White paper offers insights on the latest innovations and opportunities for development 

Givaudan has launched its latest white paper entitled ‘The Protein Horizon: the landscape of alternative protein technologies enabling future food experiences,’ its fourth collaboration with the University of Berkeley, California. This paper provides cutting-edge information on current, emerging and future technologies for manufacturers producing meat and fish alternatives.

No longer considered niche, the growth of plant-based alternatives has been fuelled by rising consumer desire for healthier food products that have less impact on the planet. To meet the demand in volume and desired product characteristics, constant innovation and new technologies are necessary.

The Protein Horizon research takes a future perspective, highlighting the benefits of emerging 3D printing technology, the ‘near future’ techniques of cultured meat, and Mycelium biomass fermentation producing fungi-derived protein. It also looks further over the horizon to lab-scale technologies such as shear cell, which is set to attract significant investment. Given no single technology is the ‘silver bullet’, collaboration across companies and organisations is essential for creating delicious and nutritious meat alternatives.

Sudhir Joshi, Product Development Programme Coach at the University of California, Berkeley, said: “The rise of meat alternatives is significant. The market is poised for rapid growth. While the existing technologies offer a major opportunity for innovation, the main challenges in this sector remain cost and scale.”

“This new white paper provides a comprehensive review of current and upcoming technologies. It also offers insights into adoption, market potential, challenges and the opportunities for future development.”

Flavio Garofalo, Givaudan’s Global Director, Culinary & Plant Attitude, said: “Givaudan’s wide-eyed-thinking and passion for creating outstanding future food experiences is at the heart of our ongoing collaboration and research with University of California, Berkeley. We have an insatiable appetite for knowledge and understanding that ultimately leads to innovative breakthroughs.”

Givaudan is at the forefront of the meat-alternative movement but recognises that to create delicious new products, companies need to be agile, efficient, and innovative. Flavio continues: “Only by working together can we build the eco-systems necessary to develop the meat and fish alternative proteins of tomorrow. Our ongoing research with Berkeley is a great example of the kind of collaboration that will allow us to imagine the future of alternative proteins.”

In addition to its partnership with Berkeley, Givaudan is also actively working with some of the latest technologies in collaboration with Bühler and Migros, with whom it has formed the Cultured Hub in Kemptthal, Switzerland, working on cultured meat, cultured fish and seafood, and precision fermentation.

The Hub is part of Givaudan’s extensive network of alternative protein innovation centres across four continents, including MISTA in California, the Protein Innovation Centre in Singapore, the Protein Hub in Zurich, and soon, the Tropical Food Innovation Lab in Brazil. By fostering collaboration with customers and other companies, from start-ups to leaders in the field, and building our innovation pipeline and proprietary technologies, Givaudan has become the partner of choice for co-creating new meat alternative products.

Download the Protein Horizon whitepaper here and watch Givaudan’s webinar with a panel of industry experts, from consumer insights to venture capital, who discuss future technologies for alternative proteins.

About Givaudan

Givaudan is a global leader in Fragrance & Beauty, and Taste & Well-being. We celebrate the beauty of human experience by creating for happier, healthier lives with love for nature. Together with our customers, we deliver food experiences, craft-inspired fragrances, and develop beauty and well-being solutions that make people look and feel good. In 2021, Givaudan employed over 16,800 people worldwide and achieved CHF 6.7 billion in sales with a free cash flow of 12.6%. With a heritage that stretches back over 250 years, we are committed to driving long-term, purpose-led growth by improving people’s health and happiness and increasing our positive impact on nature. This is Givaudan. Human by nature. Discover more at www.givaudan.com.

About Taste & Wellbeing

Powered by innovation and creativity, Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing aims to shape the future of food by becoming the co-creation partner of choice for its customers. Built on its global leadership position in flavours and taste, the Company goes beyond to create food experiences that do good and feel good for the body, mind and planet. With an expanded portfolio of products across flavours, taste, functional and nutritional solutions and deep knowledge of the food ecosystem, Givaudan’s passion is to collaborate with customers and partners to develop game-changing innovations in food and beverage. This is Givaudan. Human by nature. Learn more about how we are shaping the future of food at: https://www.givaudan.com/taste-wellbeing