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Future Food

August 9, 2019

Japanese Startup Integriculture Will Sell Cultured Foie Gras by 2021, and Teach You To Make It at Home

At SKS Japan this week, lots of speakers have been predicting what the future of food might look like: it might be cooked by robotic articulating arms, it might be carbon neutral, or it might be personalized to individuals’ specific tastes.

But the most futuristic vision of all might have come from Yuki Hanyu, CEO and founder of DIY cultured meat community Shojinmeat. He sketched out a time in which we’re all living on Mars, growing steak in bioreactors in much the same way we brew beer right now.

That reality is still a long way off. However, right now Hanyu is still working on quite a few projects pushing us towards a future in which everyone — yes, even you — can grow their own meat, and cultured meat is available in your corner supermarket.

Shojinmeat was the original enterprise, but in 2015 Hanyu spun out Integriculture, a startup creating full-stack cellular agriculture solutions. After his session at SKS Japan, Hanyu described his company’s projected timeline to me:

2019
By the end of this year Integriculture will start selling Space Salt, a dried version of cell culture media. For those who don’t nerd out on cellular agriculture, media is the liquid “food” that allows animal cells to rapidly proliferate to form meat. Space Salt is Integriculture’s (secret) proprietary blend of salt and food safe amino acids, which, when mixed with water, forms a DIY cell culture media. Hanyu wants to sell it to home enthusiasts who can use it to grow their own meat using Shojinmeat guide.

2020
While its focus is cultured meat, in 2020 Integriculture is also planning to sell its media for use in cosmetic applications, specifically as an anti-aging skincare product.

2021
In 2021, Integriculture will launch its first cell-based meat product: foie gras. Hanyu said that they decided to tackle foie gras as its first product because of its creamy texture, which means that they don’t have to emulate the texture and chew of meat. Since foie gras is already quite expensive, starting with that product will also presumably give consumers less of a sticker shock when they see its high price. Accordingly they plan to launch first in high-end restaurants in Japan.

“We’re not aiming for massive revenue at first,” Hanyu told me during SKS Japan. Instead, he’s expecting that the foie gras launch will be more of a proof of concept to show that cell-based meat is feasible and delicious. He also wants it to help establish regulatory guidelines for cultured animal products in Japan.

Which brings us back to the Space Salt. Presumably, when Integriculture starts selling its cell-based foie gras, Japanese food regulatory bodies will ask the company what’s in it in order to approve it for public consumption. At that time Hanyu and his team plan to show that the only two inputs are duck liver cells and Space Salt (plus water), the latter of which contains ingredients that are already sold on the market. He’s hoping that if they prove that duck liver and Space Salt are both already available for purchase, then by the transitive property their cell-based foie gras shouldn’t pose a problem.

If the 2021 restaurant launch goes as planned, Integriculture will start selling foie gras in supermarkets in 2023.

Photo: Integriculture

An ambitious timeline, to be sure — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The JST (Japan Science and Technology) Agency, part of the Japanese government, is investing part of its $20 million funding in Integriculture’s research for large-scale cell-based meat. The company is also working with JAXA (the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) on its Space Food X program, which is developing closed-loop food solutions for space travelers.

That’s a lot of balls to juggle for the startup, especially one with only 13 employees and ¥300 million (USD 2.7 million) in funding. There’s also relatively little local support: despite the fact that cultured meat will likely debut in Asia, Japan is still quite light on cellular agriculture startups.

Interestingly, there’s at least one other company openly working in the cell-based meat space — and it’s a big one. Nissin Foods, the instant ramen giant, is partnering with the University of Tokyo to develop their own small cultured meat cubes to include in their freeze-dried ramen packs.

However, as they’re a large company which would require billions of tiny cell-based meat cubes — and they need to make them cheaply to keep down the cost of their product — Hanyu said that they’re likely 10 years away from actually incorporating cultured pork or chicken into the ramen packs.

Maybe then highbrow consumers will be able to have instant noodles with lab-grown foie gras.

August 8, 2019

Sodexo Is Launching an Impossible Burger Menu at 1,500 U.S. Locations

Food and facilities management giant Sodexo announced today it will launch a new product line featuring the Impossible Burger at over 1,500 locations in the U.S.

According to a press release, the new product line will feature plant-based versions of “a sausage muffin sandwich, sausage gravy and biscuits, steakhouse burger and creole burger” that all use Impossible’s famous “bleeding burger” in place of real meat.

The new items will be available on August 19. While Sodexo didn’t specify where they would be served, the company supplies food and food services to about 13,000 locations in North America, including corporations, colleges and universities, government facilities.

While it’s a big move, it’s also not really surprising, given the seemingly endless stream of announcements coming out of the plant-based meat sector lately. The Sodexo news comes on the same day Impossible is expanding its now-famous Impossible Whopper at Burger King locations nationwide, and just days after the company announced a forthcoming launch at retail stores, which is slated for September.

Meanwhile, Impossible’s chief rival, Beyond, is busy striking deals left and right with QSRs and already has a strong retail presence.

With sales of plant-based meat booming, both Impossible and Beyond are aiming their products not at vegans and vegetarians but at so-called flexitarians, who want the taste and texture of real beef without the ethical and environmental issues that surround animal-based products. A move into settings like corporate cafeterias and university dining halls would provide even more exposure to this audience.

August 7, 2019

Subway Partners With Beyond Meat for Plant-Based Meatball Sub

Subway joined the growing number of QSRs offering plant-based meat options this week, announcing a new partnership with Beyond Meat.

The two companies will start testing the Beyond Meatball Marinara sandwich, a plant-based take on one of Subway’s classics, in September, according to a press release. The sandwich will be available in 685 Subway restaurants for a limited time in the U.S. and Canada. Subway didn’t specify how limited that time would be or what happens afterwards. Presumably, the Beyond Meatball Marinara will be available as long as supplies last, and its expansion will depend on how popular the sandwich proves during this testing phase.

Subway is the latest fast-food outlet to start offering a plant-based option on its menu. At the end of last month, Beyond added a partnership with Dunkin’ to sell plant-based breakfast sandwiches in NYC. Beyond also has menu items at chains like Del Taco and Carl’s Jr., as well as a strong retail presence in grocery stores. The company even launched a new ground-beef-like product at Whole Foods earlier this summer.

Impossible, meanwhile, is set to do a nationwide rollout of its Impossible Whopper at Burger King this week. The company, who is Beyond’s chief rival, already works with White Castle as well as some non-burger chains like Qdoba and Little Caesar’s. Impossible is also (finally) heading to retail stores this September.

Given the surging popularity of both Impossible and Beyond, we can expect the list of QSRs testing out plant-based options like these to keep growing throughout the rest of the year.

August 7, 2019

Qdoba CEO: We Chose Impossible Foods for “Its Unique Flavor and Texture”

The world of fast-food burritos has experienced a real shake-up lately, thanks to one thing: plant-based meat.

Now if you’re hitting up the drive-thru at least two popular Mexican food chains, you can opt to replace the beef in your tacos/burritos/bowls with meatless meat. This April, Del Taco rolled out Beyond Meat to all of its menus. Just a month later, Qdoba began serving Impossible’s plant-based beef in all of its 730+ locations nationwide.

The meatless meat lines have been drawn, with Del Taco on one side with Beyond Meat and Qdoba on the other with Impossible. During an email interview with The Spoon, Qdoba’s CEO Keith Guilbault told me that the chain decided to go with Impossible over other plant-based meat suppliers because their “protein stood out for its unique texture and flavor.”

Jill Adams, Qdoba’s VP of Marketing, echoed the sentiment over the phone last month. “We landed on Impossible because it delivers on flavor,” she said. “There’s also high consumer awareness around the product.”

Because of this awareness, she told me that Qdoba had seen a wave of new customers come in specifically to try the Impossible products. In fact, according to Adams, when Qdoba tested Impossible menu items in Eastern Michigan this February they saw transactions grow 4 percent. “There was an immediate uptick,” she said.

The post-Impossible spike isn’t exactly surprising. Immediately after adding Beyond Meat “beef” to their menus, Del Taco reported an increase in both check size and overall food traffic. In fact, many QSR’s report an uptick in traffic and sales immediately after adding a plant-based meat option to their menus.

Whether that uptick will turn into a steady increase remains to be seen. However, for now Del Taco and Qdoba seem to have carved out their own corners. As of now, they don’t have any competition from other Mexican food QSR’s: Taco Bell has a new vegetarian menu but is steering clear of fake meat, whereas Chipotle recently announced that it wouldn’t serve Impossible or Beyond since they were too processed.

Qdoba and Del Taco’s menus are relatively similar, which means that the brand of plant-based meat (or lack thereof) they use could become a significant factor when people decide where they want to stop for fast-food burritos — especially as more and more diners become familiar with meatless meat. But for now, the simple fact that Qdoba and Del Taco both offer plant-based meat could be enough to lure in new customers; vegetarian, flexitarian and otherwise.

August 2, 2019

Kiverdi Uses NASA Technology To Make Protein, Fish Food, and Palm Oil from CO2

What if there was a single solution to food supply issues, plastic waste and soil degradation — and it was something that’s in front of you right this very second?

Hayward, California-based Kiverdi is working to solve a variety of daunting problems facing our planet by leveraging carbon filtered from the air. Kiverdi co-founder and CEO Lisa Dyson was looking for solutions to solve climate change on Earth when she stumbled upon a technology that NASA was exploring to feed astronauts over long interplanetary journeys. Scientists discovered particular single-cell organisms, that, when fed carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen from the air, would output protein in a process she called carbon fermentation. In 2011 Dyson and her co-founder John Reed decided to use this technology to solve food supply issues on Earth and started Kiverdi.

“We built this company to be able to commercialize solutions to the world’s tough issues,” Dyson told me over the phone this week. Those issues include protein supply, of course, but that’s only one facet of Kiverdi’s business. The company is also using carbon fermentation to create sustainable fish feed, fertilizer and palm oil. It’s even transforming waste through a very rad-sounding process called “gasification,” in which plastics are broken down into carbon and hydrogen, then reformed into biodegradable materials.

The whole process may sound something you need to have a PhD in science to understand (and Dyson does), but she described it to me as very similar to brewing beer or making yogurt. The company currently has over 46 patents granted and pending on their technology.

Dyson said that they’re going to commercialize through partnerships and enter the market over the next few years through multiple verticals. She couldn’t name any specific air protein partnerships that are in the works, but did mention meatless meat and protein powder as potential products. Kiverdi also has several investors and some government funding, though Dyson wouldn’t disclose exact funding numbers.

It’ll be a while — probably two years or so — before anyone gets to bite into a plant-based burger made with air protein. The company is not going to commercialize until their product is “economically attractive,” as Dyson put it. And for that to happen, they’ll need to scale up significantly.

The company currently ferments all of its protein in-house in its manufacturing facility. But since their technology relies on so few outputs (air, water, and electricity) and requires no land, they can actually scale up relatively easily. All they have to do is add more fermentation tanks and voila — more protein.

Kiverdi’s technology is akin to gas fermentation, a technology we’ve covered before on the Spoon in which genetically engineered microbes turn air, water and electricity into edible proteins. The process is used by companies Solar Foods, Novo Nutrients and Deep Branch Biotechnology, but Dyson claims that Kiverdi’s technology separates itself from the pack since it uses a unique metabolic pathway.

Solar Foods seems to be Kiverdi’s closest competitor, as they’re the only other company using gas fermentation to make protein meant to go into marketable foods. The Finnish company plans to have its protein to market by 2021, so they’re on a similar timeline to Kiverdi.

But Solar Foods seems to be slightly further ahead in certain ways: it has already started pre-engineering on its factory, and has applied for a novel food license in order to legally sell its ingredients in Europe. Kiverdi hasn’t disclosed anything so concrete in terms of manufacturing or timeline, though Dyson did say that she didn’t anticipate any regulatory hurdles since their production methods are very similar to that of yogurt, beer, and even Impossible Foods’ heme, all of which are FDA-approved. Kiverdi’s protein is currently approved for specific applications in Europe.

Then again, I don’t think competition will be too much of an issue at first. Solar Foods is based in Europe while Kiverdi is in California. And when it comes to a food ingredient as novel — and sustainable — as protein made from air, odds are there will be ample market opportunity.

That’s just on Earth: Solar Foods is currently developing technology for the European Space Agency and Kiverdi is working with SRI International. But while gas and carbon fermentation could help sustain astronauts traveling through space, they also have the potential to solve pressing issues here on Earth. Good thing we’re not running out of air anytime soon.

August 1, 2019

Future Food: Finally, Impossible is Headed to Retail

This is the web version of our weekly Future Food newsletter. Be sure to subscribe here so you don’t miss a beat!

Hey guys. We may not be having record-breaking heat levels in Seattle, but as we wade into the depths of summer it still seems harder and harder to do anything that’s not jumping in a lake.

One group that doesn’t have the luxury of summer chilling is Impossible Foods. Fresh off of a headline-grabbing four-month shortage, this week the plant-based meat company announced that it had partnered with one of the world’s largest food manufacturers, the OSI Group, in order to increase its production capacity.

Impossible is going to need all the help it can get. Just yesterday it officially announced that it will launch its plant-based meat in retail this September. That means the company has two months maximum before it needs to be prepared to supply not its growing list of restaurant partners — including fast-food behemoths like Burger King, which is rolling out the Impossible Whopper nationwide on August 8 — but also grocery stores. Hopefully Impossible’s shortage really is donezo, because otherwise they could get some serious backlash when shoppers find an empty retail shelf where they were expecting some Impossible “meat.”

Wait, Impossible is going to retail?

Yes it is! We may now know that Impossible will hit grocery shelves in September, but there are still a lot of question marks.

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What will its first product be?
A safe bet here would be burgers, as that’s the vast majority of what Impossible sells now to its restaurant partners and the first product that most people associate with its brand. However, since the launch of its new recipe 2.0 back in January, the company has been working to emphasize the versatility of its “bleeding” meatless meat.

Over the past year they have begun to branch out beyond burgers with some of their restaurant partners. At Qdoba, Impossible plant-based protein is turned into seasoned taco “beef,” and at Little Caesar’s, it’s a sausage-like topping for pizza (extra interesting, since that iteration skews more towards pork than beef). Just a few days ago it appeared on Wow Bao’s menu in the form of a spicy Mongolian bao bun.

Maybe instead of a pre-formed patty we’ll see something more ground meat-like, sort of like Beyond Beef? It seems less likely, but they could also to differentiate themselves and offer products that Beyond doesn’t already sell in retail, such as ground pork or breakfast sausage.

How much will it cost?
Obviously Impossible will need to price its product competitively with Beyond Meat. Because the two products are so similar — many people I talk to about them refer to them interchangeably — even a minimal price difference could push someone to put an Impossible product in their cart instead of Beyond.

What’s less clear is if Impossible will be able to hit that competitive price point. Unlike Beyond, its plant-based meat contains heme, which it makes from genetically engineered yeast. I’m not sure how expensive that process is, but it’s one step that Beyond doesn’t have to deal with. Then again, Impossible has been able to sell its products at a pretty competitive price through its fast-food partners (it’s only $1 more than the meat options at both Burger King and White Castle), so clearly they’re able to get their costs down at least relatively low.

Where will it launch?
We don’t yet know which retail partners Impossible will launch with, or how many stores.

But one thing that does seem clear is that Impossible has learned an important lesson from its recent product shortage. In the past, it has been burned by growing too big too quickly. The company is already hedging its bets with the nationwide Burger King launch, stating that Impossible Whoppers will only be available “while supplies last.” It’s likely that they’ll roll out slowly in grocery stores to avoid the embarrassment of another shortage, especially so soon after their last one.

Impossible heading into retail is a big deal not only for the company but for plant-based meat in general. Now consumers who want to try out meatless meat will have more than just one option in the grocery store.

Sure, there are other plant-based meat products sold on store shelves, but Beyond is unquestionably the leader in fake meat retail right now. It also has the first-mover advantage. All of which is to say that Impossible will have to keep hustling on marketing, production, and product innovation to make it stand out in the grocery aisle. Looks like the company won’t be able to chill for a long time.

(photo: Chris Albrecht).

It’s all a process

Speaking of Beyond Meat, the company’s post-IPO honeymoon might be coming to an end. Beyond’s share prices dropped significantly this week, and they’ve also been fielding some critiques regarding their heavy processing methods and long ingredient lists. Even Chipotle threw them some shade.

During their Q2 earnings call this week, Beyond’s CEO Ethan Brown directly addressed concerns by stating that their company’s production methods are admittedly complex, but no more so than those used by a cow to turn plants into muscle.

“When it comes to meat, it’s not a question of processed or not no matter which process they prefer,” he said, referring to making meat from plants and from animals.

That’s an interesting way to look at it. After all, the process of animals digesting plants and turn them into meat is definitely complex — far beyond the scope of my 11th-grade bio abilities. By comparison, extracting protein from peas and beans, adding vitamins and extruding them a machine seems, well, simple.

However, compare Beyond Meat to other veggie burgers — the kind many flexitarians now turn their nose up at — and the processing critiques hold a lot more water. A black bean burger may not be as “sexy” as a burger that turns plants into a pretty damn good simulacrum of meat. However, you also know exactly what’s going into it (mostly beans), and have a pretty good idea of how those ingredients were prepared and assembled (cooked, mashed, shaped, frozen). Both options are still made by machines, so in the end they’re both probably processed a similar amount.

But while people have a pretty good idea about how companies turn beans into burgers, most of us can’t say the same about Beyond, Impossible, and the like. Though I guess we could take Brown up on his offer and visit the Missouri production facility to find out.

Photo: Meatless Farm

Protein ’round the web

  • Fast-casual Asian restaurant Wow Bao is launching a meatless bao bun made with Impossible Foods “meat” on August 5th.
  • In Canada, fast-food chain Tim Horton’s is testing out JUST’s plant-based egg. Might there be Beyond/JUST breakfast sandwiches in our future?
  • U.K. company Meatless Farms, which makes plant-based burgers, sausages, and more, will launch in Whole Foods next week.

Eat well,
Catherine

August 1, 2019

Startups, Take Note: Food Tech Accelerator Programs Taking Applications in August

August may be vacation time for many. But in the world of food tech accelerators, it’s business as usual, with a fresh offering of programs taking applications throughout the month. Some are courtesy of major corporations, others have sprouted from more local operations. All are in search of startups using technology to change the way we farm, transport, cook, and eat our food.

To keep you up to date on the many, many programs out there and what they offer, every month The Spoon picks a few of our faves and shares their basic details. Since this is never an exhaustive list, if you have a suggestion for a food tech accelerator or incubator you don’t see here, email us so we can be sure to consider it for future versions of this post.

Image via Brinc.

Brinc’s Food Technology Accelerator Program
Hong Kong

Brinc operates its three-month-long Food Technology Accelerator Program twice a year in Hong Kong. The program has a very specific list on its website of areas it will invest in: plant-based alternatives, processed food or food ingredients, cooking aides, functional foods, sports performance foods, insect proteins, biodegradable food packaging, and animal/plant agricultural solutions. Startups who apply should have a product that fits into one of these areas. They should also have at least two co-founders and a scalable business model “with high growth potential.”

Brinc offers $80,000 in exchange for 10 to 15 percent equity. (Note that there is a separate $30,000 participation fee, which can be deducted from the investment amount.) Additionally, participants receive in-house mentorship sessions, customized curriculum, one-on-one office hours, and continued support once the program wraps. Startups are expected to be in Hong Kong for one month of the program for onsite training.

Applications close August 10.

Image via AgFunder.

GROW
Singapore

As we covered in-depth last month, GROW is a joint program from VC firm AgFunder and agri-food accelerator Rocket Seeder. It looks for early-stage companies working in the agtech space and using technology to either improve operations on the farm or in the food supply chain. The program also aims to bring more investment to Singapore’s still-nascent food tech space.

Participants receive up to $120,000 in equity funding, $80,000 in-kind benefits, coaching and mentorship sessions, and access to testing labs. They are expected to be in Singapore for at least part of the three-month-long program.

Applications close on August 19.

The first BSH Future Home Accelerator cohort.

BSH Future Home Accelerator
Munich, Germany

BSH hosted the first class of its Future Home Accelerator, powered by Techstars, this year, with ckbk, Pantri, and MealiQ among the participating companies. As BSH is a top appliance maker, the credo behind its accelerator is finding startups innovating on the future of the home — and in particular, the kitchen. The program also welcomes companies working on B2B-focused solutions.

For the three-month program, participants head to Munich, Germany to work with mentors at BSH across the company’s design, engineering, marketing, digital, and business engineering departments. BSH/Techstars will invest $20,000 in each company and receive a 6 percent common stock exchange. All companies participating in Techstars accelerators, including those for the BSH program, get offered a $100,000 convertible note upon acceptance.

Applications close October 13.

APPLICATIONS OPENING SOON

Image via The Food Foundry.

The Food Foundry
Chicago, IL

The Chicago-based program founded by Relish Works looks for early-stage startups across a range of areas in the food industry, including everything from third-party delivery to blockchain to vertical farming.

For the 16-week program, the Food Foundry provides participating companies with $75,000 of VC funding. They also receive mentorship opportunities with individuals from Relish Works and its program partners, Gordon Food Service and Chicago startup hub 1871. Actual programming is a mix of learning curriculum, mentor sessions, and visits to Gordon’s facilities. According to The Food Foundry’s FAQ, participants should be willing to relocate to Chicago for the program.

Applications open on August 14.

July 31, 2019

Impossible Foods Announces It Will Launch in Retail This September

Mark your calendars, Impossible burger acolytes. The plant-based meat company will officially launch a product in retail this September.

That little tidbit was buried in a press release from the Redwood, Calif.-based company announcing that it had gained FDA approval for “use of a key ingredient as a color additive.”

That’s all fine and dandy, but the really juicy news didn’t come until halfway through the release. “Impossible Foods plans to launch the award-winning Impossible Burger in select retail outlets in September,” it noted.

We’ve known for a while that Impossible planned to make its retail debut this fall. Now we know exactly when — give or take 30 days. All of which means we have at most two months before we can buy an Impossible product of some sort alongside other plant-based meat offerings from Beyond, Tofurky, Meatless Farms, and others. No wonder Impossible has begun partnering with external food manufacturers to amp up production, especially in the wake of their recent product shortage.

There are still a lot of question marks around Impossible’s impending retail launch. We don’t know exactly which product they will launch with: maybe their iconic burger, or possibly a ground beef substitute? We also don’t know which retail partners will first start serving Impossible, or how much their products will cost.

What we do know is that the plant-based meat section in grocery stores is becoming more and more crowded. However, I don’t think Impossible will have an issue standing out. Lately Impossible has been building brand recognition by forging restaurant partnerships with everyone from White Castle to Red Robin to Burger King. That recognition will certainly help them pop in a grocery aisle that’s becoming more and more crowded with plant-based meat options, including others that claim to cook and “bleed” like real meat.

July 30, 2019

In Earnings Call, Beyond Meat Claps Back Against Critiques that It’s Too Processed

Yesterday Beyond Meat reported its Q2 2019 earnings. Over the call, the plant-based meat company touched on its high revenue growth, new fast-food partnerships, and product revamp — but CEO Ethan Brown also touched on a recent spate of criticism leveled against the company regarding its products.

From the earnings call transcript:

In my hope that as a company we are helping consumers to understand that there are at least two processes, both of which begin with the same inputs. At a high level, the traditional proteus are in plant material at the form of feed or grasses along with water through an animal. The animal’s biology works from the digestive tract through to the muscular system to convert these inputs to muscle, which are then harvested for meat in processing facilities.

At Beyond Meat, also at a high level, our processes start with the same inputs, plant material, from which we gather protein, lipids, trace minerals and vitamins, and combined with water, run these through a system of heating, cooling, pressure and mixing that build meats directly from plants.

This statement seems to be in direct response to recent pushback Beyond has been getting against its processing methods. Some consumers are put off by the new crop of meatless meat, preferring simpler alternatives like black bean burgers or grass-fed beef. Apparently, that feeling is shared by some restaurant groups. Last week Chipotle’s CEO Brian Niccol said that they didn’t want to serve Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods products because they are too heavily processed.

During the earnings call, Brown was clearly addressing Niccol and others hesitant about Beyond’s production methods.

We offer the consumer transparency. They are welcome to visit our production facilities in Missouri to learn more about how we build meat. It is my belief they will leave inspired and with a stronger understanding that when it comes to meat, it’s not a question of processed or not no matter which process they prefer.

Despite defending Beyond’s processing, well, process, Brown did state that the company is moving towards a more clean-label approach. “The simpler and cleaner the ingredient list, the better, and we’re constantly striving in that direction,” he told investors during the earnings call. He also pointed out that Beyond Meat is free of genetically modified or artificial ingredients.

At the same time, he noted that Beyond is trying to close the taste gap between their product and meat from a cow. Brown estimated that their product tasted roughly 80 percent identical to beef right now, but that bridging that final 20 percent would be a difficult push. Odds are, the solution will lie in even more processing.

Chipotle joins other fast-food chains, such as Taco Bell and Arby’s, who are also choosing to eschew meatless meats. But plenty of others QSR’s — from Dunkin’ to White Castle to Burger King — are hopping on the plant-based protein bandwagon.

Since consumers aren’t typically expecting clean label ingredients when they eat out at fast food, I don’t think that controversy around Beyond’s processing methods will negatively affect future QSR partnerships — especially since meatless meat is having quite the moment in quick-service dining. But when it comes to fast-casual restaurants with a healthy spin, like Chipotle, anti-processing pushback could be a real concern.

Right now, Beyond is stuck between a rock and a hard place. They want to make their plant-based meat taste even more like the real thing, but they also want to make it out of simple, minimally-processed ingredients. I don’t think the company will be able to have their cake — er, burger — and eat it, too.

July 26, 2019

What Sweden’s Quirky Food Tech Scene Could Mean for the Rest of the World

From parental leave policies to sustainability initiatives, Sweden is typically considered one of the most forward-thinking nations on earth.So it’s no surprise the country consistently pops up in food tech conversations, often for unusual projects that seem quirky at first glance but can actually tell us a lot about how tech is changing the way we eat.

Like making customers do what’s essentially a blind taste-test to see if they can tell the difference between a plant-based burger and the real deal. The famed Impossible Burger isn’t available in Europe right now, but that didn’t stop Burger King from using Vivera’s plant-based patty to create a version of its Whopper — and betting customers can’t discern the difference between it and a regular meat-based one.

To drive that point home, BK in Sweden launched the “50/50 menu” at the beginning of July where customers order BK’s signature burger and have a 50/50 chance of getting a meat version or the plant-based version. The only way to tell which is which is to scan a QR code on the wrapper.

It’s a gimmick, to be sure, but as my colleague Catherine Lamb pointed out, it’s also a way to get better data on plant-based offerings: “It will get a record of every consumer’s reaction to the sandwiches, and be able to quantify how often people are actually duped by the vegetarian alternatives.”

More data like this could give Burger King a realistic picture of how much customers actually want plant-based fast food — a useful lesson for businesses in any part of the world.

Or you could just hand your customers a picnic blanket. That’s what McDonald’s in Sweden did earlier this summer to promote its initiatives around delivering to public spaces via geofencing technologies. Customers scan a QR code on the picnic blanket to shoot their geographic information to a third-party delivery service, who will deliver a McDonald’s meal from the chain’s nearest location.

The idea isn’t specific to Sweden: companies like Domino’s and 7-Eleven also deliver to public locations rather than a numbered addresses. But there’s something more attention-grabbing about scanning a picnic blanket than simply logging into an app. PR stunt though it may be, it suggests a whole new avenue of possibilities when it comes to using everyday objects and settings in life to ramp up the food delivery business.

On a more ambitious level, come September 3, restaurant-goers in Stockholm will be able to experience what science, technology, academic research, design, and cooking look like when bundled together to form a single sustainable restaurant.

Restauranglabbet (“the restaurant lab”) will test numerous sustainability measures under one roof, from curbing food waste to cooking with more local, sustainable ingredients to measuring carbon footprint and using only eco-friendly materials in furniture design and production.

We won’t know how successful the project is until Restauranglabbet’s doors open on September 3, but no doubt there will be pieces of restaurant innovation coming out of the lab the whole world should take note of.

Elsewhere, a company in Stockholm called Diaz & Swahn is experimenting inside and outside the restaurant with how sound can affect the way food tastes to people. And a company called Local Food Node makes a digital platform that allows users to connect with local food producers by creating nodes that function as delivery and pickup spots for the food.

Will we be seeing QR-enabled picnic loot and sound-centric restaurants in the States anytime soon? Probably in part, particularly when it comes to building a more sustainable restaurant and finding new avenues for food delivery. In any case, keep your eye on Sweden one to watch for finding more innovative, scalable ways to integrate tech meaningfully into our food lives.

July 25, 2019

Future Food: Why Labeling Laws Won’t Slow Plant-Based Meat

This is the web version of our weekly Future Food newsletter. Be sure to subscribe here so you don’t miss a beat!

Order in the plant-based court

This past week we spoke with Tofurky’s CEO Jaime Athos about why the plant-based meat company is leading a suit against a new Arkansas law that restricts the use of certain terms — like “burgers” or “sausages” — on meat alternative labels.

In short, large meat corporations and cattlemen’s associations, which are helping to push these laws forward, don’t seem to be doing so because they actually think people have trouble distinguishing a veggie burger from a beef one. They’re just running scared.

“Tofurky is reacting by pointing out that this is completely unfair,” Athos told me over the phone. “We know why [meat companies] are doing this and it’s a pretext to say it’s about consumer confusion.”

I understand why meat companies might feel threatened by the recent spike in flexitarian diets and the rise in popularity of plant-based proteins. What I don’t get is why they think making a law to restrict labeling will do anything to help their cause.

Big Meat trying to quash alterna-meats’ popularity by telling companies how they can or can’t label themselves feels protectionist and ineffective, not to mention desperate, at this point. After all, the flexitarian movement is gaining strength not because consumers are unclear about whether the burgers they’re buying are made from plants or beef; rather, it’s bolstered by growing environmental and ethical concerns, health reasons, or because meatless meat is a media darling.

Instead, meat producers — whose local lobbying groups, the Cattleman’s Association, are key players in pushing these labeling laws forward — would do better to diversify their own product offerings or even invest in the competition. They could launch a line of blended meat products, acquire or invest in new plant-based (or cell-based) meat companies, or even just offer more grass-fed, ethically raised options.

Or they could realize that they really don’t have a reason to worry. In the U.S., the number of flexitarians might be on the rise, but so is meat consumption. In fact, in 2018 the USDA predicted that Americans would eat more meat that year than ever before. This dual rise is likely spurred because of our national obsession with protein, and it means one thing: when it comes to the meat aisle, it’s not an either-or.

Photo: JUST.

Chicken or the egg?

Last week I wrote all about how I thought chicken was the next opportunity for plant-based meat companies. But this week, I’ve been thinking about what came before the chicken: and it just so happened that Vox wrote an interesting story on how egg substitutes are also primed for a renaissance.

Right now there aren’t many players out there making eggs from plants — or at least not many options that actually taste good. The most notable is JUST, whose mung bean-based eggless scramble just went mainstream when it hit Costco shelves a few weeks ago.

Though the scramble is indeed tasty, I think the real opportunity for JUST Egg is in its other product: a pre-formed plant-based egg patty, like the eggs you find on fast-food breakfast sandwiches. These patties could potentially have a more widespread impact because they’re targeted for large-scale foodservice use — in fast-food, sports stadiums, or cafeterias — which means they could spur some large-scale eggless egg adoption. Especially once JUST Egg gets cheaper than the real thing.

Beyond does brekky

Speaking of eggs, how about a Beyond Breakfast Sausage Sandwich? You can get one for under five bucks — as long as you live in New York City.

Yesterday Beyond Meat announced a new partnership with Dunkin’, which will start selling breakfast sandwiches featuring Beyond’s breakfast patties — developed specifically for Dunkin’ — in all of its Manhattan locations.

First of all, I absolutely want to try this. My colleague Chris Albrecht got to try Beyond’s plant-based breakfast sausage when he toured their facilities last year and gave it a 10/10. Second of all, this is just a crafty way for Beyond to make its way onto our plates (or fast food bags) at all times of day — including first thing in the morning.

The company is also reportedly developing meatless bacon, which is not only a big departure from their previous repertoire of ground meat products but also sounds dang delicious. If they can pull it off.

Protein ’round the web

  • It’s still just a rumor, but this week Livekindly shared whispers that McDonald’s in the U.K. could be adopting vegan breakfast items later this year.
  • After four months, Impossible Foods says its product shortage is over! Huzzah.
  • Cultivating black fly larvae cuts food waste and is a good source of protein. So why aren’t we doing more of it? (h/t Washington Post)

Eat well,
Catherine

July 24, 2019

Smart Move: Dunkin’ Now Offers Beyond Meat Breakfast Sandwiches in NYC

Now you can eat Beyond Meat products morning, noon, and night — as long as you live in Manhattan, that is.

Today Dunkin’ announced that it has teamed up with Beyond Meat to launch the Beyond Sausage Breakfast Sandwich in 164 Manhattan locations, with plans for a national rollout. Served on an English muffin with egg and American cheese, the press release notes that the Beyond breakfast sausage patty has a particular mix of spices created especially for Dunkin. It will cost $4.29 and is available starting today.

This is the first time Beyond has served its breakfast sausage in the U.S. It’s currently available at almost 4,000 locations of coffee and donuts chain Tim Hortons in Canada. However, this new patty seems to have been created especially for Dunkin, so it’s likely not exactly the same product.

My colleague Chris got to try a Beyond breakfast patty (maybe even the one being developed for Dunkin’?) when he toured the El Segundo, California-based company almost a year ago. He loved the taste and texture, noting that it was a “game changer in the alterna-meat category.” He also correctly pointed out that introducing a plant-based sausage patty is a smart play on Beyond’s part to enter the breakfast category. Updated: Bolstering their breakfast play, Beyond is also reportedly developing plant-based bacon. 

Today’s partnership is also a clever move on Dunkin’s part. By adding a Beyond Meat product they can surf the wave of plant-based meat popularity and potentially lure consumers away from competitors like Starbuck’s or McDonald’s who have yet to add meatless meat to their menus.

If you’re in Manhattan and get your hands on a Beyond Sausage Breakfast Sandwich, drop us a line and let us know how it is!

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