Hadar Sutovsky’s Vision for the Future of Food Tech
20 January 2025, Israel: With global food demand projected to increase by 60% by 2050, the food production industry’s challenges are more pressing than ever. Climate change, resource scarcity, and the need for sustainable practices have placed immense pressure on traditional agricultural methods. Food tech is emerging as the key to addressing these challenges, blending innovation with sustainability to create resilient food systems.
Hadar Sutovsky, Vice President of Corporate Investments and General Manager of ICL Planet, brings a forward-looking perspective on how innovative solutions in food tech can tackle these challenges head-on. In this blog post, she shares her insights into foodtech trends and the future of the foodtech industry, exploring the breakthroughs that are set to transform sustainable food production.
The Urgent Need for Food Tech and Sustainability
As global food systems evolve to meet new challenges, foodtech solutions offer unparalleled opportunities to drive positive change. While traditional methods revolutionized food production during the Green Revolution, today’s innovations focus on efficiency, sustainability, and resilience.
Food tech is empowering manufacturers to adopt advanced methods that optimize resources, reduce environmental impact, and enhance food security. Technologies such as carbon utilization, AI, precision fermentation, and alternative proteins are reshaping how food is produced, processed, and consumed.
Hadar Sutovsky emphasizes, “Investing in innovative foodtech solutions is critical to building a sustainable and resilient food ecosystem. By fostering collaboration and embracing technology, we can ensure access to safe, nutritious food for all, even in the face of disruptions.”
Trailblazing Innovations Shaping Food Tech’s Future
The future of the foodtech industry is being shaped by groundbreaking technologies. Here are three key areas driving innovation:
- Carbon Utilization in Food Production
Combining revolutionary foodtech and sustainable thinking has led to remarkable advancements in carbon utilization. Carbon utilization refers to innovative technologies that convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable food ingredients.
For instance, Arkeon, a partner of ICL Planet Startup Hub, is pioneering technology that converts carbon dioxide into protein ingredients.
Hadar Sutovsky highlights this innovation as a prime example of how innovative solutions in food tech are addressing global challenges: “Technologies like these are transformative—they not only reduce emissions but also redefine the lifecycle of CO2 as a valuable resource in food production.”
This Austrian startup uses ancient microbes to transform CO2 into essential amino acids, providing a sustainable method for food production that requires no farmland or conventional agricultural inputs.
This innovation exemplifies how startups, supported by strategic partnerships, can provide nutritious food to a growing population within the Earth’s limits, while converting CO₂ into a valuable raw material, thereby helping to mitigate climate change.
- AI in Food Technology
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing food tech by enabling unprecedented precision, efficiency, and scalability. In food production, AI plays a critical role in optimizing processes, accelerating research and development, and creating innovative ingredients tailored to consumer and environmental needs.
Hadar Sutovsky highlights the impact of AI in food tech: “AI is a game-changer, enabling the food industry to create solutions that are not only innovative but also aligned with sustainability and scalability goals. It bridges the gap between cutting-edge technology and real-world applications.”
Additionally, AI is facilitating predictive analytics in food safety, enhancing quality control by identifying potential risks before they occur. From minimizing food waste through supply chain optimization to creating personalized nutrition plans, AI continues to redefine the capabilities of the food tech industry.
- Precision Fermentation
Precision fermentation represents a cutting-edge approach to producing specific ingredients such as proteins, enzymes, and fats with unprecedented precision and efficiency. This revolutionary technology harnesses microorganisms in controlled environments, paving the way for sustainable food innovation.
Planet StartUp Hub, ICL’s Corporate Investment Arm, launched a strategic partnership with Protera, an AI-driven startup that uses a proprietary algorithm, MADI™, to design new protein-based ingredients. This collaboration illustrates the potential of AI in transforming the food industry, particularly through precision fermentation.
Protera’s proprietary AI platform, MADI™, enables the development of sustainable proteins with optimized functionality. These innovations align with ICL’s commitment to fostering foodtech and sustainability by integrating “clean-label” ingredients and reducing environmental impact.
Hadar Sutovsky emphasizes the significance of this advancement: “Precision fermentation represents a pivotal shift in food tech, offering the ability to produce high-quality proteins in a controlled environment. It’s an excellent example of how innovation and sustainability intersect to address global food challenges.”
Protera’s work showcases how precision fermentation can reduce reliance on traditional inputs, enabling the development of scalable food solutions that align with both environmental and consumer needs. This innovation underscores the power of combining biotechnology and sustainability to create impactful advancements in food production.
Recent developments in precision fermentation also highlight its potential in crafting alternative dairy and meat products with improved taste and texture profiles. These advancements make it a crucial technology for meeting the demands of a growing global population while addressing environmental concerns.
- Cultivated Meat: Ethical Food Tech Solutions
Cultivated (lab-grown) meat is one of the most promising innovations in the fields of foodtech and sustainability, offering a solution to the environmental and ethical concerns associated with traditional livestock farming. The initial research was driven by public demand for more ethical farming practices and the need to mitigate the environmental impact of large-scale animal agriculture.
Cultivated meat also has the potential to reduce strain on infrastructure, lessen dependence on international supply chains, and increase the availability of affordable protein sources.
While cultivated meat holds significant promise for the future of food, several challenges must be addressed for it to become a mainstream alternative to farmed meat. Scaling the technology for low-cost, mass production is essential, and regulatory approval processes can be complex.
Hadar Sutovsky notes, “Cultivated meat holds great potential, but the path to mainstream acceptance involves overcoming challenges in cost, regulatory approval, and consumer perception. Achieving the right taste, texture, and overall experience is crucial for it to truly compete with traditional meat.”
To gain widespread appeal, lab-grown and hybrid plant-based meats need to meet high standards for taste, texture, appearance, and aroma to pass the “bite test” and ensure that consumers find them genuinely appetizing.
Startups: Shaping the Future of the Foodtech Industry
“True innovation happens when corporates and startups work together, combining resources and expertise to solve challenges neither could tackle alone.”
– Hadar Sutovsky–
Startups are redefining the future of food tech by rapidly introducing disruptive technologies and innovative solutions that address emerging challenges. Their ability to experiment and pivot swiftly enables them to push boundaries that larger corporations often struggle to cross due to their established structures and markets.
This is where ICL Planet Startup Hub plays a pivotal role, offering frameworks that transform potential into tangible market success.
A powerful synergy emerges when startups — or researchers with discoveries — collaborate with major corporations. ICL Planet Startup Hub has become a leading expert in fostering these mutually beneficial partnerships, whether at the incubator or accelerator level.
Hadar underscores the critical role of startups in the food tech ecosystem: “Startups need more than funding—they need strategic partnerships that help them scale and gain market access.”
ICL Planet’s unique frameworks are designed to ensure success by bridging gaps between innovation and market readiness. These frameworks include tailored co-development processes, streamlined pathways for R&D, and dedicated support for navigating legal and regulatory complexities. By aligning innovative solutions with market needs, ICL Planet accelerates the launch of products and services. Collaborations with Protera, Plantible, and Arkeon showcase how these proven methodologies create impactful results.
Hadar mentions, “What sets ICL Planet apart is our hands-on approach. We’re not just financial investors; we co-develop solutions, align them with market needs, and ensure they integrate seamlessly into the food tech ecosystem.”
For example, the collaboration between ICL Food Specialties and Plantible Foods led to the creation of Rovitaris Binding Solution, powered by Rubi Protein. This innovative ingredient recently won the Ingredient Idol award at SupplySide West 2024, recognized as the most innovative food ingredient of the year. These innovations not only redefine food ingredients but also set new benchmarks for sustainability and functionality in the industry.
Hadar adds, “Our continued investment in startups like Plantible Foods underscores our commitment to advancing sustainable and innovative solutions in the food industry. These partnerships highlight the transformative potential of food tech to address global challenges.”
By championing these partnerships, ICL Planet is not just fostering innovation but shaping the future of food tech to be more sustainable, scalable, and impactful.
Investment Trends and Priorities in Food Tech
The investment landscape for food tech ventures has become more challenging compared to a few years ago, reflecting broader market trends rather than a decline in confidence in the sector. In fact, investor interest is growing in key areas such as AI, alternative proteins, and precision nutrition, where innovative solutions hold significant potential.
ICL is strategically focusing its investments on startups that drive sustainability, with a particular emphasis on climate tech solutions and alternative proteins. As the world population continues to grow, both consumers and suppliers are seeking more cost-effective, healthy, sustainable, and convenient food solutions.
The latest food trends include alternative protein products (meat, cheese, and others), waste-free food, and ingredients produced sustainably with a low environmental footprint.
ICL is a leading global manufacturer of food additives and solutions for the food industry, including functional plant-based ingredients, prolonging shelf life, minimizing food waste, and more. The company’s products are being incorporated into the latest food-tech solutions, helping create a positive impact on the increasingly evolving food industry.
Promoting sustainability is central to ICL and the Planet Startup Hub’s philosophy, as the company recognizes the urgent need for climate tech advancements to help mitigate climate change and adapt to increased food demand.
Protera’s pioneering work in precision fermentation serves as a prime example of ICL’s vision for transforming edible protein production. This innovative approach not only aligns with the company’s sustainability goals but also showcases the potential for precision fermentation to revolutionize the food industry. ICL is committed to allocating significant resources to strategic investments across these fields, actively supporting technological progress to ensure long-term value and impact.
Building a Sustainable Future Through Food Tech
Hadar Sutovsky’s vision for the future of the foodtech industry is one of resilience and sustainability. By integrating technology, fostering partnerships, and prioritizing environmental responsibility, ICL leads the way in shaping a future where sustainable innovation meets global food demands.
“The integration of technology and sustainability is key to transforming food production for future generations. Through strategic investments and partnerships, ICL is spearheading innovation in foodtech trends, driving solutions that balance scalability with environmental responsibility,” Sutovsky explains.
The journey to revolutionize food production is just beginning. With bold ideas, strategic investments, and a steadfast commitment to foodtech solutions, ICL is not only addressing today’s challenges but also creating opportunities for generations to come.
By empowering startups, driving sustainability, and pushing the boundaries of sustainable innovation, the company is setting the stage for a food system that is efficient, ethical, and resilient.If you have a new foodtech solution that aligns with ICL’s strategic goals, the Planet Startup Hub wants to hear from you. Together, we can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s breakthroughs, ensuring a sustainable future for all.
Also Read: Fertilizer Utilization in China’s Major Grain Crops Continues to Rise in 2024
Please reach out at info@krishakjagat.org, nimishgangrade@krishakjagat.org if you would like to share your company story or advertise in the upcoming issue of Global Agriculture magazine.
(For Latest Agriculture News & Updates, follow Krishak Jagat on Google News)
(+80 Million Farming Audience Visits Krishak Jagat’s Hindi Website – Click Here for Website)