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As food-tech continues to advance at breakneck speed, innovators around the globe are reshaping the way we grow, make, and experience food. Here’s a snapshot of some of the most compelling developments making headlines this month:

🏛️ UK Food Strategy Taps Alternative Proteins to Bridge £14B Productivity Gap

The UK government’s new food strategy emphasizes building a “good food cycle” to create a healthier, more sustainable, and resilient food system. It highlights alternative proteins as a key solution to address climate change, food insecurity, and public health challenges. With a £14 billion productivity gap in food manufacturing, the strategy promotes investment in R&D and innovation to boost economic growth and reduce the environmental footprint of the UK’s food system.

🚀 Seven Startups Join Big Idea Ventures to Tackle Food System Challenges

Big Idea Ventures has selected seven startups for its Global Food Innovation Fund II, each addressing critical issues in food sustainability. Innovations include precision-fermented oils, cocoa alternatives, saffron via plant cell culture, and gluten-safe baking. The cohort will receive mentorship and commercialization support to scale their solutions, which aim to reduce reliance on traditional food systems and improve food security.

🐟 Steakholder Foods Rolls Out Plant-Based Fish Kebabs in Retail

Steakholder Foods has partnered with Israeli frozen food distributor Premazon to launch a new line of plant-based white fish kebabs. Made using the company’s proprietary SH™-Fish premix, the products are designed to mimic the taste and texture of traditional fish. This move is part of Steakholder’s broader commercialization strategy to expand its presence in the alternative seafood market.

🔬 Consumers Embrace Yeast Oil as Sustainable Palm Oil Alternative

A new study by NoPalm Ingredients confirms strong consumer acceptance of yeast oil across Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Despite low awareness, participants rated yeast oil highly for health and sustainability, especially in margarine. The findings support yeast oil’s potential as a scalable, eco-friendly fat alternative, with clear labeling like “oil of yeast origin” resonating well with consumers

🌞 Solar Foods to Commercialize Up to 1,650 Tonnes of Solein Annually

Solar Foods has signed a Letter of Intent with a major health and performance nutrition brand to commercialize 500–1,650 tonnes of Solein protein annually from 2026 to 2030. Solein, a protein made from air and electricity, is positioned as a sustainable, versatile ingredient for products like protein shakes and bars. The deal could account for up to 13% of the capacity of Solar Foods’ upcoming Factory 02.

🧀 UK Cheese Scene Blossoms with 650 Artisan Entries

The UK’s artisan cheese industry is thriving, with a record 650 entries from 123 producers at the 2025 Artisan Cheese Awards. Experts highlight a post-war revival of small-scale cheesemaking, leading to a diverse range of products that now rival France’s famed variety. The resurgence is credited to growing consumer interest in local, experimental, and high-quality cheeses.

🔬 EU Parliament Declares Biotech a Strategic Priority, Paving Way for Cultivated Meat and Fermentation

The European Parliament has voted to prioritize biotechnology and biomanufacturing, recognizing their importance for sustainability, food security, and public health. The move supports the EU’s €350M Life Sciences Strategy and includes the upcoming Biotech Act, which aims to streamline approval processes for innovations like cultivated meat and precision-fermented proteins. The strategy also calls for a Chief Biotechnology Officer and better funding access to accelerate commercialization.

🐔 Aldi Suisse Debuts Clean-Label Mycoprotein Chicken Filet at Meat Price Parity

Aldi Suisse has introduced a vegetarian chicken filet under its MyVay brand, made with Planetary’s Libre mycoprotein. The product, priced competitively with conventional meat, features just four ingredients and is produced using biomass fermentation. This launch marks the first commercial use of Libre’s mycoprotein since Planetary acquired the Spanish startup, aiming to scale fungi-based proteins across Europe.

❄️New School Foods Expands Plant-Based Whole Cuts Using Freezing Innovation

Canadian startup New School Foods is scaling its patented “directional freezing” technology to produce raw, plant-based whole cuts that mimic the texture of meat. Starting with salmon, the company has secured national distribution deals and is building a 28,000 sq ft facility to move from batch to continuous production. The tech creates fibrous scaffolds that replicate muscle tissue, offering a premium alternative to processed plant-based meats.

🌸 Pladis Accelerator Backs Snacks Made from Waterlilies and Weight-Loss Legumes

Pladis has selected 12 startups for its 2025 Accelerator Programme, spotlighting innovations like popcorn from waterlilies, legumes that mimic weight-loss drugs, and enzymes that convert sugar into fiber. The initiative supports scalable solutions tackling obesity, food waste, and sustainable sourcing. Startups gain access to Pladis experts and real-world testing to bring science-backed snacks to market.

🇪🇺 European Commission Invests €350M to Boost Fermentation-Based Food Innovation

The European Commission has launched a €350M strategy to strengthen Europe’s life sciences sector, with a focus on fermentation technologies for sustainable food production. The plan supports biomass and precision fermentation, aiming to reduce waste and create alternatives to meat and palm oil. It also includes funding under Horizon Europe and calls for public-private partnerships to overcome scaling challenges.

🍎 BBC Investigates Which Ultra-Processed Foods Might Be Good for You

While ultra-processed foods are often linked to health risks, the BBC highlights examples that may offer nutritional benefits, such as fortified cereals, tinned beans, and wholegrain bread. Experts emphasize moderation and the importance of choosing nutrient-rich options, noting that some processed foods can support a balanced diet in today’s fast-paced world.

🍖 Multus Unveils AI-Optimized, Animal-Free Growth Media for Cultivated Pork Fat

UK-based Multus Biotechnology has launched Proliferum P, a serum-free culture medium tailored for porcine stem cells used in cultivated meat. Developed using AI and lab automation, the formulation matches or exceeds the performance of fetal bovine serum (FBS) while addressing ethical, cost, and contamination concerns. This innovation is a major step toward scalable, animal-free cultivated meat production.

🛑 Texas Governor Signs Law Banning Cultivated Meat Sales and Production

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed SB261 into law, prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cultivated meat in the state until September 2027. The move reflects growing political resistance to cell-based proteins in parts of the U.S., despite federal-level approvals.

🥩 Believer Meats Achieves FDA Approval and Completes World's First Large-Scale Cultivated Meat Facility

Believer Meats has reached two major milestones in its mission to revolutionize food production: securing FDA approval via a “No Questions” letter and completing construction of its large-scale cultivated meat facility in Wilson, North Carolina. This site, hailed as the world’s first of its kind, is now entering the commissioning phase. 

🍄 Libre Foods Sells Mushroom Bacon Brand to Planetary to Scale Fungi Proteins

Spanish startup Libre Foods, known for its mushroom-based bacon, has been acquired by Swiss biomanufacturer Planetary. The deal includes Libre’s IP and fermentation tech, enabling broader commercialization of fungi-based proteins across Europe. Libre’s products use biomass fermentation and AI to optimize fungal strain performance.

🍫 Barry Callebaut Moves to De-Risk Supply Chain with Cultivated Cocoa

Facing climate and ethical challenges in cocoa sourcing, Barry Callebaut is investing in cultivated cocoa to stabilize its supply chain. The initiative aims to reduce deforestation and child labor risks while ensuring long-term access to key ingredients for chocolate production.

🍩 Martin Braun Partners with Win-Win to Offer Cocoa-Free Chocolate for Bakers

German bakery giant Martin Braun-Gruppe has teamed up with UK startup Win-Win to launch two cocoa-free chocolate glazes. Made from carob, tiger nuts, and sunflower seeds, the glazes offer a sustainable, scalable alternative to traditional chocolate, with lower carbon footprints and stable supply chains.

🥓 Mission Barns Cleared to Launch Cultivated Pork Fat in U.S. Retail and Restaurants

Mission Barns has received full USDA approval for its cultivated pork fat, following earlier FDA clearance. The hybrid products, combining plant proteins with cultivated fat, will debut at Sprouts and Fiorella restaurants. The approval marks a milestone for cultivated meat commercialization in the U.S.

🧪 21st.Bio Opens Access to Precision-Fermented Alpha-Lactalbumin

Danish biotech firm 21st.Bio has launched a development platform to help companies produce alpha-lactalbumin—a key whey protein—via precision fermentation. The initiative, based on a high-yield microbial strain licensed from Novonesis, aims to make this nutrient-rich, functional dairy protein more accessible and sustainable.

📉 AgriFoodTech Investment Declines, But Experts See Signs of a Rebound

Venture capital funding in agrifoodtech dropped to $5.1 billion in the first half of 2025, the lowest since 2015. Despite the downturn, investors believe this could signal a market bottom, with opportunities emerging for startups that can scale efficiently and deliver measurable outcomes. The sector is facing stiff competition from AI for funding, but resilient founders and regional adaptability are seen as key to future success.

🐷 EU Backs Mewery with €2.9M to Scale Cultivated Pork Production

Czech startup Mewery has received €2.9 million in EU funding to scale its cultivated pork production and launch pilot projects with meat producers. Using a co-cultivation method that combines pork and microalgae cells, Mewery aims to reduce costs and improve efficiency. The funding comes from Horizon Europe and supports the EU’s broader biomanufacturing goals.

🍞 Prozymi Biolabs Targets Celiac-Friendly Wheat with Precision Enzymes

Edinburgh-based Prozymi Biolabs is developing enzyme technology that selectively degrades gliadins—the gluten proteins that trigger immune responses in celiac disease—while preserving the structure and texture of wheat-based baked goods. The goal is to create “gluten-safe” rather than gluten-free products, offering a breakthrough for consumers with gluten sensitivities.