The Bel Group Invests in Climax Foods to Create New Generation of “Best in Class” Vegan Cheese
Global cheese leader The Bel Group and biotech startup Climax Foods announce a partnership to introduce a new generation of “zero compromise” plant-based cheese. By leveraging Climax’s data science and artificial intelligence, the two companies will co-create plant-based versions of Laughing Cow®, Kiri®, Boursin®, Babybel® and Nurishh® brand cheeses. Bel also reveals it has acquired an equity stake in Climax Foods for an undisclosed amount.
“It is excellent news for the plant-based cheese market”
Described as “best in class”, the new cheeses aim to be indistinguishable from their dairy counterparts while being nutritious, affordable and carrying a lower carbon footprint. The upcoming products appear to be different from the dairy-free BabyBel and Boursin that Bel has released in the last several years.
The partnership will utilize Climax’s powerful predictive analytics and AI, which enable a deeper understanding of animal-based foods at the molecular level. The startup uses this knowledge to replicate animal-based products, including cheese, with plant-based versions that offer matching texture, flavor, and nutrition density.
According to Climax, its AI-driven product development significantly reduces the time required to create plant-based recipes from the vast plant kingdom. By comparison, the company states, it would take billions of years to create the same recipes using traditional product development methods.
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“Food is a key lever to address climate change, and we, at Bel, have a strong determination to explore new territories and develop innovative solutions that will define the future of food, for all,” comments Cécile Béliot, CEO of the Bel Group. “The products we will develop in partnership with Climax have the potential to make a big difference: they can meet the three-fold challenge of sustainable, nutritious, and accessible. This collaboration epitomizes our co-innovation strategy by combining…
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