October highlights from the plant-based and cultivated-alternative-protein sector:  ProVeg awarded Observer Status at IPCC

ProVeg International is the first NGO focused on promoting plant-based diets to be awarded Observer Status at the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Plus, more opportunities for plant-based food entrepreneurs as entries open for The Greg Steltenpohl Visionary Award. Find all this and more in this month’s highlights from the plant-based and cultivated-alternative-protein sector.

TRENDS & PROJECTIONS

• A report by ProVeg International analysed the impact of lab-based vs food-based imagery on consumer perceptions of cultivated meat.  
• New research from flavour manufacturer Givaudan reviews emerging technologies in the plant-based and cultivated-alternative-protein sector, including 3D printing and fermentation. 
• Interviews conducted by Rowan University, Mercy for Animals, and precision-fermentation startup Formo look at European consumer attitudes towards animal-free dairy.

RETAIL FOODS

• Retail giant Carrefour has partnered with Brazilian plant-based-meat company Verdali to lauch a designated plant-based-butcher section in one of its locations. 
•  According to the CEO of plant-based-yoghurt brand Jooma, it is difficult for plant-based brands to enter retail in China due to lack of education about the category. 
• UK tempeh brand Better Nature has launched three of its products across 300 Migros stores in Switzerland.
• ProVeg International recently published a report that explores four different techniques to increase plant-based sales in retail without increasing shelf space.

FOODSERVICE CHAINS/CATERERS

• New York restaurant Eleven Madison Park has become the first plant-based restaurant to be awarded three Michelin stars.  
• In the US, Starbucks is trialling a new plant-based menu that features the plant-based brands Just Egg and Daring Chicken. 
• Chicago-based Aqua Cultured Foods has signed an agreement with Swiss hospitality company SV Group to bring its alt-seafood to cafeterias and event venues.
• Plant-based brand OmniFoods has launched its plant-based fish fillet across nearly 500 UK pubs and restaurants. 
• Retail brand Wicked Kitchen is collaborating with the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team to open a plant-based concession stand on their home ground. 
• A Burger King restaurant in Bristol, UK, will go fully plant-based for two weeks, offering plant-based versions of 24 classic Burger King offerings. 

FOOD MANUFACTURERS

• Global meat manufacturer JBS has confirmed that it is ceasing operations of its plant-based brand Planterra.
• Dutch cultivated-meat company Meatable is partnering with contract manufacturer Esco Aster to bring cultivated pork to Singapore. 
• Finnish brand Rebl Eats has joined forces with Swedish brand Mycorena to make meat alternatives more accessible in Northern Europe. 

INGREDIENTS SUPPLIERS/NEW TECHNOLOGIES 

• Singapore-based cultivated-seafood startup Umami Meats has filed for a patent for its unique stem-cell technology.
• North American ingredients supplier Puris Holdings has launched its first product for consumers, a plant-based egg made with pea protein.
• Israeli startup Meala FoodTech claims to be developing a replacement for methylcellulose in plant-based products.

ONES TO WATCH OUT FOR

• UK-based consultancy Vegan Business Tribe will be organising a business conference for plant-based companies as part of VegfestUK, which takes place in London in November.
• Australian cultivated-meat company Vow claims to have opened the world’s largest cultivated-meat factory. 
• San-Diego-based food manufacturer BlueNalu has announced its plans for a large-scale cultivated-seafood plant to enable its growth in the sector.

STARTUP & FINANCIAL

• Plant-based brand Wicked Kitchen has secured $20 million in bridge funding, with support and financial backing from Hollywood actor Woody Harrelson. 
• The Greg Steltenpohl Visionary Award is now accepting entries from plant-centric entrepreneurs for its $100,000 grant for early-stage food ventures.
• Spanish plant-based meat brand Heura has announced a €20 million series-B funding round. 
• Paris-based cultivated-meat company Gourmey has secured €48 million in a Series A funding round and plans to open a 46,000-square-foot production facility. 
• German food-tech startup Vly Foods has developed a dairy-free yoghurt range using pea and broad-bean proteins. 

STAKEHOLDER INTERVENTIONS

• ProVeg International has been awarded Observer Status at the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
• Alternative-protein pioneers joined policymakers from the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in an online discussion about food security and the possibility of cultivated meat in China and around the world. 
• New Zealand has confirmed that it will stop live animal exports by sea from 30 April 2023.
• The programme has been announced for the Food4Climate Pavilion taking place at COP27. It marks the first year that the conference will discuss food-system transformation. 
• Non-profit organisation the Better Food Foundation has partnered with New York City Health + Hospitals to make plant-based meals the default option in New York hospitals.
• Three cultivated-alternative-protein associations in the US, the EU and the APAC region have formed an alliance to advance cultivated alternative proteins on a global scale. 

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