Cargill backs Cubiq Foods to scale up alternative fat ingredients in US

10 May 2022 --- Spanish start-up Cubiq Foods is on track to launch its first cultivated fat-based ingredient for plant-based meat alternatives in the US by 2023. Cargill, Moira Capital Partners, SGEIC and Newtree Impact have invested US$5.75 million in the company’s latest round of funding.

Cubiq Foods’ cell-based fat enhances the flavor of food, enriches it with essential fatty acids (omega 3) and offers a solution to reduce trans fats and palm oil across various formulations.

Cargill, in particular, is a strategic partner to Cubiq Foods, sourcing key ingredients for its plant-based offerings. The company’s investment is the first step in the partnership that includes a product development plan and a commercial agreement to market and sell Cubiq Foods’ products.

“Consumer interest in plant-based protein continues to be a strong trend, expanding the innovation opportunity for food manufacturers looking to address this demand,” says Vivek Cherian, meat and dairy alternatives category leader, edible oils, Cargill. 

Later this year, Cubiq Foods will launch Go!Mega3, a new generation of micro-encapsulated omega 3 for functional foods with high omega 3 content. 

Multilayer microencapsulation protects the highly concentrated essential oils, maintaining their properties without any of the fish flavors. This will aid manufacturers in delivering the recommended daily intake of omega 3 into new products to support cardiovascular health and support the central nervous system.Go!Drop is a fat replacer produced by Cubiq Foods. 

Growing global customer base
This investment round allows Cubiq Foods to expand commercial and production operations in the US and Europe and launch new products in a growing customer base. 

The cultivated fat ingredient in development replicates the taste and texture of conventional meat in plant-based meat alternatives. 

“Our strategic partnership will help us better serve our customers by accelerating the development of plant-based alternatives that offer the taste, texture and flavor and nutritional profile,” explains Cherian.

In 2021, Cubiq Foods launched Go!Drop, a fat replacer that offers improved juiciness, a full flavor profile containing fewer calories, less saturated fats and 20% oil.

The product reduces oil use compared to standard product solutions. It is a viable alternative to animal fats in processed meat products, dairy derivatives, sauces, bakery, confectionery and saturated vegetable fats, such as coconut oil, in vegan food products.

FoodIngredientsFirst spoke to Cubiq Foods CEO Andrés Montefeltro after its inception as the first European producer of cell-based fat.

Edited by Inga de Jong