Loryma is expanding its Lory IsoCrisp high-protein crispies range with the addition of a wheat variant. Low in sugar, the extruded solution is made using protein and starch from European wheat, combined with rice flour and cocoa powder. The neutral-tasting crispy balls can be used to add crunch to biscuits, bars and cereals. Marjolijn van Daalen, research & development manager extruded products at Crespel & Deiters, said: “Health awareness among the population is growing steadily, and high-protein and plant-based are very important trends for consumers”. “Manufacturers can meet all these needs with our new Lory IsoCrisp offering, and add a delicious crunch to confectionery, cereals, baked goods and healthy nutritional products.” Offering 71g of protein per 100g, the vegan crispies are suitable for applications in the low-carb and sports nutrition segments, among others. #CrespelampDeiters #Loryma

Primal Kitchen is adding five new products to its portfolio of pantry staples in time for spring. Co-founder and president, Morgan Buehler Zanotti, said, “We’re very excited about all the delicious new offerings Primal Kitchen is launching this spring. The Primal Kitchen brand is only getting bigger and better while continuing to clean up the classics. In this case, we’re proud of the innovative flavours we achieved without compromising on product quality or ingredient integrity.” Featuring a balanced sweet and tangy flavour, the Primal Kitchen Whip Dressing & Spread is perfect for using in coleslaw, devilled eggs, chicken salad and sandwiches. It is sugar-free, gluten-free and made with no eggs, no cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup. The new dressing and spread has an MSRP of $11.99 and is available at retailers including Walmart, Fresh Thyme and independent natural grocers in the US, as well as online. Made with organic ingredients, the Primal Kitchen Tad Sweet Ketchup combines a bold tomato flavour with the gentle sweetness of real, organic honey. A Tad Sweet Ketchup has an MSRP of $9.99 and is now available at retailers including Walmart, Raley’s, Fresh Thyme, Stop & Shop, Thrive Market, and independent natural grocers in the US and online. Primal Kitchen Korean BBQ Sauce is sweetened with coconut aminos, pear juice concentrate and fig solids and is free from artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup. Korean BBQ Sauce has an MSRP of $6.49 and is now available at retailers including Walmart, Fresh Thyme, Meijer, and independent natural grocers in the US and online Kitchen Organic Honey Teriyaki can be used as a wing dip, meat marinade, or sticky-sweet base for a stir-fry with a sweet, umami flavour and ‘rib-stickin’ texture. Sweetened with organic honey and coconut aminos, it has no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or soy and is also non-GMO and gluten-free. Organic Honey Teriyaki has an MSRP of $8.99 and is now available at Sprouts and independent natural grocers in the US and online. The Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce delivers a balance of sweetness and heat with real mango puree and a fiery cayenne kick and can be used in tacos, dips, scrambled eggs and more. Mild & Sweet Buffalo has an MSRP of $7.99 and is available at retailers including select Walmart and Fresh Thyme, and other independent natural grocers in the US and online. #PrimalKitchen #US

North American artisan bread producer, La Brea Bakery, has unveiled its new plant-based brioche bun for foodservice and restaurant operators. The bread replaces the company’s original brioche and is said to have a rich, mildly sweet flavour. “Many foodservice operators have streamlined or simplified their menus over the past few years, and the new La Brea Bakery brioche bun meets multiple consumer demands, including gourmet offerings and health halos,” said Brie Buenning, director of marketing at La Brea. “We are committed to providing our operator customers with an expansive and flexible assortment of elevated artisan breads to satisfy their patrons, meet current trends and support increased profitability.” The new bun is available to the foodservice channel now. #LaBreaBakery #US

This has unveiled the latest product to join its alt-meat line-up, plant-based lamb kebabs, as it looks to capitalise on the upcoming BBQ season. The new offering combines pea protein with the brand’s patented olive oil-based fat ingredient in order to replicate the juicy texture of conventional meat kebabs. Fat 2.0 has the ability to hold its shape and remain succulent when faced with high heat and, like animal fat, it can crisp and brown. Meanwhile, the taste of This Isn’t Lamb Kebabs is enhanced using mint and cumin. Co-founder Andy Shovel said: “As the bank holiday BBQs roll in, kick-started by the Coronation weekend, This Isn’t Lamb Kebabs are catering for both the picnics and BBQs to come”. “We’ve conquered the hungover bacon butty, and now the reigning king of drunk munch, kebabs, is next in line. This is a kebab that tastes delish and harnesses our product’s trademark meaty succulence and flavour, another great showcase of our Fat 2.0 innovation. It is also nutritionally really compelling for meat-lovers.” With an RRP of £3.50 per 200g pack, This Isn’t Lamb Kebabs will launch in Waitrose and Morrisons on 16 and 17 April respectively, followed by Sainsbury’s in early May. #This #UK

The Bel Group has partnered with biotech start-up Climax Foods, to innovate plant-based cheeses that are indistinguishable from their dairy counterparts. The partnership aims to create a new generation of plant-based cheese aiming to meet the main challenges of food transition: combining pleasure and nutrition, while reducing carbon footprint. The companies will leverage data science and AI to co-create affordable plant-based alternatives of Laughing Cow, Kiri, Boursin, Babybel and Nurishh brand foods. Cécile Béliot, CEO of the Bel Group, said: “The products we will develop in partnership with Climax have the potential to make a big difference: they can meet the three-fold challenge of sustainable, nutritious, and accessible. This collaboration epitomises our co-innovation strategy by combining their distinctive technological data science and AI platforms and expertise with Bel’s pioneering and historical knowledge.” Climax Foods’ predictive analytics and AI enable a deep level of understanding of animal-based foods at the molecular level. Climax uses the knowledge to replicate animal-based products with plant-based versions that are said to match the texture, flavour and nutrition density. The start-up’s AI-powered product development significantly reduces the time required to create plant-based recipes. Climax states that: “Comparatively, it would take billions of years to create the same recipes using traditional product development”. Dr Oliver Zahn, CEO and founder of Climax Foods, commented: “AI and data can be game changers in food in terms of delivering optimal taste and texture while at the same time making it affordable and sustainable. In addition to changing consumer preferences, climate change requires us to accelerate the evolution of food. Together with Bel, we can make a significant positive impact so that people and the planet are better off.” Climax’s team of food scientists have already successfully created prototypes with characteristics of speciality cheeses, including blue, brie, feta and goat varieties. Bel aims to launch these new plant-based products in the US and Europe by the end of 2024, contributing to Bel’s objective to balance its portfolio with 50 per cent of dairy products and 50 per cent of plant-based or fruit products. To support the development of Climax’s solution, Bel acquired an equity stake in the company. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. You may also like to read: Bel UK expands Nurishh line-up with feta-style cubes Bel Brands USA expands dairy-alternative portfolio Bel Group to launch dedicated plant-based brand #BelGroup #ClimaxFoods #plantbasedcheese

Aqua Cultured Foods has raised $5.5 million in a seed funding round led by venture capital fund, Stray Dog Capital. The food tech start-up uses proprietary mycoprotein fermentation processes to make its “ultra-realistic” seafood alternatives. Aqua’s offerings include whole muscle-cut products, such as plant-based tuna and whitefish fillets, as well as minced ‘seafood’ fillings. The company recently acquired a food-grade facility and plans to use the new funds to equip the site. The capital injection will also enable Aqua to scale up production, expand its team and bring its alt-seafood products to market. Alongside Stray Dog, the round received participation from H Venture Partners, Aztec Capital Management, Amplifica Capital and CJ CheilJedang, as well as existing investors. “We appreciate having mission-aligned partners that offer strong strategic value for the next phase of our growth, which will involve building up the business and brand,” said Aqua CEO, Anne Palermo. Johnny Ream, partner at Stray Dog Capital, added: “The adage is true that early-stage funds heavily weight investment conviction in people, and less in technologies or products given the embryonic nature of companies at these stages, but Aqua already boasts strength across its team, product and key partnerships already in place”. “We are interested in backing founding teams leveraging unique technologies and approaches that drive a more sustainable future; the work Aqua is doing with alt-seafood has immense potential to drive both human and planetary benefits in a massive $100 billion+ global market.” #AquaCulturedFoods #US

Ecotone UK is expanding its Whole Earth portfolio with the introduction of a squeezy chocolate peanut butter. The chocolate flavour joins the Drizzler range, which launched last year, offering “silky” peanut butters in convenient squeezable packaging. Made solely with natural, plant-based ingredients, the new product is sweetened with coconut blossom sugar and is a source of protein and fibre. Adele Ward, Whole Earth marketing director at Ecotone UK, said: “Our Drizzler peanut butters are giving consumers a whole new way to enjoy peanut butter. The unique squeezy design and unrivalled smooth texture has shaken up the category and we’ve received really positive shopper feedback.” She continued: “We wanted to create a chocolate flavour the Whole Earth way – totally natural, totally tasty and in recyclable packaging. It’s a more wholesome and natural alternative to sugar-laden chocolate spread in a highly convenient format, to build excitement and continue to drive the category forward.” With an RRP of £3.69, Whole Earth Drizzler Chocolate is available from Sainsbury’s stores across the UK. #Ecotone #UK #WholeEarth

Functional food and beverage parent company, NextFoods, has announced the merger of natural sports nutrition innovator Cheribundi and gut health brand GoodBelly. Emil Capital Partners (ECP) is the largest investor in the integrated companies and confirmed the merger in a post on social media. Andreas Guldin, managing partner and CEO of ECP, said: “Consumers are continuously looking to manage their health through the foods and beverages they consume. We are excited to bring together two talented, driven companies to execute on the vision of better-for-you and better-for-the-planet products that meet growing consumer demand.” NextFoods will focus on growing its strategic channels, including ecommerce and sports and offers the scale to support over 20,000 retail locations for GoodBelly and Cheribundi products. As part of the merger, the current CEO of Cheribundi, Marcel Bens, will fill the role of CEO of NextFoods. Bens said: “Cheribundi and GoodBelly are dedicated to providing natural products that offer scientifically-proven health benefits. This merger comes at a time when consumers are looking to move beyond lab-based, synthetic products to something that offers the same benefits naturally, thus positioning NextFoods as a leader in this movement”. The former CEO of NextFoods, Juan Gluth, is stepping into the role of chief commercial officer. He commented: “Adding Cheribundi to the NextFoods family is a significant step in both brands’ futures to foster the continuous improvement of functional food and beverage and we look forward to fuelling the next evolution of innovation. I look forward to working together with our lead investor and new leadership team to bring future success to our combined company.” #Cheribundi #GoodBelly #NextFoods #US

Plant-based seafood start-up The Ish Food Company has announced the introduction of its third product: Salmonish Burgers. Ish – which recently secured $5 million in a seed funding round – says that its latest innovation provides 14g of protein and 300mg of omega-3 fatty acids per serving. The recipe also features mineral-rich kelp. The new offering will be available through a partnership with food industry redistributor Dot Foods. “After the successful debut of Shrimpish early last year, The Ish Company is thrilled to continue creating innovative, climate-conscious products during the rise of plant-based meat substitutes,” said president and chief operating officer, Christie Fleming. “The plant-based seafood market is primed for exponential growth and given the popularity of salmon, we have a great opportunity to help consumers make both delicious and more mindful food choices, further amplified with our ability to distribute through Dot Foods now as well.” Ish, which stands for ‘innovative, sustainable and healthy,’ claims that the carbon footprint from the production and consumption of Salmonish is 5.6 times lower than that of conventional salmon. #Plantbasedseafood #TheIshFoodCompany #US

Meat alternatives maker Quorn Foods has added a new vegan ‘fakeaway’ option to its retail offering in the UK: Katsu Fillets. Designed to provide consumers with a convenient midweek meal solution, the vegan product features meatless chicken coated in a crunchy panko-style crumb. Found in the chilled aisle, each pack is completed with a katsu curry sauce sachet. “The vegan Katsu Fillets are our latest chilled midweek ‘fakeaway’ option, a range which already includes Quorn Tempura Fillets, launched last year,” said Gill Riley, marketing director at Quorn Foods UK. “These products are easy to cook, taste delicious and offer great value compared to eating out or ordering in.” Quorn Katsu Fillets are said to be high in protein and fibre, and low in saturated fat. Riley continued: “We’re adding more choice to the chiller, with flavours and textures that we know are popular. Katsu is very on trend right now, so we know this new product will appeal to new and existing meat-free shoppers.” With an RRP of £3.75 per 280g pack, the vegan fillets are available in Tesco and will be rolling out to other major UK retailers, including Morrisons, Waitrose and Asda. #Quorn #UK

Sales of plant-based foods across a group of more than a dozen European countries grew by 22% from 2020 to 2022, a new report has found. Category sales reached a record €5.7 billion in 2022, according to the Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe), which analysed NielsenIQ retail data for products ranging from yogurt alternatives to ready meals. The countries included in the report were Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and the UK. Among the findings, unit sales of plant-based meat grew 21% from 2020 to 2022, while animal meat witnessed a decline of 8%. Rampant inflation saw prices in the latter category rise by 11% last year – compared with a modest 1% increase for plant protein substitutes. Plant-based meat products often retail at a premium compared with their animal counterparts, and these higher prices have been cited as a factor stymying the market’s expansion. Last August, Beyond Meat’s president and CEO, Ethan Brown, said that cash-strapped consumers were trading down to lower-priced chicken and beef, hurting growth. However, some markets have made great strides in bringing prices more into line with animal products, such as the Netherlands, where the findings of a Questionmark survey last year suggested that plant-based substitutes are now cheaper on average than meat. The new research from GFI also found that plant-based milk now makes up 11% of the overall milk market, with sales of €2.21 billion last year. In value terms, the category recorded almost double the sales growth seen by conventional milk between 2020 and 2022. This gulf was more pronounced when it came to unit sales, which declined by 9% in the dairy category, but were up by 20% for alternatives. Other categories saw triple-digit growth during the period. Unit sales of dairy-free cheese were up 153% in the countries where data was available, while plant-based seafood unit sales increased by over 300%. GFI Europe, which works to promote alternative proteins, said that companies and governments still have a vital role to play in helping consumers to make more sustainable food choices. Carlotte Lucas, senior corporate engagement manager at the organisation, said: “These figures show Europe’s appetite for plant-based foods is continuing to grow – but these sustainable options still represent a tiny proportion of the market”. She added: “Companies must continue investing in product innovation to develop delicious and affordable plant-based options. And governments must invest in the research and infrastructure we need to reduce prices and improve the quality of plant-based options, in order to deliver on their climate targets and enhance food security.” #Europe #TheGoodFoodInstitute

Plant-based dairy pioneer Daiya Foods has broadened its offering with the introduction of ‘chick’n’ shreds, which feature as a topping on a new pizza and flatbread. The Canadian company’s latest innovation is made from peas, oats and rice and is suitable for consumers with any of the eight most common food allergies. In addition to the shreds, Daiya’s new BBQ Plant-Based Chick’n Style Thin Crust Pizza features a gluten-free crust, smoky BBQ sauce, ‘fire-roasted’ tomatoes and red onions, and the brand’s dairy-free mozzarella. Meanwhile, the Plant-Based Chick’n, Smoked Bac’n & Ranch Style Flatbread combines the topping with smoked bacon-style bits, ranch sauce and mozzarella shreds, on a crispy flatbread-style gluten-free crust. “Innovation is at the core of what we do at Daiya,” said chief marketing officer, Melanie Domer. “Our team has been incredibly imaginative in figuring out a way to offer a plant-based chicken pizza, without the allergens you would normally find in such a product. We’re confident that these new flavours of our pizza and flatbread will truly delight frozen pizza buyers.” The new products are available now at Walmart stores. #DaiyaFoods #plantbasedchicken