Half a decade ago, everyone in food was all over startups – young, exciting companies set to disrupt the food market. A lot has happened since, of course, including Covid and the inflation spike. Startups felt the impact of both, and there has been a bit of a funding crisis to boot. Still, a lot of startups are trying to bring new ideas to the food market. In this podcast, Maria Castroviejo and Cyrille Filott interview Rabobank’s Foodbytes team to discuss the trends in food startups. Foodbytes is a platform where more than 2,000 food and agribusiness startups have provided information, including pitch decks, on their business. Unsurprisingly, a common theme among startups right now is AI. Listen to the podcast to learn more.

Once again, RaboResearch visited the Private Label Manufacturers Association's (PLMA) World of Private Label trade show in Amsterdam. This year, we interviewed visitors and exhibitors on the topic of innovation. Innovation is high on the agenda for anyone active in packaged foods. Brands have lost market share to private label, so they need to come up with new products to lure the consumer back. However, private label companies are responding by introducing new products as well. In this podcast, we hear from industry players on innovation in private label and how its done.

Professors David Raubenheimer and Stephen Simpson argue in their book, Eat Like the Animals, that over the course of recent decades the share of calories from protein in people's diets has declined (especially in the US). RaboResearch's Nick Fereday covered the topic in a recent report that generated quite some feedback. Therefore, we invited the professors to explain their hypothesis in greater detail. The resulting podcast is a truly fascinating listen. Everything you wanted to know about protein is explained; also, the so-what of the thesis for food companies is addressed.