From lab-grown cheese to 3D-printed steaks, innovative food and beverage startups are building momentum across the industry. But what are the top five start-ups we should be keeping our eye on in 2021? 

1. Bevo

Based in Slovenia, Bevo is an R&D food tech company developing a process to “transform any plant-based protein powder into a muscle-like fibrous structure”.  The company’s first product was Altburger; a plant-based burger which is available in Interspar stores in Slovenia. Currently, Bevo can produce beef, pork and chicken-like steaks. With ever-increasing demand for plant-based manufacturers to create the texture and mouthfeel of real meats, Bevo are predicted to experience strong growth in 2021. 

2. Tait Labs

Founded in 2011, Tait Laboratories is a natural product company who are working to modernise traditional natural medicines using scientific research and clean extraction technology. Tait Labs state that they “strive to develop the best natural health products and ingredients which serve both the health of the individual and of the planet”. And what’s unique is that their sustainable food and pharmaceutical ingredients using upcycled agri-food waste, including items such as orange peels. “We are ready to share our vision of how it tackles the two massive problems of food waste and chronic disease,” says Andrew Tait, CEO of Tait Labs.

3. Apeel Sciences

Another exciting food tech innovator are Apeel, a Santa Barbara based company who are tackling the pre-sale side of the food supply chain, by making food more sustainable. More specifically, Apeel Sciences focus on the development of an innovative plant-based powder that, when mixed with water, creates a tasteless, edible coating over produce, and can extend the shelf life of lemons and avocados, amongst other products.  According to Tech Crunch, “a single run of Apeel’s system can treat 10,000 kilograms of food in an hour, Rogers said. So far this year, Apeel is on track to treat 20 million pieces of fruit with its coatings”. With food waste at the top of the industry’s agenda, this innovation by Apeel is certainly exciting. As many F&B companies also look to food and beverage Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software as one of the best ways to curb food waste and improve overall efficiency. ERP software improves supply chain management — aligning production, storage and demand for all products. 

4. TraceTrust 

The global CBD oil and CBD consumer health market size is expected to reach $123.2 billion by 2027. So all eyes will be falling on companies such as TraceTrust in 2021. TraceTrust doesn’t create CBD products, instead it provides a certification program for cannabis goods. They describe themselves as “the first independent certification programs for dose accuracy and transparency for cannabis and hemp-derived products”. 

5. Protera

Founded in 2018, Protera is a biotech startup worth noticing. Via a process called ‘Natural Intelligence’ the company works to leverage artificial intelligence and deep learning technology to craft functional proteins. Their proprietary deep learning platform, ‘MADI’, uses an algorithm to predict protein functions. This ‘protein design engine’ is behind a number of Protera’s innovative products, which range from shelf stable and anti-fungal ingredients, to high-melting plant-based point oils.

If your innovative food and beverage company is looking to scale and grow via ERP solutions, traceability and demand planing software in 2021, get in touch with Cashmere today.