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Publisher: CRS Cellular Agriculture Study Group Secretariat Public Relations Committee


October 13th, 2020

CRS Cellular Agriculture
Study Group Newsletter

Public Relations Chairwoman

Committee member

Naoto Yamaguchi

(GFI-APAC)
Please feel free to contact us if you have any content that you would like to describe or announce in this newsletter.
Please note that the selection and comments in this newsletter are the views of JACA’s Public Relations Committee and do not represent the opinions of JACA.
Public Relations Chairwoman：Megumi Avigail Yoshitomi

| Contents

 Highlights

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October 7th, 2020

The Good Food Institute and Animal Legal Defense Fund prosecuted Louisiana for naming legislation of plant-based products

Summary

  •  The Good Food Institute (the non-profit organization that promotes plant-based and clean meat) and Animal Legal Defense Fund (the animal protection organization) prosecuted Louisiana for legislation of plant-based products instead of the plant-based food company, Tofurky)
  • The law, which was the subject of both groups’ prosecution, imposes a fine of $ 500 per day on all plant-based meat products sold using the terms “burger” and “sausage.” (Even products marked as “vegan,” “vegetable,” or “plant-based” are illegally fined). The law came into effect on October 1, 2020
  • Both organizations charged with Louisiana law infringing on Tofurky’s freedom of expressions
  • In this article, FDA (The Food and Drug Administration) asked all plant-based products to be given names that clarify their features and ingredients. the GFI said that the names like “Burger” “Sausage”  make us easier to imagine their tastes and how to cook. It also insisted that consumers shouldn’t misunderstand the plant-based products as meat ones.
  • Louisiana’s legislation is similar to the meat labeling laws passed in Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, and many of these ones have received similar criticisms from the same organizations. For example, last year the three groups (GFI, ALDF, Tofurky) and the American Civil Liberties Union (American Civil Liberties Union) claimed to be unconstitutional and won in Arkansas.
  • “It’s clear for now that consumers choose plant-based options not because they’re confused, but because they’re good for the environment, human health, and animal welfare.” Commented Jaime Athos, CEO of Tofurky.

Comments from Yoshitomi：
  • I think that this problem will be solved if consumers recognize that plant-based products are not the replacements of meat, but a new type of food. However, the plant-based products are not yet well known, so this may be difficult at the moment.
  • Furthermore, it would be more convenient for the customers to be able to choose products, which they know how to cook or taste. Therefore, I’m sure that names like “XX Burger” would make it easier for consumers to buy the product as GFI argued.

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October 2nd, 2020

Established “Food Tech Public-Private Council” by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries promotes public-private partnership in the food technique field
Regarding the establishment of the Food Tech Public-Private Council and the announcement of holding the 1st Public-Private Council: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Summary

  • In April 2nd year of Reiwa Era, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries established the “Food Tech Study Group” consisting of related parties such as food companies, venture companies, related ministries and agencies, and research institutions. In the study group, they  discuss issues and countermeasures of cooperation in the food tech field. They announced midterm reports in July.
  • Taking the reports into consideration, we have established the “Food Tech Public-Private Council” to promote the government cooperation for solving issues and the development of new markets.

Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi：
The Cellular Agriculture Study Group serves as the Cultured Meat WT (Working Team) of the Food Tech Public-Private Council and continue to formulate rules regarding cell-cultured meat.
Financing

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October 9th, 2020

Big Idea Ventures, Ashika Group, GFI India jointly established the fund for alternative proteins

Summary

  • Big Idea Ventures (BIV)、Ashika Group (the financial service group), and Good Food Institute India (GFI India) established The BIV-Ashika India Alternative Protein Fund which supports startups developing plant-based, fermentation and cellular agriculture technologies.
  • The fund has already begun raising $25m for an accelerator program starting in 2021
  • Big Idea Ventures (BIV) has the achievement of managing $ 50m and investing in more than 20 companies. It also has the experience of operating accelerators based in New York and Singapore.
  • Good Food Institute India is the think tank in the alternative protein industry.
  • Ashika Group has achieved to support the financing and business expansion of beverage and food sector companies in the past.
Environments for Business

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October 9th, 2020

IntegrCulture Inc. enters the cosmetics market and succeeds in retaining skin resilience with culture medium
IntegriCulture Inc. successfully studies on retaining the skin resilience

Summary

  • IntegriCulture develops anti-aging cosmetics.
  • From the discovery that the active ingredient that keeps the skin resilience  exuded into the culture medium when the cells are cultured in the company, it leads to business planning.
  • It plans to make its own brand cosmetics and enter the cosmetics market aiming for commercialization in April 2021.

Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi：
  • This is an article introducing the efforts of IntegriCulture, which is a member of  JACA.
  • We hope that more people from various fields such as cosmetics and leather products recognize the potential of cellular culture.

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September 30th, 2020

Started a sustainable business co-creation program,”Food Tech Studio –Bites!,”
~We and 6 companies leading Japanese food industries collaborate with global startups~

Started a sustainable business co-creation program,      “Food Tech Studio –Bites!,”
~We and 6 companies leading Japanese food industries collaborate with global startups~

Summary

  • The consortium sponsored by Scrum Ventures based in San Francisco
  • Co-creation with food tech-related startups selected by Scrum Ventures and partner companies of the programs
  • At present, there are six partner companies: FUJI OIL HOLDINGS INC., NISSIN FOODS HOLDINGS CO., LTD.,  ITO EN, LTD., Juchheim Co., Ltd., Nichirei Foods Inc., and Otsuka Holdings Co.,LtD.
  • Hakuhodo Inc., Tokyo Tatemono Co.,Ltd., SIGMAXYZ Inc., and Tsujicho Group participate as strategic partners.
Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi：

It is a consortium in which several companies participating in JACA. I intend to pay attention to their future achievements.

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September 30th, 2020

Summary

  • Tesco aims to increase sales of vegetable burgers, sausages, quiches, etc. for flexitarians (flexible vegetarians).
  • For the first time in a UK company, it announced the sales target of the substitutional meat business (sales expansion of 300% compared to 2018 will be achieved by 2025). The company owns two plant-based food brands, including one that achieved sales of around $ 33m in 2019.
  • This object was announced as part of the sustainability program (an effort to reduce the environmental impacts of food products in retails) jointly with WWF.
  • The substitutional meat market in the UK has been expanding rapidly (increased by 40% between 2014 and 2019) and is expected to grow to $ 1.4bn by 2024.                                                        On the other hand, the vegan population in the country is about 1%, so it is thought that the growth drivers of the market are flexitarians.

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28th September, 2020

Sojitz Corporation forms a strategic alliance with Chinese food companies to develop the cultured meat market

Summary

  • The Chinese food maker “Shuangta Food” signs a strategic alliance with “Soujitz”, one of general trading companies in Japan, a totally affiliated company.  It announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership.
  • The two companies have collaborated on research, production and sales of pea-derived proteins and related products, which are raw ingredients for cultured meat. Also, they develop markets in Japan and other overseas markets.
Communication among Consumers / Others

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5th October, 2020

Whole Foods and Eat Just CEOs’ Talk

Summary

  • They talked about the future of food based on plant-based and cellular agriculture technologies.
  • Eat Just CEO Josh Tetrick commented that the company will soon announce the latest version of plant-based eggs. Cultured meat will not be called lab-grown meat when it is mass-produced. He also said that cultured meat should be called meat.
  • Whole Foods CEO John Mackey said cultured meats would significantly transform the food industry over the next 15 to 20 years

Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi：

With some food and retailers saying “I still don’t know if plant-based food would sell well in Japan,” I think it is promising that the famous plant-based food companies, which draw attention from global retailers are sending these kinds of messages.

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3rd October, 2020

In the “first year of popularization” of plant-based meat, Gaining consumer preference triggered by COVID-19
Walmart Inc.has become well-known

~Corporate researches supported by the government~

Summary

  • Consumers’ consciousness has changed with the COVID-19 disaster. Such as Walmart, the largest selling companies in the U.S., have expanded their handlings. Both of domestic and overseas companies added the plant-based products into their menus. 
  • Large and start-ups food companies also have been strengthening the products development, and the government expands their support for it.
  • In the article, these below are introduced.
    • Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Starbucks, Walmart and Green culture’s activities
    • A total of 10 billion euros (1.24 trillion yen) was invested in “Farm to Fork” (R & D), a strategy for building a sustainable food system, announced from the EU in May.
    • The “Food Tech Public-Private Council” launched by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on October 2nd in order to ensure qualities and secure technical infrastructures, etc.

Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi：
This article introduces the popularization of the alternative protein markets due to the COVID-19 and the initiatives of  governments in each country.

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28th September, 2020

Yoshihide Hata, Precident & CEO of NH Foods Ltd.’s Prospects
“With the times, Food culture has been changing. Next is cultured meat.”

Summary

  • In the future, soy beans-derived and cultured meat will be needed to supplement the demand for protein resources due to population growth.
  • (There are many problems in being superior to meat in terms of nutrition and taste) We do not think that cultured meat will replace meat. The companies plan to continue investing in the meat business (making domestic livestock bases more efficient).
  • NH Foods LTD. launched the plant-based meat bland called  “NatuMeat” in this March.

Comments from Ms.Yoshitomi：
  • NH Foods LTD. will jointly develop basic technology for cellular culture with IntegriCulture and underwrite the company’s capital increase through third-party allotment in May 2020. Therefore, it is impressive that it actively challenges cellular agriculture technology as a meat business company.
  • I would like to pay attention to how to balance the direction of the existing meat business with the investment in plant-based and cultured meat in the future to generate synergies, and how to communicate with shareholders and consumers about the compatibility policies.




















 Afterword


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