NECTAR Acquires Taste Like’s Comprehensive Data on Alternative Protein Products
Publisher of the world’s largest plant-based meat sensory analysis gains access to novel datasets to enable further data-driven research
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – November 12, 2024 – NECTAR, an initiative accelerating the alternative protein transition through large scale sensory testing, has officially acquired the data assets of Taste Like, an online platform founded in 2021 to aid the discovery of alternative protein products across the globe.
Founded by a team of female alternative protein entrepreneurs, Taste Like aggregated an extensive CPG product directory, featuring the ingredient, nutrition, and allergen meta-data for more than 1,200 plant-based and fermentation-based products from 147 companies. By normalizing nutrition information by serving size and creating more than 200 unique ingredient tags, Taste Like significantly improved data quality, allowing for more aggregation and scanning.
Since launching in June 2024, NECTAR, a new philanthropic initiative bringing an evidence-base to taste, has published two sensory analyses, including Taste of the Industry 2024, the world’s largest publicly available sensory analysis of plant-based meats. NECTAR is currently conducting Taste of the Industry 2025, which will analyze more than 120 U.S. and European plant-based meat products and offer unprecedented pre-competitive, category-level insights into consumer preferences and product performance. NECTAR plans to expand its work to new regions (Asia-Pacific) and new alternative protein categories (cheese) in 2025.
Through the transfer of Taste Like’s data to NECTAR, the two parties hope that their combined novel datasets can be used for machine learning and AI-training applications that will offer predictive analytics and foster innovation in alternative protein product development.
“We’re grateful to Emily, Maya, and Tarika for their incredible efforts to create such a comprehensive database on the alternative protein product landscape over the last three years. Combined with NECTAR’s sensory data, we know that the Taste Like nutritional and ingredient data will help us accelerate innovation and enable data-driven research for years to come,” says Caroline Cotto, Director of NECTAR.
For more information about NECTAR and to read the full Taste of the Industry 2024 report, visit www.nectar.org. To learn more about participating in future NECTAR studies or to discuss accessing NECTAR’s novel datasets, please email Caroline Cotto at caroline@nectar.org.
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ABOUT NECTAR: NECTAR is a pioneering initiative dedicated to accelerating the protein transition with taste. NECTAR conducts rigorous sensory analyses, celebrates exceptional products, and supports brands in enhancing their offerings. By bringing an evidence-base to taste, NECTAR envisions a future where doing good tastes great.
ABOUT FOOD SYSTEM INNOVATIONS (FSI): FSI is a philanthropic impact platform that funds and creates efforts to accelerate the protein transition toward a more humane and sustainable future of food.
ABOUT TASTE LIKE: Taste Like is an online directory for animal-free food products which connects consumers, producers, and industry experts in the sustainable foods space. Taste Like features a range of meat, dairy, egg, petfood, and seafood alternatives from plants and microbes. Taste Like helps empower informed decisions on alternative protein CPG products through detailed insights on nutrition, ingredients, and functionality.
Media Inquiries:
Caroline Cotto, Director, NECTAR – Food System Innovations
caroline@nectar.org, 508-889-0893
