In the realm of sustainable food innovation, notable developments have emerged this week, showcasing an array of new products, collaborations, and significant movements within the industry.

Bold Bean Co, a UK-based brand renowned for its bean products, has partnered with Israeli-British chef Yotam Ottolenghi to introduce a new addition to their line-up: the Queen Black Chickpea. The product is available for purchase on both the Bold Bean Co and Ottolenghi websites, as well as in Waitrose stores, retailing at £4 for a 700g jar.

In another significant development, UK frozen food retailer Iceland has expanded its partnership with TGI Fridays to launch a new melt-in-the-middle vegan burger alongside a returning sesame-glazed chicken strips option. This addition reflects the growing trend of meat alternatives within the frozen food sector.

Meanwhile, The Cultured Collective, a British fermented food brand, has marked its entry into 183 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK. The range includes a fennel, apple, and dill sauerkraut priced at £4.50 for a 235g jar, and an original kimchi available for £4.75 for a 250g jar.

Hollywood Bowl Group has made a notable move by introducing the Beyond Burger at all its 75 locations across the UK. Priced at £6.79, this burger comes served with fries, which are not vegan, or as part of a tortilla option.

On the media front, Beyond Meat has announced the release of a new YouTube documentary titled "Planting Change," which aims to address misconceptions propagated by the meat industry regarding meat alternatives and their classification as ultra-processed foods.

For Earth Month, plant-based giant Pulmuone has unveiled limited-edition packaging across its ranges for the Pulmuone, Nasoya, and Wildwood brands. Similarly, Disneyland's Bengal Barbecue restaurant has expanded its menu with Impossible Lettuce Wraps, featuring plant-based meat paired with shiitake mushrooms, green onions, and water chestnuts for $12.49.

Prime Roots, a mycelium-based whole-cut meat producer, has announced its expansion into Canada, showcasing its deli range including ham, turkey, pepperoni, salami, and bacon at the Restaurants Canada Show in Toronto from April 9-11, as well as the Canadian Food Health Association fair in Vancouver from April 24-27.

In innovation, the US startup Oddball has launched a vegan Jell-O alternative in various flavours, priced at $26.99 for a six-pack, with plans for distribution at Sprouts Farmers Market later this month.

Over in Germany, Better Nature, a British tempeh brand, has rolled out its Organic Tempeh and Smoky Tempeh in an additional 200 Rewe Mitte stores, resulting in a total presence of 350 stores in the region and over 1,300 nationwide.

French plant-based meat leader La Vie has launched a new line of American sandwich options containing its pork alternatives, available in supermarkets nationwide for €3.49. Meanwhile, Carrefour has collaborated with Brazilian vegan food producer Vida Veg to add a selection of vegan cheeses, including mozzarella and cream cheese options, to its own-label offerings.

Additionally, vegan chef Miyoko Schinner has announced the release date of her upcoming cookbook, "The Vegan Creamery," slated for September 16 and currently available for pre-order at $26.99.

Cultivated meat recently made an appearance on US television, with CBS News featuring Eitan Fischer, founder and CEO of Mission Barns, discussing the approval of its cultivated pork fat for sale by the FDA last month.

In Canada, n!Biomachines, a subsidiary of The Cultivated B, has partnered with Siemens to present the Auxo V bioreactor during the 2025 Hannover Messe trade fair, aiming to enhance the efficiency of alternative protein production.

UK-based Ivy Farm Technologies, which specialises in cultivated Wagyu beef, has appointed Gail Francis as its new VP of commercial. Francis was formerly the business growth director at Naylor Nutrition.

However, in a challenging turn, vegan restaurant chain Herbivorous will close its three locations in Manchester, Sheffield, and York due to rising operational costs.

In financial news, two vegan startups have received significant grants under EIT Food’s Fast Track to Market Initiative. Germany's BettaF!sh has secured €248,000 for the launch of salmon and tuna salad cans along with seaweed extract, while Austria's Hooked Foods has received €221,000 to produce a Super Protein ingredient boasting 30-35g of protein per 100g.

Research from CashNetUSA shows a considerable variation in vegan food prices at Walmart locations across the US, identifying Arkansas as the most affordable state, while Hawaii is noted as the most expensive. Furthermore, researchers from Australia's Food and Beverage Accelerator have developed a toolkit designed to assist food manufacturers in improving product textures, collaborating with meat alternative startup v2food on this initiative.

In a noteworthy discussion at the Cambridge Union, Ahmed Khan, a bioscience enterprise MPhil student from Cambridge University, became the first to address cellular agriculture and cultivated meat. In related discourse, Bernat Anaños, co-founder and communications chief of Heura Foods, presented at the Congreso de los Diputados, advocating for a transformational shift towards plant-based food systems.

Lastly, Toronto-based New School Foods, recognised for its vegan salmon products, has been honoured as one of Canadian Business's Innovation Awards winners for 2025.