UK meat alternative brand This is expanding its food-to-go range, launching across the UK in Boots and extending its WHSmith offering. This Isn’t Chicken Korean-Style Noodle Salad and This Isn’t Chicken & Bacon Pasta Salad launched into Boots for the first time as part of its Meal Deal range on 10 July, while This Isn’t Chicken & Bacon Wrap and This Isn’t Chicken & Bacon Pasta Salad launched into WHSmith on 6 July. The pasta and Korean-style noodle salad are making their debut as part of the Boots meal deal, both featuring This’ plant-based chicken pieces, and the brand’s lardons in the pasta salad. The pasta salad features a creamy sun-dried tomato dressing and spinach leaves, while the noodle salad combines udon noodles, edamame and red cabbage with a Korean-style sauce made from gochujang paste and lime. The new lunch meals at WHSmith join two existing sandwiches on the shelf, This Isn’t Chicken & Sweetcorn and This Isn’t Chicken & Stuffing. Andy Shovel, co-founder and co-CEO at This said: “Gone are the days when the best plant-based option was the hummus and roasted vegetable sandwich. Nothing against hummus but at This, we don’t think people should compromise on their lunch options so if you want a delicious chicken and bacon wrap or salad, we’ve made it for you.” #Boots #This #UK #WHSmith

UK plant-based businesses are petitioning Trading Standards to drop guidelines that would prevent vegan brands from using dairy-related terms. Food & beverage PR firm Palm PR has initiated the campaign, which launched with a petition on change.org. It has been supported by The Vegan Society and vegan charity Viva, alongside plant-based dairy companies Cocos Organic and Nush Foods. Brands from the wider plant-based category, including meat alternatives brand Moving Mountains and pizza brand One Planet Pizza, have also shown support. As reported by The Times, guidelines soon to be issued by Trading Standards would prevent brands from using “misspelling[s], homophonic words or non-alphabet symbols” to refer to dairy terms – such as ‘mylk’, ‘sheese’ and ‘b+tter’. Campaigners believe that these changes would prevent a “level playing field” between categories, dampen innovation and add costs to businesses already battling rising prices. Their statement highlighted that consumers are clearly well-versed in plant-based dairy terminology, with the earliest mentions of soya milk dating back to 1365. With an immediate aim of stopping the guidelines from being issued, the campaign’s long-term goal is to encourage Trading Standards to evolve its overall guidelines to better fit the modern and dynamic food and drink industry. Founder and director of the Viva charity, Juliet Gellatley said: “Plant-based alternatives to dairy have existed for decades, never causing any confusion to consumers. Preventing businesses from using these terms may require an entire rebrand, costing a lot of money at a time when many organisations are facing economic difficulties.” CEO of The Vegan Society, Steve Hamon, believes that the proposed measures are based on “outdated regulations” and are “driven solely by commercial interests rather than consumer interests”. Hamon added: “Plant-based foods emit half the amount of greenhouse gases as animal-based foods and we urgently need to shift diets to help tackle climate change. Trading Standards should drop this proposal which represents a huge step backwards for the UK.” In May, the UK’s Plant-Based Food Alliance said that the guidance drafted in 2022 by the Food Standards and Information Focus Group proposing the restriction of such phrases should be “torn up” as it “seeks to curb a booming industry”. #alternativedairy #TradingStandards #UK

AlgaeCore Technologies’ brand SimpliiGood has unveiled a plant-based chicken schnitzel made from the microalgae spirulina. The Israel-based food tech company said the latest innovation not only takes on the appearance, flavour and structure of real chicken breast but also possesses a “naturally dense nutritional profile that could outpace that of real chicken”. Spirulina is a rich source of protein, vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants. According to Baruch Dach, SimpliiGood’s founder and CTO, SimpliiGood’s spirulina microalgae provides the equivalent of 200g of real chicken in protein load. Composed of 80% fresh spirulina with added prebiotic fibres, the product aims to offer consumers a nutritious clean-label chicken alternative that can also satisfy cravings for a “meaty, umami” plant-based experience. SimpliiGood claims to be the first start-up to cultivate and formulate with 100% raw, fresh spirulina that is flash-frozen as opposed to the dried, powdered form. In this form, the company emphasised that the algae is delivered with the highest nutrient content and has no off-flavours or aromas. Lior Shalev, CEO and co-founder of SimpliiGood commented: “Leveraging the unique properties of fresh spirulina on our proprietary texturizing platform addresses the problematic sensory challenges while enhancing its potency and functionality”. “This broadens its applications beyond the exceptional nutritional profile and high concentration of protein to being a clean-label potential to replace thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, binders, and texturizers in multiple applications. Plus, our naturally colour-free version is an excellent replacer for synthetic colourants.” The debut follows SimpliiGood’s introduction of its vegan 95% spirulina-based smoked salmon replica last year, planned to be rolled out commercially in the coming year. #AlgaecoreTechnologies #Israel #SimpliiGood

Liberation Labs has broken ground on its first commercial-scale, purpose-built precision fermentation biomanufacturing facility in Richmond, Indiana. The facility is planned to have a capacity of 600,000 litres with a fully dedicated downstream process (DSP) to produce bio-based proteins at scale. It is expected to produce in the range of 500 – 1,200 metric tons of protein per year, co-founder and CEO Mark Warner told The Plant Base. By establishing a purpose-built facility, the company aims to overcome challenges of cost and quality that currently impact the industry. Rather than using re-purposed overseas facilities, customers in the sector can make end products more cost-competitive by utilising the new US plant, Liberation Labs stated. Commercial production at the facility is expected by the end of 2024. Liberation Labs reported that its cumulative annual impact on the state of Indiana is estimated at around 178 jobs, nearly $13 million in labour income, $21 million in gross state product (GSP) and $67 million in output. In a statement, Warner said: “Despite strong consumer interest in bio-based ingredients, the industry has yet to fully deliver on their promise. We believe our purpose-built biomanufacturing facility will fill the gap and help usher in a new era of advanced bioproducts that will make our lives better, including foods, materials and yet-to-be-discovered breakthroughs.” Plant-based foods that could be manufactured at the plant include animal-free egg proteins and other alternative proteins created through precision fermentation. The company’s mission is to commercialise the technology with a global network of purpose-built facilities that can enable “the next wave of biotechnology advancements.” #LiberationLabs #precisionfermentation #US

Plant-based nutrition brand Soylent has announced the addition of a new vanilla-flavoured product to its High Protein Shake range. Soylent’s Complete Protein Shakes are made with 30g of complete plant protein, 28 vitamins and minerals, zero sugar and 1,000mg Omega-3. They contain 250kcal and contain all 9 essential amino acids with 5g BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) to support lean muscle mass maintenance. The products are also gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, kosher and contain no artificial flavours or colours. The Vanilla flavour has now launched on Amazon and Soylent’s website, and will be available in US Walmart and Meijer stores this August with expanded retail availability to be announced throughout autumn. Ross Sklar, head of Soylent and CEO of parent company Starco Brands, said: “High protein shakes are outgrowing the overall nutrition shake category. Since its inception ten years ago, Soylent has been a leader in the protein space and our shakes continue to provide consumers with a nutrient-dense and delicious product.” Sklar added that the product’s Chocolate flavour has seen “immense success” and that the Vanilla flavour had been requested from consumers for years. #Soylent #SoylentNutrition #US

Givaudan has expanded the Protein Hub at its Zurich Innovation Centre (ZIC) in Kemptthal, Switzerland to support the growth of dairy alternatives. In a statement announcing the expansion, the company said that it will offer specialised expertise, state-of-the-art digital technologies, and an integrated portfolio of solutions designed specifically for dairy alternatives to accelerate new product development. Doruk Ongan, president Europe, taste and wellbeing at Givaudan said: “At Givaudan, we have a unique approach to co-creation where we work side-by-side with our customers, partners, start-ups, chefs, academics and many others as a driving force for innovation”. “We’re excited to open the doors of the Protein Hub to customers in the alternative dairy space, so we can shape the future of this dynamic category together”. Givaudan said that customers visiting the Hub have direct access to experts in science and technology, consumer sensory insights, alternative dairy applications including milk, yogurt and cheese, and culinary. Experts can help create a product base with the preferred taste and functionality, using Givaudan’s tools such as its TasteSolutions mouthfeel technologies as well as masking, sugar reduction, solutions that mimic dairy notes, natural colours, clean-label and health/nutrition solutions. This aims to help customers achieve the “authenticity and indulgence” of traditional dairy products. Fabio Campanile, global head of science and technology, taste and wellbeing commented: “In addition to our in-house knowledge, technology and research programmes, we have created a global innovation ecosystem to support our customers in markets around the world with facilities such as the Protein Innovation Centre in Singapore, the MISTA Centre in San Francisco and the Tropical Innovation Lab in Brazil”. The Protein Hub incorporates digital tools and AI solutions for rapid concepts, prototyping and testing with consumers, such as the company’s Atom technology which uses AI to enhance the taste and aromas of alternative dairy products. It also features a show kitchen and laboratories with capabilities in chemistry, biotechnology, fermentation, flavour delivery technology, sensory, applications and food science. #Dairyalternatives #Givaudan #plantbaseddairy #Switzerland

Beyond Meat is expanding its range in Germany with two new plant-based chicken-style products, Beyond Nuggets and Beyond Tenders. The product innovations will initially be available in 1,600 Rewe stores across Germany and in the Rewe online shop starting this week. Beyond Nuggets and Beyond Tenders are designed to resemble their animal counterparts in taste and texture, with crispy golden-brown breading on the outside and a “tender, juicy” texture on the inside, the plant-based meat company said. They can be prepared quickly in the oven, pan or air fryer. The protein in the new Beyond Chicken-Style products comes in part from wheat and the fava bean. The fava bean is a nutrient-packed legume crop, described by Beyond Meat as “the optimal ingredient for replicating the taste and texture of traditional chicken”. Jaap Veth, sales manager DACH retail at Beyond Meat said: “We strive to enhance the accessibility of plant-based meat and are continuously adapting and refining our portfolio to cater to varying European taste preferences”. “Having already launched beef- and pork-style products in Germany over recent years, we are thrilled to introduce the delicious new Chicken-Style range to the German market. Beyond Meat is dedicated to innovation, and our new range of plant-based tenders and nuggets offer a way for people to enjoy their favourite foods without sacrifice.” #BeyondMeat #Germany #plantbasedchicken

Biotech startup Arkeon, which transforms CO2 into functional protein ingredients, has commissioned a pilot production plant in Vienna’s Seestadt Innovation Hub. Arkeon has successfully raised over €10 million in capital to date to build out its technology for the direct conversion of carbon dioxide into protein ingredients. The recently commissioned plant represents a “significant step forward” for further development of its production process and infrastructure expansion, Arkeon said. Equipped with a 150L bioreactor system, it serves to progressively improve the process and aims to lay a solid biotechnological foundation for future large-scale production. The plant was built in collaboration with Steamtec, Böhm Stadtbaumeister & Gebäudetechnik GmbH and Kanzler-Dach among others. According to Arkeon, the achieved capacity of 150L forms the foundation for the next step of the scaling plan – a demo facility with a 3000L bioreactor system. Günther Bochmann, technological project lead of Arkeon said: “The successful implementation of our pilot production plant represents a solid basis and illustrates that our company has set up the technical foundation to unlock our production technology at large scale. It is an essential step on our way to scale to large commercial production outputs.” Last week, the Vienna Business Agency initiated the construction of the Technology Centre Seestadt. The project aims to provide additional production and office space for innovative startups, including Arkeon, and its upcoming demo facility plans. The commissioning of the 3000L bioreactor is scheduled for the end of 2024 and is expected to mark the company’s entry into commercial production capacity. Arkeon said it plans to expand its production to full-scale bioreactors with volumes of 800 – 1,000 m3. The company has confirmed that partnerships have already been established with global companies to develop new and innovative protein applications for functional food and beverage products for the food industry. #alternativeproteins #Arkeon #Austria

Swedish meat alternatives brand Oumph has launched a plant-based smash burger made from peas and fava beans. The brand said its new burger innovation manages to capture all of the classic elements of a smash burger, such as juiciness, flavour and crispiness. Anders Linden, co-founder, corporate chef and head of innovation at Oumph said that the focus is on taste and texture as well as creating a concept that attracts new people to plant-based food. Linden commented: “There are approximately 800 plant-based burgers on the European market, and in order to launch a new burger it has to be unique. Our new Oumph Smash Burger ticks all the right boxes.” The Oumph Smash Burger is initially targeted at foodservice and will also be made available in supermarket retail. Brödernas is the first restaurant chain in Sweden to launch the product at its restaurants, with more to follow. Oumph’s parent company Livekindly Collective said it will launch the new burger into foodservice and supermarket retail in the Nordics and all other markets where Oumph is currently available, with launches in the Netherlands and the UK coming soon. #Sweden #UK #Netherlands #Nordic #Oumph

Olam Food Ingredients (Ofi) has installed two circular biomass boilers at its cocoa processing factories in the Netherlands and Germany. The boilers use cocoa shells – a byproduct of the production process – as fuel to generate steam, which in turn powers the crafting of cocoa ingredients from Ofi’s brand deZaan at its factories in Koog aan de Zaan, Netherlands, and Mannheim, Germany. The latter is believed to be the first cocoa shell boiler of its kind in the country. According to Ofi, the boiler at Koog aan de Zaan will reduce natural gas usage and CO2 emissions at the facility by 50%. At the Mannheim factory, the second boiler has potential to provide up to 90% of the steam needed to power the facility, saving an estimated 8,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. The new roll-out adds to the circular biomass shell boilers used in Ofi’s factories in Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Indonesia and Singapore. This latest move forms part of Ofi’s ambition for sustainable cocoa, Cocoa Compass, the goals of which include a 30% reduction in natural capital costs by 2030. Susanne Folkerts, global operations head of sustainability and environment at Ofi said: “We’re taking action to protect the planet and unlock value for our customers so that they can offer their consumers more sustainable choices. From the support we give to farmers worldwide to how we turn their cocoa into high-quality ingredients in our processing factories.” Folkerts added that the boilers are key in reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions, and making the Cocoa Compass’ ambitions real. She added: “We’re also playing our part to accelerate the climate agenda of the EU Green Deal, in which moving to a more circular economy is fundamental. We’re thrilled to have been recognized by the Dutch government as a sustainability innovation leader and hope that other manufacturing businesses are inspired to invest in circular biomass as part of their decarbonization journeys.” #Germany #Netherlands #OlamFoodIngredients

Functional ingredients manufacturer Beneo has announced the appointment of Niels E Hower as the latest member of its executive board of directors. The appointment, effective immediately, will see Hower responsible for Beneo’s portfolio of plant-based proteins. This includes Meatless, a specialised company for plant-based texturising solutions. Hower has more than 25 years of experience in the retail, wholesale and life science sectors. He has an MBA in economics and has occupied several senior management roles during his career, where some of his key responsibilities have included category and product management, and operations. Prior to the new role at Beneo, Hower was positioned as EVP global procurement at Fresenius Kabi. He also co-founded the Doctor Chococo brand, which launched a functional milk chocolate bar containing vitamin D and other beneficial ingredients. Beneo acquired Meatless in 2022. Leading Beneo’s plant-based protein division, Hower will focus on continuing the development of Meatless to meet growing demand for plant-based products, alongside Beneo’s wider ingredient portfolio including faba bean ingredients and textured wheat protein. Commenting on his new role, Hower said: “I am happy to join the Beneo team, whose technical and nutritional expertise and longstanding experience has made the company a leading player for prebiotic chicory root fibres, functional carbohydrates and speciality rice ingredients”. Hower said that his ambition is to grow the plant-based protein business by accelerating market expansion and extending solutions. He added: “In the future, we will continue to grow our range into more products to satisfy different market needs for meat and fish alternatives”. #Beneo #Europe #Germany

Plant-based food company Tattooed Chef has announced its intention to file for protection under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code. The US-based company said it will market substantially all of its assets and solicit competing bids from interested parties, in accordance with the sale process under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code. Tattooed Chef’s product range includes cauliflower crust pizzas, ready-to-cook bowls, acai and smoothie bowls and Mexican entrees, which are available in stores across the US. In a statement announcing the plans, the company’s chairman and CEO Sam Galletti explained that despite best efforts to maintain operations, the business has been impacted by “a challenging financing environment and an inability to raise additional capital”. Galletti commented: “I remain ever grateful to our colleagues at Tattooed Chef who helped to shape this remarkable journey and help to introduce plant-based foods and healthy eating to consumers across the country”. The bidding process will be managed by the company in consultation with its advisors, as overseen by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. The company has retained SC&H Capital, an affiliate of SC&H Group, as its investment bank to manage the sale. Tattooed Chef expects to continue operations during the process, however it said it has provided notice of intended layoffs to employees in California and New Mexico. Prior to the Chapter 11 filing, the company said its management team and board of directors have evaluated “a wide range of funding possibilities”. It was previously disclosed that the company received unsecured loans from its chairman and CEO totalling $12 million and implemented plans to significantly reduce operating expenses to achieve profitability. Galletti stated: “We have created a strong brand, a portfolio of frozen plant-based food, a vertically integrated operating infrastructure supported by approximately 400,000 sq ft of manufacturing capacity, and extensive branded and private label manufacturing capabilities. The actions we are announcing today are designed to promote a fast, efficient, and value-maximising sale, which will allow us to provide clarity on the future of the company for all our stakeholders.” The news comes at a time when several plant-based businesses in the UK have seen similar challenges. Leeds-based Meatless Farm was acquired by VFC Foods last month, shortly after the company entered administration. Yesterday, The Plant Base also reported on UK manufacturer Plant & Bean’s sale to entrepreneur Heather Mills, founder of Vbites, after the business appointed administrators due to inflation and operational issues. #frozenreadymeals #TattooedChef #US