Three questions with Clément Tischer on the food of the future

One innovation that has particularly excited me recently comes from Project Eaden. This start-up takes plant-based meat alternatives to a whole new level, both in terms of taste and technology. Using a unique fiber technology, they manage to recreate the texture and bite of meat so authentically that even uncompromising ham and sausage lovers are surprised.

I find the approach particularly exciting: highly scalable high-tech from the textile industry meets FoodTech to create a sustainable solution with real added value. Because if we really want to change our food system, alternatives must not only be environmentally friendly and uncompromisingly delicious, but also affordable for everyone.

The advances in fermentation technology are just as promising. In addition to our latest collaboration with Project Eaden, we also have partnerships with Infinite Roots and Formo. Two companies that are using innovative fermentation processes to develop the next generation of sustainable food. These and many other technologies that we are actively pursuing have the potential to fundamentally transform the food industry and facilitate access to greener, more resilient products.

Infinite Roots, for example, combines traditional fermentation techniques with innovative approaches to produce sustainable food based on fungal biomass. Their locally produced protein products are environmentally friendly and also impress with their high sensory quality.

Formo, on the other hand, is a Berlin-based biotech start-up that specializes in the development of animal-free cheese alternatives. Using precision fermentation, Formo produces real milk proteins without the use of cows, producing cheese that is indistinguishable from conventional cheese in terms of taste and texture.

Planet A Foods, a Munich-based start-up with which we cooperate, also uses fermentation technology for an innovative chocolate alternative called ChoViva. This does without cocoa beans and is instead based on regionally grown ingredients such as sunflower seeds, which are processed using a unique method. The end product is similar to conventional chocolate in taste and consistency, but has a significantly lower carbon footprint.

Alternative proteins are increasingly being accepted by consumers, as awareness of their own ecological footprint and ethical aspects has increased. This growing demand is leading to increased investment and more intensive research. We are currently seeing huge advances in terms of technology and taste, making plant-based products such as pea and wheat protein increasingly attractive and competitive. New technologies, as described above, offer great potential to further reduce remaining taste, sensory and functional differences.

We are convinced that developments in the coming years will lead to substitute products for animal products and also alternatives for critical raw materials becoming increasingly economically attractive and price-competitive. This will make it more likely that these alternatives will leave their niche status behind and reach the mass market.

So I am also immensely pleased about REWE Group’s recently adopted protein strategy. It underpins the conviction with which we are approaching this topic. This includes, for example, further optimizing our product ranges and communicating with our customers in an even more targeted manner. We will not play animal and alternative proteins off against each other. This is also an important signal in the direction of local agriculture.

Germany has great potential to become a leading location for sustainable food innovations. Customer acceptance is high and the FoodTech scene in this country is a global leader in the development of innovative technologies, although these are often very capital-intensive and time-consuming. Venture capital and alternative funding measures are crucial to bridge the time to market maturity or market approval.

The funding provided so far is a good start, but further support is needed. This includes real-world laboratories, economic incentives for plant-based alternatives and targeted funding for scaling up innovative approaches. At the same time, simplified and transparent regulation is essential to make it easier for start-ups to enter the market and accelerate the commercialization of new technologies.

In particular, the current approval procedures and regulatory processes for innovations that fall under the novel food regulations continue to pose major hurdles. These urgently need to be optimized, as lengthy procedures require high capital reserves and place a considerable burden on start-ups. Otherwise, there is also a risk of migration abroad, which would weaken Germany as a technology location. Anyone who is serious about resource-conserving food production in Germany should also strengthen confidence in the innovative strength and safety standards of domestic companies. This is where we stand alongside our cooperation partners.

In order to fully exploit the potential of the aforementioned future technologies, clear, transparent and innovation-friendly framework conditions are required. Cooperation between politics, business and science is crucial in order to promote the development of a sustainable food industry.