Discover the latest deals, collaborations, innovations, and strategic moves redefining the future of food.

With the food-tech landscape evolving rapidly, trailblazers worldwide are transforming how we produce, process, and enjoy our food. Here’s a quick round-up of some of the most exciting updates making waves this month:

🍫 Protein Bar Maker David Acquires Novel Fat Maker Epogee David Energy, known for its high-protein bars, has acquired Epogee, an innovative fat alternatives maker, in a $75 million Series A round. This acquisition aims to integrate Epogee’s novel fat technology into David’s portfolio, offering healthier, better-tasting options to consumers.

💲 Gourmey Cuts Cultivated Meat Costs to €7/kg French cultivated meat start-up Gourmey announced a milestone achievement—reducing the production cost of its cultivated foie gras. This significant cost reduction marks a step toward mainstream adoption of cultivated meat. This comes after consultancy Arthur D. Little suggested that the company's 5,000-litre bioreactor system may be able to produce cultivated meat at commercial scale for €7/kg; the lowest price for cultivated meat found by a third-party techno-economic model - according to the company.

🏭 Millow Commissions First Large-Scale Plant for Minimally Processed Alt Meat Millow has opened its first large-scale production facility for minimally processed alternative meat, repurposing an old Lego hall to accelerate commercial production and distribution.

☀️ Xampla Unlocks Vitamin D Fortification With Plant Protein Sensitive ingredients, such as vitamins, can't always withstand food and drink manufacturing processes, resulting in a food fortification challenge for food and beverage makers. Xampla has developed a plant-based material that enables stable fortification of foods with vitamin D, addressing nutritional needs and enhancing functional food offerings.

🍯 Honey-Without-Bees Start-Up MeliBio Acquired by FoodYoung Labs MeliBio, known for its bee-free honey, has been acquired by FoodYoung Labs. The deal signals growing interest in sustainable honey alternatives, even as it raises questions about the fate of the brand and its founders. Under the deal, FoodYoung Labs is acquiring MeliBio’s Mellody plant-based honey brand and its ‘Generation 1’ plant-based technology and related IP. The deal does not include MeliBio’s ‘Generation 2’ precision fermentation tech to produce enzymes that bees use to convert nectar into honey, which would deliver products closer to honey made by bees.

🐟 Maruha Nichiro and UMAMI Bioworks to Collaborate on Cultivated Tuna Japanese seafood giant Maruha Nichiro has partnered with UMAMI Bioworks to advance cultivated tuna production, aiming to supply sustainable seafood to meet global demand. “Together, we’re laying the groundwork for a new era of responsible seafood production — bringing high-quality, cultivated tuna to plates worldwide without compromising marine ecosystems," UMAMI Bioworks CEO Mihir Pershad said.

🚀 EIT Food Accelerator Network Reveals Cohort of 65 Innovative Agri Food-Tech Start-Ups The EIT Food Accelerator Network has unveiled its 2025 cohort of 65 cutting-edge agri food-tech start-ups, showcasing new technologies and solutions set to shape the future of food innovation.

🌱 Planteneers on UPFs: All Ultra-Processed, All Unhealthy? Planteneers shares insights on the debate surrounding ultra-processed foods (UPFs), highlighting that not all UPFs are inherently unhealthy. They argue that UPFs can play a role in creating convenient, nutritious, and sustainable alternatives—challenging the blanket negativity around processed foods.

💰 Heura Secures €20M From the European Investment Bank, Expects to Reach Profitability in Q4 2025 Plant-based meat maker Heura has raised €20 million from the European Investment Bank, signaling confidence in its growth trajectory. The funding will support product development, market expansion, and help Heura achieve profitability by the end of 2025. “Innovation is our tool for living longer and better,” said Marc Coloma, CEO and co-founder of Heura. “We focus on simple processes, legumes, healthy fats, and science in service of collective well-being. We want to democratize tasty, nutritious food aligned with today’s challenges.”

🍼 Danone Acquires Plant-Based Infant Formula Maker Kate Farms French dairy giant Danone expands its plant-based portfolio by acquiring Kate Farms, a specialist in dairy-free infant nutrition. The move aligns with Danone’s strategy to diversify offerings and meet growing consumer demand for alternative dairy solutions.

🧬 Daisy Lab Announces Major Breakthrough in Production of Bovine Lactoferrin Through Precision Fermentation New Zealand-based precision fermentation company, Daisy Lab, unveils a significant milestone: the successful production of bovine lactoferrin via precision fermentation. This protein, important for nutrition and immune support, could transform dairy alternatives by adding essential functionality without relying on cows.

✅ FDA Approves 3 Natural Food Dyes Amid Reformulation Push The FDA has approved three new natural food dyes, offering food manufacturers more options as they reformulate products to meet clean-label demands. This move aligns with industry efforts to replace synthetic additives with natural alternatives. The three approved food dyes are:

• Butterfly pea flower extract - which creates bright blues, purples and natural greens
• Calcium phosphate - for a white color
• Galdieria extract blue by Fermentalg - a unicelllar red algae

🔬 Better Dairy Targets High-Margin Nutrition Market with Precision-Fermented Osteopontin UK-based Better Dairy is focusing on the premium nutrition segment with precision-fermented osteopontin, a bioactive protein linked to immune and gut health. The company aims to leverage this high-value ingredient to differentiate itself and tap into lucrative health markets.

💸 Beyond Meat Gets $100M Funding Boost Beyond Meat has secured $100 million in new funding, helping the company address debt and support growth amid a challenging market. The fresh capital comes as Beyond Meat works to regain momentum and expand its product lineup.

🧪 Liberation Labs Teams Up with Vivici to Produce Animal-Free Whey Protein in Indiana Liberation Labs has partnered with Vivici to produce precision-fermented whey protein at its new facility in Indiana. The collaboration aims to scale up production of animal-free dairy proteins for use in alternative dairy and sports nutrition. “Vivici is a perfect reference case for our facility: a company seeking cost-effective and sustainable manufacturing of a novel protein ingredient that unlocks a range of other healthy and innovative products,” said CEO Mark Warner, who has just struck a deal with NEOM Investment Fund to build a precision fermentation facility in Saudi Arabia.

💡 The Hidden Cost of Bundling Tech and Brand in Food-Tech Start-Ups Steven Finn, General Partner at Siddhi Capital, highlights the financial risks of bundling technology development with brand-building in early-stage food-tech start-ups. On his post, he urges founders to carefully consider separating the two to avoid overextending resources and diluting focus.

🥩 Montana & Indiana Become Latest US States to Ban Cultivated Meat Montana and Indiana have enacted bans on cultivated meat, citing concerns over regulation, safety, and traditional agriculture. These moves could slow the roll-out of cultivated meat products in key US markets.

🌍 BlueTree Targets Latam & Southeast Asia, as Novel Sugar Reduction Tech Gains Momentum BlueTree is expanding into Latin America and Southeast Asia, introducing its sugar reduction technology to new markets. The tech enables manufacturers to reduce sugar naturally in juices and beverages, aligning with regional health trends.

🐖 San Francisco-Based Food Company, Mission Barns, is Bringing Pork Alternative to Stores Mission Barns is launching a cultivated pork alternative in retail stores, moving beyond pilot programs and foodservice. The product aims to offer a sustainable, humane alternative to conventional pork while maintaining taste and texture.

🌾 Denmark Assembles New Growth Team to Drive Sustainable Agri-Food Denmark has established a new growth team to support its green transition in agri-food and biosolutions. The team will focus on advancing sustainable agriculture, strengthening exports, and accelerating innovation in the sector.