Welcome back to Foodtech EYES where we deliver the latest global food innovation news and community updates from UnlocX.

Tokyo has been experiencing days of drastic temperature changes. We hope you are all in good health. On February 23rd, the "Kakegawa Gastronomy Symposium" was held at Japanese kaiseki restaurant "Kacha Ryori Muto" in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, the home of the popular "Tabemono Radio" on SKS JAPAN. UnlocX also participated! The theme was "The Future of Food from a Local Perspective." Academics, farmers, chefs, and others seriously engaged in food took the stage to discuss the harsh realities of local food production and the values we want to preserve. It was impressive to see the deep discussions that went beyond simply attracting tourists to Kakegawa or adding value to local specialties, delving into the historical background of Kakegawa and the essence of food. A sub-session of the Kakegawa Gastronomy Symposium is planned for SKS JAPAN 2025, which will be held from October 23rd to 25th! Please look forward to that as well. Now, this issue is packed with agriculture news, covering regenerative agriculture, plant factories, fisheries, and more. Also, on February 26th, Mitsui Fudosan announced the opening of "&mog Food Lab," a food research and development hub in its "&mog" food innovation project in Nihonbashi. Please take a look at the news to find out what kind of facility it is.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Foodtech EYES! Be sure to check out all of the curated articles selected by our editorial team. 

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RECENT FOOD INNOVATION ARTICLES

<Market Overview>

A sustainable marine sector - Why New Zealand needs to transition to a blue economy

Westpac IQ, 2025/02/17

#🇳🇿the Aotearoa Circle #🇳🇿Moananui #Aquaculture #Marine ecosystem #$10bn in value add to the NZ　economy

Only 51% of Home-Made Onigiri Include Nori

Nikkei, 2025/2/24

#Generation Gap Revealed in Onigiri #🍙 # Fewer Onigiri with Nori

Amazon Tops Global Sales, Surpassing Walmart in Latest Quarter

Nikkei, 2025/2/22

#🇺🇸Amazon #Cloud Business Drives Growth

<Future Food>

Food Brewer nets funding from Lindt and Sparkalis for cocoa grown via plant cell culture

AgFunderNews, 2025/02/20

#🇨🇭Lindt&Sprüngli #🇨🇭FoodBrewer #🇺🇸MondelēzInternational #🇧🇪Sparkalis #Sustainability #Next coffee and cacao #targeting the US market

Bühler Grows with Alternative Protein Manufacturing Machines

Nikkei, 2025/02/20

#🇨🇭Bühler #50YearsInJapan #CulturedSystemResearchAndDevelopment

Finally Foods Begins First Field Trial for Casein-Producing Potatoes

green queen, 2025/02/12　

#🇮🇱FinallyFoods #🇮🇱Evogene #TheKitchenFoodTechHub #AI-Powered food development

With $115m in new funding, 80 Acres Farms tackles the next big unlock for vertical farming: plant genetics

AgFunderNews, 2025/2/11

#🇺🇸80 Acres Farms  #🇺🇸General Atlantic #🇨🇦Northleaf Capital #🇺🇸possible ventures #🇳🇱Infinite Acres #🇳🇱Priva  #🇳🇱Signify #Next-generation food production #genetic technology innovation #Automation

Are egg prices set to soar? How plant-based & fermentation tech can fight bird flu

Green Queen, 2025/2/12

#🇺🇸JUST #🇺🇸ADM #🇺🇸Clara Foods #🇮🇱Believer Meats #🇺🇸EVERY #🇸🇬Float Foods #Alternative egg market #Food security 

Olipop prebiotic soda valued at $1.85 billion in funding round

CNBC, 2025/02/12

#🇺🇸Olipop #🇺🇸Goldman Sachs #🇺🇸celebrity investors #Health-conscious drinks #Next-generation soda #Investor focus

Understanding Tariffs: Rice and Dairy Products, Japan's "Sanctuary"

Nikkei 2025/02/18

#TariffsReflectingTheTimes #JapanUS TradeAgreement　#HowWillTheTrumpAdministrationMove 

<Personalization>

Your Morning Coffee Just Got Smarter! Starbucks Leverages AI for Personalized Brews

MotoPaddock, 2025/02/24

#🇺🇸Starbucks #AIBrew #CustomerExperience #SupplyChainManagement

The future of pet nutrition: Personalization

PetfoodIndustry, 2025/02/19

#🇺🇸Ollie #DataDrivenNutrition #FoodbackLoop

Health tracker apps are changing how consumers buy supplements

Nutraingredients, 2025/2/25

#🇬🇧LuminaIntelligence #ChangingConsumerGoals #FitnessTrackers #HealthApps 

<FutureRetail & Restaurant>

Meet the digitally engaged grocery shoppers

Grocery Dive, 2025/2/18

#🇺🇸FMI, #Omnichannel approach, #Personalized experience, #Enhancing customer loyalty

Spanish Retailer Eroski Develops Desserts Made With Fungal Protein as Part of Successful Collaboration

vegconomist, 2025/2/10

#🇪🇸Eroski, #🇪🇸Ausolan #🇪🇸Innomy #Fungal Protein, #Mycoprotein desserts, #Sustainable alternative proteins

"Robo-Kitchen" Mass-Produces Salad Bowls: Latest NYC Store Creates New Experience

Nikkei X Trend, 2025/2/18

#🇺🇸Sweetgreen #Infinite Kitchen #CustomerFirst #sutomation  #StoreValueInTheDigitalAge

Canadian Food Innovation Network’s Inaugural Ecosystem Report Maps $4.1B in Canadian Agrifoodtech Funding, Key Sector Challenges and Opportunities
2025 Ecosystem Report Press Release

CFIN, 2025/2/4

#🇨🇦CFIN  #Investment opportunities, #Review of over 9,950 global companies #Canada’s unique strengths

<Future Kitchen>

LG Introduces Innovative Total Home Solutions at KBIS and IBS 2025

LG Newsroom, 2025/02/25

#🇰🇷LG #Smart kitchen #Zero labour home

Samsung Showcases Comprehensive Range of Home Appliances With Experience-Enhancing Screens at KBIS 2025

Samsung Newsroom,2025/02/26

#🇰🇷Samsung #BespokeAI #Luxury kitchen

<Food × AI>

General Mills says AI has generated millions of dollars in savings

Food Dive 2025/02/20

#🇺🇸General Mills, #Maximizing supply chain efficiency with AI, #Doubling digital investment

Heritable Agriculture Uses AI to Boost Crop Yields

Killer Startups, 2025/2/10

#🇺🇸Heritable Agriculture, #AI-Powered Agriculture #Precision farming #Revolutionizing crop production, #Data-driven decision making

Oreo Owner Mondelez Taps AI to Tweak Its Classic Snacks

Wall Street Journal, 2024/12/17

#🇺🇸Mondelez #Oreo #AI in food #Enhancing product appeal #Innovation in snacking

<Agriculture>

Consumers have heard of regenerative agriculture – what will convince them to actually buy it?

AgFunderNews, 2025/2/21

#Consumers will pay a premium for health #Power of branding #Regenerative Organic Certified #Wildfarmed 

Pork-Infused Soybeans and Beef-Infused Peas

Ambrook Research, 2025/02/14
#🇺🇸Good Food Institute #🇺🇸Moolec Science #Alternative proteins #Plant molecular farming

Progress report: Where are vertical farming’s biggest leafy green growers now?

AgFunderNews, 2025/2/13

#🇺🇸Bowery Farming #🇺🇸Plenty #🇩🇪Infarm #🇦🇪Pure Harvest Smart Farms #Market evolution #Technological advancements #Future of food production

EU Blue Economy Report

European Commission, 2025 

#🇪🇺European Commission #Sustainable resources #Economic growth #Marine ecosystems #Innovation opportunities

Investing in aquaculture: Opportunities, challenges and the path to sustainable growth

aquafeed.com, 2025/2/18

#🇳🇱Rabo Ventures #🇮🇱ViAqua #Sustainable Aquaculture #Investment trends #Challenges in aquaculture #Future food security #Responsible practices

Rice-Based Casein? This Japanese Startup Says It’s Cracked the Grain

Green Queen, 2025/02/21

#🇯🇵Kinish #Molecular farming #Rice casein #Sustainable dairy #Food tech innovation

Square Roots unveils Tokyo company to blend traditional Japanese farming with high-tech indoor ag

AgFunderNews 2025/02/20

#🇯🇵Square Roots #🇯🇵Vertical Field #Local food systems #Cultural integration #Wasabi paste

<Sustainability & Regeneration>

Plates London Named UK's First Michelin-Starred Vegan Restaurant

Green Queen 2025/02/11

#🇬🇧Plates #Michelin star #Vegan cuisine has been on the rise #Plant-based dining

<Partnerships & Ecosystem>

Rockefeller Foundation Invests $3.5 Million To Support American Farmers, Improve Nutrition & Address Chronic Disease

The Rockefeller Foundation, 2025/2/13

#🇺🇸Rockefeller Foundation #Sustainable Agriculture #Food is Medicine programs

CenSea’s acquisition of Ocean Garden aims to modernize the seafood industry

Food Navigator, 2025/2/17

#🇺🇸CenSea　#🇲🇽Ocean Garden #🇺🇸Captain Fresh, #Sustainable seafood #Tech-driven supply chain system

<Food for Well-Being>

Care Food Reduces Burden on Facilities

Nikkei, 2025/2/24

#🇯🇵MeijiHD #🇯🇵BenesseHoldings #Inclusive Food #ThickeningFoodProducts

<Eaters & Eating Behavior Trend>

"Three Winning Strategies" That Captivate Gen Z: Experiential Report from Cutting-Edge NYC Stores

Nikkei X Trend, 2025/02/19

#Jellycat Diner #ReturnToRealExperiences #ExperientialValueDesign

Information from the SKS JAPAN Community

Here is the latest news from the SKS community.  

【EVENT】Food Tech Venture Day Neo（4/11）

The 2nd Foodtech Venture Day Neo to be held on April 11th (Fri) from 17:00 at the Public-Private Partnership HUB in Toranomon! This time's theme is Japanese Tradition x Food Tech. We will delve into the innovation of uniquely Japanese ingredients, utensils, and fermentation techniques. In addition to a keynote speech on this theme, we are also planning startup pitches, exhibitions, and tastings, so please join us on-site. Please note that this event will be in-person only. Ticket sales will begin soon, so please stay tuned!

【EVENT】Sustainable Food Night #25 "Eliminating Waste: Turning All Garbage into Resources" (March 27th)

"Sustainable Food Museum" showcases and introduces new ideas and services from 100 carefully selected companies related to sustainable new food ingredients, including startups in the food tech field.

At Sustainable Food Night #25, we will welcome Ms. Momoka Igawa, CEO of wead Inc., as a guest and hold a talk session and tasting reception under the theme of "Eliminating Waste: Turning All Garbage into Resources."

Click here for more detailes

【EVENT】Fermentation and Koji: Insights from the Essence of Japanese Food Culture (April 29th)
This event, held in Okayama, will feature a dialogue and workshop with guests Hiraku Ogura, a fermentation designer, and Mr. Nakaji, representative of Koji no Gakko Co., Ltd. The themes will include the potential of fermentation and koji, the uniqueness of Japanese food culture, and how the fusion of tradition and technology can be utilized in the future.

Click here for more detailes

【NEW OPEN】Mitsui Fudosan Launches "&mog Food Lab," Its First Food Research and Development Support Facility
Mitsui Fudosan has opened "&mog Food Lab," a food research and development hub in its "&mog" food innovation project in Nihonbashi. In addition to providing private kitchens, tasting spaces, and product photography studios, it promotes collaboration between tenant companies and &mog partners. This enables one-stop support for food business development, including prototype development and marketing, from both hardware and software perspectives. Companies aiming to solve social issues and create value will move in, aiming to create food innovation originating from Nihonbashi.

Click here for details.

【BOOK】Eureka March 2025 Issue: Special Feature = Self-Cooking - Variations on Food and Life, from Meticulous Living to the Joy of Overeating（Japanese）

This is our self-cooking!
Because the daily tasks that must be continued are tedious, the ingenuity of self-cooking is always at its extremes of refinement and chaos. How can we fully savor the luxury and loneliness of returning to the purpose of "self" and converging into a solitary life, with the relentless development of technology and services, and the desires triggered by peeking into the activities of others? A self-cooking special feature that opens up the modes of food theory and practice by individuals.

Click here for more details. 

See you in the next Foodtech EYES! 

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