food tech news

July 10, 2021

Food Tech News: Indoor Farming as Art, Cover Crop Snacks, and Alcohol-Free Spirits

Welcome to your weekly Food Tech News round-up, where we gather interesting pieces of news you might have missed this week:

Edible artwork is now growing at the Gagosian gallery in New York City

A small, but fully functional, indoor urban farm is now on display at the Gagosian Gallery’s New York City location. The installation, created by artist Linda Goode Bryant and architect Elizabeth Diller, is a part of the “Social Works” exhibit (curated by Antwaun Sargent). The exhibit aims to showcase the relationship between different spaces, like personal, institutional, public, and psychic spaces, and Black social practice. The indoor farm exhibit, called Are we really that different?, features a 40-foot-tall structure in a long hallway that houses plants. Given water and nutrients through dripping IV pouches, the plants receive sunlight through skylights in the gallery. The plants consist of edible flowers and vegetables that are harvested daily for visitors to munch on. The exhibit is on display now until August 13, 2021.

Snack brand uses regenerative cover crop as its main ingredient

Chasin Dreams Farm produces a flavored popcorn-like snack, but instead of using corn, sorghum is the main ingredient in the product. Sorghum is a grain that is drought-resilient, and the company sources its sorghum from farms using regenerative practices. Additionally, sorghum is a cover crop that can be planted after other crops have been harvested to protect the soil from erosion, smother weeds, and add healthy, organic matter to the soil. Chasin Dreams Farm currently has three flavors, Sweet & Salty, Cocoa, and Cinnamon. According to the company, its popped sorghum snacks have around 94 percent less fat than traditional popcorn snacks. Currently raising money on Republic, Chasin Dreams Farm has already met its goal by 171 percent with 61 days left in the campaign.

Scientists discover that microorganisms in the stomach’s of ruminants can help break down plastic

Plastic is a problem due to its negative environmental and health impacts, and despite the fact that humans were the ones that created it, we are always trying to find new solutions to replace it, get rid of it, upcycle it, or break it down in a sustainable manner. A group of scientists from various universities recently discovered that particular microbes found in the stomachs of ruminants can actually help break down certain types of plastic. Ruminants like cows consume a naturally occurring polyester that is produced by plants, called cutin. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the type of plastic typically used to make soda bottles and food packaging, and it has a similar chemical structure to cutin.

Due to this, researchers hypothesized that microbes found in the rumen (the largest part of a ruminant’s stomach) could break down PET and other polyesters in the same manner that cutin was broken down. To test this, the scientists placed different plastics in rumen liquid for one to three days. It was found that the rumen liquid broke down PET, polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), and polyethylene furanoate (PEF), with the bacteria-rich liquid breaking down PEF the most effectively.

Optimist: a plastic and alcohol-free spirit

To accommodate the rise of adults looking to cut back on alcohol consumption or be sober, there has been an influx of “alcohol-free” spirits hitting the market. One of these brands, Optimist, has developed three botanical-infused, alcohol-free spirits, completely free from plastic. Intended to be a direct replacement for alcohol spirits, Optimist can be drunk straight up, on the rocks, or mixed into a cocktail. The spirits contain 10-15 botanical distillates, with three different flavors available: Bright (lemony and light, drinks like vodka), Fresh (full of herbs, drinks like a botanical gin), and Smokey (flavors of wood and spice, drinks like a tequila). Both the bottle and cap of the spirits are made from glass, and plastic is intentionally not used in any part of the production, packaging, or distribution process. A 16.9 oz bottle of Optimist is available for $35 on the company’s website.

July 3, 2021

Food Tech News: Next Meat’s Alternative Egg, Wagyu Beef Art, and $20K Plant Grants

Before you fire up the grill and bask under the glow of fireworks this weekend, we invite you to catch up on some food tech news. This week we have pieces on a new alternative egg product in Japan, a pricey item that fuses art and Wagyu beef, a new menu item for Just Salad, and a grant program aimed at supporting Black-owned restaurants.

Next Meat launches new egg alternative product

Next Meat, an alternative meat company in Japan, announced this week that it has developed a new fully plant-based egg alternative. The egg alternative is called NEXT EGG 1.0, and will first roll out as a B2B product in Japan and then be offered as B2C. Although Japan is one of the top consumers of eggs in the world, the country currently does not have a commercial alternative egg product. The ingredients of the NEXT EGG 1.0 and the release date were not disclosed. This announcement comes after Next Meat’s recent successful launch of its alternative BBQ ribs products in the U.S., which sold out within a day.

Highest-ranked Wagyu beef in Japan becomes art

Hyotana, a restaurant based in Shiga, Japan, partnered with Kaya, a creative firm, to create a fusion of food and art that represents Japan’s rich history. For the project, 700 grams of A5 grade Wagyu beef gets packaged in artwork, specifically famous images from Hokusai‘s “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” series of woodblock prints. Pieces of the artwork are cut out to showcase the bright red meat, as depicted above. After the beef is removed from the packaging and consumed, Hyotana recommends filling in the empty space by placing red paper behind the artwork. Called Art Beef Gallery, the item is priced at ¥13,000 JPY (~$108 USD) and can be purchased for consumers in Japan on the Hitotema Art Beef Gallery page.

Just Salad launches menu item to support regenerative ag

Just Salad has partnered with nonprofit Zero Foodprint and restauranteur Anthony Myint for a new menu item that will support regenerative agricultural practices. Fifteen percent of sales from the Zero Foodprint Salad will be donated to the nonprofit to help provide grants to farmers switching to regenerative soil practices that restore soil health and sequester carbon. The partnership marks Zero Foodprint’s first fast-casual restaurant partner on the east coast. The Zero Foodprint salad contains a vegan feta cheese alternative, mint, wheat berries, pickled red onions, pita chips and grape tomatoes on a base of mixed greens.

Violife and RZA launch Plant Grants

Violife, a plant-based cheese company, is partnering with RZA, hip hop artist and founding member of Wu-Tang Clan, to launch Plant Grants. This new grant program encourages plant-based eating through mentorship and funding, and this year’s program will focus on assisting Black-owned restaurants struggling from the aftermath of the pandemic. Two plant-based chefs involved in the program, Lemel Durrah and Laricia Chandler, will assist restaurants in introducing plant-based ingredients, menu development, and conversion of original recipes to a plant-based version. Grants of $20,000 will be awarded to five restaurants that meet the criteria, and applications for the program are open now until July 21, 2021.

June 26, 2021

Food Tech News: Consumer Acceptance Study on Precision Fermentation Dairy, Seaweed Cattle Feed, and Airdropped Beer

Welcome to the weekly Food Tech News round-up, where we gather recent stories you might have missed. This week a few pieces caught our eye, including a recently published consumer acceptance study on precision fermentation, a new facility for seaweed-based cattle feed, a university in Singapore offering an alternative protein course, and Busch Light dropping beer from a helicopter.

Consumer acceptance study on precision-fermentation-derived dairy products

Formo (formally LegenDairy), a Berlin-based alternative dairy start-up, announced this week that it co-published what it is calling the first-ever consumer acceptance study on precision fermentation-derived dairy products. The study was published in the peer-review journal “Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems.” A little over 5,000 people from the U.S., the U.K., Brazil, Germany, and India were surveyed on their attitudes towards animal-free dairy products, specifically cheese, that are molecularly identical to real dairy. The study found that strong enthusiasm from all five countries, with 71 percent of the participants saying they were willing to buy animal-free dairy cheeses and 79 percent willing to try these alternative cheese products.

A new $90 million facility for methane-reducing seaweed cattle feed

Pirie Meats and CH4 Global are partnering to build a $90 million dollar facility in Southern Australia at the end of this year to produce cattle feed made from seaweed. Cattle are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and their feed might be to blame for this. Research by CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) found that by feeding cattle a mixture of regular cattle feed and a red seaweed called Asparagopsis, greenhouse gas emissions from cattle could be reduced by 90 percent. CH4 Global will initially supply Pirie Meats with enough red seaweed to feed up to 10,000 head of cattle.

A university in Singapore will now offer a course on alternative protein

Singapore has recently been gaining recognition as a hub for alternative protein, with it being the first country to offer regulatory approval of the sale of cultured meat and major players in the space opening up new facilities in this Asian city-state. Nanyang Technological University (based in Singapore) will be offering a new course that explores alternative proteins. The course, the first of its kind throughout Asia, will be available starting this upcoming school year for undergraduate students. Called “Future Foods – Introduction to Advanced Meat Alternatives,” the course was developed in partnership with the Good Food Institute and will be coordinated by Professor William Chen. Science and engineering students in their third or fourth year have access to the course that will touch on the three pillars of alternative protein: plant-based, cultured, and fermentation.

Airdropped apple-flavored beer

Busch Light is bringing back its apple-flavored beer, the Busch Light Apple, for the summer season. To celebrate the relaunch, the first batch of the flavored beer will be delivered to fans via helicopter. A small number of fans will be able to receive the airdrop at select locations in the Northwest and Midwest. To enter the free beer giveaway, fans must comment on Busch’s social media posts with the hashtags #BuschLightAppleDrop and #Sweepstakes before June 30th. Those who do not receive Busch Light Apple from the sky can buy the beer for a limited time from select retailers throughout the country.

June 21, 2021

Food Tech News: Vanillin Made From Plastic Waste, Plant-Based Pâté, and Strella Biotechnology’s Win

The sun is sweltering, the flowers are in full bloom, and food tech news is coming in hot. In this week’s roundup, we have news on the launch of a plant-based pâté, the winner of GS1 US Startup Lab Pitch Competition, scientists transforming used plastic into a food flavoring, and a fully compostable coffee pod.

Plant-based pâté launches in U.S.

Plantcraft shared in an email this week that its plant-based pâté has entered the U.S. market after launching in Erewhon’s (an organic grocer in the Los Angeles area) six locations. The plant-based pâté is made from a combination of ingredients including green banana flour, golden flax seeds, sunflower protein, and grapeseed oil. In the plant-based space, many companies produce meat analogs like burger patties, sausages, crumbles, and strips, but alternatives to charcuterie meats like pâté are uncommon. In addition to pâté, Plantcraft will also launch plant-based pepperoni slices, which will debut in August at the National Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. If you do not live near an Erewhon, Plantcraft will be making its pâté available for foodservice locations and on its website in the upcoming months.

Strella Biotechnology wins first prize in lab pitch competition

Strella Biotechnology is an ag-tech startup that uses sensors to measure produce maturity, and it was recently announced the winner of the third-annual GS1 US Startup Lab Pitch Competition. The startup won the first prize of $10,000 and will be writing a white paper with GS1 about supply chain practices and how technology can be used to improve them. The company has recently been focused on is expanding its apples and pear packing business, where it monitors the storage of these perishables for packers. Additionally, Strella has gotten involved in monitoring shipping containers traveling overseas filled with perishable produce. Katherine Sizov, the founder of Strella, said the company is currently hiring and looking to partner with more retail chains.

Scientists convert post consumer plastic to vanillin

A team of scientists from the University of Edinburgh has discovered a novel method of converting post-consumer PET plastic to vanillin, an organic compound often used as a flavoring agent in the food industry. For the conversion, the team engineered the bacteria E. coli to transform a molecule derived from PET, called terephthalic acid. This transformation resulted in the molecule that gives real vanilla its taste and smell. Vanillin, produced from various sources such as wood pulp, raw petrochemical materials, or biomass, is cheaper and easier to come by than real vanilla, which is a product of orchids. The researchers believe that the vanillin they produced could be consumed by humans, but more research needs to be conducted to confirm.

NEXE launches fully compostable coffee pods

NEXE Innovations, a material company that develops plant-based products, shared this week about the launch of its new coffee products packaged in compostable pods under the brand XOMA Superfoods. The coffee pods can be used in a Keurig, and varieties include mushroom-infused, MCT-infused, and high-fat Keto coffee. The pod packaging is made from plant fiber, compostable polymers, and a bamboo casing, and is fully compostable in as little as 35 days. NEXE encourages consumers to dispose of the pods in the green commercial composting bins, but also says that pods can be added to your backyard composting set up. The pods are currently available for purchase, and the Xoma variety pack consists of 12 pods that costs $11.99.

June 12, 2021

Food Tech News: Goose Poop Beer, Plant-Based Culinary Degrees, and Free Just Egg

In this Food Tech News Round-up we cover beer made from food waste in Finland, the launch of new culinary degree programs in Boulder, Colorado, Natural Light’s vacation giveaway to Alaska, and the opportunity to score some free Just Egg products for you and your friends.

If you haven’t heard already, The Spoon has partnered with ReFED to host the Food Waste Insights + Innovation Forum next week on June 16. Tickets are free, and available here.

Ant Brewery’s new beers are made with food waste, goose poop, and wild herbs

Ant Brew is located in Lahti, Finland – a city that was named the European Green Capital of 2021 by the E.U. commission and aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025. The brewery is launching a new series of beers to celebrate called the “Wasted Potential”. The beers will contain local food waste ingredients such as berries, bread, and other fruits, wild herbs, as well as goose droppings. Gathered from a park in the city, the goose droppings will be used (in a food-safe way) to smoke malt to create a dark stout beer. The first beer that will be released is a wit-style beer that incorporates the leftover orange peels from a local pressed juice store, while goose droppings stout is set to be released towards the end of summer.

Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts launches plant-based degree program

Plant-based cooking is not typically a priority in culinary schools; however, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts just announced the launch of their new plant-based degree programs. The school, based in Boulder, Colorado, and will offer three programs including an online plant-based culinary diploma, an online associate of occupational studies degree in plant-based culinary arts, and an on-campus plant-based cuisine diploma. The programs will teach students traditional culinary skills along with seasonal meal planning, meal composition, cultural plant-based cuisine, ingredient substitutions, and allergy awareness.

Natural Light will send your parents to Alaska for vacation

Some college grads and young adults have had to move back in with their parents due to the pandemic, so Natural Lights is hosting a giveaway to send parents on a well-deserved vacation. The summer vacation will be worth $20K and be hosted in Alaska. The winner will also receive a cash prize worth the amount of two cases of Natural Light and a little extra for snacks. To enter, you simply need to post on social media and share why your parents need a vacation and use the hashtags #sendmyparentsaway and #sweepstakes. The giveaway is open until June 16.

Free Just Egg for your skeptical friends

Eat Just, producers of the plant-based egg products and now cultured meat, will give three of your friends free Just Egg products. To do so, go to this website, and sign up to get an ambassador code. Your friends will use your ambassador code to purchase products from the Just Eat website, and then upload their receipt to be reimbursed. After this process is complete, the company will also send you a free product. The company is using this opportunity to introduce people to their products that may typically be skeptical towards plant-based products. The Just Egg is made from the base of mung beans, and currently comes in three forms: a liquid egg, folded patties, and sous vide bites.

June 5, 2021

Food Tech News: Promising Mealworm Research, Miller Lite Shoezie, and Rewards for Eating Organic Yogurt

Throughout the week, we gathered some interesting tidbits of food tech news we wanted to share, including:

Study finds that mealworm protein and milk protein are similar

Researchers at Maastricht University in the Netherlands conducted a study on the nutritional value of mealworm protein and found that it shares similar properties to milk protein. Mealworm protein contains all nine amino acids, and like milk protein, facilitates muscle growth. Additionally, both are absorbed and digested in the body similarly. Ynsect, an insect food start-up, supplied the mealworms for the study. Various insects are commonly found in diets throughout the world, but Western culture certainly seems to shy away from this source of protein. Raising insects like mealworms is considered to be more sustainable than raising pork, cattle, and chicken because they use considerably less land and emit vastly fewer greenhouse gases. Mealworm milk anyone?

Stonyfield Organic will pay you to eat organic yogurt

Stonyfield Organic, producers of dairy products, announced that starting today (June 5th) it will pay people for choosing to eat organic yogurt products. To get in on this deal, you must post a photo to Instagram eating organic yogurt from any brand using the hashtag #YogurtTradeUp. In exchange, Stonyfield will ship you $5 Visa Prepaid Card, a case of 5.3 oz cups of Stonyfield yogurt, and a packet of sunflower seeds. The catch is that there is a limited supply of free yogurt (amount undisclosed) and the selfie must be uploaded between the times of 8 am – 8 pm EST. The company shared that it is hosting this to encourage consumers to see the value of eating organic products and how what we eat affects the environment.

Miller Lite releases the “shoezie” for Father’s Day

Miller Lite and New Balance partnered to create what they are calling a “Shoezie”, which is a combination of a shoe and beer koozie. The concept was created for the upcoming Father’s Day holiday, and aims to appeal to the fashion of middle-aged dads and their light beer-drinking habits. The design of the shoe is inspired by New Balance’s 624 Trainer, often considered a classic “dad” shoe. There will be a limited supply of the Shoezie, which is launching June 10th at 10 am on the Shoezie website.

Competition for an innovative vegan food service product

Copper Branch, a plant-based restaurant chain, and Vegan Women Summit are partnering to host the Plant-Powered Glow Up Contest, a product pitch competition that will award a food service contract to a vegan and women-led or founded business. Criteria set forth by the competition detailed that ideally the product will fit in with the Copper Branch menu, be healthy, differentiated, and aligned with the company’s mission. The winning product will become a menu item this Fall at select Copper Branch locations in the U.S. and Canada. The contest opened at the start of this week and will close on June 30th; it is free for anyone who meets the requirements to enter.

May 29, 2021

Food Tech News: Coconut Husk Coolers, Non-Alcoholic Funding, Korean BBQ Car

Greetings! As the world is seemingly returning back to normal and your regular activities commence, we hope you still have some time to catch up on some food tech news. This week we found some neat stories on a cooler made from coconut husks, a brewery that raised money for its zero percent beer, and a car designed with a Korean BBQ kitchen set up.

Funding secured for Fortuna Cools ecofriendly coconut coolers

As you know, coolers or ice chests are normally made from plastic, and the cheap, temporary ones from Styrofoam. A company called Fortuna Cools, based in the Philippines, has created a cooler made from more sustainable material with the original intent for fisherman to use and keep their catch cold. The cooler is called the “Nutshell Cooler” and is made from coconut husks that would normally be burned by farmers, and therefore release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The amount of funding was not disclosed but was led by ADB Ventures and Katapault Ocean Fund. The company will use this most recent round of funding to increase production volume and expand its sales and engineering teams. If you’re interested in getting your hands on one of these coolers, the company is set to launch a Kickstarter campaign soon.

Alcohol-free beer raises $50M USD in Series C round

Beer sans alcohol has created quite the buzz lately; Athletic Brewing, based in Stratford, Connecticut, raised $50 million USD in its Series C funding round led by Alliance Consumer Growth and TRB advisor. As more people choose to limit their alcohol intake, specifically Millenials, the non-alcoholic beer market is expected to reach a value of $35.6 billion by 2030. In the past, the only option for non-alcoholic beer was brands like O’Douls or Clausthaler, but now there are more “craft” non-alcoholic beers in the market like Athletic Brewing. The brewery uses four standard ingredients to craft its beer — hops, yeast, water, and barley — and offers varieties such as IPA, ales, stouts, and witbiers.

Rent a Korean BBQ Car

Korean BBQ typically consists of a very large meal with a wide variety of different meat and side dishes meant to be shared with friends and family. In the middle of the pandemic, Chef Chris Oh was inspired to bring the experience of Korean BBQ to people without a restaurant and designed the inside of a car to accommodate the cooking setup needed to create an entire Korean BBQ meal. Called the KBBQ Car, a table pulls out from the back of the car, which hosts a BBQ grill in the center and can seat four people. Some additional features in the car are a TV, strobe lights, and speakers. The rental comes with food to cook, including four pounds of meat, a variety of sides, rice, two bottles of soju, Korean beer, plus a variety of sides and steamed rice. The car can currently be rented in Southern California, and the standard experience costs $500, which includes a private server.

May 22, 2021

Food Tech News: Grow Your Own Burrito, Hard-Boiled Eggs Made From Mycoprotein

Alpha Foods is enabling you to grow your own burrito

It would certainly be convenient if comfort foods like burritos and chicken nuggets grew on trees, so Alpha Foods is trying to help you do this (kind of). The company produces a variety of frozen plant-based meals (like burritos, breakfast sandwiches, etc.), but this week the company announced that it is giving away free packages of seeds. Specifically, the packages are comprised of seeds for crops used to make Alpha’s burritos, chik’n nuggets, and pot pies. For example, the chicken nugget seed pack contains corn, soy, sunflower, wheat, and onion seeds. It would be undeniably easier to buy an Alpha pot pie or burrito from the frozen aisle, but the company apparently wants to provide transparency in its ingredients. The seeds are available for free for a limited amount of time on Alpha Food’s website.

Airly Foods provides snacks while simultaneously removing carbon emissions from the atmosphere

Airly Foods recently launched its first snack called Airly Oat Clouds, and as the name suggests, the main ingredient in the whole-grain crackers is oats. The oats used in the snack are grown on zero carbon emission farms that use farming practices to sequester carbon in the soil. The company also purchases carbon credits, which benefit a variety of agricultural and forestry projects, to offset carbon released from production and transportation processes. To educate consumers, Airly prints the carbon footprint of its Oat Clouds on the packaging, which is roughly 18-21 grams of carbon.

Whole vegan hard boiled egg made from mycoprotein

OsomeFood, a startup based in Singapore, launched its newest product this week: a vegan, whole hard-boiled egg. The egg is made from fermented mycoprotein, seaweed, algae, and contains essential amino acids. Most vegan egg products on the market come in a liquid or powder form, but according to the company, this is the world’s first vegan hard-boiled egg that is in whole form. In addition to this latest offering, OsomeFoods also produces several other interesting plant-based products, including fish balls, fish cakes, and noodles.

Goldbelly raises $100M USD for expansion of specialty food platform

If you have a very specific and eccentric food craving, chances are that Goldbelly carries it on its website. The online marketplace sources artisanal food products from restaurants, bakeries, and delis throughout the U.S., and offers shipping to 50 states. After growing exponentially during the pandemic, the company announced that it has raised $100 million this week in its Series C round of funding. The round was led by Spectrum Equity with participation from Intel Capital. This latest round of capital will be used to expand its operations, onboard new chefs and restaurants, and launch an interactive cooking series.

May 15, 2021

Food Tech News: The Molson Brewmboni, Ikea’s Plant-Based Promise

Happy weekend! We hope you can fit in some time during this lovely spring weekend to catch up on some interesting news in the food tech space. This week we rounded up stories on a new material used to determine seafood spoilage, Molson Canada’s beer cooler vacuum invention, Ikea’s food accelerator program, and a search for startups disrupting the retail sector.

If you haven’t heard, The Spoon is hosting “ArticulATE: The Food Robotics Summit” on Tuesday, May 18th. The event is approaching fast, so get your ticket today!

Scientists create color-changing material to detect seafood spoilage

German and Chinese scientists used inspiration from chameleons to create a material that changes colors to indicate when seafood has gone bad. The new material incorporates luminogens, which glow and change color when exposed to different factors like a change in temperature of pH. The scientists put test strips of the material in boxes of fresh shrimp and fish for 50 hours, with one box stored at 14 degrees and the other at 86 degrees. The test strip in the 14-degree box stayed red (indicating the seafood was still fresh), while the strip in the 86 degree box changed to a vivid green (indicating spoilage).

Molson Canada designs hybrid beer cooler and vacuum

Cleaning the house and drinking beer goes together nicely (especially when you don’t need to leave the couch), and this week Molson Canada created a part beer cooler part vacuum to accommodate just that. The robot is called “Molson Brewmboni”, which holds four Molson Canadian tallboys and functions as an autonomous vacuum. The NHL (National Hockey League) will be mostly virtual for fans in Canada for the second year in a row, so this invention was created in hopes of emulating the familiar sounds of the Zamboni on the hockey rink. Unfortunately, it is not available for purchase, but it may be in the future on the product’s website. In the meantime, the company is offering the CAD files of the robot vacuum for anyone interested in building it themselves.

Ikea launches accelerator program to meet goal of serving 50% plant-based foods

Last year, Ikea made the announcement that by 2025, 50 percent of its menu items and 80 percent of its packaged foods would be vegan. To take steps towards that goal, the Scandinavian chain just launched its Food Innovation Accelerator Program. The program is looking for food startups that are focused on sustainable solutions and the ability to scale plant-based food businesses. Ikea currently has a few vegan options like its plant-based hot dog, and “plant balls”, and alternative for meatballs made from oats and pea protein.

Sonae Mc is scouting for start ups to disrupt retail sector

Sonae Mc, a food retail market chain in Portugal, is currently accepting applications for the second edition of its Disrupt Retail. The corporation seeks to find start-ups specifically focused on the categories of health and wellness, e-commerce, crowdsourcing, sustainability, personalized shopping experiences, and others. Those who are accepted will receive mentorship, in-store testing of the technology, access to a network of partners, and exposure to potential investors. Applications are open until June 30 on Disrupt Retail’s website.

May 8, 2021

Food Tech News: Powdered Oat Milk, Vietnamese Coffee Pour-Over Kits

Welcome to the weekend, the peak of spring, and your favorite place to catch up on food tech news. A few stories caught our eyes this week including China’s recently passed food waste law, new high-protein sesame seeds, Copper Cow Coffee’s latest funding round, and oat milk in the form of powder.

Copper Cow Coffee secures $8.5M in Series A funding round

Copper Cow Coffee produces Vietnamese coffee pour-over kits, and this week the women-owned company raised $8.5 million in funding that will be used for expanding distribution and product innovation. The round was led by Cultivian Sandbox and Arborview Capital and saw participation from Siddhi Capital, Silverton Partners, Social Starts, Montage Ventures, CRCM, and Stormbreaker Ventures. Copper Cow Coffee sources its coffee from farms in Vietnam that apply organic agricultural and processing practices. The company’s pour-over kits include condensed milk or coconut milk creamer packets and Vietnamese coffee, with flavor varieties including vanilla latte, churro, rose, and vanilla. The pour-over kits require no special equipment because the coffee bags fit over the rim of any mug or cup (as depicted above).

High-protein sesame seeds for plant-based alternatives

Equinom, a seed-breeding technology company, has partnered with Dipasa, a sesame seed processor and exporter, to develop a high protein sesame seed for use in plant-based protein alternatives. The new sesame seed will be bred using Equinom’s AI-backed genomic optimization algorithms and distributed globally by Dipasa. Sesame seeds do not naturally have a high protein content like soy or wheat does, but the new high-protein sesame seed will contain 65 to 70 percent protein content (a normal sesame seed has a 23 percent protein content). Boosting the protein content of a sesame seed will make it a more viable option as a base for plant-based products.

Blue Farm aims to make oat milk more sustainable

Berlin-based Blue Farm has created a powdered oat milk base with the intention of making the plant-based milk sector more sustainable. Transporting liquid-filled cartons across the country, or even globally, releases transportation emissions. On top of this, many plant-based milk cartons are not recyclable. Blue Farm’s oat milk powder comes in a compact, 100% recycled plastic packaging which can be recycled again. The oat milk powder is shelf-stable, and simply must be shaken with water to create liquid oat milk.

May 1, 2021

Food Tech News: Eco-Friendly Restaurant App, Beyond Meat Chicken, and Microdrink Cubes

Before you head outside and bask in glorious sunshine and cherry blossoms, we invite you to catch up on some Food Tech News. This week, we have stories on an app that rates restaurants based on sustainability, Kalera’s first harvest, micro drink cubes, and Beyond Meat’s alternative chicken launch. Enjoy!

Eco-friendly restaurant app Jybe to soon launch in New York

JYBE is an app that helps users connect to eco-friendly restaurants, and this week it shared in an email with The Spoon that it will be launching in New York City in mid-May. Many restaurants provide single-use plastic cutlery and styrofoam packaging for take-out food, but JYBE highlights the restaurants using more environmentally friendly options, like paper, bamboo, glass, and reusable materials. JYBE also offers free resources for restaurants looking to make the transition to more environmentally friendly packaging. The app is currently available in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Denver, Boulder, Seattle, and Austin.

Kalera celebrates first harvest at Atlanta, Georgia location

Kalera is a vertical farm company, and this week announced its first harvest at its location in Atlanta, Georgia. The 77 thousand square feet facility is its largest facility and the largest vertical farm operation in the Southeastern U.S. The vertical farm grows lettuce and microgreens, with the capacity to produce over 10 million heads of lettuce per year. In addition to the location in Georgia, Kalera operates two locations in Orlando and is building new facilities in Hawaii, Minnesota, Seattle, Columbus, Denver, and Houston.

Microdrink cubes launch in the U.S.

UK-based waterdrop crafts small flavored beverage cubes that can be dropped into water, and the product will now be sold in the U.S. The tiny sugar-free cubes consist of unique fruit- and plant-based extracts like elderflower, cactus fruit, artichoke, starfruit, and thyme. The company aims to encourage people to drink more water while simultaneously reducing single-use plastic bottles typically used for cold beverages and water. Due to the fact that the cubes are small and compact, this reduces both plastic bottles and the energy it takes to ship liquid-filled bottles throughout the world.

Beyond Meat to refocus on chicken products

Beyond Meat is known for its alternative beef and pork products like burger patties, breakfast patties, and sausages, but now it will be focusing on the development of alternative chicken products. The company produced plant-based chicken strips in 2012, but pulled the product after its alternative beef and pork products gained more popularity. The plant-based chicken product will likely be available this summer. In 2019, Beyond Meat partnered with KFC to pilot plant-based fried chicken in an Atlanta, Georgia location, and the product sold out in five hours.

April 24, 2021

Food Tech News: Carbon-Negative Cutlery at Target, Upcycled Food Label Launches

Welcome to your weekly Food Tech News round-up! Many companies in the food tech space made efforts to honor Earth Day, so this week all of our news is relevant to sustainability. We have stories on AirCarbon cutlery launching in Target, a new upcycled food certification, BlueNalu’s essay contest, and Perfect Day’s new advisory council.

Restore AirCarbon Cutlery launches in Target nationwide

Newlight Technologies‘ brand Restore produces carbon-negative cutlery from its proprietary material called AirCarbon. At the beginning of this week, the cutlery launched in Target locations nationwide. The cutlery is carbon-negative because its created from biodegradable plastic made from absorbed greenhouse gases. The straws and cutlery are dishwasher safe and, if disposed of, will decompose in a landfill. A 24-piece pack of wrapped straws costs $2.99 and a three-piece cutlery pack with a natural fiber carrying case costs $4.99. The products are available on Target’s website and in stores.

Upcycled food label officially debuts

Vegan, organic, non-GMO, and gluten-free food labels exist, and now a label exists for products comprised of upcycled food ingredients. The Upcycled Food Association officially launched the “Upcycled Certified” label this week. The certification can be used to signify if food, beverages, pet food, dietary supplements, cosmetics, or household cleaners contain upcycled food ingredients. The organization defines upcycled food as essentially any food using ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption and ended up in a food waste destination. The organization’s goal with the newly debuted certification is to empower consumers to make climate friendly purchases through upcycled food products.

BlueNalu announces scholarship winners

BlueNalu, producers of cell-based seafood, held a contest called the Eat Blue Essay Contest in collaboration with the Research Chefs Association (RCA). The point of the contest was to prompt discussion around sustainable seafood and ocean conservation goals set forth by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Culinary students of RCA from around the world were encouraged to submit essays. This week the three finalists were announced, and the essays can be read on the Eat Blue website. BlueNalu is awarding the finalists with scholarships to support educational expenses.

Perfect Day forms advisory board

Berkley, California-based Perfect Day, pioneers in fermented animal-free dairy, announced this week that it has formed a Sustainability & Health Advisory Council. The advisory board includes former Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, cardiologist Dariush Mozaffarian, Leonardo Di Caprio, and several other leaders in the food, agriculture, and nutrition space. The council members will help guide Perfect Day on decisions regarding health and the environment. Perfect Day recently commissioned a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of its non-animal whey protein, and the report found that it generates at least 85 percent and up to 97 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional production methods.

food tech news

Footer