In Finland, forest products company Stora Enso has launched two lightweight, biobased foams made from wood that are fully recyclable and can be used for protective and thermal packaging. The first—Fibrease™—is available now and made with up to 98% renewable materials. It is designed to replace polyurethane foams and polystyrene. The second, Papira®, just began […]
In California, cultivated meat major Upside Foods has told the USDA that cultivated meat should be called cultivated meat, noting that any regulations on labeling should avoid terminology misleading to consumers. “The labeling of cultivated meat and poultry products will be a crucial component of how our industry conveys the basic nature, essential characteristics, and […]
In North Carolina, two entrepreneurs who took their plant-based laundry sheets onto the popular Shark Tank product pitch reality show have walked away with an investment deal. Daniel Lubetzky, a guest “shark” on the November 19 episode of the ABC hit—as well as the billionaire behind KIND Snacks and SOMOS foods—declared “we have a deal” […]
In the Netherlands, furniture and home goods giant Ikea has vowed to eliminate plastic packaging by 2028. While much of that plastic will be replaced with paper, some applications, like food, will require more outside-of-the-box thinking. “Paper is a very good material to use because it does come from renewable sources, and it has quite […]
In the Netherlands, a test section of road using biobased asphalt has held up well over 6 months—encouraging news for efforts to decarbonize road construction. The trial section of N987 in Groningen was laid in early June using asphalt that swapped a portion of petroleum-based bitumen, which binds the asphalt together, with lignin. The material […]
In Germany, researchers at Georg August University have created a process to turn popcorn into a polystyrene foam alternative for building insulation. Forest Sciences professor Alireza Kharazipour and his team create the material by shredding and pressure-steaming corn to expand or “pop” it. A plant-based protein is then used to bind the material, which is […]
In South Korea, LG Chem and GS Caltex have signed a joint development deal for a fermentation-based production process for hydroxypropionic acid (3HP). The goal is to accelerate 3HP development by combining LG Chem’s fermentation know-how with GS Caltex’s process facility technologies. The 3HP will be produced using glucose or glycerol. The two companies […]
In California, startup New Culture has raised $25 million as it works to make good on its promise of putting a better animal-free mozzarella on Bay Area slices in 2022. The funds will be used to add production capacity and staff. Unlike vegan mozzarellas that attempt to mimic the melty goodness of cheese through creative […]
In Chicago, agribusiness giant ADM has acquired Serbia’s Sojaprotein, a leading provider of non-GMO soy ingredients, for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 1977, Sojaprotein produces vegetable protein ingredients for customers in the meat alternative, confectionary, protein bar, pharmaceutical, pet food, and animal feed segments. It recorded $100 million in sales in 2020 and exported to […]
In Vancouver, online publication Yanko Design has done a deep dive on cork, the spongey bark material most often associated with wine. The extensive list of innovative uses demonstrate the design community’s interest in cork’s unique properties and point to growing use of cork in everyday life. Designers Ivo Erichsen and Tobbias Bihlmeyer present probably […]
