Morning All,

Trump and friends are extremely good at flooding the airwaves with so much head-swerving news that for most of us, it’s hard to keep up with what matters. I want to distil the key headlines that matter most for those of us in future food:

• RFK Jr: After contentious hearings, it is all but certain that Robert Kennedy Jr will be confirmed as Health and Human Secretary (as of this writing, he has all the votes he needs).

• Trump’s Tariffs: Trump has gone ahead with his tariff promise. The 25% Canada and Mexico ones are delayed for a month while he negotiates with those country’s leaders but sources say it is likely they will happen, perhaps at a reduced rate. The 10% China ones have already begun.

• Climate Change Scrubbed: The Trump administration is removing all mentions of climate change from government websites (including the USDA) including data, reports and guidance and is in the process of firing government employees working on climate change.

Here are specific ways this will affect our sector:

• Cultivated meat approvals on hold: Approvals for cultivated meat may be delayed. The "Make America Great Again" wing of the Republican party opposes climate-friendly foods like cultivated meat. States like Florida and Alabama, which supported Trump, have already banned these proteins.

• Increased opposition to alternative proteins, particularly processed plant-based meats: The anti-ultra-processed food movement against alternative proteins is likely to gain traction. Vice-President-elect JD Vance has criticized "disgusting fake meat," calling it "highly processed garbage" while RFK Jr’s crusade for ‘natural’ and ‘toxin-free’ food will amplify this narrative.

• Meat-eating will be further detached from climate change: Americans will likely further disconnect meat consumption from climate change issues.

• Extreme-weather disruptions to worsen: with less available information and resources, weather-related climate change will almost certainly make the US food and ag system less resilient and cause disruptions to supply.

• Possible boon for regenerative agriculture: Regenerative agriculture, despite its uncertain promises, might experience a surge as I wrote back in November of last year.

• Higher costs and supply chain issues: The food and beverage sector anticipates disruptions to supply chains, which will raise costs for businesses and consumers. Tariffs on key agricultural trading partners, such as Canada, have raised concerns about rising fertilizer costs for U.S. farmers. Canada supplies approximately 80% of a crucial fertilizer ingredient used in growing crops. Higher fertilizer costs can significantly impact overall production expenses for commodity crops, potentially leading to increased food prices and supply chain disruptions.

Best be prepared folks.

-Sonalie

💡 Green Queen Exclusives

💰 Five Minutes With A Future Food VC: E Squared VC’s Stephanie Dorsey
In our new interview series, we quiz future food investors about the solutions that excite them the most, their favourite climate-forward restaurant, and what they look for in successful founders. Stephanie Dorsey, Founding Partner at E Squared VC, shares her insights.

🌏 Industry Insights: Meet The Asian Students Taking On The Future Of Food
Student-led teams across Asia-Pacific have won big at the 2025 ProVeg Food Innovation Challenge, working in conjunction with some of the world’s leading future food companies, and exploring uncharted territory. 

🥛 Trend Report: The New ‘Alternative’ Plant-Based Milks
These plant-based milk products aim to keep the sector fresh and give the non-dairy-curious something new – whether that’s for taste purposes, better nutrition, or higher sustainability credentials.

📈 Must-Read Headlines

💵 US biotech manufacturing company Liberation Labs raised another $50.5 million, including investment from Saudi Arabia’s NEOM Investment Fund.
💡One of the best-funded startups in the sector, Liberation Labs is looking to commercialise precision-fermented ingredients via a global network of dedicated large-scale production plants, which would feature a fit-for-purpose design to enable cost-effective solutions.

🇨🇳 In its 11th year, participation numbers for Veganuary reached a record-breaking 25.8 million globally, inspiring a similar campaign to debut in China in March.
💡March fits better with the Chinese calendar, and over 50 businesses have already committed to participating in the campaign.

🌱 The US FDA has proposed new front-of-pack labelling rules for packaged foods, which would highlight saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars – could this be a boon for plant-based meat?
💡The Nutrition Info box is part of the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, which aims to reduce diet-induced diseases by 2030.

📈 Alternative

Dairy News

🥛 US food tech startup PlantBaby closed a $4 million seed funding round for its non-dairy milks, taking total investment in the startup to $10 million.
💡It will use the funds to extend the reach of its plant-based Kiki Milk for kids and launch new products, including a grain-free option this year.

🧀 France’s Jay&Joy secured €2 million in funding and acquired fellow vegan artisanal cheese maker Les Nouveaux Affineurs to expand its presence across Europe.
💡The deal will double Jay&Joy’s production capacity and product portfolio, and will allow the companies to “create a veritable industrial scale-up”.

🇮🇱 Israel’s largest beverage manufacturer, The Central Bottling Company, has teamed up with microalgae specialist Brevel to develop functional drinks and dairy alternatives.
💡An extension of CBC’s relationship as an investor in Brevel, the deal will give CBC access to Brevel’s microalgae protein, oils and antioxidants.

☕️ Nestlé has partnered with Oatly to create limited-edition Nespresso pods tailored specifically for the latter’s barista oat milk.
💡The newly designed capsules were developed to appeal to the growing number of consumers using plant-based milk.

✅ Key Research

❓ A new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, suggests that plant-based meat analogues are more attractive to consumers when they’re cheaper than conventional options – taste may not matter as much.

🇯🇵 More than a third of Japanese consumers are interested in trying cultivated eel, as stocks of the fish species dwindle amid overfishing and pollution, according to a 2,000-person survey conducted by Israeli startup Forsea Foods.

🇪🇺 Contrary to recent polls about a disconnect between sustainability and dietary change, a new survey by FMCG Gurus has found that 52% of Europeans are changing the way they eat for the climate.

 💲A new study from the University of Oxford reveals that setting VAT rates based on the health and climate impacts of food can have a whole host of benefits.

💬 New research reveals that targeted messaging can encourage both plant-based and meat eaters to select more plant-based meals on online food ordering platforms.

📱Nearly half of omnivores changed their diets after using Fork Ranger, an app that blends food sustainability quizzes with vegetarian recipes, according to a new study.

🌱🍔  Future Food Quick Bites 

In our popular weekly column, Future Food Quick Bites, we round up the latest news and developments in the alternative protein and sustainable food industry. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Eleven Madison Park’s new vegan hot honey, and Kite Hill’s post-Veganuary dairy-free campaign.

📆 Scene & Heard

Connect with Experts at SynBioBeta 2025 this May

🧫 Taking place 5th-8th May, at SynBioBeta 2025 you will connect with pioneers who are transforming the life sciences—reprogramming biology for faster drug discovery, designing enzyme-driven industrial processes, and deploying climate-positive solutions at scale. Register here.

🇺🇸 Expo West 2025 is almost here! Don’t miss the leading trade show in the natural, organic, and healthy lifestyle industry, taking place 4th-7th March at the Anaheim Convention Centre. Advance pricing ends on 2nd March, so sign up here.

💻 Food Frontier’s Alternative Proteins Research Database is now live! The database will help facilitate collaborations and partnerships between academics, industry, and research institutions; as well as connect researchers working on similar topics in plant-based proteins, cultivated meat, precision fermentation and other innovative food technologies. Check it out here.

🇪🇸 Attracting over 22,000 industry experts from over 160 countries every year, Vitafoods Europe, happening in Barcelona 20th-22nd May, is the place to be for networking, collaboration, and innovation. Find out more here.

👩🏻‍🏫 Are you a female early-stage entrepreneur working to make the future of food and agriculture healthier and more sustainable? Supply Change Capital is holding a pitch event on 13th-14th March; apply here.

Fact-based news without bias awaits. Make 1440 your choice today.

Overwhelmed by biased news? Cut through the clutter and get straight facts with your daily 1440 digest. From politics to sports, join millions who start their day informed.

Sign up now!