PowerPlant Partners, known for backing plant-based food and beverage brands, has announced the final closing of its third fund at $330 million. PowerPlant Ventures III (PPV Fund III) will continue to invest in consumer brands that are “better for people and the planet,” focusing solely on growth-stage companies. PPV Fund III will invest between $15 million and $40 million in target companies. The fund has already made four investments in health and sustainable food and beverage companies, including Miyoko’s Creamery, Liquid Death, Partake Brewing and Systm Foods. “We are thrilled to receive such strong support and commitment from our limited partners, especially during a period of increased market volatility,” said Dan Gluck, co-managing partner of PowerPlant Partners. “This new fund will allow us to deepen and grow our efforts to find, fund and scale breakthrough companies that are building a healthier, more sustainable future.” PowerPlant Partners has announced it is expanding its strategic focus beyond food and beverage products to also include consumer technology, service and enablement companies that are aligned with people and planetary health megatrends. #PowerPlantPartners #US

Dairy-free cheese producer Daiya Foods has expanded its portfolio with the introduction of a range of plant-based flatbreads. Featuring Daiya’s Cutting Board Cheeze Shreds on top of a thin gluten-free crust, the flatbreads can be enjoyed for lunch or as an appetiser. Flavours include: Mushroom, Caramelized Onion & Fig, which also features kale, a creamy garlic sauce and Daiya’s mozzarella- and feta-style ‘cheezes;’ Meatless Italian Sausage Flavoured Crumbles, Roasted Pepper & Kale, with parmesan- and feta-style ‘cheezes;’ and Tomato, Sunflower Seed Pesto & Arugula Flatbread, with parmesan-style shreds. “At Daiya, our longstanding tradition of breakthrough plant-based discoveries continues with our first-to-market flatbreads,” said Dan Hua, vice president of marketing. “We know that consumers are often still choosing to cook at home versus eating out, as a result of the pandemic, and so we wanted to ensure they had the option for both a quick and convenient, yet delicious-tasting flatbread that was both plant-based and allergen-friendly.” The flatbreads can be found in the frozen aisle at Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Walmart, Save-on-Foods, Metro and Whole Foods Market. #dairyfreecheese #DaiyaFoods

Wicked Kitchen has acquired plant-based seafood brand Good Catch‘s North American channels. The acquisition extends Wicked Kitchen’s plant-based offerings to frozen and ambient seafood products, adding to the company’s portfolio of meal solutions and ingredients. The two brands, both co-founded by brothers and chefs, Chad and Derek Sarno, are coming together to support one mission: creating foods that work towards improving the environment and the lives of humans, animals and sea life by inspiring the world to eat more plants. Chad Sarno, now chief culinary officer for both brands, said: “When creating Wicked Kitchen and Good Catch, our goal for both brands was to develop culinary-driven, industry-changing products that would challenge the way consumers think about their food choices and experience. By coming together as one team and one mission, we will have a broader positive impact.” While the two brands will prioritise working together on animal-free product innovations, they will also continue to operate ‘business as usual’ in terms of branding, current product availability, distribution and fulfilment. In the all-stock transaction, Gathered Foods, the parent company of Good Catch, will become a shareholder in Wicked Kitchen and will gain a seat on the company’s board. Gathered will focus on its core strength in developing and producing quality and innovative plant-based proteins. Chris Kerr, Gathered Foods executive chair, added: “Gathered Foods is a leading pioneer in plant-based proteins. Wicked’s greatest strength is consumer reach, branding, and most importantly, culinary delight. Together, this is an outstanding path forward allowing both companies to bring their greatest strengths to the consumer market.” Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. #GatheredFoods #GoodCatch #Plantbasedseafood #WickedKitchen

Everyone at FoodBev Media and The Plant Base join so many around the world in mourning the loss as well as celebrating the life of Queen Elizabeth II, who won the admiration of all generations by setting such an example of service. She reigned throughout my lifetime and I had the immense privilege of meeting her in 1973 when she came to Bath to recognise 1,000 years since the coronation of England’s first king, King Edgar, in 973. We lose one of the most constant figures of our lives. Her values will live on. Richard Hall, chairman of FoodBev Media

Plant-based meat business This has added a new range of ready meals to its portfolio, aiming to fill the gap for a meat reducer offering that also appeals to younger consumers. The launch sees three plant-based ready meals hit the shelves that are low in saturated fat, high in protein and can be cooked in the microwave in 4-5 minutes. The varieties are This Isn’t Pork Meatballs and Spaghetti, in a rich tomato sauce with grilled peppers; This Isn’t Chicken Thai Green Curry, with a coconut and lemongrass sauce, aubergine, green beans and rice; and This Isn’t Pork Sausages and Mash, with red onion gravy and creamy kale mash. Andy Shovel co-founder of This said: “The ready meals taste lush and it’s a massive moment for us to be launching into our fourth new category so quickly. Thanks to all the amazing work of This team we’ve been able to produce meals which are indistinguishable from the nation’s favourite meat-based classics.” The ready meal range will be This’s fourth new category in a matter of months, driving penetration to the plant-based lifestyle. The brand launched its first frozen range in June, its first branded food-to-go range in July and its first ambient snacking product with Hippeas just last month. The products will be available in Tesco stores from 12 September and will have an RRP of £3.95. #This #plantbasedmeat #UK #readymeals #plantbased

Kibbutz Yotvata and Brevel have co-signed an agreement to build a commercial-scale facility to cultivate and produce microalgae-based protein for the food and beverage industry. The facility, located in Israel, will be home to the largest fermentation reactors of their kind; in full capacity, the total manufacturing volume will reach up to 900,000 litres and 3,000 tons of dry product per year. Today, Brevel uses fermenters that have a capacity of 5,000 litres. Brevel is providing microalgae-based alternative protein which is affordable, highly functional, sustainable and at consistent and scalable production. Brevel’s technology is the first globally to combine sugar-based microalgae fermentation with a high concentration of light at industrial scales. The result is a colour- and flavour-neutral protein that will be price competitive with pea and soy. Brevel’s protein solves immediate challenges in plant-based dairy and egg products that lack a valuable nutritional profile due to the need for very mildly-flavoured protein sources. Yonatan Golan, CEO and co-founder of Brevel, said: “We are actively working to solve the biggest nutrition challenges that exist today. The company is achieving this by providing truly sustainable plant-based protein that is available for the first time at an affordable cost for the food industry.” CEO of Yotvata, Hannan Shushan, added: “We are proud to build the largest facility of its kind in the world. Yotvata is dedicated to finding sustainable solutions to feed the ever-growing world population and believes that the alternative-protein market will play a big part in that mission. The agreement with Brevel is a significant step in that direction.” #Brevel #protein #sustainableprotein #microalgae #Israel

Manufactured in Hong Kong, Vitasoy’s new range includes oat and almond milk varieties and is specially formulated to offer consumers a fresh and smooth taste experience. Made from 100% oats or almonds, the Fresh Vitasoy Plant+ range contains zero cholesterol, low sugar, high calcium and vitamin D, with no added preservatives. The product allows consumers to enjoy plant-based milk without compromising on taste and texture, making it a great drink to be consumed as part of a plant-based lifestyle and balanced diet for health and sustainability benefits. Established in 1940, Vitasoy International Holdings Limited is a manufacturer and distributor of plant-based food and beverages. The company strives to promote sustainable plant-based nutrition through the provision of a variety of products with nutrition, taste and sustainability as the guidelines for its portfolio offerings. #HongKong #plantbaseddairy #plantbasedmilk #Vitasoy

Swiss start-up Cultivated Biosciences has raised $1.5 million in a pre-seed funding round, which will enable the company to address challenges with texture in plant-based dairy products. The plant-based dairy industry has struggled to replicate the creaminess of animal products – existing dairy-free solutions such as palm oil are not sustainable from an environmentalist perspective. The funding round was led by Swiss venture fund Wingman Ventures and involved other foodtech venture capital investors including Big Idea Ventures, Blue Horizon, Proveg International and the FoodHack syndicate. CEO and co-founder of US-based Every Company, Arturo Elizondo, also participated in this round. From its laboratories in Zurich, Cultivated Biosciences will use the funding to develop a creamy ingredient made from GMO-free yeast, providing the mouthfeel needed to make plant-based dairy an alternative for consumers. The ingredient is clean label and has a sustainable production process. It provides the same texture and colour as dairy products, low lipid oxidation and natural emulsification properties. Tomas Turner, CEO and co-founder of Cultivated Biosciences, said: “We are beyond excited to build a solution that will elevate the mouthfeel of the plant-based dairy category and ensure that it’s simply better and cheaper than its factory-farmed equivalent”. Elizondo added: “Fats are the next frontier in accelerating the world’s transition to an animal-free food system and I’m thrilled to be personally backing Cultivated Biosciences and their approach”. In 2023, the company will start testing its creamy ingredient with selected clients for high-value savoury applications and is open to working with partners, especially those from the Swiss gastronomy sector and the US and European foodtech ecosystem. #GMOfree #sustainable #plantbaseddairy #Cultivatedbiosciences #Switzerland

Being vegan just got easier at Greggs as the bakery reinvent some much-loved classics, advancing from its 2019 vegan sausage roll launch. The bakery has reconstructed its signature Southern Fried Chicken-Free Baguette: a freshly baked crunchy baguette, packed with vegan goujons, topped with mature Cheddar vegan cheeZe flavour slices, sliced red onion and a helping of chipotle chilli sauce. Hold up! There are some new vegan-friendly kids on the block 👀​ Introducing our tasty Vegan Southern Fried Chicken-Free Baguette, Vegan Cheeze and Bean Toastie and Chicken-free Goujons. ​ Available from 1st September. pic.twitter.com/muLvf7W3A4 — Greggs (@GreggsOfficial) September 1, 2022 The high-street bakery has also added a freshly baked vegan cheeZe and bean toastie to its menu, made with grated vegan cheeZe and classic baked beans. Southern fried chicken-free goujons will be available to purchase on their own, with crunchy lightly spiced breadcrumbs on the outside and a tender meat-free filling, the snack can be paired with various dips, such as sweet chilli. The full range will be available from 15th September at all Greggs shops. #Greggs #UK #vegan #plantbasedchicken #Autumn #bakery

Researchers at DTU claim to have developed a new type of lactic acid bacteria that can create a natural butter flavour when grown in plant-based drinks such as soy and oat milk. According to DTU, the key to good flavour in many dairy products is the buttery taste. Researchers at the institute have found a way to reproduce this by converting the sugar in plant-based beverages into a natural butter flavour. “The taste that characterises our dairy products is dependent on the butter flavour. Without butter flavour, butter would not taste like butter, just as cheese and yogurt would taste different,” said DTU National Food Institute associate professor, Christian Solem. “The new lactic acid bacterium therefore has the potential to create plant-based products with a taste that comes closer to the one we are familiar with from traditional products.” According to DTU, butter flavour is formed when lactic acid bacteria convert the citric acid in milk. The institute says that by slightly changing the properties of the lactic acid bacteria, its researchers have made it possible to produce butter flavour from sugar instead. “In this way, we have created a shortcut to butter flavour without using milk, but the butter aroma has the same good properties,” said Solem. The new flavour solution can be used in many applications, including plant-based spreads, yogurt and cheese. The researchers behind the technology are in the process of publishing their findings. #Denmark #DTU

Impossible Foods has expanded its portfolio with the introduction of a range of single-serve frozen meals: Impossible Bowls. The new line-up reimagines eight classic comfort food dishes using Impossible’s assortment of plant-based proteins. The range includes: Sweet & Sour Impossible Pork, Teriyaki Impossible Chicken, Chili Mac with Impossible Pork, Barbeque Impossible Pork, Spaghetti & Impossible Meatballs, Pasta Bolognese with Impossible Beef & Pork, Burrito Bowl with Impossible Beef and Spicy Enchilada Bowl with Impossible Chicken. “Convenience and accessibility are a huge part of this, and we’re excited to give people even more ways to try and buy Impossible products,” said Peter McGuinness, CEO of Impossible Foods. “This is a major milestone that we’re proud of and hope will push the category forward in a meaningful way. It’s never been easier to try a delicious plant-based meal in minutes.” Each 9oz Impossible Bowl contains 10-13g of protein and 0g of trans fat. The launch comes on the heels of the introduction of Impossible Chicken Patties, which began rolling out in retail in August. #ImpossibleFoods #US

Fungal ingredient company, The Protein Brewery, has announced the appointment of Sue Garfitt as CEO. Formerly chief executive of Alpro, Garfitt will lead the next stage of the company’s development as it prepares to go to market. The Protein Brewery, which develops fungal food ingredients, such as its flagship product Fermotein, says that Garfitt has extensive leadership experience in the food sector. After beginning her career at PepsiCo, Garfitt further developed her commercial skills at New York Bakery, before taking the helm at plant-based dairy giant Alpro. “We are incredibly pleased that Sue has accepted the position as CEO of The Protein Brewery,” said the company’s chairman, Bente Korsgaard Andersen. “She has broad and quite unique experience, from both the food sector in general and, more specifically, an impressive track record in pioneering in the plant-based field, setting the scene for what plant-based is today. “Sue knows how to bring a story to market and grow the business. We are confident she will be successful in driving The Protein Brewery forward in supplying scalable, smart and sustainable food ingredient solutions, contributing to feeding a growing population towards 10 billion people in 2050.” Commenting on her appointment, Garfitt said: “I am excited to be joining The Protein Brewery at this pivotal moment in the company’s development. I look forward to working with an enthusiastic and smart group of colleagues to further accelerate the company’s position in championing fermented fungal food ingredients across the globe.” She added: “We are well positioned to deploy our scientific capabilities and prepare for the next stage of bringing Fermotein and other alternative protein solutions to the market”. To support this next step, the company is constructing its first commercial scale-up brewery, which is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2023. #Appointments #theNetherlands #TheProteinBrewery