Vegan 'Cheese' Market Booms As Demand Grows

As a teenager, Brad Vanstone used to help out on his grandparents' dairy farm in Devon during the holidays.   But in an unexpected twist, decades later he now has quite a contrasting career running a vegan cheese-substitute business.   He set up the brand - Willicroft - in 2017, after switching to a plant-based diet, and struggling to give up cheese.   "I looked high and low in supermarkets for good replacements, but struggled to find any," says Mr Vanstone, who like his business is based in Amsterdam.   Made from assorted white beans, such as haricot and cannellini, Willicroft now offers five products - "Young Dutch", which imitates gouda; "Italian Aged", which aims to be like parmesan; "Greek White", a feta substitute, plus a fondue, and a sauce made for the dish macaroni cheese.   These are available to buy at numerous stockists across the Netherlands, and at the firm's one store in central Amsterdam.   And overseas expansion is now continuing, with plans to launch in Germany before the end of this year. The firm's products are already on sale in the UK at the seven branches of Amazon's Whole Foods chain, and it is looking to add another UK supermarket to its roster.   However, Mr Vanstone says his plans to launch a wholesale business in the UK, to sell to other retailers, have been fraught with difficulties following Brexit.   "If we were to do it independently, to give you an example of how much harder it is, we used to be able to send samples to the UK for €20 ($21; £17.60), and it would take two to three days max [for them to get to the addressee]," he says.   "Now if we send samples it's €200 minimum, and one in three won't get there."   Brexit issues aside, the sale of vegan substitute cheese is a global market continuing to see stellar levels of growth. Sales are predicted to rise to $7bn by 2030, up from $2.5bn in 2020, according to one report.   In a similar story to Mr Vanstone's, Nivi Jasa co-founded I Am Nut Ok with his partner in 2017. He was inspired after moving to a plant-based diet and finding the then available vegan substitute cheeses "pretty terrible".   "I said I'm not going to eat vegan cheese at all," recalls Mr Jasa, who is a London-based Italian. "But my partner is from LA, which is 10 years ahead [in terms of food trends], and so she made some cashew cheese cream and I loved that.   "At the time we were both broke and said 'why don't we combine our love of food, and our designer backgrounds, and create a vegan cheese brand so we have enough money to pay the bills?'."   The company started life on a stall at Broadway Market in Hackney, east London, and now has eight products sold online, and across more than 200 stockists in the UK including Selfridges.   "We stand for flavour," says Mr Jasa. "Most supermarket [vegan] cheese is either too plain or has a plastic rubbery texture."   However, like many small businesses, he says it's been a challenging year. "We haven't seen any growth. There's been rising energy costs, the cost of ingredients such as sunflower oil from Ukraine is super expensive, and people are spending less."   Business was previously stronger when the company exported to Germany and France. "But then Brexit came and we were hit by problems, such as more paperwork at customs, and paying import tax, and risk of delays," says Mr Jasa.   "It was too risky and expensive if stock needed to be thrown out."   Plus, he says, there's confusion on both sides of the border about how to classify vegan substitute cheese. The brand is starting to work with an international distributor to try to help remove some of the obstacles.   The global leader when it comes to vegan substitute cheese is Greek-based Violife, whose products are exported to more than 60 countries including the US, UK, Germany and the Netherlands.   One of reasons it has proved successful says Victoria Slater, Violife head of Northern Europe, is that the brand, whose products are made from coconut starch, is "very adaptable to different regional demands".   "For example, every country will have their preferred cheese," she says. "Such as halloumi in Cyprus, manchego in Spain, and cheddar in the UK. We are able to flex the flavour and formats to best reflect the specifications of the 60 countries we're in."   Violife now also sells Camembert and blue cheese substitutes.   Yet Ms Slater adds that the sector is feeling the effects of the continuing cost of living crisis. "It's a tough macroeconomic environment in a lot of countries. Cheese is a choice product, not a necessity like toilet roll."   Still, it's a market that is undoubtedly growing, as more people move towards a plant-based diet. UK supermarket Tesco tells the BBC that it has seen sales of vegan substitute cheeses grow by nearly a third over the past year.   "Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular, although cheese is often where people have struggled previously to find the right alternative to suit them," says Fay Hasnip, plant-based product development manager at Tesco.   "With demand rising, we have placed an increased focus on offering our customers a wide range of plant-based cheeses that deliver on quality, taste and texture, to offer some variety and choice for plant-based shoppers."   Angharad Goode, a food and drink research analyst at market insight firm Mintel, says the increased public spotlight on sustainability has seen many people reassess their dairy usage.   It comes as research earlier this year for Violife claimed that the manufacturing of its products released half as much carbon as the production of dairy cheese.   Ms Goode adds that vegan cheese substitutes are also growing in popularity simply because they are now more widely available. She points to some of the best-known diary cheese brands, such as Philadelphia and Babybel, releasing vegan versions.   "This is boosting availability and visibility, and helping to dial up price competition," she says.   However, Ms Goode adds that the typically high price of vegan cheese substitutes. poses the biggest barrier to further sales growth, especially with more of us now minding our pennies.   Take two prices at UK supermarket Sainsburys. You can buy 400g of its own-brand medium cheese for £2.85. Yet 200g - half the weight - of Violife's "Epic Mature Cheddar Flavour Block Vegan Alternative to Cheese" costs £2.75.   Ms Goode also thinks that some producers of vegan cheese substitutes need to ensure that they "deliver on the eating experience" - make them taste better.   Back in Amsterdam, Mr Vanstone agrees. "What's available at mass retail is still really poor, both in terms of the taste, the actual impact of the product and also the nutrition.   "It's not really servicing anything other than just being a replacement. That being said, there is a growing number of good products out there and the potential is obviously enormous."

The Needs of the Manufacturing Sector Met through Technological Innovation on display at Propak

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Join global leaders and regional specialists at the leading exhibition and conference for the packaging, plastics, printing and processing industry in West Africa.    Taking place over three days, Propak West Africa will host more than 220 brands showcasing their equipment and services to an audience of more than 5,000 industry professionals all searching for new innovative solutions, cutting-edge technology and valuable insights within the manufacturing value-chain.    As Propak has grown and adapted over the years to fit with the needs and requests of the industries it serves, it has cemented its position as the only event capable of providing a platform for all the industries stakeholders to come together. This has been confirmed by the full endorsement from the Industrial Development Department of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.  The ninth edition of Propak will be opened with a keynote address from His Hon. Minister Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo.   Following on from the Hon. Minister the conference, under the main theme ‘Technological Innovation in Machinery, Processing, and Smart Packaging for Increased Quality and Throughput’. will see topics ranging from pharmaceutical packaging, to flexible packaging, Automation 4.0, Trade & Exports, Emerging trends in digital print, chemical recycling and many more pertinent topics.   As well as these sessions, KPMG will be hosting a dedicated morning of presentations and panel discussions focusing on the Environmental, Social and Governance goals that are so prevalent in today's climate. These sessions will be hosted by Senior Partners and Managers from KPMG ESG Services.    The exhibition floor this year will see the largest array of manufacturing machines ever showcased live at an event in Nigeria with Percoso, Bole Machinery, Meper, Sigitaspak, Exact Solutions, Skysat Technologies and Neofyton all installing machines, ready to demonstrate their capabilities. This year’s exhibition will also see pavilions from Austria, China, Egypt, India and Italy bringing their countries cutting edge technology to the West African market. And as ever the leading names from the regional market will also be on display including Afra, Vista, Sarsoli Colours, Atlas Copco, Stav Ltd and Newlord.    With so many things to look forward to make sure you have registered for Propak West Africa and don’t miss your opportunity to become a market leader and build your business connections.   Sign up at www.propakwestafrica.com/register2022    Contact: Tsitsi Musumhi E: [email protected]  T. +44 (0) 207 886 3032

Crunch Time As Crisp Makers Adopt Plastic-free Packets Published

When Del Currie decided to give up single-use plastic he had one "naughty secret" - he couldn't quit his love of crisps.   He says his environmentally-minded daughter was not pleased when she found out that he was cheating.   She suggested that if he was serious about making a difference then he should launch his own crisp company, one that doesn't sell them in plastic packets. "So I replied, 'Alright then, I will,'" says Mr Currie, who previously worked in app development. "It wasn't so much a choice to create packet-free crisps, there just wasn't anyone doing anything good, so I decided to jump into it."   True to his word, in March this year he launched Spudos, which now supplies crisps to more than 65 so-called "zero-waste shops" across the UK and Republic of Ireland. These are stores that aim to eliminate packaging, and instead encourage customers to turn up with their own containers, which they fill from dispensers.   Purchasers of Spudos then flavour and season the crisps in the store, with one of the company's "Spud Dust" shakers. These cylinder-shaped shakers are made of plastic, but are designed to be sent back to the firm's base in East London for refilling.   For internet orders from customers both across the UK and overseas, Spudos packages its crisps and flavourings in packets made from a natural material called cellulose, which is derived from wood pulp. These decompose in about 45 days.   Additionally, people can order a refillable tub which, although made of plastic, is designed to be used again and again.   While most of us don't give crisps, or as they say in North America, potato chips, much thought as we crunch on them, their manufacture and sale is a huge industry. Worldwide sales in 2021 totalled $32.2bn (£26.6bn), according to one study, and in the UK alone it is widely reported that six billion packets of crisps are consumed every year. Meanwhile, data for the US says Americans typically eat 1.85 billion pounds (839 million kg) of potato chips per year.   A problem with this consumption is the packaging - most crisps continue to be sold in single-use, non-recyclable plastic packets. These can take decades to finally decompose.   The biggest names in the crisps sector say they will need additional time to switch to more environmentally-friendly packaging.   In the UK, the best-selling brand by far is Walkers, which makes 14 million packs of crisps per day. In 2018, the fact that its packets are not recyclable made the headlines when environmental campaigners started to post the packets back to the company.   Walkers' owner, US giant PepsiCo, says it will move to the use of recycled or renewable plastics by 2030.   In the meantime, it is smaller crisps firms who are leading the way in terms of more eco-friendly packaging, such as Canadian business Humble Potato Chips. It was launched earlier this year by Alicia Lahey and her husband Jeff.   Their compostable crisp packets are also made mostly from cellulose, and are certified plastic-free. They are said to have a comparable shelf life to plastic bags, and are now on sale in both Canada and the US.   "We started Humble Potato Chips for our son Wilder," says Ms Lahey. "When he was born we began to hope for a future that wasn't just our own.   "Our goal is to inform people that we don't have to rely solely on plastic for food packaging, and we can all help to kick micro-plastics from our food system, human bodies, oceans and soil."   Back in the UK, Herefordshire-based farmers Sean Mason and Mark Green launched sustainable crisps brand Two Farmers in 2018. They were inspired to seek biodegradable packaging after being fed up with finding empty plastic crisp packets on their farms. The duo ultimately spent four years trying to find suitable packets that would enable them bring the crisps to market. "Eventually we visited a packaging show, and came across sustainable cellulose film, and combined it with plant-based biodegradable ink and glue," says Mr Mason.   "They [the packaging firm in question] had never made it into crisp packets before, and it took two and a half years to develop."   In the end the cost of the finished packaging had quadrupled in predicted price. "[But] we are trying to give people the option if they want to spend a bit more on something that's more environmentally friendly. As we scale up, costs will come down."   Two Farmers crisps are now sold on the Eurostar trains between London and Paris and Brussels, and Mr Mason says they are "in talks to launch in several European countries in early 2023".   But why are plastic crisp packets not typically recyclable? Shelie Miller, professor in sustainable systems at the University of Michigan, says it is because "most are not made solely out of plastic, but thin layers of metal and plastic".   "The mixture of both metal and plastic pose a real challenge to recycling systems, which need to separate individual materials for recycling. Not only are the packages a mixture of materials, but the separating two different materials on such a thin package is incredibly challenging from a technical perspective, and infeasible economically."   But Prof Miller also cautions that there are some issues with biodegradable packaging, such as people wrongly putting it out with their recycling, where it could act as a contaminant. This could mean that affected items can no longer be recycled.

ABOUT FOOD & KITCHEN ETHIOPIA 2023

ABOUT FOOD & KITCHEN ETHIOPIA 2023   Agriculture is the foundation of Ethiopia's economy and accounts for about 50% of the GDP, 84% of exports and 80% of total employment. This has contributed in making the food processing sector not only the largest manufacturing industry in the country but also one that offers top opportunities for investment.   FOOD & KITCHEN AFRICA - Africa's largest International Food & Agriculture exhibition, aims to tap this huge investment potential with the launch of FOOD & KITCHEN ETHIOPIA, to be held at The Millennium Hall, Addis Ababa, from 19 - 21 January, 2023. After 22 successful editions in Kenya and Tanzania, the event promises to bring together industry professionals, exporters, manufacturers and importers, all under one roof in one of Africa's fastest growing economies, Ethiopia.   Ethiopia is one of the most populous countries in Africa and with a population of about 90 million, offers a huge market for processed food products. It is also the leading producer in Africa of many agricultural products. The current import trend and growing consumer interest also implies opportunities for investment in food products that have a potential role for import substitution and improvement of the trade balance.   With an exciting line-up of both local and international companies, FOOD & KITCHEN ETHIOPIA 2023 provides an ideal platform for product launches, finding new buyers & distributors, promoting brand names, updating existing customers and updating oneself with the latest trends in the food, agriculture and hotel industry.

How a Supplement Company Eliminated Single-use Plastic Bottles

Switching to plant-based sustainable bags reduces emissions and plastic waste   By Heather Florio, CEO of Desert Harvest Single-use plastic pill bottles contribute to plastic pollution and the associated impacts on climate change, from the greenhouse gasses emitted during manufacturing to the methane emissions from the landfills where empty bottles are discarded.   According to Statista, Americans filled nearly 4.7 million retail prescriptions in 2021, many of them coming in these containers. Dietary supplements added millions more plastic bottles to the waste stream, with 77% of American adults purchasing more than $31 billion worth of supplements annually according to the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN).   In 2022, we became the first U.S. supplement company to abandon single-use pill bottles in our packaging. We’re excited to share insights about the move to more sustainable packaging. Here are a few of the common questions we are asked about it.   What details can you share about the new packaging?   We are phasing out all single-use plastic bottles this year, moving to plant-based compostable bags, and offering customers a refillable smart bottle that can track pill usage, and more. We are also helping to remove one ton of plastic from the ocean for every bottle purchased through an agreement with our bottle supplier.   What motivated you to develop new packaging?   We are constantly trying to find new ways to become more sustainable and reduce our carbon footprint at our company. For us, abandoning single-use pill bottles aligned with our goals. When ImpacX reached out to us about leveraging their innovation to achieve this, we realized we could reduce plastic in the environment. Then, we saw an opportunity to convert our packaging to plant-based sustainable bags. It was all about sustainability and our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint.   How will sustainable packaging help or impact your brand?   I hope that this could position us as the leader for sustainable packaging in the supplement market, and that we could be a model for others to follow. Numerous studies have shown that consumers today want sustainable products and consider sustainability with their purchasing decisions. More consumers than ever are seeking sustainable packaging alternatives. Our new packaging will help meet this demand.   How do smart bottles work?   The smart bottle technology we are using did not exist before. It’ll change daily lives by making make sure you don’t forget your medications, sets up accountability measures, and helps monitor elderly patients to make sure that they’ve taken their medications. It’ll also help the environment. The bottle is designed to be re-used and has roughly a five-year lifespan. To reduce landfill waste, a postage-paid label is provided for consumers to return the bottle to the manufacturer for recycling. This  technology is really going to change everything.   What benefits do you think it will bring to consumers beyond its positive impact on the environment?   It’ll help them lead healthier lives because of the reminders and accountability. It doesn’t just take away the need to remind yourself to take your supplements, but also provides reminders when the bottle needs to be refilled. For our customers taking our supplements, running out of product or forgetting a dose can impact their health. People who serve as caregivers to others can monitor and track adherence. The bottle can be used for anything in pill form. Even though it’s for our company, it can be used as a system with the other products they take.   Can you share more about the innovation and technology involved in creating the packaging?   The technology is the first of its kind. ImpacX took the technology they created for water intake and adapted it to meet our needs, and the needs of our customers. The bottle, design, and entire app was created specifically for our company in partnership with them. It was a step-by-step process that evolved over roughly six months.   What details can you share about the process?   There were multiple phases. We had to think about and consider a lot of things—if the technology would work for our customers, how we could adapt our production line and make it all work, there were sourcing issues to solve. We learned a lot. It was exciting.   Were there any challenges or lessons you learned while creating and designing the packaging that you can share?   One thing that was interesting in the process was that we were thinking about how our customers were going to use this. But, then we found a lot of people who wanted it for their parents, or others that they provide care for. That’s when it became a question of how we can adapt the technology to work beyond our initial vision.   What will moving all of your products to the new packaging entail?   We should have all of our supplements changed to the new bottle and packaging by the end of 2022. We’re working on our skincare first. It will be a phased approach to work with our production timing and process for our products, and other logistics.   What advice or guidance would you share with others who may want to move to sustainable packaging?   Do it! We all have a responsibility to this planet. The little changes we can make can make such a difference and such an impact. Especially when you are trying to sell your products worldwide like we do. Look where you can make changes.

Fu Chen Technology - Industrial Ice Cream Solution Provider

This is a recently completed project by Fu Chen Technology. The content of the project includes full-automatic popsicle and ice cream plant equipment, and the production mode is fully automatic production, and is equipped with a C.I.P positioning cleaning system, so that production and cleaning are automatically completed in the pipeline, in line with standard procedures, and can greatly reduce labor costs, achieve the best benefit.          

Innovation & Inspiration: World-leading Ingredients Show Fi & Hi Europe Set To Attract Over 20,000 Global Attendees

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Amsterdam/Netherlands, June 2022: Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe returns to France this year from 6-8 December. For the first time, the leading ingredients exhibition will take place at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles – occupying four halls with more than 1,200 exhibitors, ranging from leading ingredients suppliers through to highly specialized newcomers. The in-person show will be framed and supported by an extensive online event, giving attendees countless opportunities and greater flexibility to source, connect and innovate – be it virtually, in-person or both.   In Paris, Fi & Hi Europe is set to attract exhibitors and attendees from over 135 countries around the world. Located in the heart of the city, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles is within walking distance of many hotels, restaurants and bars – making the event more visitor-friendly than ever before.   Fi & Hi Europe is the culmination of a year of Fi Global engagement with the ingredients industry, including a series of webinars, in-person events around the world, and the marketplace solution Ingredients Network.   Digitally enabled event concept   With this year’s show, Informa Markets continues its hybrid journey, setting the bar even higher with more advanced technology. The combination of online and inperson events offers attendees the best of both worlds, covering a huge variety of live and on-demand content, as well as data-driven matchmaking options, enabling a seamless all-round show experience. For example, all exhibitors will have an online profile that allows them to connect and network ahead of the event and gather leads onsite using the integrated lead scanning system. This means it has never been easier to find and connect with relevant contacts and schedule virtual or in-person meetings using the online event platform.   “We’re looking forward to welcoming thousands of visitors and exhibitors from around the world to an event which all those involved in the ingredients industry simply cannot afford to miss,” says Julien Bonvallet, Brand Director at Informa Markets. “After many months of disruption and uncertainty, there’s a strong aspiration for meeting in-person again, and so the excitement is already gathering pace. But for those who would prefer to join online, sophisticated technology means our online event will merge seamlessly with the in-person show.”   Packed conference programme   The online event will begin on 28 November, the week before doors open at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. It features a packed conference programme covering the hottest industry topics including plant-based, health & wellbeing and reformulation, as well as category updates on some of the key trending segments. These include bakery and snacks, dairy & dairy alternatives, sustainability and much more.   The physical show will once again include popular features such as the Innovation Hub, the New Product Zone in collaboration with Innova Market Insights, and the Fi Europe Innovation Awards. The all-new Sustainability Hub will focus on sustainable food solutions from farm to fork, giving visitors the opportunity to learn about food waste, circular economy, regenerative agriculture and more.   Unique gathering of suppliers   Lots of key ingredients suppliers have already confirmed their attendance in Paris, including ADM, Beneo, Brenntag, Cargill, DSM and Ingredion, to name just a few. The four halls at the venue are already 85 per cent booked with a variety of exhibitors – both old and new – all eager to showcase the latest trends and products driving the industry. There will also be more country pavilions than ever before.   Julien adds: “I am so excited that Fi & Hi Europe will once again open its doors in Paris – this time at an impressive new venue. Bringing the world of food and beverage ingredients together has always been our main purpose, and our entire team is looking forward to providing the perfect platform for both visitors and exhibitors to source, connect and innovate.”   For more information on the show, please visit: https://www.figlobal.com/fieurope/en/home.html

GREATER STABILITY WITH LESS MATERIAL: KHS DEVELOPS PET BOTTLE WITH GLUED-IN HANDLE

KHS has further developed its rPET containers for the home care and food sectors. In addition to bottle handles slotted into place mechanically, the Dortmund company now offers a glued-in process that gives users plenty of benefits: stretch blow molded using the preferential heating method, the KHS PET bottle is more stable than the extrusion-blow-molded polyolefin alternatives.   The development of the 2.3-liter PET bottle with a glued-in handle is the result of a one-and-a-half-year cooperation between KHS and Logoplaste Innovation Lab. The aim was to design a bottle specifically for home care products with the smallest possible carbon footprint. With its ready-for-market system KHS and Logoplaste Group wish to support the industry’s striving for greater sustainability. Reduced consumption of energy and resources   “Our adhesive technology enables us to cut down on the amount of energy and material used in production and manufacture a container that’s both more stable and visually more appealing than the standard products currently available on the market,” says Sebastian Wenderdel, PET sales business development manager at KHS in Hamburg, Germany. Direct comparison reveals that up to 30% fewer resources are used in the manufacturing process, with 10% in material saved over a clip-in handle. Instead of producing the bottle on an extrusion blow molder as is common, stretch blow molding it is particularly energy-efficient – a not inconsiderable advantage in view of the rising prices for energy and raw materials.   In conjunction with preferential heating KHS provides an extremely precise and reliable piece of plant equipment. This tried-and-tested, energy-efficient heating method permits homogenous distribution of the material during the stretch blow molding process in plastic bottles with an irregular and complex design, thus lowering the number of resources used and boosting bottle stability. Neck alignment with millimeter accuracy as an optional component allows precise product dosing with the help of oriented spout caps. Furthermore, as the new PET bottle does not have any seams – as opposed to those on standard containers made of HDPE or PP – it has proved convincing in rigorous in-house drop tests, claims Wenderdel.   When selecting a suitable adhesive, the design team drew on the years of expertise accumulated by KHS during the Nature MultiPack project. The container provides a further plus when it comes to product marketing. “The transparent PET material makes the product visible,” Wenderdel states. Moreover, customers can have their very own bottle designed with the help of KHS Bottles & Shapes service program.   Moving towards a circular economy With the development of its new PET bottle with a glued-in handle KHS is moving closer towards a circular economy in this regard – and with this system wishes to not only address manufacturers of home care products but also food producers. “We provide a circular container whose bottle body and handle consist of 100% recyclate and are themselves fully recyclable. This is still fairly unusual for containers with an integral grip,” emphasizes Wenderdel. As PET is the plastic with the highest recycling rate worldwide, it is also more readily available on the market than materials such as HDPE or PP. These also have the disadvantage that unlike rPET they are not yet circular. “The growing demand for environmentally-friendly packaging and stricter legal requirements governing the use of recycled plastics are perfectly met by our latest development,” Wenderdel concludes.

SAITEX Draws Business Leaders From Across The Continent

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After a two-year forced hiatus due to Covid lockdowns and restrictions, one of Africa’s most established multi-sector trade shows is back.     In its 28th year, SAITEX is being co-hosted with food and beverage show Africa’s Big 7 and the Halal International Trade Expo at the Gallagher Convention Centre between 19 and 21 June 2022.   “For almost three decades, SAITEX has been bringing buyers and sellers together, but this year feels markedly different, as it has been such a long time since our exhibitors and visitors last engaged in person,” says Portfolio Director of Food, Hospitality and Trade of dmg events Evan Schiff.   “This represents a unique opportunity for industry professionals to reconnect and develop strategic trade partnerships for future intra-Africa growth,” he says.   With leading buyers and suppliers from over 25 countries showcasing their latest products and service innovations across seven exhibitor zones, the expo will also feature a series of technical masterclasses run over three days, aimed at paving the way forward for businesses across the trade and township economy sectors.   According to Schiff, in 2019, over 4,900 industry professionals attended the event, and of these visitors, almost two thirds had senior decision-making roles within their businesses.   In 2022, several interactive workshops and panel discussions will offer a dynamic mix of in-depth learning, development and discussion, led by a range of high-profile trade experts, financial institutes, and entrepreneurs in the sector. The ministerial keynote address will be given by the Honourable Rajeshkumar Indukant Modi, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce in Zimbabwe.   Visitors looking for support on access to SMME finance can attend a dedicated workshop hosted by Banking Association of South Africa on how to mobilise funding for SMMEs, while a fireside chat presented by SHE Trades will focus specifically on assisting female entrepreneurs to unlock new market opportunities.   Technological solutions and IT and software make up a significant percentage of products on exhibit at the show, and there will also be several workshops supported by e-Commerce Forum Africa, centering around the implementation of new digital strategies to protect, manage and grow business in a post-Covid marketplace.   The increasing importance of Africa’s township economy will also be recognised at SAITEX. In a stakeholder engagement session presented by the Gauteng Department of Economic Development, public and private stakeholders will delve into the details of the recently passed Township Economic Development Bill and the Township Economy Partnership Fund, considering its impact on individual businesses and existing commercial activity moving forward.   SAITEX is honoured to have Mpho Parks Tau, Gauteng MEC, Gauteng Department of Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture & Rural Development, Saki Zamxaka, Chief Executive Officer, Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP), Tshokolo Nchocho, Chief Executive Officer, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and Xolile George, Chief Executive Officer, South African Local Government Association (SALGA).*   Schiff says that with an estimated 355 million middleclass consumers, Africa has one the most rapidly growing retail markets in the world, making SAITEX a must-attend event for business owners, entrepreneurs, retailers, wholesalers and distributors from across the continent. “SAITEX provides a unique platform for African importers and exporters to source latest products and services from a global manufacturing base, as well as establish partnerships and complete import and export deals,” he concludes.   Registration for SAITEX is currently open. 

Doing Avocado-Eaters a Solid The World Over, Apeel Introduces Avocado Freshness Scanning System

Today Apeel announced they would unveil new freshness detection technology for avocados this week at the Fresh Produce Association Global Produce & Floral Show.   The system, based on hyperspectral imaging technology, starts by shining a light that penetrates several millimeters below the skin. From there, it utilizes a sensor to measure how much light is reflected in the visible and near-infrared spectrum. Once scanned, the system’s AI predicts the avocado’s freshness and estimates shelf life by utilizing a “global avocado ripeness model” the company developed using machine learning based on “data on tens of thousands of avocados throughout multiple seasons, blooms, and countries of origin.”   The system, which is the evolution of the technology inherited by Apeel when it acquired Impact Vision last year, will be used in both a commercial implementation targeted at grocery retailers and distributors as well as in a scanner useable consumers to check freshness in the produce aisle.   The commercial-grade technology will feature a scanner and an “AI data model for imaging hardware in produce sorters” at packing houses and distribution centers. According to the announcement, the new scanner will detect freshness five times more quickly than traditional methods such as penetrometers (which poke holes in the produce to detect freshness). In addition, the new software will enable more accurate sorting, enabling distributors to target the proper retail channels based on the remaining shelf life.   While all that sounds great and represents a potentially significant advancement that could significantly reduce food waste, I can’t help but be a little more excited for the consumer retail scanner. If you’re like me, no fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) is more frustrating than the avocado; deliciously sublime when perfectly ripe, but hard as a rock if eaten too early and resembling the decaying flesh of a zombie if you’re just a couple of days too late. If this technology works, my days of throwing avocados into the compost bin may soon be coming to an end.   For Apeel, the new product line represents the first significant new product outside of the food tech unicorn’s flagship life-extension technology. According to the company, the technology will initially be limited to avocadoes, but they indicated they are working on extending it to other produce such as limes, mangos, and mandarins.

ILDEX Indonesia 2022 Is Ready To Meet Industry Demand With High Technology For Livestock And Aquaculture Businesses This November!!

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17 October 2022 – Jakarta, Indonesia: Local livestock management is essential work for the many Indonesians who are involved in the livestock trade from production to international trade . Furthermore, local investment in the livestock sub-sector (PMDN) in 2020 increased by 116.91%, while foreign investment  (PMA) also saw a 17.64% increase compared to the previous year.    Indonesia has a huge consumption of red meat, which is a traditional animal food source in Indonesia. The majority of the consumers of these foods are Muslim, which makes beef and chicken the most common meat proteins in Indonesia. Livestock production is increasing to meet the demand of domestic and international consumption. Consequently, importing from other countries and introducing high technology to manage production can be smart solutions to meet this demand. At ILDEX Indonesia 2022, more than 135 companies from 25 countries will showcase their products and services, with over 55% being international companies from Asia, Europe, America, and South America.   This year, ILDEX Indonesia marks the fifth edition of the trade exhibition for the livestock and aquaculture industries in the Indonesia market, neighboring countries, and also the Asia region, and is organized by VNU Asia Pacific and Permata Kreasi Media, the local partner. ILDEX Indonesia is organised to be an international trade exhibition covering many sectors, including pigs, poultry, dairy, eggs, farm management, and meat processing. In addition, top domestic and international companies will be presenting their products to top buyers and industry professionals. Moreover, for over 20 years, the organizer has promoted the Indonesian market as a destination for international investors.    At ILDEX Indonesia 2019, the exhibition attracted 12,200 trade participants from 40 countries during the 3 days of the exhibition, with more than 200 potential local and international buyers. The top five groups of visitors were from poultry, animal health, agribusiness and, agrochemicals, feed mills, and import and export businesses.    At ILDEX Indonesia 2022, our trade visitors will be able to meet new business partners, explore innovations and technology, attend seminars, and connect with livestock experts and leading brands to obtain a better market overview.    ILDEX Indonesia 2022 will be held from 9th - 11th November 2022 at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE), Jakarta, Indonesia. With  strong support from the association and top companies worldwide, the organizers are confident that the exhibition will serve the region’s livestock and aquaculture industry needs.    Exhibition and Conference Highlights   Mr.Supanat Treeratpicharn, Project Manager of ILDEX Indonesia said, “At the 2022 edition, the visitors will meet 135+ leading brands from 30+ countries and three international pavilions representing the Netherlands, Europe  and Aquatica. The exhibitor booths will be international brands (55%) Indonesian brands (35%) and associations, media, government and universities (10%). Maximize your business opportunities in Indonesia by meeting them all in one place. ILDEX Indonesia should be the next destination for your business.”   With 135+ international  brands trade visitors can meet our exhibitors and make pre-meeting appointments via the VIV Connect Application. The top brands that are ready to meet you at ILDEX Indonesia include  Aviagen, Jamesway Chick Master Incubator, Hendrix Genetix, deheus, Evonik, Jefo, DSM, Disseo, Boehringer Igelheim, Chore-Time, Munters, SKOV, Baaader, Marel, Foodmate, Moba, Sanovo and many more. In addition, there will be opportunities to connect with 8,000+ livestock industry professionals from 30+ countries under the same roof in over 4,860 sq. m. of exhibition space.    Apart for the exhibition area, the conference and seminar programs are the the other highlights of ILDEX Indonesia. We will provide 34 sessions with leading professional guest speakers to share their insights, knowledge and know-how, technical presentations on  important topics such as breeding programs, animal health, medical challenges for poultry farmers and veterinarians, tackling antimicrobial resistance and more. The sessions will be conducted in Bahasa [the local language] and English. The technical conference program will be organized by leading companies such as Kubota, Jefo, Progressus, Munters, FCE, Aviagen, HY-LINE, JAPFA, Emtech, Farmsco Feed Indonesia, SKOV, Progressus, USLGE, FAVA-IVMA, Agromed, BEC Feed and FAO.    Ms. Panadda Kongma, Director of Agribusiness and Operations said that “To make the show complete and to meet the expectations of our exhibitors, we will hold a ‘hosted buyer program’ with potential buyers from many countries in Asia. The total number is 40+ buyers, who are 60% local and 40% international. Many top buyers have already confirmed and are ready to visit our show, such as Charoen Pokphand Jaya Farm, Viya Crab Products Co.,Ltd., Ayamas Integrated Poultry Industry S/B, Green Hut Farming Sdn. Bhd., Cargill, PT. Great Giant, PT. Malindo, PT. Gold Coin Indonesia, PT. Sierad Produce, PT. Super Unggas Jaya and more onsite.”   Introducing the VIV CONNECT application by VIV worldwide   Starting with VIV Europe this May, the VIV Worldwide team has introduced a new application for livestock professionals worldwide  ‘VIV CONNECT’, which can be downloaded.  As ILDEX exhibitions are a part of the VIV worldwide show portfolio, all participants of ILDEX Indonesia can create their own digital profile once registration is complete. They can then create their own login password, update their photo and brand information, request business matching in advance, and customize their business appointments before the exhibition. In addition, they can connect with people from around the world and start a personal chat with them without any charge. Participants can also easily explore the exhibition floor plan and exhibition list and check the conference program on their mobile phones.    Save the date: ILDEX Indonesia 2022 opens its doors from 9-11 November 2022 at Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE), Jakarta, Indonesia. The opening hours are from 10:00 to 17:00 hrs. (Day 1-2) and 10:00 to-16:00 hrs. (Day 3)     Avoid the rush at the exhibition and save your time by clicking here >> https://ildex2022.jupinnothai.net/Registration/ChooseTypeRegis.aspx?codeInv=ILD011    Press contact: Communication Team of VNU Asia Pacific, email at [email protected]  Tel.: +662 1116611 Ext. 330-331 | www.vnuasiapacific.com 

Sugar Lab Buys Back Its Tech To Take 3D-printed Foods Mainstream

Original founder raises a sweet round at a $16M valuation, wants another stab at the market   The 3D printing world can print in concrete, plastic, metal and pretty much everything else that starts off gooey and turns solid after a while. That includes a bunch of different types of foods, as Sugar Lab demonstrates. The company was originally acquired by 3D Systems in 2013, but co-founders Kyle von Hasseln and Meagan Bozeman decided to reverse course. Together, they wrestled the company loose again from its corporate overlords and they are having another go at growing it — and the Currant 3D printer the company sells — by themselves.   The genesis for the company was von Hasseln’s sister’s birthday party, and an absence of regular cooking tools. He hacked an old 3D printer to print cupcake decorations, and he’s been on a mission to create unusual cakes and sweets ever since. The company describes what it does as a “digital bakery,” and much of the tech involved is there to make the printers food-safe — not typically a huge consideration for most 3D printing applications.   “I recognized straight away that 3D printing with extruded food paste was too slow and rudimentary for wide adoption in the culinary world. That realization led me to immediately pivot to another 3D printing engine where thin layers of dehydrated food powder are bound layer after layer by water jetted from a printhead — which allows for precise, fast, full-color 3D printing,” says von Hasseln. “That invention, now called the CURRANT 3D Printer, solves the fundamental problem in the 3D-printed food space: mass adoption.”   The new company acquired the 3D printing tech back in May, and now the race is on to raise more money and bring the products to market.   The company claims its printers are able to 3D-print complex foods in full color, with the ability to scale the production for large batches of tasty treats. The pritners can print a number of ingredients, including dehydrated fruits, vegetables, spices and plant proteins. The result is that the company has what appears to be the only NSF-certified commercial-scale 3D food printing solution.   “It may seem trivial, but our success is predicated on a simple design theory that every chef knows by heart — beautiful food is enticing, fun and engaging. And our 3D printer is best-in-class at creating beautiful food because we leverage all the promise of 3D design and 3D printing — color, precision and speed,” says von Hassln. “I am personally driven to make this new technology accessible to chefs everywhere. Chefs are artists at heart, and more than anyone they understand that well-designed food can create a completely new culinary experience.”   The company raised $5 million, most recently at a $16 million post-money valuation. The money is being used to take back full ownership of the tech and company, and spin up operations.   our investor group, to found our company and quickly became the largest purchaser of the 3D printing technology. When an opportunity to acquire the tech arose this year, we went back to our investor network, which was hugely supportive, and raised capital to wholly acquire the CURRANT 3D Printer platform,” explains Meagan Bozeman, COO at Currant 3D and Sugar Lab. “We’re extremely proud and grateful that the technology is back in the hands of its original inventors and champions. This has put us in complete control of our future; we’re 3D printing food faster than ever, expanding into a much larger commercial kitchen where we will manage a 20+ printer fleet for this next rapid growth chapter, and enabling others to build their own 3D production kitchens through the purchase of our printers and supplies.”   The company says its ultimate goal is to take 3D-printed food from novelty to “indispensable ubiquity”. That doesn’t mean replacing how existing, well-loved foods are made, but to give chefs new powers to experiment and make new types of food.   “Adoption of digital design and 3D printing is critically important for a more sustainable and secure food future,” claims von Hasseln. “If you can download a new 3D design into a regional 3D printing kitchen, and 3D-print onsite with local labor and ingredients, you can cut deeply into the inefficiencies of legacy food production that rely on trucking ingredients all over the country — both to and from factories.”

The Tech Helping To Bring You Your Morning Coffee

For an estimated one billion people around the world drinking coffee is a daily regime. Yet what many coffee lovers might not know is that they are often drinking a brew made, at least in part, from Brazilian beans.   "Brazilian beans have popular characteristics, and are known for their body and sweetness," says Christiano Borges, boss of the country's largest grower, Ipanema Coffees.   "Therefore, many coffee blends in the world use our coffee as a base."   Brazil is far and away the world's largest grower of coffee beans. It accounts for more than one third of all global supplies, or 37% in 2020, to be exact. In second place is Vietnam with 17% of supplies.   Some 70% of Brazil's coffee plants are the highly-priced arabica species, used in fresh coffee. The remaining 30% are robusta, which is used primarily for instant coffee.   The problem for Brazil, and world coffee supplies in general, is that last year the country's annual crop plummeted by almost a quarter due to a drought across its main coffee growing region, which centres on the south-eastern states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Paraná.   The knock-on affect has been a global reduction in coffee beans supplies, and a subsequent doubling in wholesale prices since this time last year.   To try to alleviate any future falls in production, Brazil's largest coffee producers are increasingly turning towards technology to help them successfully grow and process the best possible crop, both in terms of size and quality.   One such firm, Okuyama, says it is now investing at least 10% of its revenues in technology. Based in Minas Gerais, it has coffee plantations covering 1,100 hectares (2,718 acres).   Its staff use a computer app called Cropwise Protector, which is made by Swiss-Chinese agricultural tech firm, Syngenta.   Linked to ground sensors and satellite imagery, the tool gives the farm workers a visual analysis of the farm, or plantation, on a tablet device or laptop.   They can then quickly apply such things as drip-irrigation, or pest-control, to a very specific area that might need it, rather than a whole field or the entire farm.   The idea is that this far more targeted approach is far faster, and kinder on the environment.   "Every year there is a new challenge, and these technologies help us to overcome those barriers," says Bruno Hiroiti, coffee beans manager at Okuyama.   "We have also invested in technologies for the coffee drying process, where we can monitor the temperature, which is defined by the type of coffee we are drying."   Okuyama dries some of its coffee beans in drum heaters after harvesting, to prevent them from spoiling while they are stored ahead of being roasted. Getting the temperature and timing correct is essential to avoid wastage, both in terms of the beans and the energy used to power the heaters.   At Ipanema Coffees, which has 4,300 hectares of plantations across three sites in Minas Gerais, Mr Borges says it has also very much gone down the tech route in recent years.   "We have made a huge investment on semi-automated irrigation, where the system measures the water deficit and weather conditions - giving us recommendations for each area."   He adds that the investments are helping the firm to reduce the impact of climate change. "We have climate problems such as droughts, and global temperature increases.   "The irrigation system has helped us to improve our productivity... and it has become a climate insurance for us."   Ipanema says it also has trackers on all its tractors to measure productivity, and is another user of Cropwise Protector. "It helps us monitor agricultural pests, by only using a tablet," says Gustavo Michalski, the firm's agricultural coordinator.   "It allows us to manage the problem and make more assertive decisions, and more sustainable ones, as we can monitor the indicators that give us the location and intensity [of a particular problem] in each areas."   After its beans are harvested, Ipanema has, for a number of years, been using automated selection machines, which only pick the ripe ones, which are yellow and red.   "We set the machine by programming the colours we need," says Rodrigo Ferreira, the firm's industrial director. "Once we put the beans in the conveyor belt the beans that are not the colour we defined will be expelled by a compressed air jet."   Flora Viana, global marketing manager for digital agriculture at Syngenta, says that Brazil's coffee producers can "no longer increase their productivity just by buying more land".   "We are reaching the limit of areas available," she adds, "producers need to instead optimise their production process."   Yet, Mr Borges adds that the technology is reliant upon having trained staff. "It is pointless to have great tool if we don't have a team motivated and prepared for them."   He adds that Ipanema has 800 employees, and often they go to college for training.   However, this increased use of technology is not universal across Brazil's coffee producers.   While it has been adopted by the big players in industry, such as Ipanema and Okuyama, the myriad of small producers that produce 66% of the country's crop are lagging behind.   But the hope is that the roll out of 5G mobile phone networks will improve internet connections in rural areas, making technology such as Cropwise Protector more prevalent.

PLASTPOL - A truly international event that brings together 
the whole industry

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PLASTPOL Expo is Eastern Europe's leader among the plastics processing industry events. This show is a must-see expo, a permanent fixture in the calendar of many national and global concerns. 2023's expo will be no different;    2022's PLASTPOL turned out to be an essential enabler for new supply and sales chains within the plastics processing sector. This expo mission has been proven by a successful visit of Qatar and Angola, representatives. They were looking for new investors at the Kielce exhibition and congress centre. Foreign missions were prospering for companies from Poland but also from other European countries. The trade fair hosted almost 400 companies from 26 countries around the world, which used nearly 10 thousand square metres as the exhibition space.    We know from the exhibitors' feedback that they were genuinely satisfied with the business talks at during the previous expo. The appetite for the subsequent industry trade shows is still growing. We have observed an increased interest in face-to-face meetings in our centre since the beginning of 2022 - says Andrzej Mochoń, president of Targi Kielce SA   Germany, Italy and many more countries join PLASTPOL   PLASTPOL is marked by a strong presence of companies and institutions representing important economic centres,  - German, Austrian and Swiss companies have perceived PLASTPOL as the place to prosper for important customers, new markets and key business contacts. Targi Kielce hosts, to name a few,  ENGEL, ARBURG, KRAUSS-MAFFEI BATTENFELD- WITTMANN, EREMA, MEUSBURGER and EVONIK INDUSTRIES, to name just a few firms. Italy also enjoyed a strong representation; the expo halls were the showcase for  MORETTO, MEPOL, CONFINDUSTRIA POLONIA and AMBRA POLYMERS.    The power of Targi Kielce's meetings    The events staged in the Kielce expo's exhibition space have enjoyed long-term traditions. Not only are we accustomed to the rich and diversified thematic offer and the possibility of expanding business contacts. This also as the place to acquire specialist knowledge. The same is true for PLASTPOL; every year, the show is accompanied by a series of specialist conferences, seminars and meetings which feature the processing sector's experts. The three-day expo is the best place to gain knowledge, which is sometimes difficult to find, even at universities. The meetings pertain to the economic aspect of the industry and specific technological solutions.   PLASTPOL at the K Expo   The PLASTPOL representation will also mark their presence at the K show. We invite you to visit our expo stand (Hall EN1, Booth 08), where we share all the information about our event participation.   The Targi Kielce's 28th International Fair of Plastics and Rubber Processing PLASTPOL is held in Targi Kielce from 23 to 26 May 2023.

The firms making flour from mushrooms and cauliflower

When Michelle Ruiz's mum was diagnosed with pre-diabetes in 2020, the Chicago-based chemical engineer set out to improve not just her own family's health but everyone's.   "Foods containing refined carbs [like white flour] are leading drivers of chronic illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease," says Ms Ruiz.   But flour, she says, is culturally ingrained in our lives.   "I wanted to help people enjoy food culture - and still live long and healthy lives."   In 2021, she co-founded Hyfé Foods. Hyfé uses the root network of mushrooms, called mycelium, to make an alternative to wheat flour.   "In addition to the neutral taste, mycelium is high-protein, high-fibre, gluten-free and low carb," says Ms Ruiz.   Producing mycelium, however, is water-intensive and expensive because of the sugars needed to feed the fungi.   To address this, Hyfé uses waste sugar water from food manufacturing.   "Our goal is to scale our technology so that we can achieve price parity, which is why we use upcycled sugar water," says Ms Ruiz. "Up to half of the cost of fermentation can be attributed to sugar, so upcycling can make a meaningful difference to the cost of production."   Affordable alternatives to wheat are gaining attention, particularly after a year of disruption to the grain market.   The war in Ukraine has highlighted our dependence on the wheat harvests that flow from the region.   Russia and Ukraine together account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies. The war has disrupted that flow of food. In July this year, wheat prices were almost 25% higher than in July 2021.   Record high food prices have triggered a global hunger crisis of unprecedented proportions.   According to the World Food Programme, the number of people facing acute food insecurity has more than doubled in just two years, from 135 million in 53 countries to 345 million in 82 countries today.   On top of that, we are starting to see the impact of climate change. Crops are suffering under the effects of extreme weather.   A 2021 report from Chatham House warns that unless we drastically reduce global emissions, by 2050 staple crop yields could decline by nearly a third.   Harvard University scientists say even if we do manage to limit global warming to 2C, as set out by the Paris Agreement, 60% of the world's wheat production will be under threat by the end of the century.   "Even before Ukraine, we had a broken system," says Shailaja Fennell, development economist at Cambridge University and founding member of the Forgotten Crops Society.   "While we produced more than enough food, the cost of that food to the environment is already a major concern."   Prof Fennell warns that monoculture farming - growing one crop species in a field at a time - is not sustainable.   "[Monoculture crops] are much more susceptible to climate shocks, diseases and drought. Having a more diversified agriculture is the way forward."   To combat food insecurity some countries, including China and Egypt, are ramping up domestic wheat production. Wheat is even being planted in the Egyptian desert.   Instead of trying to grow more wheat, Prof Fennell suggests we look to other cereals, ones that have been forgotten by the global supply chain.   "There is a whole group of cereals called millets - small-seeded grasses similar to oats and barley - that are more hardy, use less water and are gluten-free," she says.   Such alternatives, says Prof Fennell, can have nutritional benefits over wheat and would be of huge interest to the pasta industry.   Pasta is a staple food for millions of people worldwide. It is easy to store when dried, simple to prepare and economical.   According to the International Pasta Organisation almost 17 million tonnes of pasta was produced in 2021 - more than double the amount produced 20 years ago.   Durum wheat, from which pasta is typically made, is high yielding and provides about 20% of all calories consumed by humans. In fact, about two-thirds of our daily calories come from just three crops - wheat, rice and maize.   By 2050, the global population is predicted to rise to nearly 10 billion, putting extreme strain on our planet's resources.   So since there are about 50,000 edible plant species, perhaps it is time to explore our options.   In London's Covent Garden families, friends and lovers dine on pasta under dimmed lights, while Italian classical music plays in the background. But this is not a standard Italian restaurant, and it does not just sell standard pasta.   In 2017, Alberto Cartasegna opened his first restaurant, Miscusi, in Milan. He wanted to offer authentic Italian pasta, while having a positive impact on the planet.   Five years later and Miscusi now has 15 restaurants in Italy and two in the UK, and has launched its "M7 pasta" - a blend of four grains and three legumes - in a bid to promote biodiversity.   "Biodiversity is killed when we approach agriculture with conventional methods like monocropping," says Mr Cartasegna.   "M7 is made of seven different types of grains and legumes, giving our pasta a unique flavour, texture and colour. It's rich in plant-based proteins thanks to the three legumes. All the cereals are organic and wholegrain, keeping fibres and micronutrients to the max.   "I strongly believe we must change the global diet to save ourselves."   Los Angeles mother-of-two Gail Becker has also been promoting wheat alternatives.   She became frustrated when she could not find healthy alternatives for her sons, who both suffer from coeliac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by eating foods containing gluten.   "I tried desperately to find nutritious, gluten-free options that weren't filled with fat, sugar, salt and calories," says Ms Becker. "I stumbled upon recipes for cauliflower crust pizza.   "My creation tasted fine, but it looked awful, my kitchen was a disaster and I had spent 90 minutes I didn't have, as a mum with a full-time job, making a pizza crust! I realised I probably wasn't alone. So I left my job to strike out on my own and create Caulipower."   Caulipower, established in 2016, has since expanded beyond pizza crusts to offer frozen cauliflower pastas. Its products can now be found in more than 25,000 stores across the US.   "Consumers want nutritional food," says Ms Becker. "They no longer expect to have to choose between taste and health, and frankly they shouldn't have to."   Back in Chicago, Hyfé is busy cultivating mycelium and turning it into carbon-neutral, healthy, affordable pasta.   "We're creating a new staple crop," says Ms Ruiz. "One that can be grown nearly anywhere in the world, giving countries increased food sovereignty, and employing circular technology for a more resilient food system.   "Our pasta is not just better for you, it's better for the planet."