Heura beats Spain's meat lobby in court; Solar Foods lands $89M

Spain's Provincial Court of Barcelona ruled on appeal in favor of Heura Foods, overturning a commercial court's first-instance decision in a case initiated in 2022 by six meat industry interprofessional organizations: Interporc, Provacuno, Interovic, Asici, Avianza, and Intercun. The appeals court cleared Heura of the vast majority of unfair competition claims, finding that the company's social media posts between 2020 and 2022, which criticized the livestock industry and cited its public and planetary health impacts, could not be considered misleading, denigrating, or unlawfully comparative. The court noted that Heura ordinarily cited its sources, drawing on the WHO, FAO, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Spain's AESAN food safety agency, and researchers at Harvard and Oxford, and stated "Heura ordinarily cites its source, with nothing to suggest the citation is mistaken." The court invoked Article 20 of the Spanish Constitution on freedom of expression: "Imposing the requested blanket sentence would have constituted an unacceptable restriction." The meat lobby was ordered to pay court costs, though it can still appeal to the Supreme Court. The only claim upheld concerned a 2020 campaign, since withdrawn, stating "a beef burger pollutes more than your car," which the court found needed more precise framing given its broad public reach. The court also upheld Heura's use of terms like "burger," "chorizo," and "sausage" on plant-based products provided the plant-based nature is clearly communicated, while ruling against animal-related imagery. Heura turned profitable for the first time in Q1 2026 and now holds twice the market share of its nearest competitor in Spain, according to Green Queen [10].

Finnish startup Solar Foods confirmed €77.8 million ($89.2 million) in grants and loans from Business Finland toward Factory 02, its first commercial-scale facility for Solein, a protein made via gas fermentation using hydrogen, CO2, and microbes rather than sugar or agricultural land. The funding is contingent on a final investment decision, which Solar Foods aims to make during 2026, and on securing additional debt financing. The company currently operates a pilot facility (Factory 01) scaling toward 230 tonnes per year. Phase one of Factory 02 targets 3,200 tonnes per year, with operations targeted for late 2028. Solein holds novel food approval in Singapore (September 2022) and self-GRAS status in the United States; an EFSA decision on its European novel food application remains pending. The first US consumer product containing Solein, a protein powder from Ambrosia Collective under its Planta brand, has launched on Ambrosia's website and on Amazon. AgFunderNews reports that converting memoranda of understanding and letters of intent from customers into binding offtake commitments is the current bottleneck, not regulatory approvals [2].

German manufacturing giant Döhler Group has acquired UK startup Nukoko, which produces cocoa-free chocolate from fava beans via fermentation and biotech processing, two years after an initial investment. Nukoko, founded in 2022, subjects fava beans to what it describes as a "unique biotransformation" and controlled fermentation that mimics traditional cocoa processing, producing a powder with chocolatey flavor from a protein called vicilin found in both fava beans and cocoa. Green Queen reports that Nukoko claims its alternative generates 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional chocolate, with 40% lower sugar content; these figures are Nukoko's own company claims and no independent published life cycle assessment was identified. Fava beans are a nitrogen-fixing cover crop grown domestically in the UK and EU. Döhler says the acquisition expands its plant-based ingredients portfolio; Nukoko gains access to Döhler's global R&D and application network while retaining its technology. B2B samples across confectionery, baked goods, ice cream, and cereal-based formats are due in August 2026. Döhler's current fermentation capacity takes Nukoko from 500kg batches to 10,000-litre batches [8].

Danone has extended its Silk Protein range into dairy-free protein yoghurts and ready-to-drink shakes, seven months after launching a soy milk with 13g of protein per cup. The yoghurts contain 13g of plant protein per 6oz serving from soybeans, a complete protein with all essential amino acids. Danone says the new yoghurts contain twice the average protein content of the dairy-free yoghurt segment. Each serving includes 4g of fibre, calcium, vitamins B12 and D, iodine, and phosphorus, with no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. Vanilla, strawberry, peach, and mixed berry flavors in 24oz tub and 5.3oz cup formats roll out to US retailers this month. The RTD shakes deliver 30g of complete plant protein, 5g of fibre, 2g of sugar, and 180 calories per 11.15oz bottle, launching in chocolate and vanilla next month. Green Queen reports that US plant-based yoghurts grew 7% and plant-based RTD beverages grew 12% in 2025, while the overall non-dairy milk segment declined 2%. The brand also launched Silk Protein soy milk in Canada last month, and an Alpro meal replacement shake range in Europe earlier this year [9].

PETA reports that five primates, three baboons (Zeus, Calliope, and Monet) and two vervets (Bear and Blue), previously held at the now-shuttered West Coast Game Park Safari in Oregon, have been living at Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in Texas since May 2025. In May of that year, after PETA alerted Oregon authorities to conditions at the zoo, law enforcement executed multiple search warrants and removed 322 animals from the property. In April 2026, the zoo's owner pleaded guilty to 47 criminal charges, including 43 counts of animal neglect. The prosecutor has recommended 7.5 years in prison plus full restitution for the cost of caring for all 322 animals from the date of seizure until formal surrender. Born Free USA, accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, reports the animals now have naturalistic habitats, social groupings with previously rescued primates, and enrichment appropriate to their species. Zeus is described as the calm leader of a baboon group that includes rescues from a closed Iowa zoo. Bear joined a large vervet group immediately; Blue, initially shy, has become social [11].