Beyond Meat has announced the launch of its new plant-based chicken tenders product at nearly 400 US restaurants nationwide. Beyond Chicken Tenders are made from a plant-based blend of faba beans and peas and offer 14g of protein per serving. The new product comes more than two years after Beyond Meat discontinued its frozen plant-based chicken strip, which it first launched in 2012. The company has also previously teamed up with KFC to trial fried plant-based chicken in the US. Beyond Meat claims that its new meat-free alternative also contains 40% less saturated fat than the leading foodservice chicken tender; as well as no GMOs, antibiotics or cholesterol. According to Beyond Meat, its latest plant-based innovation “does not sacrifice any of the taste and texture of traditional chicken tenders: a crispy, golden outside immediately followed by a flavourful, juicy inside”. “We’re innovating the poultry market with the new Beyond Chicken Tenders – the result of our tireless pursuit for excellence and growth at Beyond Meat,” said Dariush Ajami, Beyond Meat’s chief innovation officer. “As with all our products, Beyond Chicken Tenders offer delicious taste and an exceptional culinary experience, along with strong nutritional benefits. Innovation is at the heart of Beyond Meat, and Beyond Chicken Tenders are the latest example of our mission to create ground-breaking, tasty options that are better for people and for our planet.” Beyond Chicken Tenders are now available for consumers to try in nearly 400 restaurants across the country including Dog Haus, Blissful Burgers, Duke’s on 7, Toppers Pizza and Plow Burger. After its initial launch in foodservice, the company hopes to make its plant-based chicken product more widely available to consumers. #US #meatalternatives #BeyondMeat #plantbasedmeat #foodservice

Plant-based food and beverages producer, Buddha Brands, has raised $3 million in a funding round to accelerate its expansion in the US. Based in Quebec, Canada, Buddha Brands offers a range of snack bars and coconut water beverages. In 2020, the brand expanded into the US market with the introduction of its Hungry Buddha Keto Bars and now supplies more than 1,500 independent retailers and grocery stores nationwide. The company’s latest funding round was backed by investment corporations BDC Capital and Investissement Quebec. The new funds will help Buddha Brands to accelerate its US expansion through sales and marketing initiatives, and will support its research and development efforts. “My co-founders and I started Buddha Brands with all of our savings and have been purposely self-funded from the start, so we are thrilled to have this support from BDC Capital and Investissement Quebec,” said Chris Magnone, CEO and co-founder at Buddha Brands. “Our goal from the beginning was to get our business to a specific stage before taking outside capital in order to push ourselves to be strategic, thoughtful and impactful with the funds we had. “This investment comes at the perfect moment for us, giving us the opportunity to further increase our velocity and distribution, support the retailers who have supported us, invest in our team and generate more market awareness of our low-sugar, clean-ingredient, plant-powered foods that not only taste good, but make you feel good.” Mathieu Rinaldi, director, growth and transition capital at BDC Capital, said: “We are very enthusiastic to support Buddha Brands through the next stage of their growth and are confident in the leadership team’s ability to continue to disrupt the growing better-for-you food and beverage industry with their innovative products.” Buddha Brands’ Hungry Buddha Keto Bars are free from gluten and made without sugar alcohols, palm oil and other major allergens such as dairy, soy or peanuts. The line is produced in a dedicated peanut-free facility. Magnone added: “We purposely entered the allergy-friendly segment, as we felt those consumers didn’t have many options available…[Hungry Buddha Keto Bars are] made with MCT oil, sunflower seed, pea protein and monk fruit, making them a conscious and purposeful snack.” #BuddhaBrands #Canada #Keto #US

NuttZo is adding a new keto-friendly multi-nut and -seed butter to its portfolio, Chocolate Keto Seven Nut and Seed Butter. According to NuttZo, its latest product offers a “crunchy, rich chocolate blend with hints of rich pecan and nutty coconut”. Containing just 4g of net carbohydrates per serving, the new NuttZo offering is suitable for paleo, vegan and kosher diets, and can be enjoyed on toast or fruit, as well as in baking recipes and smoothies. NuttZo says that Chocolate Keto is a source of protein, fibre and healthy fats, and contains just 1g of sugar per serving, while also being free from palm oil, gluten, soy and GMOs. “When we first launched our Original Keto butter, we were blown away by how it took off, quickly becoming our best-selling SKU,” said Danielle Dietz-LiVolsi, founder and CEO of NuttZo. “The keto diet has proven itself a pillar in today’s food landscape and is forecast to continue to grow steadily, especially in the snack space. I’m confident NuttZo will be a key player as we continue to provide better-tasting, better-for-you swaps.” The new offering is available in 12oz jars at Safeway for an MSRP of $10.99, as well as online via the brand’s website, Thrive and Amazon. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to NuttZo’s sister non-profit Project Left Behind, which supports orphaned and underprivileged children. NuttZo recently made its first foray into the savoury spreads and cooking ingredients category with a five seed tahini-style butter. #nutbutters #NuttZo #US

Meati Foods, a producer of mycelium-based meat alternatives, has closed a $50 million Series B funding round to accelerate its production scale-up. Based in Colorado, US, Meati produces high-protein and high-fibre whole-cut meat alternatives using mycelium – the muscular root structure of fungi – as the main ingredient. The company has developed a proprietary process to cultivate its ‘unique’ strain of fast-growing mycelium and form the naturally fibrous texture into whole-cut products, without the use of chemicals. The company’s latest funding round was co-led by new investor Bond and longstanding Meati backer Acre Venture Partners, with participation from Prelude Ventures, Congruent Ventures and Tao Capital. Meati has an expanding cohort of investor-advisers active in the movement to create more sustainable food systems, many of which provided either new or upsized investments in this latest round. Names include John Foraker, Once Upon a Farm CEO and former CEO of Annie’s Organic, and Nicolas Jammet and Jonathan Neman, co-founders of Sweetgreen. The new funds will allow Meati to more than double the size of its team and accelerate its efforts to scale production capacity and launch its products at a national scale next year. The capital builds on the $18 million in debt financing that Meati announced earlier this year to support the establishment of a new production site. Covering nearly 80,000 square feet, the planned facility is expected to have the capacity to produce millions of pounds of Meati by 2022. “Meati’s growing momentum and unprecedented product is attracting a diverse and talented group of people and partners focused on solving one of the food system’s toughest challenges: feeding everyone nutritious protein without compromising taste, nutrition and human, animal or environmental welfare,” said Meati Foods co-founder and CEO, Tyler Huggins. “We are thrilled to continue welcoming world-class visionaries and investors who are taking Meati’s mission to the next level.” Acre Venture Partners co-founder and managing partner, Lucas Mann, added: “The pace of progress at Meati, in terms of both product and business development, has exceeded our expectations. “We are not aware of any other product on the market that can match the nutrition, texture and price versatility of Meati. Meati is creating a new category of food.” The Series B announcement comes eight months after Meati Foods revealed that it had raised $28 million in a Series A funding round to scale up production. #meatalternatives #MeatiFoods #US

UK vegan confectionery brand Mummy Meagz has launched a new dairy-free ‘milk’ chocolate crème egg into Asda stores nationwide – which it claims will be the first crème egg to be available all year round. Mummy Meagz first released a dark chocolate version of its Chuckie Eggs in 2019 online, but the latest edition will feature a ‘creamy’ vegan milk chocolate shell. Made from rice milk and cocoa, the vegan crème egg alternative features a smooth fondant filling with a white and golden yolk. In addition to dairy, the product is also free from palm oil and GMOs. Mummy Meagz co-founder, Meagan Boyle, said: “Whether you are vegan, reducing your dairy intake, or simply want to choose a product that’s kinder to the environment and animals, our Chuckie Eggs are a welcome treat for those who are sweet-hearted as well as sweet-toothed. “Our crème eggs started a vegan craze, and previously one has been sold every thirty seconds, leaving shelves bare. By launching at Asda, we hope that they’ll be even more popular and that we’ll be able to encourage chocolate-lovers to switch to a kinder option. Better yet, they’ll be available all year round – meaning there’s no need to wait until Easter to enjoy a crème egg!” With the aim of providing vegan swaps for the nation’s favourite chocolate treats, the company’s portfolio consists of Easter eggs, a honeycomb bar and rocky road bars. The new Chuckie Eggs can be found nationwide in Asda store’s vegan sections for an RRP of £1.29. #UK #confectionery #dairyfree #MummyMeagz #veganchocolate

Norseland has announced the launch of a new mature vegan cheddar cheese and vegan blue cheese alternative under its Ilchester brand. Ilchester Vegan Blue and Vegan Melting Mature featured in the Ilchester Vegan Festive Selection last Christmas, but will now be available to purchase as standalone 200g blocks across the UK. Ilchester Vegan Blue features blue spirulina veins to mimic the appearance of blue cheese. The UK brand also claims that the product will have the same creamy texture and sharp and salty taste as its dairy counterpart. Meanwhile, Ilchester says its vegan mature cheddar cheese alternative shares the same meltability as the dairy version – making it ideal for vegan burgers, cheese on toast, and macaroni and cheese. Ilchester Vegan Blue and Vegan Melting Mature join Noresland’s portfolio of dairy-free cheeses including Applewood Vegan and Mexicana Vegan. Lisa Harrison, Ilchester brand manager, said: “We know that the demand is there and that vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians alike are looking for healthier and tasty alternatives to dairy cheeses. “Total Sales of Applewood Vegan are worth £4.2 million, and in the latest 52-week period, sales have grown by 301% on the last year, so we are confident that applying our winning formula to our two new cheezes will create more award-winning cheezes from the Norseland portfolio.” The Ilchester Vegan Blue and the Ilchester Melting Mature Cheddar will be available in Tesco stores from 5 July for an RRP of £3 and £2.30, respectively. #Vegancheese #Norseland #UK #Ilchester #dairyfree

Danone Manifesto Ventures (DMV) has purchased a majority stake in Harmless Harvest, a producer of coconut water and other organic coconut-based products. The deal marks the first US majority acquisition for Danone’s venture arm. California-based Harmless Harvest will continue to operate “with a level of autonomy that preserves its entrepreneurial culture”. DMV previously led a $30 million funding round in the brand and will continue to provide Harmless Harvest with financial, strategic and operational support following this latest investment. Founded in 2009, Harmless Harvest offers a range of organic coconut-based products, including coconut water, snack drinks and yogurt alternatives. The company expects to generate more than $100 million in sales in 2021, doubling its revenue from 2017. Harmless Harvest is Fair for Life Certified and is said to be committed to sustainable agriculture through its Regenerative Coconuts Agriculture Project. The acquisition of the Harmless Harvest stake is expected to support Danone’s efforts to accelerate the growth of its plant-based business, which the company hopes will reach €5 billion in global sales by 2025. DMV also says that the transaction will provide Harmless Harvest with additional resources and operational capabilities to support its growth and sustainability initiatives. “It has been a privilege to be part of the Harmless Harvest success story over the past few years, as the company has continued to grow, innovate and pioneer more responsible business practices,” said Laurent Marcel, CEO of Danone Manifesto Ventures. “We are thrilled to further the partnership with a group of people who aim to be harmless to the planet and society and share our vision of a healthy and sustainable food system.” Harmless Harvest co-founders and chairpersons, Justin Guilbert and Douglas Riboud, said: “DMV has played a critical role in Harmless Harvest’s success since 2017, not simply from a capital perspective, but most importantly in an outstanding operational and strategic capacity. “We are thrilled to continue in our founder and board member roles to support this partnership and remain very confident in the future potential for Harmless Harvest.” Harmless Harvest CEO, Ben Mand, added: “We appreciate the support and guidance we have received from DMV and Danone over the past few years and look forward to continuing to benefit from their expertise and resources as we join forces with our shared mission of driving a sustainable future.” #US #Dairyalternatives #HarmlessHarvest #coconutwater #DanoneManifestoVentures #Danone

Saputo Dairy UK has released a new vegan mozzarella-flavoured cheese alternative for the foodservice and food manufacturing sectors. Made from a coconut oil base, the new dairy-free offering joins Saputo’s Vitalite portfolio. The cheese alternative is free from preservatives and has a three-month chilled life. The new Vitalite product carries Vegan and Vegetarian Society accreditation and is said to offer a versatile mozzarella-like flavour and colour. The launch follows news of Saputo’s acquisition of Bute Island Foods, a manufacturer and distributor of vegan cheese for the retail and foodservice industries. The new Vitalite cheese alternative will be produced by Bute Island Foods, which is located off the west coast of Scotland. Emilie Grundy, marketing controller at Saputo, said: “Specially developed to help foodservice operators and food manufacturers satisfy the growing demand for vegan and plant-based dishes, we’re extremely proud to launch this new extension to our Vitalite range. “Our innovation team have worked incredibly hard to achieve a product quality that delivers both the taste and performance of a true mozzarella and we have already received glowing commendations from third-party vegan food manufacture specialists.” The new Vitalite offering is available to buy in a 2kg grated format or in a bulk block. #Dairyalternatives #Saputo #SaputoDairyUK #UK

US snack brand PeaTos has expanded its portfolio of pea-based snacks with the launch of three new tortilla style chips. The new snack line features Nacho Cheese and Zesty Ranch flavours, as well as a vegan Spicy Nacho variety. Over the last year, PeaTos has secured $19.5 million in two funding rounds as it looks to bring better-for-you alternatives to conventional junk food. The tortilla style chips will join the brand’s reinventions of corn-based classic American snacks made with peas and clean ingredients: crunchy curls and crunchy rings. Each serving of the crunchy chips contains 4g of protein, 3g of fibre and no artificial colours or flavours. The Spicy Nacho chip follows the success of the Los Angeles brand’s vegan Fiery Hot curls. “We’re all about the greatest tasting chips of all time. People love chips and want better options. We deliver on this promise every day, and our fans love the lack of compromise,” said Nick Desai, CEO of PeaTos. #healthysnacks #peaprotein #PeaTos #US

The Single Origin Food Co (Sofco) has secured $1.1 million in seed funding to support the rollout of its plant-based honey alternative. Headquartered in Delaware, US, Sofco is a provider of traceable, plant-based foods. The company’s portfolio of rice, salt and sugars is sold across the country. Earlier this year, Sofco launched Vegan Un-Honey, which is fortified with organic flower pollen. The company’s seed round – which was led by A’Z Angels – will support the rollout of the vegan honey substitute, as well as Sofco’s product development efforts. “Our Single Origin model of working collaboratively with our farming partners actively reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases biodiversity, removes animal use from the food chain and provides full product traceability to our customers to ensure we deliver the highest quality, best value food to market,” said Belal Elbana, CEO of Sofco. “Our seed round will support the Vegan Un-Honey rollout and accelerate product development.” Elbana added: “Longer term, we see enormous potential of further “Un” plant-based natural products and + (plus) fortification using organic flower pollen and wild nutrition.” Amr Abdelaziz, managing partner, A’Z Angels, added: “Our focus is investing in disruptive innovation. Our portfolio is primarily technology companies. However, Sofco and Vegan Un-Honey are poised to disrupt the food industry with innovation at the heart of everything they do.” #honey #plantbased #TheSingleOriginFoodCo #US

The Coconut Collaborative is looking to transform dairy-free cooking with the launch of its new crème fraîche alternative in the UK. The brand claims its new plant-based product is mild and creamy, and can be used in variety of dishes such as soups, dips, pasta sauces and baked goods. The Coconut Collaborative says the versatility of its plant-based crème fraîche product allows non-dairy consumers to rediscover the joys of creamy food without using dairy. Made with live cultures, the new addition is also gluten-free. “We were seeing more and more of our customers experimenting with our Natural Coconut Yog in savoury dishes, and for many dishes like curries, it’s perfect. However, the feedback we were getting was that it’s not quite right for all cuisines, so we went back to the drawing board,” said James Averdieck, founder and managing director of The Coconut Collaborative. The new dairy-free crème fraîche alternative will be available in Tesco and Wholefoods stores from 5 July for an RRP of £1.60. #crèmefraîche #dairyfree #TheCoconutCollaborative #UK

Livekindly Collective has announced its entry into the China market with the launch of two new flagship plant-based brands created exclusively for Chinese consumers. The Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken brands will initially offer seven plant-based products based on beloved Chinese dishes including plant-based dumplings, mushroom-based dishes and a seasoned minced dish. Both brands have been developed and manufactured locally to cater to Chinese consumer tastes, and target Generation Z consumers. The launch comes shortly after the Livekindly Collective closed a $335 million round to fund its international expansion into China – which it considers a high growth potential market. “China is one of the most exciting and strategic markets for the plant-based revolution, and a key pillar of our growth strategy,” said Kees Kruythoff, CEO and chairman of Livekindly Collective. According to the Good Food Institute, China’s plant-based market reached nearly $1 billion in 2018, and is projected to grow between 20-25% per year. Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken also mark the first brands created in-house by Livekindly Collective, which has purchased a collection of brands since its establishment including Oumph, LikeMeat, and most recently, The Dutch Weed Burger. “We’re coming off a phenomenal first year, having become one of the top three highest-funded and fastest-growing plant-based food companies in the world,” said Roger Lienhard, founder and executive chairman of Blue Horizon Group and founder of Livekindly Collective. “Our portfolio and model are global, and with the launch of our China office and delicious new products, we are closer than ever to achieving our mission of making plant-based living the new norm,” he added. Joanna LiuQiao, regional director of Greater China at Livekindly Collective, said: “China has a long history in plant-based cuisine and has been cooking with ingredients like seitan, tofu and tempeh well before it was mainstream. We understand what works and doesn’t work for this market, and our new brands are delicious, high-quality and tailored to local consumer tastes.” #China #LivekindlyCollective #plantbasedfoods