Plant-Based Meat

Consumer perception of taste and nutrition of beef still ‘greatly exceeds that for plant-based proteins’ says new report

08-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

While consumers rate plant-based beef more favorably than its bovine counterpart on fiber, fat, saturated fat and cholesterol; they rate it less favorably on taste, protein, iron, and overall nutrition, according to survey data contained in a new report...

‘Highly disingenuous…’ Plant-based labeling battle heats up as more states challenge use of meat, dairy terms

03-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based brands have blasted the latest wave of bills proposing restrictions on the use of terms such as ‘milk’ and ‘meat’ in states including New York and Texas as “a solution in search of a problem,” but say more work is needed to persuade legislators...

Impossible Foods slashes prices to retailers: 'We intend to keep lowering prices until we undercut those of ground beef from cows'

02-Feb-2021 By Elaine Watson

Hot on the heels of price cuts to foodservice distributors, Impossible Foods is cutting prices to US grocery stores and supermarkets, taking suggested retail prices for two patty packs down 20% to $5.49, and 12oz bricks down to $6.99.

Plant Futures Symposium: ‘We should all eat as if the world depends on it…’ (And are humans really herbivores?)

26-Jan-2021 By Elaine Watson

What are the primary purchase drivers for plant-based foods? Should humans drink cow’s milk? Why don’t the Dietary Guidelines address sustainability? And could tapping into consumer interest in the microbiome help make fiber the go-to functional ingredient...

Post Holdings enters strategic collaboration with plant-based meat startup Hungry Planet

26-Jan-2021 By Elaine Watson

Post Holdings has dipped its toes into the fast-growing plant-based meat category with an investment in St Louis-based startup Hungry Planet, which makes soy- and wheat-based beef, port, chicken, crab and chorizo for foodservice and retail markets.

Beyond Meat to open new global HQ in the fall

15-Jan-2021 By Elaine Watson

Beyond Meat will move into a new global HQ at 888 N. Douglas Street in its home town El Segundo, California this fall.

Impossible Foods slashes foodservice prices again, despite ‘skyrocketing’ demand: ‘It’s the first cut of 2021 but it won’t be the last’

06-Jan-2021 By Elaine Watson

While cutting prices when demand is “skyrocketing” is somewhat unorthodox, Impossible Foods’ latest double-digit price cut to foodservice distributors reflects its growing economies of scale and mission to make plant-based meat a more accessible and affordable...

From ‘made with plants’ to plant-based… Tyson eliminates eggs from Raised & Rooted nuggets, drops ‘blended’ burger

07-Dec-2020 By Elaine Watson

Meat processing giant Tyson Foods threw its hat into the plant-based meat arena in 2019 with the nationwide launch of the Raised & Rooted brand, which is now available in 10,000+ US retail locations and select QSR outlets. But has it met expectations?

SavorEat: First food tech IPO announced on Tel Aviv Stock Exchange

07-Dec-2020 By Flora Southey

Israeli start-up SavorEat is celebrating going public on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE), which co-founder and CEO Racheli Vizman says represents an industry first for food tech.

GALLERY: Plant-based brands and innovations to watch in 2021

04-Dec-2020 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based eggs, bacon, and everything inbetween… check out our gallery of plant-based brands and innovations to watch in 2021, from NotCo and Black Sheep Foods to Gold & Green. There are of course SCORES of exciting brands not covered here; this...

No Evil Foods: Plant-based eating should be 'about inclusivity and positivity... not finger pointing and shaming'

20-Nov-2020 By Elaine Watson

The plant-based meat category is becoming increasingly competitive, with legacy brands vying for shelf space with multinationals, well-funded foodtech players, and a host of enterprising startups, says No Evil Foods co-founder Sadrah Schadel. But independent...

Beyond Meat to unveil two new burgers in early 2021, removes mung bean protein, promises 'enhanced meaty flavor'

16-Nov-2020 By Elaine Watson

Beyond Meat will gradually replace its flagship plant-based Beyond Burger in 2021 with two new variations: a “juicier and meatier” burger featuring 35% less saturated fat than 80/20 beef burgers, and its “most nutritious patty yet,” featuring 55% less...

Beyond Meat prepares to launch Beyond Burger 3.0, plans rollout in CVS, confirms it 'co-created' McDonald's new McPlant patty

10-Nov-2020 By Elaine Watson

A weak performance in foodservice and slower than-expected growth at retail combined to deliver a modest 2.7% increase in Q3 revenues to $94.4m at Beyond Meat, a figure “lower than we expected,” CEO Ethan Brown told analysts Monday. However, he insisted...

Meati Foods raises $28m to expand its fungi-based protein platform

30-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Meati Foods – which is carving out new territory in the meat-alternative space with a fungi-based platform capable of producing ‘steaks’ and other whole cuts – has raised $28m in a Series A round led by Acre Venture Partners.

WEBINAR Oct 28: Kids and the plant-based trend

27-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Do children like oatmilk and Beyond Burgers? Research* shows that US families with children over-index for plant-based milk and yogurt sales and that parents of children under 18 are more likely to think that plant-based proteins are healthier than animal-based...

Impossible Foods seeks to double size of R&D team, provides glimpse of work on Impossible Milk and egg alternatives

20-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

It’s not sharing launch dates, but Impossible Foods is making progress on developing egg alternatives and a milk that “is better than anything that comes from a cow,” company execs told reporters during a call outlining plans to double the size of the...

Plant-based meat webinar highlights… from Impossible Foods’ global ambitions to those ‘frankly desperate’ Lightlife ads

17-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Foods is gearing up for market entry in Europe, China and Brazil; Beyond Meat is looking at “any and all plant-based protein sources” as it expands its ingredient toolbox; Meati Foods is preparing to launch fungi-based steaks, and Planterra...

Pulled Oats… the new trend in plant-based meat? Gold & Green touts shorter, cleaner label for 'next wave' of meat alternatives

16-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

While all the key brands in plant-based meat are exploring new protein sources, most still use soy or pea as the primary protein source. Oats, rapidly emerging as star players in the plant-based milk category, have not, however, made any real impact in...

LIVEKINDLY Collective raises $135m gearing up for 2021 US launch of plant-based portfolio

15-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Launched earlier this year, global multi-brand plant-based food company The LIVEKINDLY Collective has closed a $135m capital raise led by Blue Horizon Corporation to accelerate and increase capacity for its planned 2021 US launch.

Hooray Foods to debut plant-based bacon at seven regions of Whole Foods

15-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Hooray Foods – which launched its allergy-friendly vegan bacon (no soy or wheat) in restaurants late last year – will make its retail debut on November 1 with a roll out to seven regions of Whole Foods Market.

Last chance to register: FREE plant-based meat webinar with Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat, Meati Foods, Planterra Foods, GFI

07-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Where is the plant-based meat category heading, and how reliable are some of the predictions out there about how much this market could be worth over the next 10-15 years?

Beyond Burger rolls out to 2,400 Walmart stores

30-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Walmart plans to triple availability of Beyond Meat's plant-based Beyond Burger from 800 stores to 2,400+ stores nationwide beginning next week, as plant-based meat continues to gain traction in mainstream grocery retail.

‘The next wave of plant-based alternatives needs to be significantly less processed…’ Daring Foods raises $8m

22-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Daring Foods – a startup seeking to punch above its weight in the plant-based chicken category via a lower calorie product with a shorter, cleaner, ingredients list and bold branding – has closed an $8m Series A funding round led by VC firm Maveron, taking...

Planterra (OZO) enters foodservice market, gains traction at retail after delayed launch

18-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Looking back, spring 2020 was not the ideal time to debut in grocery retail, observes Planterra Foods CEO Darcey Macken, who was gearing up to make a splash in the plant-based meat set in mid-April with the OZO brand before a certain pandemic threw a...

Plant-based labeling wars: Oklahoma law is unconstitutional, claim PBFA, Upton’s Naturals in lawsuit

17-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based meat maker Upton’s Naturals and the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) have fired the latest salvo in the battle over the labeling of plant-based products in a lawsuit* challenging Oklahoma’s new ‘Meat Consumer Protection Act.’

WEBINAR: Plant-based meat in focus: Join Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Meati Foods, Planterra Foods, and the GFI

14-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Once a niche market confined to the ‘vegetarian’ section of the freezer aisle, plant-based meat has now moved firmly into the mainstream (and the meat case). But what will distinguish the winners from the losers in this market, how is the toolbox expanding,...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Beyond Meat to launch and produce plant-based meat products in China

09-Sep-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Beyond Meat (Jiaxing) Food Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Beyond Meat, Inc., has signed an agreement with Jiaxing Economic & Technological Development Zone (JXEDZ) to manufacture plant-based meat products including beef, pork, and chicken under...

Dr. Praeger’s Perfect Turk’y Burger expands appeal to meat-eaters while still placing veggies centerstage

01-Sep-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

As demand for more meat-like plant-based products grows, Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods continues to expand beyond the vegetable-forward frozen foods it is best-known for with the launch of the Perfect Turk’y Burger, while still holding the line on its...

‘Afraid you might like it?’ Kellogg challenges plant-based meat skeptics to try Incogmeato

01-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Building on consumer research suggesting that “60% of Americans want to eat plant-based but are scared it won’t taste good,” Kellogg has launched a new ad campaign challenging Americans to try its new plant-based Incogmeato line that features the strapline,...

PURIS gears up to open Dawson pea protein plant, teases new launches incl pea syrup, sweet lupin flour

28-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Plant-based protein specialist PURIS – a key supplier of pea protein to Beyond Meat - is rolling out a series of new products this year including a pea syrup that can serve as an alternative to corn-, brown rice- or tapioca syrup; and sweet lupin flour,...

Impossible Foods hits back at ‘disingenuous, desperate disinformation campaign’ as Lightlife attacks ‘hyperprocessed’ ingredients

26-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

In an open letter slammed by Impossible Foods as cynical and disingenuous and dismissed by one commentator as a “PR stunt,” Lightlife Foods has attempted to distinguish itself from ‘food tech’ rivals in the plant-based meat arena by positioning itself...

'Shock and dismay...' Beyond Meat counterattacks in legal spat with ex-co-packer

21-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Beyond Meat has fired the latest salvo in a legal spat with former co-manufacturer Don Lee Farms with an amended complaint accusing it of misappropriating trade secrets, defrauding Beyond Meat, and infringing its trademarks.

Smithfield 'very pleased' with performance of Pure Farmland plant-based meat range

18-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Pork processing giant Smithfield Foods – which threw its hat into the plant-based meat ring last September with the nationwide launch of burgers, breakfast patties, protein crumbles and meatballs under the Pure Farmland brand – has started shipping new...

Impossible Foods raises another $200m; products under development include milk and steaks

14-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Foods has raised $200m in a Series G funding round led by new investor Coatue, with participation from existing investors including Mirae Asset Global Investments and Temasek as well as new investor XN. The move brings its total funding since...

Study: Plant-based meat alternatives improve cardiovascular risk factors compared with animal meat

13-Aug-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Adults who swapped out animal protein for plant-based protein saw lower levels of LDL cholesterol, moderate weight loss, and similar sodium intake and blood pressure levels (compared to animal protein consumption) after eight weeks, revealed a two-phase...

Hannaford amps up plant-based offerings, enjoys triple digit growth in fresh plant-based meat

07-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

Hannaford has significantly expanded distribution of plant-based items across the store, adding signage to make it easier for shoppers to identify plant-based products, and introduced long-term price promotions and marketing efforts including digital...

Cookout Classic: Beyond Meat frozen value packs drive sales surge in tail end of Q2

05-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

While COVID-19 dented foodservice sales, Beyond Meat experienced a 194.9% surge in US retail sales in Q2, with strong gains in the club channel and surging sales of its Cookout Classic 10-burger frozen value packs, priced at a 20% premium to conventional...

Tofu's time has come, says Nasoya: 'It's the simplest form of plant-based protein on the market'

03-Aug-2020 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales of tofu – which for years occupied a solid, but sleepy, niche in a plant-based meat category increasingly propelled by brands seeking to precisely match the taste and texture of conventional meat – have caught fire in recent weeks, says...

The Impossible Burger hits Walmart stores nationwide: 'We have to be available everywhere people shop for meat'

30-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

The plant-based Impossible Burger is now available at 2,100 Walmart stores in 50 states, says Impossible Foods, which has been aggressively ramping up its retail presence this year, with distribution expanding from just 150 stores in January 2020 to more...

SHIFT20: Consumer health perceptions of plant-based meat are evolving, reports IFIC

28-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The buzz around plant-based meat alternatives is strong, but what is the full consumer perception of plant-based protein products in terms of nutrition and healthfulness compared to animal meat, and what motivates consumers to buy plant alternatives?...

The Better Meat Co. closes $8.1m seed round as hybrid trend combining animal- and plant-based proteins gathers pace

28-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

The Better Meat Co - a Sacramento-based startup supplying plant-based proteins that “blend seamlessly into ground meat products” at inclusion rates of 30-50% to create a new wave of ‘hybrid’ products - has closed an $8.1m seed round, bringing its total...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Mintel consumer survey highlights opportunities and challenges for plant-based meat

27-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Despite growing interest in plant-based foods, the majority of meat eaters believe ‘real meat’ is the best source of protein, while nearly half of consumers who identify as flexitarians, pescatarians, vegetarians and vegans – diets that limit or eliminate...

SHIFT20: How are consumers thinking about plant-based eating? Mattson unveils new survey data

14-Jul-2020 By Elaine Watson

Perceived health benefits remain the #1 purchase driver for plant-based foods according to new consumer research from innovation consultancy Mattson, although environmental factors, taste (in the case of plant-based dairy), and the sense that ‘I feel...

Mintel: Consumers to adapt ‘less but better’ approach to animal proteins

10-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Animal proteins will become less of a center-of-the-plate staple for many consumers, according to Mintel, which attributes the shift to the ability to meet protein needs from a wider variety of sources, and ongoing concerns about food safety and price...

Plant-based meat sales increase 23% when placed in meat department, study finds

09-Jul-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Plant-based meat sales increased by an average of 23% when sold in the meat department next to animal proteins, according to new research from Kroger and the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA).

SHIFT20: Florida Food Products offers new clean-label taste, texture enhancers for plant-based & animal protein

30-Jun-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Plant-based meat manufacturers can more easily mimic the texture, appearance and flavor of animal products while simultaneously simplifying their ingredient decks with the help of two new ingredients that Florida Food Products will unveil at the Institute...

Meati Foods gears up for DTC launch of fungi-based steaks: 'We're creating a whole new category'

26-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

Meati Foods (formerly Emergy Foods) is gearing up for the direct-to-consumer launch of protein- and fiber-packed fungi-based ‘steaks’ in Q4 after a successful debut in foodservice, carving out new territory in an alternative meat category that remains...

To boldly go…? Daring Foods punches above its weight in plant-based chicken with ultra-short ingredients list

26-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

Daring Foods – a startup seeking to punch above its weight in the plant-based chicken category via a lower calorie product with a shorter, cleaner, ingredients list and bold branding – says it’s enjoying an above average sell-through rate in Sprouts,...

The LIVEKINDLY co. acquires Swedish plant-based meat brand, Oumph!

17-Jun-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The LIVEKINDLY co., which launched in March with the ambition of becoming one of the largest plant-based food companies, has acquired Swedish plant-based meat brand, Oumph!, known for its soy-based burgers, strips, and pulled meat products.

MycoTechnology raises $39m in Series D to expand functional ingredients platform

10-Jun-2020 By Elaine Watson

MycoTechnology – which is building a functional ingredients platform utilizing mycelia, the filament-like roots of mushrooms - has raised $39m in a series D financing round from investors* including plant-based meat specialist Greenleaf Foods to Tyson...