Beyond The Headlines: Nestlé advances net-zero emissions, Swiss start-up rolls out plant-based steak

15 Mar 2024 --- This week in industry news, Nestlé cut down on greenhouse gas (GHG) and methane emissions, Campbell Soup Company snapped up Sovos Brands to advance its meals and beverages segment, while Symrise got recognition for climate protection. Meanwhile, Planteneers showcased plant-based fish alternatives at the Fish International trade show and Planted unveiled its fermented steak.

Sustainability highlights
Nestlé announced a net reduction of 13.5% in its GHG emissions in 2023 compared to its 2018 baseline, with methane emissions dropping by 15.3%. In 2023, 94% of Nestlé’s GHG emissions declined due to operations and supply chain reductions.

Symrise received an A grade in the Supplier Engagement Rating (SER) from the non-profit organization CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project). Since 2018, CDP has used its SER to evaluate the cooperation between companies and their suppliers regarding climate issues.

Unilever and Colman’s unveiled a regenerative agriculture project in the UK to support soil health. The move is expected to help the companies create long-term resilience in the agricultural value chain against climate-related impacts.

Campbell has combined its acquired brands with Pacific Foods to drive accelerated growth (Image credit: Campbell Soup Company).Honduras joined Enveritas and coffee and tea company JDE Peet’s in an initiative to detect deforestation during coffee production using a territorial approach. It involves a technologically sophisticated process to assess Honduras’ coffee-growing regions through high-resolution satellite imagery, machine learning and ground teams.

Primient, a plant-based food producer in the US, committed to a US$700 million investment across the company’s operational footprint in its corn milling business. The 5-year phased investment aims to propel the company’s sustainability efforts, which it says is the only corn wet miller to completely phase out coal and transition to more sustainable energy sources across all its facilities.

Business highlights
Campbell Soup Company completed the acquisition of Sovos Brands in a US$2.7 billion deal. The move is expected to diversify Campbell’s Meals & Beverages portfolio with additional high-growth brands like Rao’s sauce and Michael Angelo’s.

Danone discontinued two plant-based milk products, Silk Nextmilk and So Delicious Dairy Free Wondermilk, in the US. “We are prioritizing our efforts on innovation across our product portfolio to deliver on evolving consumer preferences, including functional and nutritional needs,” a company spokesperson told Food Ingredients First. They said consumers can try Danone’s other products — Silk Protein Almondmilk and NEW Silk Protein Oatmilk, which contain 8 g and 5 g plant protein, respectively, with reduced sugar and higher calcium than dairy milk.

Planted’s “plant. steak” is high in protein and fiber and low in saturated fat (Image credit: Planted).Global dairy cooperative Ornua sold a majority stake in US-based dry nutritional ingredients supplier CoreFX Ingredients to CEO and founder Denis Neville. Neville has been a partner of Ornua since they acquired the CoreFX Ingredients business in 2016. The move is expected to drive CoreFX’s innovations in the food, beverage and nutraceutical industries. 

Treasure8, an ingredient company in California, US and wellness platform Suja Life joined forces to harness Treasure8’s USDA Sauna technology to upcycle Suja Life’s organic side streams into powders for enhanced nutrition and flavor while slashing production time, cost, energy use and CO2 emissions. Treasure8 uses advanced food processing technologies to quickly remove water from the often wasted, whole food inputs, reducing processing time and energy use.

Launches and innovation
Planteneers showcased its plant-based fish alternatives at the Fish International trade show in Bremen, Germany. This included fish alternatives for eating cold and hot preparations to make plant-based alternatives to raw and smoked fish. The products are made using plant proteins, starches and hydrocolloids.

Swiss food tech company Planted unveiled “planted. steak” — a fermented steak made from soy protein, rapeseed oil, bean and rice flour and microbial culture blend — in Europe. The company claims it has no additives and is a juicy and tender alt-meat. 

Compared to sucrose, tagatose is 90% as sweet with 60% fewer calories (Image credit: ASR Group).BASF Aroma Ingredients expanded its Isobionics natural flavor portfolio with Isobionics Natural beta-Caryophyllene 80, which contains no phenolic or eugenol character. The ingredient is suitable for applications in citrus flavors like orange, grapefruit, black pepper, ylang-ylang and peppermint oils and will be showcased at the FlavourTalk Raw Materials Exhibition 2024 in London, UK, next week.

US-based rice marketing cooperative Farmers’ Rice Cooperative launched Exceedient Foods, an ingredient innovation company to produce second heads or brewers’ rice, rice flour and meal, grits, granulated rice, coatings, breadings, extruded products and inclusions like rice puffs and crisped rice. As consumer demand shifts toward more health-conscious and gluten-free foods, Exceedient will focus on gluten-free products like brown rice flour and extruded rice snacks.

Sugar reduction
Tagatose, a low-calorie sweetener developed by enzyme innovator Bonumose, got certified by NutraStrong Prebiotic Verified. It is distributed by ASR Group and is expected to offer manufacturers a sweetener solution that provides prebiotic benefits while maintaining the sweetness consumers expect.

By Insha Naureen