Lever Foundation

05/30/2026

Two peer-reviewed studies found that swapping processed meat for plant-based alternatives increases fibre intake by 4–6% and cuts saturated fat by 6–7%, even when the alternatives are classified as ultra-processed.

Most plant-based meats scored as healthy under the UK Food Standards Agency's nutrient model, and some lifted overall fruit and vegetable intake across participants' diets.

The researchers also flagged a gap: inconsistency in fortification across manufacturers. They're calling for national guidelines to standardise micronutrient levels so plant-based meat can function as a reliable replacement for animal protein.

Replacing processed meat with plant-based analogues, even if they're ultra-processed, increases fibre and reduces saturated fat intake, two UK studies show.

05/26/2026

Xiao Diao Li Tang has built its reputation on authentic Beijing cuisine since 2007, with ingredient quality at the center of its brand philosophy. The latest commitment extends that standard to how its ingredients are sourced and farmed.

The transition covers all poultry across the menu, including chicken, duck meat, and eggs, building on an existing practice: its signature Jasmine Roast Duck has used cage-free ducks as its core ingredient for years.

While these changes are promising, reducing or eliminating egg consumption remains crucial for protecting hens.

05/23/2026

Thailand's plant-based food market hit $1.39 billion in 2025, and the country is now chasing $10.8 billion in future food exports by 2027.

The lever? Upcycling. As the world's largest exporter of cassava starch, Thailand sits on a huge volume of agricultural by-products that can be processed into protein concentrates, functional fibres, and starch ingredients. New separation tech is making that conversion viable at industrial scale.

It's also a policy play. The government's Bio-Circular-Green model and Plant-Based Food Roadmap are pushing manufacturers toward resource efficiency and cleaner production.

Thailand is investing heavily as a global hub for plant‑based foods while simultaneously pursuing ambitious sustainability objectives. The national Plant‑Based

05/19/2026

Samyang is one of South Korea's largest food companies and the maker of Buldak, the spicy ramen that turned into a global phenomenon. Its new research facility sits near Wageningen, the heart of Dutch food science, focused on plant protein research, tech scouting, and partnerships with local universities and food companies.

The Netherlands is a deliberate pick; the government is targeting a 50/50 plant-to-animal protein split by 2030, and updated dietary guidelines now recommend cutting red meat by more than half and increasing legumes fivefold.

It's also a signal of where Korean food companies see the category heading. South Korea launched its national plant-based action plan in 2023 — only the second country to do so — and major players are now building the R&D muscle to match.

Samyang Foods has opened a research facility dedicated to plant-based food in the Netherlands, with protein and functional products in focus.

05/16/2026

Eggs are a backbone ingredient across bakery, confectionery, and processed foods, thanks to four properties that are famously hard to replicate: binding, foaming, gelling, and emulsifying. That's what Japanese startup Umami United's research is going after.

It lands at a useful moment. Global egg supply has been battered by avian flu, with prices hitting record highs in the US and a decade peak in Europe last year. A third of all chicken eggs produced globally go into food manufacturing, which makes every outbreak a supply chain event.

Umami United already sells its egg alternative to foodservice operators internationally, and raised $2M in a Series A last October to deepen R&D and push into North America.

Japan's Umami United has partnered with the Tokyo Denki University on a research project to recreate the functionality of eggs with plant-based ingredients.

05/12/2026

China's food industry association — the CFNA — has launched the country's first group standard for the plant-based sector. It covers product definitions, classification, nutritional requirements, and labelling.

Until now, there's been no shared framework for the sector; product labelling has been inconsistent or missing entirely, and companies have had no common reference point to follow during R&D and production. The new group standard is also designed to align with international norms, giving homegrown brands a clearer path to expand beyond China.

As part of the rollout, CFNA's plant-based subcommittee will design certification marks for member companies and host a national roadshow to help food businesses reach the market. The move comes as China's government continues investing in alternative proteins and domestic companies increasingly look to go global.

A Chinese trade association has developed the country's first national plant-based food standard to address the industry's biggest commercial challenges.

05/09/2026

Shilily Group operates a portfolio of high-end resorts in China known for wellness-led hospitality and premium dining. Its new commitment — 30% plant-based menus across 50 properties by 2026 — places it alongside a growing roster of Chinese hospitality leaders rethinking what upscale dining looks like.

The pledge builds on a pilot at the group's Liyang Mangeta Twin Hotel, which showed that luxury resorts can fold plant-based dining into the guest experience without trading down on quality.

Alongside the menu shift, Shilily plans to source more locally grown ingredients and progressively open fully plant-based restaurants within its resorts.

05/06/2026

Pret a Manger has released a comprehensive animal welfare policy covering every species in its food and drink supply chain—from laying hens and chickens to salmon, prawns, and lobster.

The policy requires humane slaughter for all fish and crustaceans, prohibits mutilations like eyestalk ablation, and sets standards on water quality and stocking densities for farmed seafood.

Lever Foundation worked directly with Pret on the development of this policy—part of our ongoing work helping major food companies implement meaningful, species-wide welfare protections across their global supply chains.

While corporate commitments like these represent real progress, reducing or eliminating our consumption of animal products remains the most direct way to protect their welfare.

05/02/2026

Lever Foundation’s hospitality scorecard for Singapore maps the hotel industry’s progress in phasing out caged eggs. The analysis reviews major hotel groups operating in Singapore and with multiple properties worldwide.

Global brands, including Capella, Marriott International, Hilton, Hyatt, Four Seasons, Wyndham, and Accor are among those with timelines in place, many already implementing cage-free sourcing policies across their international portfolios.

While these corporate commitments show progress, reducing or eliminating the consumption of animal products remains crucial to protecting the welfare of animals.

04/28/2026

DFI Retail Group and sustainability hub The Mills Fabrica have launched the DFI Sustainability Innovation Challenge to find solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from beef and dairy production in Asia. The programme is looking for technologies like methane-reducing feed additives, improved livestock management tools, and emissions monitoring systems.

Finalists will receive mentorship and access to DFI's retail network, and the winning solution will receive HK$120,000 to help scale.

Reducing or eliminating the consumption of animal products remains one of the most effective ways to reduce emissions from the food system.

A new sustainability challenge seeks breakthrough innovators to drive the decarbonisation of Asia's livestock agricuture industry.