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

As the year draws to a close, we express our sincere gratitude for your continued readership of Foodtech EYES. This year, we have been diligently working alongside you to shape the future of foodtech and we’re excited to share some of the highlights and upcoming events. 

Recently we hosted a public recording of the “Tokyo Regenerative Food Lab”, a podcast with WIRED Japan, in the historic Nihonbashi district. This engaging discussion explored the future of food with leading experts. Thank you to all who participated. For more details, click here. 

Furthermore, December 19th is “Foodtech Venture Day Neo”—this event will feature captivating startup pitches, insightful panel discussions from industry leaders, and much more. In January, we’re launching “FoodScopes”, an intensive eight-part lecture series exploring the future of food through a humanities and social science lens. Join 13 distinguished researchers as we delve into the fundamental questions surrounding food. Learn more in our press release (Only available in Japanese). 

2025, promises to be a year of significant advancements in the food industry. From Chile’s Luyef developing essential nutrients for cultured meat to Israel's Aleph Farms seeking regulatory approval in Thailand, the commercialization of cultured meat is gaining momentum. We’re also witnessing a surge in sustainable initiatives, including land-based aquaculture, vertical farming, and the adoption of bioplastics. 

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>

Yes, the number of food recalls has been rising. Here’s what you need to know 

NPR, 2024/12/9 

#Food Security #Genome sequencing for tracing #Consumer interest 

Circana: E-commerce, Private Label to Shape F&B in 2025 

The Food Institute, 2024/12/2

#2025 Forecast 

Battle of the trends 2025 

Food Navigator, 2024/11/28

#Wellness #Luxury foods and beverages #Plant-based

<Future Food>

Chile’s Luyef Receives $1.25M to Develop Nutrients for Cultivated Meat Using Fermentation and Agro By-Products 

Vegconomist, 2024/12/6 

#Luyef #The Ganesha Lab #Cultivated Meat #Precision Fermentation

Aleph Farms Files for Regulatory Approval in Thailand, Eyes 2026 Launches of Cultivated Beef 

Green Queen, 2024/12/5 

#Israeli Aleph Farms #Cultivated Beef #Thai Sustainability Commitment

In A U-Turn, UK Court Bans Use of ‘Milk’ on Oatly & Other Plant-Based Dairy Labels 

Green Queen, 2024/12/4

#Oatly #Milk or Mylk? #Plant-Based Diary

US DoD Injects Millions into The Every Co. & Other Biotechs, Says the “Next Industrial Revolution Will Be a Biomanufacturing Revolution”

Vegconomist, 2024/12/3

#Biomanufacturing Revolution #The Every Company #Alternative Protein #Precision Fermentation

Japan's DAIZ Engineering to Launch New Soy Protein in EU Markets (Japanese Only)

Foovo, 2024/11/28 

#DAIZ Engineering #ICL Food Specialities #Joint Development #EU Market #Co-exist with livestock and fisheries 

Unilever to Offload Plant-Based Meat Brand The Vegetarian Butcher: Report 

Green Queen, 2024/11/27

#Unilever #The Vegetarian Butcher #Industry Decline

Israel Regulators Clears Imagindairy’s Animal-Free Whey Protein for Sale 

Green Queen, 2024/11/26

#ImaginDairy #Whey Protein #Alternative Protein

Australia’s All G Gains Regulatory Approval for Animal-Free Lactoferrin in China 

Green Queen, 2024/11/26 

#All G  #Lactogerrin #Chinese Biotechnology 

<Personalization>

Albertsons serves up AI-driven personalization for alcohol and food 

Grocery Dive, 2024/12/10

#Personalized Wine Discovery #Digitalization

Zomato rolls out new ‘recommendations from friends’ feature; here’s what it’s about 

mint, 2024/12/10 

#Food Delivery #New Feature #Recommendations from Friends

<FutureRetail & Restaurant>

Amazon Tests 15-Minute-or-Less Grocery Delivery in India

Pymnts, 2024/12/10 

#Amazon #Walmart in India #Food Delivery #Supply Chain

Nagano's "Waza Mart": A Destination Store for Discerning Shoppers (Japanese Only)

Nikkei MJ, 2024/12/8

#Bad Access #Destinatino Store #Philosophy and Quality

Indonesia KFC, Cuts 10% of Workforce in a Year (Japanese Only)

Nikkei MJ, 2024/12/6 

#KFC #Israel-Palestine Conflict #Boycott Western Brands 

<Future Kitchen>

Tomorrow Wants To Reinvent The Refrigerator to Make Fresh Food Last Longer 

The Spoon, 2024/12/10 

#Tomorrow #Regreiferator #Freshness Preservation

A Bite of the Future: 3D Foor Printing Experience at Japan's Miraikan (Japanese Only) 

Foovo, 2024/12/9

#The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation #3D Food Printer #Laser-heated food printer 

Iris Ohyama, Expand into Healthcare and Food Industries (Japanese Only)

Nikkei MJ, 2024/12/6 

#Iris Ohyama #Daily Use Consumer Products 

Sam Calisch Thinks Your Next Stove Should Have a Battery 

The Spoon, 2024/11/26 

#MIT PhD Sam Calisch #Battery-run Stove #Kitchen Appliances #Energy Optimization

<Food × AI>

Predicting Texture with AI and Generating Recipes from Photos: The Cutting Edge of AI Transforming the Food Industry (Japanese Only)

Nikkei XTrend, 2024/12/11

#Grainge.ai #Shiru #Invisible Technologies #Tech Magic #Side Chef #Alternative Ingredients #Cooking Robots #Generative AI Recipes  

AI for chefs: 8 ways LLMs can make restaurant life a bit easier 

Fast Company, 2024/12/10

#AI Recipes #Customer Service

Zurich-based Cradle raises €69.5 million to develop protein engineering with generative AI 

EU-Startups, 2024/11/26 

#Cradle #AI-driven Protein Engineering #Secure Funding

<Agriculture>

Kyushu Electric Power to Boost Salmon Production by 1000% with New Onshore Aquaculture Facility (Japanese Only)

Nikkei, 2024/12/10 

#Kyushu Electric Power #Salmon Onshore Aquaculture #Fish Farm Mirak LLC

Vertical farm Oishii expands into Harris Teeter sotres, plans to unveil Tokyo R&D hub 

Food Navigator, 2024/12/9 

#Japanese Strawberry Oishii #Harris Teeter #R&D Hub #Urban Farming

Gunma Rice Flour Milling, First Plant Factory to Cultivate Fresh Mugwort (Japanese Only)

The Japan Food Journal, 2024/12/6

#Gunma RIce Flour Milling #Hydroponic Cultivation #Mugwort

Sakana Dream Develops New Fish Species: A Cross Between Mackerel and a Mythical Fish (Japanese Only)

Nikkei, 2024/12/6 

#Sakana Dream #New Fish Species 

<Sustainability & Regeneration>

New $282 million program targets climate and environment action through agriculture and food systems

IFAD, 12/6/2024

#FAO #Agri Food sectors in 32 countries 

Bioplastics Unpacked: How They’re Reshaping the Food Industry

Linkedin, 2024/12/3

#Bioplastic #Food Packaging #Biodegradable #Plastic Pollution

<Local Food System>

NTT Communications New Venture: "NTT Aqua", to Boost Local Economies (Japanese Only)

The Japan Food Journal, 2024/12/6 

#NTT Communications #NTT Aqua #Onshore Aquaculture 

Japanese Sake Gains International Acclaim for Traditional Brewing Techniques (Japanese Only)

Nikkei , 2024/12/6

#Traditional Sake Making #UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage 

<Partnerships & Ecosystem>

Givaudan, Bühler Group, and Migros Open Doors to The Cultured Hub, a Scale-Up Facility for Cellular Agriculture

The Spoon, 2024/12/5 

#Givaudan #Bühler Group #Migros #Cultivated Agriculture #Cultivated Meat #Cultivated Dairy #Scale Up

Niigata's Food Revolution: New "Food Tech Town" Project Launched (Japanese Only)

PR Times, 2024/11/27

#Niigata #Food Tech Startup #Oisix La Daichi 

<Food for Well-Being>

Resort Trust Offers Enhanced Wellness Experiences at Hotels (Japanese Only)

Nikkei, 2024/12/10 

#Resort Trust #XIV #Health & Wellness Awareness #Aging Care #Rising Demand for Luxury Healthcare Services

Ippudo Reduces Salt Content in Ramen by 30% with a Special Spoon (Japanese Only)

Nikkei MJ, 2024/12/6 

#Kirin Holdings #Ippudo #Electricsalt 

€80M Series A fuels Danish biotech company’s next-gen weight loss therapy development 

ArcticStartup, 2024/12/4 

#Biotechnology #Weight Loss Therapy #Secure Funding #FDA Approval 

<Eaters & Eating Behavior Trend>

Growing Middle Class, Gaining Weight (Japanese Only)

Nikkei, 2024/12/8 

#BMI #15.4% of Thai Adults are Obese #Westernized Diets #Sedentary Lifestyle

Information from the SKS JAPAN Community

Here is the latest news from the SKS community.  

[ANNOUNCEMENT]  Hirotaka Tanaka, CEO of UnlocX, Appointed as Co-Representative of Next Prime Food 

Hirotaka Tanaka, CEO of UnlocX, has been appointed as Co-Representative of the Next Prime Food Association. He will play a key role in advancing the association’s mission: to address challenges and unlock new growth opportunities within the agri-food tech industry. Next Prime Food will serve as a vital platform for collaboration between industry, government, and academia, shaping the future of food culture and driving sustainable solutions for the industry. 

Click here for more details.

[PROGRAM]  CES2025 Agri-FoodTech Report & Program (Japanese Only) 

UnlocX members with a decade of CES experience, will delve deep into the most exciting food tech trends showcased at CES 2025. This program offers exclusive insights, including a comprehensive report, in-depth sessions on emerging food tech trends, and invaluable on-the-ground knowledge gained from our years of attending CES. 

Apply here.

[PROGRAM] FoodScopes: An Intensive 8-Week Exploration into the Future of Food (1/22 - 3/19) (Japanese Only) 

Embark on a transformative journey with Foodscopes, a pioneering program that reimagines the future of food. This intensive 8-week series delves into the core of food systems, examining them through the lens of humanities and social sciences. Through engaging lectures by 13 leading researchers, participants will challenge conventional thinking, explore fundamental questions about food, and gain invaluable insights for innovation. This program is designed to foster new business ideas, inspire solutions to societal challenges, and empower participants to take action and shape the future of food. 

Click here for more details.

[EVENT] Shikoku Food Tech Awareness Seminar (1/15) (Japanese Only) 

Join us for the Shikoku Food Tech Awareness Seminar, where leading experts and innovative companies will share their insights on the latest trends and advancements in the food tech industry. This event aims to leverage Shikoku’s unique strengths—its strong brand and advanced technologies—to drive innovation through intellectual property and market development strategies. The seminar will be accompanied by the Shikoku Food Tech Exhibition, showcasing cutting-edge initiatives from local businesses. 

Click here for more details.

[EVENT] GOGLOBAL Spain: Exploring the Convergence of Japanese and Spanish Cuisine & Business Opportunities (1/24) (Japanese Only) 

Hosted by the Minato City Industrial Promotion Center, this 13th installment of the "GO GLOBAL Spain" series connects key players in the global startup ecosystem. This seminar will delve into the exciting possibilities that arise when food transcends borders and industries, exploring new avenues for value creation. We will also hear from innovative startups and universities participating in "FOOD4FUTURE," a leading food innovation conference in Bilbao, Spain.

Click here for more details.

See you in the next Foodtech EYES! 

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