Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on FoodTech solutions. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we decided to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 7 promising plant-based alternatives for animal products.
Heat Map: 7 Top Startups Creating Alternatives For Animal Products
Using our StartUs Insights Platform, covering 1.116.000+ startups & emerging companies, we looked at innovation in the field of FoodTech. For this research, we identified 297 relevant solutions and picked 7 to showcase below. These companies were chosen based on a data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and technology among others. Depending on your specific criteria, the top picks might look entirely different.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 7 startups & emerging companies developing innovative plant-based alternative solutions for animal products. Moreover, the Heat Map reveals regions that observe a high startup activity and illustrates the geographic distribution of all 297 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.
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Zero Egg – Plant-Based Eggs
The egg industry provides a cheap source of animal protein for a lot of people. However, this industry has many challenges, such as environmental pollution, animal welfare issues, and potential risks to human health. To address these problems, startups develop environmentally friendly, healthy, and affordable plant-based alternatives to eggs.
Zero Egg is an Israeli startup that makes a plant-based liquid egg alternative that tastes, looks, and functions like a real egg. This product is suitable for use as a substitute for egg in any recipe, including omelets, baked goods, and sauces. Moreover, contrary to real eggs, Zero Egg’s product does not contain cholesterol.
Good Catch – Plant-Based Seafood
The fishing and aquaculture industries cause overfishing, disruption of marine ecosystems, and pollution of the environment due to waste generation in fish farms. Other negative impacts of these industries include the use of chemicals and pesticides that is harmful to humans, as well as the use of human slavery in the fishing supply chain. Furthermore, in order to solve these challenges, startups and emerging companies are working to create plant-based seafood substitutes.
The US-based startup Good Catch recreates rich flavors and flaky textures of seafood from plant-based ingredients. The startup uses a proprietary blend of legumes and farmed algal oil that provides the taste of the seafood along with a dose of omega-3 fatty acids. Good Catch’s product portfolio includes a wide range of plant-based seafood alternatives, from fish-free tuna and burgers to crab-free cakes.
Vly Foods – Plant-Based Dairy Products
Some recent studies suggest that consumption of cow’s milk and dairy products increases the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer. People concerned about their health, the environmental impact of the dairy industry, as well as people with lactose intolerance, prefer plant-based alternatives to dairy products. In response to this increasing demand, emerging companies create innovative vegan milk products.
Vly Foods is a German startup that produces a plant-based milk alternative made from yellow split peas. The startup selected pea as one of the main ingredients because of its richness in proteins. Peas are also easily digestible, free from allergens, and also have a low carbon footprint. Farming peas also improves the quality of the soil and reduces the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O).
The Latte Co. – Plant-Based Drinks For Children
Many babies and children around the world are allergic to milk and this condition is referred to as lactose intolerant or intolerance to cow milk protein. Growing children require allergen-free alternatives that still provide protein, calcium, and other essential nutrients. Startups develop dairy-free plant-based drinks that are rich in valuable nutrients and acts as a viable alternative solution to tackle lactose intolerance.
Canadian startup The Latte Co. offers plant-based drinks adapted to the nutritional needs of babies and children. These drinks are free from the top ten allergens, including dairy products, gluten, soy, and nuts, as well as processed ingredients, chemical additives, and sweeteners. The startup enriches its products with red algae, a natural source of calcium to produce drinks that have a higher calcium content than what is present in regular dairy products.
Atlast Food – Mushroom-Based Bacon
Numerous studies suggest that consumption of processed meat, including bacon, increases the risk of bowel cancer. Not only is bacon harmful to human health, but also harmful to the environment and raises concerns about animal welfare. Luckily for bacon lovers, emerging companies around the world create plant-based substitutes that are better for the environment and human health.
The US-based startup Atlast Food produces mushroom-based meat. Using networks of mycelium fibers, the startup creates a blank canvas of edible, protein-rich tissue. Additionally, this is combined with fats, flavors, and other ingredients to make bacon and other meat alternatives. Moreover, this meatless bacon is a good protein source with all 9 essential amino acids. Besides protein, the Atlast Food product is also rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
NovaMeat – Plant-Based Steak
While it is easier to mimic the processed meat products, such as burgers and sausages, it is still more challenging to create a plant-based steak. The startups around the world develop technologies that will allow them to replicate the texture and appearance of steak in order to satisfy even the most demanding meat fans. One of such technologies is a 3D printing of plant-based fibers to mimic the structure of whole cuts of meat.
NovaMeat is a Spanish startup that develops plant-based steak and pork that mimics the texture of real meat. The startup employs biomimetic micro-extrusion technology and custom 3D printing machines to recreate the tissue structure of muscles. The ingredients of NovaMeat’s meatless products include pea and rice isolates, brown seaweed, and beetroot juice.
Daring Foods – Plant-Based Chicken
Industrially farmed chicken meat poses risks to human health in numerous ways, such as an infection from salmonella or antibiotic-resistant bacteria or even an increased risk of several cancers. The poultry industry also causes the suffering of animals and pollutes the environment. These challenges are mitigated with the help of plant-based chicken which is a healthier and more sustainable alternative solution.
Daring Foods is a US-based startup that creates a plant-based alternative to chicken. The startup claims that its product looks, cooks, and tastes like chicken. Moreover, the ingredients of this plant-based chicken include non-GMO soy, water, sunflower oil, salt, and a mix of spices. This product is cholesterol-free and rich in protein and fiber, which makes it a healthier alternative to chicken.
What About The Other 290 Solutions?
While we believe data is key to creating insights it can be easy to be overwhelmed by it. Our ambition is to create a comprehensive overview and provide actionable innovation intelligence so you can achieve your goals faster. The 7 plant-based alternatives startups showcased above are promising examples out of 297 we analyzed for this article. To identify the most relevant solutions based on your specific criteria, get in touch.
