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ReGen Ventures, the Australian-American early-stage venture fund has announced the close of its $50 million first fund. The capital will be used to partner with companies with a focus on regenerative tech to actively restore climate, planetary, and human health.  “Sustainability is an insufficient goal. Regenerative technologies go well beyond incrementally reducing harm by actively restoring ecosystem health” ReGen Ventures’ portfolio includes Hide Biotech, a company producing cow-free leather from food waste. Leveraging state-of-the-art protein chemistry and bioengineering technologies,  Hide Biotech obtains collagen – the fundamental protein of skin structure – and reassembles it into a biomaterial using patented technologies.  ReGen Ventures works on the thesis that products that are better for people and the planet will capture the massive unmet demand for sustainable products, which the VC fund claims are growing 7x faster than conventional products and command a 40% price premium. This is the first step in ReGen’s mission to move $1bn of capital into the regenerative technology space by 2030. In doing so, the firm hopes to close the $173trn funding gap required to achieve a net-zero economy by 2050.  “Sustainability is an insufficient goal. Regenerative technologies go well beyond incrementally reducing harm by actively restoring ecosystem health,” states Dan Fitzgerald, Founder and Managing Partner at ReGen Ventures.  “We are motivated to partner with founders daring to build companies that will restore our planet,” added Fitzgerald. “This is the greatest imperative and opportunity of our lifetimes. Investing in regenerative technologies will radically change the world for the ...

Odd Burger Corporation, the publicly listed Canadian plant-based fast-food chain which rebranded from its previous name Globally Local this July, announces record systemwide sales in October of more than $233,000, a 41% increase over the previous month. The chain operates five locations, opened a sixth on October 27th, and announced two new locations for 2022, as well as expansion into western Canada and into the US with a flagship restaurant in Manhattan. The company reports that its new restaurants have received an average Google review rating of 4.875 stars and that it expects to have 20 restaurants operational by this time next year. Speaking to vegconomist this September, Co-founder James McInnes said, “The fast-food industry is one of the largest sectors of the food industry. It is dominated by large players that primarily use animal-based products in their menu. We must lead a change in this industry if we are going to change the food system and address our sustainability challenges. Odd Burger stands out because we offer incredible food at a great price, and this makes plant-based food more accessible to the average consumer.” He added that “to really change the food system, we need to think about what’s available and affordable for the majority: fast food, street food, grab-and-go food. It’s great that investors are pouring hundreds of millions into 3D-printed steaks and cultured lobster meat, but what we’re doing in fast food can make a far bigger difference. Speaking today on Odd Burger’s impressive growth, McInnes commented: ...

As World Vegan Month begins, food delivery platform Uber Eats states that orders of vegan menu items have rocketed by 1436% in the UK since 2018 and reveals a 59% rise in restaurants with vegan options. Meanwhile, fellow food delivery service Deliveroo reports a 105% spike in vegan orders this year. Deliveroo states that there are now over 14,000 vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants on the app, making it one of the fastest-growing categories on the platform, with most vegan orders coming from Brighton, Bristol and Leeds. The app carried out a survey which found that 20% of Brits are planning a meat-free meal this Christmas, mirroring similar findings reported by Applewood last year. Such trends are not country specific: Uber Eats also reported a sharp rise in vegan orders in South Africa last year, reporting a 71% increase in healthy foods during the South African hard lockdown with the trend continuing since. Uber Eats has also partnered with PETA to help consumers to explore veganism, with a starter kit full of tips on how to make the switch. Sunjiv Shah, General Manager at Uber Eats, said: “Uber Eats offers a wide range of vegan options all year round, whether that’s for those trying out meat alternatives for the first time, flexitarians or indeed committed converts. “As our customers become more conscious of their impact on the planet, we’re seeing thousands more restaurants and eateries catering to this growing demand with delicious vegan options,” he added. Says Elena Devis, Vegan Category ...

Kartik Dixit of Evo Foods explains India’s move towards clean protein and what it is going to take to get there on The Plantbased Business Hour with Elysabeth Alfano.  Specifically, they discuss, Evo Foods’ liquid eggs and what they are made of, Why he decided to go into the plant-based egg market in India, If India is open to cultivated meat,  and plant-based meats and eggs, What are the cultural forces that work against and for plant-based adoption, The growth of antibiotic resistance and the lack of sanitary conditions in factory farms, When will Evo Foods plant-based eggs reach price parity with eggs?  The answer will shock you! 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: When you think about replacing meat with cultivated meat you need to first look at the culture’s view of current meat, and I think of India as a country that doesn’t eat much meat. Of course with wealth, just like China, Indians are starting to eat more and more meat and I’m wondering how is meat and dairy perceived? Kartik Dixit: I think that’s a very valid question. I think that’s an economic theory in itself. I think as GDP increases or income level rises in any nation meat consumption tends to rise because meat is seen as a more premium kind of a protein. In India, I would argue against that. People do look ...

Belgium’s BonRill produces a huge range of salads, pates, fish alternatives like salmon and tuna, sauces such as aioli, sausages, cold cuts, fish burgers and fish sticks, and a deluxe veggie burger – all based on the magic of the oyster mushroom. Who is BonRill and what does it stand for? BonRill isn’t your average food brand, and Caroline is no average leading lady. Today, BonRill is in the hands of Caroline Vercauteren. Being a woman, also a mom and in a previous life even a pharmacist, Caroline has witnessed from different perspectives how our food choices have changed over the years. She is 100% assisted by CEO Alain Monteyne and his son Arthur Monteyne (management assistant). Because at BonRill, the why and the how are way more important than the what. The rich history of the Belgian family business breathes passion & artisanship. The traditional butcher family Vandromme has transformed into a contemporary flexible food brand, BonRill. “We respect differences and choices. In fact, we admire them” With BonRill, we launched a new vibe into the company. One that is adjusted to today’s dietary needs. We now produce foods for today’s and tomorrow’s conscious foodies. We want to produce foods so we can become flexitarians without giving in to taste, quality, and variety. However, we don’t judge, we don’t preach. We respect differences and choices. In fact, we admire them. Apart from our flexible foods range, we want to give people food for thought too. We want to make ...

Giving recognition for innovative solutions in the food and beverage ingredients industry, the Fi Europe Innovation Awards and Startup Innovation Challenge has announced its list of nominees for this year’s event. Plant-based and sustainability are the two sectors dominating the shortlist, mirroring current market trends and developments. The finalists will present their submissions in a final pitch to the jury behind closed doors, and winners will be announced live during Fi Europe 2021 on 30 November and 1 December.   The top plant-based innovations on the shortlist are: Most Innovative Plant-Based or Alternative Ingredient Moolec Science (UK) for producing real animal proteins in plants to develop affordable, animal-free ingredients SACCHA (Germany) for extracting proteins from microorganisms such as brewer’s yeast that are similar to egg protein, only without the egg, allowing manufacturers to create authentic alternatives to animal products Sophie’s BioNutrients (The Netherlands/Singapore) for developing a new and sustainable plant-based protein from microalgae Time-Travelling Milkman (The Netherlands) for producing and distributing plant-based fat components for creamier, healthier and more sustainable plant-based products Update Foods (France) for producing the next generation of alternative dairy powered by algae and faba protein Plant-based Innovation Award DSM (The Netherlands) for Delvo®Plant, a unique portfolio of enzymes helping to improve the nutritional value of plant-based drinks, and create gluten-reduced dairy alternative varieties with optimized taste, texture and mouthfeel DSM (The Netherlands) for Maxavor® Fish YE, a natural fish flavour derived from algal oil for producing authentic fish alternatives, including vegetarian fish nuggets and vegan fish sauce ...

US fried chicken chain Popeyes, which is about to open its long-awaited first UK location, has revealed that its British menu will feature a vegan option. Since Popeyes doesn’t currently offer any plant-based menu items in the US, this is big news. But the meatless option may not be what some fans are expecting. Popeyes is all about fried chicken, so the most obvious choice seems to be — well, vegan fried chicken. Instead, the chain has opted for a breaded red bean burger, which is fried and served with tomatoes, lettuce, and vegan Creole sauce. It is inspired by a popular Popeyes side dish, red beans and rice. While it’s always encouraging to see major chains offering plant-based menu items, bean burgers are sometimes seen as a bit dull — for years, they were the only meatless option at many restaurants, and it’s hard to imagine them generating much excitement in 2021. Having said that, Popeyes’ take on the burger is a little different, and it may appeal to customers who prefer a healthier option. When it comes to plant-based dishes, some people want a direct substitute for conventional foods, but others see meat and dairy alternatives as “fake” and highly processed. There is definitely a place for more whole-food vegan options — though since most of its customers are there for the fried chicken, it’s not clear whether Popeyes is that place. Most fast-food chains, like McDonalds and Burger King, have gone down the route of offering “meaty” ...

UK supermarket Waitrose has released its new Christmas range for 2021. In total, the range includes 20 new vegan products, with Waitrose continuing its first-to-market strategy with the introduction of a vegan lobster roll. As reported in January 2020, Waitrose successfully introduced first-to-market products, including Vegan No Egg Fried Rice and Crisp-Crumbed Fishless Goujons made from banana blossom. In September 2021, Waitrose continued its vegan first-to-market strategy when its largest-ever vegan and vegetarian launches included several first-to-market products in the supermarket prepared meal sector, such as the Crispy No Beef with Sweet Chilli Sauce. The Christmas No Lobster Marie Rose Roll is filled with roasted king oyster mushroom and vegan Marie Rose sauce in a vegan brioche-style roll with semi-dried tomato and lovage. Other vegan offerings in the expanded Christmas line include a vegan Jewelled Roast with a fruity centre and a vegan winter pudding. Waitrose expects successful sales this Christmas season and recognizes an emerging trend to prepare early for Christmas with its food page seeing views increase by 26% compared to last year. Director of Own Brands Waitrose Natalie Mitchell comments: “The uncertainty of last Christmas has definitely had an effect on how our customers want to spend the upcoming festive season. As the majority of people weren’t able to celebrate with their loved ones as planned in 2020, they are focusing on making this Christmas as wonderful as possible.” Giving an outlook to 2022, Waitrose’s new Food & Drink report lists the 5:2 Veg Diet, which involves ...

Danone has invested $23m for a UK plant upgrade for its plant-based dairy brand Alpro to meet the increasing demand for plant-based dairy products in the UK and reach ambitious plant-based sales goals for 2025. Alpro‘s $23 million upgrade project in Kettering plant includes the installation of a new high-speed manufacturing line capable of processing 300 million litres of plant-based beverages per year, with further plans to increase its capacity to 400 million litres in 2022, as reported by The Grocer. According to Just Food, Alpro’s Kettering plant received a total of $56 million to increase capacity of its soy, oat, rice and coconut-based drinks for the UK market. The project added 25 new jobs to the existing staff of 200 employees. Going forward, Danone UK & Ireland is thriving to offer a more localized approach that meets market and consumer needs and unlocks growth in the plant-based alternatives segment. James Mayer has just been appointed to become Danone UK & Ireland’s new president, following more than 17 years at Danone, as reported by FOOD Manufacture. Plant-based alternatives are one of the fastest-growing segments within Danone Group, as Chief Executive Officer International Véronique Penchienati-Bosetta told Foodnavigator: “Our business in plant-based was increasing by plus-20% with a mix of the core business growing and innovation.” Therefore, Danone continues to target growth in the plant-based segment with strong ambitions to reach $5bn in plant-based sales in 2025. “Bringing together our category expertise will enable us to explore existing growth areas, as well ...

The Pizza Plant, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Plant Craft Foods, just announced the acquisition of a 20,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Sylmar, CA. The new manufacturing facility is aimed at scaling up the company’s organic vegan pizza production, as well as helping other plant-based businesses to keep up with the demand. According to the company, the USDA Organic-certified plant will significantly increase production capacity in order to expand its current line of frozen organic pizzas to Whole Foods Market, Gelson’s Market, Mother’s Market and other premier grocery retailers nationwide. The facility will also be used to develop and scale other proprietary products such as The Pizza Plant’s plant-based pepperoni, sausage crumble, and cashew mozzarella. The additional manufacturing capacity enables The Pizza Plant to co-manufacture other plant-based brands in the US and will create over 100 new jobs. The Pizza Plant is known for generating and leveraging plant-based infrastructure locally, as in May 2020, the company launched The Pizza Plant Discovery Box in collaboration with small plant-based businesses across LA. Therefore, the company is now looking for other plant-based brands in the local area that seek to scale their production. Given the expanded production capabilities of their new manufacturing facility, The Pizza Plant will be available in over 500 premier grocers by the end of 2022 in addition to expanding its foodservice presence. Speaking on the new manufacturing facility, CEO Marvin V. Acuna, stated, “I am proud to know that Plant Craft Foods, Inc. is now positioned to ensure that The ...