Novameat bets on hybrid proteins with launch of 'Balanced Protein' ingredient platform

Barcelona-based food technology company Novameat has introduced a new ingredient platform designed to help meat processors adapt to rising beef prices and tightening sustainability expectations, unveiling what it calls its 'Balanced Protein' framework.

• Novameat launched its 'Balanced Protein' framework, a texturized protein ingredient platform designed to integrate plant-based structures into conventional meat production.
• The company reported that its ingredients can be incorporated into existing processing lines to reduce costs while increasing protein content and improving texture.
• Novameat stated that the plant-based components can carry a carbon footprint up to 99% lower than conventional beef.

The company reported that the system centers on high-performance texturized plant proteins engineered to integrate into conventional meat production, allowing manufacturers to combine plant-based structures with animal protein in hybrid products.

Novameat stated that the approach aims to address growing pressure on the global meat industry as supply chain volatility, environmental scrutiny and shifting consumer expectations reshape how protein products are developed and marketed.

The Barcelona company explained that the technology allows processors to blend plant-derived structures with meat in order to create products that deliver improved nutritional characteristics while maintaining the sensory qualities associated with traditional meat.

Novameat reported that the ingredients were designed to work within existing meat processing infrastructure, enabling manufacturers to introduce hybrid formulations without major operational changes.

The strategy reflects growing interest across the food sector in blended protein products, which combine plant and animal ingredients to reduce costs and environmental impact while preserving familiar taste and texture profiles.

Novameat described its Balanced Protein framework as a way for manufacturers to 'optimize the plate' by incorporating plant-derived components that complement meat in both functionality and nutrition.

According to the company, the texturized ingredients can help increase overall protein levels while lowering saturated fat, sugar and salt content in finished products.

Dr Giuseppe Scionti, CEO & Founder of Novameat, said the initiative was designed to address structural changes underway in the global protein market. “The industry is currently navigating a fundamental shift in how protein is sourced and valued,” he said. “Our technology was developed to do more than just lower costs; it’s about adding functional value. By introducing plant-derived fiber – a nutrient naturally absent in animal meat – we are helping our partners lead the 2026 gut-health movement. Crucially, these ingredients also allow for a significant increase in total protein content and a decrease in saturated fats, sugars and salt, delivering a more nutrient-dense product that satisfies both the athlete and the health-conscious consumer without sacrificing the sensory experience.”

Novameat indicated that its technology platform had been designed with compatibility in mind, allowing food manufacturers to integrate the ingredients into existing production lines through what the company described as a 'plug-and-play' approach.

This compatibility is intended to lower barriers for adoption among processors that are looking for ways to respond to rising input costs without overhauling established manufacturing infrastructure.

The company reported that its ingredients are already active in five European markets, where they are being used in various hybrid meat products.

Environmental performance forms a central element of Novameat’s value proposition. The company reported that the plant-based components used in its Balanced Protein system can carry a carbon footprint up to 99% lower than conventional beef.

Novameat said this difference can support manufacturers seeking to meet environmental, social and governance targets while maintaining production efficiency and product quality.

Hybrid meat products have attracted increasing interest in recent years as food companies look for incremental approaches to reducing the environmental impact of meat consumption while avoiding the consumer resistance sometimes faced by fully plant-based alternatives.

By combining plant and animal ingredients, manufacturers can reduce the quantity of livestock-derived protein required in each product while preserving familiar taste and culinary performance.

Novameat’s ingredient platform also aims to address nutritional considerations associated with traditional meat products.

The company highlighted the inclusion of plant-derived fiber as a key differentiator, noting that fiber is naturally absent in animal meat but increasingly associated with digestive health and overall wellness.

According to Novameat, integrating plant structures into meat products can therefore enhance the nutritional profile while maintaining the sensory characteristics that consumers expect.

The company reported that the performance of its Balanced Protein concept had been tested through blind tasting sessions involving professional chefs and flavor specialists.

In those tests, Novameat stated that a burger formulated with its ingredient system outperformed Spain’s top-selling 100% beef burger in evaluations conducted by Michelin-starred chefs and flavor experts.

While hybrid protein strategies have been explored by several companies in the alternative protein sector, Novameat’s approach focuses specifically on ingredient solutions for established meat processors rather than direct-to-consumer products.

The company has previously developed technologies aimed at replicating whole-cut meat structures using plant-based materials, with research centered on the design of fibrous textures that mimic muscle tissue.

With the launch of Balanced Protein, Novameat is extending that structural expertise into ingredient systems that can be incorporated into existing meat formulations.

The company indicated that the framework was developed to support manufacturers navigating a protein landscape shaped by fluctuating raw material costs, regulatory pressure around sustainability and evolving consumer expectations related to health and nutrition.

As the global meat industry continues to explore new strategies to balance affordability, environmental impact and product quality, hybrid ingredient systems such as Novameat’s Balanced Protein approach represent one pathway that processors are evaluating as they adapt to changing market conditions.