Cargill, CUBIQ FOODS collaborate on novel fat technology to accelerate customer innovation of plant-based foods

Answering the call for healthier, more sustainable, and better-tasting solutions, Cargill and the young food-tech company CUBIQ FOODS have signed product co-development and commercial go-to-market agreements aimed at developing and accelerating wide-scale commercialization of CUBIQ FOODS’ innovative fat technologies.

With this strategic partnership, Cargill will now have access to CUBIQ’s innovative technologies to help customers develop plant-based alternative foods with benefits that surpass typical products made with animal fats or tropical oils, such as:

• enhances flavor

• may improve total fats and saturated fats

• may improve caloric content, and

• may incorporate essential fatty acids (omega 3)

CUBIQ’s novel fats, including Go!Drop, join Cargill’s existing portfolio of plant-based solutions, spanning plant proteins, texturizers, and a full array of traditional fats and oils.

“By embracing new technologies, harnessing our full ingredient toolbox, and leveraging our global application knowledge, we’re poised to accelerate the development of the next-generation plant-based products. Ultimately, it will be a win for consumers, as we enable food manufacturers to create products and solutions with an eye toward both people and the planet,” said Vivek Cherian, leader - Meat and Dairy Alternatives Category for Edible Oils, Cargill.

The new fat technologies can be used across multiple applications and are especially relevant in the plant-based meat and dairy alternative space, where fats and oils play pivotal roles in structure, taste, texture, and nutritional profile. Most current plant-based options fall short of consumers’ expectations, but CUBIQ FOODS’ line of “smarter” fats helps close the gap, including advances that replicate animal fat in terms of visual appearance, mouthfeel, and bite.

“Signing the joint development and commercial agreements represents the next phase in our partnership, as our groundbreaking technology is now ready for application development, production scale-up, and widespread commercialization – roles that Cargill is uniquely equipped to help us advance,” said Andrés Montefeltro, chief executive officer, CUBIQ FOODS. “Together, we’ll help food manufacturers and consumers reimagine what’s possible in the quest for healthy and satisfying foods.”

Cargill first invested in CUBIQ FOODS in May 2022 as part of ongoing efforts to rapidly advance promising food technology and support customers with novel solutions. The collaboration complements Cargill’s previous investments in alternative protein sources, including PURIS and Upside Foods (formerly known as Memphis Meats) and aligns with the company’s ambition to be a leader in innovative food ingredients.