Coconut water brand, Vita Coco, has launched Choc-o-lot with added fibre benefits to “aid digestion and keep [consumers] bowels healthy”. Vita Coco’s Choc-o-lot with fibre is packed with vitamin C and potassium, as well as being vegan-friendly and low in sugar. The new reformulated beverage is made with soluble corn fibre. Nutritionist Emma Moross said: “Choc-o-lot is a perfect drink for when we don’t fancy a green juice as it’s got that chocolatey flavour so many of us love but is still low in sugar. This refreshing drink also contains vitamin C, potassium and now has the benefits of fibre included too, making it a great all-rounder for a chocolatey refreshment”. Choc-o-lot with fibre is available in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Co-op and Boots stores for an RRP of £1.80 per 330ml. #chocolatemilk #UK #VitaCoco

Saputo Dairy USA is launching a new range of plant-based, vegan-certified and dairy-free cheeses to add to its Vitalite portfolio. Available in six varieties, the line consists of Plant-Based Mozzarella Style Slices; Plant-Based Mozzarella Style Shreds; Plant-Based Cheddar Style Slices; Plant-Based Cheddar Style Shreds; Plant-Based Grated Parmesan Style; and a Plant-Based Creamy Original Spread. Vitalite’s products are made using no genetically modified ingredients and are vegan- and kosher-certified, gluten-free and, except for the Creamy Original Spread, soy-free. Nikki Trzeciak, Saputo executive chef and senior manager of culinary and sensory, said: “People following a plant-based or flexitarian diet have limited options in the grocery store and many of those options lack appeal. The idea for Vitalite came out of trying to solve that. We want home cooks to feel liberated in the kitchen and inspired to create traditional foods they have an emotional connection to without compromise.” The range will be rolled out across US retailers nationwide this year. #SaputoDairyUSA #US

Artisanal plant-based cheese maker, Nuts For Cheese, has announced a CAD 5.35 million ($4.1 million approx.) funding round. Founded in 2015, Nuts For Cheese uses cultures to make its fermented cashew-based cheeses and butters, which are produced in a certified organic facility and sold in Canada and the US. The company’s latest funding round was led by Forage Capital Partners along with Sol Cuisine founder Dror Balshine and Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods co-founder, Mike Fata. The investment will support equipment and facility enhancements, and will also go towards key hires, innovation and marketing initiatives. Margaret Coons, CEO and founder of Nuts For Cheese, said: “From the early days I’ve worked hard to surround myself with the right partners. It’s been such a journey, from a rented commercial kitchen to building out our current 25,000-square-foot facility. “What once looked huge to me is now quickly becoming ready for more expansion. This investment comes at a perfect time for us to be able to keep pace with our growth and I couldn’t be happier partnering with a company like Forage, which has extensive experience in the food space and such an incredible team.” Nuts For Cheese says that it will also be implementing a board of directors, which will be led by Fata as chairman. #NutsForCheese #US #Canada #ForageCapitalPartners #plantbasedcheese

What is the tastiest new plant-based cheese? What is the most sustainable processing technique? What is needed to advance Europe to a more plant-rich diet? Bridge2Food brings together key leaders from all along the value chain, who are working to drive transformation in the plant-based industry. The Netherlands-based company is hosting its highly regarded Plant-Based Foods & Proteins Summit Europe in Ede, Netherlands, from 21-23 June. “The industry is at a crossroads: collaboration across the value chain as well as between brands will be essential to raising the bar and keeping the consumer engaged,” said CEO and founder Gerard Klein Essink. “At this Bridge2Food summit there is the unique opportunity to connect with decision-makers all along the value chain, including start-ups.” The 100 speakers and panellists at Summit Europe include: Isabelle Privat, head of plant and nutrition, Nestlé Henrik Lund, founder and CEO, Naturli’ Foods Vinciane Patelou, director, European Plant-Based Foods Association (ENSA) Anne Louise Dannesboe Nielsen, director, Danish Technological Institute (DTI) Friederike Grosse-Holz, director, Blue Horizon Kevin Camphuis, managing director, ShakeUp Factory Some of the companies attending include: Symrise, IFF, Givaudan, Dohler, DSM, EverGrain, Lallemand, GEA, Clextral, Pall, Flottweg, Improve, Poittemill, Alfa Laval, Wageningen University and Protein Industries Canada. There are four tracks during the summit to cover the full spectrum of discussions and the value chain: Consumer & Industry Challenges, Delicious Food Innovations, Sustainable Process Innovations and Value Chain Research Investments. All discussions will be overlaid with consideration of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Key innovation tours, developed in collaboration with Wageningen University and Symrise, will be hosted at Wageningen campus. Bridge2Food has been hosting summits since 2002 and we are excited to be celebrating our 20th anniversary in person with 400+ of the best in business and thought leaders focused on making a difference at all levels of the plant-based foods and proteins industries. For more information about the summit, and to arrange interviews or a media pass, please contact: Barb Wilkinson, communications and marketing lead: bwilkinson@bridge2food.com. About Bridge2Food Bridge2Food is an international network company, based out of the Netherlands, with a mission to inspire industry and organisations all along the agri-food value chain to collaborate to create innovative solutions for a healthier life and a sustainable planet. Our summits grow ideas into actions; our academy courses deliver hands-on education; and our ecosystem provides a space for fostering innovation. www.bridge2food.com #Bridge2Food #plantbasedfoods #plantbasedprotein #theNetherlands

UK oat milk producer, Minor Figures, has received minority investments from Danone Manifesto Ventures and Green Monday Group. Founded in 2015, Minor Figures produces plant-based beverages using natural ingredients with few additives. The company’s portfolio includes barista oat milks and a line of ready-to-drink coffees and teas, and is sold in 16 countries. Minor Figures has offices in the UK, US and Australia. “We are excited to partner with Danone Manifesto Ventures and Green Monday Group,” said Stuart Forsyth, co-founder and CEO of Minor Figures. “The team at Danone Manifesto Ventures – the first corporate venture unit to be independently certified as a B Corp – shares our core vision to create a sustainable future for humanity. We are confident they are the perfect partner to help us optimise and grow our multi-geo, multi-channel business.” He continued: “With Green Monday Group, we have a like-minded partner who is focused on constructing a multi-faceted global ecosystem of future food that combats climate change, food insecurity, public health crisis, planetary devastation and animal suffering. We look forward to building on our distribution relationship across Asia as Minor Figures works to meet the increasing needs of plant-based consumers globally.” Financial terms were not disclosed. #GreenMondayGroup #UK #DanoneManifestoVentures #Danone #MinorFigures

Spanish biotechnology company Cocuus has raised €2.5 million in a pre-Series A funding round, as it looks to scale up its 3D bioprinting technology for the production of alternative proteins. The round was led by Big Idea Ventures, Cargill Ventures, Eatable Adventures and Tech Transfer UPV. Cocuus plans to use the capital to scale up its business and expand into other international markets. Cocuus founder and CEO, Patxi Larumbe, said: “We are very proud to have attracted the interest of international investors with this round of financing. Thanks to this capital injection, we will be able to bring our technology within reach of corporations that want to print proteins on an industrial scale.” Big Idea Ventures founder and managing general partner, Andrew D Ive, added: “At Big Idea Ventures, we invest in technology which impacts the alternative protein industry’s entire value chain. Cocuus’ technology addresses a major pain point of structured plant- and cell-based meat production methods: scalability.” #biotechnology #Spain #cultivatedmeat #meatalternatives #Cocuus

Canadian brand Daiya Foods is adding to its portfolio of plant-based cheese with the release of Mediterranean-inspired cheese blocks. The releases include a Grilling Cheeze Block and a Feta Flavour Block. Daiya’s Grilling Cheeze Block is inspired by traditional Halloumi cheese from Cyprus and is the “first” plant-based grilling cheese made from oats and chickpeas, with notes of garlic and herb. The cheese is designed to be grilled and pan-fried, with the ability to maintain its shape without melting. Daiya’s Feta Flavour Block is made with certified gluten-free oats and olive oil and is “salty, tangy and bright with a semi-smooth bite”. Dan Hua, vice president of marketing at Daiya, commented: “Our new artisan-inspired cheeze blocks, crafted with wholesome plant-based ingredients for an authentic Mediterranean taste, will inspire new tasty and robust creations and ensure those with dietary restrictions don’t have to miss out”. Daiya’s portfolio of plant-based foods can be found in grocery stores across the US, including Kroger, Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Safeway and Publix, as well as Sprouts and most natural food retailers. #Canada #Daiya #US

The knots, which will be the first to launch into the mainstream food sector, are made from soybeans and water, are all-natural, as well as nutrient-rich – boasting 45% protein – gluten-free and plant-based. According to the company, dried tofu has a more intense creamy and savoury flavour than fresh tofu and is both “chewy and flaky”. The knots can also act as a replacement for meat or fish or as a base instead of pasta. Bonnie Chung, founder of Miso Tasty and Tofu Tasty, commented: “It is rare to have the chance to introduce something completely new in food. I can’t wait for you to discover for yourself what a staple these tofu knots will become for your pantry. Dried tofu has always been a reliable cupboard ingredient for me, ready to be knocked-up into satisfying nutritious dishes.” Tofu Tasty dried tofu knots will launch into over 200 Waitrose stores in July for an RRP of £3.29 per 300g pack. #MisoTasty #TofuTasty #UK

The range includes frozen Meatless Marinara and chilled and frozen versions of Meatless Korean BBQ Style Chicken & Rice and Meatless Chilli Non Carne. Meatless Marinara combines spaghetti and plant-based pea protein meatballs with a rich tomato and herby sauce. Lastly, Meatless Chilli Non-Carne is a Mexican-style chilli dish consisting of kidney beans, red onion, tomato-based sauce with cumin and served with white rice. Michael Hunter, UK managing director of Meatless Farm, said: “The launch of our new range of ready meals takes Meatless Farm into a brand-new category in the supermarkets and will provide more people with the fuss-free tea they want”. The frozen Meatless Marinara, Meatless Korean BBQ Style Chicken & Rice and Meatless Chilli Non Carne will launch into Morrisons stores nationwide for an RRP of £3 per 400g per meal on 11 July. #MeatlessFarm #UK

Met Foods-owned Cocos Organic has launched a gut-friendly and dairy-free yogurt alternative fortified with Bifidobacterium BB-12. Light Natural is described as “fully functional and live,” made with 96% organic coconut milk and fortified with live bacteria strains. Cocos Organic said: “Made using traditional techniques to create a gut-friendly, lighter alternative to dairy that can be enjoyed at every time of day, [Light Natural] can add texture and flavour to a range of sweet and savoury dishes, including breakfast bowls, smoothies, dips, curries, pasta sauces and desserts. Cocos Organic’s Light Natural yogurt is available at Ocado and Planet Organic stores for an RRP of £4.99. #CocosOrganic #MetFoods #yogurt

The judging panel for the World Plant-Based Awards 2022, in association with Plant Based World Expo North America, has now been announced. This year’s panel includes recognised and reputable names from across the global plant-based industry and between them, they will be responsible for deciding the winners of the World Plant-Based Awards, taking place in September 2022. There are 16 trophies to be won in total, and being shortlisted provides a hallmark of success that will prevail long after the awards draw to a close. To find out more information, including how to enter, click here. A full list of the 2022 judges can be seen below. R&D and Innovation Manager – Greater Asia, Roquette Alok Prakash is a plant-based food enthusiast, currently managing Innovation at Roquette, a global leader in plant-based ingredients and a pioneer of new vegetal proteins. He is a Biotechnology graduate from Vellore Institute of Technology, India, and Master’s in Sustainable Food Technology & Management from ISA – Lille, France. Alok has been published as author and co-author of over 15 research, review and book chapters in peer-reviewed biotechnology and food science journals and books. Since 2014, Alok has been working with Roquette at several locations (France, China & India) in Research and Operational functions. For the past few years, Alok has been extensively involved in developing plant-based meat ecosystem in Asia Pacific by supporting regional start-ups with technical expertise for product and process development. He firmly believes, sustainably feeding 10 billion people by 2050 can only be possible by using a plant-based diet as the major component of our food intake. Click here to view Alok’s LinkedIn profile Editor of The Plant Base, FoodBev Media Antonia Garrett Peel is the editor of The Plant Base, the newest publication from business-centric multimedia platform, FoodBev Media. The magazine provides new insights on the rapidly developing plant-based sector, covering topics ranging from processing technologies to ingredient innovations and product launches. In her role as editor, Antonia has taken an in-depth look at many burgeoning areas of the market, while also reporting on the latest news and trends to come out of the plant-based category. In addition, alongside the rest of the editorial team, Antonia helps shape the output of the FoodBev website, a source of news and analysis from across the global food and beverage industry. Click here to view Antonia’s LinkedIn profile Chief Scientist, Vesta Food Lab Zhan Bao is the Chief Scientist of Vesta Food Lab, a meat analogue manufacturer in China. He was working for BASF in Germany and Singapore on nano technology and macromolecules. He is a food writer and a science advisor for food documentary “Once upon a bite”. He was one of the 15 named inspectors for Meituan Black Pearl Restaurant Guide 2020 in China. He was also on the judging panel of World Plant-Based Awards 2021. Click here to view Zhan’s LinkedIn profile Head of Regional Sales and Global Development, OraSi With more than 15 years of experience in senior marketing roles around Asia, Francesco Benazzi stepped into the plant-based world in 2015 in Hong Kong. Since then, he has been the spokesperson for the Italian brand OraSi, signing regional deals with the biggest worldwide players (Starbucks, IKEA, Compass, Google) and all the major retailers. Lactose intolerant, coffee lover, and plant-based food enthusiast, he is married and the father of two beautiful kids. Click here to view Francesco’s LinkedIn profile VP Danone Plant-Based Iberia Guillaume is a French citizen, living between Barcelona and Paris. With more than 20 years of Marketing & Business positions in Europe and Latin America, Guillaume has developed extended expertise on Food & Beverages categories and trends. Guillaume is now the proud leader of the plant-based business for Danone in Europe, and he is fully convinced that going plant-based is the most powerful individual step one can take to fight against climate change and improve everyone’s health. Click here to view Guillaume’s LinkedIn profile Development Chef, Heura Foods After working as a chef and manager in a vegan restaurant in Hampshire, Mitch moved on to create his own plant-based frozen meal brand Mitch’s Kitchen. This taught him the level of drive, passion and high standard required for a product and founder to succeed. Mitch now works in the sales team for the Spanish plant-based meat successor brand Heura as the development chef. He is truly passionate about the industry and always on the lookout for new and exciting products entering the market. He can’t wait to see how plant-based food and drink continue to improve in the coming years. Click here to view Mitch’s LinkedIn profile Senior Buyer, The Vegan Kind Plant-based expert Jenna McGuinness has worked within the vegan food industry for seven years within buying and curating subscription boxes so has had the opportunity to witness the incredible growth of plant-based food in recent years. She has her finger on the ball for all vegan NPD. She can’t wait to see what new vegan creations the entrants have developed and learn all about the finalists. As Senior Buyer of the leading vegan retailer in the UK, Jenna finds and selects the best vegan products to launch online and feature in vegan subscription boxes. Things Jenna is looking out for amongst the entries for this year’s World Plant Based Awards are innovation, sustainability and unique-ness – she can’t wait to hear about the next big (vegan) thing! The Vegan Kind is the leading online vegan retailer and subscription box service in the UK, offering nationwide shipping of more than 5,000 products. TVK is a family business with a huge vision to make veganism accessible to all, while being kind to humans, animals and the planet. Click here to view Jenna’s LinkedIn profile R&D Manager (Plant Based Beverage, Packaging Engineering & Innovation), SunOpta After spending several years outside of the food industry, Jeremy made a career change and never looked back. Starting out at General Mills, he gained valuable experiences in processing, product and packaging R&D, sourcing, innovation, and minority investments. After many years of learning the industry, he shifted his focus to plant-based products and worked with many amazing teams at Beyond Meat, Kite Hill, Rhythm Superfoods, and No Cow. Currently, Jeremy works at the sustainably-focused SunOpta Incorporated. He leads a technical team on plant-based external partnerships, packaging engineering, and internal branded innovation (Sown, Dream, West Life). Creating new sustainable opportunities for plant-based offerings is definitely a dream. Click here to view Jeremy’s LinkedIn profile Innovation Director and Co-founder, Solucionaria Marina is a food engineer and specialist in New Food Product Development. She has been working as a food consultant since 2019, leading projects with plant-based companies, from startups to big corporations. In 2021, Marina co-founded Solucionaria, a food consultancy focused on R&D, innovation and regulatory affairs for the food and beverage industries. She has experience in the quality and food safety areas. Working in R&D is her dream job, because it is dynamic, creative, and challenging. Another area she focuses on is trends and launches on the local and global markets, giving insights to companies on how to create or improve their products. The plant-based market is here to change the food industry for the better, and she hopes to help that happen in the best way possible. Click here to view Marina’s LinkedIn profile Vegan Expert, Vegg2Food Florence Dusseaux is a vegan expert for consulting agency Vegg2Food. She helps the transition towards a plant-based food system, through marketing and communication, strategy, business development and project lead. Florence has been a vegan since 2015 but passionate about food since the beginning of her entrepreneurial career. In 2021, she was nominated as an influential plant-based food promoter among eight other French influencers for the first plant-based food award in France. Florence is also co-founder of La Pondation de Félicie: a sanctuary for laying hens. Florence helps companies around the world (Canada, UK, India, South Africa, Caribbeans) to promote their plant-based alternatives from the idea to the final destination: consumer plates. Every week she decrypts food tendencies in the plant-based innovative sector in France and around the world. Her motto is: Changing the world through plant-based food, one meal at a time. Click here to view Florence’s LinkedIn profile Founder, GreenGourmet Foods Born in Havana, Cuba, Dr. Ritu Chhatwal has lived and worked in over 10 countries. Be it teaching primary school in the Middle East, tackling social development and public health issues at CIDA and the UN, or running a therapy practice in India, she brings a unique global point of view. She is a serial entrepreneur passionate about creating foods that revive your health, support farmer communities, and rejuvenate the planet. Her latest venture, GreenGourmet Foods is developing a line of delicious, nutritionally dense, planet friendly products to help us “eat our way out of extinction!” A TEDx speaker, a frequent panelist, Dr. Chhatwal lives in New Delhi, India. Click here to view Ritu’s LinkedIn profile General Manager – Plant Based World North America Chris Nemchek is a 30-year veteran of the International Exhibition and Global Commerce Industries. He spent 22 years at the Specialty Food Association (SFA) and is well recognised for his role in leading and developing the Fancy Food Shows into North America’s premiere specialty food marketplace. As Senior Vice President at SFA, Nemchek oversaw the departments responsible for developing and driving the strategic direction of the Fancy Food Shows, all revenue generation for the SFA enterprise and member success. His work included development and execution of membership growth and advancement programs. Following his years at SFA, Nemchek was named General Manager of the Plant Based World Conference & Expo in August of 2019, where his role is to oversee the future growth of the event and expansion of the brand. A frequent speaker at industry conferences, Nemchek’s industry leadership includes Board of Directors of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) and their NY Chapter (NYIAEE). He is also past chairman of IAEE’s MATSO Council advancing the interests of the US’s largest trade shows. Are you a plant-based industry innovator worthy of our judges attention? Enter the World Plant-Based Awards 2022 now! #2022 #WorldPlantBasedAwards #awards #judges #plantbased #WorldPlantBasedAwards2022

Ripple Foods has added a new plant-based milk to its product range – Oat Milk + Protein – which contains 50% less sugar and more calcium than dairy milk. The new oat milk features 6g of plant-based protein per serving, which is said to have three times more protein than most regular oat milk offerings. Ripple Foods uses gluten-free oats and “ultra-clean” pea protein for its new Oatmilk + Protein beverage. Ripple Foods CEO Laura Flanagan said: “There are many consumers who like the taste and texture of oat milk, but the reality is they are disappointed in the nutritional profile, specifically the lack of protein. Ripple is changing the game so that those who like oat milk, can now really love it, as Ripple’s version of oat milk provides three times more protein than regular oat milk, along with the great taste and creamy texture people expect.” Oat Milk + Protein will be available at Target, Sprouts and other retailers for an RRP of $5.99 per bottle. #Oatmilk #RippleFoods #US