivated seafood products by 2026. According to the announcement, the companies hope to spearhead research and development in AI robotics for cellular agriculture. At the same time, Pulmuone expects this partnership to be the world’s first to apply AI robotic automati ..read more

©Beyond Meat Beyond Meat, Inc. (NASDAQ: BYND) recently commissioned a survey in order to understand the attitudes of Canadian consumers towards red meat. The findings indicate that many Canadians are skeptical about plant-based meat and despite a willingness to reduce meat consumption, the overall sentiment is that such products would not offer the same quality of taste. The results of the Beyond survey were as follows. 67% of participants would consider reducing their red meat consumption A third of those who would like to reduce red meat feel that plant-based meat products do not taste g ..read more