US – AB InBev, through its investment arm ZX Ventures, is venturing into large scale development of sustainable, animal-free egg protein to address global food challenges while its competitor Diageo has added a new coffee-infused product to its Guinness brand.
According to a report by FoodBev, ZX Ventures is partnering with Clara Foods in this new initiative that will “focus on unlocking the potential of precision fermentation at a large scale.”
Clara Foods specialises in engineering, manufacturing and formulating animal-free proteins using precision fermentation.
The R&D partnership will combine AB InBev’s expertise in scaled, food-grade fermentation and downstream processing from its large-scale brewing process with Clara Foods technology knowledge in animal-free, performance proteins to realise its goals.
As part of the research, Clara Foods will work with BioBrew – a technology platform venture in ZX Ventures that is exploring opportunities to apply large-scale fermentation and downstream processing expertise beyond beer.
“Meeting the increased demand for food requires breakthrough solutions built on collaboration and innovation that spans several industry domains – both old and new. The ancient and natural process of fermentation can be further harnessed to help meet future demands in our global food system,” said Patrick O’Riordan, founder and CEO at BioBrew.
“We look forward to exploring the development of highly-functional, animal-free egg proteins with Clara Foods in a scalable, sustainable and economically viable manner.”
Diageo adds expands Guinness beverage line with new Nitro Cold Brew Coffee
Meanwhile, Diageo, a leading brewing company based in the UK, has combined its classic Guinness stout with cold brew coffee in its latest nitrogenated beer creation.
The new beer is brewed using cold brew coffee extract and natural coffee flavours, offering hints of espresso, chocolate and caramel and has been described as the perfect balance of bitter and sweet with a roast coffee flavour.
With a 4% ABV, Guinness Nitro Cold Brew Coffee is said to be best enjoyed straight from the can or poured into a glass to fully activate the widget inside the can – which infuses nitrogen into the beer upon opening.
The new drink marks a permanent addition to the Guinness portfolio and comes after the launch of its alcohol-free variant, Guinness 0.0.
The US is the first market to enjoy the new offering, however the beer is expected to slowly roll out to other countries over the next 12-18 months.
“Nitro Cold Brew Coffee beer is a welcome addition to the Guinness family, and the response so far has been incredible,” said Nikhil Shah, Guinness brand director.
“Now that it’s officially iced coffee season, we’re excited to give consumers a coffee-forward beer to enjoy during their spring and summertime occasions.”
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