Green Queen Media

🧒🏻🌱🥩 GEN ALPHA EMBRACES ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS – BUT WILL KIDS ACTUALLY EAT THEM? By the end of the decade, Gen Alpha will have a spending power worth $12 trillion, on top of being the largest generation the world has ever seen. Born between 2010 and the end of 2024 and between 0-15 years old, it’s a group of consumers who have grown up in the age of social media and climate change, and for whom sustainability will be a central life aspect. Research shows that saving the planet will be the main career mission for two-thirds of these children, and 80% of their parents have already been influenced to lead more eco-friendly lives. Gen Alpha is becoming an increasingly important cohort for brands to market to, and it’s a generation “poised to reshape the food industry”, according to research firm Mintel. At the forefront of this shift are alternative proteins, which have been recognised by numerous scientists and climate researchers as the best solution to decarbonise the global food industry. So how do the generation of tomorrow feel about the proteins of tomorrow? It’s a question scientists at Singapore’s state-backed A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research contended with in a recent study, interviewing 19 sets of Gen Alphas and their parents about their attitudes towards plant-based and cultivated meat, and insect protein. The study, published in the Appetite journal, found that plant-based meat is the most well-known out of the three protein groups. Among the children, 63% have heard of vegan alternatives, while 42% are aware of cultivated meat. Several kids had heard of the latter via the news, TikTok, YouTube, or STEM festivals. More than a third (37%) of Gen Alphas have tried plant-based meat too, and encouragingly, nearly 80% are willing to give it a go. Interest in cultivated meat is high too among this younger generation too- as 74% are happy to try these proteins. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ehigAX-d #GreenQueen #altprotein #plantbasedmeat #cultivatedmeat #futurefood #sustainability #climatechange #foodsystems

🌍🥙 SUSTAINABLE SHAWARMA: THE BRANDS PIONEERING THE GULF’S PLANT-BASED MEAT INDUSTRY While some consumers in the West are turning their back on planet-friendly meat alternatives, citing reasons like inflation and unsatisfactory flavour, those in Africa and the Middle East are bucking the trend. A growing number of consumers in the Gulf region are embracing plant-based food, as locals look for more sustainable options. While most meat analogues in the region have long been imported, which has often meant high markups for shoppers, a wave of homegrown companies is looking to change this. A handful of startups are providing alternatives to more expensive products from international players like Kerry Group, Beyond Meat, Quorn, Amy’s Kitchen, and others while catering to the region’s youth. More than half of the GCC’s population is under 25, and across the world, younger generations tend to lead the plant-based charge. In parallel, as concerns around food insecurity intensify, regional governments are recognising the potential of alternative proteins to safeguard the local food supply, providing the niche sector with added momentum. The plant-based meat players leading the charge 🌱 Switch Foods, Edward Hamod 🌱 Thryve (IFFCO Group), Valeria Krynetskaya 🌱 Arlene World, Helene Raudaschl 🌱 Nadura* Foods, Anshu Yadav Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eX2HhZ9H #GreenQueen #altprotein #futurefood #plantbased #vegan #sustainability #health #nutrition #foodsystems #GCC

🎤🥩 FORK & GOOD CEO ON FIRST SALES & THE ROAD TO $2 LAB-GROWN MEAT It was just only in January 2024 that, in an Irish pub in Davos, Switzerland, Fork & Good, Inc. held Europe’s first public tasting of cultivated meat. The startup served dumplings made from a blend of 30% cell-cultured pork and 70% conventional pork (plus a cultivated and plant-based mix for vegetarians), with more than half of the taste-testers preferring the blended meat version. This was a marker of progress for the New Jersey-based firm, getting some real-world feedback from an international group of people just 10 minutes away from the World Economic Forum conference. Now, just over a year later, the company has earned its first revenue, courtesy of a joint development agreement with an $8B global food manufacturer. “It is an exciting milestone to earn revenue in cultivated red meat, and shows market validation of our technology,” co-founder and CEO Niyati Gupta tells Green Queen, though she declines to name the company. In fact, Fork & Good has signed deals with three clients and is in talks with about a dozen manufacturers and retailers – all focused on using cultivated pork as a complementary ingredient in both meat and plant-based formulations. Currently, the protein is being tested as part of ham and meat snacks. Fork & Good’s target pricing is $2 per lb, which would match commodity pork, and in-house R&D data supports this goal. But the bulk of this work comes during scale-up and engineering. “In our first scale-up factory, we’re targeting $5 per lb for 100% biomass with our more tried and tested cell line, which would be possible at commercial scale today. This is based on existing observed yields, media costs and purchasing components at scale,” Gupta says. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eYBtgU27 #GreenQueen #altprotein #cultivatedmeat #futurefood #cellbased #innovation #foodtech

📈🌱💰 MOST CONSUMERS HUNGRY FOR PLANT-BASED FOOD, BUT HIGH PRICES KEEP THEM AWAY More than two-thirds (68%) of consumers across the world want to eat more plant-based food, with folks from countries in the Global South the most keen, according to a 31-nation study. The sentiment is strongest in Vietnam, where over 90% of people express a growing appetite for plants, and which is followed by 11 other nations in the Global South. Conversely, the seven countries least interested in plant-based foods are all in the Global North, with Australia (40%) at the bottom. This is despite price being the top barrier to plant-based consumption in all regions, with 42% of global consumers finding these foods too expensive. It likely affected the three-point drop in frequent plant-based intake between 2023 and 2024, although these levels have remained largely stable over the last few years. The Grains of Truth 2024 report was conducted by GlobeScan and the non-profit EAT, collecting representative online samples of over 30,000 consumers across the 31 countries. Some highlights from the report: 👉🏻 Inflation cuts deep—price is the top barrier everywhere 👉🏻 Aside from the cost, taste is the second largest hurdle to plant-based consumption 👉🏻 Gen Z and millennials lead the protein transition 👉🏻 Some consumers agree that carbon-heavy food should be taxed higher than low-impact options Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/egMBnJQw #GreenQueen #altprotein #futurefood #health #nutrition #plantbased #vegan #sustainability #foodsecurity

🌱🍕 VEGAN FROZEN FOOD STARTUP BLACKBIRD FOODS ACQUIRED BY AHIMSA COMPANIES Frozen plant-based food maker Blackbird Foods has been acquired by Ahimsa Companies, an investor on a takeover spree of alternative protein players globally. The deal will help Blackbird Foods – which makes vegan pizzas and wings, seitan, and dairy-free cheese – expand its reach, enhance its manufacturing capabilities, and accelerate product innovation. It is Ahimsa Companies’s third M&A deal since being founded last year, after its acquisitions of leading brand Wicked Kitchen (including subsidiaries Good Catch and Current Foods 🌊) in May 2024, and nugget maker SIMULATE last October. Financial terms weren’t disclosed, but Blackbird Foods will continue to operate under its existing brand identity. The acquisition comes after investment in plant-based startups fell by 75% in 2024, reflecting an overall hesitance in food tech funding among venture capitalists. It has played a part in the string of consolidation deals the sector has seen recently – in the UK alone, food and drink M&A activity was up by 29% in 2024. Within the global alternative protein space, such deals included UK-based Vegan Food Group’s acquisition of Meatless Farm, Clive's Purely Plants and Tofutown.com GmbH after evolving into a holding company from its VFC® brand, v2food’s takeover of ready meal brands Soulara and MACROS, Misha’s Inc’s purchase of vegan cheese producer Vertage, and most recently, Deliciously Ella founders’ rescue of ready meal brand allplants. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eBFA_MuF #GreenQueen #altprotein #futurefood #acquisition #vegan #plantbased #sustainability #foodsystems

📈🌱🍳 CHICKEN-FREE MOMENT: EAT JUST SEES SALES BOOM AMIDST ‘GREAT AMERICAN EGG SHORTAGE’ Eggs have never been more expensive in the US. According to consumer price index data released by the USDA last weekend, average retail Grade A egg prices reached $4.95 per dozen last month, surpassing the previous high recorded in January 2023. The new record came just as 23 million birds were culled in January due to this latest wave of avian flu (taking the total to nearly 160 million since February 2022). “It’s the most serious bird flu crisis in history,” says Josh Tetrick. “It’s spreading faster than ever before.” Tetrick is the co-founder and CEO of Eat Just, Inc., the company behind Just Egg that is very much meeting the moment. “Egg shelves are empty, except for one product, and it happens to be made from plants,” he tells Green Queen on a phone call. “It’s both an extraordinary and strange moment.” This is because millions of Americans are being exposed to a vegan egg for the very first time, he says, and his company takes up 99% of that market. “If they want eggs, they [only] have a few choices,” notes Tetrick. “One, don’t eat them. Two, you know, have applesauce. Or three, have Just Egg.” This time last year, the firm said it had sold the equivalent of half a billion chicken eggs since its launch in 2019. Now, with the egg shortage more dire than ever, Eat Just’s mung-bean-based version is “seeing increases in sales like we didn’t see in the past”. In January alone, Just Egg’s sales grew five times faster than in the past year, while 56% of shoppers have returned to buy more (a three-point increase from 2024). At one of the country’s largest retailers, its sales are up by 70% compared to the same week last year. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e98f2Rtp #GreenQueen #altprotein #futurefood #plantbased #vegan #sustainability #foodsystems

🧴💆🏻♀️ THIS BIO-BASED MOISTURISER USES CELLULOSE & FERMENTATION TO TAKE ON FOSSIL FUELS IN SKINCARE Danish biotech firm CELLUGY® has created EcoFlexy, a biofabricated rheology modifier for personal care products. Rheology modifiers are used for thickening and viscosity, as well as making cosmetics easy to pour and flow when force is applied. Most rheology modifiers on the market are derived from petrochemicals, but EcoFlexy is made from high-purity, crystalline cellulose. This is produced by a specific strain of bacteria, which bioconverts sugar via fermentation. The fully biodegradable ingredient is making its commercial debut in a skincare cream in collaboration with fellow Danish firm Bioli®. The product is based on bioactive enzyme technology for antioxidant protection, and centres EcoFlexy in its formulation to achieve the desired texture. Bioli explains that while other modifiers like xanthan gum are widely available, they can have a sticky and unpleasant texture and be less efficient than their petrochemical counterparts. EcoFlexy, the brand argues, allows it to provide superior sensory attributes while preserving sensitive active ingredients. “In EcoFlexy, we’ve developed a solution that’s now ready to be adopted by manufacturers looking for the high-performance of petrochemical rheology modifiers with the sustainability benefits of biobased options,” said Cellugy co-founder and CEO Isabel Álvarez-Martos. The Moisturizing and Protecting Day Cream has been earmarked as the first in a series of new products to follow. Currently, it is only available on Biolo’s online store, but the companies are in talks with retailers and pharmacies in Denmark. Cellugy – which has raised nearly €5M ($5.2M) in seed funding – is also in discussions for distribution of EcoFLexy in 11 key markets in the US and the EU. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e8qF5MYG #GreenQueen #innnovation #climatechange #fossilfuels #beauty #emissions #climateaction

💰🍰 GLP-1 BOOM FUELS SUGAR SHIFT AS OOBLI LANDS $18M FOR SWEET PROTEINS As Americans turn their backs on sugar in the Ozempic era, one startup is leading the alt-sweetener charge with sweet proteins that don’t impact the glycemic index. Based in California, Oobli has secured $18M in Series B1 funding from investors including Ingredion Ventures, Lever VC, and Sucden Ventures, which have joined existing backers like Khosla Ventures, Piva Capital, and B37 Ventures. The financing round takes Oobli’s total raised to almost $50M and is complemented by a new partnership with global ingredients giant Ingredion Incorporated. This will involve the development of new sweetener solutions – using ingredients like stevia and sweet proteins – for food and beverage companies. Oobli is already working with a number of food companies globally, including Group Bimbo, with several product launches expected in 2025. The latest capital injection will allow the startup to expand the reach of its proteins both as a standalone solution and in combination with other sweeteners like stevia (developed with Ingredion). “Sweet proteins are a long-overdue addition to the toolkit of better-for-you sweeteners,” said Ooblu CEO Allison ("Ali") M. Wing. “Working with Ingredion’s best-in-class teams to pair natural sweeteners with our novel sweet proteins will deliver game-changing solutions in this important, growing and timely category.” Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ehETUiTa #GreenQueen #altprotein #futurefood #innovation #precisionfermentation #health #nutrition #sustainability

🇺🇸🌾🥩 RFK JR AS HEALTH SECRETARY: WHAT'S NEXT FOR CLIMATE-SMART FOOD TECH? It took a while, but Donald Trump got his man. Robert F Kennedy Jr’s journey from climate champion to championing a president who calls it a hoax has been successful. As the new secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, he now has power over several key agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “I’m gonna let him go wild on health. I’m gonna let him go wild on the food. I’m gonna let him go wild on medicines,” Trump had promised before being re-elected to the White House. The climate-smart food sector is bracing itself for an uncertain four years. As part of his Make America Healthy Again mandate, Kennedy has been a leading voice against ultra-processed and genetically modified (GMO) foods, cultivated meat, vaccines and pesticides. At the same time, he has been a proponent of natural foods, fertilisers, and regenerative agriculture. So what do the next four years hold for some of the most promising emissions-reducing food technologies? We give you the low-down: 👉🏻 Regenerative agriculture – positive 👉🏻 Eco fertilisers – unclear but likely positive 👉🏻 Sugar reduction – unclear but likely positive 👉🏻 Methane-reducing cattle additives – unclear but likely problematic 👉🏻 Cultivated meat – problematic 👉🏻 Cattle methane vaccines – unclear but likely problematic 👉🏻 Plant-based meat – problematic 👉🏻 Precision fermentation – unclear but likely problematic Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/euYyGR_R #GreenQueen #foodsystems #futurefood #altprotein #cultivatedmeat #agriculture #sustainability

🇦🇺💰🥩 AUSTRALIA'S MAGIC VALLEY GETS A$100K GOVT GRANT FOR CULTIVATED MEAT Aussie food tech startup Magic Valley has secured A$100,000 ($62,800) from the national government to transition from research to commercial production of cultivated meat. The grant is part of the A$392M Industry Growth Program (IGP), which aligns with the government’s National Reconstruction Fund priorities, including agricultural value-adding and low-emissions technologies. The investment will help Magic Valley, which specialises in cultivated pork and lamb, accelerate production, optimise bioprocessing, and drive down costs, which it says are key steps on its path to market. Magic Valley hosted a public tasting for its cultivated pork in April, serving it as part of baos at John Gorilla Café in Brunswick, Victoria. It has also hosted a televised tasting on Australia’s Channel 7 network, and appeared on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars Australia. While cultivated lamb is a relatively niche category, there are several startups working on cultivated pork, including Meatable, Ivy Farm Technologies, Mission Barns, Fork & Good, Inc., Simple Planet, MyriaMeat, Mewery, and Meatiply. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e3SJA_yc #GreenQueen #altprotein #cultivatedmeat #futurefood #innovation #sustainability #foodsystems