Beyond Meat and the American Cancer Society (ACS) have entered into a multi-year agreement to advance research on the possible link between plant-based meat consumption and cancer prevention. The collaboration aims to further the understanding of how plant-based meat contributes to healthy diet patterns and its potential role in improving risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol levels and body weight, as well as cancer prevention. William Dahut, chief scientific officer at the ACS, said: “ACS guidelines have long recommended a diet rich in plant foods with limited intake of processed and red meat. While short-term research studies have shown that switching to plant-based meat improves risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol levels and body weight, research in this area is still in its early stages, particularly in relation to cancer.” The agreement will also support ACS as it continues to build a foundation of plant-based meat and diet data collection in its Cancer Prevention Study-3. ACS’ Cancer Prevention Studies’ pool of more than 300,000 participants helps researchers identify cancer risk factors. Beyond Meat CEO, Ethan Brown, commented: “One of our core goals at Beyond Meat is to positively impact human health – and we’re committed to taking action by supporting trusted, scientific and evidence-based research on the benefits of shifting the protein at the centre of the plate from animal-based meat to plant-based meat”. The agreement follows the results of the 2020 Stanford University School of Medicine Swap-Meat study in which researchers evaluated the impact of replacing animal-based meat with Beyond Meat’s plant-based meat over an eight-week period on cholesterol levels, heart disease risk factors and body weight. The results found improvement in key health metrics when animal-based meat was replaced with plant-based meat. Since 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified red meat as a carcinogen that increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Recent studies also suggest a possible role of red and/or processed meats in increasing the risk of certain cancers. ACS guidelines suggest a significant link between a high red and processed meat consumption and an increased risk of colorectal cancer as the primary reason for the recommendation to limit those products. #AmericanCancerSociety #BeyondMeat #health #US

Lentiful has announced the launch of its company, accompanied by its line of instant lentil meals featuring four flavours. The newly-launched brand’s product line comes in three savoury flavours – Mexican Green Chile, Thai Coconut and French Mirepoix – and one sweet flavour, Cinnamon Apple. Its line of meals eliminate the time-intensive process of cooking lentils, offering consumers a plant-based meal that cooks in just over a minute. Ben Bacon, founder of Lentiful commented: “Lentils have been nourishing humans for 11,000 years, they’re beloved across the world and are one of the most climate-friendly sources of food on Earth. Nutritionists love them. Celebrities love them. Michelin Star chefs love them.” All four Lentiful products come in 57 oz single-serve microwavable paper cups for an MSRP of $4.95. #Lentiful #US

OmniFoods has introduced its latest food technology, OmniNano Vegan Fat, a patented technology to keep the flavour inside plant-based meat. The technology improves taste-locking function of plant-based meat and provides a texture, taste and meat that are similar to real meat to consumers. David Yeung, co-founder and CEO of OmniFoods commented: “OmniNano Vegan Fat will bring the sensory experience and the taste of OMNI products to the next level. The new Plant-based Beef Cut that applies Vegan Fat can make a huge difference in juiciness and texture, while we don’t have to worry about the health implications of animal fat and cholesterol. “Our goal is to continue to innovate and differentiate with our focus on high consumption meat in Asia and global, namely pork cutlet and chicken wings, as we see this as a major opportunity because we see the demand of these products are not fulfilling the market.” OmniNano Vegan Fat is composed of unsaturated fats. The patented technology emulsifies oil and water, penetrates into plant-based materials to form a part of plant meat. The new technology will be applied to Omni’s’ new products, including the Plant-based Beef Cut and Tips, Plant-based Chicken Wings and Plant-based Pork Cutlet, which are expected to launch in 2023. #OmniFoods #veganfat

The range consists of BBQ, Tex Mex and Thai Green Curry jackfruit varieties. Tropical Sun is well-known for its “meat-like texture”, with the brand offering a “plant-based ‘pulled meat’ experience”. The products are available at wholesalers, including Wanis, for a retail price of £2.49 per 400g tin. #TropicalSun #US

Ecotone-owned Kallø has expanded its Veggie Cakes portfolio with the introduction of a new flavour – Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar. The vegan snack, which is HFSS-compliant and gluten-free, is made from lentils and peas and is available in 122g packs containing 13 jumbo-sized cakes. The new veggie cakes flavour joins the brand’s existing line-up, which includes: spinach and pesto, beetroot and balsamic, caramelised onion chutney and tomato salsa, lime and coriander. Adele Ward, Kallø’s marketing and category director at Ecotone UK, said: “At Kallø, we’re focused on creating products that are better by nature – making healthy eating simple without compromising on taste”. “Our Veggie Cakes have been hugely successful, tapping into the growing consumer trends towards plant-based products and functional ingredients. Our latest SKU, in one of the year’s most sought-after flavour combinations, is perfect for consumers who want to switch up their snacking with a product packed with plant-based goodness.” The lentil and pea-based snack is available at Waitrose for an RRP of £2.50. #Ecotone #Kallø #UK

Konscious Foods, Merit Functional Foods and Canadian Pacifico Seaweeds (CPS) are collaborating as part of a CAD 15.3 million (approx. $11.4 million) project to deliver a new line of plant-based seafood products. François-Philippe Champagne, Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, said: “This project, with the support of the federal government, is building capacity, leveraging partnerships and creating more jobs and economic growth, all while delivering in-demand products”. Konscious Foods has incorporated CPS’s seaweed ingredients and Merit’s pea and canola proteins to develop more than 20 seafood alternative products. Protein Industries Canada, which invested CAD 5.5 million (approx. $4.1 million) in the partnership, has enabled the project to advance at a quicker pace. A total of CAD 15.3 million has been committed, with the partners investing the remaining CAD 9.8 million (approx. $7.3 million). The partnership’s focus is to create nutritious, sustainably sourced plant-based items that match the taste and texture of the products’ seafood counterparts. CPS founder and CEO, Majid Hajibeigy, said: “At CPS, our mission is to convert raw seaweed materials into useful extracts and functional ingredients that can be readily used by a variety of sectors. Our oceans are chock-full of mineral compounds, and seaweeds are a natural, edible filter that readily absorbs these in-demand nutrients.” Ryan Bracken, co-CEO of Merit Functional Foods, commented: “Our mission at Merit is to empower the next generation of plant-based foods and beverages. As such, we are excited to provide Konscious Foods with Merit plant proteins that deliver on functionality, taste and nutrition, to create plant-based seafood alternatives that exceed consumer expectations.” Konscious Foods expects to roll the products out across North American markets in the grocery and foodservice channels. #KonsciousFoods #Canada #CanadianPacificoSeaweeds #MeritFunctionalFoods #Plantbasedseafood #ProteinIndustriesCanada

Lindt & Sprüngli has introduced a new vegan chocolate bar in time for Veganuary. Crafted according to traditional Swiss recipes, the vegan caramel sea salt bars feature cocoa blended with gluten-free oat drink, almond paste and crisp caramel pieces with salt. Lindt said: “Responding to customer demand, this new vegan range is testament to Lindt’s innovative new product development, with a no-compromise approach to quality”. Lindt vegan caramel sea salt bars will be available at Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores from January 2023 for an RRP of £3 per 100g bar. #Lindt #UK

Sternchemie has introduced a vegan coconut milk powder that can be used across a range of plant-based food and beverage categories. The latest addition to the SternCream range is said to have a very high coconut milk content, which gives it a light sweetness. According to Sternchemie, SternCream Vegan is versatile and straightforward to work with. The new ingredient can be used as a functional alternative to traditional milk products and is suitable for applications ranging from plant-based drinks and desserts to soups and dips. The vegan solution keeps longer than regular coconut milk, with a shelf life of at least 24 months, quickly dissolves in lukewarm water and offers a creamy mouthfeel. As a natural product, SternCream Vegan is also very “declaration-friendly”. #SternWywiolGruppe #Sternchemie

FoodStory Brands-owned snacking brand, Fresh Cravings, has expanded its collection of dips with the addition of a new flavour. The new Jalapeño Popper flavoured dip consists of diced jalapeños and chives added to the brand’s popular cashew base. The vegan dip is keto-friendly, contains no preservatives and is gluten-free. Jay Whitney, CMO of FoodStory Brands, said: “As the fastest-growing refrigerated salsa and hummus brand in America, we are thrilled to expand our plant-based dips. We love rethinking classic dips and making craveable, elevated fresh-snacking options accessible to all.” The new dip is available at select retailers across the US. #FoodStoryBrands #FreshCravings #US

Oatly has revealed it will be cutting its employee headcount, after reporting a widening loss for its third quarter. The plant-based milk maker once again revised its full-year outlook, and now expects revenue growth of 9% to 12%, a downgrade from its already-trimmed down expectation of a 24% to 29% increase. The company said that its Q3 results – which included a net loss of $107.9 million – were below its expectations, after it was hurt by pandemic restrictions in China, production challenges and “foreign exchange headwinds”. For the quarter ended 30 September, Oatly recorded revenue of $183 million, a 7% increase compared with the year-ago period. In its Q3 earnings statement, the company revealed that it planned to cut its workforce as part of a raft of cost-reduction measures. The oat drink giant did not disclose how many of its employees would be affected by the move but said an overhead and headcount reduction would impact up to 25% of the costs related to group corporate functions and “regional EMEA layers”. Oatly CEO, Toni Petersson, said: “Third-quarter financial results were below our expectations, largely driven by Covid-19 restrictions in Asia, production challenges in the Americas and continued foreign exchange headwinds”. “However, we continue to see strong velocities, year-over-year sales volume growth and minimal price elasticity globally which we believe demonstrates the power and resilience of the brand.” #financialresults #milkalternatives #Oatmilk #Oatly

The Good Bean has launched its new Heat & Eat bean-based meals in four flavours. Available in four savoury options, Indian Coconut Curry, Low-Carb Classic Chili, Santa Fe Green Chile and Mexican Smoky Chipotle, the Heat & Eat bean-based meals include 7-11g of plant protein and 4-6g of fibre per pouch. “As we all know, representation matters. Of the innumerable ways this can be manifested, food, for me, rises to the top as being the most evocative way to bring culture to life,” said Sarah Wallace, founder and CEO of The Good Bean. “With our new line of ready-to-eat bean meals, we wanted to honour traditional food culture, creating a product line that provides all the clean-label, plant-based nutrition that beans have to offer, while showcasing multicultural flavours and innovation in the aisle.” At an MSRP of $3.99 The Good Bean Heat & Eat Meals are available for purchase at US national retailers. #beanbased #TheGoodBean #US

B&G Foods is seeking to sell its Back to Nature snack brand, which it says is “no longer core to the company’s overall business or long-term strategy”. As a result, the company recorded impairment charges of $103.6 million in the third quarter. In 2017, B&G Foods purchased Back to Nature Foods Company, then a joint venture between Brynwood Partners VI and Mondelēz International, in a deal worth $162.5 million. Speaking during a Q3 conference call, CFO Bruce Wacha said: “This is a brand that made sense for B&G Foods to acquire when we were attempting to build our snacking portfolio”. He continued: “However, given our current focus, we now believe that there are better owners for Back to Nature than B&G Foods. As a result, we are actively looking to sell the brand and have therefore reclassified the assets of the Back to Nature business as assets held for sale on our balance sheet.” #BampGFoods #BacktoNatureFoods #US