Growing up, sisters Nadia and Sophie Hanessian didn’t know they would end up founding and jointly running a smart food startup. But they did already share a common outlook on the world – one based on sustainability, social justice and a commitment to tackling key environmental issues. It was this that inspired the siblings to take the leap into entrepreneurship side by side, eager to tackle the most pressing food system challenges. 

Tell us a bit about the people behind the Vege’tables team.

Hello, we’re Sophie and Nadia Hanessian, co-founders of Vege’tables! Nadia, our CEO, has a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in international management. She’s worked in different roles in both the technology and the higher education industries, specialising in project management and consulting. Sophie, our COO, holds a Brevet fédéral in human resources, as well as a CAS in management and has worked in several large companies in Switzerland, developing her expertise in the different aspects of HR. We are now full-time impact entrepreneurs using everything we’ve learnt to tackle the social and environmental challenges we face.

Describe what Vege’tables does in a sentence or two.

Vege’tables provides consulting, training and catering services to companies, organisations, restaurants and individuals. We’re all about Smart Food: food that is healthy, ethical and sustainable – usually whole foods, and always 100% plant-based.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? 

We love turning ideas into reality – and thankfully that is what entrepreneurship is all about! We really relish engaging with people, be it our Veggies’ team, clients, partners or event participants. We love talking to others to raise awareness of the impact of our food choices on our health and the environment, and to provide concrete solutions in the process.

What key milestones have you hit so far?

In two years, Vege’tables has developed from an idea to a concrete project – and has been a registered company with a growing portfolio of clients, partners and services since summer 2022! In the final quarter of 2022, we catered for numerous events and delivered several conferences and team-building activities for large organisations as part of their health and sustainability programmes.

What projects are you and your team working on at the moment?

We’re currently developing new smart cooking courses and consulting services for professional chefs and restaurants to help them to broaden their skills and make high-quality and delicious smart food available on every menu. 

In parallel, we’re running several online and offline projects to grow our reach and offer practical resources and tools to organisations and individuals to help them to actively reduce their carbon footprint through their food choices.

How do you collaborate and support others in the ecosystem?

Co-creation is at the core of our business. We’ve developed (and keep developing!) partnerships with like-minded businesses, associations and academics to advance our mission of making Smart Food desirable and accessible to all. We’re always happy to explore new collaborations, as well as to provide advice and share knowledge with others. We can organise events, as well as provide resources, activities and training to help organisations of all sizes develop their health and sustainability strategy. We also offer smart cooking training to professional cooks and individuals.

What support could the Valley community offer to further your work?

As we are in the early growth stage, Vege’tables would definitely benefit from the Valley’s connections to develop new partnerships and our client base. We’re also looking for sponsors to allow us to run and consolidate our free public programmes for individuals and look forward to inviting some Valley partners on board.

Tell us something we don’t know about your company.

Vege’tables is very much a family business! We (Nadia and Sophie) are sisters who decided to turn to entrepreneurship to address the social and environmental challenges caused by our food system. Fun fact: can you guess who is the elder sister? There’s a four years age gap between us, but most people can’t figure out which way round!

Connect with Nadia and Sophie on LinkedIn to learn more about collaboration opportunities, or visit the Vege’tables website.

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In a significant breakthrough for cultivated premium beef steaks, Swiss startup Mirai Foods has announced a technological leap forward in its cultivation of thick tender steaks.

The Zurich-based company has developed what it calls “Fibration Technology” that allows for efficient cultivation of tissue that mimics conventional meat. Mirai’s innovative bioreactor also improves efficiency and reduces costs. And as Mirai Foods exclusively uses natural cells, the process is completely GMO-free.

This milestone highlights Mirai Foods’ track record of success since the company’s launch in 2019. “Other types of meat can already be produced in the lab,” said Christoph Mayr, CEO and co-founder of Mirai Foods. “A fillet steak is the ultimate challenge: it consists of different cell types, which result in a complex structure. This structuring process is technologically challenging. That’s why Mirai Foods is taking an important step towards sustainable meat with the first cultivated beef tenderloin steak.”

Technology makes centimetre-thick cultivated steaks possible

The first cultivated tender steak comes from Mirai Foods’ in-house developed bioreactor, known as “The Rocket”. It embodies the startup’s proprietary fibration technology which sees long, fully mature muscle fibres cultivated, then combined by enzymes and supplemented with cultivated fat tissue. After five days in the bioreactor, a tenderloin centrepiece is complete. Steaks of almost any thickness can be cut from this structure.

“We have filed three international patents for this key technology,” said Suman Das, CSO and co-founder of Mirai Foods. “We can deliver a real alternative to conventional meat: using our technology, consumers can enjoy a real steak – and know that no animal had to die for it and the climate was not harmed.”

Standing out from the competition

While competitors can only produce minced meat or very thin slices, Mirai Foods has with this new development shown that naturally recreating real steaks with a thickness of one and a half centimetres and more is possible. The technology developed for this purpose not only enables better nutrition and taste, but also creates significant cost advantages in production. 

Investors are also enthused by the latest developments. Along with several other investors, Zürich based food and meat producer Angst AG, which sees Mirai as a future supplier for its diverse range of meat products, has now joined the company. In a seed round, international investors have already invested more than CHF 4.5 million ($5 million) in Mirai Foods.  

The high level of funding interest also underscores the fact that Mirai Foods is one of only a few companies in the world working to offer natural meat produced in bioreactors by multiplying muscle and fat cells without the use of genetic engineering. As a result, the startup’s product development is geared toward the preferences of European consumers – maintaining the highest standards of taste, quality and health. In the long term, the company aims to offer a wide range of meats but is for now focusing on premium beef given the associated planetary costs.

Find out more by visiting the Mirai Foods website.

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Founded in 2013, CleanGreens spent its first six years designing, developing and polishing its aeroponic growing system at the company’s headquarters in Molondin, Canton de Vaud, Switzerland. 2019 saw the installation of their first commercial system in France – and this year has seen the launch of two new partnerships, building their presence in two distinct regions.

On February 1st, CleanGreens Solutions and GreenLife officially inaugurated their joint collaboration: the launch of the first ever aeroponic greenhouse in the Middle East. The launch event included a visit to the soilless farm in the city of Abdali and a tour of the site led by Green Life agronomists.  Bruno Cheval, CEO of CleanGreens Solutions, emphasized the importance of the project: “Traditional agriculture is failing to produce enough food for everybody and this project is merely a first step in the future collaboration in the GCC region.” 

The 6,000m2 greenhouse in Kuwait is an important landmark in CleanGreen’s growth outside of Europe.  Adel Al Shamali, the chairman of Green Life Company, highlighted the importance of agriculture in achieving the two key goals outlined in the Kuwait 2035 vision – ensuring food security and diversifying income sources. And in the hot and arid climate, one on-site agronomist summarized the necessity of the project:  “The aeroponic irrigation robot is a breakthrough, it facilitates our life as we know that the plants get what they need whenever they need it, we don’t have to worry about the water temperature or the oxygenation of the plant.” Experts who attended the launch heaped particular praise on the superb quality of the lettuce.

Developing a presence in the French market

Earlier this year, in January, Valley partner CleanGreens Solutions SA and Midiflore announced a similar collaboration on the installment of a 3,500 square meter aeroponic greenhouse using the CleanGreens’ GREENOVA system in the South of France. The project, which is set to begin in the final quarter of 2023, will allow Midiflore to produce aromatic herbs locally and reduce their reliance on imports. This project marks a major milestone for Midiflore as this system offers a more sustainable solution for growing aromatic herbs.

“We value local production and we’re excited to soon be able to produce our favorite herbs here all year long,” said Sylvie Recouvrot, owner of Midiflore. “At the moment, we produce in the fields, so our crews are exposed to the climate conditions and must work in uncomfortable positions. Transitioning to the greenhouse will allow them to have a better work environment.”

A sustainable solution for local production

Both of these projects mark the next step in CleanGreens’ growth. Aeroponics, compared to hydroponics, uses less water, offers a wider range of varieties that can be grown, and brings a consistent quality of crops. It is easy to use, with an irrigation robot taking the guesswork out of watering, and clients receive training on existing systems before installation. Additionally, the GREENOVA system allows for multiple harvests, increasing efficiency and profitability for clients, and boosting income and workforce for CleanGreens. 

Bruno Cheval, CEO of CleanGreens said, “Despite adverse market conditions, with this project we can demonstrate that CEA farming and our aeroponic technology in particular can still progress. Our clients can grow herbs at a lower cost than they import it, and with a significantly better quality, that’s a significant advantage for aeroponics.”

 About CleanGreens Solutions

CleanGreens Solutions (www.cleangreens.ch) is a Swiss mobile aeroponic system provider. The company is selling its GREENOVA aeroponic system in combination with the GURU Crop Management System. The company has been delivering leafy greens projects in Europe and in the Middle East. Contact Bernhard Baumgartner at bernhard.baumgartner@cleangreens.ch for more information.

About Green Life Co. 

Green Life Co (https://greenlifegcc.com)  was established in 2021 to meet the growing demand for regionally produced foodstuffs and provide healthy and high-quality products using the lowest amount of water through modern technological methods called Mobile Aeroponics Agriculture. 

About Midiflore 

Midiflore (https://midiflore.com/) is an aromatic herbs and edible flower producer located in Hyères, in the South of France. The company grows over 50 varieties of herbs both in greenhouses and on open fields.

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Valley partner YASAI, a Swiss vertical farming start-up, has welcomed two industry leaders to its Board of Directors – Lorenz Wyss, CEO of the Bell Food Group, and Theo Stolze, former shareholder of the Stolze Group. The company now plans to draw on Mr. Wyss’s retail and market insights and Mr. Stolze’s extensive knowledge of novel farming technologies, to achieve its ambitious growth targets. 

New Board Members bring essential expertise

Overseeing the Bell Food Group as Chief Executive Officer since 2011, Lorenz Wyss is leading an international food company with more than 12,000 employees. Initially known for producing meat, the company now offers a wide range of convenience products, as well as plant-based meat alternatives. The Eisberg food company, part of the Bell Food Group, already serves as YASAI’s nationwide distribution partner. With Mr. Wyss as an industry expert and Bell Food Group as a new investor, YASAI looks set to strengthen its position in the market. The Bell Food Group has invested an undisclosed amount in YASAI’s convertible loan round to accelerate scaling.

Theo Stolze’s extensive knowledge of novel farming technologies forms the professional counterweight of the Board. As export director of the Stolze Group for over 30 years, he led the Dutch company to international success. The Stolze Group specializes in tailored, technical solutions for greenhouse systems and has been in business for more than 50 years. Theo Stolze will now help YASAI to scale, both as an investor and as a new board member. 

A tenfold increase in YASAI’s production capacity

Established three years ago, YASAI has become the leading vertical farming company in Switzerland. The construction of two additional industrial farms, as well as another farm integrated into a residential area, are already planned to scale up production in the next few years. YASAI is planning a tenfold increase in its production capacity to meet constantly growing demand and is set to expand its product portfolio with its trade partners.

About YASAI

YASAI AG is a vertical farming start-up founded in 2020 by Mark E. Zahran, Stefano Augstburger, and Philipp Bosshard in Zurich. The company builds and manages Vertical Farms based on circular economy approaches to improve food systems. Its controlled environment agriculture technology is independent of local circumstances, and can therefore be used worldwide for sustainable, future-oriented precision agriculture. YASAI is currently focused on growing herbs, but soon intends to extend its product portfolio into leafy greens and cosmetic plants.

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Two new investors will join Insolight on their journey to scale up the deployment of insolagrin, their innovative agrivoltaic solution. The team will now set-up large-scale installations in Switzerland and France before expanding internationally and increasing the number of target crops.

Demeter, a major European venture capital player in the agritech and cleantech industries, and the Smart Energy Innovation Fund, the Corporate Venture Capital Fund of Energie 360°, a Zurich-based sustainable energy and mobility service provider, have joined existing investors Verve Ventures and Zürcher Kantonalbank to support the Vaud-based company’s growth.

The funds will allow Insolight to deploy their first large-scale insolagrin installations that will initially be used by berry growers in Switzerland and France. The company then aims to replicate these installations globally and increase the number of target crops. The round will also support the company’s commercial scale-up and strengthen the development of their project pipeline, targeting multiple tens of millions of Euros in the next two years.

Cyrille Cabaret, Partner at Demeter, who will be joining the Insolight board, commented on the development: “Insolight holds a unique position in the fast-growing agrivoltaics market, with an efficient combination of PV production and agronomical expertise. The company has recently reached compelling milestones and they are now ready to deploy their innovative agrivoltaic solutions throughout Europe. We are delighted to join the team for this new promising chapter and to bring our experience in agriculture and energy alongside renowned investors like Energie 360°”.

Metin Zerman, Investment Manager at Energie 360°’s Smart Energy Innovation Fund said:  “The simultaneous use of land for agricultural crop production and PV power generation is a future market with enormous potential that has not yet been fully utilized today. We are very proud to have found a leading provider for Agri PV in Insolight and are very much looking forward to working with the team and the distinguished group of investors to tackle this huge market”

Laurent Coulot, CEO and Co-Founder at Insolight said: “The round has a very interesting setup for our core markets. We will not only bring agritech and engery experts on board, but we also expand our network in France and the DACH region. Thank you to all our investors. We now look forward to feeding citizens and the grid with our installations”.

About Insolight

Founded in Lausanne (CH) in 2015 by Laurent Coulot (CEO), Mathieu Ackermann (CTO) & Florian Gerlich (Product Architect), Insolight is bringing to market insolagrin – a dynamic agrivoltaic solution. With a single infrastructure, insolagrin enables both agricultural and electricity production on the same land. The system provides protection for the crops and controls light transmission to plants through dynamic shading while harvesting excess light into electricity. By replacing plastic tunnels, the market opportunity is sizable: berries alone represent more than 200 GW p in Europe. Our team is on a mission to deliver a solution that can impact globally both the energy and agriculture sectors. Insolight has developed a Global Partnership Program which Migros and SwissRe Foundation have already joined.

Learn more at www.insolight.ch. 

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ADM has won the Environmental Initiatives category of the 2022 SEAL Business Sustainability Awards for expanding its regenerative agriculture programs. Granted by a judging panel of renowned environmental and energy industry experts, the award recognizes programs or initiatives that push the frontier on environmental leadership.

ADM’s project, “Providing Economic and Sustainable Solutions Through Regenerative Agriculture,” expands on ADM’s long-term commitment to support growers in their transition to regenerative agriculture. In 2022, ADM launched a number of projects and partnerships, including with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), US Department of Agriculture, PepsiCo, and the Farmers Business Network, that equip farmers with financial, technical and educational resources to support regenerative farming.

Commenting on the development, Alison Taylor, chief sustainability officer at ADM said, “ADM is uniquely positioned to partner with growers and customers alike to create value for participants across the value chains in which we operate while helping secure a more sustainable future. We’re proud to continue to expand our partnership with growers, providing valuable support to enhance farm-level sustainability and helping their businesses grow and succeed while simultaneously advancing Scope 3 emissions goals for both ADM and our customers.”

ADM’s regenerative agriculture programs not only support farm economics, but also reduce supply chain impacts and protect local biodiversity. Their initiative has covered four continents to date and is expected to expand its reach further in the coming years. It’s engaged with growers to implement regenerative growing practices on more than 600,000 acres. In 2023, ADM plans to continue expansion in North America to cover one million acres by enrolling over 1,000 growers in regenerative programs. This project will also drive carbon reduction and sequestration of 300,000 MT of CO2e, making a significant contribution to ADM’s commitment to curbing emissions.

About ADM

ADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. As a premier global human and animal nutrition company, ADM delivers solutions today with an eye to the future – leading the way to a new future of plant-based consumer and industrial solutions to replace petroleum-based products. They’re also an agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. Sustainability is one of their key values and they work to scale across entire value chains to help decarbonize our industry and safeguard our planet. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, ADM gives customers an edge in solving the nutritional and sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow.

Learn more at www.adm.com 

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