NotCo and Umiami win Food-Tech innovation challenges

Plant-based start-ups Umiami and NotCo were announced as the winners of the Future Food-Tech’s Innovation Challenges during the Alternative Protein virtual summit in June.

Future Food-Tech partners Quorn Foods and Roquette each set a challenge and entrepreneurs were asked to develop an innovative solution for two critical issues facing the plant-based sector.

The Quorn Foods challenge

The Quorn Foods challenge — Technologies helping to achieve a whole muscle food experience — looked for companies to use technology to create realistic whole muscle shapes, textures and flavours using mycoprotein or other sustainable, natural ingredients. The products could be cooked in a range of ways such as in casseroles, grilled or roasted, or could be eaten as a chilled, deli-style product.

Umiami won the challenge for its proprietary technology that texturises plant proteins. The company’s own extrusion technology is designed to master both the thickness and the direction of the meat-like fibres in thick whole-cut-like products, using plant-based ingredients.

“We saw a fantastic array of entries for the Quorn Innovation Challenge and getting to a short list certainly wasn’t easy,” said Simone Sheehan, Quorn Foods Head of Consumer and Sensory Science.

“Umiami’s idea stood out due to their focus on technical solutions that address the key consumer-innovation challenges around whole cuts.”

The Roquette challenge

The Roquette Challenge — Plant-based products offering new gastronomic experiences to the consumer — was for a company to set new tastes and textures using plant-based ingredients. Categories included savoury, plant-based meat, plant-based dairy, plant-based drinks, plant-based nutrition and plant-based bakery.

NotCo won this challenge for its use of AI technology, machine learning and science to replicate animal products in plant-based forms.

“NotCo demonstrated its strong understanding of consumers’ expectations, combined with an innovative technology to unlock the potential of nature,” said Jeremy Burks, Executive Vice President at Roquette.

Both winners will work with the sponsors of their prospective challenge to develop further innovation within the plant-based protein space.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Moving Moment