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? Microbial fermentation specialist The Protein Brewery just closed a ?22M series A funding round. Its signature product, Fermotein, is a protein-rich fungi-based ingredient which can be used to make a variety of animal-free food products, ranging from alternative meats to protein bars and drinks.
Why it's important: producing Fermotein uses only a fraction of the resources required for conventional meat production, so this innovative and sustainable product is well-placed to enter the ?30Bn market for alternative proteins.

? Plant-based chicken startup Daring secured $8M series A funding to finance its growth across the US, including a launch across restaurant chain Just Salad.
Why it's important: the brand's products are less processed and have a cleaner label than some others on the market, which will be important for attraction and retention of a growing consumer base.

? Israeli food tech Meat-Tech 3D closed a $7M funding round and announced it has filed for IPO in the USA, making it the world's first cell-based company to do so.
Why it's important: it's currently the only public cell-based company, as it's publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since last year. Hopefully the first of many, as the alternative protein market grows.

? QSR giant McDonald''s is launching McPlant, its own brand plant-based meat line, developed in collaboration with Beyond Meat. It plans to roll out the McPlant Burger in various regions next year, and hopes that the range will eventually include an entire line-up of plant-based menu items.
Why it's important: McDonald's serves an eye-watering two billion burgers a year (75 every single second!), so this move highlights its strategy to appeal to plant-based and flexitarian consumers and retain market share.

? Pizza Hut has become the first US pizza chain to offer plant-based meat toppings to its customers. It has partnered with Beyond Meat to create two new pizzas, and plans to extend its collaboration to the UK.
Why it's important: this is a category first but there's still work to do. The pizzas are topped with dairy cheese, so while vegetarian friendly they are not vegan.

? Eat Just is gearing up to launch its plant-based eggs in Europe in 2021, having put its manufacturing, distribution and delivery infrastructure in place.
Why it's important: Europe is a particularly favourable market at the moment due to its expanding flexitarian and plant-based population, so wide-scale accessibility of Just Egg across retailers and B2B should see demand increase even further.

? The plant-based sector is on fire right now according to a slew of new research: 

• The plant-based beef segment alone on track to be worth $16Bn by 2030, according to new research by Dubai-based firm Future Market Insights, with investment and innovation in this area noted as huge drivers of its success.
• In the US, pandemic-based research data put together by food processing corporation ADM shows that 92% of first-time plant-based meat buyers plan to re-purchase
• In Europe over 20% of consumers now consider themselves to be flexitarian, and the number of vegan consumers has doubled within four years, according to a study by Berlin-based plant-based supermarket chain Veganz.

Why it's important: the shift to plant-based eating has been accelerated by the pandemic, and investment into alternative protein will result in more high-nutritional value products coming to market, and thus attracting and retaining further consumers.

? Not just plastic-reducing but actually plastic-negative, US vegan meat brand No Evil Foods plans to more than offset its plastic footprint by funding the recovery and recycling of two pounds of plastic waste for every pound it generates through packaging materials.
Why it's important: the first plant-based brand to take this stance, it's responsible production at its best and will hopefully have an impact across the industry as others follow suit.

• Global founder community Startup Grind''s Hong Kong chapter is doing an in-depth interview session with our founder Sonalie Figueiras about the alternative protein revolution Nov 18th - sign up here
• Here at Green Queen we love a webinar, and this we''e looking forward to Globescan''s session on Nov 23 about the growing popularity of plant-based products, with insights from a variety of brilliant panelists including the CEOs of Green Queen, Green Monday & Vitasoy 
• Interested in cellular agriculture? Then it''s worth checking out this investment report by CellAgri

? Colorado-based Meati Foods has landed $28M series A funding. A specialist in fungi-based whole-cut meats, it plans to roll out its products to consumers later this year.
Why it's important: Meati Foods' products are high in protein, fibre and essential vitamins and minerals, without being heavily processed, so are a strong choice for consumers who want to make a switch but who may be concerned about 'clean' labelling.

? Thailand's plant-based industry is booming, and last month saw the country's first ever plant-based company IPO. Jackfruit specialists NR Instant Produce Pcl went public on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and its stock doubled on its first day.
Why it's important: Thai consumers are prioritising health and food safety, which means increased sales for alternative proteins. The growth potential is huge, so where there is one, there will be more.

? The ProVeg Incubator has announced its latest cohort, working on sustainable solutions, and for the first time the majority are female-led startups.
Why it's important: at the moment only a tiny percentage of funding goes to female entrepreneurs, so hopefully this is the start of a new era.

? The Future Food-Tech Summit will be taking place 2-3 December to showcase ideas and solutions from some of the world's most innovative startups and entrepreneurs, including these eight spectacular challengers.
Why it's important: the startups will be addressing a whole host of key issues, from food waste to sustainable packaging and everything in between.

• F&B trend experts thefoodpeople are holding their annual Trends Summit on 24 November, and this year it''s virtual and free to access! Registration is open now, so sign up here.
• Register now for the Sustainable Foods conference 18-20 November, which will address topics such as food security, food waste and alternative protein sources, amongst others.
• The Global Vegan Business Expo 2020 took place over the weekend, but you can still register here and access all the content at your convenience until 25 December.

? Vegan ice cream brand Eclipse Foods raised $12M series A funding to expand its product range of dairy-free deliciousness which is 'indistinguishable' from its conventional counterparts.
Why it's important: dairy-free is an important trend as lactose intolerance is on the rise, plus one of the founders previously worked as the product development director over at Eat Just. 

? Australian plant-based protein supplier ProForm Foods just opened its brand new $8.1M manufacturing facility on the outskirts of Sydney, which has capacity to produce 5000 tonnes of plant-based meat every year.
Why it's important: global demand for healthier and more sustainable proteins is growing and one of the industry''s issues is supply capacity, so this investment should go some way to responding to that demand, both in Australia and further afield.

? Canadian firm Top Tier Foods has created a plant-based wagyu, planned to launch in Japan at the end of this year, having partnered with local suppliers for traditional ingredients, and to scale up manufacturing.
Why it's important: an authentic plant-based substitute, made to mimic Japan's most famous beef breeds, should appeal to the country's growing base of flexitarian consumers.

? Plant-based food brand Wicked Foods, created by renowned chefs and brothers Derek and Chad Sarno, is gearing up to roll out its meals across the US, following enormous success in Tesco in the UK 
Why it's important: demand for plant-based foods in the US is skyrocketing, and the Wicked Foods brand will bring chef-driven, delicious meals to the country.

? Swedish home furnishing giant IKEA has pledged that 50% of its restaurant dishes and 80% of its packaged foods will be plant-based by 2025, after its recent poll across 27 countries found that 75% of its customers want to reduce their environmental impact, including a potential switch to plant-based alternatives.
Why it's important: offering plant-based foods which are equivalent (or better!) on taste, price and nutrition eases consumers' transition to alternative proteins, and reduces the company's environmental impact. Win-win.

? The International Trade Fair for the Meat Industry has announced its plans to include alternative proteins for the first time ever in its 2022 lineup. 
Why it's important: it's the meat industry's biggest trade show, with a 70 year history, so the inclusion of plant-based and cell-based meat technologies demonstrates the growth and widespread acceptance of the sustainable sector.

? Creator of the world's first 90% chickpea protein isolate, ChickP, has successfully patented its product in Israel and plans to apply for a patent in Singapore.
Why it's important: the company is gearing up for a commercial scale-up, backed by its investor Growthwell Group, to meet growing demand in the wider Asian region.

? The founders of Chile's Pow! Foods have five things they want you to know about plant-based chorizo.
Why it's important: ProVeg Incubator has included the female-led food tech in its current cohort of its alternative protein accelerator product so the team can continue to develop its first product, a vegan version of Latin America's favourite processed meat.

• The YES!Delft DSM Meat Replacement Innovation Challenge is open for applications, so apply here with your great idea .
• The brilliant Good Food Institute has put together a quick survey on Ingredients and Input Innovation; you can complete it here.
• ProVeg Incubator and NX-Food are hosting the Future Food Series: Seafood 9th December, and it''s FREE to attend. Register here.