US plant-based food company, Urban Remedy, has closed an $18 million Series D fundraising round, as it looks to increase its reach nationwide. Based in California, Urban Remedy offers certified-organic food and beverage products, including ready-to-eat meals, snacks, nut milks and cold-pressed juices. The company’s entire portfolio is said to be Non-GMO Project Verified, plant-based and gluten free. Urban Remedy was founded in 2009 and its products are now available online, in Urban Remedy shops and at its 270 grocery kiosks in 21 states across the US. The Series D round was led by Colorado-based investment firm Manna Tree, with participation from existing investors Builders Fund and Obvious Ventures. Urban Remedy will use the new funds to increase consumer awareness through digital marketing investments, make key hires and introduce new manufacturing efficiencies. “Despite Covid-19 challenges, Urban Remedy doubled its kiosk locations during 2020, while ramping up its online platform,” said Pam Shepherd, managing director, Manna Tree. “Consumers are continuing to realise that food is medicine, and the impact nutritious food has to their overall health. “Consumers recognise Urban Remedy as a leader in providing highly nutritious and convenient product solutions. They never cut corners on ingredients and are wholly committed to the future of the planet and human health.” Paul Coletta, CEO of Urban Remedy, added: “When we met the team at Manna Tree, we immediately recognised our synergies. Their shared commitment to giving consumers better access to nutrient-dense, clean food is exactly what we were looking for in a partner.” Urban Remedy previously secured investment from General Mills’ venture capital arm 301 Inc, as part of a $17 million Series B fundraising round. #MannaTree #plantbased #UrbanRemedy #US

Vertically integrated plant-based food and beverage company, Above Food Corp, has announced its acquisitions of Only Oats and Culcherd. The Canadian company says that it has built a significant oat supply chain through its purchase of the two plant-based food brands. Only Oats is a Saskatchewan-based certified gluten-free whole oat company that produces oat-based ingredients and consumer products. Meanwhile, Toronto-based Culcherd is an organic, plant-based dairy company that produces ‘artisanal’ dairy alternative products. Under its new ownership, Culcherd will begin to add oat-based cheese and dairy products to its current portfolio of probiotic-rich plant-based cheeses and butters. Above Food’s expansion into oat-based products comes in response to the growth of the oat market. The company says that it has begun construction of a gluten-free oat facility outside of Regina, Saskatchewan, adjacent to its existing organic ingredient terminal. “Oats are winning the plant-based dairy battle, so having a platform that has custody over the entire supply chain for the finest oats globally makes tremendous sense for us,” said Above Food Brands president and co-founder, Martin Williams. “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Only Oats and Culcherd into our rapidly expanding Above Food family as we look to the future of high-quality, plant-based foods.” Only Oats founder and CEO, Mike Marshall, added: “I’m thrilled to continue leading the business for Only Oats as the director of the oats platform for Above Food. “This partnership really is a perfect match given Above Food’s scale and vertically integrated strategy, and Only Oats’ access to and knowledge of the gluten-free oats space.” Above Food has a complete chain of custody for a number of plant proteins and aims to deliver food to businesses and consumers with industry-leading traceability and quantifiable sustainability. The company – which already supplies businesses with plant-based ingredients – is in the process of launching a range of consumer-facing products. #AboveFood #Canada #Culcherd #OnlyOats

US urban agriculture company Gotham Greens is expanding its fresh foods portfolio with the introduction of two new plant-based salad dressings: Vegan Ranch and Vegan Caesar. According to Gotham Greens, the new dressings contain no added sugar and are made with its greenhouse-grown basil. Gotham Greens Vegan Ranch combines expeller-pressed sunflower oil with black pepper, white vinegar and dried parsley. Said to offer tangy, zesty and aromatic tasting notes, the new offering can be used as a salad dressing or dip for vegetable crudité, and can also be drizzled on pizza and breads. The ‘savoury and creamy’ Gotham Greens Vegan Caesar is made with silken tofu, organic miso, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, capers, black pepper and organic soy sauce. “We know and love that consumers are increasingly gravitating toward more plant-based diets for the sake of their health and the environment,” said Viraj Puri, co-founder and CEO of Gotham Greens. “From day one, we set out to reimagine a greener food system — one that is committed to environmental impact and changing the way people think about growing and eating greens. “We couldn’t be more excited to continue this mission with cleaner, greener versions of two of the most iconic and nostalgic American favourites: ranch and Caesar.” The new dressings are available at Sprouts Farmers Market stores nationwide. #GothamGreens #US

US frozen pops producer, GoodPop, has expanded its portfolio with the introduction of a new Mango Chile flavour. According to GoodPop, the new offering is organic, dairy- and gluten-free, and made without GMOs, refined sugars or sugar alcohol sweeteners. Sold in packs of four, Mango Chile joins flavours such as Cold Brew Latte, Orange n’ Cream and Strawberry Shortcake as part of the brand’s range of plant-based pops. “Our mangoes are sourced from Colombia because we found that this area of the world is growing the most flavourful and sweetest mangoes. We also custom developed our own organic chilli lime blend because we couldn’t find anything else that would fit our quality standards,” said Daniel Goetz, founder and CEO of GoodPop. “Finding the best possible ingredients that are also ethically sourced to create our Mango Chile pop was our top priority and we are so excited to share this unique flavour with everyone.” With an SRP of $4.99-5.99, GoodPop’s frozen pops can be purchased in natural and conventional retailers in 40+ states, as well as via GoodPop’s new online store. #GoodPop #US

Eat Beyond Global Holdings has announced the appointment of food industry veteran Michael Aucoin as its new CEO. Aucoin will succeed Patrick Morris, who has served as the company’s CEO since its establishment in 2019. “We intend to compete in a wide cross-section of plant-protein verticals, as represented by our portfolio companies, with which we will work with closely to accelerate their success from an operational and value creation standpoint,” said Aucoin. “Eat Beyond is committed to leading the future of food and becoming the most successful Canadian plant-based food business operating globally,” he added. The business also intends to focus on technical innovation, research and investments in capacity-building projects. Aucoin will bring with him over 25 years of experience in food sales management and the consumer packaged goods industry. Prior to joining Eat Beyond, Aucoin served as president of the Canadian division of dairy cooperative Agropur. He has also held several senior sales and marketing roles at firms including Hershey and Smuckers. Eat Beyond is a Vancouver-based investment issuer focused on the plant-based and alternative food sector. With the new corporate infrastructure, Eat Beyond plans to accelerate the growth of its portfolio companies that include Eat Just – which received the world’s first regulatory approval for its cultured chicken in Singapore – The Very Good Food Company, Turtle Tree Labs and Nabati Foods. Eat Beyond chairman, Don Robinson, said: “I am pleased to welcome Mr Aucoin to the team as CEO as we chart a new course in the plant-based sector, building a balanced portfolio that can deliver value to our portfolio companies and our investors while pushing the industry forward.” #Appointments #EatBeyondGlobalHoldings #plantbasedprotein

Kellogg-owned Rxbar has expanded into the breakfast cereal aisle with the release of a new Rx Cereal line made with plant-based protein. Inspired by the brand’s top-selling protein bars and classic cereal flavours, the range comes in three varieties: chocolate almond, vanilla almond and strawberry. Rx Cereal is made with a mix of brown rice, pea protein, almonds and fruit, and features no artificial colours, flavour or ingredients. Each serving contains 11-12g of plant-based protein and 3-4g of fibre. According to the brand, the cereal offers a “deliciously satisfying crunch” and is suitable as a wholesome breakfast or convenient snack. Rx Cereal marks the brand’s second new product made with plant-based protein to launch this year, following the release of Rxbar Plant. “We’re strong believers in taking an honest, straightforward approach to food and using simple ingredients and protein to help fans fuel their day,” said Jason Moraff, VP of marketing at Rxbar. “That’s why we created Rx Cereal, to bring that approach to a category that needs more wholesome, convenient options that not only taste amazing but are made with real ingredients people recognise.” Rx Cereal is available now online and in Walmart stores, with more nationwide retailers to come. #US #Rxbar #Kellogg #breakfastcereal #plantprotein

Food-tech company Nature’s Fynd has raised $350 million in a Series C funding round, as it looks to bring its fungi protein-based products to consumers worldwide. The Series C round brings the company’s total financing to over $500 million, following a $45 million raise last December. Nature’s Fynd produces its nutritional fungi protein called Fy from a microbe sourced from volcanic springs, using fermentation technology that it claims uses just a fraction of the land, water and energy required by traditional agriculture. Earlier this year, Nature’s Fynd launched its Fy Breakfast Bundle with Original Meatless Breakfast Patties and Dairy-free Cream Cheese direct-to-consumers, which it claims sold out in 24 hours. With the capital, the company is looking to enter multiple brand-aligned partnerships with retail stores and quick-serve restaurants – expecting to further roll out its Fy based meatless and dairy-free products in the coming year. Nature’s Fynd also intends to expand its production capacity and product portfolio and says it is preparing for a significant geographical expansion, with a particular focus on Asia. Thomas Jonas, CEO and co-founder of Nature’s Fynd, said: “We know consumers today expect great tasting meat and dairy alternatives without compromising on health or sustainability. And Fy – our natural, complete vegan protein delivers on all fronts: amazing taste and texture while being healthier for people and gentler on the planet than traditional proteins. “In the past year, we also showed that we can grow Fy at commercial scale leveraging robotics and automation in our new state-of-the-art facility in Chicago’s historic Union Stockyards.” The Series C round was led by SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2 and joined by new investors such as Blackstone Strategic Partners, Balyasny Asset Management, Hillhouse Investment and Hongkou. Existing investors also continued to show their support including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Generation Investment Management and 1955 Capital, Danone Manifesto Ventures and ADM. Angela Du, investment director at SoftBank Investment Advisers, said: “We are excited to partner with Thomas Jonas and the Nature’s Fynd team to help them scale their business and capture the tremendous global opportunities in front of them.” #NaturesFynd #US #Dairyalternatives #sustainableprotein #meatalternatives

Russian plant-based meat start-up Welldone has raised $1.5 million in a funding round, as it looks to expand its production capacity and distribution. The funding round was led by Phystech Ventures, with participation from Lever VC – a global investor in the alternative protein space, which recently announced a $46 million close of its Lever VC Fund I. Welldone manufactures a range of meat alternatives including plant-based burgers, mince and cutlets, which are available online, via retail and feature on restaurant menus. Since launching in September last year, the company has expanded its offerings to more than 500 points of sale in 50 cities across Russia, including listings at five national retail chains. In an effort to meet sales growth, Welldone plans to use the funding to increase its monthly production capacity to 150 tons, expand its R&D team and launch new product lines. The Russian company also intends to grow its distribution in Moscow and other regions, as well as internationally – building upon its current presence in Belarus and Kazakhstan. The funding comes as the Russian plant-based meat market shows signs of growth. According to the Russian Agricultural Bank, plant-based meat will account for 1.5% of the entire meat category within four years. “Today more and more people in Russia are starting to think about their diet. They understand that there are ingredients in animal meat which are not good for them, such as cholesterol,” said Alexander Kiselev, CEO of Welldone. He added: “The plant-based market is poised to grow very quickly in Russia and Eastern Europe, and with our significant investment in R&D, world-class yet affordable products, and partnership with Phystech Ventures and Lever VC, we look forward to leading the growth of the category.” Phystech Ventures principal, Anna Gishko, said: “Welldone’s key advantages include an experienced team, deep R&D expertise, and strong collaboration with the country’s leading food biotech institutes. “With excellent scientific talent available in the country and much lower input costs, the efficiency of R&D in Russia is an important competitive advantage for international expansion.” #Russia #Welldone #meatalternatives #plantbasedmeat #PhystechVentures #LeverVC

US sweet potato snack brand Spudsy has announced the launch of a new range of gluten- and grain-free Sweet Potato Fries. Made with Spudsy’s signature sweet potato flour, the new line is vegan and features three flavours: Hot Fry, Vegan Ranch Fry and Cheese Fry. California-based Spudsy uses sweet potatoes that traditionally end up in landfill due to minor imperfections in shape, size or colour to make its snacks. The brand claims to be on track to ‘save’ 1 million such sweet potatoes by the end of the year. “It was really important to the Spudsy team that our newest product was something equally as delicious as our classic puffs,” said Ashley Boeckle, CEO of Spudsy. “We know that these new fries were the perfect addition to fulfil our vision of creating another flavourful, healthy snack while continuing to encourage our brand fans to #savethespud.” Spudsy’s new Sweet Potato Fries will be available to purchase at select Kroger stores and online via the brand’s website and Amazon. Last year, Spudsy was named winner of PepsiCo’s second annual North America Greenhouse programme, which aims to support emerging entrepreneurs and brands in the food and beverage industry. #Spudsy #upcycling #US

Plant-based food brand Wicked Kitchen has secured $14 million in a Series A funding round, as it prepares to launch its product line in the US. The round was co-led by plant-based foods venture fund Unovis Asset Management and Thailand-based NRF-owned Nove Foods. Co-founded by American brothers Derek and Chad Sarno, Wicked Kitchen first launched its range of vegan products in 2018 in collaboration with UK retailer Tesco. After experiencing success in the UK, the company aims to bring the Wicked Kitchen product line to the US market amid the growing plant-based movement. Derek and Chad Sarno are also the co-founders of Gathered Foods, makers of the Good Catch plant-based seafood brand. “This funding supports the next giant leap in growth and adoption of the Wicked Kitchen product line – a journey that will span the globe,” said Wicked Foods CEO, Pete Speranza. He added: “As was demonstrated by Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain, the breadth of offerings Wicked Kitchen brings to market allows motivated regional retail partners to commit to multi cross-category adoption. What Wicked brings into the US will be unlike anything else that has come before it in the plant-based space.” The company’s plant-based offerings include convenient breakfast, lunch and dinner options such as porridge, meal kits, noodle pots, ready meals, meat alternatives, sauces and marinades. Chris Kerr, founding partner of Unovis, said: “The fastest adoption of plant-based foods is always driven by great culinary experience. Wicked Kitchen has an unparalleled range of exceptional products, a revered brand, and two founding chefs willing to stir the pot. Unovis is here to support this effort from every angle.” Wicked Kitchen plans to make further announcements in the coming week regarding the brand’s US launch. #US #readytoeat #mealkits #WickedKitchen #UK #plantbased

Oat milk chocolate brand Happi Free From is moving into the drinks aisle with the introduction of a new range of flavoured oat beverages. The new plant-based Happi Oat Drinks will launch with two flavours – chocolate and strawberry – both of which are free from gluten and enriched with vitamins A, B6, B9, B12, C and D. The drinks will be available in 1-litre cartons and are made using oats milled and processed in the UK. There are no added sugars in the strawberry flavour and no refined sugars in the chocolate variant, according to Happi. Gavin Cox, founder of Happi Free From, said: “We are incredibly excited to be launching our delicious new oat drinks range. There’s still a huge gap in the market for high-quality, flavoured oat drinks and ours are here to fill it. “We will be targeting plant-based milkshake fans with our delicious, all-natural and allergen-friendly Happi Oat Drink and hope to attract vegans, flexitarians and families with this new range.” With an MRSP of £2.39, Happi Oat Drinks will roll out to 459 Holland & Barrett stores across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands starting next month. The new drinks will also be available to purchase via the brand’s website. Georgina Stoddart, assistant category buyer at Holland & Barrett, said: “The flavours married with the fun and vibrant packaging will appeal to our plant-based customers, as well as dipping into the children’s market and encouraging more customers to experience fantastic plant-based products.” Happi recently expanded its portfolio of oat milk chocolate with the launch of two white chocolate varieties across the UK. #Dairyalternatives #Happi #theNetherlands #UK #Ireland

High-tech yeast company Angel Yeast has officially opened the doors of its new purpose-built facility, dedicated to yeast and biotechnology research and development. Based in Yichang, China, the company unveiled the centre back in June. This week’s opening now marks a major milestone for Angel Yeast’s scientific capabilities and advancement in the biotechnology sector. The complex spans 36,000sqm and can accommodate up to 1,500 people. The complex contains nine centres, focusing on: yeast and enzyme, industrial and brewing microbiology, protein nutrition and food flavouring, baking and Chinese dim sum, agricultural biotechnology, environmental protection, industrial innovation, nutrition and health, and testing. The project first got underway in October 2019, and more than 196 million yuan ($30 million) has been invested in the facility to date. Angel Yeast said it expects to allocate more than $60 million toward scientific research, enabling the company to become a global leader in yeast technology research. “We are thrilled to open our new R&D complex after more than a year of planning and construction. We believe this project will further accelerate the advancement of Angel Yeast’s innovation system in major industries, including yeast and yeast derivatives, healthy ingredients and raw materials, nutrition and healthcare, and non-yeast related biotechnologies,” said Xiong Tao, chairman of Angel Yeast. “By enhancing our independent innovation capabilities and strengthening our international cooperation, we have cemented Angel Yeast’s position as a leader and pioneer in the development of the industry,” he added. Researchers will focus on a number of key areas, including: plant-based alternatives, food flavour enhancements, gut health and probiotics, clean nutritional sources for fermentation, immune health and sports nutrition, alternatives to antibiotics, and yeast production and sustainable development. The company has already partnered with the likes of Novozymes to improve the application of enzymes in pasta and with Chr. Hansen to develop probiotic formulations. #yeast #China #AngelYeast #enzymes #Researchanddevelopment