Dairy alternatives company Oddlygood Global has secured $28 million in its first funding round, led by Mandatum Asset Management. Oddlygood is a spin-off of Valio Group, which remains its majority shareholder. Oddlygood produces plant-based products, including oat drinks, oat yogurts and cheese alternatives. The company will use the funds to fuel its international expansion into new markets. “Interest in plant-based products is growing exponentially worldwide, which we see in a significant increase in our sales,” said Oddlygood Global’s CEO, Niko Vuorenmaa. “However, consumers will only change their day-to-day consumption habits if they find dairy alternatives that both taste good and fit their lifestyle.” He continued: “We will use Mandatum’s financing to accelerate the implementation of our growth strategy and to deepen our business development expertise”. Mandatum Asset Management’s head of private equity, Alexander Antas, added: “With our investment, Oddlygood Global will be able to accelerate the implementation of its growth strategy by developing its means of production, expanding its marketing efforts and hiring new professionals with global growth in mind. We will also be joining the company’s board of directors and working actively with Oddlygood’s management team.” Oddlygood products are currently sold in the UK and Europe, with US sales scheduled to begin in early 2022. #Finland #OddlygoodGlobal #Valio

Plant-based food business VBites, owned by Heather Mills, has sold its 25.1% stake in the company to Intersnack owner Pfeifer & Langen. The investment – which was completed by Pfeifer & Langen’s New Food division – signals the launch of a strategic partnership between the two companies. VBites produces plant-based alternatives in the meat, fish and dairy-free sectors, while Pfeifer & Langen is a German plant ingredients ‘farm to fork’ manufacturer. The initial focus of the new partnership will be to accelerate the growth of VBites’ plant-based cheeses and fishless fish products. VBites’ meat-free segment will also be a focus due to demand in the market for its range of plant protein isolates, including faba, quinoa, chickpea, soy and algae. Heather Mills, founder of VBites, said: “We are delighted to have found a partner that shares our values and ambition for the plant-based movement. Pfeifer & Langen specialise in the procurement and refinement of raw ingredients for their food businesses and understand the importance of controlling your own supply chain – especially with global ingredient shortages set to be a consistent challenge for the plant-based and food markets over the next 10-20 years.” She added: “VBites’ output has doubled in the last 12 months and with that growth set to continue we are also very pleased to be working with a partner that specialises in large-scale food manufacturing”. #Intersnack #PfeiferampLangen #VBites

Natural health food brand Good4U has released a new range of toppers, designed to be sprinkled on salads, soups and sandwiches for added nutrition. Good4U’s Sprouted Salad Topper portfolio includes its ready-to-eat product, Super Sprouts, which is a blend of broccoli, alfalfa, clover, and radish sprouts with a delicate hint of spice. The Lentil Sprout mix blends nutritious lentils, peas, and beans in a 90g portion containing 12g of protein. These packs are available for an RRP of £1.55 in Waitrose and £1.25 in Sainsbury’s. The brands’ versatile Salad Topper pouches include savoury Super Seeds, a mix of tamari roasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin and British-grown green peas, aromatic Garlic and Herb, a mix of crunchy edamame beans, nutty seeds and home-grown peas and beans, and spicy Garlic and Chilli seed varieties – made with sweet red peppers, chilli roasted seeds, smoky chipotle, and a sprinkle of kale. Each 25g pack is available for an RRP of £2, with selected products available across Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Ocado. Good4U’s toppers are 100% natural, high in protein and fibre, plant-based and contain essential vitamins and minerals. #Good4U #UK

Urban farming company Infarm has raised $200 million in Series D funding, as it looks to accelerate the global expansion of its climate-resilient vertical farms. The round included participation from existing and new investors, including Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Partners in Equity, Hanaco, Atomico, Lightrock and Bonnier. Infarm will use the investment to scale the deployment of its vertical farms in the US, Canada, Japan and Europe, while supporting its entry into new markets in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Infarm has also said it will open its first Growing Centre in Qatar in 2023, where it will produce tomatoes, strawberries and other fruiting crops alongside herbs, salads and leafy greens. Growing Centres connect multiple vertical farming modules and offer “the equivalent of about 110,000ft2 of growing capacity, with a distribution centre that ensures quick delivery to supermarkets”. Erez Galonska, co-founder and CEO of Infarm, said: “The current food system is broken. Vertical farming and the Infarm system provide a sustainable solution to feed a growing population in a way that’s much better for the planet and is far more resilient and flexible in the face of climate uncertainty and supply chain disruption.” “Building a global farming network of our climate-resilient vertical farms is a core mission at Infarm, which is why we’re excited to announce this latest funding round. This strategic investment will support our rapid global expansion and bolster our R&D so that we can grow more varieties of crops close to consumers across Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East.” He continued: “It’s another step towards meeting our ambition of growing the entire fruit and vegetable basket in the near future, providing premium products at affordable prices to everyone”. #Infarm #Urbanfarming #verticalfarming

Plant-based snack company Superfoodio has unveiled its new release, Peanut Butter Buttons, which are made from pure peanut butter. The buttons come in four flavour variations including: Original, Coco Crunch, PBJ and Original Plus. They are made using only four to five natural ingredients, including peanuts, coconut blossom sugar and sea salt. The on-the-go snack includes macros with up to 6g of protein and less than 4g of sugar per pack. They also have high levels of dietary fibre, no refined sugar or palm oil and are gluten-free and vegan friendly. Nirali and Jagir Mankodi, founders of Superfoodio, said: “We wanted a simpler way to enjoy peanut buttery goodness on-the-go. The problem with a jar (or a squeezy pack) is that you always end up with sticky fingers and an oily mess! That’s why we created our Peanut Butter Buttons that you can hold in your hand. They are the perfect snack to satisfy that peanut butter craving anywhere, anytime. No jars, no mess, no fuss”. Superfoodio’s Peanut Butter Buttons are available on the website or through Amazon UK with a retail price of £1.59. #Superfoodio #UK

Fazer Group has agreed to purchase Swedish plant-based drinks producer Trensums Food from Profuragruppen. The acquisition, which will expand Fazer’s oat drink production capacity, provides the company with a platform for further growth and access to new non-dairy markets. Trensums Food will become part of Fazer Lifestyle Foods Business Area, which focuses on oat-based non-dairy products, breakfast products, fruit-based snacks, plant-based meals and food tech. The company has a sizeable capacity, efficient operations and state-of-the-art production, which makes the business well-positioned to respond to the growing demand for plant-based food and drink. Christoph Vitzthum, president and CEO of Fazer Group, commented: “Fazer’s growth is based on in-depth consumer insights turned into innovative products and meaningful food experiences. Consumer demand for nutritious plant-based foods is growing fast and our ambition is to become one of the leading players in oats and plant-based food in Northern Europe.” He continued: “The acquisition gives Fazer an even stronger foothold in a rapidly growing category and the opportunity to expand in our current and future markets. With its long history in oat drinks, Trensums Food will also offer us extensive manufacturing and R&D expertise to further strengthen Fazer’s already strong know-how in oats.” The transaction is subject to Swedish Competition Authority approval. #FazerGroup #Profuragruppen #Sweden #TrensumFoods

Nestlé has expanded its plant-based product portfolio with new Garden Gourmet vegan breaded fillet and vegan nuggets, launching in time for Veganuary. The two new offerings join the brand’s existing range of plant-based products, including Garden Gourmet’s sensational burger, vegan mince, vegan fillet pieces and vegan balls. Nestlé Professional’s category manager, Rohini Alam, said: “We’re big supporters of Veganuary and excited to launch these two delicious new products with resources and recipes to help food operators make it a big hit. But as well as helping them provide greater variety and inspiring dishes during Veganuary and beyond, we’re keen to offer products that appeal to those who are curious about plant-based eating, too. That’s why we’re launching our new breaded range of vegan nuggets and vegan breaded fillet, which offer no compromise on taste or texture.” Last year, Garden Gourmet entered into the plant-based seafood market with the launch of a vegan tuna, called Sensational Vuna. #GardenGourmet #Nestlé #vegan

Decupper has spent the last two years as regional general manager at Upfield, a producer of brands such as Flora, Stork, Elmlea, Bertolli, Violife and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. In this new role, Decupper will strive to achieve the company’s goal of creating a sustainable global food system. She will lead Meatless Farm’s global growth strategy and marketing execution. Meanwhile, Meatless Farm’s founder, Morten Toft Bech, will focus on the company’s long-term sustainable impact agenda and investment. He said: “Dior is a refreshing leader and has a deep understanding of the plant-based category. The company has grown to a size, which needs someone with Dior’s experience and ability to lead multiple territories. I am extremely excited and can’t wait to work alongside her. Next year will be an important stage in our growth. He added: “I founded Meatless Farm to create a more sustainable food system and challenge intensively farmed meat. Importantly, Dior and I share that deep sense of purpose. ” Decupper commented: “Joining Meatless Farm feels like more than a job. You feel the mission of the business in every corner. It’s open and transparent that it is on a journey, has a sense of creative urgency and importantly it has a sense of humour. The ingredients are here to build the brand and business into not just a market leader but a world changer. I’m very much looking forward to working with Morten and the team to fight for that status.” #CEO #Upfield #plantbasedfoods #plantbasedmeat #MeatlessFarm

On Thursday afternoon, the winners and finalists in the World Plant Based Awards were announced during a special ceremony in association with Plant Based World Expo & Conference. The judging panel considered 110 entries from 25 countries across 15 categories. FoodBev Media Awards Marketing Executive, Jonathan McGowan, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the 2nd annual World Plant Based Awards, this year in association with Plant Based World Expo & Conference. Once again, we have seen a broad range of categories represented in the entries. From new products, new concepts and new functions to branding, packaging and manufacturing, we have seen key trends emerge as this industry continues to innovate. The World Plant Based Awards truly celebrate some of the most ambitious new products and developments of the year from both new and established brands in the global plant-based industry.” A full list of winners and finalists in each category follows below. Best dairy product alternative Garfields Vegan Food Company – Vegan Cheese Happy Cheeze GmbH- Vegan Passion Creamy White Best Meat Alternative Longève Brands – Plant-based Protein Crumbles NoBull Burger – the true veggieburger! Best Milk Alternative nooj – Almond Paste Else Nutrition – Plant-Based Nutrition toddler drink Best Plant Based Beverage Fulfill Food & Beverages – Karviva Unwined Wine Replacement Juice Biomel – Belgian Dark Chocolate Shots Best plant-based business Greenleaf Foods – Lightlife and Field Roast Brands Infinite Foods Best plant-based condiment Fabalish Fab-a-Dip Best plant-based dessert/confectionery Dolfin (UK) Ltd – My Sweet Chickpea Laird Superfood – Brownie Mix Best plant-based functional product Gold&Green® – Protein Flakes Best plant-based non-food product Best plant-based packaging Gwennie on the GO – Seasoning Sachets ProAmpac – RecycAll Freshpack Best plant-based protein – sponsored by Green Boy Group Bodyhero – Plant Protein Oumph! – Kebab Döner Style Best plant-based seafood Loma Linda – Spring Water TUNO Be Leaf Corporation – Vegan Shrimp Best plant-based snack ALDI – Park Street Deli Cauliflower Dips Laird Superfood – Homemade Pancake & Waffle Baking Mix Best plant-based start-up Plantcraft Float Foods – OnlyEG Shreds Best plant-based sustainability SunOpta and OatGold About The World Plant-Based Awards The World Plant-Based Awards, in association with Plant Based World Conference & Expo, are a celebration of innovation and excellence across every category of the global plant-based industry. These awards are a fantastic way to enhance the promotion of your brand and to ensure it gains global recognition. Being successfully shortlisted provides a hallmark of success that will prevail long after the awards ceremony and can highlight the contribution your company’s products and team are making to the plant-based industry. About FoodBev Media Established in 2000, FoodBev Media is the food and beverage industry’s leading media and communication business. With a portfolio of international magazines, the website www.foodbev.com and the industry’s largest social media network, FoodBev Media ensures you are continuously kept up to date with the latest trends and innovations. Since 2003, FoodBev Media has gained a reputation for organising successful international awards schemes in the food, beverage and dairy industries. #ThePlantBase #WorldPlantBasedAwards2021 #PlantBasedWorldExpo #WorldPlantBasedAwards #awards

Sustainable packaging start-up Notpla has closed a £10 million Series A financing round, led by Horizons Ventures. Founded in 2014 by Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez and Pierre-Yves Paslier, Notpla develops innovative packaging solutions. The company is well-known for its ‘Ooho’ solution – an edible and fully biodegradable packaging made from seaweed. Notpla’s products can be easily biodegraded in nature in 4-6 weeks without the need for industrial composting or special conditions. The funds will support further development of Notpla’s seaweed fibre paper, which requires 30% less wood pulp than traditional paper and is made from the byproduct of the company’s industrial process. The round also included participation from Astanor Ventures, Lupa Systems and Torch Capital. Wayne Cheng, portfolio curator at Horizons Ventures, said: “We are excited to join Notpla’s journey to make packaging disappear. Conscious of the urgency to act on single-use plastic pollution, we’ve been impressed by the innovative solutions offered by this team of ambitious entrepreneurs. We believe Notpla is revolutionising the packaging industry with seaweed as a raw material.” Pierre-Yves Paslier, Co-CEO of Notpla added: “We are delighted to accelerate the pace towards a zero single-use plastic future. This new round coupled with soon-to-be-announced commercial partnerships is the perfect opportunity to put seaweed on the map of packaging solutions. At Notpla we believe that ‘nature knows best,’ and we only use naturally occurring materials that have had millions of years to adapt with the rest of the environment.” He continued: “Our new films and seaweed paper are great examples of this principle and are the most sustainable solution in their categories. We’re excited to see traction in the foodservice industry and are looking forward to moving into the cosmetics and fashion markets very soon.” #Notpla #packaging #seaweed #UK

Fi Europe 2021 took place from 30 November-2 December in Frankfurt, Germany, this year, offering three days of in-person exhibitions from global food and beverage brands. The event saw national and international companies displaying ingredients and applications, as well as innovative formulations spanning the dairy, plant-based, sports and healthy ageing sectors, to name a few. Despite travel restrictions and cancellations, the exhibition had a good turnout with active participation from exhibitors and guests alike – with many suggesting the turnout focused on “quality over quantity” this year. Some companies were missed, including ADM, Glanbia, Cargill, Symrise and Faravelli, yet we hope to meet them in person in the near future. Major businesses such as Bunge Loders Croklaan, Meurens Naturals, Palsgaard, Nexira, Vitae, GNT, Ingredia, FrieslandCampina Ingredients, Fuji Oil Europe, Beneo, Chr Hansen, Kerry, Austria Juice, Fiber Star, Griffith Foods, ICL, CFF, Martino Rossi, Rousselot, Olam Food Ingredients, Prova (and many more) attended the event to showcase cutting-edge ingredient solutions. The theme for this year was very much revolved around clean label, natural and sustainable ingredients, an ongoing trend that will skyrocket into 2022 and beyond. Chr Hansen won an award for its FreshQ ingredient – a range of next-generation cultures that provide protective effects against yeast and mould, extending the shelf life of fermented dairy products. The plant-based category was also thriving, with an extensive list of companies debuting dairy-free and animal-free applications – even those that are otherwise renowned for their dairy products. FrieslandCampina Ingredients displayed its Plantaris protein range, which utilises pulses such as pea and faba and can be used in multiple applications from drinks and powders, to bars and spreads. Meanwhile, Bunge Loders Kroklaan showcased its fat systems and co-created plant-based meat replacers that mimic the sensory experience of real meat. Nexira spoke about its Naltiv locust bean gum ingredient, which aims to add creaminess and improve mouthfeel and roundness in both traditional and plant-based products. The ingredient also offers high solubility at low temperatures and prevent crystallisation. Plant-based was also a focus for Kerry Taste and Nutrition, which has made this one of its four pillars of development for the coming year – in addition to authentic taste, preservation and proactive health. Kerry is working alongside chefs and developmental kitchens to create plant-based products that mimic their meat and dairy counterparts, even in terms of nutritional content. Italian company HiFood specialises in the development and production of plant-based-clean label functional ingredients for the food industry with a focus on bakery, gluten-free, savoury and gastronomy. Its patented product, Meltec, is a 75% semi-solid ingredient for sugar and syrup replacements, made from vegetable fibres from legumes and cereals. The application can be used in bakery, confectionery, ice cream, sauces and beverage markets. Beneo’s Christoph Boettger told FoodBev about the construction of its chicory root fibre production sites in Pemuco, Chile, and Oreye, Belgium. Boettger said that chicory root fibres are plant-based prebiotics that can help with digestive health and immunity, inner wellbeing, weight management, blood sugar management and bone health. The multi-million-euro investment will boost the company’s position in the health and nutrition segments, while increasing production capacity and customer offerings. Fruit, sugar and starch supplier Agrana has been innovating in applications spanning dairy, ice cream, bakery, food and beverage, with a focus on sustainability. With organic, fair trade and clean label products in its roster, the company’s applications are tailor-made for its partners and product formulations. GNT told FoodBev about its ‘The Power of Colour’ development, designed to help brands create colouring solutions that will connect with target consumers. Maartje Hendrickx, market development manager at GNT, said: “It’s clear that a one-size-fits-all approach to colour is rapidly becoming outdated,” and that it needs to be more inclusive. The FoodBev team thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone at Fi Europe. Until next year! If you would like to advertise your latest ingredient development with FoodBev, please contact: sales@foodbev.com. #FIE #FoodIngredientEurope #plantbased #events #Germany

Puratos‘ chocolate brand Belcolade has released plant-based Belgian milk chocolate that offers an indulgent taste profile. The company claims that its vegan chocolate is similar to milk chocolate while being both dairy-free and nut-free. The chocolate, named Belcolade Selection M. Plant-Based Cacao-Trace, is made using a patent-pending product to achieve smoothness, the creaminess of milk chocolate and balanced sweetness, minus common allergens. Manufactured at the Belcolade factory in Erembodegem, the product is made from real Belgian chocolate. Youri Dumont, SBU chocolate director at Puratos, said: “Until now, there was a very clear gap in the plant-based chocolate market. We know the chocolate sector is still driven by many millions of milk chocolate lovers, whose expectations weren’t being adequately met when they looked for plant-based alternatives. So this new product is really about indulging these milk chocolate fans with a really attractive plant-based option. We’re very excited to have solved the puzzle of delicious, allergen-free, plant-based chocolate.” The new chocolate product is suitable for the production of tablets, hollow figures and pralines by chocolatiers. It also has numerous artisan and industrial uses, including mousses, ganaches, coatings and dipping, according to Belcolade. The chocolate is commercially available today. #Belcolade #Puratos