Neggst, a producer of plant-based egg alternatives based in Berlin, has announced its acquisition by fellow German plant-based brand Greenforce.

Established in 2021 by co-founders Verónica García Arteaga and Patrick Deufel, Neggst’s has developed what it claims is the first whole plant-based egg platform – complete with ‘whites, yolk and shell’.

The innovation is designed to closely mimic the taste, appearance and functionality of traditional eggs while made entirely from plant ingredients including pea protein, fava beans and sweet potatoes.

In a statement on LinkedIn, García Arteaga confirmed that Neggst is now part of Greenforce, though specific financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.

She indicated that she will leave the business under the deal, thanking the team and stating: “We chose the wiser route for the product”.

Greenforce, headquartered in Munich, was founded in 2020 and produces a range of plant-based food products including meat, cheese and egg alternatives.

It was acquired by international food group LiveKindly Collective in July, with Greenforce becoming part of LiveKindly’s plant-based portfolio among brands such as Fry’s Family Foods, Like, and Oumph!.

LiveKindly, founded in 2020 by Roger Lienhard, has broadened its offering with several milestone acquisition and partnership announcements in recent years. The company, headquartered in New York, US, is expanding its presence across Europe, with its international footprint including manufacturing facilities in Sweden and the Netherlands.

In August, LiveKindly snapped up meat and seafood manufacturer Hilton Foods’ dutch vegan and vegetarian business, Dalco Food, for £5.4 million.

Mergers and acquisitions across the plant-based industry have become more frequent in recent years as the industry undergoes a period of consolidation following the pre-pandemic boom – a time when numerous new innovations and companies were entering the market with plant-based alternatives to meat, seafood and dairy, many of which have since faced challenges remaining profitable as the initial hype levelled out and the market became more crowded.

In Germany, other recent notable acquisitions in the space include Bayou Best Foods’ acquisition of alt-seafood brand BettaF!sh, announced in July; Infinite Roots’ acquisition of fellow fungi-based food start-up Bosque Foods in June; and Müller’s purchase of German plant-based beverage producer Berief Foods in May.

Top image: © Neggst