One week in a post #45: Best Whole Cut To Date, Durian Craziness, Bean-less Chocolate, MushroomRoot.
One week in a post #45: Best Whole Cut To Date, Durian Craziness, Bean-less Chocolate, MushroomRoot.
Food and climate highlights on my radar!
Dear all,
After a six month break I decided to restart writing. A lot has been happening at Savor, I had to travel quite a bit for family and work, and I’m also 7 months pregnant by now(!!). The interest in this newsletter has kept on growing despite my silence, and a bunch of you messaged me directly asking for news. This fills my heart! I’m hearing that and I’m back to my writing practice. I’m still thinkering around the best format to follow: you’ll likely see some changes in the next months. But in the meantime — enjoy, it’s nice to be back!
C
[Three pieces of news]
🍄 The Neurospora Crassa Strain is now locked in!
Mycelium, the root structure of fungi, is gaining significant traction in the food and beverage industry (why? Mainly because of its quick growth, stability, application versatility and climate claims). This month Meati obtained a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, granting it exclusivity over the use of the Neurospora crassa strain until 2039. The patented ingredient, commercially known as 'MushroomRoot', forms the basis for Meati's vegan whole-cut steaks and cutlets. This achievement followed a legal dispute with another mycelium meat producer, The Better Meat Co, over intellectual property infringement claims.
📦 The world of biomaterials for F&B
Erthos, a women-founded startup, has secured $11.2 million in funding for its plant-based plastic substitute. Their proprietary resin acts as a one-to-one substitute for traditional plastic and is fully compostable. The funding round, led by Horizons Ventures, coincided with Erthos achieving compostable certifications for its biomaterials, validating their use in commercial-scale injection molding across various industry applications. This adds up to a series of initiatives in the space, like TerraSafe who secured funding from Big Idea Venture this last summer, to Kelpi that is leveraging the power of seaweed to build more sustainable packaging solutions.
📈 When growing it too much (to finish!)
Global demand for durians has surged by 400% year-on-year, with China driving the craze for the polarizing fruit, according to HSBC. China imported $6 billion worth of durians over the past two years, accounting for 91% of the global demand. This boom is linked to the fruit's perception as a status symbol and a popular gift in Chinese culture. Thailand is the primary supplier, contributing 99% of total durian exports in the ASEAN region. The rise in demand has led to higher prices in China, where durians sell for over $10 per kilo compared to $6 per kilo in Southeast Asian countries. This piece of news might need a better deep dive, as I see some similarities with a few other corps (as quinoa, for example).
[Three raises]
🌍 Systemic money / One Ventures closes a $375M new fund to invest in buildings and construction, energy and transportation, food and ag. This shows climate tech is hot!
🍖 Alt Proteins Research Center / Catalonia’s Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda, and the Institute of Agri-Food Research and Technology have revealed Spain’s first Center for Innovation in Alternative Proteins, with a $7M investment.
🎣 Cultivated fish / BlueNalu has closed a $33.5M Series B funding round and extended partnerships with legacy seafood leaders in APAC.
[Three products]
🍖 Heura: York ham style slices
🥩 Chunk Steak: getting Philadelphia-based Monster Vegan (this is the best whole-cut I tasted so far!)
🍫 ChoViva: chocolatey taste experience, without cocoa beans (oats and sunflower seeds) — hitting the shelves in Europe now!