vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

French startup Les Nouveaux Affineurs recently had its faux-mages tasted in the streets of Paris. The feedback was very positive and the Parisians were astonished to learn that the cheeses were in fact 100% plant-based. When talking to companies selling vegan products or vegan restaurants, one thing is often quickly established: the vast majority of customers are in fact omnivorous or flexitarian. It is therefore important for vegan startups to increase their visibility among all types of consumers. It is with this in mind that last month, Les Nouveaux Affineurs went to meet Parisians to promote its products by offering passers-by an “aperitif kit” and by letting them taste the different ranges of cheeses both fresh (faux-mages to spread) and refined (for example an imitation of camembert). The results were reportedly very positive and many passers-by couldn’t help but compare the matured and fresh cheeses to traditional French cheeses or well-known brands. The startup, founded in 2017, has developed several lines of plant-based, natural and organic cheeses, which have been very successful and are available for purchase online as well as in Biocoops and various vegan stores. The company is also a finalist in the Trophées de l’Alimentation Responsable, Accessible, de Qualité alongside two other vegan startups: Update Foods and Matatie. Votes are still open to the public until August 27. ...

Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the US, today announced the company’s first pea-based chicken tenders and burger patties. The GreenWise Chickenless Tenders land on shelves this week, and the GreenWise Meatless Burger was released in April, in addition to the black bean burger veggie burger already existing under the GreenWise brand. As we reported last August, Publix has been steadily increasing its vegan offerings, and currently stocks brands such as Impossible Foods, BFree Foods, Beyond Meat, and plant-based products from Don Lee Farms. “Customers are requesting more plant-based options to incorporate into their diets,” said Publix Director of Communications Maria Brous. “By developing these meatless products under our trusted private-label GreenWise brand, we are offering our customers high-quality options to support their lifestyle.” Publix states that it is committed to helping customers make food choices to meet their health, lifestyle and sustainability goals, including: Expanding the variety of plant-based meat alternatives by offering popular national brands. Offering fresh jackfruit, a popular substitute for shredded pork or chicken, at select Publix stores and all Publix GreenWise Market locations. Sourcing local foods, including partnering with local hydroponic growers for sustainable leafy greens. The company currently operates 1,276 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. For 24 consecutive years, the company has been recognized by Fortune as a great place to work. ...

Continuing its recent reign of success, Australia’s Fable Food Co, known for its “meaty” food created by fine-dining chef and mushroom scientist Jim Fuller, today announced a $6.5 million AUD seed funding round led by Blackbird Ventures to expand growth and launch into the US by the end of 2021. In interview with vegconomist last year, Co-founder and CEO Michael Fox described how the “first product replicates slow-cooked meats like pulled pork, braised beef and beef brisket” and that the taste and texture are so similar to meat that hundreds of consumers had no idea that it did not come from animals. The popular brand, which only launched a year and a half ago, is endorsed by celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal, who features it on the menus of his Michelin Star restaurants and recently developed a vegan burger for Australian chain Grill’d using the fungus meat. Fast expansion to continue Fable products are currently distributed in Woolworths and Coles and specialty grocery chain Harris Farm Markets, on the menus of restaurants in Australia, Singapore, and the UK, and in meal delivery services Marley Spoon and Dinnerly. The company will use the funds to expand production and manufacturing capabilities in Australia and abroad, to accelerate new product launches. Fable’s portfolio is already present in Singapore and the UK and will be launching in the United States by the end of this year. Fox commented today: “We’re thrilled to have partners dedicated to creating a more sustainable future, and who believe in ...

Plant-based Impact Investor Willem Blom joins Elysabeth Alfano on The Plantbased Business Hour to discuss if the EU has stalled on plant-based initiatives, what European companies are making an impact and how the Netherlands is the ‘little country that could’ in terms of plant-based innovation. Plus, Willem shares the products that he would like to see in the marketplace that aren’t yet there. Below is a highlight clip (1:47) from the long-form conversation and a transcript of same below. Podcast is here. Elysabeth: So, we’re talking about going to market and we also talked about a little while ago about that Dutch entrepreneurial spirit. So, tell me with your entrepreneurial spirit hat on, what are the products that you would like to see in the marketplace that aren’t yet there? Willem Blom: Yeah, so I’m very bullish on seafood like you said with Seaspiracy coming out. There’s a lot of opportunity there. I think we need innovation in seafood. Luckily, there are great companies in the market. Of course, we have Good Catch and I saw today that Ocean Hugger is back! Click here to display content from YouTube.Learn more in YouTube’s privacy policy. Always display content from YouTube Elysabeth: They are back! The brand that will not die. Yes, it’s fantastic. Ocean Hugger, The Plantbased Seafood Company, Save Da Sea out of Canada, Sophie’s Kitchen, and then there’s a Swedish company called Hooked. So, there’s more and more options coming online and that’s not even talking about the cellular options which ...

Capital V, the VC firm founded by prolific vegan investor Michiel van Deursen, announces it has funded the Amsterdam based craft cheese producer Willicroft, marking the first investment in the alternative cheese category for Capital V. Founded in 2018 by Brad Vanstone, who was born into a family of UK dairy farmers, the brand’s This is Not Cheese range has more than doubled yearly. After successful rollouts into the Netherlands and Belgium in 2020, Willicroft expanded the range into the UK the following October. The cheeses are currently made with cashews, though the brand is experimenting with other local ingredients that will change the footprint and taste of the product range. Sustainable production Speaking to vegconomist last November, Vanstone explained: “The reason plant-based producers use cashews as a base ingredient is because they’re high in fat and protein. These components are crucial to dairy cheesemaking so when making a plant-based replacement this was the base we sought too. We, therefore, trialled around 30 alternative ingredients that had similar nutritional properties to cashews (and therefore milk) whilst also factoring in other considerations such as cost, water content, availability, neutral flavour, and their locality to the Netherlands. “This research and experimentation brought us to beans and pulses. These ingredients will lower our emissions due to reduced processing and transportation and could also be a gateway to us beginning our transitional farming projects where we help dairy farmers transition away from dairy by planting the ingredients on their land.” Capital V’s van Deursen ...

Fi Europe Innovation Awards and Startup Innovation Challenge: honoring breakthrough innovations in the food and beverage industry. As part of the world’s leading trade shows Fi Europe and Hi Europe, companies and professionals will once again be honored for outstanding achievements in the industry. Startups no more than five years old can submit their most innovative product, service or solution to the Startup Innovation Challenge 2021 by September 17. For Fi and Hi Europe exhibitors, the Fi Europe Innovation Awards 2021 are open until September 24. These will be awarded in eight categories; one of the categories, “Future of Nutrition,” will be awarded for the first time this year to individuals from companies, associations or organizations that are not exhibiting. Both the Startup Innovation Challenge and the Fi Europe Innovation Awards are considered prestigious industry honors.   From ingredients, process technology and equipment to new strategic concepts and initiatives, the Fi Europe Innovation Awards have been recognizing pioneering work in food and beverage ingredients for many years, always reflecting current trends. A panel of industry experts led by Prof. Colin Dennis, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of IFIS and the British Nutrition Foundation, will sift through the entries and announce their choices during Fi and Hi Europe, which runs from November 30 to December 2. Prof. Colin Dennis, who has chaired the judging panel since 2019, comments, “Innovation in the food industry is critical to its future success. Meeting the needs of consumers and the market while keeping in ...

In an interview, Johannes Schmid-Wiedersheim, Director of IFFA, talks about the industry’s desire for face-to-face encounters, the new direction in terms of alternative proteins, and the current booking situation at the world’s leading trade fair. Mr. Schmid-Wiedersheim, preparations for IFFA 2022 are already in full swing. What is the current registration status? Surprisingly good. At the early booking deadline, at the end of March, more exhibiting companies had already registered for IFFA than at the same time for the previous event. The market-leading companies from Germany and abroad are back and we are seeing an increase in demand for exhibition space of around plus ten percent. This is a really pleasing situation and shows once again that IFFA is the “place to be” when it comes to the issues affecting the industry. And it’s a sign of how much exhibitors and visitors alike want to see face-to-face meetings and an international exchange of ideas again. Everyone finally wants to meet their business partners and colleagues again, see innovations and shape the future of the industry together. After all, the meat and protein industry has come through the Corona crisis comparatively well. The companies therefore have many ideas and sufficient funds for investments. A recent survey of visitors to past Frankfurt trade fairs showed that over 80 percent plan to attend another attendance event in the near future. And all this together is an excellent starting position for IFFA 2022. IFFA 2022 will also show process technology for alternative proteins for ...

After news that the vegan category on Deliveroo has grown by 107% over the past year, the foodservice delivery app is teaming up with fast-food giant Burger King to promote Meat Free Mondays by offering customers a free Vegan Royale across the UK. Having launched the Vegan Royale nationwide in the UK in late April this year, Burger King has been investing in and growing its plant-based output, so far staying ahead of its rivals in the global QSR domain. Burger King UK’s CEO was even recently quoted as saying that half of the menu will be plant-based by 2030. As part of this drive, Burger King introduced its Meat Free Mondays, offering deals on its plant-based range for BK app users. The latest promotion includes a free Vegan Royale worth £6.59 when customers make an order over £15 from Burger King on the Deliveroo app. The Vegan Royale was developed by the Vegetarian Butcher and is also certified by the Vegan Society as it is cooked on separate grills to avoid cross-contamination.  The move comes as Deliveroo tries to support the growing demand for plant-based food on its platform. At a recent VWS event, Elena Devis, Vegan Category Lead at Deliveroo, revealed: “During our Veganuary partnership, 50% of Deliveroo grocery orders contained vegan items, while 35% of fine-dining restaurant orders contained vegan items”.  The Vegan Royale offer is now available across all 283 participating Burger King restaurants around the UK via the Deliveroo app.   ...

NotCo, the largest plant-based food company in Latin America, has reached an agreement with Mostaza, the largest fast food chain in Argentina, for the launch of its new line of Mega NotBurger. The line consists of the Not Burger, created from pea protein, chia, coconut oil, beet and spinach, in Mega Deluxe NotBurger; Mega Classic NotBurger and Mega Cuarto NotBurger varieties. This new line of products is available at the more than 150 stores that the chain has throughout the country and can be ordered through the different sales channels that the company offers, and as a launching promotion, exclusively through the Pedidos Ya app. “With the new Mega NotBurger, from Mostaza we are taking Argentine fast food to another level, we are pioneers with this product. We are making a difference and we are taking that big step that the category needed in terms of innovation and inclusion, generating a value proposal adapted to the new consumer habits. “This launch is a milestone for the company and allows us to continue building on products that bear our imprint with all the flavor, texture and authenticity that characterizes us as a brand,” said Leandro Castorani, Commercial Director of Mustard. In the words of Mauricio Alonso, Country Manager of NotCo Argentina, “Our alliance with Mostaza is a great milestone for the company, but above all a milestone for the plant-based industry, which has been growing rapidly for several years in the country. With this launch, we strengthen our purpose by increasing ...

Since yesterday, VW‘s announcement to remove the popular currywurst from the menu of its canteen offering in Wolfsburg and replace it with plant-based options has been hotly debated in the German media, with even ex-Federal Chancellor and VW Supervisory Board member Gerhard Schröder intervening in the discussion. As Volkswagen informed us in response to our enquiry, only the company restaurant at the brand headquarters is affected by the announcement, although VW maintains around 30 other company catering locations in Wolfsburg. In the company restaurant, the offer for vegan and vegetarian food selection will be greatly expanded in the coming weeks. In the future, vegetable bowls, curries or pasta dishes – all vegetarian and vegan – will be offered, among other things. The only exception being that from time to time, the menu will also include some fish options. The Gastronomy and Catering team at the Volkswagen Service Factory has developed around 150 new recipes for this. After the summer break, no dishes with meat will be offered there. One reason for the change in the menu is that many employees would like to see vegetarian or vegan alternatives on the menu. The Service Factory has already successfully tested such a concept at Volkswagen’s Hanover site where it has been very well received. At the same time, the realignment is also taking place in the context of the increased focus on the issue of sustainability, since eating less meat is proven to reduce your carbon footprint. For all employees who nevertheless ...