The UK government has released a £10m funding package to help build the country’s first large-scale industrial insect farm and accelerate the development of sustainable food production systems.
Startups selected to participate in Rabobank’s virtual FoodBytes! Pitch competition this fall provide a neat snapshot into trending topics in food and agriculture, from alternative proteins and upcycled ingredients, to edible cutlery, relaxation beverages,...
Alternative protein is the theme of this week's new product development round-up, with Nestlé launching a 'new and improved' plant-based burger. Meat analogue start-up This has teamed with a Michelin-starred gastro pub in London, and Moving...
Despite the nightmare that has been 2020, it has been a good year for food companies, according to the 2020 top 75 Most Valuable UK Brands report from ad giant WPP and insight firm Kantar.
Fresh research reveals substantial markets for cultured meat and plant-based meat alternatives in France and Germany, where acceptance of non-meat diets is on the rise. FoodNavigator speaks with Gourmey and ProVeg International for their take on the findings.
Food waste upcycling is an area ripe for innovation, says Oakland Innovation. Its report aims to show how food and beverage manufacturers can make upcycling a viable and effective solution to address the food waste challenge.
Cultured meat company Mosa Meat has closed a $55m (€47m) Series B funding round. FoodNavigator asks the start-up’s Head of Operations, Sarah Lucas, exactly how it plans to use the money.
FTW Ventures, an early-stage VC, has launched a new fund to support food and agri-tech start-ups that it believes can disrupt the sector. FoodNavigator speaks to founder and entrepreneur Brian Frank about the tech and trends he believes will come to the...
Made from upcycled sugarcane waste, the ‘fully compostable’ offering can be used for greasy, wet, or hot food. FoodNavigator speaks to W-Cycle co-founder Joseph Siani to find out more.
To create a “perfect food system” that can feed more people with fewer resources in the next 50 years, the food industry needs to turn 180-degrees away from long-considered “best practices,” including focusing on high yield crops, concentrating production...
Princes is leveraging blockchain developments to improve traceability and communicate its sourcing story to customers and consumers. Starting with its Napolina brand – but with plans for a further rollout – the company is working with Provenance to communicate...
The desire to maximise health and wellbeing means that consumers are constantly on the lookout for the next innovation but they are dubious about the accuracy and safety of genetic testing kits, market research indicates.
UK challenger brand ChicP was founded with a twofold ambition: to create healthy food and to address food waste. The company’s founder talks to FoodNavigator about her vision for a zero-waste food system that puts health at its heart and launches a blistering...
The oat drink business has publicly defended its decision to receive investment from Blackstone, after Oatly fans and activists pledged to boycott the brand.
UK-based online grocer Farmdrop saw ‘skyrocketing’ demand during the coronavirus lockdown – and the company believes its unique business model and digital technology means this is no flash-in-the-pan.
British craft brewers controlled by Japanese producer Kirin have assured drinkers that any profits from their beer will remain in the UK following an investigation into the funding of human rights abuses against Rohingya people in Burma.
Australian research claims consumers aged between 18 and 25 view cultured meat “with disgust”, despite concerns about the environment and animal welfare being rife within the cohort.
With one in 40 kids suffering from cow’s milk allergy alone, and with food allergies more prevalent in children than adults, food companies are way behind in servicing the demand for healthy free-from children's products, says the founder of UK dairy-free...
Piccolo is countering falling baby food sales in the UK as a whole by successfully tapping into the desire for ‘truly organic’ baby products from consumers prepared to pay a premium for it.
With COVID-19 exposing fragile food chains and putting scrutiny on the ways we consume and produce foods and approach our own health, now is the perfect moment for food tech startups to step up and lead the way, says venture capitalist and entrepreneur...
Food brands looking to tap into rising consumer demand to purchase meals online via apps should be wary of a backlash from shoppers about how their data is shared.
The ‘world’s first’ robotic farm has attracted funding from the UK government, a move Farms Minister Victoria Prentis said would support innovation to tackle the food sector’s ‘greatest challenges’.
Technological advances are transforming the food sector – and nowhere is this more evident than in the field of food safety. FoodNavigator caught up with Alex Bromage, Food Safety and Quality Director at Tetra Pak, to find out what innovations he is getting...
Sustainability sells. This has given rise to scepticism among consumers that brands are ‘greenwashing’ their environmental claims. Radical transparency could be the cure.
Marketed as a virtual assistant for waste sorting, the Junker app helps consumers solve the everyday dilemma: ‘Can I recycle this?’ FoodNavigator asks co-founder Noemi De Santis how the start-up is helping prevent food and food packaging waste from ending...
The concept allows London-based start-up Erbology to better understand what its customers want, and ultimately, make a better product for them, co-founder Irina Turcan tells FoodNavigator.
Food Tech group Treasure8 has joined forces with global innovation consultancy PA Consulting to accelerate global access to ‘high-quality nutrition’ while also reducing food waste. FoodNavigator caught up with the partners to learn how.
Big Idea Ventures is welcoming a second cohort of start-ups to its New Protein Fund accelerator. From cellular agriculture, to bio-fermentation and plant-based innovation, Managing Partner Andrew Ive shares his thoughts on building a more sustainable...
Online CBD seller Alphagreen has reported a 300% month-on-month rise in traffic this year as the sector enjoys a boost from the acceleration of the health and wellness trend among consumers.
With sugar reduction in the spotlight, Netherlands-based consultancy FutureBridge shares its predictions for three new bioprocesses ‘set to rattle the low-calorie sweetener market’.
HelloFresh raised its guidance for the year for the third time, illustrating strong demand for meal-kit among consumers amid the coronavirus pandemic. The recipe box company also hinted at plans to expand in the ready-meal category, and said it was unconcerned...
The European Institute of Innovation & Technology’s food arm received 106 applications to its COVID-19 support fund from different start-ups across Europe. The number was eventually whittled down to just 13.
The coronavirus crisis has hurt many food and beverage SMEs, reliant on out-of-home channels, particularly hard. We spoke to the founders of French ice cream start-up Gemelli to hear how this company has responded.
The Cannabinoid Association of the Netherlands (CAN), a consortium of Dutch CBD producers, is harnessing blockchain technology with the hope of improving transparency, accountability and traceability in the CBD market.
CBD is the latest hot ingredient to infiltrate the food sector, and agile start-ups have been quick to jump onboard. In this edition of The FoodNavigator Podcast, we speak with the founders of three UK-based food start-ups to get their perspectives on...
Unilever has entered into a tie-up with biotech start-up Algenuity. FoodNavigator hears from both companies about the ‘huge potential’ to develop ‘future foods’ using Chlorella vulgaris microalgae as a nutritious and sustainable protein source.
The use of antibiotics and other adulterants in meat is a global health problem. Consumers increasingly demand products that are free-from contaminants and additives. But how can you be sure the meat you eat is hormone or antibiotic free?
Israeli start-up SavorEat has developed an automated, closed system that 3D prints and cooks plant-based meat alternatives for foodservice. “This robot can replace manufacturing practices,” CEO Racheli Vizman tells FoodNavigator.
Romanian food company Salconserv Food has invested €3m to grow its sustainable plant-based brand, Verdino, and the brand now has international ambitions. “The future of food is also produced in Romania,” CEO Eberhart Răducanu says.
Pre-COVID, food entrepreneurs were reluctant to outsource to service providers. But a ‘change in mindset’ has occurred, according to Young Foodies’ Thea Alexander, meaning founders are increasingly comfortable relinquishing control.
UK start-up Produce & Provide is launching a new service that aims to help connect farmers and consumers. The company’s founder Neil Darwent believes the transition to shorter, more local supply chains represents a ’21st century food and farming revolution’.
Israeli start-up Seebo has raised a total of $31m to help manufacturers predict and prevent food waste on the factory floor. The more complex the production line, the better, CEO Lior Akavia tells FoodNavigator.
The snacks and beverage giant says it will cut a number of its zombie brands and focus on ‘fewer but bigger and stronger’ products after its second-quarter sales fell 27% year-on-year - the sharpest quarterly sales drop in a decade.