The World Plant-Based Taste Awards, in association with Plant Based World Europe Conference & Expo 2021, are a celebration of taste across many categories of the global plant-based industry. As one of the first of its kind in this sector, these awards are a fantastic way for you to enhance the promotion of your plant-based brand. These awards are different to our innovation-based awards schemes as, instead of basing the winners on innovation and concept, the winners will be decided based solely on the taste of the product. As FoodBev Media’s first taste awards, the World Plant-Based Taste Awards team has laid out exactly how the judging will work for this exciting scheme and how product entry will differ from previous awards schemes. How to enter Click ‘Enter Now’, select the categories you wish to enter and then fill out the personal details form on the right-hand side. Once you have paid and filled in the entry form, you will be sent a confirmation email with a unique username and password so that you can log into your awards portal to submit your product images and ingredients list. Please ensure you submit: 2 high-res images of your product. A full list of ingredients and allergens in the ‘product description box’. The storage conditions required for your entered product. A short description about your product’s intention; this should include whether this product is acting as a meat-analogue/dairy substitute or as a standalone product, the notes or flavours you are trying to achieve and the texture you are aiming for. Once the scheme closes for entries we will notify entrants on where to send samples. All entries must be received before close of business Friday 20 August 2021. How will the judging work Every entry will be personally tasted and judged by a panel of leading figureheads in the plant-based industry at the Plant Based World Europe Conference & Expo on 15-16 October 2021. The categories will be split into two judging categories; live-tasting and behind closed doors. The live-tasting categories will be split into 2 separate judging sessions. On 15 October (AM), all entries will be tasted and scored by a handpicked judging panel of industry experts in a dedicated tasting room. The top 3 highest scoring entries will then be tasted live on Thursday afternoon by a celebrity panel. Whilst the tasting will take place in front of an audience, the scoring will not. Finalists of the live-tasting categories will be contacted via email or phone as the results are in. If you do not hear from us then, unfortunately, it means you have not been shortlisted. The behind closed doors categories will be judged by our handpicked panel of industry experts on 15 October, in a dedicated tasting room. The judges will score each entry and the winners and finalists will be determined by the highest scores. We will let the finalists of the behind closed doors categories know on Friday afternoon, as soon as the results are in. If you do not hear from us then, unfortunately, it means you have not been shortlisted. All of our winners and finalists will be announced during our 2021 World Plant-Based Taste Awards ceremony which will take place on 16 October 2021, at Plant Based World Europe Conference & Expo. For more information on the World Plant-Based Taste Awards 2021, such as entry criteria, the media package prize and categories, please visit our awards page. #plantbased #WorldPlantBasedTasteAwards2021

Campbell-owned snack brand Late July has rolled out new vegetable tortilla chips made with ingredients such as chia seeds and carrot. The new tortilla chips line – which aims to bring together flavourful vegetables with bright spices and seeds – comes in two flavours: Beat the Heat! Red Pepper and Dangle the Carrot. Beat the Heat! Red Pepper features chia seeds and chipotle; while Dangle the Carrot vegetable tortilla chips are made with teff seeds and seasoned with cumin and paprika. According to Late July, each chip is crafted with real ingredients and is plant-based and Non-GMO Project Verified. The brand’s new vegetable line joins its portfolio of no grain, multigrain and classic tortilla chips in flavours such as bacon habanero, sea salt & lime, and sweet potato. Late July Beat the Heat! Red Pepper and Dangle the Carrot vegetable tortilla chips are available in retailers such as Whole Foods nationwide for an RRP of $3.29 per 5.5oz bag. Keep up to date with the plant-based industry by subscribing to FoodBev’s latest title, The Plant Base, launching March 2021. #CampbellSoupCompany #US #plantbased #LateJuly #snacks

Food processor Cardinal Foods has announced plans to invest more than $26 million to boost the processing capacity of sweet potatoes and butternut squash in its Burgaw, North Carolina facility. Cardinal Foods specialises in the processing, marketing and distribution of fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, sweet potatoes and butternut squash across the eastern US. As a result of the expansion, an additional 56,000 square feet of food grade processing will be added to the company’s existing facility at 201 Progress Drive in Burgaw. To accommodate the increased capacity, the facility will house raw material receiving equipment. Uncooked materials are steam peeled, diced, sorted and prepared for further processing such as battering and frying. Food such as sweet potato fries will be packaged in a variety of sizes and supplied to retail customers, restaurants and food service operations worldwide. “This investment will enable Cardinal to be one of the largest sweet potato fry manufacturers in the world,” said Corey Barnhill, Cardinal Foods president and CEO. “Due to a lack of processing capacity regionally, a large majority of fruits and vegetables travel outside of North Carolina — as far away as Idaho and Canada — to be processed. This expansion represents an enormous competitive advantage that will place Cardinal in a great spot for future growth,” he added. With its expanded capacity, Cardinal Foods aims to better serve blueberry, sweet potato and butternut squash growers from Florida to New Jersey and particularly benefiting North Carolina. As part of the project, the company plans to create about 50 jobs. Pender County board of commissioners chairman, George Brown, said: “We welcome Cardinal Foods’ continued investment in Pender County, further capitalising on the opportunities available to our region on the agribusiness import and export side.” According to a news release from Wilmington Business Development, Cardinal Foods will receive a state and local economic development incentive package to facilitate the investment in Pender County. Keep up to date with the plant-based industry by subscribing to FoodBev’s latest title, The Plant Base, launching March 2021. #CardinalFoods #processing #US

Nestlé has abandoned its application to trademark the term “The Vegan Butcher”, following legal opposition from US vegan shop The Herbivorous Butcher. Based in Minneapolis, The Herbivorous Butcher was set up by siblings Aubry and Kale Walch in 2016 to sell a variety of plant-based meats and cheeses. According to VegNews, in August 2017, The Herbivorous Butcher tried to register the trademark “Vegan Butcher” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), but were denied on the basis that the term was “merely descriptive”. In 2017, Nestlé acquired Californian plant-based brand Sweet Earth Foods and has since released the Awesome Burger. The Swiss giant also revealed it would sell Sweet Earth vegan deli slices from supermarket counters using the phrase “The Vegan Butcher”. As a result, VegNews reports that Nestlé applied to trademark the term with the USPTO, but was met with opposition by The Herbivorous Butcher over arguments that the term is crucial to the marketing and operations of its independent butcher shop. Nestlé has since abandoned its application, with The Herbivorous Butcher winning the court battle. The company does not intend to pursue a trademark, as it wants to encourage companies to continue innovating with plant-based meats without potential legal recourse. On the company’s Facebook page, The Herbivorous Butcher wrote: “Friends, we are beyond thrilled to share this news with you! The phrase “vegan butcher” shouldn’t belong to any single company, and this is also a huge victory for small businesses like ours.” Last year, Nestlé was ordered by a Dutch court to stop using the product name “Incredible Burger” following a preliminary injunction filed by Impossible Foods. #Nestlé #US #plantbasedmeat #vegan #TheHerbivorousButcher

Danone has agreed to acquire Earth Island, maker of the dairy-free Follow Your Heart range, in a move to strengthen its plant-based business. Earth Island was founded in 1988 to meet the growing demand for Vegenaise egg-free mayonnaise at the Follow Your Heart Market & Café in Los Angeles. As well as the Vegenaise brand, the company’s Follow Your Heart portfolio also includes dairy-free cheeses, plant-based sour cream, salad dressings and VeganEgg. Dairy giant Danone says that under its ownership, Earth Island will be able to accelerate the growth of the Follow Your Heart brand nationally and internationally. The companies have entered into a share purchase agreement under which Danone will acquire 100% of the shares of Earth Island. Danone expects the partnership to contribute to its goal of increasing plant-based sales worldwide from more than €2 billion in 2020 to €5 billion by 2025. The acquisition will also enable Danone – which already has a portfolio of dairy-free brands including Alpro and Silk – to expand its plant-based offerings to provide consumers with alternatives for more occasions throughout the day. “Consumers are increasingly eating flexitarian diets, and we look forward to working with the Follow Your Heart team to offer our consumers even more choices,” said Shane Grant, EVP and CEO, Danone North America. “This partnership will build on our success in plant-based beverages, yogurt alternatives and creamers, further accelerating the growth of our North American plant-based business.” Bob Goldberg, co-founder and CEO of Earth Island, added: “Our mission has always been to produce the best plant-based food products and to make them available to as many people as possible. We’re very pleased to be joining the Danone family of plant-based companies in a collective effort to bring positive change in the world through the creation of sustainably and responsibly made foods.” The transaction is subject to receipt of required regulatory approvals. The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. #Vegenaise #FollowYourHeart #US #Dairyalternatives #Danone #EarthIsland

Real Food From The Ground Up has announced the launch of two new plant-based snacks. With an SRP of $3.99 per 3.5oz bag, the brand’s Cauliflower Chips offer a “cauliflower-based version of the classic potato chip”. The snacks come in four flavours: sea salt, salt & vinegar, sour cream & onion, and buffalo. Real Food From The Ground Up’s new Cauliflower Snacking Cracker. Meanwhile, Real Food’s Cauliflower Snacking Cracker comes in sea salt and ‘everything’ flavours, with an SRP of $3.99 per 3.5oz pouch. “We see cauliflower as our lead vegetable base and will keep innovating until there is a plant-based, cauliflower offering for each salty snack subcategory,” said Deb Holt, CMO of Real Food From The Ground Up. “That said, we’re really excited about dipping into the potato chip category with a cauliflower-based version, as America’s favourite chip needed an update. And our new Cauliflower Snacking Cracker is a two-three bite cracker that makes the perfect vehicle for your favourite pairings and entertaining.” Real Food says that its snacks are vegan, Non-GMO Project Verified and free from gluten, artificial flavours, colours and preservatives. The brand’s latest offerings will be available nationwide at retailers and online this year. #plantbased #RealFoodFromTheGroundUp #US

Vegan alternatives brand Violife has launched its new round-shaped Smoky Cheddar Flavour Slices, which it says have a fully-edible hickory-smoked ‘rind’ to create a “delicate smoky flavour”. The Slices are free from dairy, gluten, soya, lactose, nuts, GMO, cholesterol and preservatives, and are 100% vegan-friendly. Simon Orchard, country manager UK & Ireland, Violife said: “We’re excited to announce the addition of Violife’s latest cheese alternative innovation, the Smoky Cheddar Flavour Slices, to the brand’s ever-growing range. The breakthrough launch sees the smoked-flavour slices take on a round shape which is a vegan-first and allows for ease of use as well as great taste.” Violife’s new Slices are available at Tesco stores nationwide (£2.80 RSP). #Cheeseslices #SmokyCheddar #Vegancheese #Violife

Nestlé has teamed up with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) to establish a new research programme that aims to reduce the carbon footprint of agricultural raw materials. The programme – which will receive a CHF 2.8 million ($3.12 million) investment from Nestlé – will focus on two major areas: agricultural crops and dairy farming. As part of the partnership, the companies will explore interdisciplinary solutions to reduce the effects of climate change, while increasing nutritional quality and yield in dairy and crop farming. The agricultural crop research will focus on the nutritional value of crops including fibres, proteins and micronutrients, with a particular focus on finding suitable crops as ingredients in plant-based alternatives to meat, seafood and dairy products. Meanwhile, the programme will also look into the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in dairy farming. Stefan Palzer, Nestlé CTO, said: “We’re delighted to extend our longstanding collaboration with ETH Zurich – one of the world’s leading academic institutions – to the agricultural sciences, to reduce the carbon footprint of agricultural raw materials. The development of more climate-friendly ingredients and products is a key focus area for Nestlé to help reduce our global carbon footprint.” The new research programme builds on a number of existing collaborations between Nestlé and the two Swiss Federal Institutes in Zurich and Lausanne on topics such as food engineering, nutrition and most recently, sustainable packaging. In 2019, Nestlé and ETH Zurich co-founded the Future Food Initiative along with Bühler and Givaudan, which aims to accelerate the development of healthy food products and sustainable packaging. “We are looking forward to continuing a long tradition of collaborations with Nestlé as a trusted partner. Only by working together across disciplines and sectors we will be able to provide sustainable and secure food in the long term,” said ETH Zurich president, Joël Mesot. #Nestlé #ETHZurich #plantbasedfoods #sustainability #Switzerland

Confectionery brand Happi Free From has launched a new range of vegan and allergen-free Easter eggs. To ensure the range is completely allergen-free, Happi replaces soya lecithin with sunflower lecithin. The eggs feature gluten-free oat milk and rice syrup, as well as 47% single origin chocolate sourced ethically from farmers and growers with a full “farm-to-bar” supply chain. “Why should allergy sufferers and vegans miss out on delicious Easter eggs just because they can’t or don’t want to consume dairy?” said Gavin Cox, founder of Happi Free From. “Our newly-launched range of Easter eggs is made using oat milk, 47% sustainable cocoa and sunflower lecithin, making them allergen-free and accessible to all.” “Not only that, but the chocolate is rich, creamy and delicious, with no compromise on taste; a fantastic alternative for anyone looking for a dairy-free Easter egg this spring,” he added. Available in 170g fully-recyclable boxes, which use zero single-use plastics, Happi Easter eggs come in three flavours: plain milk, orange and salted caramel. The eggs are now on sale in Selfridges and available to all retailers. RRP £9.99 per egg. #chocolate #Happi #Eastereggs #Oatmilk #Sunflowerlecithin

Nestlé has announced that it will be expanding its KitKat offering in the UK with the launch of a vegan variant later this year. KitKat V features smooth chocolate blended with plant-based ingredients, alongside the brand’s trademark crispy wafer. The new product was developed by chocolatiers and food scientists at Nestlé’s research and development centre in York. “Taste was a priority when developing the plant-based chocolate for our new vegan KitKat,” said Louise Barrett, head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Centre in York. “We used our expertise in ingredients, together with a test and learn approach, to create a delicious vegan choice for KitKat fans.” Nestlé says that the new KitKat offering, like the rest of the brand’s range, is made from 100% sustainable cocoa, sourced through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan in conjunction with the Rainforest Alliance. Alex Gonnella, marketing director for Nestlé Confectionery, said: “There is a quiet food revolution underway that is changing how people eat. We want to be at the forefront of that, championing the discovery of plant-based food and beverages. “What better proof of that than offering a plant-based version of one of our oldest and most famous brands? The new KitKat V means people can enjoy a delicious vegan option when they have a break.” The announcement follows the introduction of KitKat Zebra, which features a marbled dark and white chocolate topping. #KitKat #Nestlé #UK

Asian-inspired food brand Itsu has launched a new range of vegan protein noodle pots in the UK. Three flavours will be initially available in the new range: super sesame, crackin’ curry and mega miso. All three flavours feature soybean noodles and a vegan miso broth; contain 20g of protein in each pot; feature no artificial colours, preservatives, flavours or added MSG, and also contain under 212 calories and 6g of fat per cup. Itsu claims that the new range offers ‘both a quick and easy lunch option or perfect post-workout snack after a gruelling workout.’ The Itsu Protein Noodles range will be available nationwide from Sainsbury’s stores in the UK from February, with a suggested retail price of £2 per pot. #instantnoodles #Itsu #noodles #UK

Big Idea Ventures, a protein alternative accelerator and venture fund, has received backing from the Bel Group as it looks to launch a European accelerator fund for alternative protein start-ups. Founded in 2019, Big Idea Ventures has already launched accelerator funds in the US and in Singapore. The company stated in a release that it has received investment from ‘key players in the European market’, including the Bel Group and Buhler, in preparation for the launch of a European accelerator programme. With an anticipated launch date of 2021, Big Idea Ventures claims that the Paris-based New Protein Fund will be dedicated to seed and early-stage investments in plant-based and cell-based food, ingredient and technology companies. Andrew Ive, founder and general managing partner of Big Idea Ventures, said: “This investment by Bel – based in Paris and a major global player in single serving healthy snacking – will provide the New Protein Fund with more than additional capital. “It is a strategic partnership to continue investing in and supporting the world’s most promising entrepreneurs who are actively creating the future of alternative proteins in Europe and beyond.” Last year, Bel Group announced that it would launch a dedicated plant-based brand as it looks to meet the growing consumer demand for plant-based alternatives to traditional dairy products. According to the release, the Bel Group’s support for the New Protein Fund ‘demonstrates its desire to support start-ups developing solutions to meet changing nutritional needs and the challenges of sustainable food.’ Caroline Sorlin, general manager of Bel’s plant-based acceleration unit, added: “By identifying and supporting as early as possible the start-ups and projects involved in inventing tomorrow’s food, Bel is demonstrating its desire to make these solutions a reality and make them accessible to all. “This partnership embodies our model: constantly innovating, co-constructing with all those who share our values and vision. Plant-based products now complement our milk-based offer: consumers are more and more looking for a plant-based offer and we aim to provide them with a quality proposition.” #Acceleratorprogramme #BelGroup #BigIdeaVentures #plantbased