German plant-based ingredients company Planet A Foods has launched its second innovation in cocoa alternatives, Cocoa Booster, a functional single-ingredient cocoa powder replacement. According to PricePedia data, cocoa is heading into its second supply shock in three years, with prices rising by more than 70% since February 2026 and cocoa priced above $6,000 per tonne well into 2027. Additionally, the strengthening El Niño weather pattern is expected to threaten harvests in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, regions that produce around 60% of the world’s cocoa supply. Planet A noted that the pressure is shifting from cocoa butter to cocoa powder, which is used in most cocoa-flavoured biscuits, cakes, cereals and drinks. Its new Cocoa Booster ingredient enables manufacturers to lower the amount of cocoa powder used in recipes, reducing their exposure to the cocoa market. The solution is made from a single, EU-sourced plant ingredient – Planet A pointed out that alternatives to cocoa so far have mainly been limited to carob, malt or multi-component blends. The launch follows Planet A’s flagship ChoViva cocoa-free chocolate launch, made from sunflower seeds and now used in more than 230 products across 12 countries. Cocoa Booster is built on the same platform and is the company’s first foray into powder, taking the approach beyond chocolate and into broader confectionery applications. The solution comes in three profiles – natural, alkalised and dark – designed to match the taste and colour of the respective cocoa powder. They are designed to work in existing recipes without process changes, and, according to the company, can replace cocoa powder partially or up to 100% across applications such as cookies, muffins, sponge cakes, pudding creams, fat-based cream fillings and beverages. Planet A Foods also noted the opportunity to address growing interest in fibre-rich products, as rising use of GLP-1 medications for weight management continues to drive demand for nutrient-dense food options due to users’ changing eating behaviours. Cocoa Booster can allow manufacturers to raise fibre content of a recipe by partially replacing cocoa powder while retaining its taste and colour, Planet A said. Cocoa Booster contains around 69g of fibre per 100g, compared with around 37g in cocoa powder. Sara Marquart, co-founder and chief technology officer at Planet A Foods, said: “When we spoke to R&D teams, the message was consistent: they had tested alternatives, but existing powder extenders either brought an off-taste, matched only the colour but not the taste, or came with added sugars and flavours.” “We set out to solve this with one ingredient that works in the recipe they already have – and adds fibre at the same time”. Co-founder and CEO Maximilian Marquart added: “Cocoa volatility is not a one-off crisis, and manufacturers need ingredients they can plan with for years, not seasons. ChoViva has shown that alternative ingredients work at industrial scale. With our Cocoa Booster, we are bringing that experience to one of the most widely used cocoa ingredients – and we are just getting started.” Top image: © Planet A Foods

Plant-based meat brand Juicy Marbles has announced the launch of Granny’s Roast, a Turkey-flavoured roast dinner centrepiece, in the US ahead of Thanksgiving. The product is a whole cut-style, whole-roasted offering rolled around a layer of herbs, arriving ready to be carved into spiral slices. It marks the first time the brand, based in Slovenia and the US, has taken its signature muscle-like texture into the turkey alternative format. Granny’s Roast features fibres that ‘carve into clean slices and pull apart tender,’ Juicy Marbles said, while providing an aromatic turkey-inspired flavour designed to pair naturally with classic Thanksgiving holiday favourite side dishes. The ‘Gobble-ish’ flavour innovation follows on from the launch of the brand’s existing ‘Meaty Meat’ products, which includes 'Pork-ish' and 'Lamb-ish' – each designed to be enjoyed as a versatile plant-based protein format while emulating the familiar flavour of classic meaty favourites. The Granny's Roast can simply be brushed with oil and roasted for 25-30 minutes, designed for convenience, and contains 28g of protein and 10g of fibre per 150g serving. It also offers a source of iron and contains no artificial preservatives. Luka Sinček, co-founder of Juicy Marbles, said: “Whenever I try a new plant-based roast, it just lacks that whole cut realism, juiciness, and ‘carvability’ that makes those meals special”. “Our customers go crazy for our beef-style ‘Whole-Cut Loin’ during the holidays for this reason. It gives them a realistic cut to satisfy their sceptical relatives, while bringing that ‘big meat energy’ we all want at the centre of the table. So, once we cracked the ‘Gobble-ish’ flavour, we couldn’t wait to release it for the 2026 holiday season.” The product has debuted online in limited quantities, priced at $29.99 per roast.

German food-tech start-up Infinite Roots has launched its new Umami Block, a fungi-based savoury protein product, at selected retailers nationwide. The product is made from edible mushroom fruiting bodies, and contains 29g of protein per pack. It is made using the company’s fermentation technology platform, which cultivates mycelium – the root-like structure of fungi – into valuable, protein-rich food ingredients. It launches under Infinite Roots’ MushRoots brand, available in German retail and aiming to boost consumption of mushrooms in everyday cooking. The Umami Block retains the range’s familiar savoury flavour, and is positioned as a versatile offering that can be cut and prepared to suit different dishes. Infinite Roots’ technology platform involves cultivating edible mushroom strains in fermentation tanks. The choice of strain, nutrients and growing conditions influences the properties of the resulting biomass, including flavour and texture, Infinite Roots noted. The company’s technology spans the process from preparing fermentation feedstocks to cultivation and food development. Mazen Rizk, founder and CEO of Hamburg-based Infinite Roots, said: “We are creating something new with fungi. The block brings a taste people know and love into a completely new form. Mycelium gives us many more possibilities for foods and textures. What connects them is umami.”

Mondelez International has sent a letter to British vegan chocolate maker Moo Free regarding Moo Free’s White Choccy Snowballs product, claiming that this infringes on the trademark of Mondelez’s Cadbury’s Snow Balls. Mondelez has reportedly asked that the White Choccy Snowballs are removed from shelves over the name, with Mondelez holding a trademark for the word ‘Snowball’ in relation to chocolate and confectionery products. The news is the second recent trademark dispute involving Mondelez and a small British vegan chocolate brand, with the US-headquartered snack and confectionery giant filing a lawsuit against UK chocolatier Catherine’s Originals due to the shape of its O’Bar, which Mondelez says resembles its popular Toblerone product. In a statement, a spokesperson for Mondelez told FoodBev Media that no formal legal action has been taken, but confirmed it has reached out to Moo Free to “make them aware” of the trademark. “Cadbury Snow Balls are one of our most popular Christmas products, enjoyed by households across the UK,” the spokesperson said, adding that Mondelez is “open to reaching an amicable resolution” with Moo Free. © Cadbury's Moo Free has been selling the product during the festive season for around two years in the UK market, and has reportedly claimed not to have heard of the Cadbury’s product. The company is headquartered in Devon, UK, and was founded in 2010 to offer a range of chocolate confectionery products that are free from dairy and suitable for vegans. Its core portfolio includes dairy-free milk chocolate buttons, vegan white chocolate and honeycomb bars, and chocolate drops for home baking. Laurie Bray, senior associate trade mark attorney at intellectual property (IP) firm Withers & Rogers, said: “Moo Free seem to be taking the position that ‘snowball’ is a generic term when it comes to confectionery, however the name has been registered as trade mark by Cadbury since 2001”. “Unless Moo Free are able to cancel Cadbury’s registration, Cadbury appear to be in a strong position.” However, she noted that given that Moo Free’s product is marketed as a vegan product and Cadbury Snow Balls are not, this distinction could pave the way for a commercial agreement between the two companies. Daniel Kelly, legal director in the IP team at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, said: “A festive product name can quickly turn into a commercial headache, and this dispute highlights exactly how even seemingly familiar or descriptive-sounding names can carry significant intellectual property risks”. He added: “This case serves as a timely reminder for businesses to conduct clearance searches before launching a new brand or product name. This allows potentially conflicting third-party rights to be identified before significant investment is made in packaging, production, marketing and retailer listings.” FoodBev Media has reached out to Moo Free for comment. Top image: © Moo Free

US-based BMC Ingredients, formerly known as The Better Meat Co, has gained regulatory approval for its Rhiza mycelium ingredient in India. The company’s flagship ingredient, made through fermentation, has received an approval letter from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), deeming it safe for use in formulations. This milestone, allowing BMC to serve Indian food manufacturers and expand its international footprint, follows similar approvals for Rhiza in the US, Canada and Singapore. Rhiza is made by fermenting the mycelium (the root-like structure of fungi) of Neurospora crassa, a fungal strain already benefitting from a longstanding history of human consumption in traditional foods across various regions. The whole-food ingredient offers a rich source of complete protein and dietary fibre, with more protein per serving than eggs and more fibre than oats, BMC pointed out. It also offers a source of iron, zinc and potassium. Rhiza is non-GMO, vegetarian and vegan, halal, kosher and clean label. The ingredient is available in two formats: a chunk with a meat-like texture, suitable for use in meat alternatives and hybrid applications; and a powder, to help food manufacturers formulate products with added protein and fibre. © BMC Ingredients The company said it intends to make Rhiza commercially available in India starting in Q2 2027. The approval comes as the US Department of Agriculture has reported that Indian demand for poultry, seafood and dairy is rising, expected to grow as incomes increase. This opportunity extends to other protein-enriched foods, BMC said, with ingredients such as fungi-based proteins offering alternative ways to meet rising protein demand across both blended meat formats and entirely animal-free applications. Paul Shapiro, CEO and co-founder of BMC Ingredients, said: “India has extraordinary culinary traditions that lend themselves well to a new high-protein mycelium ingredient”. “Indians want more protein, but they don’t have to get it from meat or processed isolates like whey, and can instead enjoy this all-natural whole food.” Top image: © BMC Ingredients

New Zealand-based food-tech company Andfoods has announced the official launch of its dairy-free whipping cream, made from fermented black mung beans, now available to professional kitchens in Singapore. The Andfoods Whip cream is designed to taste and feel like dairy, but made from entirely plant-derived ingredients. It is created using a patented fermentation process that removes the black mung bean’s plant taste. The bean’s polysaccharides let the cream hold structure on its own, Andfoods said, resulting in a cream with improved frothing and stabilising capabilities compared with other plant materials. While many plant-based cream products use oils and other additives to replicate dairy, Andfoods Whip is made without palm oil, hydrogenated fats or artificial ingredients. According to the company, in benchmarking against 30 alternatives, the product was developed to match or outperform both dairy and plant-based creams in real kitchen conditions. It can be used in beverages such as coffee with cold foam, in bakery items including profiteroles and chocolate ganache, and in desserts such as affogato, cheesecake and chocolate mousse. The cream has been formulated to perform better then dairy in humid conditions, built to retain its shape for longer and with no separation in heat. The product has a shelf-life of 12 months. Once whipped, it produces 2.6 litres of usable product for every litre of liquid cream. It is available to trade customers in Singapore, in Tetra Pak cartons, through foodservice distributor Lim Siang Huat. Alex Devereux, CEO of Andfoods, said: “Chefs don't accept trade-offs on texture, taste or consistency, and they shouldn't have to when they go dairy-free”. “Singapore is a market where performance gets tested quickly and visibly. It has a dense concentration of professional kitchens, bakeries and beverage businesses, and it's a gateway to the wider region. Lim Siang Huat gives us a direct route into those kitchens.” Andfoods began at New Zealand’s Massey University in the Riddet Institute, where the team of food scientists aimed to create plant-based ingredients that could outperform dairy. The company benefits from New Zealand’s dairy expertise, while operating a manufacturing base in Shanghai, China, to support production and distribution as the company expands across Asia.

Mondelez International, owner of the Toblerone chocolate bar brand, is suing British vegan chocolatier Catherine’s Originals over the shape of one of its products. At the centre of the dispute is Catherine’s Originals’ O’Bar, a plant-based chocolate bar featuring a long, flat piece of chocolate topped with oval-shaped segments. In a lawsuit filed at the UK High Court in London, Mondelez claims that the bar’s appearance is too similar to that of the Toblerone, alleging trademark infringement. Toblerone is one of Mondelez’s best-known chocolate products, famous for its chunky triangle shape inspired by the Swiss Alps. The bar’s prism shape has been protected by a trademark in the UK since 1994. Catherine’s Originals, a small brand based in West Sussex, UK, offers a range of dairy-free chocolate products including the O’Bar, which is available in various flavour varieties such as Pumpkin Spice and Cookie No Crumble, in addition to original dark chocolate and plant-based milk and white chocolate variants. The original vegan milk chocolate O’Bar contains vegan honeycomb pieces and blanched almonds, while the original Toblerone contains honey and almond nougat. This latest lawsuit is not the first to be filed by Mondelez in recent years over alleged trademark infringement. The company, which is headquartered in the US, filed a lawsuit against retail chain Aldi in an Illinois court last year, claiming that the retailer had copied the packaging designs for several of its well-known cookie and cracker brands including Oreo and Belvita. This particular lawsuit – relating specifically to the shape of the products in question – is fairly unique, said Laurie Bray, a senior associate trade mark attorney at European intellectual property (IP) firm Withers & Rogers. “It’s quite rare for a brand owner to sue another over the shape of one its products,” she commented. “Even with a trademark registration in place protecting the shape of its Toblerone chocolate bar, it could be challenging for Mondelez to prove that the bar made by Catherine’s Originals is sufficiently similar in shape that it would cause customer confusion.” She added that while it is difficult to obtain commercial protection for the shape of a product alone, it is “worth considering” as brands contend with the rise of ‘dupe culture’ – a trend in which consumers seek lower-cost alternatives that are similar to premium and luxury branded goods. However, Catherine’s Originals’ vegan bar does not fall into this lower-cost ‘dupe’ category – prices for its 200g sharing bar start at £9.20, with special flavour varieties costing up to £10.55. Meanwhile, Toblerone’s 200g bar typically retails at around £4.20. According to reporting from The Guardian, Catherine’s Originals has strongly disputed the claims from Mondelez, with founder Catherine Dodd stating that the bars’ rounded segments represent the ‘O’ in ‘Originals’ from the brand’s name. In a statement sent to FoodBev Media, a Mondelez International spokesperson said: “The iconic Toblerone shape is one of the most recognised and distinctive product designs in the UK and across the world, and has been a hallmark of the brand since 1929. We have a responsibility to protect our trademarks and intellectual property, which we take seriously.“ They added: “We have attempted to resolve this matter constructively and directly with Catherine's Originals over several months but unfortunately have been unable to reach an agreement. We cannot comment further on ongoing legal matter.“ FoodBev has approached Catherine’s Originals for comment. Top image: © Catherine's Originals

UK juice and smoothie brand Innocent has joined forces with seaweed packaging start-up Notpla to pilot plastic-free, edible packaging for the brand’s ginger shots. Notpla’s ‘Ooho pod’ packaging is made of biodegradable seaweed, with the innovative ‘pod’ able to be swallowed after the shot is consumed, eliminating packaging waste and aligning with the UK’s circular economy ambitions. Innocent’s packaging lead, Andy Wallis, said the innovative packaging format could be used not just in the brand’s ginger shots, but across other drink and smoothie formats. The pilot aims to explore how the packaging technology could be used and to assess consumer receptivity. The brand chose Nobottle – a tiny hamlet with a population of 30 in Northamptonshire, UK – to launch the new ‘no bottle’ innovation trial. It invited residents to try the product for the first time before expanding the trial to the wider public in a nearby city. According to Innocent’s wider survey of 321 people, carried out on 27 October 2026, 78% of those who tried the pods said they would buy them if available today. Pierre Paslier, co-founder and co-CEO of Notpla, said: “Our natural packaging range, including our Ooho pods, use seaweed to create compostable, edible alternatives to single-use plastics, designed to disappear without leaving waste behind”. “Working with great brands like Innocent gives us an exciting opportunity to explore how it could work for everyday moments, sustainably.” Notpla, headquartered in London, produces a broader range of plastic-free seaweed packaging materials in addition to the pods. Its packaging innovations can be used across food and beverage product formats such as drinks, sauces and single-use liquids. Formats of the seaweed packaging have already been used at events such as festivals and marathons, to reduce plastic usage and container waste. © Notpla

Dairy-free brand Daiya has launched a new frozen treat in the US, Poppable Cheesecake Bites, designed to deliver convenient indulgence. The bite-sized frozen treats are available in three flavours – original, strawberry and chocolate. They each feature a creamy, dairy-free cheesecake centre, wrapped in a dark chocolate coating, in a ‘poppable, freezer-to-mouth’ snacking format. “What makes Cheesecake Bites exciting is that they make indulgence feel easy,” said John Kelly, chief marketing officer at Daiya. “The creamy cheesecake centre and rich dark chocolatey coating give you a real dessert experience, and whether you go for original, strawberry or chocolate, two to three pieces are just 100 calories.” The brand has teamed up with professional basketball player Cade Cunningham in a marketing campaign to launch the product, aligning with Cunningham’s dairy-free lifestyle. Daiya Cheesecake Bites are available in 227g individual flavour bags, in the frozen dessert aisle at Sprouts Farmers Market, Meijer and Kroger nationwide, priced at an RRP of $8.99.

European bakery products manufacturer Baker & Baker has acquired Scottish-based free-from specialist Lazy Day Foods, expanding its presence in the free-from baked goods market and creating opportunities for international growth. The acquisition will enable Baker & Baker to leverage its existing customer network and European footprint to expand Lazy Day Foods’ product offering and introduce its customer-facing brand to international markets. Founded in 2006, Lazy Day Foods manufactures gluten-free, milk-free, egg-free and nut-free bakery products from a purpose-built factory in Harthill, North Lanarkshire. The business supplies branded and private label products to major UK retailers, as well as customers in the foodservice sector. Its portfolio comprises approximately 75 permanent and seasonal product lines, including cakes, biscuits and traybakes. The company employs around 190 people at its 26,500 sq fy, BRCGS AA+ accredited facility. Following the acquisition, Baker & Baker’s UK manufacturing footprint will increase to five sites, including its first in Scotland, while its total workforce will grow to 2,650 employees. The Lazy Day Foods brand will be retained and actively marketed through Baker & Baker’s existing UK and international customer base. The deal builds on Baker & Baker’s existing expertise in gluten-free bakery products, supported by its Ashington site and marks its expansion into the wider free-from category. Matthew Acheson, CEO of Baker & Baker, said: “We believe that our scale and broad customer relationships will accelerate the growth of Lazy Day Foods, while Lazy Day Foods’ deep experience and expertise will further enhance our capabilities and category offering.” Acheson added that Baker & Baker was committed to maintaining operations and the employee base at the Harthill site, with plans to support the business’s future development. Lazy Day Foods shareholders David Kilshaw, chairman and joint managing directors Emer Bustard and Dr Sally Beattie said Baker & Baker’s scale and international reach would help bring the brand to more free-from consumers. The shareholders added that the Lazy Day brand and the Harthill facility would remain central to Baker & Baker’s category growth plans. The acquisition is Baker & Baker’s second since becoming a standalone bakery products business, following its purchase of a Pastel de Nata production facility in Peniche, Portugal, in 2022. The company supplies bakery products across retail, foodservice and artisan channels, with capabilities spanning doughnuts, muffins, brownies, cookies, cakes, speciality breads and viennoiserie.

Meala FoodTech is set to enter full-scale commercial production of its texturising pea protein, with the company aiming to produce enough ingredient to replace 1,400 tonnes of eggs in food formulations in 2027. The Israeli food tech company has more than tripled manufacturing capacity across production sites in France and Germany, responding to growing demand from food manufacturers. According to Meala, the capacity expansion will enable the company to replace the equivalent of approximately 82,000 eggs per day next year. The pea-based ingredient is designed to replicate the multifunctional performance of eggs and hydrocolloids across a range of food applications, including bakery and meat alternatives. Meala said its solution can deliver cost savings of 30–40% across bakery applications, while helping manufacturers reduce their reliance on eggs and address supply chain volatility. Hadar Ekhoiz-Razmovich, CEO and co-founder of Meala FoodTech, said: “Texture is central to the eating experience – it creates the bite, juiciness, and mouthfeel that make a food memorable and worth sharing. Manufacturers seek ingredients that deliver this experience alongside reliable performance, competitive costs, and a stable supply chain.” Meala's pea protein is already being incorporated into branded products available on retail shelves, with the company working with dozens of food manufacturers across multiple categories. The company said its ingredients can be used to replace eggs or conventional texture additives such as hydrocolloids, while supporting shorter ingredient lists and increasing protein content without changing sensory attributes. The ingredient is marketed commercially through industry partners, including DSM-Firmenich, which markets Vertis PB Pea for savoury applications, and Lasenor Emul, which markets LASENOR VP-100 as an egg replacement for bakery products. On-pack, the ingredient can be listed simply as “pea protein”, according to Meala. The company has also reported the successful launch of plant-based meat alternatives incorporating its protein, which are now commercially available across Europe. Meala said the ingredient can help manufacturers manage formulation costs at a time when food producers are facing continued pressure around ingredient pricing and supply chain reliability. In an assessed sponge cake formulation, the company reported a potential formulation cost reduction of more than 40% compared with an egg-based reference. The ingredient could also reduce the need for refrigerated logistics associated with liquid eggs, potentially simplifying storage, transportation and inventory management. From a sustainability perspective, a life cycle assessment conducted by Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences found that Meala's pea-based protein has a 63% lower carbon footprint and a 96% lower water footprint per kilogram of protein compared with egg powder. The company said the ingredient can also help manufacturers diversify sourcing strategies by relying on plant-based raw materials. Dr Tali Feldman Sivan, co-founder and CBO of Meala, said: “In meat alternatives, our texturising protein provides binding and structure while replacing conventional texture additives. In bakery applications, it typically accounts for just a few percentages of the formulation, replacing egg functionality and enabling meaningful cost-in-use savings.” Meala will showcase its pea-based texturising protein at Fi Europe in Frankfurt from 17–19 November, where visitors will be able to sample egg-free baked products containing the ingredient.

Seven Sundays is expanding its cereal range with the launch of limited-edition Snowball Cookie Puffs, a seasonal cereal inspired by freshly baked cookies. Launching on 1 November, the new cereal features powdery, poppable puffs coated with a sweet vanilla-maple flavour. Snowball Cookie Puffs follows the success of Seven Sundays’ PB Puffs, the brand’s first puffed cereal, which launched at Target earlier this year. The new cereal is made with nine ingredients: pea protein, maple syrup, gluten-free oats, upcycled non-GMO corn, tapioca, coconut oil, potato starch, vanilla extract and sea salt. It provides 8g of plant protein per serving and is naturally gluten-free. The cereal contains no refined sugar or artificial additives. Seven Sundays said the seasonal launch is designed to bring a festive flavour to the breakfast category while maintaining the brand’s focus on simple ingredients and plant-based nutrition. Snowball Cookie Puffs will be available from 1 November at Whole Foods Market, Fresh Thyme, Central Market, Thrive Market, the Seven Sundays website and select local retailers.