Plant-Based Food Boom Accelerates with New Products and Tech Breakthroughs
The plant-based food sector has seen a flurry of activity in recent weeks. New products, strategic partnerships, and major funding rounds are pushing innovation forward. Companies are expanding their reach across retail, foodservice, and digital platforms.
From fermented foods to cell-based seafood, the industry is scaling up with fresh investments and technology-driven solutions.
Califia Farms rolled out a new line of organic soymilk, offering 8g of protein per serving. The brand also reformulated its creamers to remove gums and introduced larger-format almond milk cold brews and matcha drinks. These updates aim to meet growing demand for cleaner, high-protein plant-based options.
FoodNerd secured $7.5 million in Series Seed funding to grow its plant-based toddler snacks. The company plans to enter over 800 grocery stores nationwide, expanding its retail footprint. Meanwhile, PlantBaby's Kiki Milk is now available across the US via Walmart.com, broadening access to plant-based infant nutrition.
In the UK, La Vie launched a billboard campaign for its vegan salami sticks, now stocked at Waitrose & Partners and Ocado Retail. The push comes as demand for meat-free alternatives continues to rise in mainstream supermarkets.
Oshi Seafood has ramped up production of its machine-made plant-based salmon. The company recently opened direct online sales, moving beyond foodservice partnerships to reach individual consumers. A new scale-up machine will further boost output in the coming months.
On the technology front, Cell4Food teamed up with Algocell to combine BlueCellTM tech with AI-powered digital twins. This collaboration aims to speed up optimisation and reduce risks in scaling up cell-based production. CellBase also expanded its supplier network, adding four new partners to support scalable bioprocessing solutions.
The University of Turku announced the MetaFerm project, backed by €1.5 million in funding. Researchers will develop fermented foods using a variety of plant-based sources, exploring new textures and flavours. Meanwhile, Bayou Best Foods pushed its plant-based shrimp into US foodservice channels through major distributors, increasing availability in restaurants and catering.
In Pakistan, the Animal Rights Initiative (PARI) launched as the country's first vegan-led educational platform. The organisation will focus on advocacy and public awareness around plant-based living.
The latest developments highlight a sector in rapid growth. Companies are investing in production capacity, retail expansion, and cutting-edge research to meet consumer demand. With new products hitting shelves and technology driving efficiency, plant-based food continues to move into the mainstream.
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