vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

Prawn farming has a huge environmental impact, producing more carbon emissions than beef and destroying vitally important mangrove habitats. But British company Native Snacks has set out to change that, stating that the product has saved almost 37,000 prawns since launch. The brand has launched what it claims is the first retail range of vegan prawn crackers in the world, which it says taste identical to conventional prawn crackers while being free of crustaceans, eggs, milk, and gluten. The snacks are available in two flavours — Original Prawn and Sweet Chilli. Like a traditional prawn cracker, the Original flavour can be used as an accompaniment to a meal, while the Sweet Chilli crackers are said to be ideal as a snack in their own right. Initially, the prawn snacks will launch at Asda and Planet Organic, as well as online via Native’s online store and The Vegan Kind. They will retail at £1.79 for a 60g sharing bag. Native is one of a growing number of companies worldwide producing vegan alternatives to traditionally animal-based snacks. Others include US company Outstanding Foods, which has created pigless pork rinds, and Canada’s NOBLE, which makes vegan jerky. The market for vegan snacks is expected to be worth $73 billion by 2028. “We wanted to create an easy like-for-like swap for such an iconic snack for vegans and non-vegans alike to enjoy,” said Charlie and Darcy, founders of Native Snacks. “We knew from looking at the many vegan Insta accounts that we follow — ...

Anuga, the world’s leading trade fair for the food and beverage industry, opened its doors in Cologne today and once again invites visitors to explore and network. We from vegconomist are also present this year and have collected first impressions for our readers. Since the plant-based food industry is strongly represented at this year’s trade fair, our team also had a full schedule right from the start. A first highlight was the exhibitor Prefera Foods with its plant-based fish alternative brand “Unfished“. Lotao, the German jackfruit specialist, also has its full range of plant-based alternative products in the bag. Veganz is a real heavyweight and a pioneer in the plant-based sector from Germany. This year’s Anuga also features a number of international exhibitors, such as Verdino Green Foods from Romania. The plant-based food brand Naturli from Denmark presents a wide range of vegan meat alternatives. Since we could only visit a part of the numerous vegan exhibitors on today’s first day of the fair, more impressions from Anuga will follow in the next two days. Your vegconomist team ...

DMK Group, the largest dairy cooperative in Germany, is to move into the plant-based segment. It made the announcement at ANUGA, the world’s largest food and beverage trade fair. DMK will begin by developing vegan cheeses, with the aim of improving on those currently available — the company says that many plant-based cheeses currently on the market fall short when it comes to characteristics such as melting and browning. The new cheeses are set to launch in the spring of next year. One of DMK’s brands, MILRAM Food Service, is also working on plant-based desserts made with oats and rice. It says there is a high demand for oat-based desserts which currently isn’t being met. The desserts will have a short list of natural ingredients. DMK initially announced it was working on plant-based products two years ago, but at the time it did not reveal what kinds of products were planned. A report earlier this year revealed that the plant-based cheese market in Germany is taking off, with over 40 brands on the market and growth largely being driven by flexitarians looking to cut down on their cheese consumption. “Plant-based alternatives have arrived in the mainstream and stand for enjoyment and variety, in taste, especially among young target groups,” said Ingo Müller, CEO of DMK Group. “With protein demand rising worldwide and changes in society taking place at the same time, the need for alternatives will increase in the future. As a forward-looking dairy cooperative, we must not close our ...

Perkier, the UK’s fastest-growing healthy snack bar brand, has completed a highly successful crowdfunding campaign on Seedrs. The company raised £1 million — 250% more than its original target of £400,000 — from over 300 investors. Perkier says it will use the new funding for digital marketing, innovation, instore activation, and expanding its team. It was also recently accepted onto Amazon’s Launchpad program, which will allow it to expand into the EU. The company’s snack bars are already sold at major supermarkets Asda, Sainsbury’s, and Morrison’s, as well as via Amazon and various food-to-go outlets. Sales are increasing by 30% YOY, compared to a decline of -2.9% for the category as a whole. Perkier’s products are all vegan, high in protein and fibre, and free of palm oil and gluten. It has also created the first snack bars in the UK with added probiotics. As plant-based eating skyrockets worldwide, many companies are launching new vegan snacks to meet demand, including everything from dairy-free cheese triangles to vegan jerky and sausage snacks. The market for plant-based snacks is expected to be worth $73 billion by 2028. “We are blown away by the response from investors and so excited to be implementing our plans,” said Ann Perkins, Managing Director at Perkier. “We’re on a mission to make the healthiest snacks on the planet. Consumers are bored of snacks that pretend to be healthy, taste like cardboard, or greenwash their offer.  We’re here to shake up and grow the category. The future is ...

A study conducted by South Africa’s Credence Institute, in collaboration with US-based North Mountain Consulting Group, has found high demand for plant-based and cell-cultured meat in South Africa. 67% of people in the study said they were highly likely to try plant-based meat — for cell-cultured, the figure was 60%. 59% and 53% were highly likely to purchase plant-based and cell-cultured meat respectively. About 30% of respondents said they would be willing to pay more for alt-meat products than for conventional meat. Millennials and Gen Z-ers, especially those who were already familiar with alt-meat, were the most likely to purchase it. When asked about market share, most consumers estimated their future meat consumption would be about equally split between conventional, plant-based, and cell-cultured meat. Health, local food security, and environmental concerns were the main motivators for choosing alt-meat products. Plant-based eating is rising fast in South Africa. Last year, Uber Eats reported a sharp rise in vegan orders in the country, which ranks higher for veganism than any other African nation. Meanwhile, companies such as Mzansi Meat are developing alt-protein products there. “Switching to alternative proteins like plant-based and cultivated meat may be one of our best available strategies for improving the environment, public health, and the lives of animals,” said Credence Institute co-founder Ludwig Raal. “The fact that the majority of South Africans appear ready to embrace these products fills me with hope.” ...

Israeli foodtech company InnovoPro has launched what it claims is the first ever texturized vegetable protein (TVP) made from chickpeas. TVP is used as a base for making meat alternatives such as burgers, nuggets, and sausages. The TVP will debut at SupplySide West Conference in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas from October 25-28. Attendees will be offered tastings of meat alternatives made with the product. In an interview with vegconomist, InnovoPro CEO Taly Nechushtan explained that chickpea protein is ideal for use in clean-label products as it has a very neutral taste and colour. It is also a high-quality, easily digestible protein. InnovoPro says the new TVP will allow food manufacturers to reduce the number of ingredients required in meat alternatives while maintaining a high-quality taste and texture. As chickpeas continue to trend, InnovoPro is growing fast. Last year, the company raised $18 million in funding and partnered with Givaudan to improve the taste of alt-meat and alt-dairy products. It also collaborated with Migros to launch the world’s first chickpea yogurt. “The launch of Innovopro’s TVP is a game-changing innovation for the fast-growing meat analogue market because it allows companies to create consumer-favorite foods, clean labeled, with a great-tasting, nutritious superfood ingredient that is rich in protein and has desirable amino acids combination,” said Nechushtan. “This product is also sustainable and better for the environment than previous meat alternatives, which is why we’re proud and thrilled to share this exciting new venture with our consumers.”  ...

Netherlands based startup Monkeys by the Sea has raised its first $500,000 to create a new global plant-based seafood brand, stating: “We believe the world is ready for tasty alternatives to seafood. We love our oceans and we believe we can turn our diets into a force for good to protect Mother Ocean.” The round was led by vegan investor Willem Blom founder of Plantbase VC with participation from seafood veteran Roger Belton, impact investor Liet van Beuningen, vegetable processor Coroos and a group of informals from various countries and industries. Co-founder Thijs Wullems, along with a team of experienced food and retail experts, aims to disrupt the $200 billion global seafood industry with Monkeys by the Sea. He states he is “delighted to announce this investment round and will use the funds to scale up production, invest in further R&D and ramp up our sales and marketing efforts. “My love for the sea and good food have brought me to some amazing places. I now consider it a privilege and my duty to show the world there is so much more taste to be found beyond the sea, but without harming our oceans. The fact that investors from both the seafood and vegetable industry are on board is not a coincidence; it reflects the balance we have in our products with ingredients from both the land and sea.” The fresh brand is set to debut its initial product line, starting with canned tuna and breaded vegan fish products, which ...

UK fashion house Stella McCartney has showcased a handbag made with vegan mushroom leather on the runway at Paris Fashion Week. Made by Bolt Threads, the leather is known as Mylo and is made from mycelium, the roots of mushrooms. The new bag, which has been christened the Frame Mylo, is the first commercially available product made from the mushroom leather. Stella McCartney showcased a top and trousers made from Mylo earlier this year, but they were not available for sale. The Frame Mylo is based on the design of Stella McCartney’s classic Falabella bag. McCartney initially collaborated with Bolt Threads to make a prototype of the new bag back in 2018, but this is the first time it has been available to buy. The fashion house has always had a focus on ethics, but within the past year, it has increasingly been emphasising sustainability. In August, it launched a new version of its Eclypse sneakers made from plant-based and recycled materials. And its Autumn 2021 collection is its most sustainable yet, featuring materials such as regenerated nylon and recycled old-stock fabrics. “With good reason, consumers are demanding sustainable material alternatives that also look and feel great,” said Bolt Threads CEO and Founder Dan Widmaier. “The Frayme Mylo bag is a huge milestone for sustainable fashion, making better material options accessible to consumers all around the world.” ...

Partnership with Sprouts Farmers Market Expands Distribution to USA VANCOUVER, British Columbia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Vancouver-based food manufacturer Big Mountain Foods is partnering with Sprouts Farmers Market to be the first to launch a lion’s mane mushroom product line across North America beginning in October 2021. A leader in plant-based food innovation, Big Mountain Foods’ lion’s mane line includes a Mushroom Crumble. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Sprouts Farmers Market, a leader in gut-healthy foods for this new product launch. Our ability to innovate and provide a diversity of products is one of our key strengths and where we will continue to lead with our retail partners,” says Jasmine Byrne, President of Big Mountain Foods. Sprouts Farmers Market is a leader in first-to-market innovation, and will partner with Big Mountain Foods in a speed-to-shelf opportunity to bring Lion’s Mane Mushroom Crumble coast to coast starting in October. In its research, the company discovered that consumers weren’t looking for products to taste or bleed like meat. Lion’s Mane provides a meaty or seafood-like texture, without compromising health. The company is working with mushroom growers that are just five miles away from their facility reducing their carbon footprint. Mushrooms are packed with a powerhouse of health benefits, full of vitamins and minerals and are sustainable as they require only a small amount of land, energy and water to produce. They also contain properties that may help relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression, and stimulate the growth of brain cells to protect them from ...

UK’s Veg Capital and Sweden’s Kale United, two game-changers in the world of vegan and ethical investment, have invested in Brandplant, a Netherlands distributor of plant-based products, signalling the acceleration of vegan product availability in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. The partnership between these three ethically aligned companies with an impressive combined international vegan network has huge potential for the growth of plant-based business in the three markets. The funds will be utilised to accelerate the growth of current Brandplant brands, in addition to portfolio brands of Veg Capital and Kale United, who in return will support Brandplant’s own brands in the UK and Scandinavia. “It really is a win-win situation,” states Veg Capital’s Managing Director Matthew Glover, who also co-founded Veganuary and VFC, “as we enable their continued growth while also allowing our portfolio companies to access new European markets.” Brandplant was founded in 2020 by Dirk Schnellen, Gertjan Kruijk and Erik van Gangelen and currently distributes brands such as VFC, Vantastic Foods, PLAYin CHOC and two of its own-brands, Pianta and Upside. Co-founder Erik van Gangelen said, “Working with Veg Capital’s team to bring portfolio brands, such as VFC, to the Benelux region creates value for both partners, which has only been strengthened by Kale United joining this partnership.” Kale United’s Founder Måns Ullerstam explained, “This is part of Kale United’s strategic plan to solve distribution of plant-based brands all across Europe. We also look forward to take Brandplant’s brands to the Nordics.” ...