UK snack brand Proper has added to its better-for-you popcorn collection with the launch of new salted caramel and sweet flavours. The new products aim to provide a healthier alternative of the snack, with both varieties containing less than 100 calories per serving. Meanwhile, Proper claims that its new salted caramel flavour contains 40% less sugar than market leaders. Like all of the Propercorn collection, the new flavours are also vegan, gluten-free and made using all-natural seasonings. Fairtrade accredited, the brand’s sweet popcorn variety is made using a mix of unrefined, raw cane and caster sugar. With its Propercorn collection, the brand also looks to capitalise on the trend for everyday treats suitable for at-home sharing. “Popcorn has gained strong momentum since lockdown began, as more people stay at home and make more of their nights in,” said Cassandra Stavrou, founder of Proper. She added: “We’ve reimagined the much-loved cinema classics to create two flavours for those who are looking for a healthier alternative for their big night in. Packed full of Proper nostalgia, our night-in range balances health and taste, for the ultimate sweet treat that you don’t have to feel bad about.” Propercorn’s new salted caramel and sweet flavours are available nationwide from Tesco and Sainsbury’s in 90g sharing bags for an RRP of £1.59.

UK snack brand Proper has added to its better-for-you popcorn collection with the launch of new salted caramel and sweet flavours. The new products aim to provide a healthier alternative of the snack, with both varieties containing less than 100 calories per serving. Meanwhile, Proper claims that its new salted caramel flavour contains 40% less sugar than market leaders. Like all of the Propercorn collection, the new flavours are also vegan, gluten-free and made using all-natural seasonings. Fairtrade accredited, the brand’s sweet popcorn variety is made using a mix of unrefined, raw cane and caster sugar. With its Propercorn collection, the brand also looks to capitalise on the trend for everyday treats suitable for at-home sharing. “Popcorn has gained strong momentum since lockdown began, as more people stay at home and make more of their nights in,” said Cassandra Stavrou, founder of Proper. She added: “We’ve reimagined the much-loved cinema classics to create two flavours for those who are looking for a healthier alternative for their big night in. Packed full of Proper nostalgia, our night-in range balances health and taste, for the ultimate sweet treat that you don’t have to feel bad about.” Propercorn’s new salted caramel and sweet flavours are available nationwide from Tesco and Sainsbury’s in 90g sharing bags for an RRP of £1.59. #Proper #Propercorn #UK #vegan

UK plant-based brand Gosh! Food has unveiled a new range of ready-to-eat plant-based Snack Bites. The chilled, ready-to-eat snack products will be available in two flavours: Smokey BBQ sweet potato and Moroccan spiced veg. The former combines sweet potato with sweetcorn, black beans and ‘deep South-inspired’ herbs and spices, while the latter is inspired by the cuisine of North Africa, combining chickpeas, red pepper, dates, apricots, spices and herbs. According to Gosh!, the release of the new snack products aims to cater to the growing demand for healthy, convenient and plant-based snacks from consumers in the UK. William Topp, marketing manager at Gosh! Food said: “There’s an ever-growing demand for healthy, plant-based snacks and we believe that we are entering this category with a truly unique offering, in a convenient format. “Not many products are genuinely tasty and healthy, yet we are confident that we have achieved this with our all-natural Snack Bites. Whether it is adding them to your lunchbox or giving yourself a pick me up throughout the day, we believe these are a great addition to the snack market as a whole”. The new Gosh! Food Snack Bites will be available from the free-from chilled aisle in Morrison’s stores across the UK from November onwards. #GoshFood #plantbased #plantbasedsnacks #UK

UK plant-based brand Gosh! Food has unveiled a new range of ready-to-eat plant-based Snack Bites. The chilled, ready-to-eat snack products will be available in two flavours: Smokey BBQ sweet potato and Moroccan spiced veg. The former combines sweet potato with sweetcorn, black beans and 'deep South-inspired' herbs and spices, while the latter is inspired by the cuisine of North Africa, combining chickpeas, red pepper, dates, apricots, spices and herbs. According to Gosh!, the release of the new snack products aims to cater to the growing demand for healthy, convenient and plant-based snacks from consumers in the UK. William Topp, marketing manager at Gosh! Food said: “There’s an ever-growing demand for healthy, plant-based snacks and we believe that we are entering this category with a truly unique offering, in a convenient format. "Not many products are genuinely tasty and healthy, yet we are confident that we have achieved this with our all-natural Snack Bites. Whether it is adding them to your lunchbox or giving yourself a pick me up throughout the day, we believe these are a great addition to the snack market as a whole”. The new Gosh! Food Snack Bites will be available from the free-from chilled aisle in Morrison's stores across the UK from November onwards.

The Protein Brewery has raised €22 million in a funding round led by Novo Holdings, as it aims to deliver sustainable, nutritious and affordable animal-free protein with its fermentation technology. With the capital, the start-up will be able to continue its research and development, and scale up the production of its Fermotein food ingredient with a new plant for commercialisation. The Series A round brings its total funding to date to €26 million, as Novo Holdings was joined by new investors Roquette Ventures and Unovis Asset Management. Based in the Netherlands, The Protein Brewery was founded in January 2020, resulting from a demerger of Bioscienz, a company that develops new technologies based on microbial fermentation. The company’s production technology combines its proprietary microorganisms with a brewing process, which reportedly results in a food ingredient with an ‘excellent’ nutritional profile and an amino acid composition similar to conventional meat. According to the start-up, its Fermotein ingredient will be available in both wet ‘cake’ product that can be used in applications such as meat alternatives, as well as a dry powder form that can be used in pasta, bakery products, protein bars and ice cream. The application process for the ingredient is already underway in the US and European market, anticipated to receive regulatory approval in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Fermotein can be produced from a variety of crops such as cassava, corn, potatoes, sugar beet and sugar cane. The start-up says this enables commercialisation around the globe with local production offering a sustainable protein option. “It is an important driver in our mission to contribute to a more sustainable world, developing novel ways of producing food proteins using fermentation technologies,” said Wim de Laat, founder of The Protein Brewery. He added: “The financial support and domain expertise of the investors in The Protein Brewery, are key milestones in executing our goals even more rapidly and broadly. It provides headway to take the next important step and move towards the realisation of a pilot plant, demonstrating the process, the properties and benefits of our innovative and nutritious food ingredient.” Thomas Grotkjær, principal at Novo Holdings, said: “The Fermotein product is nutritious, has a very sustainable profile, and is applicable to a wide range of products demanded by consumers. With this product, the company is entering a fast-growing alternative proteins market.” #fermentation #NovoHoldings #plantbasedprotein #TheProteinBrewery

The Protein Brewery has raised €22 million in a funding round led by Novo Holdings, as it aims to deliver sustainable, nutritious and affordable animal-free protein with its fermentation technology. With the capital, the start-up will be able to continue its research and development, and scale up the production of its Fermotein food ingredient with a new plant for commercialisation. The Series A round brings its total funding to date to €26 million, as Novo Holdings was joined by new investors Roquette Ventures and Unovis Asset Management. Based in the Netherlands, The Protein Brewery was founded in January 2020, resulting from a demerger of Bioscienz, a company that develops new technologies based on microbial fermentation. The company’s production technology combines its proprietary microorganisms with a brewing process, which reportedly results in a food ingredient with an ‘excellent’ nutritional profile and an amino acid composition similar to conventional meat. According to the start-up, its Fermotein ingredient will be available in both wet ‘cake’ product that can be used in applications such as meat alternatives, as well as a dry powder form that can be used in pasta, bakery products, protein bars and ice cream. The application process for the ingredient is already underway in the US and European market, anticipated to receive regulatory approval in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Fermotein can be produced from a variety of crops such as cassava, corn, potatoes, sugar beet and sugar cane. The start-up says this enables commercialisation around the globe with local production offering a sustainable protein option. “It is an important driver in our mission to contribute to a more sustainable world, developing novel ways of producing food proteins using fermentation technologies,” said Wim de Laat, founder of The Protein Brewery. He added: “The financial support and domain expertise of the investors in The Protein Brewery, are key milestones in executing our goals even more rapidly and broadly. It provides headway to take the next important step and move towards the realisation of a pilot plant, demonstrating the process, the properties and benefits of our innovative and nutritious food ingredient.” Thomas Grotkjær, principal at Novo Holdings, said: “The Fermotein product is nutritious, has a very sustainable profile, and is applicable to a wide range of products demanded by consumers. With this product, the company is entering a fast-growing alternative proteins market.”

UK brand Crackd has secured national distribution for its liquid plant-based egg replacement product, suitable for eggless bakes and savoury dishes. Crackd The No-Egg Egg is made using pea protein, which is cold pressed to retain both flavour and nutrients. The product is said to be rich in vitamin B12 – which vegans sometimes struggle to get enough of – and allergen free. The launch of Crackd The No-Egg Egg aims to provide a credible egg replacement for vegans and flexitarians alike. A source of protein, the product can be used to make quiche, frittata, omelette, Yorkshire pudding, cake, cookies and more. The Crackd liquid egg replacement will be launching into M&S stores in December, with more retailers to follow for Veganuary. The product will also be available from online retailer The Vegan Kind. #Crackd #UK

UK brand Crackd has secured national distribution for its liquid plant-based egg replacement product, suitable for eggless bakes and savoury dishes. Crackd The No-Egg Egg is made using pea protein, which is cold pressed to retain both flavour and nutrients. The product is said to be rich in vitamin B12 – which vegans sometimes struggle to get enough of – and allergen free. The launch of Crackd The No-Egg Egg aims to provide a credible egg replacement for vegans and flexitarians alike. A source of protein, the product can be used to make quiche, frittata, omelette, Yorkshire pudding, cake, cookies and more. The Crackd liquid egg replacement will be launching into M&S stores in December, with more retailers to follow for Veganuary. The product will also be available from online retailer The Vegan Kind.

RightRice has added two new seasonal flavours to its lower carb veggie rice portfolio; brown butter sage and holiday stuffing medley. Brown Butter Sage RightRice is retailing for $3.99 and is said to pair the toasted nuttiness of brown butter with a hint of sage. It features a blend of lentils, chickpeas, peas and rice, and reportedly contains more than two times the protein, five times the fibre and almost 40% fewer net carbs than a bowl of white rice. Meanwhile, Holiday Stuffing RightRice Medley is a mix of RightRice, ancient grains and veggies, with the savoury flavours of thyme, rosemary, and onion. It is retailing for $4.99. Both products are vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO and are available nationwide at Whole Foods Market, Sprouts and online. #RightRice #seasonal #US #vegetablerice

RightRice has added two new seasonal flavours to its lower carb veggie rice portfolio; brown butter sage and holiday stuffing medley. Brown Butter Sage RightRice is retailing for $3.99 and is said to pair the toasted nuttiness of brown butter with a hint of sage. It features a blend of lentils, chickpeas, peas and rice, and reportedly contains more than two times the protein, five times the fibre and almost 40% fewer net carbs than a bowl of white rice. Meanwhile, Holiday Stuffing RightRice Medley is a mix of RightRice, ancient grains and veggies, with the savoury flavours of thyme, rosemary, and onion. It is retailing for $4.99. Both products are vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO and are available nationwide at Whole Foods Market, Sprouts and online.

Ingredion has agreed to acquire the remaining stake in Verdient Foods, taking its ownership of the plant-based protein joint venture to 100%. The deal marks the latest in a series of actions and investments by Ingredion as it aims to expand and advance its plant-based protein specialty growth platform. Ingredion established the joint venture with Verdient Foods in 2018 to produce pulse-based protein concentrates and flours from peas, lentils and fava beans for consumer food and animal nutrition applications. As part of the deal, Ingredion will purchase the remaining portion of ownership from film director James Cameron and Suzy Amis Cameron for an undisclosed sum. By the end of 2020, Ingredion expects its total investment in plant-based proteins to increase to over $200 million, up from the previous $185 million which included an expansion of the joint venture’s manufacturing capabilities in Saskatchewan, Canada. Following the transaction – which is expected to close this month – the company will operate two facilities that can produce a wide range of specialty pulse-based concentrates and flours. “Acquiring 100% ownership in Verdient Foods enables Ingredion to accelerate net sales growth, further expand our manufacturing capability and co-create with our customers to serve the increasing consumer demand for plant-based foods,” said Jim Zallie, Ingredion’s president and CEO. He added: “Over the last two years, we have strategically invested over $200 million to build a leadership position in consumer-preferred plant-based proteins, which is central to Ingredion’s strategy and accelerating our Driving Growth Roadmap. We are well positioned to continue capitalising on and benefiting from the megatrends driving the changes in the global food and beverage industry.”

Ingredion has agreed to acquire the remaining stake in Verdient Foods, taking its ownership of the plant-based protein joint venture to 100%. The deal marks the latest in a series of actions and investments by Ingredion as it aims to expand and advance its plant-based protein specialty growth platform. Ingredion established the joint venture with Verdient Foods in 2018 to produce pulse-based protein concentrates and flours from peas, lentils and fava beans for consumer food and animal nutrition applications. As part of the deal, Ingredion will purchase the remaining portion of ownership from film director James Cameron and Suzy Amis Cameron for an undisclosed sum. By the end of 2020, Ingredion expects its total investment in plant-based proteins to increase to over $200 million, up from the previous $185 million which included an expansion of the joint venture’s manufacturing capabilities in Saskatchewan, Canada. Following the transaction – which is expected to close this month – the company will operate two facilities that can produce a wide range of specialty pulse-based concentrates and flours. “Acquiring 100% ownership in Verdient Foods enables Ingredion to accelerate net sales growth, further expand our manufacturing capability and co-create with our customers to serve the increasing consumer demand for plant-based foods,” said Jim Zallie, Ingredion’s president and CEO. He added: “Over the last two years, we have strategically invested over $200 million to build a leadership position in consumer-preferred plant-based proteins, which is central to Ingredion’s strategy and accelerating our Driving Growth Roadmap. We are well positioned to continue capitalising on and benefiting from the megatrends driving the changes in the global food and beverage industry.” #Canada #Ingredion #plantbasedprotein #VerdientFoods