Next Gen Foods acquires plant-based dairy start-up Mwah

Food tech company Next Gen Foods has acquired Mwah – a UK-based start-up dedicated to making dairy-inspired products from plant-based ingredients.

The acquisition is the first for Next Gen, which introduced its chicken made from plants less than two years ago and follows the company’s rapid expansion into the European and US markets last year. The expansion into new categories that now include plant-based dairy and meat will enable Next Gen to continue diversifying its product offerings while meeting rising consumer demand.

Founded in London, Mwah uses a “carefully designed” process that combines natural flavourings with selected plant-based proteins and lipids to recreate the qualities of pure cream which can be applied to its complete portfolio of products.

Damian Piedrahita, CEO and co-founder of Mwah, said: “We’re thrilled to be joining the Next Gen Foods family. We know they are the right company to help us expand and tap into the rising consumer desire for more innovations in taste and decadence from the dairy category. Our plans are to introduce our signature creamy and indulgent products this year – with our unique, best-in-class gelato experience – and looking forward to hearing feedback from dairy lovers everywhere.”

In 2022, Mwah closed its seed round led by Next Gen Foods and raised more than $2 million to fund the development of the start-up’s first plant-based dairy product, its signature gelato.

Andre Menezes, CEO and co-founder of Next Gen Foods, said: “When we started Next Gen three years ago, we knew that making a significant impact on the food system would require continuous development of delicious foods that consumers desired. This meant we needed to invest in R&D that would help us create products that would not only deliver on our promise to eliminate animal agriculture but also outperform on taste and experience.

“By joining forces with Mwah…we’re committed to making sure that everyone can enjoy all the foods they already love.”