Beyond rebrands and refocuses on plant proteins over imitation meat

Brand moves, biotech breakthroughs, and fresh insights into consumer mindsets – this week’s issue brings a well-rounded snapshot of what’s happening across the alt protein world.

Let’s begin with a big one. A household name in plant-based has officially dropped ‘meat’ from its branding, signaling a strategic pivot toward a broader, ‘protein-first’ vision. The refresh hints at new products, new messaging – and maybe even a new audience?

Meanwhile in the EU, fresh funding is flowing. A Czech startup working at the intersection of cultivated meat and microalgae has secured €3 million to move from lab to pilot scale. Could hybrid cell-cultivated solutions help sidestep cost and scale challenges?

In retail news, two innovators have teamed up on a plant-based salmon filet – and it’s already flying off shelves. Their first limited-edition launch sold out in just one hour. Is this the beginning of a new era for premium alt seafood?

In the USA, one early-stage cultivated seafood venture has netted over US$300,000 in NSF funding to push forward its work on black sea bass. The grant will support key R&D as the company prepares for scale-up.

Turning to academia, a new startup competition has launched in Southeast Asia, offering young companies support from a global food giant, a leading university, and the Singapore government. The goal? To accelerate sustainable protein innovation across the region.

On the tech front, our recent webinar spotlighted companies turning CO₂ into food. From photobioreactors to precision fermentation, it’s a bold reminder that the fermenter may soon rival the farm as our primary protein producer.

And finally, what do European meat lovers really think of cultivated meat and its plant-based cousins? Two new reports dig deep into consumer perceptions—offering actionable insights for brands seeking to earn trust, not just shelf space.

To stay ahead of the curve in the world of alternative protein production, you can follow us on LinkedIn for daily updates and breaking news and look on our website for loads more developments.

🔄 Beyond Meat drops the ‘Meat’ in rebrand and pivots toward protein-first future

🐟 Juicy Marbles and Revo Foods launch plant-based salmon filet after Kinda Cod sells out in an hour

🧫 Mewery secures €3 million to accelerate co-cultivated meat tech toward industrial testing