Future of Foods Interviews - Alt Proteins, Cell Agriculture, an End to Factory Farming.

The latest Future of Foods Interview features Eric Schulze, who discusses his diverse career path from working at the FDA to joining Upside Foods and founding his new venture, Good Human. Good Human merges biotech consultancy with public policy, helping companies integrate scientific management with regulatory demands. Eric highlights his motivations for transitioning into food entrepreneurship, which were shaped by his experience at the FDA, where he observed the challenges of regulation on innovative companies. He recounts his role in obtaining FDA approval for cultivated meat at Upside Foods in a record-breaking 11 months, discusses the broader regulatory environment, and emphasizes the importance of public policy in emerging biotech industries. The conversation delves into industry challenges, including the need for more regulatory staff, and the economic pressures faced by startups. Schulze advocates for improved communication and regulatory strategies, drawing from his own experiences at Upside Foods. He also stresses the importance of comprehensive safety dossiers and the significant role of alternative proteins in addressing global food demand.

Dr. Max Jamilly, CEO and co-founder of Hoxton Farms, outlines his background in cell biology and venture capital and explains the journey to founding Hoxton Farms in 2020. Hoxton Farms specializes in producing cultivated fat for the B2B food industry, offering a scalable and nutritious alternative to traditional animal fats. Dr. Jamilly provides insights into the company's successful fundraising efforts, having raised $35 million to date, and the strategic choice to build a production facility in Shoreditch, London. Discussing the company's mission to become the world's largest supplier of healthy fats, Dr. Jamilly explains the technical and market advantages Hoxton Farms possesses, including proprietary bioreactors and a focus on B2B sales. Regulatory approval is currently in progress, with expectations to market their products by 2027. The interview also touches on industry challenges and opportunities, future growth prospects, and the broader impact of cultivated fats on the food industry.

Jeff Tripician is a seasoned leader in the meat industry, now driving innovation as CEO of Meatable, a company making cultivated meat in the Netherlands. With decades of experience in traditional meat production and sustainable agriculture, Tripician understands both the opportunities and challenges facing the $2 trillion global meat industry and the opportunities for cultivated meat to take the weight off.Climate change has placed an urgent spotlight on food production, with conventional meat responsible for nearly 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As the world’s population grows, demand for meat is expected to rise by 70% by 2050, yet our current system is unsustainable. Tripician sees cultivated meat—real meat grown from animal cells without raising or slaughtering livestock—as the most viable solution. “I think cultivated meat is the only solution on the table,” he says, emphasizing that reducing emissions while meeting global demand requires a fundamental shift.Before joining Meatable, Tripician built a legacy in sustainable and premium meat production, leading brands like Perdue’s Niman Ranch to prominence. His deep understanding of consumer preferences, supply chains, and industry economics makes him a key advocate for cultivated meat as a way to future-proof the protein industry.Under his leadership, Meatable is developing pork and beef products with the same taste and texture as traditional meat, but with a fraction of the environmental footprint. As governments and companies seek climate-friendly food solutions, Tripician’s expertise and Meatable’s technology could be instrumental in transforming how the world produces and consumes meat.

Daisy Lab is a New Zealand-based food tech startup making animal-free dairy proteins through precision fermentation. Founded in 2021, the company produces whey and casein without cows, tackling the environmental impact of traditional dairy farming.Cofounder and CEO Irina Miller talks to Future of Foods Interviews. Daisy Lab has made good progress secured NZD $1.5 million in 2023 seed funding to scale microbial whey protein production. By early 2024, the company successfully produced whey proteins in 10-liter fermenters, moving toward commercial viability.A major breakthrough came in mid-2024 when New Zealand's Environmental Protection Authority approved a 500-fold production scale-up, paving the way for a 1,000-liter pilot plant. Daisy Lab’s precision fermentation uses genetically modified yeast to produce dairy-identical proteins, offering a sustainable alternative with up to 96% lower carbon emissions and 92% less land use than conventional dairy.Listen now to find out more. LIke, comment, and share.

In this episode of Future of Foods Interviews, I talk to Helder Cruz, Chief Scientific Officer of Meatly, a company at the forefront of the cultivated pet food revolution. Meatly is making history by producing cultivated chicken pet food with zero animal involvement, offering a completely slaughter-free, ethical, and sustainable alternative to traditional meat-based pet food. It’s on sale now in the UK. Meatly is scaling up production and expects to reach price parity with conventional chicken within the next 12 months—a milestone that could transform the cultivated meat industry. Their innovative approach doesn’t just promise to reduce the environmental impact of meat production but also ensures a safer, cleaner product free from antibiotics and factory farming concerns.Helder Cruz has been a pioneer in making cultivated meat a reality, working at the cutting edge of biotechnology to turn a once-futuristic idea into an accessible, real-world product. In this conversation, we explore the science behind Meatly’s cultivated chicken, the challenges of scaling up, and what the future holds for lab-grown pet food.

Dominik Grabinski is CEO and Founder of AI Bobby, a Paris-based startup using generative AI to revolutionize alternative proteins through precision fermentation techniques. AI Bobby is tackling some of the biggest challenges in food innovation—enhancing functionality, accelerating development, and reducing costs—all while driving sustainability in the industry. How is AI is shaping the future of food and what does this means for the alternative protein landscape? Dominik thinks AI will make our dreams come true but first we must get used to sharing data.

In this episode of Future of Foods, Alex talks to Andy Shovel, the co-founder of THIS, the plant-based brand that aims to make meat alternatives so realistic you need reminding that it's not the real thing. The 'THIS isn't...' range were responsible for making plant based foods more mainstream. But Andy’s not just shaking up the food industry—he’s now turning his attention to something weirder. His latest venture, A Bit Weird, takes a bold look at the bizarre contradictions in how we treat animals. From gassing pigs while cuddling dogs to culling male chicks by the billions, Andy’s mission is to make us rethink what we consider normal.

In this special 50th episode of Future of Foods Interviews, host Alex Crisp meets Didier Toubia, co-founder and CEO of Aleph Farms, to discuss their latest successes and some challenges of bringing cultivated beef to the world - one country at a time and all at once.in 2024 Aleph Farms secured the world's first regulatory approval for cultivated beef steaks - in Israel, paving the way for their flagship product, Aleph Cuts. 2025 is likely to see further permission given, but the country is your guess - will it be Switzerland, Singapore, UK or Thailand?Aleph has its sights set on Southeast Asia with a new production facility in Thailand in partnership with BBGI and Fermbox Bio. As part of this expansion, they’ve submitted an application for regulatory approval in Thailand, aiming for a market debut by 2026. Didier reflects on the company's journey, highlighting the need for transparent communication, realistic timelines, and sustainable production practices as cultivated meat edges closer to commercialization.Didier shares insights into navigating complex regulatory landscapes, costs involved, getting money in a complex financial era, and balancing innovation with market readiness.

Bon Vivant is a French company reshaping the future of dairy with cutting-edge biotechnology. Focused on creating animal-free dairy proteins, Bon Vivant combines tradition and innovation to deliver sustainable, high-quality alternatives that replicate the taste, texture, and nutritional value of conventional dairy without the environmental impact or ethical concerns.CEO and cofounder Stéphane MacMillan speaks to Future of Foods' Alex Crisp about it's global movement toward sustainable food production. The company’s proprietary fermentation technology produces proteins such as casein and whey—essential components of dairy—using precision fermentation instead of animals. This approach not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also addresses the growing global demand for eco-friendly food solutions.“Bon Vivant is committed to preserving the planet while honoring the culinary excellence that France is renowned for,” says MacMillan. “Our goal is to redefine dairy without compromise, ensuring a delicious and sustainable future for all.”

Dr. Jeremy Agresti joins Alex Crisp on Future of Foods Interviews to discuss how Triplebar’s technology is transforming the production of alternative proteins and revolutionizing the food industry.Combining AI, microfluidics, and synthetic biology, Agresti, CTO and Founder of Triplebar, is redefining biotechnology with the company's "virtual lab" technology. The platform accelerates the evolution of microbes to develop sustainable solutions in food, healthcare, and alternative proteins.Triplebar’s technology uses AI to design and test biological systems at unprecedented speed and scale, revolutionizing how we create alternative proteins and other critical innovations. This approach allows for rapid iteration and discovery, bringing new sustainable products to market faster than ever.