Sophie’s BioNutrients has collaborated with Danish Technological Institute (DTI) to develop a microalgae-based ice cream. According to Sophie’s BioNutrients, a 1 oz serving of the new vegan-friendly creation has the potential to provide double the recommended daily intake of vitamin B12. The ice cream is made using the food tech company’s protein concentrate derived from Chlorella vulgaris. “Microalgae is one of the most nutrient-rich and versatile resources on the planet,” said Eugene Wang, CEO and co-founder of Sophie’s BioNutrients. “Today we have shown another facet of the unlimited possibilities this superfood can offer – a dairy- and lactose-free alternative to ice cream that, thanks to microalgae, offers a higher nutrition content than most available dairy-free alternatives. We are incredibly excited for this development in allergen-free foods and the prospect of more inclusive dining.” Alongside vitamin B12, Chlorella is said to be a good source of iron, which only exists at low levels in cow’s milk. Danish Technological Institute director of food technology, Anne Louise Dannesboe Nielsen, noted: “Microalgae is definitely part of the future. It is a sustainable ingredient with a lot of potential in multiple food applications. “At DTI, we are increasingly experiencing interest in microalgae and are eager to help grow, understand and explore its potential.” #DanishTechnologicalInstitute #microalgae #SophiesBionutrients

Califia Farms has expanded its line of dairy-free products with the launch of a plant-based creamer named Heavy Whip. Unflavored and unsweetened, Heavy Whip allows consumers to customise their recipes, whether sweet or savory, such as soups, salad dressing or creamy desserts. The new vegan creamer is made from a coconut oil base and is gluten-free, non-GMO Certified and kosher. In addition, to celebrate the launch, Califia has teamed up with Amercian chef, Carla Hall, to release a digital recipe book called Comfort Kitchen: A Dairy-Free & Plant-Based Recipe Collection. Heavy Whip is said to be featured in two recipes from the book, which helps highlight its versatility in the kitchen. Hall said: “I love cooking and baking with their products, and [Califia’s] new, dairy-free Heavy Whip is a game-changer for cooks. It’s an ideal one-to-one swap that makes the creamiest, dairy-free soups and works equally well as a 100% plant-based dessert topping and as an ingredient in so many other recipes.” Suzanne Ginestro, chief marketing officer at Califia Farms, added: “At Califia, we’re passionate about celebrating the irresistible goodness of plants, and we saw an opportunity to create a plant-based swap for dairy heavy whipping cream without compromising on taste and functionality. Heavy Whip allows any recipe’s ingredients to shine through and makes it easier than ever for consumers to experiment with plant-based options.” Heavy Whip is available at Whole Foods, Sprouts and other US retailers for an SRP of $4.89 per 16.9oz carton. #CalifiaFarms #US

Plant-based food producer, Julienne Bruno, has announced the closing of a funding round led by Cherry Ventures, bringing its total funding to more than £6 million. The new capital will support the company’s expansion plans. An initial seed round of just over £1 million saw the development of the brand’s ‘Collection 01,’ consisting of three products: Burrella, Crematta and Superstraccia. Julienne Bruno’s most recent, £5 million funding round was led by Cherry Ventures and included Outsized Ventures, as well as pro-rata from existing investors such as Seedcamp and Nicoya. The investment will support existing partnerships with UK retailers such as Selfridges London, Holland & Barrett and Whole Foods Market. Carlos Eduardo Espinal, managing partner at Seedcamp, commented: “Julienne Bruno’s Collection 01 is not only a more sustainable and ethical alternative to dairy products but also tastes even better. Axel and his team are elevating the dairy-free food experience without compromising on taste or texture.” Christian Meermann, founding partner at Cherry Ventures, said: “At remarkable speed – less than a year of development – the Julienne Bruno team has created and brought the best tasting dairy-free, plant-based cheese to market”. Dinika Mahtani from Cherry Ventures added: “The vegan product market is expected to grow significantly in the next decade, and we have full confidence that Julienne Bruno will lead the way. With our seed round, we’re excited to join Axel and his team as they bring their original products to more people, and we’re excited the news coincides with their launches in Holland & Barrett plus Whole Foods Market in the UK.” #JulienneBruno #plantbasedcheese #UK

Beyond Meat has expanded its plant-based chicken portfolio with the introduction of two new products. Featuring a crispy, golden brown coating, Beyond Chicken Nuggets and Beyond Popcorn Chicken can be prepared in the air fryer in just a few minutes. The new offerings are made from a blend of faba bean and pea, and contain 0mg of cholesterol and 14g of plant-based protein per serving. Beyond Meat chief innovation officer, Dariush Ajami, said: “We’re always exploring new plant-based protein sources that deliver the taste and texture of their animal protein equivalent and are proud that by using faba bean protein we’ve been able to create a portfolio of absolutely delicious plant-based chicken products with no added soy, a key differentiator for our Beyond Chicken products within the category”. The nuggets and bite-sized popcorn pieces are launching at Kroger, Walmart and other retailers across the US. #BeyondMeat #plantbasedchicken

NuCicer has closed its latest seed investment round, led by Bayer AG’s unit Leaps by Bayer, alongside Lever VC, Blue Horizon and Trellis Road. NuCicer is a US-based crop genetics company pioneering ultra-high protein varieties of chickpeas, which are said to contain 75% more protein content than conventional chickpeas. NuCicer will use the capital to scale the production of its chickpea varieties, targeting a 50% reduction in the cost of chickpea protein ingredients and expanding existing partnerships with partners in order to provide consumers with affordable, sustainable plant proteins by 2023. Kathryn Cook, CEO and co-founder at NuCicer, said: “Expanding affordable, scalable plant protein beyond currently available soy ingredients is a critical and urgent need for our food system. Today’s investment round is a significant moment for both NuCicer and the wider plant protein market. With Leaps by Bayer’s support, we look forward to taking the next step in our journey: driving natural ingredient technologies to the next level and bringing improved plant-based products to market.” Jürgen Eckhardt, head of Leaps by Bayer, added: “Leaps by Bayer was founded on the principle of driving real change to the world we live in via our investments, and NuCicer is an ideal example of how we’re working collaboratively to make a positive difference. NuCicer is a fascinating business that we believe will assist the development of climate resilient, natural, and plant-based protein alternatives that will help decarbonise our food supply chains.” Financial details of the round were not disclosed. #NuCicer #US

BrainMD has announced the launch of plant-powdered protein bars, called Brain Boost. Brain Boost plant-powered protein bars support optimal brain and body health. Each bar features 12g of plant protein, 11g of gut-friendly prebiotic fibre, creamy almond butter and antioxidant-rich dark chocolate chunks. The new protein bars, which are boosted with MCT oil powder, contain no added sugar, artificial sweeteners, colours, fractionated oils or trans fats. Brain Boost plant-powered protein bars also contain all nine essential amino acids, and three plant-based, low-glycemic sweetener alternatives – stevia, monk fruit and allulose. “These bars took three years to develop because we wanted to get them just right,” said Dr Amen, founder and CEO of BrainMD. Brain Boost plant-powered protein bars are vegan, gluten-free and keto-friendly, and contain only 200 calories per serving. #BrainMD #US

Shandi Global has announced the opening of what it says is Singapore’s “largest” plant-based chicken production facility, following a second seed funding round. The funding is supporting the commercialisation and scaling up of Shandi’s plant-based chicken products, which come in an array of formats, including patties, pieces, strips, shreds and drumsticks. Founded in 2019, Shandi’s aim is to provide alternative sustainable sources of food in order to tackle global shortages. The company’s patented technology uses natural, non-GMO ingredients, such as pea protein, chickpeas, brown rice, coconut oil, quinoa and flax seeds, to make plant-based chicken. According to Shandi, the products feel and react to cooking in the same way as animal meat, a characteristic that the company claims other brands are yet to replicate successfully. In addition, the meat alternatives manufacturer claims its plant-based chicken is the only product of its kind to have a protein content close to actual chicken meat’s 30%. Reena Sharma, founder and CEO of Shandi Global, commented: “We are currently focusing on B2B partnerships, whose established networks we are tapping [into]…to quickly introduce our products to as many people as possible, to gain mass adoption of Shandi in kitchens around the world. This will enable us to quickly expand so that we can continue research and development to further improve our offerings.” #plantbasedchicken #ShandiGlobal #Singapore

Meati Foods has expanded its meat alternative portfolio with the launch of a new product, Meati Carne Asada. Meati Carne Asada is said to be Meati’s fourth product in its mushroom-root whole-cut lineup, as well as the first marinated offering from the brand, pre-seasoned with cumin, paprika and other spices. With a similar texture to its Meati Classic Steak, Carne Asada offers a nutrient-dense whole food and a good source of fibre, amino acids and micronutrients such as iron and zinc. Meati Carne Asada will be available for purchase via Meati’s website. #MeatiFoods #mushroomroot

WNWN Food Labs, a producer of cocoa-free chocolate, has begun the development of an expanded facility in Hackney Wick, London. The new space will house R&D, manufacturing, a test kitchen and office area, and will increase WNWN’s production space “eightfold”. Following the expansion, WNWN (pronounced ‘win-win’) hopes to begin producing in volume to supply a more ethical alternative to commoditised chocolate to CPG food companies. The business also plans to grow its headcount and expects to double its staff by the end of the year. WNWN CTO, Johnny Drain, said: “With this expansion, we’ll be in gear to begin supplying small to midsize brands, including Michelin-star restaurants, bakers and foodservice distributors”. Drain added: “Our direct-to-consumer product drops have sold out instantly, so this new space also allows us to perform more testing and development for future launches”. WNWN applies traditional fermentation techniques to widely available plant-based ingredients in a proprietary process, in order to create cocoa-free chocolate that tastes, melts, snaps and bakes just like its conventional counterpart. The company’s alt-chocolate is vegan, caffeine-free, gluten-free, palm oil-free and lower in sugar than comparable products. #UK #WNWN

Press Healthfoods has added two new soup varieties to its range of mineral, vitamin and fibre-rich soups, Nourish and Energise. Nourish contains sweet potato, red lentils and spinach, with 17 grams of protein per serving. Energise consists of butternut squash, mixed beans and red lentils and provides 14 grams of plant-based protein. Press Healthfoods’ founder, Ed Foy, said: “At Press, we believe protein is the most important pillar in a balanced diet, which is why we developed our soups to ensure you get a great protein boost, whilst enjoying a natural plant-based soup that is high in fibre and supports immunity throughout the colder months.” Press recently partnered with CleanHub and is now plastic neutral. For every kilogram of plastic the brand produces, it commits to taking the same amount from the environment before it enters the ocean. The soups come in 100% recyclable packaging and delivery boxes are made from 100% recycled card. The soups are available on the brand’s website for an RRP of £4.95. #PressHealthfoods #soup #UK

Premier Foods-owned Paxo has expanded its offering with the launch of meat-free meal makers to help consumers create nutritious, meatless versions of popular meals. The mixes currently available are a burger mix and a meatball mix, with a sausage mix due to hit retailers in the coming months. The vegan mixes are high in plant-based proteins and can be used to make dishes in 20 minutes. “We are expanding our range – using our expertise in dry mixes – to offer retailers a selection of products that span many growing meal occasions. As a brand that is an expert in store cupboard mixes, Paxo is very well placed to deliver in this space as it offers the familiarity and credibility that shoppers seek. Paxo broadens the appeal of meat-free meals and will attract new customers to the category,” said Helen Touchais, brand director at Premier Foods. The mixes are available in Asda and Sainsbury’s stores nationwide for an RRP of £2.25. #Meatfreemealmaker #Paxo #PremierFoods #UK

IFF has announced the launch of a new plant-based protein ingredient that enables meat alternative manufacturers to make “whole-muscle” pieces or chunks. Based on soy, Supro Tex is said to provide a very similar texture to chunky pieces of whole-muscle animal protein and aims to expand innovation opportunities in the plant-based meat space. The extruded protein solution does not require major capital investment for manufacturers to begin production. As a dry product, it eliminates the need for a cold supply chain, reducing shipping costs. “What makes Supro Tex stand out in the plant-based space is for the first time, meat alternative manufacturers can make tender, plant-based protein whole-muscle pieces or chunks without the need for major capital investments or a refrigerated supply chain,” said Michel Mellema, global innovation director of IFF’s Re-imagine Protein programme. “This is the latest from IFF’s Re-imagine Protein programme, where we accelerate the development of breakthrough ingredients and technologies to meet the needs of our customers and consumers.” With a neutral flavour and colour, the new 80% protein ingredient can be used to mimic differently textured meats by adjusting hydration levels and customising flavour. “In a patent-pending process, soy protein is combined with other texturants to improve the firmness of the protein pieces after hydration,” said Ulrik Madsen, culinary designer at IFF. “Due to their unique composition, Supro Tex chunks retain their texture throughout manufacturing – without breaking apart when in a tumbler or simmering – as compared to typical low-moisture extruded products.” #IFF #meatalternatives #plantbasedmeatwholecuts