vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

LIVE from Buhler! Daniel Kennedy, Global Business Development Director, Plantbased Protein at Ingredion, Scott Cowger, VP National Sales Manager of CII Foods, Brett Featherston, VP Global Sales of Evanesce, and Andy Sharpe CEO/President, North America of Buhler join Elysabeth Alfano live from Buhler North American HQ to discuss the lifecycle of plant protein, the newest innovations and more on The Plantbased Business Hour. Specifically, they discuss, Daniel’s thoughts on the big ingredients that are taking center stage, Scotts views on if companies should find co-manufacturers or build their own facilities to protect IP, Brett’s take on plant-based, sustainable, biodegradable and durable packaging, and Andy’s predictions for cultivated meat. A clip and transcript from their long-form conversation is below.  The podcast is here.  Click here to display content from YouTube.Learn more in YouTube’s privacy policy. Always display content from YouTube Elysabeth: Daniel, thanks for being with me. Ingredion recently invested big in plant-based proteins. This year you opened a plant-based Pea ingredient plant in south Sioux City, Nebraska. It opened in March of this year. Is Pea the big ingredient you’re betting on and what else might be coming down the pipeline? Daniel Kennedy: Pea is one of our biggest bets, but we are still betting on faba/fava and chickpea as our other bases. So we actually just opened up our new facility which is kind of a revamp of our investment in divergent foods. So we are pivoting in adding Pea, very clean tasting faba/fava and chickpea protein, which we call ultra-performance because not just flavor is coming ...

Plant-Based Celebrities, famous chefs, and innovative product sampling among the attractions of December 9-10 event  Attendees to this year’s Plant Based World Expo North America (PBW) will be treated to a host of product innovations as well as networking opportunities with some of the biggest names in the plant-based industry. Some of the most exciting brands in the scene will be debuting products, including UK fried chicken phenomenon VFC and Asian sensation OmniFoods.  From international chefs to vegan CEOs and food experts, the PBW event boasts a stellar line-up of speakers and educational sessions, including: Chef Chew, Founder & CEO of Something Better Foods Inc., investor, and TED talks speaker.  James Corwell, Certified Master Chef and the creative force behind Ocean Hugger Foods. Rocco DiSpirito, James Beard award-winning chef, healthy lifestyle crusader, and acclaimed author. Palak Patel, owner of Dash & Chutney and a winner of Food Network’s Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay. Several emerging plant-based brands will debut new products at the expo, including VFC, OmniFoods, and plant-based seafood specialist JINKA, which will be launching its plant-based squid at the event. Planterra Foods will also debut its whole muscle True Bite Chicken Cutlets and Shreds.  Exclusively for foodservice and retail professionals, as well as distributors, investors, and manufacturers, PBW will take place between December 9 – 10 at the Javits Center in New York City. Over 200 exhibitors will be present and over 3,000 industry professionals are expected to attend.  “Our world-class line up of speakers will give you ...

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The “Vegan Food Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Growth and Change to 2030” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. This report provides the strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global vegan market. This report focuses on the vegan market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the vegan market which will be shaping and changing our lives over the next ten years and beyond, including the market’s response to the challenge of the global pandemic. The global vegan food market is expected to grow from $14.44 billion in 2020 to $15.77 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.2%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $22.27 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 9%. Companies Mentioned Amy’s Kitchen VITASOY International Holdings Ltd. Beyond Meat Tofutti Brands Plamil Foods Ltd. Danone S.A. Vbites Foods Ltd. Eden Foods Inc. Whitewave Foods Company Inc Sun Opta Inc. Pascual Group Bhlue Diamond Growers Archer Daniel Midland Company Earth’s Own Food Company Inc Panos Brand LLC. Blue Diamond Growers Hain Celestial Group Inc. Organic Vallet Corporative Living Harvest Food Inc. Morningstar Farms MGP Ingredients Inc. Sonic Biochem Extractions Limited ADM ...

80Noir Ultra is a premium vegan dark chocolate company created by personal trainer and wellness writer Carole Armitage. Earlier this year, the British brand was named one of Forbes’ 17 Best Healthy New Vegan Food & Drink Products. 80Noir’s chocolates are made with 80.3% cocoa and come in a range of beads and bars. They can be eaten as they are, or made into hot chocolate with the addition of hot water or plant milk. The brand is available online via Yumbles, Ankorstore, and the 80Noir Ultra website. It is also stocked at Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse airport lounges. To promote the mental and physical health benefits of its premium vegan dark chocolate, 80Noir has partnered with ten Olympic and professional athletes, including runners Aly Dixon and Helen Davies. The athletes are acting as brand ambassadors to show that dark chocolate can play a role in a healthy lifestyle. As plant-based eating grows in popularity, demand for vegan chocolate is rising sharply, with some confectioners adding hundreds of new products to their ranges in order to keep up. The global vegan chocolate market is expected to be worth $1.41 billion by 2028, growing with a CAGR of 14.8% over the forecast period. “With the help of my Elite Chocolate Squad, we want to spread the message that 80Noir Ultra is a valuable part of our positive lifestyle and will bring you a moment of calm, a clean boost of energy, reduce your stress levels and anxiety and make you feel happier ...

New data from $45 trillion-backed FAIRR Initiative is the market’s only comprehensive sustainability assessment of large meat, fish and dairy producers. COP26 deal to cut methane: But only 18% of global meat and dairy producers track even partial methane emissions. COP26 deal to end deforestation: Even meat giants with a zero-deforestation pledge, such as McDonalds suppliers JBS and Marfrig, do not have full visibility of the third-party suppliers that are responsible for up to 90% of deforestation from sourcing cattle. Three Norwegian aquaculture firms (Mowi, Greig, Lerøy) among top 5 ranked companies. Maple Leaf (Canada), Marfrig (Brazil) and Fonterra (New Zealand) among top-ranked meat and dairy firms. Nine firms investing in sustainable feed. “As the largest driver of both methane from human activity and deforestation, the ambitions set at COP26 handed a big slice of responsibility to the food and agriculture sector… yet failures from methane to manure management underline the growing sense in the market that cows are the new coal.” Jeremy Coller, Chair of $45 trillion FAIRR investor network. TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Extensive new data published today by the award-winning Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index shows that despite pockets of leadership and innovation the animal agriculture sector is unprepared for the decade of transition on climate change and risks looking “outdated and unattractive”. The Index assesses the firms that supply household names such as McDonalds, KFC and Carrefour. The Index, now in its fourth year, assesses 60 publicly-listed animal protein producers worth a combined $363 billion (49 primarily produce meat ...

Woolworths vegan Christmas range Plantitude hits the shelves across Australia with five new products Australian retailer Woolworths has launched five new vegan products as part of its Christmas Plantitude range. The lineup includes a plant-based roast, mince pies, dairy-free custard, and a chocolate hazelnut mud cake. The festive move follows continued expansion for the supermarket into the plant-based sphere, with Woolworths’ own Plantitude range already boasting a wide range of plant-based options in chilled, frozen, baked, and groceries. Woolworths has also recently signed deals with Hong Kong’s OmniFoods to stock its famous plant-based pork products, as well as with Deliciou – known for its Shark Tank Australia pitch – amongst others.  W23 Ventures, the investment arm of Woolworths supermarket, has also been active in the alt protein space, recently leading an investment round into Australian B2B alt protein specialist Harvest B.  Plant-Based Growth in Australia Despite being known for its high levels of meat consumption, studies have found that grocery sales of plant-based meat alternatives have increased by 46 percent in Australia, while the number of these products available in supermarkets has doubled. Many brands have launched plant-based options since the pandemic, with the industry now valued at $7 billion. “Christmas is all about bringing together family and friends while sharing quality fresh food,” Woolworths’ Managing Director Guy Brent explained, “we’re pleased to offer a variety of plant-based products in our Woolworths Plantitude range and Woolworths Free From bakery line, ensuring no one has to be left out at the ...

Amara Organic Foods, one of the US’s fastest-growing baby food brands, has announced that its plant-based toddler line is the top new release on Amazon. The company’s revenue has surged by five times since January. The Amazon launch has been made possible by a strategic partnership with Pharmapacks, a major eCommerce distributor for health, beauty, and wellness brands on large online marketplaces. Pharmapacks is an investor in Amara and will help the company to grow its presence on Amazon and other platforms. Amara says its sales have grown by 533% since it launched its dedicated store page on Amazon. The brand is also now available at major retailers across the US, including Walmart, Whole Foods, and Sprouts Farmer’s Market. Amara is a majority-owned subsidiary of Eat Well Group, a vertically-integrated plant-based foods investment company. Eat Well recently announced it was planning a listing on a major US stock exchange, and has also now fully acquired plant-based snack brand Sapientia and pulse processor Belle Pulses. “We are incredibly excited that Amara has achieved a number 1 new release on Amazon, the top eCommerce platform in the world,” said Marc Aneed, President of Amara. “More and more consumers are searching for healthier alternatives to legacy baby and food brands and the traction Amara’s dedicated store on Amazon has shown so quickly after launching it, affirms that.” ...

Dairy supplier FrieslandCampina and Canadian pulse processor AGT Foods have joined forces to launch new plant proteins, according to Dairy Reporter.  The Plantaris line marks FrieslandCampina’s first venture into the plant-based market. In collaboration with AGT Foods, it developed two products it says deliver a better-tasting protein formula: Plantaris Pea Isolate 85 and Plantaris Faba Isolate 90 A. Compared to similar products, FrieslandCampina and AGT Foods say the isolates are largely free of the off-putting flavors typically found in legume-based products. It conducted a sensory analysis, and found that finished products made with their ingredients provided a cleaner and more neutral taste. Making Better Protein The novel isolates are cream-colored, easy to dissolve, and remain stable at high temperatures, making them suitable for a wide variety of applications. They are also extracted without the use of harsh chemicals and are fully gluten-free. Both companies hope the ingredients will offer flexitarian consumers more diverse protein choices, and provide brands an appealing new ingredient that satisfies consumer expectations for taste and enjoyment.  Murad Al-Kitab, President and CEO of AGT Foods, commented to Dairy Reporter: “The world of food and nutrition reacts quickly to changing consumer demands. Collaboration and innovation are key elements for unlocking opportunities in the plant-based market.” Herman Ermens, president of Ingredients at FrieslandCampina also spoke to Dairy Reporter: “At FrieslandCampina Ingredients, we know protein. It’s in our DNA. And because of that, we know we have value to add to this space. By partnering with AGT, a leading innovator ...

Paleo raises €2M in seed round for meat and fish proteins created through precision fermentation, the investment will fund an R&D centre, pilot plant and experience centre. Belgium based foodtech startup Paleo, a company working on the development of proteins created through precision fermentation to be used as in meat and fish alternatives, has raised two million euros in a seed round. The company says its mission is to “change in how we produce food, making it more sustainable, healthier, and kinder for animals. Through bioscience we develop ingredients for plant-based foods, making it taste, feel and look like real meat or fish.” Headed by former politician CEO Hermes Sanctorum, the company states that the seed capital will be used to continue its research and development, and to design an R&D centre, pilot plant and experience centre. The planned €40 million Series A will finance the construction of these facilities.  Six key proteins Paleo states it is working on the development of the production process of six key proteins in meat and fish and is expanding its portfolio. While most precision fermentation companies are based in the US, Paleo claims it is the European pioneer in precision fermentation for meat and fish proteins. When these proteins are ready to market, they will be added to plant-based meat and fish replacers to increase sensorial experience and nutritional value.   Hermes Sanctorum comments: “We are driven by ethical concerns. Meat and fish proteins as they are produced now, have a tremendous impact ...

Plant-based bacon startup Hooray Foods announced today it has secured an additional $2.7 million in extension seed funding to grow its operations. The fast-growing startup, launched just a year ago, has already landed its bacon in 1,000 store locations across the US, including Whole Foods Market, and recently entered 180 Canadian grocery stores. Founded by Sri Artham, Hooray Foods creates plant-based bacon that closely replicates the taste and texture of pork-based bacon. Using a proprietary emulsification process, the company combines rice flour, coconut oil, tapioca starch and spices and seasonings to make marbled strips that look, crisp up and taste like conventional bacon.  In addition to scaling, the company says it will also channel the funds into improving its existing product for 2022, and creating brand new products with its emulsification technology.  Support From a Fast-Food Executive The latest investment round included new investor David Hoffman, former CEO of Dunkin’, who commented: “I look forward to guiding Hooray Foods as they continue to expand…After witnessing the national appeal of meat alternatives in my previous roles at high-profile fast food brands, I am confident Hooray’s plant-based bacon will become a must-have on the menus at thousands of quick-service restaurants and sit-down establishments.” Previous investors who participated in the current round include VC Evolution Partners, Gaingels and Sand Hill Angels.  Says Gregg Smith, founder of Evolution VC Partners: “It is exciting to see Hooray’s bacon be so embraced by consumers seeking healthier alternatives to animal products, as evidenced by the rapid growth since launch ...