Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Lärabar’s new protein range, Valsoia’s dairy-free kefir launch, and Tattooed Chef’s $4.5M settlement.
New products and launches
US energy bar brand Lärabar, owned by General Mills, has launched a new line of plant-based protein bars. The products contain 10-12g of protein each, and come in peanut butter-chocolate, lemon, and cinnamon-nut variants. They’re available in single and five-count packs across major retailers.
Plant-based snack maker Hippeas has also entered the protein space with a line of puffed pea protein snacks. Offered in Cheddar Vibrations and Pizza Party flavours, the Protein Crunch range delivers 8g of protein per 1oz serving, and can be found on its website, Amazon and TikTok Shop. The Cheddar version is in Sprouts Farmers Market locations too, with a wider rollout (including at Kroger) expected soon.
Dairy-free leader Elmhurst 1925 has secured listings for its Clean Protein shakes at all Sprouts Farmers Market stores nationwide. They deliver 27g of plant protein per 11oz shake, priced at $4.99.
In Europe, UK kids’ frozen food brand Annabel Karmel has rolled out vegan mini burgers and chicken nuggets in 200 Asda stores. They’re made with pea, lentil and wheat proteins, and cost £2.95 per 220g pack.
British oat milk maker Minor Figures has released a 2×5-litre Bag-in-Box format of its barista milk for high-volume cafés, hospitality operators and automated coffee environments across Europe.
Swiss meat alternative leader Planted has increased the size of its plant-based steak from 120g to 150g for the BBQ season, without changing the price.
German startup Vegan4Dogs has introduced Rudolf DHA Algae Bites, a dry, seaweed-based snack for dogs packed with omega-3 fatty acids.
And in Italy, plant-based food producer Valsoia has launched Kef, a line of 250g dairy-free kefir drinks in plain, tropical mix, and blueberry flavours, alongside a zero-sugar, high-protein Skyr alternative.
Company and finance updates
In the UK, Lidl has partnered with the food waste reduction app Olio to donate surplus food from its stores to charity partners and to the platform’s network of 5 million users.
Three years after filing for bankruptcy, US frozen plant-based food maker Tattooed Chef has agreed to a $4.75M settlement with investors, who accused the formerly publicly listed company of making false and misleading statements that inflated the stock price. Its products returned to shelves in 2024 under Planted Ventures, a firm formed by Tattoed Chef’s co-founders.
Agrifood giant Bunge has opened its first new soy protein concentrate facility in the US in more than 40 years. Located in Morristown, Indiana, it’s built with a $550M investment and is the country’s largest factory of its kind.
US sweet protein startup Oobli has hired former PepsiCo exec and Upside Foods COO Amy Chen as its president and chief commercial officer.
Meanwhile, at German mycelium meat firm Infinite Roots, Philip Tigges has stepped down from his roles as managing director, chief commercial and financial officer, and board member.
Alternative protein think tank The Good Food Institute has appointed Rachel Lichte as its interim CEO. She takes over from Nigel Sizer, who has been heading the non-profit since August and is moving on to a new role.
Singaporean food tech player Prefer has sold 100,000 cups of its bean-free coffee, with sales doubling every month since February.
Research and policy developments
Speaking of sales, Dairy Australia has reported a 2.9% volume decline for non-dairy milk in the year ending February 22, 2026, with values remaining steady on a 3.4% uptick in price per litre. Plant-based alternatives’ share of the overall milk market also trimmed from 9.57 to 9.4%.
Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has revealed that purchases of plant-based milk rose fivefold between 2004 and 2025, with these alternatives capturing 13% of the overall milk market. Oat milk is the most popular (accounting for 43% of sales), followed by soy (41%) and almond (14%).
Estonian biotech startup Äio has received The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark and the COSMOS certification from Cosmécert for its three upcycled, yeast-derived ingredients: RedOil, Encapsulated Oil, and ZymaLipid Complex.
Plant-based food and health experts have created The Protein Resource, in collaboration with Mobius and Open Paws, a consumer education website that compares and grades protein sources to highlight their impact on health.
The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority has banned two ads by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s (AHDB) Let’s Eat Balanced campaign, which promote British beef and dairy as climate-friendly. It stemmed from a complaint from TV presenter and climate advocate Chris Packham, with the agency stating that the AHDB’s emissions estimates didn’t account for cooking and waste.
Finally, the American Vegan Society is hosting its annual American Vegan Garden Party at its headquarters in Malaga, New Jersey this Sunday (May 24). Standard tickets are $44.52.
