Summary:
European food tech startups are creating next-generation fat alternatives using innovative technologies like precision fermentation, cellular culture, and microencapsulation.
ÄIO cultivates fats from agricultural and wood industry side-streams using microorganisms to produce Omega 3 rich oils with lower environmental impact.
Cubiq Foods uses a multi-pronged approach to create healthier fat alternatives, including cellular culture, microencapsulation, and oil/water emulsion formulas.
Cultimate cultivates premium beef and pork fat through a 3D cultivation process that replicates animal fat tissue, offering an authentic meaty taste and texture to plant-based products.
Hoxton Farms cultivates fat from stem cells using plant-based nutrients, resulting in a product that looks, cooks, and tastes like animal fat but with better ethics.
Melt & Marble uses precision fermentation to produce fats with a similar fatty-acid composition and saturation level as those in animal protein and dairy, bridging the taste gap in plant-based foods.
5 European Food Tech Startups Reimagining Fats
The global supply chains for traditional fats like palm oil and cocoa butter are facing increasing scrutiny for their impact on the environment and people. This has led to a surge in European food tech startups developing next-generation fat alternatives using innovative technologies.
1. ÄIO: Cultivating Fats from Side-Streams
Founded in 2022, Estonian-based ÄIO uses precision fermentation to grow microorganisms from agricultural and wood industry side-streams. These microorganisms produce fatty acids, antioxidants, and pigments, which are then used to create microbial oils. ÄIO's oils are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and have a significantly lower environmental impact than palm oil. The company has already developed three products: a Red Oil for various applications, an Encapsulated Oil for plant-based meats and bakery products, and a buttery fat that can replace coconut and animal fats.
2. Cubiq Foods: A Multi-Pronged Approach
Barcelona-based Cubiq Foods combines cellular culture technologies, microencapsulation of Omega 3 oils, and oil/water emulsion formulas to create healthier fat alternatives for the food industry. Their flagship product, Go!Drop, is a fat replacer offering improved juiciness, a full flavor profile, fewer calories, and less saturated fat. Cubiq Foods has partnered with Cargill Foods to accelerate the commercialization of its fat and oil portfolio.
3. Cultimate: Cultivating Premium Fats
Berlin-based Cultimate, founded in 2022, has developed cultivated beef and pork fat using a 3D cultivation process that replicates the structure of animal fat tissue. This results in a premium ingredient that delivers an authentic meaty taste and texture to plant-based products. Cultimate has successfully closed a €2.3 million seed funding round to scale up its production processes.
4. Hoxton Farms: Cultivating Fat from Stem Cells
Founded in 2020, Hoxton Farms, based in London, cultivates fat using stem cells from pigs and cows. The fat is grown in patented reactors using a blend of plant-based nutrients, resulting in a product that looks, cooks, and tastes like animal fat but with better ethics. Hoxton Farms sells its cultivated animal fat as a B2B ingredient to food manufacturers. They have recently opened a pilot facility in London with cell culture laboratories, a food development kitchen, and a workshop to manufacture bespoke bioreactors.
5. Melt & Marble: Precision Fermentation for Fat Alternatives
Swedish startup Melt & Marble believes fat is key to bridging the taste gap in plant-based foods. They use precision fermentation to produce fats with a similar fatty-acid composition and saturation level as those found in animal protein and dairy. Their approach involves using synthetic biology and metabolic engineering to create proprietary yeast strains that convert natural sugars into specialized fats. Melt & Marble is scaling up production and plans to launch in the US in 2025.
These five European startups are leading the way in developing innovative and sustainable fat alternatives that are set to revolutionize the food industry.
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