Category: Food & Beverage

This is the latest in a series of awards the Israeli whiskey has received.

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-736133

Israeli whiskey company Milk & Honey (M&H) has been awarded the title of ‘world’s best single malt’ by The World Drinks Awards.

The World Drinks Awards described the drink as having “Fruity aromas of citrus zest and white peach with a dash of wood varnish. Sweet to the taste with a weighty mouthfeel, this whisky has flavours of golden syrup, vanilla, tropical fruit and iced tea, before a finish of oak tannins with hints of anise and lemon peel.” 

Despite misconceptions that the whiskey should be from a single barrel, single malt whisky is a whisky that is produced by a single distillery, according to Kilchoman distillery.

“To be considered a single malt scotch, the whisky must be distilled from a mash bill of 100 percent malted barley at one distillery and aged for a minimum of three years in wooden casks” according to Liquor.com  

Milk & Honey distillery 

M&H was founded in 2013 by Gal Kalkstein and became the first Whiskey distillery in Israel. All the products the distillery produces are kosher.

The Tel Aviv-based distillery has declared that the Israeli climate is the secret to its success. 

“Israel’s 300 sunny days in an average year and the Mediterranean climate are our greatest advantage. Hot climate maturation means that our whisky ages rapidly, yet significantly gracefully. Whisky made in warmer weather takes on specific terroir which yields unique flavors that somewhat differ from their Old-World counterparts. Our methods, technique and equipment carry on centuries-old knowledge and we keep the tradition of minimum three years of aging,” the M&H website states.

This is not the distillery’s first award, they received eight awards for their quality whiskey in the World Whiskies Awards. The company won a number of titles under the “Rest of the World” category. They achieved the status of “Craft Producer of the Year,” “Brand Innovator of the Year,” and “Master Distiller of the Year.”

Additionally, M&H won the APEX Dead Sea at the Frankfurt International Trophy 2022, as well as two gold medals at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for the Elements Sherry and Elements Peated. 

The whiskey is sold in 40 countries worldwide. Including Australia! Please get in touch: email us for a tasting session or to find stockists.

 

ChickP, the Israeli food tech company specializing in chickpea protein, has introduced protein isolates customized for dairy-free ice cream. The company claims to have developed a creamy plant-based ice cream prototype that offers the full sensory experience of dairy. 

“Our ChickP Isolate answers consumers’ growing demand for vegan products with a dairy-like experience”  

ChickP states that its protein isolates will help manufacturers overcome the challenges of texture, flavour, and use of additives when making dairy-free ice cream. The development follows the successful use of the company’s isolates in creating a nutritious chickpea-based creamer for cappuccino and an egg replacement for vegan mayonnaise.

Creating dairy-free ice cream

The plant-based ice cream prototype was developed in collaboration with VANIGLIA, a premium international ice cream chain headquartered in Israel that uses 100% natural ingredients without artificial colors or preservatives. 

According to ChickP, creating dairy-free ice cream is highly challenging. The company’s neutral-tasting protein isolates provide essential functionalities such as emulsion stability, icing prevention, and an ideal melting profile, which are key parameters for maintaining the shelf life of frozen foods. The protein also provides exceptional whipping capabilities and has a neutral taste. 

Cleaner label 

ChickP’s protein isolate performs as an emulsifier and stabilizer, allowing manufacturers to develop cleaner-label plant-based ice cream without using guar gum, cellulose, derivatives, or modified starches. It can also be used for other applications in the non-dairy category, such as cheeses and yogurts. 

“Our protein has an important role in stabilizing the ice cream and creating the desired smooth texture,” explained Maor Dahan, application manager for ChickP. “During development, we removed various stabilizers one by one and, surprisingly, it did not affect the product’s shelf life, and it even improved the scoopability of the product. This allows a shorter, cleaner ingredient list.”

“Our ChickP Isolate ingredient answers consumers’ growing demand for vegan products with a dairy-like experience,” said Liat Lachish Levy, CEO of ChickP. “There are not many choices for plant-based ice creams with the true creamy texture of dairy ice cream.”

https://vegconomist.com/food-and-beverage/ingredients/chickp-plant-based-ice-cream-prototype/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io&utm_campaign=newsletter

Israeli bio-foodtech company Wilk has developed what it claims is the first ever hybrid yogurt containing cultivated milk fats.

The yogurt is said to have the same taste, texture, and nutritional profile as dairy yogurt. According to Wilk, milk fats significantly impact the properties of dairy products, meaning that cultivated fat could revolutionise the development of animal-free alternatives.

“[This] signifies a major breakthrough in demonstrating our ability to produce functional cell-cultured milk components”

Wilk says the new yogurt will serve as a concept product, helping to validate the company’s technology and future capabilities. It will also support Wilk’s efforts to develop cultivated human breast milk fat for use in infant formula, potentially replacing the vegetable fats currently used.

Coco-Cola funding

Last year, Wilk secured $2 million in funding from Coca-Cola Israel to accelerate the development of its cultivated milk components. Then, at the beginning of 2022, the company received US patent approval for its research methods and technologies in the field of cultivated milk and breast milk production.

In July, Wilk announced the launch of its recent project to develop yogurt made with cultivated milk fat, which has been successfully completed in under six months.

“This is a significant milestone, not just for Wilk, but for the Israeli foodtech space and wider global industry,” said Tomer Aizen, CEO of Wilk. “It signifies a major breakthrough in demonstrating our ability to produce functional cell-cultured milk components that can be integrated into a wide array of dairy products and brings us closer to realizing our goal – to produce authentic dairy products in a sustainable and environmentally conscientious manner that will drive the industry forward.”

https://vegconomist.com/cultivated-cell-cultured-biotechnology/wilk-hybrid-yogurt-cultivated-milk-fat/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io&utm_campaign=newsletter

The Israeli Government this week declared “Food tech, with an emphasis on alternative proteins” as one of five national priorities.

The decision was made in consultation with the nonprofit GFI Israel, which plays a key role in the region in promoting the advantage of alternative proteins as a solution to global climate and food crises. 

Alla Voldman-Rentzer, vice president at the GFI Israel, commented: “The decision to select food tech with an emphasis on alternative proteins as one of Israel’s five national focus areas, positions the field as a key growth engine for Israel, especially in light of global trends such as the climate and global food crises, and will be a global strategic asset as well.” 

Annually, the Ministry of Innovation and Science allocates NIS180M for research grants and national plans from which the alternative proteins field will now benefit. 

EU must follow Israel’s example

After Israel’s decision, the GFI Europe is now calling on the EU and member states to follow Israel’s example or risk falling behind. Acacia Smith, senior policy manager at the Good Food Institute Europe added:

“This announcement is a hugely significant step, demonstrating Israel’s commitment to sustainable proteins as a key pillar of its climate and food security plans. Europe has been a pioneer in this field. With serious investment in open-access research, we could lead the world in plant-based and cultivated meat. But as countries like Israel make sustainable proteins a priority, we’re at serious risk of falling behind”, she concluded.

Israel is already considered a world-leading food tech innovator that leverages technologies to make meat and dairy animal-free products using cellular agriculture, precision fermentation, and biomass fermentation.

According to a recently published GFI report, the alternative protein sector in Israel grew by 160% in 2022. The numbers result from comparing 2022’s first half of the year to 2021’s same period. Additional data ranks Israel first in the world with 22% of global investments in plant-based protein and second in the world (after the USA) with 38% of global investments in fermentation-derived proteins.

“However, to maintain its advantage, Israel needs to build the appropriate infrastructure and fund further research in the field. The importance of alternative proteins stems from the need to produce a global food industry that can respond to humanity’s great challenges, which include: the expected increase in the world’s population, the climate crisis, the global food crisis, and the prevention of the environmental damage caused by industrial farming”, commented  Alla Voldman-Rentzer on the government’s decision. 

The other areas chosen by the ministry were: bio-convergence, aquaculture, renewable energy and energy storage, and space.

Israel Declares Food Tech & Alt Protein as National Priority; GFI Implores EU to Follow Suit

A newly announced joint venture between Australia’s Cale & Daughters and Israel’s Vgarden, called Vgarden Australia Pty Ltd, will begin manufacturing plant-based cheese and meat products in a facility based in Brisbane, Australia.  

“Local manufacturing means we’ll be able to maintain price competitiveness and product accessibility”

Cale & Daughters is the parent company of Made with Plants, PlantAsia, and Get Plant’d, “much-loved” vegan FMCG brands sold through retailers in Australia. Israel’s Vgarden, part of Gan-Shmuel Health Industries and the Agricultural Cooperative Society Ltd, develops, manufactures, and distributes a wide range of plant-based cheeses, meat and fish alternatives, and pastries.

Bringing together innovative capabilities

“The joint venture between Cale & Daughters and Vgarden will bring together the innovative capabilities of our two companies by enabling the rapid exchange of resources and IP. This partnership will enable us to minimise international supply chain disruptions and have greater control over internal and external variables,” said Cale & Daughters Co-founder Cale Drouin.

Local production at Brisbane facility 

According to Cale & Daughters, Vgarden Australia will employ over 50 staff and will reach full-scale production by the end of 2023. Vegan mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan cheeses and pepperoni and chicken deli meats will be the first locally manufactured products in the Brisbane facility.

“Ultimately, local manufacturing means we’ll be able to maintain price competitiveness and product accessibility while being positioned to rapidly respond to the needs of our market Down Under,” added Mr. Drouin.

Cale & Daughters will leverage the manufacturing site for its IP products like dairy-free thickened cream and sour cream.

Joint venture advantages

Vgarden and Cale & Daughters have worked together since 2020 to supply Woolworths with vegan cheeses, and state that their products will become more accessible and affordable now that the two teams have joined forces.

Vgarden Australia will also have a greater capacity to serve restaurants, caterers, hospitals, educational institutions, and other organisations in the food service industry.

Australia’s demand for plant-based food is growing, Cale & Daughters claims. “We are extremely proud of the partnership we have forged with Cale & Daughters, as we share the same values and vision for the future. It’s extremely rewarding to see this collaboration come to fruition, and we believe it will have a real impact on Australia’s high-growth vegan market,” concluded Vgarden CEO, Ilan Adut.

https://vegconomist.com/manufacturing-technology/australias-cale-daughters-israels-vgarden-joint-local-aussie-manufacturing/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io&utm_campaign=newsletter

Food tech Forsea Foods, based in Israel, claims to be the first startup to use organoid technology for its cultivated seafood process.

“The result is sustainably produced, succulent filets of cultured seafood that embody the same taste and textural traits as their ocean-caught counterparts”

Roee Nir, co-founder of Forsea, recently made public the company’s patented technology platform developed to harness natural tissue formation methods to produce healthy and tasty alt seafood.

Forming fish tissues

Organoid technology has been previously used in developmental biology, medicine, and research. It involves creating an ideal environment for fish cells to form their natural composition of native fat and muscle spontaneously. They grow as a three-dimensional tissue structure in the same way they would in a living fish, explains Biotechnologist Iftach Nachman, Forsea co-founder and developer of the technology.

“The result is sustainably produced, succulent filets of cultured seafood that embody the same taste and textural traits as their ocean-caught counterparts. Unlike those counterparts, however, the resulting product is free from pollutants such as mercury, industrial chemicals, and microplastics,” commented Roee Nir.

Cultivated eel meat

While Forsea can cultivate any seafood, freshwater eel meat will be the startup’s choice of fish to begin its cellular agriculture journey. 

Considered a delicacy in many countries, global demand for eel has multiplied. Eels cannot be bred in captivity, leaving the supply chain dependent on fisheries that have rendered them an endangered species due to overfishing. According to Forsea, the Japanese eel population has declined by 90 to 95 percent, which has driven prices to astronomical levels.

“Forsea’s innovative new cultivation platform has the potential to bring positive disruption to this paradigm by providing a clean, nutritious, delicious, and commercially viable alternative to wild-caught seafood while leaving the delicate ocean ecosystem completely,” claims the startup.

Israel’s Forsea Foods is “First to Cultivate Eel” Using Organoid Technology

In recent years, there is an increasing global concern about the effects of meat on human health and climate change. Additionally, recent global health crises and geopolitical conflicts have caused tremendous challenges to food supply chains, motivating governments to diversify their approaches to food production to strengthen food security. Individuals also greatly concerned by the meat industry are taking matters into their own hands and veganism has gone from a minor fad to a popular global mainstream movement today.

The climate crisis we are facing today has tragically impacted access to nutritious and affordable food options for billions of people, especially communities that rely on food imports. Food security has become a global challenge, driving interest and investment in food tech – this is evident in the rapid growth of the industry in Israel. Despite the problems at hand, Israel has risen to the challenge and proven itself to be a pioneer in the field of alternative proteins, especially in regards to cultivated meat. In a world where people are becoming increasingly conscious of their environmental impact, alternative proteins are particularly important as they are one of the most promising sectors of food tech trying to combat climate change effects and improve food security. In 2021 the Israeli government granted an unprecedented $18 million towards cultivated meat research, with the president Isaac Herzog even sampling some cultivated meat (source: Vegconomist, Cultivated Meat publication May 2022). It is also worth noting that in 2021 36% of global investment in cultivated proteins were in Israeli companies (source: GFI Israel State of Alternative Protein Innovation Report March 2022).

Israel hosts many promising alternative protein companies such as SuperMeat, Mermadefoods, Steakholder Foods, YoEgg and Aleph Farms.

SuperMeat, founded in 2015 has made it their mission to supply the world with high quality meat grown directly from animal cells that have been manufactured in a sustainable and animal friendly way.

Mermadefoods is an innovative cellular aquaculture company, bringing a sustainable and novel mindset to the production of cell based seafood. Their approach enables mass production of cultured seafood using sustainable practices we can be appreciative of.

Steakholder Foods, founded in 2019 and formerly known as MeaTech 3D Ltd, are utilising 3D bioprinting technology and advanced cellular biology to develop hybrid meat products and a range of alternative proteins.

YoEgg since 2019 has been striving to become the largest and most sustainable egg producer in the world without the use of chickens. The company has already raised an impressive US $5 million and is continuing to steadily grow.

Finally, Aleph Farms, the brainchild of Strauss Group, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and veteran CEO Didier Toubia entered the market in 2017 with beef steaks grown from non-genetically engineered and non-immortalised cells isolated from a living cow.

These are just a few of the many innovative and disruptive food tech companies operating in Israel. Given the nature of the challenges we are all facing globally, the future of food tech and more specifically alternative protein technology should have all our attention as it rises in prominence.