One week in a post #25: Bold Cultr, GF Trend, Microdrinks, Soy Sausages.
Now that climate beneficial eating is becoming more popular, and a number of individuals and organizations are getting into the space, I feel called to share with a broader audience what I encounter every single day through my work at Future Food and Food for Climate League. Weekly, I share startups I read about, products I tasted, founders I met (and a bit of personal life!). Every single concept I mention will be tracked on a public database we’re populating. The overarching goal is to increase the general interest in this topic, acknowledging that the challenge is too big not to work cooperatively.
This initiative is possible thanks to our amazing Future Food Ecosystem, where our team is working head-down every single day to research, design, create, and commercialize new food solutions to help our planet.
My word of the week
Art Basel. A for-profit, privately owned and managed, international art fair staged annually in Basel, Switzerland; Miami Beach, Florida; and Hong Kong.
Food, Climate and Innovation: three highlights of the week
1/ Gluten-Free Pasta in 2022
While keto and vegan alternatives remain at the forefront of much innovation, gluten-free alternatives are too: according to a report by Research and Markets, the global gluten-free packaged food market is estimated to reach $9.6 million this year and is projected to grow at a 11.63% CAGR through 2026.
In the Specialty Food Association 2022 trend forecasts, they expect pasta to have a “post-pandemic comeback” next year with new shapes being introduced alongside gluten-free and alternative-grain options. Supermarket Perimeter reported that Jonathan Deutsch, founding director of the Drexel Food Core Lab and a member of the SFA’s trendspotting panel, said to look out for “new spins on traditional pasta in Instagram-friendly ways” such as black rice, pumpkin, red lentils and purple carrots.
Food Dive recently reported, The Real Good Food Company went public following the incredible growth of its gluten- and grain-free line of frozen better-for-you convenience items. In addition to increasing its retail distribution by 80% over a two year period, company sales also skyrocketed, with the dollar amount in the first half of 2021 adding up to almost twice the sales of the first six months of 2020.
Additionally, just this November, Taste Republic announced the launch of their product with Beyond Meat to introduce Plant-Based Sausage Ravioli, featuring Beyond Sausage Italian Crumbles and Wisconsin mozzarella cheese: The pasta is gluten-free and formulated with brown rice flour. Also, Cadence Kitchen is adding two offerings to its menu of flash-frozen meals, including its first gluten-free dish, a Gluten-Free Pasta with Chicken in a Cheese and BBQ Sauce.
Gluten-free pasta is set to only increase its space on the shelf in this upcoming year. Have you tried or recommend any gluten-free brands?
2/ General Mills launches Animal-Free Dairy Brand, Bold Cultr.
Speaking of gluten-free brands, General Mills, known primarily for their gluten-free grain products, has recently announced the launch of their animal-free dairy brand: Bold Cultr.
Developed through G-Works, General Mills’ technology accelerator, their first product is a plain flavor cream cheese alternative. The product features non-animal whey protein from food technology company Perfect Day, plus pea protein, palm oil, cultures, starches and gums.
Bold Cultr Co-founder, Laura Engstrom, said in a company blog post, “Many of the consumers we talked to want to be animal-free but cheese is holding them back — the alternatives aren’t doing what consumers want them to…We’re excited to reimagine what cheese can be and tackle this consumer problem head on.”
According to Food Business News, the cream cheese alternative is launching direct-to-consumer through Bold Cultr’s e-commerce platform and in select Hy-Vee locations in Minnesota.
To stay up to date on the launch, checkout their website here.
3/ Dairy-Free Indulgence
With the demand for plant-based options increasing, confectionary brands are looking to offer more diverse options to satisfy the consumer demand. From classic chocolate bars to new non-dairy ice-cream brands, innovation is on the rise.
Data shows only 5.6% of chocolate and fudge products carry a vegan claim across the US, UK, and Australian markets. Barry Callebaut has worked towards their recent launch of a new line of dairy-free chocolate. The line, including EZ Melt Compound, Compound Chip/Chunk, Compound Soft Chunk, Compound Soft Shaped Chunks and Bulk Liquid for different applications, is processed in separate facilities where absolutely no dairy is present.
Just this past month, Big Innovations Group Inc. and artist/ producer Jermaine Dupri announced the upcoming launch of a new non-dairy frozen dessert brand, JD’s Vegan, in Walmart stores featuring flavors such as Atlanta Peach Cobbler, Apple Butter and Strawberry Sweetheart, Chocolate My Way, and Key Lime Pie.
Lastly, Nestlé launched their vegan KitKat in response to plant-based fans wishes. Alexander von Maillot, Head of Confectionery at Nestlé, said: “One of the most common requests we see on social media is for a vegan KitKat, so we’re delighted to be able to make that wish come true. I can’t wait for people to be able to try this amazingly tasty new KitKat. This is a product for everyone who wants a little more plant-based in their life!” According to Nestle, the KitKat V is certified vegan, and made from 100% sustainable cocoa sourced through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan in conjunction with the Rainforest Alliance.
Climate Friendly products of the week
Waterdrop
Waterdrop Microdrink helps you drink more water with their line of compact, dissolvable cubes, called micro-drink that add flavor and vitamins to water. Each microdrink uses 98% less plastic and carbon dioxide emissions than a standard bottle of water, according to the company.
Brand Accessories / Waterdrop also sells sustainable accessories made of high-quality borosilicate glass, stainless steel, porcelain and bamboo to not only help you drink enough water all day long but also make a significant contribution to reducing plastic waste.
Plastic Positive / Waterdrop partners with Plastic Bank: for every pack of waterdrop® sold, 1 plastic bottle is collected from the environment. This does not only amount to 4 times more plastic than our packaging needs, but also creates new jobs. This commitment additionally makes them a plastic-positive company.
Like Meat
LikeMeat products are plant-based meat substitutes made from soy protein.
Packaging / Like Meat products come in ‘earth-friendly’ packaging trays, made from 95% recycled materials.
Supernatural
Supernatural makes plant-based baking ingredients for creative chefs, such as natural sprinkles, plant-based food colors, vegan rainbow chocolate chips and more.
Allergen Friendly / Supernatural products are free from artificial colors and the top 8 allergens.
The Future Food Institute believes climate change is at the end of your fork. By harnessing the power of our global ecosystem of partners, innovators, researchers, educators, and entrepreneurs, FFI aims to sustainably improve life on Earth through the transformation of global food systems.
Learn more at www.futurefoodinsitute.org, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube.
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👉👉 Thank you Natalie Brandenburg for the priceless help putting this article together!
One week in a post #25: Bold Cultr, GF Trend, Microdrinks, Soy Sausages. was originally published in FUTURE FOOD on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.