Japanese craft gin brand KI NO BI, part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio, has officially opened its new fossil-free distillery in Kyoto Prefecture, marking a significant step in Pernod Ricard's sustainability and premium spirits strategy. The facility, located in Kameoka city just outside Kyoto, will enable the ultra-premium gin producer to expand global distribution while reducing its environmental impact. The distillery is powered entirely by renewable energy, with an electric boiler using wind, water, solar and geothermal sources. The launch comes amid a surge in demand for both craft and premium gin. In Japan, gin sales have quadrupled in the past five years, rising from 1.2 million to 5.5 million litres, fuelled in part by consumer interest in Japanese botanicals such as yuzu. Globally, the premium gin segment continues to be shaped by flavour experimentation and mixology trends. KI NO BI – meaning ‘the beauty of the seasons’ – was first launched in 2016 at Japan’s first dedicated gin distillery in Kyoto. The new site is equipped with multiple stills, rather than a single large unit, in order to preserve the brand’s signature production method. Its approach involves distilling six groups of botanicals separately before blending, a process that the company says creates a balanced spirit with a distinct Japanese character. Hiroyuki Nagai, operations director at The Kyoto Distillery, said: “The new distillery is about scale, but without compromise. We could have installed one large still, but instead we’ve chosen to maintain our meticulous distillation process. Each flavour group is distilled individually, then blended to achieve KI NO BI’s signature profile.” Murielle Arnaud Dessenis, Pernord Ricard’s global VP for marketing gins, described the opening as a "historic milestone" for the brand, saying: “It shows our commitment to sustainability as well as our ambition to grow KI NO BI’s presence worldwide as an ultra-premium gin.” The new facility opened just 15 months after construction began , following a traditional Shinto blessing ceremony performed by a local shrine master.

Better-for-you snacking brand Junkless has entered the protein bar market with a new range of Junkless Protein Bars. The protein bars come in four flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Birthday Cake and Cookies & Cream. Each 55g bar contains 15g of protein, 6-8g of fibre, 5-9g net carbs and only 3-5g of sugar. The bars are made without artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, sugar alcohols or other additives. The launch marks the brand’s first new product line since the debut of its Chewy Granola Bars, which Junkless says are now the second-fastest growing brand in the grocery Wholesome & Snack Bar category. The new line is available now at Sprouts Farmers Market and will launch soon on Amazon.

Ferrara Candy Company has expanded its Nerds range with the launch of Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters. The new product is twice the size of the original Nerds Gummy Clusters, first introduced in 2020. It features a crunchy coating of Nerds candy, a strawberry punch-flavoured gummy and a juice-filled centre. The product is available in 2.65oz, 4.5oz and 7.15oz packs, priced between $2.49 and $6.49. Alongside the new launch, Ferrara has also released two limited-time Nerds Gummy Cluster flavours for the football season: Cherry Lemonade Blitz (cherry and lemon) and Berry Punch Rush (raspberry, cherry and punch). Both flavours are available in 3oz, 5oz and 8oz packs, also priced between $2.49 and $6.49. They are in select retailers now and will roll out nationwide this month for a limited period. Katie Duffy, vice president of global brands at Ferrara, said: "Five years ago, Nerds transformed the candy landscape with the launch of Nerds Gummy Clusters candy – and now, we're raising the bar again". "Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters candy represents the next evolution of innovation and reimagines snacking in an elevated, bold, multisensorial experience that invites fans to taste, feel and celebrate candy in a whole new way. It's a next-level candy creation designed to spark joy and turn everyday moments into something extraordinary."

Lifeway Foods has signed a cooperation agreement with Danone North America that will see changes to its board structure and the resolution of ongoing disputes. Under the agreement, Lifeway will carry out an orderly refreshment of its board of directors. By 30 October 2025, three new independent directors will be appointed, with a fourth to follow by 14 November. The new members will be selected by Lifeway’s strategic review committee and must be unaffiliated with Danone, the Smolyansky family or current company leadership. As part of the governance changes, the roles of chair and chief executive officer will be separated. Julie Smolyansky will remain CEO, while an independent director will assume the role of chair no later than 30 October 2025. Long-serving board members Pol Sikar and Jay Scher are set to step down by the company’s 2025 and 2026 annual meetings, respectively. Lifeway and Danone have also agreed to stay ongoing litigation related to Danone’s stockholders’ agreement with the company. Danone will waive certain rights under the agreement, including its right to board representation, provided it maintains at least a 5% stake in Lifeway. In addition, Danone has committed not to support future consent solicitations or shareholder meeting calls by Edward and Ludmila Smolyansky before June 2026, instead backing the board’s recommended candidates. The cooperation deal also includes provisions for equity-based compensation to Lifeway’s management (excluding Julie Smolyansky and her relatives), and a commitment by Lifeway to file a shelf registration statement by 30 October2025, which would enable Danone to sell its shares in the company if it chooses. Smolyansky said: "Lifeway has always been about resilience, innovation and community. This agreement allows us to move forward with clarity and stability, while continuing to focus on what matters most: bringing probiotic-rich foods to more families and creating value for our shareholders. We are pleased to have this agreement in place as we enter this next chapter of growth."

BASF has finalised the sale of its Food and Health Performance Ingredients business to Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), marking a significant shift in both companies’ strategies within the global food and nutrition sector. The transaction, first announced in 2024 , is now cleared by all relevant authorities. It includes BASF’s production site in Illertissen, Germany, three application labs abroad, and approximately 300 employees who will transition to LDC. The divested portfolio spans food performance ingredients, such as whipping agents, emulsifiers and fat powders, as well as health-oriented products including plant sterol esters, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 oils. Several smaller product lines are also part of the deal. BASF said the move sharpened its focus on its core Nutrition & Health businesses. Daniela Calleri, the company's senior vice president of Nutrition Ingredients, said: “By focusing on vitamins and carotenoids, we are reinforcing our strategic direction toward vital nutrition ingredients for both human and animal nutrition.” For LDC, the acquisition represents an expansion into the fast-growing plant-based ingredients sector. “This move is a significant milestone in LDC’s growth journey in the plant-based ingredients space, enhancing and accelerating our capacity to develop innovative solutions for food, personal care and healthcare applications,” said James Zhou, chief commercial officer and head of Food & Feed solutions at LDC. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

FoodBev Media is delighted to announce the winners of this year's highly anticipated World Coffee Innovation Awards, a celebration of forward thinking and excellence within the coffee industry. This event, which features revolutionary ideas, outstanding products, technological advancements and sustainable business practices, has become a trademark of innovation in the global coffee community.   The winners of this year's awards were announced at the Caffè Culture Show at London's Business Design Centre, the trade event that spotlights the UK speciality coffee and café bar market. As we celebrate the industry breakers who have elevated the coffee experience, FoodBev would like to congratulate all winners, finalists and commended companies.   As well as the awards ceremony, the World Coffee Innovation Awards featured at Caffé Culture with an exceptional showcase stand, exhibiting the amazing entrants from past and present for attendees to experience. Visitors were queuing up to get their hands on The Good Cup and try the iced strawberry matcha from Mafia Matcha, alongside the incredible flavours courtesy of Monin and the coffee-flavoured New Forest Shortbread. We also had an incredible display of products from multi-award-winning Coccola and Mindfuel, as well as exhibitions of the newest releases from Fellow and Vitclear. Dan Bunt, marketing director of FoodBev Media, presented the awards ceremony at the Caffè Insights stage at 4 pm (BST) on 30 September 2025. He commented: "2025 hallmarks another remarkable year for the World Coffee Innovation Awards. The judges and I continue to be impressed by the level of advancement.”   Find the final positions of every shortlisted entry below:   FINALISTS Automatic coffee machine Fellow – Series 1 Espresso Machine   Barista milk Edenesque – Barista Blend Pistachio Milk PT Lautan Natural Krimerindo – Ellenka Barista Series Coconut Milk   Coffee capsule/pod Qinhu Atomic Biotechnology (Jiangsu) – Zhi Xiao Lu · Classic Espresso Essence   Coffee-flavoured food product New Forest Shortbread – Coffee Flavoured New Forest Shortbread   Cold Brew product GoodBrew – GoodBrew GoodGut Latte   Functional coffee High Level Coffee – French Roast CBD Coffee Beforeyouspeak – Performance Coffee Seaguth Elixirs – Sunrise Vanilla Latte   Low/no Caffeine product Dualit – Dualit Half Caffeine Coffee Pods   Ready-to-drink product Mindfuelbev – Mindfuel Flow Stress & Mood Yili Group – ZhenNong Thick Milk Yili Group – Milk Talk Coffee Latte   Packaging innovation Owens Coffee – Owens Organic Coffee   Technology innovation Kefircoffee – Kefircoffee – The World’s First-to-Market Coffee Technology JBT Marel – SuperStatic Technology for Static and Agitating Retorts   Branding/packaging design Boardio – Paperboard Canister for Mother Parkers and Target     WINNERS Automatic coffee machine Eversys – Legacy+ Machine   Barista milk Sky Barn – +Adaptogens Oat Milk   Barista tool/ equipment Sparkfe International – Portable Electric Coffee Grinder   Coffee capsule/pod Days – Days Espresso Capsules Trio   Coffee-flavoured food product SugarBean Candy – Coffee Bean Brûlée | Double Shot   Cold Brew product Unconform – Unconform Cold Brew Flat White   Coffee dilutable product Lost Sheep Coffee – Lost Sheep Espresso Coffee Concentrate   Functional coffee Kefircoffee – Kefircoffee – The World’s First Full-Coffee Functional Beverage    Low/no Caffeine product Mindfuelbev – Mindfuel Flow Focus & Clarity   Manual coffee machine Dualit   – Dualit Espressivo Pro Coffee Machine   Ready-to-drink product GoodBrew – GoodBrew Coconut Latte   Brewing innovation Sparkfe International - Sparkfe Portable Electric Grind & Hand-Pour Coffee All-In-One   Flavour innovation Coccola – Coccola   Packaging innovation Parkside Flexibles – Recoflex Coffee Portfolio    Roasting innovation BeanGo Cube – Smart Home Coffee Roaster   Technology innovation Hard Beans – Hardtap   Branding/packaging design Coffee Foundation – Coffee Foundation Call Us Crazy! Coffee shop concept Cartisan Carts – The Richmond   Marketing/social media campaign GoodBrew – Get your GoodBrew and Go 🏃‍♀️ social video   New start-up business Coccola   Speciality coffee roaster Boxx Coffee Roasters – Boxx Coffee Roasters   Sustainability Initiative Parkside Flexibles – Recoflex Coffee Portfolio      Event partner: Caffè Culture Show Caffè Culture Show is the UK’s leading trade event for the speciality coffee and thriving café bar market. Hosted at London’s iconic Business Design Centre, the show welcomes 3,500+ coffee and hospitality professionals who are all looking to source the latest innovative products and services whilst being inspired by a unique and educational programme of talks, demos and interactive features. FoodBev Awards has taken the World Coffee Innovation Awards to the next level and presented shortlisted companies in our dedicated World Coffee Innovation Awards feature area. This provided a physical platform to showcase, network and celebrate their innovations. About FoodBev Awards FoodBev Media awards schemes have been running for more than 20 years and are now recognised as the most credible and respected awards schemes to influence the international food and beverage industry. For more information about our selection of awards programmes, please visit foodbevawards.com  or email awards@foodbev.com

Bel’s Boursin brand has added a new blue cheese-flavoured product to its range, responding to rising consumer interest in blue and flavoured cheeses. The brand said the product boasts ‘all the creaminess’ of classic Boursin, with a hint of blue cheese flavour. It aims to offer an accessible introduction to the category for ‘blue cheese avoiders,’ thanks to its mild creamy taste and natural blue flavouring. Meanwhile, existing blue cheese fans can enjoy the product’s versatile format across numerous culinary occasions and dishes, Boursin noted. Nielsen data shows that the number of consumers trying blue cheese has risen by 16% compared to a year ago, while online searches and social media mentions for blue cheese are on the rise, particularly on TikTok. Brands are launching more blue cheese NPD as a result, with these innovations increasing by 79% in the last year, according to Circana. Anna Petsi, senior brand manager at Boursin, said: “Boursin Blue Cheese Flavour has phenomenal consumer research results – both in concept and recipe. 81% liked its taste intensity with its taste scoring 8.8 out of 10. 62% told us they would buy it in addition to their usual speciality cheese, and 69% of medium/heavy Boursin buyers told us it fits very well with the brand.” Boursin Blue Cheese Flavour is designed with social occasions in mind, offering a more inclusive cheese board option while also appealing to much wider usage occasions as an ingredient that elevates pasta and risotto dishes, sauces, dips and dressings. Petsi added: “We are breaking the mould with Boursin Blue Cheese Flavour, introducing blue cheese flavour to a whole new generation of consumers who were previously put off by the overpowering smell and taste of traditional blue cheeses”. “Accessible, indulgent and deliciously versatile, it’s set to expand the flavoured cheese category and recruit new shoppers by creating a complementary reason to purchase for existing Boursin consumers, while also bringing new consumers to the brand.” Boursin Blue Cheese Flavour has launched in Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, and will be followed by Waitrose in November, with an RRP of £2.95 per 150g.

UK cookie dough brand Doughlicious is expanding its footprint in chilled desserts with the launch of its new Cookie Dough Skillet range. Featuring two varieties, the launch includes the innovative Chocolate Chip & Banana Chunky Oat Baked Cookie Dough Skillet with Plant-Based Collagen Support – a first-of-its-kind functional dessert combining indulgence with a 'beauty from within' benefit, and a Chocolate Chip Baked Cookie Dough Skillet – a gooey cookie topped with a golden crumble for sharing. The plant-based collagen support in the Banana Chunky Oat variant includes a blend of vitamins, minerals and bamboo extract that helps support the body’s natural collagen production, a benefit increasingly valued in the beauty and wellness space. Founder, Kathryn Bricken, said: “At Doughlicious, we’re passionate about revolutionising dessert while staying true to our commitment to better-for-you ingredients and the convenience today’s families crave.” Both products are gluten-free, made with premium, clean-label ingredients, and can be baked in minutes or enjoyed chilled. Available nationwide from October in Whole Foods Market stores, the cookie dough skillet desserts will be priced at £5.50.

Canadian confectionery company Huer Foods has partnered with global hot sauce leader Frank’s RedHot to launch a first-of-its-kind treat: Huer x Frank’s RedHot Spicy Gummy Bears. The collaboration combines Huer’s soft, fruity gummy bears with a sprinkle of Frank’s RedHot Original Seasoning Blend, delivering a swicy (sweet and spicy) flavour experience. The launch taps into the growing demand for spicier flavours. Recent research shows 51% of Canadians consume spicy foods at least once a week, with Gen Z driving the trend across everything from hot condiments to desserts. “From hot condiments to spicy cocktails, swicy is everywhere,” said Molly Clinton, head of marketing at Huer Foods. “After the buzz around our Sweet ‘N Spicy gummies, we knew it was time to go bolder, and nobody does spicy better than Frank’s RedHot.” Available in multiple pack sizes for snacking and sharing, Huer x Frank’s RedHot Spicy Gummy Bears are now on sale in retailers nationwide and via Huer’s Amazon storefront.

It’s easy to get caught up in the news and activities of the industry’s global giants, but what about the smaller firms pushing boundaries with bold ideas? In this instalment of Start-up of the Month – which celebrates lesser-known companies and their innovations – we speak with Julian Melchiorri (left), founder and CEO, and Kaly Chatakondu (right), global commercial director at Arborea, a company pioneering sustainable food solutions through its fermented microalgae product, designed as an alternative to traditional proteins. Arborea’s tech promises a game-changing protein source – clean, carbon-neutral and scalable. Can you tell us how the idea first came about, and what gap you were aiming to fill in the alt-protein market? Arborea is reimagining the way we produce food in a world facing shrinking resources and mounting climate pressures. At the start and core of our mission is the BioSolar Leaf, a breakthrough technology that industrialises photosynthesis to grow microalgae using just sunlight and carbon dioxide as feedstocks. Until now, microalgae have been extremely difficult to cultivate reliably and cost-effectively at scale. Legacy processes such as open ponds are prone to cross-contamination from toxic algae, animals, heavy metals or indeed anything in the local environment. Fermentation technology requires expensive capex and feedstocks, pressurised gases and an infrastructure that is simply difficult to scale. And of course, microalgae are typically green and can have fishy and earthy tastes with inconsistent quality and nutrition. Arborea's ‘breathing cultivation’ system is modular, low-capex and designed to work where traditional agriculture cannot: on non-fertile land, in arid zones, cities and more. Arborea fills a gap in the alt-protein market by delivering ultra-high-yield protein with a clean taste and minimal environmental footprint all in a highly scalable system. It captures CO₂ from industrial sources or agricultural waste and uses natural light to cultivate microalgae in a clean and controlled environment. There are no pesticides, minimal fertilisers, and it needs minimal fresh water with no dependency on rainfall or soil quality. We can produce more nutrition per square metre than virtually any other method, so much so that a barren land area the size of Greater New York could meet the entire global protein needs projected for 2050, all by replicating nature’s oldest process. In short, Arborea fills a gap in the alt-protein market by delivering ultra-high-yield protein with a clean taste and minimal environmental footprint all in a highly scalable system. Your algae-based protein boasts a yield 150x higher than soy, with no farmland needed. For manufacturers under pressure to decarbonise and meet ESG goals, what kind of opportunity does this represent? It’s an opportunity to decouple food production from land, water and climate, while replacing fragile supply chains with something resilient, renewable and local. Increasing production of soy or other crops may require deforestation, irrigation, chemical inputs and long transport routes. Arborea’s system does not. It grows food from carbon dioxide and sunlight every single day of the year, and virtually anywhere. This means manufacturers can drastically reduce land use, emissions and exposure to climate volatility while unlocking new sustainability and impact. And it doesn’t compete with food crops or natural ecosystems. That makes it uniquely scalable, with built-in ESG value and a powerful tool to reach Scope 3 carbon emission targets. One of the key challenges with alternative proteins is taste, texture and versatility. How does your clean-tasting, neutral coloured ingredient fit into existing F&B applications – from dairy alternatives to cocktails? Arborea’s technology can produce multiple food ingredients – in fact, any food ingredient found in any of the known 30,000 photosynthetic microalgae. Our proteins are water-soluble, neutral in both taste and colour, and multifunctional, with foaming, emulsifying and gelling properties all in one. That means they can slot directly into existing formulations without masking agents, stabilisers or major flavour adjustments. They can be used in barista-style milk alternatives, hybrid dairy, bakery, savoury snacks, low-sugar chocolate and even functional beverages and cocktails. This will be the first time photosynthetic protein is produced at an industrial scale on non-arable land using only carbon dioxide, minimal fresh water and sunlight as feedstocks. The clean sensory profile is critical, especially for premium food and drink categories where taste and mouthfeel matter. And because the protein is rich in amino acids, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and bioactive vitamins and minerals, it also adds meaningful nutrition. It’s a drop-in, next-generation ingredient designed for real-world applications. Hence the interest from major food corporations! You are soon to break ground on the world’s first industrial photosynthesis facility in Portugal. What does this milestone mean for scale-up and commercial supply? It’s a pivotal step from pilot to production. This will be the first time photosynthetic protein is produced at an industrial scale on non-arable land using only carbon dioxide, minimal fresh water and sunlight as feedstocks. The site is modular, allowing for rapid expansion, and is designed to supply early commercial volumes of our ingredients to global partners before they then assimilate the technology into their own supply chains. It proves the system works not just in the lab, but in the field, and that it can be scaled efficiently, affordably and close to the point of use. This facility sets a precedent for what food production infrastructure can look like in the future: decentralised, decarbonised and resilient by design. Arborea's Portugal facility You're already collaborating with global players in the F&B space. What have you learned from these partnerships, and how are manufacturers responding to the potential of your product? We are actively partnering with several of the largest food companies in the world and industrial players who share our commitment to sustainability and innovation. We are not in a position to disclose specific names and applications just yet, having signed development agreements; however, an early example while we were developing our technology is our collaboration with AB InBev, where we were using carbon dioxide emitted from brewing processes as a feedstock for the Biosolar Leaf. It shows how industrial waste gases can be transformed into sustainable proteins. It also importantly shows how Arborea’s technology can be integrated into existing industrial operations to both reduce emissions and create valuable products and is an important first step toward commercialising our system and helping companies meet their environmental goals. We see collaboration as essential to driving system-wide change, and we’re excited to work with forward-thinking partners to make that happen. Sustainability is often talked about, but harder to prove. How are you measuring Arborea’s carbon impact – and what kind of data or claims can you offer brand partners and manufacturers? The BioSolar Leaf is the ideal manufacturing process for verifiable sustainability claims. It uses no fertile land and converts two tons of carbon dioxide into one ton of food. It is a closed, modular, and easily scalable system in which every input is directly measured and controlled, such as the minimal water used, the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered and the minimal fertiliser needed (which could easily be organic!). There is a need, not to replace, but to add a globally scalable supply of protein and other food ingredients into the traditional food supply chain...BioSolar Leaf can resolve all of these issues in a simple-to-implement tech, anywhere in the world. There is no transport of feedstocks, themselves grown on fertile land, such as the sugar inputs often needed for fermentation. The feedstock energy input is largely natural sunlight. Our process works on any surface anywhere in the world, so production can be placed in the areas of greatest utility, again vastly reducing the transport footprint. Elsewhere, we see proteins transported halfway across the world before they are used. Finally, Arborea products can be used alone or in combination with dairy, meat and other proteins as they are both functional and highly nutritional, again allowing easy control over the overall carbon footprint of the final food product. All without compromising quality. Looking ahead, what role do you see Arborea playing in the evolution of the global protein supply? How soon could your ingredient be available at scale in mainstream products? Globally, agriculture uses 70% of the world’s fresh water and the estimate is that within five years, demand will exceed supply by 40%. 95% of the world’s soil is predicted to be degraded within 25 years. Every minute, an area the size of 18 football fields undergoes deforestation, and a recent study indicated that, on average, each of us carries the equivalent of five plastic caps worth of microplastics in our heads from the current food system! There is a need, not to replace, but to add a new globally scalable supply of protein and other food ingredients into the traditional food supply chain. BioSolar Leaf industrial photosynthesis of microalgae can resolve all of these issues in one, simple-to-implement technology, anywhere in the world. This is the solution for food security that the world needs to sustain the population of humans, animals and even pets. Microalgae and by-products from microalgae are also excellent potential sources of natural biostimulants and biofertilisers that work with traditional fertilisers. This will also help farmers keep their fertile land more fertile, aiding the existing food supply chain, which is suffering from climate stress and overuse of inorganic fertilisers. What advice would you give to other start-ups in the food and beverage innovation space looking to move from prototype to pilot, and eventually to production at scale? Always think from the manufacturer’s perspective. If your ingredient doesn’t fit into existing lines, comply with regulations, or hit the right unit economics, it won’t scale, no matter how innovative it is. It is important to consider every part of the supply chain from land to consumer and to ensure that there is a benefit and that this is communicated to everyone. If a farmer can utilise non-fertile land, if food manufacturers have a new source of naturally functional food ingredients, and the consumer can see a benefit in taste and texture, that is the sort of supply chain that can scale. It is important to start as early as feasible to communicate these benefits all the way along the supply chain and not expect the world to suddenly welcome a new technology with open arms. To this end, excellent food prototypes and organisations such as MISTA and the EIC Scaling Club, which bring together start-ups and corporates, can be very useful. What tips can you share about securing investment in such a competitive climate, particularly when your product involves a novel technology or ingredient? It is important to show that your technology solves one or more critical bottlenecks, that there is clear market demand and that you have a clear business plan to meet this demand. Investors want to see not just the science, but the system: the route to market, the scalability, the defensibility. It’s not enough to have a better product; you need a faster, cheaper, cleaner way to make it. Investors will challenge every assumption and will require data and feedback from all stakeholders, including collaborators and customers. They want to see a clear path to significant investment returns that fits with their timescales and objectives, so the business plan must demonstrate this. If we want to feed 10 billion people without accelerating environmental collapse, we must stop asking how to grow more and start asking how to grow differently, helping farmers use non-fertile as well as fertile land. But it also must be remembered that the investment landscape is large and incredibly diverse, so it is not just about having the right message, but that you are delivering it to the right people interested in receiving it because it aligns with their objectives. This takes time, connections and perseverance. The more real-world traction you can demonstrate, the stronger your position will be too. Finally, what’s next? Are there new product formats, ingredient applications or international markets you’re especially excited about? We’re scaling our existing protein production with multinational partners and exploring next-generation formats also for specialised nutrition. The BioSolar Leaf is an enabling technology that can, in principle, make any ingredient found in any of the 30,000 photosynthetic microalgae - whether it is protein, natural colours, essential Omega fatty acids, nutritious carbohydrates or bioactive vitamins and minerals. All these ingredients can be made from just carbon dioxide and natural sunlight in virtually unlimited quantities on non-fertile land from the same factory set up and the same biomass. The more we develop applications and knowledge by ourselves, or with our international partners and collaborators, the more we are finding new possibilities across dairy, beverages, bakery, savoury and confectionery. We are also finding new opportunities outside of traditional food products. In our food science laboratories, we have shown how we can reduce the sugar content in milk chocolate with no noticeable difference, how to make delicious plant-based milk that does not even curdle in coffee, or even how to make nutraceutical gummy bears! Anything else you would like our readers to know? If we want to feed 10 billion people without accelerating environmental collapse, we must stop asking how to grow more and start asking how to grow differently, helping farmers use non-fertile as well as fertile land. That begins with rethinking what food infrastructure can look like. Microalgae cultivation is not a replacement for all agriculture, but it can serve as a powerful complement. With the right technology, we can grow nutrition directly from sunlight and carbon dioxide, anywhere, every day, with no compromise on taste or quality. It is not just time for new ingredients, but for new food systems.

Nutrition technology company L-Nutra has launched the Prolon L bar – a plant-based protein bar formulated to support muscle health and healthy ageing as well as fuelling workouts. While most protein products focus on quantity, highlighting the amount of protein in grams and the amount of calories, L-Nutra pointed to emerging longevity science suggesting that too much of the wrong kind of protein can accelerate ageing by overstimulating key growth pathways like IGF-1 and mTOR. Meanwhile, too little protein may fail to adequately support muscle maintenance and overall strength. The L-Protein Bar is formulated to provide the ‘perfect balance’ of amino acids from plant-based sources to deliver the right nutrients designed to enhance longevity, created by scientists at the USC Longevity Institute. It includes a diverse blend of plant proteins from black beans, chickpeas and peas, and is fortified with l-methionine – an essential amino acid that is commonly low or missing in vegan diets and other vegan protein supplements. The targeted formulation aims to maintain a balanced growth factor response while delivering complete protein support for muscle and tissue health. Each bar contains 14g of protein, 170 kcal, and is made without added sugars, sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners. It is naturally sweetened with whole dates for a rich flavour and a more balanced glycemic response. In addition to being plant-based, the bar is gluten-free, soya-free, non-GMO and made with heart-healthy fats from extra virgin olive oil and cocoa butter. It is initially available in a rich Chocolate Coated flavour, featuring a 100% dark chocolate layer, with additional flavours planned as part of L-Nutra’s expanding Longevity Nutrition platform – a product suite designed to help consumers integrate clinically backed nutrition into daily life.

Yakult Honsha has established a new European research and development centre in the Netherlands, strengthening its global innovation network. The Yakult European R&D Center, officially established on 19 September 2025, is located on Wageningen Campus in Gelderland. The campus is home to Wageningen University & Research, a leading life sciences institute, and hosts a cluster of food and nutrition businesses and start-ups. Yakult, headquartered in Tokyo and best known for its probiotic dairy drink, sells products in 40 countries and regions worldwide. The company said the new facility will serve as a hub for addressing diverse consumer needs and varying regulatory requirements across global markets. “By establishing an R&D centre outside of Japan, we aim to create a global hub for food innovation that contributes to health and wellbeing,” the company said. It added that Wageningen Campus offers a “rare and valuable opportunity” to collaborate with academic researchers and industry partners. The move reflects Yakult’s ambition to strengthen product development, explore new avenues for value creation and position itself as a “truly global enterprise.”