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4 Mins Read Umami United, the Tokyo-based startup that makes plant-based egg products, has closed a pre-Series A funding round with an injection of ¥240M ($1.64M). The company plans to use the funds to develop a vegan egg white alternative and enter the US and European markets. Led by Beyond Next Ventures, the investment round saw participation from […]
7 Mins Read Reducing seafood intake is one of the key ways you can help alleviate your negative effect on the planet, but there are also a host of other important reasons make a pass on fish for dinner. From biodiversity loss to more frequent natural disasters and rising global temperatures, our planet is now at an important […]
3 Mins Read The Asia-Pacific Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA) and the Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA) have solidified a partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The new MoU aims to boost the growth of cellular agriculture across Japan and the broader Asia-Pacific area. “Establishing long-lasting ties with key stakeholders and other associations regionally and globally […]
3 Mins Read Japanese vegan food CPG brand 2foods, which offers plant-based eggs and chicken nuggets, has announced its U.S. launch. With new North American headquarters in downtown Los Angeles and making its U.S. market debut at the Vegan Women Summit in New York next month, 2foods is gearing up for widespread distribution across the country. ‘Catalyst for […]
3 Mins Read Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says the country will move forward with a plan to develop an industry of “cell agriculture” bringing a focus to cultivated meat and fish as a means to reduce the country’s carbon footprint. Prime Minister Kishida is looking forward to creating a new agriculture sector that will increase the country’s […]
3 Mins Read University of Tokyo professor Shoji Takeuchi and his colleagues say they have succeeded in producing the world’s first cultivated cubed steak. The diced steak was first produced in 2019, when Takeuchi and his team produced a three-dimensional muscle tissue measuring about a cubic centimeter, which the team says can grow to larger cuts. Currently, most […]
4 Mins Read A new report by Green Queen Media argues that while plant-based meat sales may be flat in the US and Europe, in Asia Pacific, the alternative protein industry is booming. Green Queen Media has published the 2022 edition of its award-winning APAC Alternative Protein Industry Report today, titled The Future is Asian and presented by […]
3 Mins Read Beyond Meat is gearing up for a Japan launch in a new partnership with United Super Market Holdings. The partnership will include both product development and distribution. United Super Market Holdings (USMH), one of Japan’s largest grocery store holding companies with more than 500 retail outlets in Japan including MaxValu, Maruetsu, and Kasumi, will add […]
10 Mins Read The alternative protein market is taking-off in the land of the rising sun as consumers become more health and sustainability conscious, climate concerns flare up and the government looks to decarbonize. Between 2019 and 2022 Japan’s plant-based product market alone is estimated to double in size, reaching a value of $271 million (¥36.9 billion). 2020 […]
4 Mins Read The Japanese government has announced that it is pulling together a team of experts to analyse the safety of cultivated meat. The move is seen as a precursor to implementing a regulatory framework for future commercial product approvals. The team will be curated by the Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry. Its endeavours will be focused […]
3 Mins Read Japanese plant-based manufacturer Next Meats has announced a new product line to be manufactured in its San Jose, Calif., facility. The Next Wagyu Japanese Premium Brisket is the company’s first meat analogue with carbon-negative packaging. The location has previously manufactured existing product ranges with standard packaging options. The wagyu is made from non-GMO soy without […]
3 Mins Read Kewpie, known for its range of egg-based mayonnaise products which your local sushi joint slathers all over your California roll, has announced its new plant-based egg range. The Japanese manufacturer has unveiled Hobotama, which translates to ‘almost eggs’, a ready-to-serve scrambled egg analogue and liquid alternative for baking developed using soy milk. Kewpie processes more […]
4 Mins Read IntegriCulture has reported the successful cultivation of chicken and duck liver cells using an animal serum-free medium. Harnessing its proprietary CulNet system, the startup leverages bioreactors to emulate inter-organ interactions which lead to cell cultivation. Moving from research to prototyping stage, IntegriCulture has replaced all research-grade materials with food-safe alternatives. It is claimed that ‘functional […]
3 Mins Read Japanese food brand 2foods by TWO Inc. has linked up with domestic manufacturing giant Kagome Co. to develop a plant-based egg substitute for a new omurice dish. Dubbed “Ever Egg”, the component is made from vegetables and legumes which are processed to reach the right consistency. 2foods has a patent-pending for its proprietary ”vegetable semi-ripening […]
3 Mins Read Japanese foodtech IntegriCuture has closed a Series B funding round with $7 million successfully raised. The investment will go into the development of affordable growth mediums, plus other tech solutions for the cultivated meat sector. The company plans to make developments open source in a bid to accelerate widespread progress and commercialisation. To date, IntegriCulture […]
3 Mins Read Japan is establishing plant-based labelling rules to remove hurdles for the country’s vegan food industry. In a press conference, government minister Taro Kono described the lack of guidelines as a “shackle” for the industry’s development, and also alluded to possible clarifications about novel cell-based proteins further down the line. Japan is moving ahead to establish […]
4 Mins Read Have you been searching for a way to describe something you’ve felt, and just can’t pin down using the English language? We’ve definitely felt that way before. Luckily, there are some Japanese words that are just so relatable, and we are here to share them with you! Here are 7 Japanese words that seem to […]
2 Mins Read Japanese startup Next Meats has just upgraded the recipe for its vegan short-ribs product to make it even more realistic in taste and texture.
3 Mins Read Takashimaya, one of the largest luxury department store chains in Japan, is embracing sustainable fashion with a new recycling initiative. Working with 15 brands for the campaign, the company is launching recycled fashion pieces across its high-end outlets and online store, and has plans to extend the program with 100 more brands in the future. […]
5 Mins Read Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee chain, is going circular. In a new global campaign, the company will be serving handcrafted beverages in reusable cups, offering increased discounts for customers who bring in their own cup for a limited time and gifting free drinks depending on the country, in a bid to get customers into the […]
3 Mins Read Burger King Japan is ditching buns for its latest plant-based offering expansion. Instead of the classic toasted sesame bun, the new “Version 2” of the Plant-Based Whopper will use the actual vegan-friendly soy-based patties developed by Aussie food tech v2food to sandwich fresh lettuce and other toppings. Burger King Japan is going bunless for its […]