vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

UK supermarket Waitrose has announced its largest-ever vegan and vegetarian product launches with two new ranges. Featuring the new Plantlife and GoVeggie ranges, the new products provide healthy and simple meals, snacks, and treats.  After recently launching its Holistic Living brand, Waitrose plans to continue to expand its meat-free offerings, with the brand quoting recent research from Veganuary as an inspiration. The study found that six months from Veganuary 2021, 82% of participants have maintained a dramatic reduction in their animal product consumption. The new Waitrose ranges feature ‘first to market’ products in the supermarket prepared meal sector, including Crispy No Beef with Sweet Chilli Sauce, Thai Style No Fish Cakes, No Chorizo Tortelloni and Mushroom Scallop Linguine. More products are expected for October 2021 and prices range from £2 to £5. “We wanted to provide our customers with more choice when it came to incorporating a holistic approach to their meals. Making “meat free Monday” or a flexitarian lifestyle even easier, these new ranges have inspired us to be more innovative.  For example, by using pulses, we’ve been able to recreate a white sauce for products in the new Plantlife range such as Moussaka and Potato Dauphinoise which rivals any bechamel sauce we’ve tried!” commented Martyn Lee, Executive Chef at Waitrose.   ...

Leading plant-based dog food producer Wild Earth, founded headed by prolific vegan investor Ryan Bethencourt, announces it has secured more than $23 million from all-star investors as it reveals over 700% growth 2020 to 2021. Wild Earth’s success escalated when Bethencourt closed a deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank in 2019. The Berkeley based company then went on to secure $11 million in Series A led by VegInvest just months later. Wild Earth is now set to further disrupt the cruel and environmentally disastrous pet food industry and is on track to release new dog and cat food products in 2022. The company is currently developing beef, chicken, and seafood cell-based meats using its proprietary technology for these launches.  Leading the revolution Bethencourt also reveals today that his company is launching a new initiative into cell-based pet food, joining a category with the likes of Because, Animals – stating, “cell-based meat is the future of meat, and pet food is leading the revolution! ” The new funding round included high profile names including At One Ventures (founded by GoogleX co-founder Tom Chi), Veginvest (early investors in JUST foods and GOOD Meat), Big Idea Ventures (including Tom Mastrobuoni, an early investor and former board member at Beyond Meat), Bitburger Ventures (Venture firm of one of the world’s largest breweries), Gaingels (investing in the best companies that embrace LGBT+ leadership), actor and star of the Vampire Diaries, Paul Wesley, and Mark Cuban, who also acts as business mentor to the company. ...

The go-to platform for Instant Needs is spearheading the program in partnership with NBA All-Star Chris Paul to unlock barriers to distribution, mentorship and more for selected entrepreneurs PHILADELPHIA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Gopuff, the go-to-solution for immediate everyday needs, announced the launch of “Put Me On,” a small business accelerator program that brings together industry leaders and experts to support entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented groups and empower them to grow their businesses. Through “Put Me On,” underrepresented entrepreneurs who apply are selected to take part in a six-month program designed to help raise awareness of their respective brands through Gopuff’s platform while providing them with impactful tools and resources to help support and grow their businesses. “Put Me On” was developed in partnership with NBA All-Star Chris Paul, who shares in Gopuff’s mission to support entrepreneurs by bringing their products to more people. The first cohort of “Put Me On” participants was selected together by Paul and Gopuff, and Paul will serve as a program ambassador, providing time, resources and connections to participants. “I’ve always had a strong passion for supporting entrepreneurs and bringing healthier foods and products to underserved communities,” said Paul. “Sharing in this mission and collaborating with Gopuff takes this work to the next level. Gopuff’s rapidly growing following and ability to add products to its platform immediately – and deliver to the hands of customers in minutes – is an invaluable resource for brands, and I’m looking forward to unlocking that further for the underrepresented entrepreneurs who need it ...

Beyond Investing‘s vegan  Exchange Traded Fund, the US Vegan Climate ETF (ticker: VEGN) marks two years since launch with almost $65million in assets and outperformance versus the S&P500 Index since inception VEGN has returned a total of 67.91% vs S&P 500 Index’s 57.07% (on market price) since inception to end of August 2021. Two years ago, when Beyond Investing launched the world’s first vegan-friendly, climate-conscious ETF, its founders say it was an uphill battle to explain why other funds which purported to follow environmental and social principles were actually not doing so. Today, greater understanding of ethical investment, of the dire eco-emergency, and of the need to pay more than lip service to ESG goals has seen the VEGN ETF perform better than the US benchmark S&P 500 Index – and attract around US$65 million in assets. Claire Smith, CEO of Beyond Investing, and a renowned global expert in ethical investment, says: “More than anything, the enormous success of VEGN ETF underlines that animal-friendly and climate-conscious investing can be good for people, planet and your pocketbook. With the expansion of our product range into global small cap thematic and regional vegan climate indexes, our aim is to provide complete portfolio solutions for vegans and environmentalists that bring about a kinder, cleaner, healthier world.” With this goal in mind, the fund is free from animal exploitation, weapons-free and free from fossil fuels. VEGN aims to avoid investing in any activities that harm animals, screening out companies that are involved in animal ...

McDonald’s is set to finally launch its vegan McPlant burger in the UK after a months-long search for the perfect plant-based cheese. The burger will be available from late September, initially launching at a few locations in Coventry. In its quest to find a suitable cheese, McDonald’s says it experimented with hundreds of brands from all over the world but wasn’t satisfied with them. In the end, the chain decided to create its own. To do this, it collaborated with Irish food company Kerry. The resulting cheese is made with coconut oil and is said to have the same flavour and texture as dairy cheese. Kerry was previously best known for its dairy products but is increasingly pivoting into the plant-based sector. It owns alt-meat brand Taste & Glory, and has also launched a highly successful vegan range under its conventional meat brand Richmond. Last year, it was ranked #5 on the FAIRR list of global companies actively supporting plant-based foods and beverages. Along with Kerry’s cheese, the McPlant features a Beyond Meat patty and vegan sandwich sauce, plus burger trimmings like pickles and lettuce. While it will start rolling out at the end of the month, it won’t be available at all locations until January 2022. “It took us longer [than other brands] because we needed to get the consistency right,” a McDonald’s spokeswoman told iNews. “Customers expect a certain taste when they visit McDonald’s. The build is really important – even how we stack ingredients together has an ...

Top-selling European plant-based seafood company Novish announces it will be making its US debut this month at Natural Products Expo East. The event takes place this  September 23-25. The Netherlands brand this spring expanded into seafood restaurant chain NORDSEE which operates throughout Europe, and last May announced a deal with Misty Mountain Trade & Consulting Inc. for distribution of its vegan fish burgers and sticks across Canada. Novish’s product portfolio includes fishless sticks, bites, burgers, chunks, fillets and tuna. The products are free from soy, eggs, milk, nuts, peanuts, fish and shellfish, as well as palm-oil and artificial additives like flavor enhancers, colorings and preservatives. “We’re excited to bring European-quality products with a winning combination of taste, texture and affordability that will be appealing to the U.S. market,” says Novish Cofounder Maiko van der Meer, who previously headed major meat and seafood companies. In just over a year, the brand is now available in 15 countries including Israel, Hong Kong and Canada. “After extensive R&D, we’ve developed a product line that people—from foodies to top chefs—regard as indistinguishable from ‘the real-thing’,” adds van der Meer. The company has also recently signed a contract with leading U.K. online retailer Ocado for its plant-based fingers and burgers. Distributors, investors and the press will be able to evaluate Novish’s offerings first-hand at Expo East from September 23-25 in the Natural and Specialty category of the trade show floor, Thursday and Friday: 10am-6pm, Saturday: 10am-4pm EDT. ...

Alt-meat brand Rebellyous has announced that its plant-based nuggets will be rolling out at school cafeterias in various California and Washington districts. In Northern California, the nuggets will be available in the districts Dublin Unified, Pleasanton Unified, Livermore Joint Unified, and San Ramon Valley Unified. They will also be on menus in Santa Ana Unified in Southern California, along with Everett Public Schools in Washington. The product is vegan, free of cholesterol, antibiotics, and hormones, and lower in saturated fat and sodium than conventional nuggets. It also meets the USDA standards for two meat alternate credits for the National School Lunch Program. “Schools play a pivotal role in shaping children’s dietary patterns, so we are thrilled to be able to offer Rebellyous Kickin Nuggets to help acquaint our diners with delicious plant-based options while teaching the importance of eating a wider variety of foods,” said Frank Castro, Director of Child Nutrition Services at Dublin Unified School District. Rebellyous is expanding fast. Recently, the company hired a former Beyond Meat director as its Head of Equipment, Research, and Development. Its award-winning range also expanded into over 200 Safeway stores. In an interview with vegconomist, the company said its aim was to make plant-based eating accessible to everyone. “As school districts across the nation face supply chain shortages, we are proud to be able to offer students nutritious, delicious, plant-based nuggets,” said Christie Lagally, founder and CEO of Rebellyous. “Making plant-based foods available to everyone, especially schoolchildren, is a critical part of ...

A new report by AI-powered food intelligence solution Tastewise, examining alt-meat trends in the US, finds that alt-meat is now mentioned 1320% more frequently on restaurant menus than before the pandemic and that plant-based meat is now valued at $1.4 billion. New York most vegan city The report compiled data from 880,000 restaurants and delivery menus to provide insights into the growth of the industry, revealing that consumers are most likely to find vegan meat in New York City, where it appears on 10.29% of menus. This is followed by LA, where 7.9% of restaurants serve plant-based meat. By state, Oregon has the most restaurants offering alt-meat dishes, but the number of vegan restaurants in New Jersey is soaring by 56% YoY as New Yorkers head out of the city. The type of plant-based meat most commonly offered is sausage, with the popularity of jerky and lamb rising fast. Uber Eats ahead of competition The report also shows that vegan restaurants are more likely to work with Uber Eats than any other delivery platform. In terms of alt-meat brands, Beyond Meat is more popular than Impossible Foods, but interest in the latter is rising by 66% YoY. Consumers said health concerns were having the biggest influence on their decision to order plant-based meats, but the environmental impact of meat and dairy production is also a growing concern for many. The report reflects the findings of a study last year, which found that veganism is up by 300% in the US ...

Two leading Indian alt protein startups have completed successful seed funding rounds, as the plant-based movement gathers pace in the world’s second-largest country. Indian alt dairy producer Goodmylk has raised $1 million in an extension of its seed round, while plant protein innovator Proeon has raised $2.4 million in seed funding.  “India’s agricultural heritage and biodiversity offers tremendous potential to satisfy skyrocketing global demand for plant protein” Seeing participation from major Indian and international angels and firms, Goodmylk’s $1 million fundraise comes after rapid growth and expansion into new cities such as Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Chennai, as well as strengthening operations in Bengaluru. The fresh funds will be put towards a product portfolio expansion and increased distribution. The brand’s stated aim is to make plant-based dairy functional and accessible to all in India. Backed by leading incubators and innovation centres in India, plant-based food ingredient start-up Proeon’s $2.4 million seed capital raise will facilitate enhanced growth for the Pune-based company, as well as establishing a research lab in the Netherlands. The company is a critical formulation specialist at the ingredient level, making it easier for food companies to make plant-based meat, dairy, and egg replacement products. The Indian Plant-Based Revolution It is well-known that a large section of the Indian population is vegetarian, so it should come as no surprise that veganism is a growing movement within the country. A survey in 2019 found that 63% of Indians were willing to replace meat with plant-based options, and since then ...

UK restaurant chain wagamama this week launches its ‘Plant Pledge’ a campaign to encourage guests to eat more plant-based dishes to help tackle the climate emergency, in response to the UN’s latest environmental report. In 2020, wagamama became the first major restaurant chain to offer vegan tuna, offering a product created with watermelon. For Veganuary this year the chain launched a range of new vegan menu options and stated its aim to make half its main menu options meatless by the end of 2021. Now, Global Executive Chef Steve Mangleshot and his team have confirmed that from 6th October, 50% of the menu will be officially plant-based. From this week wagamama is urging guests to pledge a ‘small choice for big change’, whether that’s trialling plant-based for the first time or making one meal a week plant-based. As part of the Plant Pledge, wagamama will encourage people getting started on their journey by offering a free vegan side when they join. Existing vegan options include: Vegan Katsu Curry The Firecracker curry can be ordered with tofu instead of chicken the Grilled Duck Doburi can be made with seitan Crispy Chilli Squid can be veganised with king oyster mushrooms. Side dish Vegan Sticky Ribs, made with mushrooms and soy protein. CEO Thomas Heier said: “At wagamama we’re making choices big and small at a business level to tread more lightly on the planet. Now, it’s time we use our platform to ask guests to join that journey with us. We believe ...