Article
Disruptive Up-cycling Start-ups in the Alternative Protein Segment
Food and Nutrition
Listen to this Article
mins | This voice is AI generated.
×
Upcycling is the trending way of minimizing food waste, agricultural waste, and industrial waste. Through upcycling, the company can create value-added products from recycled material. Upcycling plays a prominent role in cutting down food loss and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. According to the FAO, an estimated one-third of the global food produce gets wasted and around one-ninth of the total population suffers from hunger. Food loss and waste have indeed become an issue of great public concern. To resolve the food waste issue, FAO has announced the 2030 agenda for sustainable development under target 12.3. Focusing on the target many food industries are taking steps towards minimizing food waste by providing an immense technology that converts the food waste and by-products to valuable and high-quality ingredients and proteins.
The waste used by the company includes agriculture waste, food factories waste, industrial waste, fruit waste, and seed waste. The FoodTech industry can utilize these discarded wastes to transform them into value-added, nutrient-rich new products.
Demand for alternative protein in the food industry
As the demand for alternative proteins increases the start-up companies begin to take the initiative to develop sustainable and plant-based protein without harming livestock. The company started adapting unique ways and methods to convert waste into alternative proteins to fulfill this demand. Alternative proteins are the growth engine of the twenty-first century. The protein market and the demand for alternative protein ingredients are being propelled by the developing food sector as a result of rising population and customer awareness.
The alternative protein provides environmental benefits as it reduces carbon emission, the killing of animals, and water loss. Upcycling of waste is one of the significant strategies that can be used to address the food waste challenge into a new consumer product and alternative protein for human consumption.
Emerging alternative protein start-ups
Notable five disruptive upcycling start-ups in the alternative protein segments listing the utilization of by-products to produce nutritional and sustainable alternative proteins.
1. AgriProtein
AgriProtein is a nutrient upcycling start-up that focuses on the production of sustainable protein alternatives for aquaculture, livestock, and pet feed.
- Uses black soldier fly insect technology for the product formulation
- Black soldier fly feeds on the larvae of organic waste generated from the farms and restaurants, food factories, supermarkets, and recycles
- MagMeal is a highly sustainable insect protein marketed for fish aquaculture
The AgriProtein started its technology in 2008 in Johannesburg, South Africa. It has secured US$105 M funding in June 2008. The company utilizes black soldier fly to convert the organic waste into nutritious protein. The company has already developed three proteins which include versatile, natural oil (MagOil), rich residual soil conditioner (MagSoil), and an insect-based complete protein (MagMeal). AgriProtein intends to build 20 fly farms in North America as part of a bigger plan to construct 100 by 2024 and 200 by 2027.
2. Deep Branch
Deep Branch is a carbon dioxide recycling company that converts industrial waste gas (CO2) into single-cell protein animal feed using gas fermentation.
- Uses microorganisms to convert clean CO2 into a high-quality, sustainable alternative to soy and fishmeal
- Single-cell protein can replace conventional livestock feed, such as fishmeal and soybeans
- Deep Branch utilizes lower-cost inputs hence cost-effective
Deep Branch is a growing start-up in both UK and Netherland, which is founded in 2018. The company has raised US$10.9M. The company focuses on the reduction of carbon emissions produced by the industries. It has developed its single-cell protein called Proton. Proton is a price-stable protein that can save up to 90% carbon footprint. The company has partnered with two multinational animal feed producers to co-develop Proton-based feeds for use in aquaculture and poultry to scale up the feed formulations for an anticipated 2023 market launch.
3. The Coffee Cherry Co.
The coffee cherry produces economic and environmentally sustainable ingredients derived from discarded coffee cherries fruits.
- Provides nutrient-dense and distinctly flavorful ingredient for food and beverage company
- Products are rich in antioxidants, fibers, and proteins
- Eliminate the wastage of cherry pulp
- Creates sustainable jobs and new revenue sources for farmers
The coffee cherry is an agriculture start-up which is founded in 2014. The company utilizes an organic conversion process that converts discarded coffee cherry fruits into fiber, protein, potassium, calcium, and iron-rich culinary ingredients. The company’s product includes coffee flour, which is a combination of a bean, coffee cherries, and pulp. The coffee flour ingredients can be used for creating bread, energy bars, and chocolates.
4. Agricycle Global
Agricycle Global is an agriculture-based start-up that creates organic food-grade ingredients by using food waste and agricultural by-products worldwide.
- Utilizes solar dehydrators technology for drying its waste product
- Improves value chains and revenue diversification for rural farmers
- Combines a vertically integrated supply chain with a portfolio of upcycled brands
Agricycle is a house of ethical brands founded in the year 2019. It possesses a zero-waste approach to product development. It provides solar dehydrators technology to farmers to preserve their fruits and vegetables before they go to waste. The company sells its dried fruits under Agricycle’s Jali Fruit Co. The company is concentrating on leveraging the unique supply chain.
5. Planetarians
Planetarians is an ingredient technology start-up that creates high protein fiber ingredients by upcycling solid waste, by-products (oil cakes), and defatted sunflower seeds.
- Utilizes the ingredient protein for the production of meat alternatives
- Uses solid-state fermentation for the conversion of biomass into alternative protein
- Eliminate the use of chemicals and water loss
- The company utilizes twin-screw extrusion method for by-product processing
The company uses its ingredient technology to sterilize, destroy anti-nutrients and convert them into fibers. Sunflower flour contains three times more protein than wheat flour and twice as much fiber. The company has raised US$920K funding in over five rounds to expand its application from up-cycled ingredients. The alternative meat has a more umami flavor, meaty texture, better protein quality, and lower costs than the traditional meat.
References
Need a thought partner?
Share your focus area or question to engage with our Analysts through the Business Objectives service.
Submit My Business ObjectiveOur Clients
Our long-standing clients include some of the worlds leading brands and forward-thinking corporations.
- © 2021 Cheers Interactive (India) Private Limited. All rights reserved. FutureBridge ® is a registered trademark of Cheers Interactive (India) Private Limited.
