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

Dairy alternative brand Miyoko’s Creamery has introduced new vegan cheddar sticks crafted using its plant milk recipe that features oats and legumes. The dairy-free cheese sticks come in individually-wrapped packets, and each serving contains 2g of plant protein. The family-friendly creation aims to provide an on-the-go snacking option and is also allergen friendly – free from lactose, soy and gluten. “For a while now, parents have been craving more family-friendly cheese snacks, so we’re very excited to debut our one-of-a-kind Vegan Cheddar Sticks,” said Miyoko Schinner, founder and CEO of Miyoko’s Creamery. “These vegan cheese sticks deliver all the goodness that plant milks have to offer in a convenient form, while supporting a more compassionate food system.” Miyoko’s vegan cheddar sticks can be purchased online or in Whole Foods Market stores nationwide for an RRP of $4.99 per pack of six, with a further roll out nationwide in August. Last year, Miyoko’s released vegan cheddar and pepper jack cheeses – its first cheese alternatives made without nuts. #dairyfreecheese #US #Dairyalternatives #MiyokosCreamery #vegan

UK pea ingredients producer Novo Farina has raised more than £3 million in an investment round to fund the next stage of its development. Based in Norfolk, Novo Farina uses whole yellow peas to produce sustainable and ‘highly nutritious’ ingredients that offer an alternative to meat- and wheat-based options. The company’s lead product Novo-Tex is a texturised pea protein that has been developed for use in meat alternative products. Other offerings include pea flour and pea crumb. In 2020, Novo Farina launched its first retail product: baked pea-based curls called Simpleas Snacks. The company’s recent funding round was led by British venture capital investor and author Richard Koch, with participation from other private investors. Novo Farina managing director, Chris Harrison, said: “We are absolutely delighted that investor confidence in Novo Farina means that we can increase production and relocate to bigger and better premises, giving us room for future expansion to keep up with the demand for our unique pea flour and protein products.” Koch said: “I am delighted to invest in Novo Farina, which has a unique series of healthy and ecologically sound food products and which is a terrific pioneer and star business.” #NovoFarina #peaprotein #plantprotein #UK

Tiny Organics has raised $11 million in a Series A funding round, as it aims to increase consumer awareness of its baby and toddler food brand and expand its team. Headquartered in New York, Tiny Organics claims that its mission is “to shape the palates of a generation to prefer and love vegetables from the earliest days”. The brand – which launched nationwide just over a year ago – offers 100% organic and plant-based, home-delivered baby and toddler meals. According to Tiny Organics, its meals are created in collaboration with the Tufts University school of nutrition to suit baby and toddler developmental milestones. They are said to contain no added sugar or salt, and not more than 5g of natural sugars per serving. Led by Springdale Ventures, the brand’s latest funding round also received participation from InvestEco, Silas Capital, Human Ventures, VegInvest, Babylist and Gaingels, among others. The baby food producer will use the new capital to scale its team, build the Tiny Organics brand and customer awareness, and develop new product categories and sales channels. The company also says that the funding will enable it to build on the momentum of its partnerships, including with former first lady Michelle Obama’s Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA). “Tiny Organics’ vision in the marketplace is compelling: to positively impact a generation of adventurous eaters by shifting away from sugary purees to a whole food, savoury-forward, nutrient-dense foundation with meals that are both convenient and comprehensive for the modern parent,” said Genevieve Gilbreath, co-founder and general partner of Springdale Ventures. “While that vision is inspired, what separates Tiny Organics from the other companies in the sector we looked at is the world-class execution of this vision by Betsy and Sofia to bring Tiny Organics to all communities across the nation.” Tiny Organics co-founders, Betsy Fore and Sofia Laurell, said: “As moms and as a women-led company, we’ve seen first hand how Tiny Organics has helped develop our children’s love of vegetables and healthy, nourishing food. “Together with Tufts and PHA, we will continue to build on the momentum of the last year and strengthen our commitment to unlocking the nutritional power of food to build healthy, strong and adventurous eaters. We want to make feeding babies and toddlers easy and convenient for parents everywhere.” #babyfood #organic #TinyOrganics #US

Israeli tech start-up Equinom has raised $20 million in Series C funding, as it looks to develop novel seed-based ingredients for sustainable, nutritious food. The round was led by The Phoenix, with participation from Trendlines, Maverick and existing investors Fortissimo Capital and BASF Venture Capital. Equinom uses AI-driven technology to naturally breed and grow ‘superior’ seed varieties for food and ingredient firms, in an effort to provide more affordable and nutritious plant protein. Founded in 2012, Equinom now has over 100,000 acres grown across five continents and works with partners (including the likes of PepsiCo-owned Sabra, Roquette and Dipasa) to custom-design ingredients and enable local sourcing. Most recently, the company announced a collaboration with GoodMills to create a unique yellow pea variant. Equinom says it will use the capital to continue to expand its global operations in sales, marketing and research and development. Later this year, the firm plans to release its first batch of Smarter Pea Protein concentrate to the market, which it claims will be the highest pea protein concentrate available in the world. “With this capital vote of trust from investors, we now have the ability to unleash our products in the market and become a global leader in the agtech space,” said Gil Shalev, founder and CEO of Equinom. He added: “Leveraging our cutting-edge seed-to-plate food-application technology to create source ingredients, Equinom helps market-leading food brands turn regular food into super food. Similar to how consumers use Google, we anticipate they will use Equinom’s AI database to match their needs with non-GMO ingredients that have never been explored before.” Elad Givoni, head of private equity at The Phoenix, added: “Equinom is uniquely positioned in the agtech space as a major player who can impact the future of food. “Through its proprietary technology, distinct methodology and unique genomic database, Equinom is able to create a wide range of products for a broad spectrum of commercial food applications, while ensuring that the products can be quickly adapted to rapidly changing market needs.” #Equinom #Israel #plantprotein #plantbasedfoods