Over the past few years we have seen a global shift towards a more sustainable diet, which has in turn generated significant synergies between consumer demand and startups in the agrifood sector proposing disruptive new solutions.

Consumers are pivoting their eating habits and seeking cleaner label, more nutritious food products that also help to take care of our planet. How can companies keep up with this new demand? Adapting to alternative proteins offers a number of advantages for companies seeking new business models and revitalisation of revenue streams.

Learn from the best, at Food Entrepreneurs we have pooled together 4 startups that are leading the new plant-based food revolution in the face of the COVID crisis:

• Foods for Tomorrow

This Barcelona-founded startup is one of the fastest of its kind in the plant-based sector, last year it registered a whopping 450% of growth.

Founded back in 2017, it has managed to make a name for itself in the foodtech world and bagged itself the title of most innovative Spanish startup in 2018. The most striking competitive advantage this brand boasts is in its commitment to plant proteins.

The first product to be commercialised by Foods for Tomorrow was branded “Heura” and is based on a combination of vegetable proteins. Through bringing their plant-based offering closer to consumers, it allows even those who aren’t completely meat-free an opportunity to try a more sustainable alternative.

• Aleph Farms

Cultivated meat startup Aleph Farms was born with a mission; to establish itself as a benchmark company in the food sector for years to come, and to be recognised as one of the top three food tech brands in the world by 2040.

The CEO of this disruptive company recently announced that the short to medium term goal is to start commercialising its meat in restaurants from 2022, a goal which could come true after development success back in 2018 of their first meat free product made from
vegetable proteins.

This Israeli-based startup is particularly impressive in its meat production from cow stem cells, using an innovative food technology when implanting tissues in three dimensions.

• Cubiq Foods

One thing we´ve learned during the covid pandemic is the need to build a more resilient food system powered by innovative food technology. This revelation has motivated a number of investors to offer funding to sustainability-driven startups that offer solutions to challenges we now face in the industry. Spanish-startup Cubiq Foods is just one of the companies striking gold during covid as it secured 5 million euros from Blue Horizon Ventures and Moira Capital Partners. 

This emerging plant-based brand specialises in the development of cultivated fats in vitro for the preparation and consumption of food. This recent funding will allow the team to continue investigating and manufacturing its vegetable-based meat, to reach consumers shelves at the end of this year.

Such investments offered in a crisis shows us just how imperative these solutions will be for us as a food system in the years to come post-covid, notably solutions that offer health and nutrition benefits and minimize risks to the environment.

• Perfect day

Plant-based products are not only limited to meat-free alternatives, but to dairy products, too. Perfect Day are a startup leading the way for startup collaborations. They recently surprised us by announcing their partnership with North American Company Smitten Ice Cream. Thanks to this collaboration the two companies will bring healthier ice cream options closer to consumers, through the production of vegetable milk, intensifying the flavour of frozen ice creams and offering a more sustainable option for those with a sweet tooth.

“At Perfect Day, we believe that the future of food is within arms reach, and we’re thrilled to work with partners who value not only science and technology, but the experience and taste of delicious dairy products, to empower the future – and now – of food” said Ryan Pandya, co-founder and CEO of Perfect Day.

Our partners at Eatable Adventures have launched a series of webinars & in their next offering “Riding the Plant Based Wave: Leading the Food Revolution” they will be joined by two pioneering companies in the agri-food sector; Nir Goldstein, Managing Director Israel at The Good Food Institute and Elizabeth Gutschenritter, Managing Director of Alternative Protein at Cargill, who will offer us their expert insights into the world of sustainable food and deep-dive into the important part that plant-based will play in the future of our food system. Secure your place and register NOW.