ProVeg Incubator Opens Applications for Second Cohort of Free Alt-Protein Programme
ProVeg Incubator has opened applications for the second cohort of its Fast‑track to Impact programme, a three‑month, equity‑free, fully digital accelerator for early‑stage alternative‑protein startups. The deadline is 21 June 2026 and the cohort welcomes global founders with a minimum viable product in meat, dairy, seafood, egg alternatives or enabling technologies. Selected teams receive one‑on‑one mentoring from a network of over 300 experts, workshops on finance and go‑to‑market, and a chance to pitch at the New Food Paradigm event in Paris. The inaugural cohort supported 12 startups after drawing more than 100 applications, building on ProVeg’s track record of assisting over 130 startups from 30+ countries.
Utah Startup Melazyme Raises $2M Seed Round to Produce Fermentation-Derived Melanin and Brazzein
Melazyme, a Utah‑based precision‑fermentation startup, closed a $2 million seed round led by SeaX Ventures with participation from Stellaris and Plug and Play. The company, founded by former Perfect Day executives, is developing a proprietary platform to produce high‑purity melanin and...
IPES-Food Report Warns Trade Wars and Supply Chain Fragility Are Driving Global Food Insecurity
The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems released a May 2026 report warning that trade wars and fragile supply chains have pushed global food prices 35% above 2019 levels and driven the food import bill to a record $2.2 trillion...
T. Hasegawa Introduces Powdered Dairy-Free Flavor Technology for Plant-Based Formulations
T. Hasegawa USA has launched Hasemilk, a powdered flavor technology that replicates the taste and mouthfeel of dairy milk for plant‑based food and beverage formulations. The dry, flexible format comes in fresh whole‑milk, whole‑milk‑powder and skim‑milk‑powder variants and meets FDA...
EU Opens Public Consultation on Biotech Act II, Targeting Industrial Fermentation and Biomanufacturing
The European Commission opened a public consultation on a proposed Biotech Act II, extending the EU’s biotech framework to cover industrial fermentation, cultivated biomass, and precision‑fermentation products. Stakeholders from alternative‑protein and industrial‑biotech firms submitted feedback urging clearer labeling, safety assessments, and...
Daring Foods Enters Australian Retail With Woolworths Listing
US plant‑based chicken maker Daring Foods has entered the Australian market, securing shelf space for its Original and Cajun Plant Chicken Pieces at Woolworths, the country’s largest supermarket chain with over 1,000 stores. The move follows v2food’s acquisition of Daring...
Swissveg Price Comparison 2026: Plant-Based Milk Achieves Price Parity in Swiss Retail
Swissveg’s 2026 price comparison shows plant‑based milk in Swiss supermarkets has almost reached price parity with conventional dairy, while yoghurt and cheese alternatives remain noticeably costlier. Vegan milk now represents roughly one‑fifth of total milk sales at major retailers, reflecting...
Swedish Biotech and AI Firm Join Forces to Drive Down Precision Fermentation Costs
Swedish biotech firm Curve and software specialist Digital Tvilling have partnered to create an integrated biomanufacturing platform that combines AI, graph‑based modelling and digital‑twin technology. The system captures data from every precision‑fermentation run, feeding it into a shared learning model...
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to Drop Plant-Based Milk Surcharge
The Los Angeles‑based Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf announced it will eliminate the extra charge for plant‑based milks starting June 3. The decision follows a high‑visibility PETA campaign that mobilized more than 20,000 supporters and secured a direct meeting with company...
Kickstarting For Good Opens 2026 Applications With Tripled Seed Funding and New Grants for Runner-Ups
Kickstarting for Good (K4G) has opened applications for its 2026 cohort, boosting seed funding to more than $1 million—up from roughly $330,000 in 2025. Graduates can receive between $10,000 and $100,000, with the chance to double any external capital through matching...
Mosa Meat Joins APAC-SCA to Deepen Asia-Pacific Regulatory and Industry Ties
Netherlands‑based cultivated beef pioneer Mosa Meat has joined the Asia‑Pacific Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC‑SCA), bringing its decades‑long expertise to the region’s fast‑growing cellular‑agriculture network. The move gives Mosa a platform to engage regulators, investors and research partners as it...
Tate & Lyle Expands BioHarvest Deal to Develop Plant Cell-Cultivated Sweetener Range
Tate & Lyle and BioHarvest Sciences have broadened their joint development program to include a suite of plant‑cell‑cultivated sweetener molecules. The expansion leverages BioHarvest’s non‑GMO Botanical Synthesis platform, which produces high‑value compounds without growing whole plants. A 2025 Tate &...
Bag-in-Box Barista Oat From Minor Figures Gets Green Light for Automated Coffee Dispensing
UK plant‑based beverage brand Minor Figures has unveiled a 2 × 5 L Bag‑in‑Box Barista Oat designed for high‑volume coffee and hospitality settings. The oat milk, reformulated for gluten‑free coffee performance, received UberMilk’s approval for use in automated dispensing machines after testing in...
Mycelium Moves Into Luxury Accessories as SQIM Launches Ephea Uma
Italian biotech SQIM has introduced Ephea Uma, a mycelium‑grown material now featured in a worldwide luxury accessories collection. The bio‑fabricated material is positioned as a new category rather than a leather alternative, emphasizing low‑impact biotechnology. SQIM, which raised roughly $12 million...
International Expert Panel Sets Plant-Based Diet as Minimum Standard for Global Healthcare
An international panel of 64 scientists led by the University of Innsbruck and the Tyrolean University of Education released two reports that set a predominantly plant‑based diet as the evidence‑based minimum recommendation for health systems worldwide. The reports introduce the...
Elmhurst 1925 Moves Into RTD Protein With Clean-Label Shakes Launching at Sprouts
Elmhurst 1925 is entering the ready‑to‑drink protein market with its Clean Protein line, debuting exclusively at Sprouts Farmers Market nationwide. The four‑flavor range delivers 27 g of plant protein, 190 calories and no more than three grams of sugar per bottle, priced...
Big Idea Ventures Backs Five Startups Targeting Cost and Scalability in Food Biotech
Big Idea Ventures announced the second cohort of its Global Food Innovation Fund II, backing five startups across Argentina, France, Mexico and the United States with $200,000 each. The companies focus on fermentation, plant‑cell biomanufacturing, enzyme‑based extraction, targeted bioactive delivery,...
US Army Opens Door to Alternative Protein Sector for Military Ration Development
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command has issued a Sources Sought Announcement seeking domestic partners to develop alternative‑protein technologies for future field rations. The solicitation targets fermentation and precision‑fermentation protein production, as well as meat‑alternative product development, consumer acceptability...
Kickstarting For Good’s 2025 Cohort Secures $1.5M in Six Months, Lifting Cumulative Total Past $10M
Kickstarting For Good’s 2025 graduate cohort raised more than $1.5 million within six months, an 85% increase over the prior year’s graduates. The amount includes roughly $250,000 in seed grants from K4G, with the balance sourced from external donors and impact‑focused...
Generative AI System Could Cut Animal Testing by Up to 50% in Preclinical Research
Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt, Philipps University of Marburg and the Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology have unveiled genESOM, a generative AI tool that creates synthetic preclinical data. Trained on small experimental sets, it can mimic real laboratory...
IFF Bets on Origin-Based R&D with New Madagascar Facility for Vanilla Innovation
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) has opened a 650‑square‑meter Vanilla Innovation Center in Toamasina, Madagascar, bringing laboratory, extraction and application labs directly to the source of the world’s vanilla. The facility combines molecular profiling, a scalable extraction unit and an...
Better Balance Returns to Spain’s Festival Circuit for Fifth Year Running
Better Balance, the Spanish plant‑based brand, will appear at five of Spain’s top music festivals in 2026, marking its fifth consecutive year on the circuit. The lineup includes Primavera Sound, O Son Do Camiño, PortAmérica, BBK Live and Río Verbena,...
EU Parliament Votes to Warn Against Plant-Based Foods in Schools and Strip NGO Funding
The European Parliament voted on May 10 to adopt a resolution urging the European Commission to halt funding for NGOs that lobby for plant‑based alternatives and to commission scientific studies on “food substitutes,” especially in school meals. The measure passed with...
Ex-Alpro CEO Joins Board of Italian Plant-Based Dairy Startup Dreamfarm
Dreamfarm, a Parma‑based plant‑based dairy startup, appointed former Alpro CEO Sue Garfitt to its board as an independent director. Garfitt brings decades of category‑building experience as Dreamfarm prepares to scale across Europe after posting revenue of about €2 million ($2.2 million) in...
Beyond Meat Signs Former England Footballer Karen Carney as UK Ambassador
Beyond Meat has appointed former England footballer Karen Carney as its UK ambassador for 2026, aligning the partnership with summer retail moments such as BBQ season and National Hamburger Day. Carney will front recipe content and media activities featuring the...
Tempty Foods Reaches 100% of Crowdfunding Target on Republic Europe with 26 Days to Spare
Danish mycelium food startup Tempty Foods closed its Republic Europe equity crowdfunding at €356,538 (about $386,000), surpassing its €355,036 goal with 26 days remaining. The round, priced at €65.30 per share ($70.5), sells 10.09% of the company and values Tempty...
Mushus Launches as UK’s First Sparkling Skincare Drink with Vegan Collagen
Met Foods, the UK maker of dairy‑free brands Nush Foods and Cocos Organic, has launched Mushus, the country’s first sparkling skincare drink featuring vegan collagen. The 250 ml cans, sold in six‑packs for £20 (about $25), come in Raspberry Fizz and...
Lallemand Group to Present Yeast and Enzyme Solutions for Plant-Based Foods at Copenhagen Summit
Lallemand Group will attend the Bridge2Food Summit in Copenhagen from June 9‑11, showcasing microbial and enzyme‑based ingredients for plant‑based foods. The company will present Engevita HiPRO Beyond, a high‑protein nutritional yeast, and its Savor‑Lyfe flavor line that adds umami and kokumi...
Theo Müller Group Acquires German Plant-Based Producer Berief Food
The Theo Müller Group announced the pending acquisition of German plant‑based producer Berief Food, subject to antitrust clearance. Berief will operate as a largely independent unit within the Müller portfolio. The deal follows Berief’s search for financing to fund expansion into...
Vegan Groups Representing 130,000 People Pressure Woolworths to Reverse Plant-Based Retreat
Three Australasian vegan advocacy groups, representing over 130,000 people, have written to Woolworths Group demanding the retailer stop reducing plant‑based product lines. The joint letter cites shrinking shelf space, discontinued items, and a 17% rise in Scope 3 emissions since 2022,...
Brazilian Vegan Protein Shake Franchise Sunrize Reaches 7 Units After Launching Franchise Model
Sunrize Shakehouse, a Brazilian plant‑based protein shake brand founded in 2024, has opened seven franchise units across the country after launching its franchise model. The company raised roughly $500,000 (R$2.5 million) to fund the rollout and targets ten locations by mid‑2026...
One Planet Pizza Crosses £1m Sales Mark and Secures Third Asda Listing
One Planet Pizza, the UK plant‑based pizza brand, has surpassed $1.27 million in annualised retail sales and joined NielsenIQ’s Million Club. The company secured a third nationwide listing with Asda, rolling out the product at a $3.80 price point on May 11....
Phytokana Locks In $450M in Customer Contracts Ahead of Faba Protein Facility Launch
Phytokana Ingredients, a Calgary‑based faba protein startup, has locked in definitive off‑take agreements worth roughly $450 million, with total potential sales exceeding $500 million when combined with existing MOUs. The contracts span three to ten years and are tied to the upcoming...
Oatly Launches UK’s First Plant-Based Cold Foam for Cafes and Bars
Oatly has launched Barista Cold Foam in the UK, the first plant‑based cold foam designed for cafés, bars and restaurants. The shelf‑stable oat topping sits on iced coffee, cold brew and specialty drinks, staying stable for about an hour on...
BENEO and Meatless Publish Consumer Survey Results on Hybrid Meat
Ingredient maker BENEO’s Meatless division released a consumer survey of nearly 3,500 shoppers in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. In Germany, more than half of respondents said they would purchase hybrid meat products if taste and price meet expectations,...
Michelin-Starred Chef Thierry Marx Develops Plant-Based Kebab Recipe for French School Canteens
French foodservice distributor PRO à PRO, which serves more than half of the country’s secondary schools, has teamed with plant‑based brand ACCRO to launch a new kebab recipe developed by Michelin‑starred chef Thierry Marx. The kebab uses ACCRO’s 100% plant‑based...
Netherlands Updates National Food Guidelines to Cut Meat and Dairy, Boost Legumes
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre has revised its national food guide, the Schijf van Vijf, boosting the weekly legume target to 250 g and cutting meat limits to 300 g per week (red meat capped at 100 g) while halving the daily cheese recommendation...
MicroHarvest Expands European Pet Food Presence With 15 Products Due by Mid-2026
Hamburg‑based MicroHarvest announced more than 15 new pet‑food products slated for launch in Q2 2026, leveraging its fermentation‑derived protein as a low‑carbon, hypoallergenic alternative for cats and dogs. The ingredient is already stocked in over 1,800 German retail outlets through VegDog...
Ruby Bio Reports Fermentation Breakthrough for Clean-Label Emulsifiers as Pressure on Synthetics Mounts
Ruby Bio announced that its fermentation platform achieved titers exceeding 100 g per liter for lipid‑based natural emulsifiers, a level the company says meets cost parity with synthetic alternatives. The breakthrough comes as health researchers, retailers and regulators push synthetic emulsifiers...
Chunk Foods Lands Whole Foods Listing in Northeast US, with Nationwide Rollout Set for June
Chunk Foods announced that its steak, pulled‑meat and new Moroccan Cubes plant‑based products have secured shelf space at Whole Foods Market locations across the Northeast United States. The Moroccan Cubes deliver 19 grams of protein per serving. The company, which uses...
US House Passes Farm Bill With Provisions That Would Override State Animal Welfare Laws
On April 30, the U.S. House approved the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 by a 224‑200 vote, largely along party lines. The bill’s most controversial element would preempt animal confinement laws in at least 15 states, effectively nullifying...
Bipartisan Bill Would Use Tax Credits to Build US Plant-Based Materials Sector
Two bipartisan congresswomen introduced the Biobased Materials Investment and Production Act, offering a 30% investment tax credit for new or retrofitted biomanufacturing facilities and a production credit of $0.10 per pound of renewable material, capped at $10 million annually. The legislation...
US Legislators Revive FAIR Labels Act With Tighter Restrictions on Alt Protein Labeling
A bipartisan group of House and Senate members reintroduced the FAIR Labels Act of 2026, aiming to place plant‑based and cell‑cultivated proteins under the same federal labeling rules as conventional meat. The bill would require the term “cell‑cultivated” or the...
OurCrowd Backs PhenOlives as Olive Pomace Startup Appoints Former Nestlé Israel CEO to Board
Israeli food‑tech startup PhenOlives raised $270,000 from OurCrowd as part of a $1 million funding round and appointed former Nestlé Israel CEO Itzik Saig as chairman of the board. The company has installed the world’s first commercial‑scale line that converts olive pomace...
Marigold Flowers Could Become a Viable Protein Ingredient, New Study Finds
University of Georgia researchers have shown that dried marigold (Calendula officinalis) flowers retain over 92% of their protein when extracted, with the albumin fraction performing on par with pea protein in water‑holding, oil‑holding, emulsification and antioxidant tests. The proteins also...
Livvie Launches Business Tool to Quantify Plant-Based Food Impact Across 22 Metrics
Livvie, a Netherlands‑based food‑tech firm, launched Livvie Business, a web‑based impact calculator that quantifies plant‑forward food programmes across 22 environmental, animal‑welfare and health metrics. Users input simple data such as meal counts or participant numbers, and the platform generates estimates...
Solar Foods Secures €350,000 in EU Hydrogen Valley Project to Expand Solein Output
Finnish food‑tech firm Solar Foods has secured €350,000 (about $385,000) from the EU‑funded BalticSeaH2 hydrogen valley project to boost production of its protein ingredient Solein at Factory 01. The five‑year initiative, backed by a €33 million ($36.3 million) Clean Hydrogen Partnership budget, aims...
Lallemand Bio-Ingredients to Present Yeast Protein and Savory Solutions at IFIA Japan 2026
Lallemand Bio-Ingredients will exhibit at IFIA Japan 2026 in Tokyo, showcasing its yeast‑based Engevita HiPRO Beyond protein ingredient and savory yeast‑extract concepts. The protein ingredient offers a neutral sensory profile and no rheological impact, allowing formulators to boost protein in...
Green Boy Group Backs Fudi Protein in Bet on Alfalfa-Derived RuBisCO
Green Boy Group, the Los Angeles‑Amsterdam ingredient supplier, has made an undisclosed early‑stage investment in Fudi Protein, a startup that isolates RuBisCO protein from alfalfa. The alfalfa‑derived protein achieves a near‑perfect PDCAAS of 1.0, matching dairy and egg in amino‑acid...
Global Veganism Data Has a Major Blind Spot, New Faunalytics Report Finds
A new Faunalytics report reveals that 87% of globally‑representative vegan and vegetarian data comes from Europe and North America, which together make up only 16% of the world’s population. No comparable data exist for Sub‑Saharan Africa or South Asia, regions...