The Week In Food Tech: MeaTech 3D Bio-Prints ‘The Largest’ Cultivated Steak to Date, Treeline Unveils Vegan Slices and Shreds

Just a few short years ago, it was unusual to get more than a handful of stories each week about meat analogues, dairy alternatives, and other alt and/or vegan foods. Nowadays, the opposite is true. In fact, there are so many developments in the alt-protein and food tech space we decided to create a weekly column that gathers all the various bits of news out there into one single place for easy reading.

This past week, cultivated meat company MeaTech 3D achieved a milestone when it printed what it believes to be the largest cultivated steak to date. Elsewhere, plant-based cheese-maker Treeline unveiled new products and Italy’s Flower Burger announced some Instagram-worthy new locations in Los Angeles.

Israel: MeaTech 3D prints “the largest cultured steak produced to date”

The cultivated meat company has used its 3D bioprinting process a 3.67 oz (104-gram) cultivated steak largely composed of cultivated real fat and muscle cells. No soy or pea protein was used in the process, which is unusual for alternative protein companies that typically need those ingredients as filler.

US: Plant-based cheese-maker Treeline launches new shreds, slices, and goat cheese

A longtime maker of plant-based cheeses, the Hudson, New York-based company just introduced a new line of vegan slices and shreds along with goat cheeses. The new products come in a number of flavors and can be purchased direct from the Treeline Cheese website. A larger retail rollout is planned for 2022. 

UK/Canada: PlantX brings its plant-based e-commerce platform to Britain

The Canadian company will launch in the United Kingdom selling a variety of plant-based goods and indoor plants to consumers via an e-commerce site. The company has partnered with Access Fulfillment, one of the leading British fulfillment companies, to ensure centralized storage of goods. 

US/Italy: Flower Burger to open more locations in Los Angeles in 2022

The Italian restaurant concept known for its colorful take on plant-based burgers opened its first brick-and-mortar location in the City of Angels this year. More locations will follow next year, boosting the chain’s number of locations across the US, Italy, France, the UK, and the Netherlands. 

Australia: Cucina Classica partners with award-winning vegan food company Modern Meat

Cucina Classica will pivot its Australia-based manufacturing to plant-based foods. The partnership makes Australia the third country in the world after Canada and the US to bring Modern Meat products to its manufacturing landscape.

US: Tcho Chocolate goes plant-based

The California-based craft confectioner is transitioning all of its retail chocolate bars to be completely plant-based. Its professional bakers’ bars will go 100% plant-based by 2022, while Tcho’s entire product line will be by 2023, the company said this week.

Lead image courtesy of MeaTech 3D.