vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

Upfield, the largest producer of plant-based butters, margarines, creams and cheeses and owner of brands including Flora and Violife, has announced a commitment to support 140,000 smallholder farmers and plant-based entrepreneurs, by becoming a signatory of the Zero Hunger Pledge, led by the Global Alliance for Improve Nutrition (GAIN). Last month The Rotterdam based company said it had calculated the greenhouse gas emissions its customers have prevented over the past year by purchasing its plant-based products over dairy, claiming the savings are equivalent to around six million metric tonnes of CO2, the same as planting 100 million trees. Now the global player announces it is investing in two projects in rural Kenya: one focusing on supporting farmers to grow high-quality peanuts, and the second on increasing the resilience of canola supply chains. Both projects form part of Upfield’s broader ESG strategy, with the aims of: Encouraging 1 billion people to choose plant-based products by committing to driving plant-based adoption through investments and category expansion. Positively impacting 200 million lives by providing healthier, more affordable and more accessible products that are equivalent, if not better than their dairy counterparts in both taste and performance. Enhancing 140,000 livelihoods and reaching 5 million chefs by committing to programs, grants and initiatives. Achieving “Better than net zero” by 2050 and committing to 95% of packaging to be free from plastic by 2030. Commenting on Upfield’s commitment to the Zero Hunger Pledge, David Haines, CEO Upfield Group said, “Transforming food systems is essential to achieve ...

After spending the last year acquiring brands in the plant-based sector, Above Food is now ready to launch its new direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform. With its “Seed to Fork” model, the Above Food plant-based platform offers unparalleled traceability and qualifiable sustainability. Having onboarded brands across many plant-based segments, including oats, dairy-free alternatives, and pantry staples, the vertically integrated Above Food platform will give consumers across North America the opportunity to enjoy more than forty products with home delivery. Above Food’s e-commerce platform focuses on nutrient-dense, regenerative organic, and regenerative natural foods, with brands including Eat Up! by Above Food – its in-house organic brand, as well as Farmer Direct Organic, Only Oats, and Culcherd – producer of organic plant-based dairy products. “Now more than ever, consumers are looking for quality and accountability when it comes to what they feed their families, and put into their own bodies,” explained Above Food Brands President and Co-Founder Martin Williams. “Our comprehensive e-commerce platform meets that need by not only providing the most premium quality plant-based goods, but by taking care of every seed from field to fork, because we believe that knowing the whole story of your food’s journey is important.” ...

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The plant-based food market grew by 9% in 2019-2020, surpassing USD40 billion globally, according to global market research company Euromonitor International. According to Euromonitor’s Voice of the Consumer: Health and Nutrition Survey 2021, 23% of global consumers are trying to limit their meat intake, and having a healthier lifestyle is the main reason for consumers following vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets. “The COVID-19 pandemic made consumers more aware of the impact their individual actions have on society,” says Nozomi Hariya, senior analyst at Euromonitor International. “An example of this are flexitarians, who reduce their consumption of animal products, and driving growth of plant-based alternatives.” While 57% of global consumers believe their choices and actions could make a difference in the world, only 25% of respondents in Japan believe in this statement, ranking the lowest among the 40 surveyed countries globally, according to Euromonitor’s Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyles Survey 2021. Although overall Japanese consumers’ awareness towards sustainability is still low, digital natives like millennials and Gen Z are growing more aware of global environmental and social issues compared to other generations. Also, with the integration of sustainability education into school curriculums in Japan, the Generation Alpha is expected to become even more sensitive to those issues, thus investing in sustainability will be essential for companies in the medium to long term. “Added-value benefits beyond sustainability, such as health benefits or affordability, is critical to attract consumers,” adds Hariya, before concluding, “The use of technology and work in partnership across ...

MONTREAL & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oggi Foods Inc. (“Oggi” or “the Company”), a manufacturer of gluten-free, organic, non-GMO frozen pizza and other food products sold in grocery stores and restaurants across North America, has received a growth equity investment from Bregal Partners, a leading middle market private equity firm. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Montreal, Oggi has rapidly become a leader in the “better-for-you” frozen food products category. Oggi’s proprietary gluten-free recipes and hand-stretching crust production process give the Company’s signature Neapolitan-style pizzas a doughy, naturally rising crust that is unmatched among its competitive set. In addition to traditional gluten free pizzas, Oggi has also pioneered several 100% vegan and plant-based-meat frozen pizza formats, which are among the fastest-growing vegan pizzas on the market today. Bregal Partners Managing Partner Charles Yoon noted that Oggi was an ideal platform to continue investing behind the firm’s thesis in better-for-you frozen food products, which has been an active focus area for several years. “We were highly impressed with the quality of Oggi’s products and with the Company’s growth over the last several years, and we are thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with Oggi’s founders and management during this next exciting phase of the Company’s growth.” Oggi Co-Founder and CEO Joe Turturici added, “At Oggi we have worked hard to create what we believe is the best gluten-free frozen pizza on the market, and we are looking forward to working with Bregal to take our business to the next level.” Bregal’s investment ...

As consumer awareness of the source, nutritional content, and environmental impact of their diet grows, food-tech innovators are creating new solutions to meet the new paradigm. The Future Food-Tech summit will present 23 such pioneering innovators from across the globe at its next London event.  Being held on September 30 – October 1 the Future Food-Tech summit will showcase startups from the fields of precision and microbial fermentation, food as medicine, functional ingredients, plant-based alternatives, personalized nutrition, AI and data science, supply chain transparency, biotechnology, sugar reduction, and the microbiome.  In the precision fermentation sector, South Africa’s De Novo Dairy will be presented – Africa’s first food-tech company focusing on precision fermentation to produce functional, sustainable dairy proteins. In the field of microbial fermentation, Canada’s Blue Heron will showcase its next-generation plant-based vegan artisan cheeses, with active bacterial cultures and enzymes specific to plant-based protein reactions.   In the alt egg category, Israel’s Yo-Egg will present its hyper-realistic, plant-based sunny side up and poached eggs. Many more game-changing early and mid-stage companies will join the Future Food-Tech summit, bringing together food brands, retailers, ingredient manufacturers, technology providers, and investors for two days of high-impact online networking and knowledge exchange.  “At Yo-Egg, we strongly believe people really do want a humane alternative to the traditional egg. You see it in the growing demand for organic or cage free eggs. The change is driven by the consumers, at Yo-Egg we are simply making it easier for them to switch. Our sunny side up ...

Environmental activist and Academy Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio has joined cell-cultured beef pioneers Mosa Meat and Aleph Farms as an investor and advisor.   “One of the most impactful ways to combat the climate crisis is to transform our food system” – Leonardo DiCaprio Both companies have demonstrated the ability to grow beef directly from animal cells, with Dutch company Mosa Meat recently making huge progress and raising over $85 million dollars this year.  Cell-cultured steak producer Aleph Farms also enjoyed a $105 million raise this year, with the Israeli company telling vegconomist in a recent interview that it is currently; “Scaling-up manufacturing, growing operations internationally, and expanding its product lines and technology platform ahead of Aleph Farms’ initial market launch in 2022.”  Leonardo DiCaprio & Alt Protein The investment is not the first time Leonardo DiCaprio has entered the alt protein sphere, as he recently joined Perfect Day – the microbial fermentation alt dairy specialist. He also serves as an ambassador for Beyond Meat and recently encouraged his legions of fans to go plant-based for climate change.   A longtime champion of global environmental issues including climate change, wildlife conservation, access to clean water, protecting biodiversity, marine conservation, and supporting Indigenous communities, DiCaprio has provided more than $100 million in grants to a variety of programs and projects to date.  “One of the most impactful ways to combat the climate crisis is to transform our food system. Mosa Meat and Aleph Farms offer new ways to satisfy the world’s demand for ...

Celebrities, sports stars, and influencers have gathered at La Monumental – the last bullfighting ring in commercial operation in Catalunya – to celebrate the launch of Heura’s Sausage and Chorizo products.  “A cycle of injustice can be obliterated once people refuse to follow the status quo and start standing up for what they believe in” Spanish alt meat leader Heura is launching its first-ever plant-based pork products and made a symbolic gesture by transforming the iconic bullfighting ring into a launchpad for its plant-based meats, drawing unmistakable parallels to the cruelty of bullfighting and the consumption of animal meat. Celebrating Heura’s Mediterranean heritage and traditions, while recognising the need to rewrite those traditions, the launch of Heura Sausage and Heura Chorizo at La Monumental represents the declaration of the intentions of a whole generation, according to the brand.  The Power Sits with the People Activism is at the heart of the company, with Marc Coloma, CEO of Heura Foods, recently sending messages to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, as well as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, regarding plant-based diets and climate change.  “A cycle of injustice can be obliterated once people refuse to follow the status quo and start standing up for what they believe in,” stated Heura co-founder and CEO Marc Coloma.  “Society found a way to transform La Monumental from a place of barbaric animal abuse to an amazing platform for an evolved form of entertainment. As the tides shift and the plant-based protein movement continues to make ...

Hailing from across the world, including Japan, Estonia, and Israel, eight pioneering startups have joined the latest ProVeg Incubator. The cohort includes the world’s first sprouted millet milk, functional mung-bean protein, and mycoprotein-based alt meats. With a strong focus on emerging food tech and unique ingredients for the alt protein sector, The Berlin-based ProVeg Incubator accelerator program offers expert mentoring and up to €250,000 in funding. Having launched in 2018, the ProVeg Incubator has worked with over 55 startups from around the world, which have collectively raised over €100 million and are stocked in over 15,000 stores. The startups: Altein Ingredients (India) – developing a functional mung-bean protein that aims to be the nucleus of plant-powered food. Meet Future (Estonia) – food-tech company developing the next generation of mycoprotein-based chicken and fish alternatives. Plant-based Japan (Japan) – uses unique Japanese ingredients to develop plant-based egg and meat alternatives. Cultivated Biosciences (Netherlands) – uses fermentation to develop a fat ingredient from oleaginous yeast, which offers the creaminess needed for plant-based dairy products. ProProtein (Estonia) – developing a scalable precision-fermentation technology for producing dairy proteins from yeast, without the need for cattle farming. Genesea (Israel) – a B2B food-ingredients company with a mission to produce protein isolates and other ingredients developed from offshore-grown marine macroalgae. Alt Foods (India) – developing the world’s first plant-based milk made from a unique mix of grains and sprouted millets. Brain Foods (Bulgaria) – produces and sells healthy, sweet-and-savoury plant-based snacks that nourish both mind and body. ...

Alt dairy startup Ripple Foods has announced a $60 million Series E funding round, exceeding capital raise goals. The Berkeley-based brand develops dairy-free, protein-packed products while leaving a smaller footprint on the planet.  Founded in 2014 by Adam Lowry and Neil Renniger, Ripple Food uses protein from sustainably produced yellow peas, claiming to use significantly less water than dairy and other dairy alternatives. Ripple’s current portfolio of products includes Plant-Based Milk, Kids Milk, Protein Shakes, Frozen Desserts. Ripple also boasts half the sugar of dairy milk and 50% more calcium. According to the brand, Ripple touts the highest loyalty in the plant-based milk category, with its new product range, Ripple Kids, achieving success as the number one new product in the category at retailers including Whole Foods Market and Target. According to current industry reports, the alt dairy market is experiencing unprecedented growth at +6%, while Ripple is outpacing the category by 3 times with +20% growth.  “Ripple’s growth is outpacing the category by 3x, and we are well-positioned to further accelerate that growth,” stated Laura Flanagan, CEO of Ripple Foods. “This capital raise will enable us to accelerate innovation and growth across product categories, and expand into new channels and global markets.  It allows us to further achieve our mission of making plant-based foods that are better for people, and better for the planet, on an even larger scale.”   ...

The European vegan market is growing at a rapid pace. In fact, research by Smart Protein shows that sales of plant-based food and drink products increased by 49% between 2018 and 2020. The pandemic has further accelerated this growth as people have had time to reflect on their priorities, which has led to a shift in attitudes towards health and wellbeing, including a renewed focus on the food we are consuming. So, it’s more important than ever that professionals remain up to date with the latest trends and are equipped to deliver the best possible plant-based menus for consumers. Plant Based World Expo, which takes place at London’s Business Design Centre on 15-16 October 2021, is the only trade event in Europe dedicated to plant-based food. The new event will offer visitors the opportunity to discover more about the latest plant-based foods entering the market and how they can be incorporated into tasty, nutritious dishes. It will also connect professionals with world-leading suppliers and allow them to learn from the experts that are transforming the landscape of meat-free food, all under one roof. Jonathan Morley, Managing Director at Plant Based World Expo, concludes: “Health and wellbeing has come to the fore for many consumers across Europe following the pandemic, prompting many people to take stock and revaluate their lifestyle. “Diet plays a key part in people’s health, so it is no surprise that interest in vegan and plant-based food is growing at such a rapid pace. We are excited to ...