When Kyle Fiasconaro was a teenager biking to his job at a restaurant, he stumbled upon a dumpster filled with spent grain, the byproduct used by brewers to create malted barley. “That dumpster smelled really good,” he recalled. He brought some of the grain back to his Brooklyn, NY restaurant and turned it into crackers. … Read more
GREEN ISLAND, NY — Eben Bayer believes that mushrooms and animal meat share significant similarities. Animal meat consists of muscle and fat that develop together and are consumed as a complete cut. Similarly, Bayer states, fungi create mushrooms that can have a meat-like texture. The root structure of mushrooms, known as mycelium, can replicate this … Read more
As the plant-based meat industry gained momentum in 2017 and 2018, numerous major consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies entered the market, resulting in acquisitions and the launch of new products primarily featuring pea, soy, and wheat proteins. However, as consumer interest in plant-based meat has diminished over time, manufacturers are exploring alternatives to traditional meat … Read more
Nestlé has identified coffee as a key growth area and is aggressively pursuing this commitment. Just last week, the company acquired the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand from Starbucks for an undisclosed amount, further enhancing its presence in mainstream beverage offerings. Meanwhile, Blue Bottle, renowned for its specialty coffee beans and retail locations, firmly occupies the … Read more
The Better Meat Co., a producer of mycelium protein, has recently secured its fourth patent for Rhiza, a distinctive shelf-stable ingredient derived from the fungus Neurospora crassa. Unlike most mycelium protein alternatives, which are primarily based on Fusarium venenatum—a fungus used by Quorn for many years—Neurospora crassa has a long history of being integrated into … Read more
By launching its first product from this joint venture as one of Kraft Heinz’s signature offerings, the message is unmistakable: the company is fully committed to plant-based alternatives. During a Q&A session with analysts, Patricio described Kraft NotCheese as “incredible.” He remarked, “It tastes like cheese, it smells like cheese, and it melts like cheese. … Read more
While inflation and supply chain issues have affected the short-term availability of various products, companies like Mondelēz are proactively addressing the long-term accessibility of a crucial ingredient: cocoa. A decade after the launch of Cocoa Life, the parent company of Oreo and Milka chocolate reported a 33% increase in net incomes for farmers in Côte … Read more
As consumers increasingly seek nutritional advantages beyond mere sustenance from food and beverage products, companies like Brightseed are ideally positioned to take advantage of this trend. This is a significant reason why several prominent consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies have collaborated with the young San Francisco-based firm in recent years to gain deeper insights into … Read more
Palm oil is a widely used ingredient in the food industry, valued for its affordability and versatility. However, it also poses significant challenges. Its production is frequently linked to deforestation, as tropical forests are cleared to cultivate oil palms. Additionally, reports of human rights violations against workers involved in harvesting palm fruits are common. Moreover, … Read more
BioVeritas stands at the forefront of two significant trends in the food industry: fermentation and upcycling. The company has been developing its technology for nearly 30 years, beginning at Texas A&M University with the initial goal of creating biofuels. Over the past decade, BioVeritas shifted its focus toward food ingredients, and in 2018, it established … Read more