Santiago-based food tech company NotCo has closed an $85m Series C funding round co-led by Future Positive and L Catterton,* and is gearing up for a move into the US market in late 2020 or early 2021.
Giving up meat was tough… but there are lot of great alternatives out there, says LOCA Food founder Lauren Joyner, a UX designer turned food entrepreneur. Giving up nacho cheese sauce – a staple of her childhood diet – was a whole different ballgame....
Once considered a top priority for a food or beverage brand’s success, ‘winning at shelf’ is now only “somewhat important” as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic reshapes how consumers plan and shop for groceries and how manufacturers and retailers engage...
Dave Ritterbush has joined plant-based food & beverage co Califia Farms as CEO, replacing Greg Steltenpohl, who will retire as CEO but will remain on the board as an executive director.
Solar Foods is preparing to build its first commercialisation factory for climate-friendly novel protein Solein, having closed a Series A financing round worth €18.5m.
Plant-based seafood firm Ocean Hugger Foods – which announced it was ceasing operations in late June as COVID-19 ravaged the foodservice industry (its primary market) – now says it is “ exploring paths to relaunch bigger and better than ever.”
Making the next-generation of plant-based foods might not be rocket science, but it will take a hefty dose of data science, predicts the astrophysicist behind Climax Foods, a Berkeley-based startup on a mission to reverse engineer animal foods and re-build...
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,...
Plant-based egg maker Eat Just hopes to turn an operating profit before the end of 2021, at which point founder and CEO Josh Tetrick says the company will consider an initial public offering (IPO).
Lever VC – a global venture capital fund whose partners were investors in Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and Memphis Meats – has launched a new fund targeting early stage companies in the burgeoning alternative protein space, with commitments of $23m...
What’s new in the world of plant-based product development? FoodNavigator-USA (FNU) caught up with Ryan Riddle (RR), senior product development specialist, vegetarian meal solutions at Nestlé, which acquired the plant-based Sweet Earth brand in late 2017.
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...
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...
O’dang Foods has entered the niche category of plant-based mayonnaise offering consumers an egg-free alternative made with 20% chickpea protein and broth (a.k.a. aquafaba), creating a better-for-you alternative to traditional mayonnaise.
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...
The uneven impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has underscored systemic inequalities, but it also has created an opportunity “to build back better” the food system, according to a panel of experts gathered on the opening day of the Institute of...
Brands struggling with plant-based snacks becoming excessively dry, chewy or crumbly over time or beverages designed to mimic dairy falling short of a desired creamy mouthfeel could improve the functional benefits of their products with the addition of...
Redefine Meat today unveiled its trade-marked Alt-Steak, a plant-based 3D printed steak, with consumer testing to kick off in high-end restaurants this year. FoodNavigator speaks to co-founder and CEO Eshchar Ben-Shitrit to learn more about the path to...
From plant-based protein trends to sustainable packaging, managing food waste, using artificial intelligence to track consumer sentiment, and the latest developments in cell-cultured meat and keto diet trends, here are some of the education sessions that...
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...
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,...
Miyoko's has won round one in its legal fight with the State of California over its use of the term 'butter' on a plant-based product after a court rejected the State's bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the brand in February.
Miyoko’s has upped the ante in its legal dispute with the State of California over the use of the term ‘butter’ on a plant-based product, urging the court to issue a preliminary injunction against state ag officials, who it claims are violating its First...
San Francisco-based startup Hooray Foods – which launched its allergy-friendly vegan bacon (no soy or wheat) in restaurants late last year – is now in talks with retailers looking to expand their plant-based meat set.
New data from the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) and SPINS shows that US retail sales of plant-based meat, cheese, tofu, and tempeh outpaced total food retail sales for the 16 weeks ending April 19, 2020.
Rebellyous Foods – a Seattle-based startup that has been targeting high-volume foodservice accounts with plant-based chicken nuggets – has made a dramatic pivot to retail with the launch of family-packs at select retailers in the Pacific Northwest.
Plant-based dairy brand Miyoko’s Creamery – which built an artisan cheese brand based on cashew nuts but has since introduced new products featuring legumes and oats - is experimenting with a novel ingredient that’s naturally high in protein, and developing...
Califia Farms is moving into new territory with the launch of plant-based butters - its first foray into the fats & oils category - and Protein Oat, a line of plant-based milks with a comparable level of protein to dairy milk per serving.
Plant protein suppliers such as Cosucra, Cargill and Roquette are working to keep factories open and customer orders fulfilled - but when it comes to shipping logistics, consumer demand and NPD, uncertainty is still the watchword.
Strong food & beverage brands with world class management teams will continue to attract funding, but valuations are “falling by the minute,” and the days of throwing money at emerging brands and seeing what sticks are over, at least for now, says...
After helping to trailblaze the now wildly popular plant-based meat category, the creators of Tofurky are hoping to work their magic again in the dairy-free cheese segment with the launch of new shreds and spreads under its sister-brand Moocho.
While some shoppers have shared photos of empty meat cases next to fully-stocked shelves of plant-based meat on social media, the latest Nielsen data suggests that retail sales of meat alternatives increased significantly in March alongside their animal-based...
After a tumultuous few years marred by a price-fixing scandal, fines and bankruptcy, Bumble Bee Foods is ready to reemerge as a company dedicated to consumers’ and the planet’s health thanks to help from its new owner, a unique partnership with the maker...
Plant-based brand Upton's Naturals has launched bite-size jerky pieces made from wheat protein. We caught up with its CEO to find out more about the clean label formulation process.
Can 60% of current meat consumption be replaced by novel vegan meat replacements and cultured meat in the next 20 years? That is what AT Kearney has recently projected, but the analysis does not outline a path for achieving the forecast. Is reaching...
Drawn to the rapid sales growth and widespread consumer interest in plant-based alternatives to animal products, a team of investors and industry experts has launched the Eat Beyond Global Investment Fund to connect retail investors with potentially fast-growing...
Rising consumer concern about climate change is a powerful – but underused – marketing lever for plant-based products, according to new research from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
Plant-based yogurt has been a bit slower off the starting line than other alternatives to animal-based products, but data from IRI shows that it is hitting its stride with double-digit dollar growth and a steep increase in household penetration at a time...
So far, the health halo surrounding plant-based products has led many consumers to overlook characteristics of newer versions of meatless products that might be a turnoff in other food categories, including longer-ingredient lists and less favorable nutritional...
While 42 out of the top 100 US restaurant chains still don’t offer a plant-based entrée, new data from NPD Group commissioned by the Good Food Institute (GFI) shows US shipments of plant-based meat from major broadline foodservice distributors to restaurant...
Canadian startup Noblegen has unveiled ‘the egg’ - its first consumer product under the eunite brand showcasing the ‘ancient microorganism’ euglena gracilis, which it claims can produce proteins with exciting functional and nutritional characteristics......
Hoping to exponentially increase consumers’ already growing interest in walnuts, the California Walnut Board today is launching a two-prong marketing effort that will promote the nut’s health benefits and versatility.
Growing demand for dairy and meat alternatives with shorter, cleaner ingredients lists is driving demand for citrus fibers, which can replace everything from carrageenan, gellan gum, mono diglycerides, and lecithin in plant-based milks, to methyl cellulose...
With a portfolio spanning everything from refrigerated plant-based yogurt drinks to shelf-stable cans of cold brew coffee and oatmilk, Califia Farms has raised a jaw-dropping $340m+ over four funding rounds to build its plant-based empire over the past...
The total retail market for plant-based foods in the US was worth nearly $4.5bn* in 2019 with dollar sales growing at 31% over the past two years compared to 4% for US retail total dollar food sales. And according to global ingredients supplier ADM, 2020...
Harmless Harvest – which has carved a distinct niche in the coconut water category via its use of micro-filtration (instead of thermal pasteurization) – is promising to bring the same commitment to novel processing methods, organic ingredients, and clean...
Plant-based food and beverage brand Califia Farms has raised $225m in a Series D funding round led by sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), and says it is "carefully evaluating opportunities to expand beyond beverages and into many...