Verley founders Hélène Briand and Stéphane Mac Millan

Verley founders Hélène Briand and Stéphane Mac Millan, image supplied

Fermentation

Bon Vivant Rebrands to Verley, Unveils “World’s First” Functional Precision Fermentation Dairy Proteins

French precision fermentation company Bon Vivant has announced that it is rebranding to Verley and launching a new portfolio of functionalized dairy proteins said to be the first of their kind. The new name reflects the company’s international ambitions and strong connection to France, especially the Lyon region where many villages end in -ey. Verley aims to honor the dairy traditions and craftsmanship of these villages while pioneering a more …

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microbial protein Formo cheese gratin

© Formo

Fermentation

GFI and Accenture Release Precision Fermentation Consumer Research Across Five Markets

A recent study by the Good Food Institute (GFI), conducted in collaboration with Accenture, has examined consumer attitudes and preferences toward precision fermentation (PF) products in five key markets: France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The research explores how consumers perceive PF-produced dairy and egg ingredients, offering insights into effective communication strategies for this emerging food technology. Precision fermentation and its applications Precision fermentation uses microorganisms, …

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Standing Ovation partners with Ajinomoto Foods Europe

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Fermentation

Standing Ovation Partners With Ajinomoto Foods Europe to Produce Animal-Free Caseins at Scale

Standing Ovation, a French biotech company specialising in precision fermentation applied to dairy proteins, has announced a long-term strategic partnership with Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE). AFE is an affiliate of Japan’s Ajinomoto Group with over 50 years of expertise in industrial fermentation. The goal of the partnership is to produce animal-free caseins at AFE’s biomanufacturing plant in Nesle, France. Standing Ovation has developed an animal-free casein powder called Advanced Casein® …

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Cultivated leather tissues under the microscope.

© Faircraft

Materials

French Cultivated Leather Startup Faircraft Secures €15M to Meet Demand for Ethical Materials

France’s Faircraft, a cultivated leather startup based in Paris, announces it has raised €15 million to expand its team and scale up operations to meet the increasing demand for sustainable materials. Faircraft was founded in 2021 by CEO Haïkel Balti, an engineer in materials science, and biochemist César Valencia Gallardo. Leveraging cell biology and unique tissue engineering techniques, they aim to offer a new class of materials with a lower …

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Bon Vivant cow

© Bon Vivant

Company News

Bon Vivant Presents “Europe’s First” Peer Reviewed Life Cycle Analysis for Precision Fermentation Sector

Bon Vivant, a French producer of milk proteins through precision fermentation, has conducted what it claims to be the first peer-reviewed life cycle analysis in Europe for its precision fermentation products. Conducted by Lorie Hamelin, an independent expert from INRAE, the objective of the LCA was to determine the environmental impact of the milk proteins produced by Bon Vivant in comparison to conventional milk proteins. The company, which raised €15 million …

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AMSilk new partnership

© AMSilk

Materials

AMSilk and Ajinomoto Join Forces to Advance Bio-Based Silk Proteins for High-Performance, Biodegradable Textiles

German biotech company AMSilk GmbH has entered into a long-term partnership with Ajinomoto Foods Europe, an affiliate of the Ajinomoto Group, to manufacture biobased silk proteins at large scale for biodegradable textiles. The collaboration will leverage Ajinomoto’s extensive industrial expertise in precision fermentation and its strategically located site in Nesle, France. The facility is close to AMSilk’s key customers in the premium textiles and consumer goods industries. Additionally, it uses local raw …

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Vital Meat's cultivated chicken with rice

Image courtesy of Vital Meat

Company News

Singapore Tasting of Cultivated Chicken Marks Milestone in Vital Meat’s Path to Approval

Vital Meat, a cultivated meat startup based in Nantes, France, held the first tasting event for its flagship ingredient, Vital Chicken, in Singapore last week in partnership with Hue Restaurant. The exclusive tasting gathered 30 people, including investors, industry players, Singapore officials, French community representatives, and cultivated meat industry leaders, according to the announcement. Chef Jun Hao, a renowned chef blending traditional Thai flavors with modern twists, designed dishes to …

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Brie cheese i a wooden board by Standing Ovation

© Standing Ovation

Investments & Finance

Standing Ovation Raises €3.75M for Fermented Casein, Eyes 2025 USA Launch with New CEO

French biotech Standing Ovation, which specializes in precision-fermented casein for animal-free dairy, announces it has raised €3.75 million in Series A+ funding. The funds will accelerate the company’s growth and the distribution and sales of its flagship protein ingredient — Advanced Casein — in the USA in 2025. This new capital adds to the €12 million secured in the original round, led by Astanor Ventures in 2022. Peakbridge, Seventure, Good Startup, …

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MAASH announces it has acquired a site in France to launch the first mycoprotein factory in the country.

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Company News

MAASH to Launch First Mycoprotein Factory in France Following Metex NOOVISTA Acquisition

Belgian biotechnology startup MAASH announces it has acquired the French biotech Metex NOOVISTA to launch what it claims will be France’s first mycoprotein factory and its first European production plant. Metex NOOVISTA, a METEX Group subsidiary, specializes in fermented functional ingredients. Its factory is in Carling, on the Chemesis industrial platform in Saint-Avold, at the heart of the Grand Est region and the Moselle Department. Under the expertise of CEO …

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Michelin, Danone et al to open precision fermentation plant in France

© Michelin

Fermentation

Danone to Open Precision Fermentation Center ‘Biotech Open Platform’ in France with Strategic Players

French dairy giant Danone, engineered materials group Michelin, the US startup DMC Biotechnologies, and Crédit Agricole Centre France have partnered to create the Biotech Open Platform. The new center will focus on precision fermentation, a technology pivotal for innovation in agri-food and materials with the potential to address the need for sustainable alternatives to animal and fossil-based products, according to the announcement. Located in the commune of Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne, at the …

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