vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

A consumer study in China has indicated that there could be a seismic move away from animal leather, with 90% of customers stating they preferred leather alternatives. The Material Innovation Initiative (MII) study, done in collaboration with North Mountain Consulting Group, shows that ​​there could be wide acceptance of next-gen leather in urban Chinese markets once at scale, as almost all of those surveyed were open to purchasing leather alternatives. More than 70% of respondents explained that they sought out alternatives due to concerns about the environment, while 62% were concerned about animal welfare. Other factors that impacted people’s shift away from conventional leather were personal expression and a higher performance to cost ratio.   Nicole Rawling, co-founder and CEO of MII, said: “Consumers want to buy products that are in alignment with their values, and they are becoming increasingly aware that animal leather is not. Leather production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, harmful chemical pollution, and negative health impacts for workers and surrounding communities. “On top of this, leather production relies on the skins of approximately 1.4 billion animals every year, a fact that many consumers find unsettling. Creating next-gen leather alternatives that outperform leather both functionally and ethically could lead to a total transformation of the leather market away from animal options.” The findings highlight opportunities and challenges for material scientists, startups, and brands working to develop next-gen replacements for animal-derived leather. The alternative leather market is booming with an estimated market value of $89.6 billion by 2025. ...

Clean plant-based chicken brand Daring has launched two of its products — Original Pieces and Original Breaded Pieces — at select Whole Foods stores across the US. The news comes after Daring raised $40 million in funding this May, with investors including the rapper Drake. At the time of the raise, it had only been 18 months since the brand launched its first products and a year since it entered the US. Daring’s plant-based chicken is already available at over 1000 locations across the US, including Kroger, Wegmans, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Bristol Farms. The brand says it also has more launches planned. In an interview with vegconomist last October, it said its mission was to “remove chicken as a form of animal protein in our food system”. The “Chicken Wars” Continue In what has been labelled the “chicken wars”, launches of plant-based chicken are skyrocketing. In July, Impossible Foods launched plant-based nuggets just two weeks after Beyond Meat did the same thing. Later that week, Field Roast launched vegan nuggets at Costco. At the same time, the price of conventional chicken is soaring. As part of a new marketing campaign, plant-based meat company Alpha Foods has labelled this “chickenflation”. It has announced that every time the price of chicken increases, it will reduce the price of its chick’n nuggets by the same amount. With its Whole Foods launch, Daring is the latest company to join in. “Entering such an iconic retailer that is known for its healthy, high-quality products ...

Swiss alt-meat company Planted Foods has raised 19 million Swiss francs (about $12 million) in its pre-Series B funding round. Participants included Vorwerk Ventures, Gullspång Re:food, and Movendo Capital. Planted says it will use the capital to expand internationally and strengthen its R&D platform. Its products are already available in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and France, and it has plans to expand to several more countries. Just a few months ago, Planted raised 17 million Swiss francs in a previous funding round, with investors including footballer Yann Sommer. In an interview with vegconomist, the company said its success was down to the unique fibre structures used in its products, as well as its clean-label philosophy — Planted’s chicken contains only four ingredients. Though currently best known for its pea-based chicken pieces and pulled pork, Planted is also using fermentation to develop whole cuts of plant-based meat. The company says progress has been rapid and it expects to launch the whole cuts towards the end of the year. “It makes us very proud to see how our products inspire so many consumers all over Europe,” says co-founder Pascal Bieri. “Unique aspects such as our natural, healthy, non-artificial ingredients, incredible fibre texture, and taste make all the difference. We look forward to using the current funding to further strengthen our international presence, expand our product range and grow our network of partners who share our passion for making a positive impact on this planet.” ...

Last month, on the occasion of the Belgian bank holiday this 21st July, Flemish chef Nicolas Decloedt teamed up with PETA to create a vegan version of the classic Belgian dish moules frites. Although more and more vegan alternatives to seafood products are appearing beyond fish, such as caviar and shrimp, mussels have still been missing, until now. The chef, of Michelin restaurant Humus Hortense, voted Best Vegan Chef in Brussels in 2019 by Gault & Millau, used black coloured potato puree to reinterpret the shell, which he then stuffed with shiitake mushrooms after cooking them in a seaweed broth to give them a marine flavour. PETA used the occasion to stress the importance of preserving these marine animals: “In their natural habitat, mussels and other bivalves play an essential role in the ecosystem by filtering pollutants and other harmful chemicals from the water. Pollutants that pose health risks if consumed.” This recipe therefore highlights an important niche in the market. Especially since 78% of consumers have been shown as keen to try vegan seafood, according to a study by abillion. ...

Tripadvisor has revealed the winners of its Travellers’ Choice Best Vegan Restaurant Awards. Ten restaurants made the list, with two UK eateries featuring in the top five and the other three in mainland Europe, the top place being based in Greece. Cosmic Kitchen, a vegan bistro in Plymouth, Devon, has been named the third-best vegan restaurant in the world, while Bournemouth restaurant Twelve Eatery is at number five. Out of Cosmic Kitchen’s 257 Tripadvisor ratings, 246 are five-star. The bistro offers dishes such as moussaka and jackfruit wraps, described by reviewers as “delicious” and “ridiculously good”. Meanwhile, organic restaurant Twelve Eatery says it is fully booked up for several weeks thanks to the award. Founders Dalton Mello and Greg Rush told the Bournemouth Echo that the response had been “completely overwhelming”. Interestingly, the remainder of the top five restaurants on the list are also in Europe — Vegan Beat in Athens, Greece, at number one; Blu Bar in Barcelona, Spain, at two; and Scoop ‘n Dough in Lisbon, Portugal, at four. Meanwhile, the other restaurants in the top 10 are all in the Americas and Asia. Numbers six and nine are both in Thailand — EFE Macrobiotic World in Rawai and Kunda Vegan Vegetarian in Chiang Rai. In seventh place is Alquimia in Campos Do Jordão, Brazil, while Arte Sano in Holbox Island, Mexico, is at number eight. Finally, Hum Vegetarian Cafe & Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is at number ten. Previous studies based on Tripadvisor data ...

India’s BlueTribe is set to launch plant-based Chicken Keema and Chicken Nuggets in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, the cities renowned for the famous Indian dishes Chicken Tikka, Butter Chicken and Mutton Champ. After the current launch, the company is due to launch pea protein-based Chicken & Pork Sausages. Co-founders Sandeep Singh and Nikki Arora Singh set out to offer an alternative for meat in India’s food supply chain, with the shared mission of revolutionising how India eats its meat. The company’s team is committed to research and innovation to create plant-based meat products which resemble animal meat, while also positively impacting the planet. Blue Tribe reports that it has already made a difference amongst non-vegetarian consumers wanting to make a lifestyle change in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, Chennai, Kolkata and now Chandigarh. It is further planning to expand its reach in Indore and other cities of India. Co-founder Sandeep Singh, said, “We are thrilled to launch our plant-based meat products in the cities known for delectable non-vegetarian cuisines containing wholesome protein, vitamins and other nutrients. This is sort of a true test for us, if we can encourage meat lovers in Chandigarh and surrounding areas, it will take us one step closer to our ultimate goal of reviving and rejuvenating mother Earth. “It is extremely important to understand that we are in no way asking people to stop eating non-vegetarian food. As of now, the overabundance of meat production in the world is dangerously contributing to the ...

Zoglo’s Incredible Food Corp. announces the introduction of 12 new plant-based food products from its Incredible™ product line into the Canadian retail market, including shawarma, meatballs, chicken tenders and strips. Zoglo’s Incredible Food Corp. is a private plant-based food company based in Toronto which offers plant-based appetizers, veggies, and meat substitutes made with Non-GMO Soy or Non-GMO Beans such as peas, fava beans and mung beans. Over the past 25 years, its products have been in distribution in over 700 retail stores across Canada including Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sobeys and Loblaws, and has representation in the United States and Europe. “We are very pleased to be expanding our product line in Canada and look forward to Zoglo’s continuing to penetrate the market and becoming a household food brand.” commented CEO, Anthony Morello. “By leveraging Zoglo’s industry-leading technology, we are able to provide consumers with choices that cater to their unique taste profile, effectively changing the landscape of plant-based foods.” ...

Previously, many athletes were known as ambassadors for fast food chains and soda brands. In the wake of Ronaldo’s famous Coca-Cola shunning stunt which recently caused a stir around the world, NBA player Cade Cunningham has become the latest athlete to promote healthy foods through a partnership with plant-based heavyweight JUST Egg. Cunningham is an up-and-coming player who was recently drafted for the Detroit Pistons. He joins a growing number of athletes who are choosing healthier brands that align with their lifestyles rather than more conventional partners. This July, vegan cheese company Miyoko’s Creamery partnered with not one, but five plant-based Olympic athletes — David Verburg, Rachael Adams, Heather Mitts, Dustin Watten, and Dotsie Bausch. The partnership is part of a program called Cheese of Champs, which has the aim of promoting a healthy, plant-based lifestyle. Last year, two more Olympic athletes — Michael Phelps and Aly Raisman — became the faces of Silk soymilk. And in 2019, a team of NBA and NFL players became brand ambassadors for Beyond Meat. The Rise of Eat JUST Recently, Eat JUST (producer of JUST Egg) announced it was looking to pursue an IPO either at the end of this year or the beginning of 2022. The company is expected to be valued at a minimum of $3 billion. In May, its cell-cultured meat subsidiary GOOD Meat raised $170 million just a week after Eat JUST was named one of Fast Company’s “World Changing Companies of the Year”. GOOD Meat’s cell-cultured chicken was ...

In a conversation with the BBC yesterday, Beyond Meat founder Ethan Brown stated that consumers are already interested in alt meat: “If you look at shopper data that we have, 93% of the people that are putting the Beyond burger in their cart are also putting animal protein in.” When asked as to whether he agrees on the idea of taxation on meat consumption, Brown said to the BBC: “I think the whole notion of a pigovian tax, which is to tax negative things that are high in externalities, I think is an interesting one. I’m not an economist but overall intuitively that type of thing does appeal to me, not just for meat. I think taxing things we want more of such as income and not taxing things we want less of, I’ve always wondered about that so in general that type of taxation scheme is interesting to me but I’ve got to leave it to others to work out the details.” His sentiments have been put forth by countless individuals and organisations in recent years. For example, last November the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (UKHACC) released a policy paper with suggestions for government actions, including a tax on foods such as meat which have a high carbon footprint. Similar actions were projected in mainland Europe back in 2019. Brown has stated for years his ambition to underprice meat and most recently revealed that this would firstly come to fruition for Beyond’s plant-based beef, saying that this ...

In the same month that Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods went head to head with plant-based chicken launches, closely followed by Field Roast rolling out its vegan tenders en masse in CostCo; California’s Alpha Foods yesterday began a bold campaign to capitalise on the increase in poultry prices and bring attention to plant-based chicken. Alpha says it will closely monitor the “chickenflation crisis” at www.chickenflation.com and decrease the price of its Chik’n Nuggets by a cent for every cent that the price of chicken increases. During the campaign, consumers will be able to claim coupons for Alpha Chik’n Nuggets from street teams in Times Square. To bring further visibility to this important issue, Alpha will take over the digital billboard at NASDAQ in New York City, as well as a full-page ad space in The Wall Street Journal to spread the word. According to Kierstin De West, Alpha’s Chief Marketing Officer, “In the past few months, chicken prices have skyrocketed, leaving consumers looking for alternative options. By lowering the price of our plant-based chik’n products in line with chickenflation, we’re encouraging people to try something new, without the pressure of changing their entire diet.” Tanner Thompson and Dana Buckhorn, the creative team who spearheaded the campaign, said: “Using some pretty questionable knowledge of the stock market and a lot of Google searches for ‘big financial words,’ we were able to create a market tracker on the NASDAQ board as well as a market update in the WSJ. It’s not the first ...