Food From Thought: November 2021

Oatly backs UK plant-based alliance, UPSIDE Foods takes another step toward commercialiazation and more.

You may have noticed this already, but we recently launched a redesigned website at Univos.vc. Now you can find the latest updates from our portfolio, data on the impact of our investments, and insights and analysis from all the verticals we cover.

We made this change in order to better communicate our mission and the work that we’re doing to reach our goals. Unovis Asset Management was founded in 2016 to transform the global food system by investing in alternative solutions that eliminate the consumption of animal protein products. Now in our second fund, we have made great strides toward that end, supporting innovative companies in cellular agriculture, plant-based proteins, alternative dairy and more.

Now in year five, we find ourselves in a unique position. Alternative protein products across the board are reaching levels of mainstream acceptance worldwide that would have been all but unheard of less than a decade ago. Companies like Oatly and Beyond Meat are redefining what’s possible in this space, and Covid-driven buying trends have introduced more and more consumers to the potential of alternative proteins. Still, despite this progress, our mission remains clear. Unovis exists to create a food system that is more sustainable from the perspectives of the environment, food scarcity, health, and animal protection. We believe that we can accomplish this through market forces, food technology, and entrepreneurship, and those beliefs guide every investment decision we make.

Take a look at the new site when you have a moment and let us know what you think.

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Abbot’s Butcher

• Woody Harrelson and Owen Wilson Invest in Plant-Based Meat Company

• Abbot’s Butcher closes Series A funding

AtLast Food Co.

• Mushroom mania – the vegetable’s rise in packaged food

Black Sheep Foods

• Black Sheep Foods Launches New Vegan Lamb

Geltor

• Geltor to Debut PrimaColl™ in Immersive Experience at Supply Side West Trade Show

Heura

• Spain’s Heura Expands into Mexico Following Deal with the World’s Largest Retailer Walmart

Miyoko’s Creamery

• Miyoko’s Creamery Wine Country 2.0 Campaign

• Miyoko's Creamery is Giving Away 1,000 Free Vegan Pies. Here's Where to Get One

Mosa Meat

• Leading the Charge: The Companies at the Cutting Edge of Cell-Based Protein Product Development

• Mosa Meat wins EU green grant with cell-cultured backer Nutreco

• Nutreco and Mosa Meat awarded €2m grant to advance cellular agriculture

• Can we stomach the latest emerging food innovations?

Oatly

• New UK Plant-Based Food Alliance Launches with Alpro and Oatly Backing

• Oatly expands presence in Asia with launch of new oat milk facility in Singapore

• Oatly Looking to Open New Research Facility at Sweden's Lund University

Upside Foods

• UPSIDE Foods Opens Cultivated Meat Engineering, Production, and Innovation Center (EPIC) as next step in commercialization journey

• Upside Opens Largest Cultivated Meat Facility in North America

• UPSIDE Foods Appoints Dr. Robert Kiss as Executive Vice President of Technical Operations

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Bloomberg: Beef Industry Tries to Erase Its Emissions With Fuzzy Methane Math

Food Business News: Legal issues could slow plant-based category 

Food Navigator Asia: In search of our Beyond and Impossible: Why next breakout alternative protein firm is likely to be from Asia

Green Queen: ‘Fundamental Need’ For Plant-Based and Alternative Protein Shift, Urge Health Experts 

Green Queen: Nearly 30% of World’s Biggest Food Retailers Are Betting On Alternative Protein: Report 

LA Times: We tried more than 25 alternative proteins. These were the best (and worst)  

The Economist: How environmental damage can lead to new diseases 

The Packer: This is the top food trend for 2022, says Whole Foods Market  

U.S. Government: Federal Climate Adaptation Plans from the Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer

Vegans Baby: 5 vegan dishes in New York City every non-vegan should try immediately 

Yahoo: Most Americans have Eaten Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Over the Past Year, According to New IFIC Survey

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Nature: Financing future food: Fill a need, and think local, with Chris Kerr 

The Netherlands: A Landing Spot for Venture Capital in the 21st Century. Both Kim Odhner and Chris Kerr are featured in this recent article about VC investment in The Netherlands.