Vegan meat alternative brand, Squeaky Bean, has expanded its range with the launch of its cooking chorizo, a plant-based sausage that mimics the taste and texture of the Spanish dry-cured meat. The first of Squeaky Bean’s products designed specifically for cooking, the sausage is made with fava bean and pea protein and is a source of fibre and protein. It is seasoned with chilli, smoked paprika and garlic, giving the sausage the distinct chorizo-red colour and full flavour. Rebecca Youseman, brand manager at Squeaky Bean, said: “We know our fans have been increasingly craving vegan products that can replicate their favourite cooking ingredients, which is where our new Cooking Chorizo Style Sausage comes in. Offering the same smoky punch of flavour and texture as a Spanish chorizo thanks to our slow dry curing process, the Cooking Chorizo Style Sausage allows consumers to recreate their favourite chorizo dishes in a plant-based format, making it an ideal choice for meat reducers and vegans alike.” The plant-based chorizo will be available in Waitrose stores across the UK for an RRP of £3.50 per 100g sausage. #plantbasedchorizo #SqueakyBean #UK

Chilean food tech company, NotCo, has announced it has closed a $70 million funding round to advance its B2B unit. NotCo – which raised $235 million in a Series D funding round last year – uses “first-of-its-kind” proprietary artificial intelligence technology, named Giuseppe, to develop plant-based foods. Giuseppe’s algorithms analyse thousands of plants in its database to come up with combinations that replicate the taste, feel and functional properties of animal-based products. The capital is set to advance NotCo’s B2B unit, enabling other consumer packaged goods brands, technology providers and ingredient suppliers to leverage Giuseppe, driving innovation within the plant-based industry. The Series D1 funding round was led by investment firm Princeville Capital, which supports technology-related companies across the world. It was backed by Bezos Expeditions and Marcos Galperin, the founder and CEO of MercadoLibre, among others. Joaquin Rodriguez Torres, co-founder of Princeville Capital, said: “NotCo is a very unique company in the food tech space globally with immense potential thanks to the team they have built and its one-of-a-kind AI technology. It’s rare to find a company with such an incredible track record of success in a short period of time, and we’re excited to help bolster the company’s growth and expansion.” The new round was completed at the same share price as NotCo’s Series D financing in July 2021, reaffirming the company’s valuation of $1.5 billion. The latest financing follows the business’s announcement of a joint venture with Kraft Heinz, The Kraft Heinz Not Company, designed to bring together the packaged food giant’s scale and well-known brand portfolio, and NotCo’s patented technology and AI solutions. NotCo’s co-founder and CEO, Matias Muchnick, commented: “Building off the example of our joint venture with Kraft Heinz, we’re excited to develop new, impactful partnerships leveraging our proprietary technology. These partnerships will help diversify and accelerate our impact while scaling the accessibility of truly delicious plant-based options to further propel the industry forward.” #Artificialintelligence #NotCo #KraftHeinz #BezosExpeditions #PrincevilleCapital

With 41 billion litres consumed worldwide, plant-based beverages are rising stars in the industry. It is estimated that their compound annual growth rate will be 1.9% between 2021 and 2024. This growth reflects an expanding consumer base. For many years, vegetarians and vegans drove demand for plant-based beverages, but now more and more consumers are ‘flexitarians’. They are attracted by the health benefits of these drinks, as well as a desire to make choices that protect the environment. Tetra Pak offers food and beverage producers that want to enter this market end-to-end support that starts with quality raw materials and goes all the way through production to plant-based packages and pallet delivery. “The plant-based sector is fast-paced, and we help our customers keep up with what is moving and what is booming,” says Edison Kubo, director processing food category services at Tetra Pak. “These trends are not only driven by customer tastes, but also by research into new ingredients.” An ever-increasing number of plants can be turned into beverages, including soy, oats, almonds, cashews, peas and rice. They can also be combined to create superior nutritional profiles. For example, oats can be mixed with peas to produce a beverage that is high in protein. In Product Development Centres around the world, Tetra Pak helps customers develop, test and pilot these recipes – and then scale them up for industrial production. Ingredients must meet expectations for sensorial quality parameters, including good mouthfeel and taste. They come from reliable suppliers and carry strict food quality certificates, ensuring high quality standards. Producers can even purchase ingredients that are already extracted and ready for production. Adapting production lines for plant-based beverages Tetra Pak also guides its customers through the production phase, adjusting their needs to the special requirements of plant-based beverages. Manuel Juncal, senior product manager upgrades LF key components and filtration at Tetra Pak, says: “Tetra Pak Upgrades can help customers upgrade their current lines to handle plant-based beverages. Good practices on how to convert from milk to oat-based drinks are available – the changes depend on the design of the current line and which type of plant-based drink will be produced.” Tetra Pak also steers them through potential pitfalls, including how to handle allergens, both in production planning and product labelling. For example, dairies generally do not produce drinks that contain almonds, to avoid labelling their dairy products “may contain nuts”. Edison says: “Guiding our customers through this sector is another way of ‘making food safe and available, everywhere’. We combine our expertise in plant-based ingredients with our end-to-end industry expertise to offer what we call the integrated edge.” Find out more: tetrapak.com/solutions/services. #milkalternatives #partnercontent #TetraPak

Better Nature is launching a new range of marinated tempeh pieces to meet the growing demand for “natural and convenient” plant-based foods. The tempeh pieces, which are made simply from tempeh and a blend of oils and spices, are available in three flavours: Mediterranean, Curry and BBQ. The range is 100% natural and gluten-free. Elin Roberts, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Better Nature, said: “With meat-free category growth slowing, we know that it isn’t delivering on what customers are looking for, which is health. A huge opportunity has opened up for 100% natural plant-based foods, like tempeh, that deliver on both health and convenience.” She added: “Our marinated tempeh range offers health-conscious, time-poor consumers in the UK something new – tasty plant-based foods that are quick and easy to prepare, whilst also being completely natural, packed with protein and fibre, gluten-free and one of your five a day. “Unlike tofu, tempeh is still a relatively new concept for UK consumers, so our new tempeh pieces introduce people to tempeh in a convenient and accessible way…We’re trying to break down barriers to showcase tempeh as a delicious and versatile plant-based food and create mainstream appeal. “Tempeh offers supermarkets an opportunity to better appeal to customer needs and fuel meat-free category growth as we head into 2023.” Better Nature’s tempeh pieces will be stocked at Holland & Barrett and Selfridges from January 2023 for an RRP of £3.29. Last month, Better Nature secured £700k in a seed plus round to fuel retail growth for its tempeh range in the UK and Europe. #BetterNature #tempeh #UK

Bells of Lazonby is launching a new pudding for Veganuary under its We Love Cake ‘free from’ brand. The Cumbrian bakery company is introducing its Choc-a-lot pudding in Sainsbury’s stores nationwide from January, alongside lemon and caramel & chocolate tarts that recently launched to the foodservice market. All three products are vegan and gluten-free. Bells of Lazonby head of marketing, Josh Boydell-Smith, said: “In the free-from space there is a real gap in the market for indulgent trends…With Veganuary growing year on year, it is important to capture shoppers who will be looking to adapt their whole diet while still having treats.” #BellsofLazonby #UK #WeLoveCake

Equinom has announced a $35 million tranche of funding – its largest to date – to bring more of its “optimised” plant protein ingredients to market. Led by Synthesis Capital, the raise also included investment from Praesidium, Bunge Ventures, BayWa, CPT Capital and returning investors Fortissimo and Phoenix. Equinom breeds new non-GMO varieties of crops, such as pea and soy, that are optimised for food production with desirable traits such as a mild taste, light colour or high protein content. This ingredient development is enabled by the company’s Manna technology platform, which uses advanced algorithms to characterise the biochemical and genomic traits in an array of seed varieties. Equinom will use the new funding to accelerate the commercialisation of its plant-based protein ingredients. The capital will also fund investments in seed development of Equinom’s ultra-high-protein soy and pea varieties and R&D into additional protein source crops, including chickpea, fava, mung bean, and cowpea. “Today’s food system requires significant transformation if we are to slow the effects of climate change and feed a growing population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050,” said Costa Yiannoulis, managing partner and co-founder of Synthesis Capital. “We see alternative proteins as a critical solution and feel energised by Gil’s vision and commitment to address some of the greatest challenges facing the plant-based industry at their source, through innovating to revolutionise traditional inputs into the process. We clearly see the value Equinom ingredients can generate throughout the food supply chain – and within our portfolio.” Equinom co-founder and CEO, Gil Shalev, added: “I’m excited to work with Synthesis and our other investors who clearly see the food revolution taking place and the huge opportunity to develop better plant protein ingredients – optimised from the ground up for the relevant food and beverage applications. Our investors share the understanding that good food must start with good ingredients.” #Equinom

San Francisco-based meat alternatives maker, Black Sheep Foods, has raised $12.3 million in Series A funding. The round – which was led by Unovis, alongside Bessemer Venture Partners, AgFunder and KBW Ventures – brings total investment in the company to date to $18.05 million. Black Sheep Foods is a food tech start-up that uses analytical chemistry to replicate the flavours of meat, with an initial focus on lamb. The company’s patent pending technology allows it to isolate the molecules that give any animal meat its distinctive flavour and then replicate the taste by identifying the same molecules in plants. “Our minds associate meat with a shape, a texture and a flavour,” said Sunny Kumar, CEO and co-founder of Black Sheep Foods. “While texture has been the focus of meat innovation, flavour is a white space. Our debut lamb made from plants has more depth of flavour, richness and appetising aromatics than other meats, full stop. We’re in the business of giving consumers access to the most delicious meat variety, using plants instead of animals.” Black Sheep plans to use the funds to scale up the production of its plant-based lamb – which it launched late last year in restaurants across California – for national distribution. Dan Altschuler, managing partner at Unovis, said: “Black Sheep Foods is set up to deliver the best-tasting meats that just happen to be made from plants. Animal-free and environmentally sound. We’re thrilled to partner with them on their journey.” #BlackSheepFoods #US

Joanna Becker-Hawkins, senior regulatory advisor at Ashbury News this summer of Turkey’s vegan cheese ban and similar bans on meat-like terms used on plant-based products in South Africa and France have concerned both innovators and consumers alike, with questions raised about how manufacturers can continue to make alternatives without mimicking the ‘real thing’. Joanna Becker-Hawkins, senior regulatory advisor at Ashbury, says many consumers have felt confused about the recent rulings, but even with new obstacles, brands can still flourish and thrive in the sector. “The plant-based industry in general seems to be facing some growing pains, with share prices dropping at many well-known brands, and the UK and EU’s market share not quite reaching the levels that experts were predicting only a year or two ago,” Becker-Hawkins said. “Whether or not recent developments across the market, such as the banning of certain terms, have impacted this rate of growth is still unknown, but the addition of new restrictions in some markets is certainly another obstacle innovators are facing – especially if further bans are introduced elsewhere.” In July, the Turkish government announced a ban on the production and sale of vegan cheese in a move that has triggered outrage in the plant and animal advocate community. It’s the latest instance of countries implementing restrictive plant-based food legislation, with South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development also announcing a ban on meat-like terms on plant-based product labels. Under the new Turkish law, plant-based cheese products must not mimic traditional cheese, including its appearance and marketing styles. However, legislation wording has been deemed unclear by the Vegan Association in Turkey (TVD), which is campaigning against the ruling. Becker-Hawkins added: “While Turkey joins other countries such as France and South Africa in imposing prohibitive plant-based legislation on terminology and label wording, it’s the first country to ban elements of the production process. This has meant domestic producers can no longer sell vegan cheese, and manufacturing facilities are now subject to inspections. “It appears as though the ban has been put in place with the purpose of putting a stop to alternatives appearing to be the ‘real thing,’ whilst protecting the dairy industry. However, despite these new challenges, it doesn’t necessarily mean that products will have to be scrapped altogether and there is still plenty that brands in this arena can do to ensure compliance.” How can brands become (and stay) compliant? Novel food All food needs to comply with the legislation of the country in which the product is to be marketed, regardless of the source of the food. At one end of this market we have innovators who are producing via microbial fermentation using fungi, yeasts, bacteria and other microorganisms, instead of animals, while others are replacing the ‘meat’ element with a plant protein. New processes and techniques — and indeed new sources of ingredients — may mean that the food is ‘novel’ and must seek approval through the novel food process for both the UK and EU. Product information Due to the nature of these products, it can be easy for consumers to be misled regarding the true identity and ingredients of a plant-based or meat alternative product. Therefore clear, concise information on the composition, name of the product and ingredients is required, especially for mandatory information, to ensure the consumer is well informed and could not mistake the product for one that contains either dairy or meat. Inaccurate or misleading labels can attract costly and timely challenges, such as reformulations and redesigns, as well as significantly impacting the future success of a brand. Naming products Naming products or ingredients can be a minefield for those unused to the legislation. Reserved descriptions must be used, and any deviation from consumer expectation needs to be made clear. For example, regulations state you must indicate what a product is, not what it isn’t (so ‘no chick’n’ would not be compliant if used as the name of the food). Dairy terms — milk, cheese, butter and yogurt — are all protected and must only refer to products derived from animals (with some exceptions e.g. butter beans, peanut butter and custard creams). This has been reinforced recently and we now see phrasing like “soya drink” or “almond fermented speciality with raspberries” and “food slices made with coconut oil”. Although meat terms don’t currently have the same high level of legislative protections, the recent bans on using meat-like terms to describe plant-based products are seeing this shift. Using health claims ‘Plant-based’ is not a synonym for ‘healthy’ and food manufacturers should be wary of making bold claims on the label about the health benefits of their products. Controls on nutrition and health claims must still be observed at all times, and all claims used must be substantiated. Becker-Hawkins concluded: “The product must of course be safe and meet legislative requirements, but product information is one of the most important parts of the new product puzzle – enabling you to bring together all your marketing ambitions with your legal obligations – ensuring you communicate effectively to consumers, and they have what they need to make the best choices for themselves”. For more information, please visit ashbury.global or contact the team on 0845 459 5019 or at hello@ashbury.global. #Ashbury #Turkey

Bel Brands USA has launched two plant-based or animal-free cheese alternatives, The Laughing Cow Plant-Based and Nurishh Incredible Dairy cream cheese spread. Shannon Maher, chief marketing officer at Bel Brands USA, said: “…we’re thrilled to unveil new innovations from both our most well-known brand with the launch of The Laughing Cow Plant-Based as well as leveraging new technology through a partnership with Perfect Day to launch our breakthrough animal-free offering with Nurishh Incredible Dairy”. The Laughing Cow Plant-Based is a vegan alternative to the classic Laughing Cow creamy spreadable cheese. Nurishh’s animal-free cream cheese spread alternative is said to provide the same taste as traditional cream cheese as it contains real dairy proteins without using cows. The lactose-free spread, developed in partnership with Perfect Day, is created through precision fermentation, a process that offers complete dairy protein without involving any animals. CEO and co-founder of Perfect Day, Ryan Pandya, said: “This announcement marks an exciting step towards giving even more consumers the ability to try what’s possible when Perfect Day’s innovative animal-free protein is used by a best-in-class dairy leader. Consumers around the country will now be able to try kinder, greener animal-free cream cheese and make a delicious choice for the future of our planet.” Nurishh incredible Dairy will be available in chive and onion, original and strawberry flavours for an RRP of $4.99 at select US retailers from January 2023. The Laughing Cow Plant-Based will be available in select retailers in original and garlic and herb varieties for an RRP of $5.49. #Nurishh #US #animalfree #thelaughingcow #BelBrandsUSA #dairyfree

An Impossible Foods patent related to the inclusion of heme in imitation meat has been revoked by the European Patent Office (EPO), amid an escalating dispute between the company and Motif FoodWorks. Boston-based Motif, which was founded in 2019 as a spin-off from Ginkgo Bioworks, challenged the EU patent, which addresses meat alternatives containing heme protein, sugars and sulphur compounds. Motif argues that these ingredients are not patentable, as they have been used to enhance the taste and smell of meat and meat alternatives “for decades,” and says that it therefore agrees with the EPO’s decision finding the Impossible patent to be “obvious”. “We agree with the European Patent Office’s ruling that Impossible’s patent is obvious and look at it as a win for the industry – and a sign of things to come,” said Michael Leonard, CEO of Motif FoodWorks. Heme has been at the centre of a deepening legal dispute between the two companies in the US. Impossible has described the protein as the “magic ingredient” in its burgers. The iron-containing molecule – which helps give animal meat its distinctive flavour and colour – is made by the company using a yeast genetically engineered with the gene for soy leghemoglobin. At the end of last year, Motif announced the commercial launch of its own heme ingredient, Hemami, which is also produced via precision fermentation. In March, Impossible began a lawsuit against Motif challenging the food tech firm’s use of heme to replicate the sensory characteristics of animal meat and to date accuses the company of infringing seven patents. Motif asked the court to dismiss claims related to five patents covering imitation meat without any animal protein, on the basis that its ingredient, unlike Impossible’s, is molecularly identical to bovine myoglobin – a protein found in cows. Last month, the motion was denied by US Circuit Judge William Bryson, who said that the patents may cover Hemami because it is produced using yeast and does not have any “direct animal provenance,” allowing Impossible to press ahead with the case. Motif, meanwhile, filed a petition with the US patent office earlier this year to challenge the validity of one of Impossible’s patents. The food tech firm says that while the office “declined to review the patent in question on Motif’s first attempt, the company intends to continue challenging it at the patent office”. As the two companies gear up for a patent infringement trial, Motif has announced the filing of four additional invalidity challenges to US patents held by Impossible, which it says share similarities with the EU patent that has been overturned. Leonard said: “We will continue to fight Impossible’s aggressive actions to limit competition through every avenue available, including via the patent challenges we are announcing today”. FoodBev Media has approached Impossible Foods for comment. #Europe #ImpossibleFoods #MotifFoodWorks #US

Vitasoy has expanded its plant milk range in the Philippines with the launch of a new range, Vitasoy Plus. Vitasoy Plus is available in two alternative milk options: almond and oat. Vitasoy Plus Milky Almond and Milky Oat are high in calcium and cholesterol and lactose-free, as well as vegan-friendly. Carlo M. Licuanan, general manager of Vitasoy, said: “Vitasoy is committed to bringing more innovative, sustainable, great-tasting plant-based products to communities that we serve. As plant milk has increased popularity in the Philippines, we are delighted to introduce new additions to our Plus Milky series with almond and oat variations to cater to different consumer preferences.” #Philippines #Vitasoy

Umiami has acquired a former Unilever factory in Alsace, France, that will be the location of its first commercial-scale production facility. Located in Duppigheim, Umiami’s new manufacturing site is expected to be operational from the second half of 2023 and will produce plant-based meat and fish alternatives using the company’s patented technology. Umiami says that it will be able to redeploy some of the existing equipment at the former Knorr site, reducing the project’s environmental impact compared with constructing a new factory from scratch. Commenting on the location, CEO and co-founder Tristan Maurel said: “The region’s industrial know-how and strategic positioning at the heart of Europe convinced us that Alsace was the best place for our development”. According to Umiami, the factory will eventually be able to produce up to 22,000 tons of plant-based meat and fish alternatives, of all cuts, and is expected to create 200 jobs in the long term. The company has developed a protein texturizing technology called umization, that it says enables the production of thick, whole cut plant-based products with fibres similar to those of meat. Reechad Benyahia, chief operating officer, said: “The products we offer are produced using totally innovative technology. They need to be perfect in terms of their tasting pleasure, their nutritional characteristics and their consistent quality over time. The transition to industrial production could not tolerate the slightest deviation. We perfected it for months in our pilot factory in order to obtain a result we can be proud of.” Umiami will receive a government grant of €7.4 million to help finance the investments required to establish its Duppigheim industrial site. The company is also in line for €3 million of funding from the Grand-Est region. #France #plantbasedwholecuts #Umiami