2020 review: Tumultuous times amid COVID-19, Breakthroughs in cellular meat & expansion in plant-based NPD

23 Dec 2020 --- 2020 has been a year like no other. COVID-19 and its effect on the F&B industry have dominated headlines. The plant-based sector continued to evolve with meat-free trends and dairy-free alternatives propelling innovation. Meanwhile, the cultured meat space gained further traction with commercialization and scale-up on the horizon. Other significant themes included healthy eating to boost immunity, locally sourced ingredients and the significance of transparency, trust and sustainability, through good storytelling.

Ingredients that enrich fiber and protein – as well as the on-going quest to find alternative proteins, including some that are made from all manner of unusual sources – have featured heavily in the headlines of 2020. There’s been a plethora of exciting NPD – chocolate and cocoa has seen interesting sugar reduction technologies come to the fore, while there have been interesting methods to cut fats and oils in bakery as well as reduce sodium in savory products. 

January

Pork from plants: Impossible Foods unveils latest lab-grown creation
US alternative meat pioneer Impossible Foods introduced its latest product at the start of the year, Impossible Pork. Following the success of its plant-based beef substitute, the company unveiled a lab-grown creation, declaring “we started with the cow, now we’re taking on the pig.” Impossible Pork is made with heme, soy protein and coconut fat and mimics ground pork meat. 

Impossible Pork is made with heme, soy protein and coconut fat and mimics ground pork meat. Meanwhile, plant-based seafood made waves in 2020, with several key players including Prime Roots, a California-based start-up, launching a range of seafood alternatives.

Food from air and electricity: Finnish scientists pioneer protein to develop “new era of food diversity”
Finnish food-tech company, Solar Foods, pioneered a breakthrough biotech solution, Solein, which enabled natural protein production anywhere by using air and electricity. Solein is a plain protein flour that can be used as a neutral additive across a range of foods, including being used in nutritious food ingredients, plant-based meat alternatives and cultured meat. 

The company’s scientists said the ingredient will compete with soy on price within the next ten years and could be the answer to tackling environmental problems often associated with farming and the livestock sector. 

The breakthrough came during a time when slowing climate change is crucial with a sharpened focus on the food industry to step up to the challenge.

Davos 2020 urges dietary changes, sustainable supply chains and agri-food system transformation
Actionable models for building sustainable food chains seize the spotlight at this year’s World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Annual Meeting. Convening under the theme, Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World, world leaders and key industry players gathered in Davos, Switzerland (January 21 to 24) with a shared agenda – to incentivize shifts in global consumption patterns of 7.7 billion people. 

In line with the event, Canadian research firm Corporate Knights and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) released their respective sustainability rankings, topped by industry heavyweights including Chr. Hansen, Givaudan and Firmenich.

Chr. Hansen reclaimed its top position as the highest ranked sustainable food company in 2020r. A key milestone for the health ingredients supplier’s sustainability journey was reached when the company announced an agreement with Better Energy. 

Nutreco partnership accelerates commercial launch of Mosa Meat’s lab-grown burgersThousands of individual muscle fibers combine to form a humble hamburger.
What once was deemed science fiction is quickly showing signs of mainstream applicability: cellular agriculture is racing to market to meet “the enormous demand” for lab-grown meat products. 

Mosa Meat, the Dutch company behind industry’s first cultivated hamburger, entered a partnership with Nutreco, a specialist in animal nutrition, alongside Lowercarbon Capital, a US-based venture capital fund investing in “planet healing technologies.” 

The partnership aims to accelerate the market introduction of Mosa Meat’s lab-grown meat products which could be on the market within the next few years.

February 

Coronavirus: Beer sales slump in China as entertainment venues remain on lockdown, says Carlsberg
The COVID-19 outbreak severely impacted entertainment spots and dining outlets in China with widespread closures all over the country. This to short-term impacts on beer sales as consumption declined during the outbreak, according to Carlsberg. It was one of many companies monitoring the situation as concerns over the spread and impact on public health grew. 

The Danish brewer, whose breweries in the country remained open at the start of the outbreak, said the Chinese market was left in uncertain terms due to COVID-19, and it was likely to be impacted “negatively.”

Carlsberg was implementing “different initiatives to mitigate the potential impact,” Carlsberg CEO Cees 't Hart, explained during a Carlsberg financial statement conference call.

Cargill competes in plant-based space with launch of meatless range
Cargill rolled out a range of alternative meat products, entering the market as a challenger to notable plant-based players including Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. The global food and agriculture giant announced its private label plant-based patties and ground products would hit retailers and restaurants in the US by early April. 

Cargill stressed the importance of “all options on the table” in the protein space where demand for alternatives was constantly pushed up by global consumers seeking meat-free and planet-friendly products. Cargill's private label plant-based patties and ground products would hit retailers and restaurants in the US by early April.

“Cargill’s strategy for both food and feed is based on helping customers thrive in a world where demand for protein is rising,” said Brian Sikes, leader of Cargill’s global protein and salt business. “Cargill has invested US$7 billion globally in animal protein in the last five years while making strategic investments in the alternative protein space.”

COVID-19 update: Food excellence may “fall into the eye of the hurricane,” say Italian industry reps
The COVID-19 outbreak began to cause concern for the Italian F&B industry, amid reports of a rapid increase in laboratory-confirmed cases in the northern region of the country. Representatives of the nation’s F&B sector released statements outlining how the spread of the virus would significantly curb industry’s operations. 

“The risk of a production blockade of the northern regions after the coronavirus alarm could impose a brake on the Italian manufacturing sector, including the food sector,” said Ivano Vacondio, president of the Italian food and drink federation Federalimentare.

Food excellence could also “fall into the eye of the hurricane,” spelling concern for a whole sector that has so far proved to be against the trend of the rest of the industry, according to Federalimentare. 

Cargill invests US$6.4M in US food pilot facility to accelerate NPD
Bühler and Givaudan joined forces in Singapore to open an innovation center dedicated to plant-based food. 

The facility is jointly run by the two companies, bringing together a pilot plant featuring Bühler extrusion and processing equipment with a kitchen and flavor laboratory by Givaudan. 

The facility is also supported by experts from both companies who see significant market potential for plant-based products in the coming years in the Asian alternative meat sector.

March

COVID-19: Bösch Boden Spies flags operational volatility, critical bottlenecks and shipping cancellations Bösch Boden Spies executives stressed, “We can no longer fully guarantee the smooth processing and performance of the supply chain, as this event is beyond our and our carriers’ control.” 
The outbreak of COVID-19 continued to have a serious impact on global supply chains, in particular those of sea freight, coupled with increasingly limited availability of empty containers at source. 

Ingredient suppliers flagged the significant consequences and operational volatility this is causing. In this update on the pandemic’s repercussions on global food chains, companies shed light on the critical bottlenecks faced in the cross-border movement of F&B shipments.

Moreover, Bösch Boden Spies underscored that the market was confronted with hundreds of “blank sailings” (the failure of a ship to sail or the omission of a planned port of call) on all trade lanes, resulting in a significant shortage of capacity and a global unbalance in equipment.

“Adapt, pivot and progress”: Can digital trade shows prove a viable substitute?

The spread of COVID-19 prompted a domino effect forcing industry trade show cancellations around the world. As these challenging times prompt extraordinary innovation, industry turned to digital solutions – signaling the rise of the virtual trade show. 

FoodIngredientsFirst explored whether virtual platforms can indeed prove a viable substitute to physical events, and what exhibitors think about the new direction industry is taking. The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) announced that it would transition the IFT20 Annual Event and Food Expo – previously slated for July 12 to 15 at McCormick Place in Chicago, US – to a “virtual event experience” for its 20,000 global attendees. 

This move followed similar adoptions of digital trade show platforms by F&B event organizers, as businesses increasingly rely on this remote mode of engagement to maintain status quo amid the outbreak.

Brands are becoming more comfortable telling their stories, explained Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights.The hunt for novel proteins: Nature’s Fynd raises US$80M to commercialize volcanic microbe-based protein
Nature’s Fynd, a food tech company producing a protein from a microbe discovered in the geothermal springs of Yellowstone’s ancient volcano, raised US$80 million in Series B funding. The emergent food source cultivated through NASA-backed research was pegged as eco-efficient as it uses only a fraction of the land and water resources required in traditional agriculture. 

Speaking with FoodIngredientsFirst at the time, the company’s executives detailed the efficiency and scalability of fermentation technology, while further elaborating on how the funding will be used to commercialize “new-to-the-world” products. 

“Storytelling and sustainability claims move dairy category forward,” says Innova Market Insights
Dairy is one of the most interesting and innovative food categories today, according to Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights.

During a webinar, Williams addressed the market researcher’s Top Ten Trends for 2020 and how they fuse together within the dairy category. Indeed, the dairy and dairy alternatives markets have already enjoyed much success, but these markets are also developing positively and tapping into some of the most poignant trends. 

Williams pinpointed storytelling, sustainability and hybrid claims as key drivers in the dairy sector.

April

“The chemical fingerprint of chocolate”: Researchers map authenticity of cocoa beans
US researchers developed a precision authentication testing method to determine “without any doubt” the chocolate’s country of origin to ensure that it has not been adulterated with inferior ingredients and is as sustainable as the label suggests. 

Chocolate ecology is a vital step that helps manufacturers determine what to put on-pack to appeal to conscious consumers looking for organic, fairtrade and certified products. 

However, this can be tricky as many factors can affect a chocolate’s flavor, including processing, and contribute to its unique chemical make-up. FoodIngredientsFirst spoke with Dr. Shannon Stitzel, the project’s principal investigator, who explained how the drive behind this work was to add to the traceability toolbox available. 

Blockchain and smart tech mitigate food supply chain challenges during pandemic
While the COVID-19 pandemic spurred a cataclysm of supply chain challenges, the global crisis also pushed businesses toward previously unexplored digital solutions. Key agri-food suppliers Cargill and Agrocorp teamed up with Rabobank to pilot blockchain for faster cross-continental commodity trading in five days, initially focusing on wheat. 

The concept of blockchain as a tool to combat coronavirus-related challenges came to the fore through this partnership. Touted as one of the most promising sectors for blockchain, cross-border commodity trading allows for real-time monitoring by multiple parties, dispenses with data concerns and simplifies the exchange of documents in a digital, secure and decentralized manner. It was key way to continue operations within the global constraints of the pandemic.

Cell-cultured and plant-based seafood: Will COVID-19 boost progression in the sector?
Cell-cultured seafood made waves and the acceptance of lab-grown "meat" grew in 2020.As the world learnt to deal with the pandemic, eating behaviors were starting to evolve. The global population is projected to reach more than 9.8 billion by 2050, and with this comes the challenge to secure sustainable, nutritious and plant-friendly food supplies. 

With the interest in cell-cultured seafood making waves and the acceptance of “meat” grown in a lab taking off, could the COVID-19 crisis boost further progression in this burgeoning sector?

FoodIngredientsFirst spoke with innovators in cell- and plant-based seafood, as the pandemic shone a light on new ways of consuming fish and meat, in a way which is deemed better for the planet and provides a flexible alternative during times of crisis.

EU agri-food in crisis: Livestock and dairy sectors crushed as lockdowns sink demand
The outbreak and spread of COVID-19 and the subsequent measures implemented by governments to contain it resulted in the abrupt closure of the majority of the continent’s food services. 

This, in turn, had a devastating impact on a multitude of sectors hit hard by the sudden and steep decline in demand. As such, Europe’s dairy and livestock sectors spoke out about “deteriorating” market conditions. 

Producers and their cooperatives demanded urgent action from the European Commission including calls for extraordinary measures to mitigate the crisis emerging within the agri-food industry.

May

Agri-food players in crisis throughout coronavirus  
There was a growing sentiment globally that crucial industry stakeholders including producers, farmers and processors were bearing the brunt of safely maintaining food security, an “essential” response to the pandemic. 

Despite a series of government handouts, many felt “in crisis” and on the verge of collapse, arguing that aid packages fall short of mitigating the level of financial support needed to safely sustain the food supply chain during unprecedented times. 

Canada’s agri-food industry was one major sector to voice concerns, slamming the government’s recent CA$252 million aid package as “inadequate.”

Chr Hansen’s sweet potato-based juice concentrates rise to alternative carmine challenge
As more consumers moved towards vegetarian and vegan choices, the need for a carmine alternative became more pressing, pushing ingredient suppliers to provide a solution for this problem. 

Carmine alternatives came into the spotlight in 2020.In 2019, Chr Hansen unveiled its commercialized vegetable variety – the Hansen sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) – using traditional breeding methods to create the long-sought-after vibrant, natural red alternative to carmine and also a red 40 replacer. This was the raw material used to create vibrant alternatives to synthetic reds. 

FoodIngredientsFirst spoke with Tammi Geiger, US marketing manager at the company, who discussed the FruitMax line of red juices being used in meat analogs, plant-based alternatives, bakery, beverages and other applications.

BLC targets 50% sugar reduction in confectionery coatings and fillings 
Confectionery players were able to achieve 50 percent sugar reduction in products without compromising on product taste following Bunge Loders Croklaan’s (BLC) creation Sweetolin.

The specialty oils and fats giant unveiled its patent-pending, first-of-its-kind total fat system with solutions in confectionery coatings and fillings applications. 

Pegged as a “breakthrough,” Rafael Zegarra, global marketing director at the company, explained how the ingredient delivers guilt-free indulgence.

Kerry gets ahead of organic EU regulations with new flavor modulator range
Kerry unveiled a “suitable for organic” natural X flavoring modulation technology, designed to be compliant with the extensive, updated EU regulations for organic F&B products set to take effect on January 1, 2021. 

The regulation will require flavorings for organic food and beverages to have at least a 95/5 structure – meaning 100 percent natural with at least 95 percent consisting of ingredients derived from named sources.

June

World Environment Day: Olam reimagines food systems operating within nature’s boundaries 
World Environment Day, held on June 5, was a vehicle of the United Nations encouraging awareness and action for the conservation of global ecosystems. 

In celebration of the global event, Olam International outlined principal ways it is reimagining food systems to operate within nature’s boundaries. 

FoodIngredientsFirst spoke with Chris Brown, vice president and global head of environment at Olam International, on the company’s vision of an economic system based on the biodiversity and availability of nature’s assets.

Normalizing plant-based diets: Industry weighs in on the rise of flexitarianism
Offerings labeled as “plant-based” appealed to the larger flexitarian consumer base more than explicitly calling out vegans or vegetarians. 

Despite there being no set definition of plant-based products, it seems as if they become a norm in our food culture. 

With NPD moving at a lightning pace, industry saw more innovation in 2020 even from companies who were unwilling to change previously, tailoring their offerings to meet the demand of the flexitarian consumer. 

“Dark matter of nutrition”: Danone-Brightseed partnership delves into AI-powered phytonutrient analysis 
Despite their prevalence in diets and traditional usage worldwide, the vast majority of phytonutrients in the plant kingdom remained unexplored in 2020. 

Danone North America entered a partnership with Brightseed, a biosciences company and developer of a unique artificial intelligence (AI) that maps novel plant nutrients to human health. Danone and Brightseed entered into an AI partnership that maps novel plant nutrients to human health.

Brightseed’s proprietary AI identifies nutrients and validates their impact so these can be used to support the body’s natural defenses. 

The company was working to identify potential molecular connections between certain compounds present in Danone’s raw soy and newfound health benefits previously unlinked to the crop.

Bühler and Tyson Foods take stake in Asia’s plant-based and cellular agriculture sectors 
As industry grappled with financial volatility throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, alternative proteins were gaining ground in the Asian market amid an influx of investment in the plant-based and cellular agriculture spaces. 

Singapore-based venture capital firm and business accelerator Big Idea Ventures attracted more investors to its alternative protein fund, including Bühler, a global food tech company that followed Tyson, Temasek and others investing in these emerging categories.

July

“The Alt-Steak era”: Givaudan and Redefine Meat join forces to accelerate plant protein ecosystem 
Givaudan expanded its global ecosystem with partnerships to strengthen the Swiss flavor giant’s solutions for alternative protein products. 

Givaudan’s partnership with Redefine Meat, which has developed the world’s first Alt-Steak plant-based products using industrial 3D printing technology, was the company’s latest step in accelerating its reach in plant proteins. 

These have the texture, flavor and appearance of beef steak and can be produced in the volume and cost to enable large-scale market launch, the company revealed.

Accelerating lab-grown beef: Bell Food Group increases stake in Mosa Meat
Dutch start-up Mosa Meat edged closer to the commercial production of cultured beef following a financing round that saw the Bell Food Group invest a further €5 million (US$5.6 million). 

With this investment, the Swiss meat processor and manufacturer of convenience products reinforced its strategy to get a foothold in the booming market for alternatives to meat, and proactively shaping new trends in the convenience food sector.

Intensive animal farming is “single most risky human behavior” amid pandemics, ProVeg warns  
There was a fundamental and often-overlooked connection between pandemics such as the COVID-19 crisis and our animal-based food system, according to a report published in July. 

The Food & Pandemics Report, produced by ProVeg International, identified the eating and farming of animals as the single most risky human behavior concerning pandemics and called for urgent changes to the global food system to prevent future outbreaks. 

The report also drew support from inside the UN Environment Programme.

“KFC embracing cultured meat is positive for consumer acceptance,” say lab-grown pioneers 
Cell-cultured meat continued to gain traction across industry, with players including Dutch start-up Mosa Meat and Israel-based Aleph Farms pressing ahead with developments. 

Cell-cultured meat continued to gain traction across industry, with several breakthroughs announced in 2020.Meanwhile, KFC-Russia used 3D bioprinting technology to produce real chicken meat grown directly from the cell in cooperation with the 3D Bioprinting Solutions research laboratory – and the cultured meat milestone was hailed as the biggest moment for alternative proteins in 2020.

August

Animal-free ingredients: Geltor’s fermented tech “brings collagens to the table for vegans” 
The expanding demand for collagen alongside the global plant-based movement prompted innovation surrounding vegan alternatives to this animal-derived protein. 

In August, FoodIngredientsFirst spoke with bio-design start-up Geltor about the market dynamics driving up consumer appetite for animal-free collagens, which the company produces using its unique fermentation technology. 

The California-based specialist closed a US$91.3 million Series B financing round, which was backed by ingredient tech players including ADM and Gelita.

Tracking sustainable palm oil: Unilever uses geospatial analytics for “sophisticated” deforestation crackdown  
Unilever teamed up with US-based tech company Orbital Insight to boost palm oil sourcing transparency. 

The collaboration piloted technology that uses geolocation data to help identify and map the individual farms and plantations that are most likely to be supplying the palm oil mills in Unilever’s extended supply chain. 

This approach was touted by the company as bringing a “new level of sophistication to traceability” – one that has the potential to work on a massive scale.

Protecting ocean biodiversity: Nestlé launches plant-based tuna alternative 
Nestlé entered the market for plant-based seafood alternatives with a product that mimics the flaky texture and rich flavor of tuna, branded “Vuna.” 

Vuna was launched under the Garden Gourmet brand in Switzerland, before rolling out in other markets. It is made from just six ingredients – water, pea protein, wheat gluten, rapeseed oil, salt and natural flavoring. 

The company has other fish and shellfish alternatives under development. Sustainably produced plant-based seafood alternatives can help to reduce overfishing and protect the biodiversity of oceans, the Swiss food giant told FoodIngredientsFirst.

ADM reveals plant-based boom and behavior shifts amid COVID-19 Plant-based eating went further into the mainstream due to COVID-19’s impact on consumer preferences.
The plant-based trend went further into the mainstream due to COVID-19’s impact on consumer preferences, ADM research found. 

With health and convenience top-of-mind, plant-based NPD delivering exceptional nutrition and good sensory experience, was pegged for success. 

ADM identified six emerging behavioral changes that expected to influence innovation and product development in the year ahead.

Among the trending areas of interest for consumers were gut health, immunity, personalized nutrition and emotional well-being.

September

Givaudan tips plant-based fish to make waves in alternative proteins 
Givaudan pegged plant-based fish products as the next big step in alternative proteins. The Swiss flavor giant unveiled a research paper conducted in collaboration with the University of California, US, highlighting the opportunities and challenges for manufacturers and future market development. 

While many of the same macro trends around healthy eating and sustainability have driven the sector for meat substitutes, the interest in fish and shellfish alternatives reflect industry-specific challenges. Key ingredient players, such as Hydrosol and Nestlé, have stepped into the space, with significant progress expected to be made in 2021. 

Chr. Hansen to sell Natural Colors business to EQT in €800M deal
Chr. Hansen Holding revealed that EQT, a global investment organization, would acquire the Natural Colors Division, a subsidiary of Chr. Hansen, in a deal worth €800 million (US$943 million). The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2021.

“The divestment of the Natural Colors Division completes the review part of our recently launched 2025 Strategy,” said Mauricio Graber, CEO of Chr. Hansen. He also noted that the company can focus on “fulfilling the ambition of becoming a pure-play, microbial and fermentation company with profitable growth.”

Cellular agriculture: Acceptance of cultured meat flourishes in France and Germany 
There is substantial potential for the cultured meat segment in Germany and France, according to a study published in the journal Foods. The research was done by an international research team from the University of Bath (UK), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté (France) and Ipsos (Germany).

The study found that there is growing acceptance of non-meat diets in both countries – although a strong sense of tradition and culture still hold sway in terms of attitudes, particularly in France.

One thousand consumers in each country were asked a series of questions about their current and intended dietary habits, as well as about their thoughts on cultured meat – meaning meat produced without raising and slaughtering animals. This method of meat production mirrors the biological process of building muscle tissue but does so under strictly controlled conditions.

US$18M funding propels progress with “protein from thin air” commercialization
The production of a unique single-cell protein “made from thin air” ramped up, following a €15 million (US$18 million) financing round for Finnish food tech start-up, Solar Foods. The funding propelled the commercialization of Solein, a new kind of nutrient-rich protein that is produced using air and electricity as its primary raw materials. This signalled that the company can push ahead with its planned production facility scheduled to be operational in late 2022.

Focused on “changing the way food is produced,” Pasi Vainikka, co-founder and CEO of Solar Foods, spoke with FoodIngredientsFirst about the pioneering technology and how he’s taking pilot operations into the next level, following the funding the largest food-tech financing round in Finland to date.

October

Transparency triumphs in Innova Market Insights’ Top Trends for 2021 
“Transparency Triumphs” was crowned Innova Market Insights’ Top Trend for 2021, with a spotlight on creative product storytelling that helps brands convey trust. The trend is bolstered by emergent technologies such as invisible barcodes, blockchain and near-field communication technology. 

“Transparency Triumphs” was crowned Innova Market Insights’ Top Trend for 2021.Other trends pegged for 2021 include “Plant-Forward” which is a natural progression of 2020’s “The Plant-Based Revolution” trend. The theme spotlights the category’s expansion and diversification. “Tailored to Fit” was pegged as a Top Trend for the coming year, as consumers continue to seek F&B options that fit their lifestyles. Tech platforms and functional foods are supporting this trend. 

Other trends are “New Omnichannel Eating,” “In Tune with Immune” and “Nutrition Hacking.” 

EU rejects “veggie burger” ban but prohibits dairy-like names for vegan products 
The European Parliament rejected a proposal to ban the use of words like “sausage” and “burger” to describe vegan and vegetarian products, in what plant-based industry leaders describe as a “victory for common sense.” 

MEPs voted down the proposed veggie burger ban amendment – with 379 against, 284 for and 27 abstentions – after deciding that vegan meat names do not mislead consumers.

However, in a surprise move, MEPs voted to ban any indirect reference to dairy products for plant-based foods, which means descriptors like “yogurt-style” or “cream imitation” will be prohibited. 

For months the European Dairy Association, alongside other agri-food organizations, had been calling for the protection of dairy terms. EU product definitions and marketing standards are crucial for the whole European dairy sector, they argued, to assure the smooth functioning of the internal market for dairy products and to improve competitiveness, profitability and protect consumers from “deception.”

Creeping it real for Halloween: Better-for-you snacks and “spooky” flavors hit the market
The F&B industry celebrated Halloween with seasonal, flavorful releases urging consumers to enjoy the holiday, despite the looming COVID-19 threat. Major brands reimagined flavors, giving them a “spooky” twist while others position themselves as a “healthy treat.” 

Halloween celebrations had a new approach to them, due to some lockdown and quarantine-related restrictions, safety was highlighted, and the virtual route was put forward as a strong option. 

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pegged trick-or-treating as a high-risk activity, yet, even during the pandemic, 57 percent of US adults still planned to hand out candy.

Chr. Hansen Natural Colors unveils R&D center in France ahead of EQT acquisition
Chr. Hansen Natural Colors inaugurated an R&D center to ramp up pigment, formulation and application capabilities in Montpellier, France, and pioneer new natural color solutions. 

The supplier forecasted major growth for its color portfolio, particularly for green, blue and brown hues. 

This move came as Chr. Hansen Natural Colors awaits its acquisition next year by EQT, a global investment organization. The €800 million (US$943 million) deal is expected to complete in the first half of 2021.

November 

Red alert: GNT predicts 2021’s top food color trend
The color red is set to shake up the F&B industry in 2021 thanks to its ability to spark powerful emotions, according to GNT. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken consumers outside their comfort zones, leading them to break free from old habits, patterns of behavior and search for something new. 

GNT revealed that red can connect with this desire for discovery and help signal the start of a new era after a year of social distancing. The color “epitomizes human vitality, energy, passion and positive action,” according to the company. 

Red has long been an iconic shade in cosmetics, beauty, fashion, film and design. As industry approaches 2021, GNT said red is ready to invigorate the F&B landscape.The color red is set to shake up the F&B industry in 2021.

EU & China spearhead deal to safeguard 200 F&B products from counterfeiting
The European Parliament backed an agreement between the EU and China to protect the names of 200 European and Chinese food specialties from counterfeiting. 

The move aimed to ensure that 100 European F&B goods bearing geographical indications (GIs) will be legally protected in China against imitations and the misuse of a product’s name. MEPs agreed to extend the agreement to a further 175 European and Chinese products within four years.

The scope of these protections include European offerings such as feta, Münchener bier, Polska wódka and queso manchego.

In exchange, 100 Chinese products will benefit from the same form of protection in the EU. These include specialties like baoshan arabica coffee, lapsang souchong, pu’er tea and yantai apples. This deal is likely to have major ramifications as China is the second most common destination for EU agri-food exports.

Beneo unveils first-ever instant functional rice starch for sauces, dressings and fillings
Beneo revealed its creation for enhancing clean label claims in foods. Remypure S52 P is a precooked functional native rice starch that can help manufacturers produce clean label food preparations, such as cold processed sauces, dressings, dairy desserts and bakery fillings. 

The ingredient delivers soft and creamy textures and product stability, even under harsh processing conditions such as shear and acid, according to Beneo.

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Benoit Tavernier, product manager specialty rice ingredients at Beneo, said: “We launched our first Remypure product in 2016 and since then we’ve been focused on developing the range further.”

Unilever eyes €1B plant-based meat and dairy alternative sales by 2027
Unilever set a global sales target to net €1 billion (US$1.2 billion) from plant-based meat and dairy alternatives within the next five to seven years. The aim is to roll out The Vegetarian Butcher brand and ramp up vegan alternatives from brands including Hellmann’s, Magnum and Wall’s. 

Unilever also revealed it will strengthen its portfolio of nutritional products containing ingredients like vegetables, fruits, proteins, or micronutrients such as vitamins, zinc, iron and iodine, and continue lowering calorie, salt and sugar levels across products. 

Another commitment is to halve food waste in its direct global operations from factory to shelf by 2025 – five years earlier than previously committed, as part of the Champions 12.3 coalition target.

December

There were several breakthroughs for lab-grown meat in 2020.Singapore grants “world’s first” approval for sale of Eat Just’s cultured meat 
Cultured chicken meat from Eat Just was green-lighted for sale in Singapore as an ingredient in chicken bites. The island nation is the first to give the go-ahead to meat being grown in a lab. It follows a rigorous consultation and review process by the Singapore Food Agency.

This approval is anticipated to be the “first of many” for similar lab-grown meat businesses in Singapore and in countries around the globe. However, US and European approval of cultured meat could be some way off. 

Cargill scales up European plant-based portfolio with pea protein addition  
Cargill announced it is expanding its European lineup of plant-based solutions to include pea protein varieties, expanding beyond its active markets for these products in North America, Asia and South America. 

Cargill’s pea protein offerings, which include RadiPure and Puris, are designed to meet the functional and sensory challenges in alternative emerging applications.

The additions complement the agri-food supplier’s existing offerings in Europe, which include the Gluvital vital wheat gluten and Prowliz hydrolyzed wheat protein brands. 

Firmenich crowns ginger and yuzu flavors of the year for 2021 
Firmenich crowned ginger and yuzu as its “Flavors of the Year for 2021.” The Swiss flavor house notes that immunity and optimism are driving demand for the botanicals. 

Following an unprecedented year of uncertainty, “they represent the world’s collective desire for strength and renewed hope.”

The flavor house sees that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, F&B companies were placing large bets on both ginger and yuzu ingredients. Firmenich crowned ginger and yuzu as its “Flavors of the Year for 2021.”

If the current growth trend continues, Firmenich estimates suggest annual launches of F&B launches will likely crest over 2,500 worldwide in the coming years, which would place ginger among the top 30 flavors worldwide out of over 800 tracked tonalities. 

Plant-based demand in Asia will surge over 200% in next 5 years, says DuPont N&B 
DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences research revealed a significant increase in demand for plant-based meat alternatives in key Asia Pacific (APAC) markets. 

In particular, demand for plant-based meat in China and Thailand is forecasted to increase by 200 percent over the next five years, driven by consumer values around health, taste and sustainability. 

This trend is replicated more widely across the entire APAC region, with an expected 25 percent increase in the market size for plant-based meat alternatives – to US$1.7 billion – over the next five years.