Last Week in Future Food

Superlab
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Technology
  • Updated Weekly

"Last Week in Future Food" is an AI-generated podcast offering weekly updates on the latest innovations, business news, and marketing trends in the future-food sector. Each episode delves into key developments in plant-based innovations, cell-based food production, precision fermentation, new material technologies, and creative media strategies. Presented by Superlab Film Company. Visit us at superlabfilm.com

Episodes

  1. Jun 5

    Nestlé's Human Milk Bet, Protein from Air Hits US, and the Casein Breakthrough

    Episode #13: Nestlé's Human Milk Bet, Protein from Air Hits US, and the Casein Breakthrough Nestlé makes a major bet on human milk proteins made via fermentation, signaling a huge validation for the space. Plus, 'protein from thin air' finally hits US shelves, and a key regulatory milestone could unlock truly melty, stretchy animal-free cheese. These stories show the future of food isn't just about replication; it's about creating entirely new categories of nutrition. Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:25) Nestlé Taps Helaina for Human Milk Proteins (01:40) Solar Foods' "Protein from Air" Hits the US Market (02:15) FDA Clears Hurdle for Animal-Free Casein from Formo (03:10) Quick Hits: Meatly's New Facility, Beyond's New Drink, and India's Vegan Logo (03:45) Hot Take: Aleph Farms' "Asset-Light" Strategy (04:25) Outro Stories We Covered [Nestlé & Helaina] Nestlé taps Helaina to explore bioactive proteins in infant nutrition (AFN) [Solar Foods] ‘Protein from Thin Air’: Solar Foods’s Solein Makes US Debut with Ambrosia Collective (Green Queen) [Formo & Casein] FDA clears key hurdle for animal-free dairy protein (Food Navigator USA) [Meatly] Construction Begins on Meatly’s London Facility, Set to Be Europe’s Largest Cultivated Meat Site (vegconomist) [Beyond Meat] Beyond Meat Expands Beyond Immerse into New York Retail with 26,000-Outlet Distribution Deal (vegconomist) [India Vegan Logo] India to Require Standardized Vegan Logo on Food Packaging from 2027 (vegconomist) [Aleph Farms] Aleph Farms Explains Latest Layoffs As ‘Global Alignment’ of Asset-Light Strategy (Green Queen) Connect With Us This episode was brought to you by Superlab. To learn how they help future food brands with world-class websites, videos, and campaigns, visit them at superlabfilm.com.

    6 min

  2. May 29

    Clover's Collapse, Mycelium M&A, and France's Plant-Based Upset

    Last Week in Future Food: Clover's Collapse, Mycelium M&A, and France's Plant-Based Upset (Episode #12) A beloved Boston-based vegetarian chain abruptly closes its doors after 17 years, signaling tough times for plant-forward restaurants. Meanwhile, major consolidation in the mycelium space points to a maturing market, and a French startup achieves a stunning victory over a CPG giant. Episode Timestamps 00:32 — Top Story 1: Clover Food Lab Shuts Down After 17 Years 02:05 — Sponsor: Superlab 02:35 — Top Story 2: Infinite Roots Acquires Bosque Foods in Mycelium M&A 04:01 — Top Story 3: HappyVore Overtakes Nestlé in France 05:05 — Quick Hits: Parima's Approval, Woolworths' Vegan Pledge, & Pacifico Biolabs' Funding 06:02 — Hot Take: Pollen + Grace Adds Meat, Faces Backlash Stories Discussed Top Stories Clover Food Lab to Permanently Close All Boston-Area Locations This Week (vegconomist) Infinite Roots Acquires Bosque Foods and Brings Mycelium Expertise Under One Roof (vegconomist) How HappyVore Overtook Nestlé to Become France’s Best-Selling Plant-Based Meat Brand (Green Queen) Quick Hits Parima Notches Third Approval Milestone in a Year With FSANZ Safety Assessment Completion (vegconomist) Woolworths Promises New Vegan Products After Advocacy Groups Flag Shrinking Shelves (vegconomist) Pacifico Biolabs Closes €7M Series A to Scale Mycelium Protein Through Idle German Brewery Infrastructure (vegconomist) Hot Take UK Ready Meal Startup Pollen + Grace Faces Criticism After Adding Meat Options (Green Queen) Connect With Us This episode is brought to you by Superlab. Learn more at https://superlabfilm.com.

    6 min

  3. May 6

    A $10 Billion Plant-Based Sale, Farm Bill Showdown, and Army's Alt-Protein Call

    Episode 8: A $10 Billion Plant-Based Sale, Farm Bill Showdown, and Army's Alt-Protein Call This week, we explore the potential $10 billion sale of Violife's parent company, a deal signaling major confidence in the plant-based sector. We also break down the contentious new Farm Bill passed by the US House, which threatens to override state-level animal welfare laws. Plus, an unexpected development: the US Army is officially seeking alternative proteins for soldiers' MREs. ** Timestamps [00:00] Intro [00:48] Flora Food Group's Potential $10B Sale [01:51] US House Passes Farm Bill Threatening Animal Welfare Laws [03:05] US Army Issues Call for Plant-Based MREs [04:02] Quick Hits: Chunk Foods, Ruby Bio, & Cell-Cultivated Cocoa [05:05] Hot Take: The Renewed Fight Over "Meat" Labeling • Stories Discussed [Flora Food Group] Violife Owner Flora Food Group Could Be Sold for $10 Billion [Farm Bill] US House Passes Farm Bill With Provisions That Would Override State Animal Welfare Laws [US Army] US Army Issues Call to Manufacture Plant-Based Meat for Military Meals in Combat Zones [Labeling Bill] Beef-Backed Bipartisan Bill Seeks to Ban ‘Meat’ from Cultivated & Plant-Based Protein Labels [Chunk Foods] Chunk Foods Lands Whole Foods Listing in Northeast US [Ruby Bio] Ruby Bio Reports Fermentation Breakthrough for Clean-Label Emulsifiers [Celleste Bio] Celleste Bio and Mondelēz International Produce First Chocolate Bars With Cell-Cultivated Cocoa Butter ** Connect With Us This episode is brought to you by Superlab. Learn how they help future food brands stand out with incredible websites, campaigns, and video. Website: https://superlabfilm.com

    5 min

  4. Mar 21

    Funding Shifts Upstream, Policy Turmoil, and Soy's Comeback in Asia

    Last Week in Future Food: Episode #2 Funding Shifts Upstream, Policy Turmoil, and Soy's Comeback in Asia While overall agrifoodtech funding remains flat, a significant shift toward upstream and deeptech innovation signals where the smart money is heading. We break down the key takeaways from Future Food-Tech San Francisco, where regulatory uncertainty and the rise of GLP-1s dominated the conversation. Plus, we explore why Singapore's biggest oat milk brand is making a bold bet on modernizing soy. On This Episode (00:35) — Top Story: Agrifoodtech Funding Shifts Upstream The latest AFN report shows that while global funding is flat, capital is flowing to farm-focused and deeptech startups. Debt financing is also on the rise, signaling a new stage of maturity for the industry, but later-stage funding remains a major hurdle. (01:41) — Top Story: Policy & Regulation Dominate Future Food-Tech From the future of self-affirmed GRAS to a potential government definition for 'ultra-processed food,' policy uncertainty is a major risk for innovators. We recap the key discussions from San Francisco and the massive 'white space' opportunity for brands that can deliver convenience, clean labels, and affordability. (02:51) — Top Story: Oatside Bets on a Modern Soy Milk Singaporean oat milk leader Oatside has launched Nobo, a new high-protein soy milk brand. It's a savvy move to capture Asia's largest milk alternative market by modernizing a classic with better flavor, higher protein, and clean ingredients. (03:43) — Quick Hits A roundup of other key headlines, including an AI-developed seaweed powder that replaces multiple additives, private equity's growing (but selective) interest in agtech, and Givaudan's AI-driven approach to food innovation. (04:03) — Hot Take: Is Alt-Protein Missing the Bacon Opportunity? Sales of nitrite-cured bacon have plummeted by over £18 million due to cancer fears. Is the alternative protein industry positioned to capture these health-conscious consumers, or is it missing a massive market signal? Stories Discussed New report: Agrifoodtech funding is flat but the story is shifting (AFN) Future Food-Tech San Francisco 2026: MAHA, Fermentation, AI & Regulation (Green Queen) Asia’s Oatside Looks to Modernise A Classic with High-Protein Soy Milk Brand Nobo (Green Queen) This AI-Led Seaweed Powder Can Replace Multiple Additives for Clean-Label Proteins (Green Queen) Private equity in agtech: disciplined, selective, and increasingly hard to ignore (AFN) Givaudan’s head of front-end innovation on AI and the future of food (Food Navigator) Nitrite-Cured Bacon Sales Plummet By £18.7 Million Due To Cancer Fears (Plant Based News) Connect With Us This episode is brought to you by Superlab. To learn how they help future food brands launch and scale with world-class websites, campaigns, and videos, visit superlabfilm.com.

    7 min

  5. Mar 17

    EU's Naming Game, Vegan Cowboys' Casein Bet, and Nestlé's Cocoa-Free Future

    Episode #1: Nestlé's Cocoa-Free Gamble and the Vegan Kitchen Revolution This week, we dive into Nestlé's massive bet on cocoa-free chocolate and a Brazilian startup turning coffee waste into a sweet alternative. We also explore a major shift in consumer behavior, as Tesco reports plant-based growth is now being driven by health-conscious home cooks. Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 00:30 - Nestlé Goes Cocoa-Free & Brazil's Cellva Ingredients Raises $4M 01:49 - Tesco Sees Plant-Based Growth in Scratch Cooking & Health-Focused Consumers 03:08 - Quick Hits: Peeling Produce, Super Lentils, & New Recipes 03:51 - Hot Take: The EU's 'Meaty' Names Ban is a Win for Innovation 04:32 - Outro Stories Discussed Top Stories Nestlé, the World’s Largest Food Company, Adopts Climate-Friendly Cocoa-Free Chocolate (Green Queen) Brazil’s Cellva Brews Up $4M in Funding to Turn Coffee Waste Into Cocoa-Free Chocolate (Green Queen) Tesco Reports Plant-Based Growth Led By Health-Conscious ‘Scratch Cooking’ (Plant Based News) How A Plant-Based Diet Slows Aging From The Inside Out (Plant Based News) These Are The Best Vegan Cities In The UK (Plant Based News) Quick Hits Are You Peeling The Wrong Produce? What Nutrition Science Says The Surprising Lentil That Beats The Rest On Antioxidants And Fiber Chili Crisp And Red Miso Vodka Marinara Sauce Tomato Braised Cabbage On Mint Tzatziki Hot Take EU ‘Meaty’ names ban agreed, ‘burger’ and ‘sausage’ exempt (Food Navigator) Connect With Us This episode is brought to you by Superlab. For websites, campaigns, and video that convert for future food brands, book a free consultation at superlabfilm.com.

    5 min
  • 5 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

"Last Week in Future Food" is an AI-generated podcast offering weekly updates on the latest innovations, business news, and marketing trends in the future-food sector. Each episode delves into key developments in plant-based innovations, cell-based food production, precision fermentation, new material technologies, and creative media strategies. Presented by Superlab Film Company. Visit us at superlabfilm.com

Information