The Finnish company Foodiq has developed a new ingredient that can finally allow plant-based food alternatives to go global. The ingredient, called Fabea+, is made from fermented fava beans and offers a more nutritious, sustainable, and scalable alternative to mainstream ingredients used in the plant-based market, such as soy, pea or oats. 

The product, which made its debut at this year’s Natural Products Expo East, in Philadelphia, is made without sugar, including coconut sugar. It is sweet, smooth and contains 70% Cacao.

Whole Foods Market’s summer condiment trends predictions come at a time when customers are turning to condiments to elevate their meals more than ever before. According to Mintel, sales for the condiment, marinade and dressing category are expected to hit $2.9 billion by 2024, showing growth of more than 5% since 2020.

The popularity of Vietnamese food and beverages has continued to grow in the US, alongside other Asian cuisine. Enhancing the proverbial “sweet spot” in a trending Vietnamese food by incorporating trusted ingredients can transform a traditional Vietnamese dish into a new variation.

Plant-based queso sales have grown 94% in the last 52 weeks, with the overall plant-based cheese category estimated to have grown to $234M in recent years.

As global efforts ramp up to mitigate the climate crisis, address land and water issues, and prevent the next pandemic, the sustained interest in alternative proteins signals a growing appetite for planet-friendly investments with returns beyond the bottom line.