New food high on the agenda for food producers

Cultivated meat, algae, and 3D-printed food: 80% of Dutch food companies now see “new food” as a priority. That’s the outcome of research conducted by MT Sprout on behalf of Tetra Pak. The main driver? The consumer. A striking 66% of companies report a growing demand for more sustainable alternatives. Internal sustainability goals also play a key role (61%), followed by technological developments (43%).

Despite the strong ambition, many companies face practical hurdles. For 39% of respondents, the main challenge is the investment required. On top of that, companies also encounter consumer hesitation: 33% see the acceptance of plant-based or cultivated alternatives as an issue. Complex regulations (32%) and a lack of knowledge (27%) further add to the difficulties.

Plant-based and fermentation gaining ground

Plant-based dairy alternatives are seen by 60% of respondents as the most important development for the next five years. Meat substitutes (56%) and algae-based products (52%) also rank high in potential. Cultivated meat follows with 19%. When developing new food products, taste and texture are the top priorities for producers (88%), followed by nutritional value (80%) and sustainability (78%).

“When it comes to producing new food, it’s all about the right technology,” says Michiel le Feber, Processing Sales Manager at Tetra Pak. “Our survey shows that producers see potential in both biomass fermentation and precision fermentation, at 13 percent and 28 percent respectively.”