Heura has debuted a patent-pending technology based on a novel thermomechanical technique. The technology – the first derived from its Good Rebel Tech (GRT) platform – was developed to meet the need for plant-based foods with clean labels, high nutritional value and superior taste and texture. It can be applied across challenging plant-based food categories, such as deli meats, whole meats and dairy products. Heura’s R&D team developed predictive mathematical models based on a mechanistic understanding of the impact of processing on the structure and functionality of plant-based materials. This allowed product and process development to be carried out at the same time with a limited number of prototyping cycles, resulting in the validation of the new thermomechanical technique in an operational set-up in less than two years from concept generation. Heura CEO and co-founder, Marc Coloma, said: “We are challenging traditional food industry standards and prioritising science and technology as our strategic pillars to overcome the biggest obstacles of the sector: taste, texture and nutrition, all while increasing efficiencies”. He added: “Our new patent-pending technology allows us to unlock the true potential of food manufacturing, delivering products that are not only better for all of us, but also taste great. By focusing on high nutritional values with clean labels, we are offering a new level of transparency and quality that consumers can trust.” According to Heura, by discovering new plant fractions and elucidating their structures at different scales, GRT utilises intrinsic plant properties to “unlock” healthier food options using simple, energy-efficient manufacturing processes. #Barcelona #Heura

Clive’s Purely Plants is launching two new vegan savoury products – Vegan Sausagey Rolls and Tomato & Tofu Quiche – in the UK. The Vegan Sausagey Rolls come with red onion chutney and are filled with herb-seasoned plant-based sausage. Meanwhile, Clive’s Tomato & Tofu Quiche with Basil and Cracked Black Pepper is inspired by the margherita pizza. It combines tomato sauce, basil and silken tofu encased in a crisp pastry crust. “We are excited to bring these delicious vegan options to the market and hope that everyone will enjoy them as much as we do,” said Clive’s MD Esther Pearson. “We have always been committed to producing high-quality organic food, and these new snacking products are no exception. This additional category is a demonstration of the diversity and flexibility that we now have to offer from our Bakery in Devon. We are proud to be ‘baking’ new ground once again”. Both products are currently available for purchase at select Waitrose stores. #Clives

Ayana Bio, a plant cell technology company and producer of sustainable bioactives for consumer products, has launched plant cell-cultivated lemon balm and echinacea health and wellness ingredients. Launching first into the US market, these products have the bioactive composition of conventionally grown botanicals and can replace lemon balm and echinacea in dietary supplement formulations for sleep, mood and immune support. Ayana Bio’s products are produced using plant cell cultivation technology. The process begins by identifying the best plant cell lines, which are then propagated from authenticated plants and assessed to identify the most suitable line for characteristics such as bioactive potency, composition and stability. Plant cells can be fully propagated and harvested as an ingredient in just a few weeks. Ayana Bio’s lemon balm and echinacea are non-GMO plant powders with standardised hallmark bioactive compositions. These ingredients were created as a means of tackling current supply challenges faced with agriculturally derived lemon balm and echinacea. Frank Jaksch, chief executive officer of Ayana Bio, said: “The dietary supplement industry is in desperate need of bioactives that are traceable and more sustainable.” He added: “Bringing plant cell-derived health and wellness ingredients to these markets will help CPGs access the full spectrum of bioactives characteristic of these plants without the supply chain challenges. Consumers are seeking out products for healthier lifestyles and a healthier planet.” The plant cell-derived ingredients are DNA-fingerprint certified and clean label, with standardised phytocomplex, increased bioavailability, full traceability and a neutral taste and colour. #AyanaBio #cellbased #ingredients #US

Chamberlain Coffee has announced the launch of a new line of RTD plant-based cold brew lattes in four flavour varieties. The new beverages are naturally sweetened with date syrup, contain 1g of sugar and are made with almond milk and coconut cream. The four flavours are Mocha Latte, Cinnamon Bun Latte, Vanilla Latte and traditional Cold Brew Latte. Chamberlain Coffee’s founder, Emma Chamberlain, said: “I developed these canned lattes for people who want to enjoy a delicious, high-quality latte, even on the busiest of days…We’re inspired by all of the ways you can enjoy coffee and are eager to continue exploring innovative coffee products.” Christopher Gallant, CEO of Chamberlain Coffee, commented: “Making Chamberlain Coffee accessible to customers whenever, wherever they are is always the goal and this new product is helping us do just that. We’re thrilled to have Walmart as our exclusive retail partner for launch and look forward to this new, delicious product being available to customers, conveniently nationwide.” The beverages are available to purchase now in Walmart stores across the US. #ChamberlainCoffee #US #Walmart

McCormick has expanded its partnership with American actress Tabitha Brown to launch five new salt-free, vegan seasoning products under the McCormick Sunshine Seasoning by Tabitha Brown brand. The new products will consist of two seasoning blends and three recipe mixes, including: Like Sweet Like Smoky All Purpose Seasoning, Very Good Garlic All Purpose Seasoning, Taco Business Seasoning Mix, Burger Business Seasoning Mix and Sauté Business Seasoning Mix. Giovanna DiLegge, VP of marketing, NA Consumer at McCormick, said: “Expanding our partnership with Tabitha was an easy decision for us. We continue to be blown away by Tabitha’s loyal community and are thrilled to be bringing these five new products to consumers nationwide. With these additions to the collection, consumers will be able to make a variety of easy and healthy meals. We hope these products inspire clean, healthy, and most importantly, delicious eating that can be sustained for all.” The seasonings will be available at retailers this spring, while the recipe mixes will roll out later this summer. #McCormick #seasonings

Alt-milk innovator JOI has expanded its portfolio of plant milk concentrates with the addition of a variety made from 100% organic hemp hearts. With no requirement to be kept refrigerated, the concentrate can be blended with water to make a clean-label hemp milk that JOI claims offers double the protein of the “leading boxed hemp milk brands”. As well as saving packaging compared with liquid alternatives, the new offering is free from the gums, fillers and sugars found in other products. It can be added to coffee and smoothies or used to replace milk and butter in cooking. JOI, which stands for ‘just one ingredient,’ says that one truckload of its concentrates is equivalent to seven truckloads of plant-based milk sold in a carton. The hemp concentrate comes in an 8lb pail, which yields 60 quarts of milk, and is available to consumers and foodservice businesses. “JOI was born out of a desire to radically improve plant-based milks and offer a human-centric approach to clean eating and sustainability,” said CEO Hector Gutierrez. “We want to empower the world to take the first step into a plant-based lifestyle by providing a simple, sustainable, whole food solution that is free of all preservatives.” #JOI #US

Berlin-based “better-for-you” food start-up, KoRo, has raised €20 million in an extension of its Series B round, bringing the total to €75 million. In this financing round, the online food platform for superfoods, snacks and nuts received investments from new shareholders SevenVentures, Associated British Foods and Family Office Haub Legacy, as well as participation from existing shareholders HV Capital, Five Seasons Ventures and Partech. The latest raise is an extension of the initial Series B round of €55 million – which closed at the beginning of 2022. The funding will enable KoRo to accelerate its DTC online growth and expand its retail listings throughout Europe. Daniel Kundt, KoRo’s CFO, said: “Despite the uncertain economic situation, we were able to further grow in 2022 and are aiming for sustainable profitable growth and a turnover of considerably over €100 million in 2023. Receiving further financing from existing and even new investors is a great sign of confidence for us, especially given the challenging environment for fundraising.” In a statement, the start-up said that it will continue to focus on growth in established markets in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and further international expansion to high-potential regions like France, Italy and Scandinavia. Florian Schwenkert, KoRo’s COO, added: “KoRo is pursuing the goal of becoming the leading omnichannel brand for natural, innovative and high-quality food in the European market. In doing so, we are building a sustainable business model, in order to be prepared for future challenges”. #Berlin #KoRo

Plant-based hemp meat producer Planet Based Foods has entered into a development agreement with natural ingredient manufacturer, Döhler. The objective of the agreement is to establish a commercial relationship between the two companies, with the intention to work towards a formal production agreement. In addition, Döhler has agreed to develop and produce a hemp and oat milk base in partnership with Planet Based Foods for use in B2B ingredients and B2C customers. This development will operate with Döhler headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, and Döhler North America, located in Georgia, US. The two companies have also agreed to develop and produce a cold brew coffee beverage using a hemp – and possibly oat – milk base. Döhler will assist Planet Based Foods with introductions to key development, procurement and canning personnel in North America and the EU. Planet Based Foods CEO and co-founder, Braelyn Davis, said: “The scope of this announcement is much larger than just a proposed agreement. While our research and development teams work together to offer more product lines, we’ll be able to enter into new markets entirely, bringing our brand awareness to global audiences.” The agreement will enable Planet Based Foods to venture into new markets while improving efficiencies in its existing markets in the US. The agreement will focus on hemp-based milk alternatives as hemp products generally have more protein and healthy fats than other plant-based alt-milks. Hemp milk contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein and contains mostly unsaturated fat, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which are essential for biological functions. #US #Döhler #PlanetBasedFoods #hemp #EU

Pilgrim’s Food Masters-owned brand Richmond has entered the meat-free snacking category with the launch of Richmond Meat-Free Minis. Made to taste like the classic Richmond recipe, the Meat-Free Minis are low in fat, salt and sugar and high in protein. The new ready-to-eat sausages come in resealable tubs, “perfect for grazing from the fridge, on-the-go snacking or summer picnics”. Chris Doe, marketing controller at Pilgrim’s Food Masters, said: “We’re confident Richmond Meat-Free Minis fit the bill for a snack that tastes great, looks delicious, is a healthy option and not only that, is suitable for vegans too”. He continued: “As the meat-free snacking category begins to flourish we want to be front and centre of that growth, catering to all meat-free occasions. And given our track record in this space, retailers can rely on us to deliver strong sales.” In June 2021, Kerry Group agreed to sell its Consumer Foods’ Meats and Meals business in the UK and Ireland to Pilgrim’s Pride for a cash consideration of €819 million, which included brands such as Richmond, Fridge Raiders and Taste and Glory. The unveiling of Richmond Meat-Free Minis follows the launch of Richmond meat-free sage and onion sausages in September last year. In April 2022, Pilgrim’s Food Masters introduced plant-based Fridge Raiders in two flavours. The new meat-free snacks are available to purchase in Waitrose stores now for an RRP of £2.50, with further rollout into more supermarkets in the coming weeks. #PilgrimsFoodMasters #Richmond #UK

Marlow Foods, the parent company of Quorn, has announced plans to make its mycoprotein available to other food and beverage manufacturers through a new ingredients division. Marlow Ingredients will first make the mycoprotein available in Europe before expanding internationally. Marco Bertacca, Marlow Foods’ CEO, said: “We have been trailblazers in meat-free since we sold our first Quorn product in 1985. We see it as our responsibility to provide healthy food for people and the planet.” He added: “We recognise the urgent need for humanity to eat more sustainably. By making our mycoprotein available to others, Marlow Ingredients will play a pivotal role in helping us achieve one of our missions – to tackle climate change by making great-tasting food.” Marlow mycoprotein is naturally high in protein, low in saturated fat and contains several vitamins and minerals. It is also high in fibre and, according to Marlow, uses 90% less land and water and produces 98% less carbon emissions than equivalent beef products. Bertacca concluded: “There’s huge potential for our mycoprotein. Alongside the delicious meat-like texture and incredible nutritional and sustainable benefits it’s famous for, there’s exciting research happening into its ability to create more sustainable versions of other applications, such as dairy alternatives. Marlow Ingredients is initially focused on building partnerships with food manufacturers, but the potential for the future is very exciting.” Marlow Foods’ journey started in the 1960s when Lord Rank began what became over 20 years of research into the creation of Marlow mycoprotein. #MarlowFoods #MarlowIngredients #mycoprotein #Quorn

US-based food tech company Lypid is rolling out Lypid Pork Belly, which the company says is the “world’s first plant-based pork belly”. The plant-based pork belly is made from Lypid’s patented PhytoFat vegan fat. The company states that is is a “juicy, meaty plant-based pork belly that offers impeccable taste and texture”. Lypid Pork Belly is high in protein and free of antibiotics and cholesterol. It is 85% lower in saturated fat, 39% lower in calories and 69% lower in sodium than its pork bacon counterpart. The vegan pork belly has been developed to sizzle, smell and taste like traditional pork belly and is “versatile” as it can be used in diverse cooking scenarios, such as sautéing, frying and baking. Starting this month, Lypid Pork Belly will be served in restaurants across the US and Taiwan. Dr. Jen-Yu Huang, co-founder and CEO of Lypid, said: “Despite the growing popularity of plant-based diets, the lack of whole-cut meat alternatives remains a challenge. Most plant-based products currently available are in a ground form, which can limit their versatility in recipes and dining experiences. Lypid’s pork belly provides a new option that offers a wider range of possibilities to fill the gap in the alternative meat market.” Dr. Michelle Lee, Lypid’s co-founder and CTO, added: “By combining PhytoFat with a unique fibrous protein alternative, we are able to create a meaty, savoury, lip-smacking pork belly experience”. Lypid plans to further expand its collaboration with innovative food service chains in the US and Asia. You may also like to read: Lypid partners with Louisa Coffee to serve plant-based burger patties Plant-based fats producer Lypid secures $4m in seed funding round #Lypid #Phytofat #Taiwan #US

DSM has launched Plant Power Toolkit, a functional ingredient portfolio for fermented plant-based dairy alternatives. The toolkit includes four specifically designed starter cultures and five ready-to-use consumer concepts. The consumer concepts showcase how the toolkit can be used to develop new plant-based fermented products across a variety of substrates with fine-tuned taste, texture and health properties. The Plant Power Toolkit features enzymes, cultures, hydrocolloids, proteins, nutritional solutions and ready-to-use concepts to simplify the challenging stages of application design. For starch-containing bases, such as oat, the design process starts with creating the optimal base for fermentation with DelvoPlant enzymes. The DelvoPlant cultures enable manufacturers to achieve the desired mildness and freshness and also build texture and smoothness in a variety of bases such as coconut, canola, oat, pea and soy. DSM’s hydrocolloids, Gellaneer gellan gums and pectins, can further contribute to fine-tuning the mouthfeel, creaminess, shininess and stability over shelf life. As many plant-based fermented products have a lower nutritional profile than their dairy-based counterparts – particularly with protein, calcium and B vitamins – the new toolkit makes it possible to close this nutritional gap and innovate through added health benefits. The toolkit’s nutritional solutions are specially designed for plant-based fermented products. The portfolio offers already trialled concepts based on popular substrates like coconut, canola, oat, pea and soy, and is said to remove the need for siloed ingredient testing or extensive R&D. Neleke van Nieuwenhuijzen, global product application expert, fermented plant solutions at DSM, said: “As specialists in dairy and plant-based fermentation, we’re excited to offer innovative solutions to help brands excel in this dynamic market and co-create exceptional products”. She continued: “The Plant Power toolkit’s new cultures and ready-to-use concepts will further enable manufacturers to meet evolving consumer preferences. And we’re not stopping here, keep an eye out for further additions to the portfolio as our team of experts work to improve the taste, texture and health of plant-based fermented products.” You may also like to read: DSM launches plant protein free from major allergens DSM simplifies production of oat-based dairy with new enzyme solution #DSM #plantbaseddairy