Italian vegan cheese hits 11% share as Ontario's lab-dog ban is sued

Dreamfarm lifts its share of Italy's plant-based cheese aisle to 11% on 45% revenue growth

Parma's Dreamfarm says its revenue rose 45% in the first eight months of 2026, and NielsenIQ data cited by the company put its share of Italy's plant-based cheese retail at 11% by the end of August [81]. The almond and cashew cheesemaker credits fermentation with five strains, which it says a European patent protects, along with wider supermarket listings [73]. It says it is in more than 2,000 points of sale across Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, and it previews a new range at SIAL Paris, 17 to 21 October, Hall 7, Stand A092 [73][81].

• 45%revenue growth in the first eight months of 2026 versus the same period of 2025, per the company [81]
• 11%value share of Italian plant-based cheese retail at end of August 2026, up from 7.4% a year earlier [81]
• 43%weighted distribution for its mozzarella alternative, up from 35% in August 2025 [81]
• €130,000 in 2023 to around €1.8M in 2025annual revenue, per the CEO [73]

Fromvegconomist the vegan business magazineGreen Queen

Nucro-Technics sues to overturn Ontario's ban on invasive dog and cat experiments

Nucro-Technics, a Toronto lab that experiments on dogs, filed an application in Ontario Superior Court to overturn the province's ban on many invasive experiments on dogs and cats, and its lawsuit indicates it will seek an injunction to stop the law taking effect on January 1, 2027 [112]. The company argues the ban intrudes on the federal criminal law power and conflicts with Health Canada drug-approval requirements, even though dog testing is not required by law [112]. Animal Justice says it will seek leave to intervene and defend the law [112].

FromAnimal Justice

EFSA names cultivated meat and precision fermentation as areas needing in-house expertise

The European Food Safety Authority listed cultivated meat and precision fermentation among the priority areas where it needs its own specialist expertise, in a paper meant to inform its next strategy [79]. It says risk assessments in those areas must become "faster and fit-for-purpose," and it concedes its novel food guidance does not list every element assessors need [79]. GFI Europe says that uncertainty over what data to provide has caused lengthy authorisation delays [79].

• More than three yearsaverage EU novel food authorisation time, per studies cited in CellAg Deutschland's action plan [79]
• 17 monthsthe regulation sets out for the same process [79]

Fromvegconomist the vegan business magazine

Mercy For Animals ranks McDonald's near the bottom of US burger chains on plant-based options

Mercy For Animals scored the 25 largest US burger chains on plant-based options, menu placement, pricing and marketing, and gave McDonald's 1 point out of 30 [77]. By the charity's count only six of the 25 chains sell a dedicated plant-based patty, and Bareburger topped the list with the full 30 [77]. McDonald's piloted a Beyond Beef McPlant in San Francisco and Dallas but never made it permanent, while it still sells plant-based burgers in the UK, the Netherlands and other markets [77].

• 1 of 30points for McDonald's, the lowest "Bottom Buns" tier; Wendy's and In-N-Out got 2, Five Guys 1 [77]
• 6 of 25chains offer a dedicated plant-based patty on their US menu [77]
• 7% downUS foodservice sales of plant-based proteins last year, against 20% up consumption of plant-based alternatives in European foodservice in 2025 [77]

FromGreen Queen