GLP-1 Drugs, Novel Proteins & AI Dominate at MISTA and Future Food-Tech

Last week, MISTA and Future Food-Tech both hosted international events in San Francisco, bringing together startups, researchers, and investors to talk about the current and future state of FoodTech innovation. I walked away with some key takeaways, which I'll lay out here.

The MISTA event focused on healthy snacking, and featured a dynamic panel on recent research on the impact that GLP-1 drugs are having on eating behavior in the U.S. Experts shared that GLP-1 drug users are changing their snacking behavior in important ways, with Stanford post-doc Cate Ward, PhD, RD emphasized that consumers dealing with nausea are often choosing bland, cold foods like oatmeal and crackers, and that fortifying or adding new benefits to these foods could be important for food innovators. Jenny Zegler, Director, Food and Drink, for research house Mintel, stated that 51% of GLP-1 users report snacking more often, versus 15% for the general population. Both of these insights point to distinct opportunities for food brands and ingredient companies alike.

At Future Food-Tech, the conversation has shifted over the last three years away from vertical farming (completely) and FoodTech consumer products (largely), toward innovation focused on emerging areas such as:

• The use of AI in food product development, such as for protein discovery, like the work being done at Shiru
  
  
• The impact of GLP-1 drugs to our food choices
  
  
• Commercialization partnerships between startups and CPG or ingredient players

There were some bright spots in the FoodTech consumer products area, however, with innovative products from Rivalz™,  Ārepa, and Borealis Foods that deliver meaningful consumer benefits in familiar formats, including great taste.

Another key advance that I observed is the relatively recent emergence of cross-disciplinary, university-based centers for novel proteins, from the Integrative Center for Alternative Meat and Protein at UC Davis to the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein at NC State. The leaders of both of these organizations reiterated to me that their organizations are filling an important need in connecting the technological advances made in university labs to commercial markets.

In terms of the vibe at Future Food-Tech, there was excitement around both the technological and product progress in the FoodTech sector, the promise of AI, and most profoundly, the dynamic innovation swirling around GLP-1 drugs. Uncertainty around federal loans and grant making from the likes of BioMADE and DARPA, talk of the elimination of the self-affirmed GRAS process, and tailwinds in the cultivated meat sector, stoked conversations about uncertainty in the sector. 

In terms of topics that I'd like to see get more attention in the future: upcycling, gene editing, and the connection between mood / mental health and nutritious foods are at the top of the list.