Manufactured in Hong Kong, Vitasoy’s new range includes oat and almond milk varieties and is specially formulated to offer consumers a fresh and smooth taste experience. Made from 100% oats or almonds, the Fresh Vitasoy Plant+ range contains zero cholesterol, low sugar, high calcium and vitamin D, with no added preservatives. The product allows consumers to enjoy plant-based milk without compromising on taste and texture, making it a great drink to be consumed as part of a plant-based lifestyle and balanced diet for health and sustainability benefits. Established in 1940, Vitasoy International Holdings Limited is a manufacturer and distributor of plant-based food and beverages. The company strives to promote sustainable plant-based nutrition through the provision of a variety of products with nutrition, taste and sustainability as the guidelines for its portfolio offerings. #HongKong #plantbaseddairy #plantbasedmilk #Vitasoy

Swiss start-up Cultivated Biosciences has raised $1.5 million in a pre-seed funding round, which will enable the company to address challenges with texture in plant-based dairy products. The plant-based dairy industry has struggled to replicate the creaminess of animal products – existing dairy-free solutions such as palm oil are not sustainable from an environmentalist perspective. The funding round was led by Swiss venture fund Wingman Ventures and involved other foodtech venture capital investors including Big Idea Ventures, Blue Horizon, Proveg International and the FoodHack syndicate. CEO and co-founder of US-based Every Company, Arturo Elizondo, also participated in this round. From its laboratories in Zurich, Cultivated Biosciences will use the funding to develop a creamy ingredient made from GMO-free yeast, providing the mouthfeel needed to make plant-based dairy an alternative for consumers. The ingredient is clean label and has a sustainable production process. It provides the same texture and colour as dairy products, low lipid oxidation and natural emulsification properties. Tomas Turner, CEO and co-founder of Cultivated Biosciences, said: “We are beyond excited to build a solution that will elevate the mouthfeel of the plant-based dairy category and ensure that it’s simply better and cheaper than its factory-farmed equivalent”. Elizondo added: “Fats are the next frontier in accelerating the world’s transition to an animal-free food system and I’m thrilled to be personally backing Cultivated Biosciences and their approach”. In 2023, the company will start testing its creamy ingredient with selected clients for high-value savoury applications and is open to working with partners, especially those from the Swiss gastronomy sector and the US and European foodtech ecosystem. #GMOfree #sustainable #plantbaseddairy #Cultivatedbiosciences #Switzerland

Being vegan just got easier at Greggs as the bakery reinvent some much-loved classics, advancing from its 2019 vegan sausage roll launch. The bakery has reconstructed its signature Southern Fried Chicken-Free Baguette: a freshly baked crunchy baguette, packed with vegan goujons, topped with mature Cheddar vegan cheeZe flavour slices, sliced red onion and a helping of chipotle chilli sauce. Hold up! There are some new vegan-friendly kids on the block 👀​ Introducing our tasty Vegan Southern Fried Chicken-Free Baguette, Vegan Cheeze and Bean Toastie and Chicken-free Goujons. ​ Available from 1st September. pic.twitter.com/muLvf7W3A4 — Greggs (@GreggsOfficial) September 1, 2022 The high-street bakery has also added a freshly baked vegan cheeZe and bean toastie to its menu, made with grated vegan cheeZe and classic baked beans. Southern fried chicken-free goujons will be available to purchase on their own, with crunchy lightly spiced breadcrumbs on the outside and a tender meat-free filling, the snack can be paired with various dips, such as sweet chilli. The full range will be available from 15th September at all Greggs shops. #Greggs #UK #vegan #plantbasedchicken #Autumn #bakery

Researchers at DTU claim to have developed a new type of lactic acid bacteria that can create a natural butter flavour when grown in plant-based drinks such as soy and oat milk. According to DTU, the key to good flavour in many dairy products is the buttery taste. Researchers at the institute have found a way to reproduce this by converting the sugar in plant-based beverages into a natural butter flavour. “The taste that characterises our dairy products is dependent on the butter flavour. Without butter flavour, butter would not taste like butter, just as cheese and yogurt would taste different,” said DTU National Food Institute associate professor, Christian Solem. “The new lactic acid bacterium therefore has the potential to create plant-based products with a taste that comes closer to the one we are familiar with from traditional products.” According to DTU, butter flavour is formed when lactic acid bacteria convert the citric acid in milk. The institute says that by slightly changing the properties of the lactic acid bacteria, its researchers have made it possible to produce butter flavour from sugar instead. “In this way, we have created a shortcut to butter flavour without using milk, but the butter aroma has the same good properties,” said Solem. The new flavour solution can be used in many applications, including plant-based spreads, yogurt and cheese. The researchers behind the technology are in the process of publishing their findings. #Denmark #DTU

Impossible Foods has expanded its portfolio with the introduction of a range of single-serve frozen meals: Impossible Bowls. The new line-up reimagines eight classic comfort food dishes using Impossible’s assortment of plant-based proteins. The range includes: Sweet & Sour Impossible Pork, Teriyaki Impossible Chicken, Chili Mac with Impossible Pork, Barbeque Impossible Pork, Spaghetti & Impossible Meatballs, Pasta Bolognese with Impossible Beef & Pork, Burrito Bowl with Impossible Beef and Spicy Enchilada Bowl with Impossible Chicken. “Convenience and accessibility are a huge part of this, and we’re excited to give people even more ways to try and buy Impossible products,” said Peter McGuinness, CEO of Impossible Foods. “This is a major milestone that we’re proud of and hope will push the category forward in a meaningful way. It’s never been easier to try a delicious plant-based meal in minutes.” Each 9oz Impossible Bowl contains 10-13g of protein and 0g of trans fat. The launch comes on the heels of the introduction of Impossible Chicken Patties, which began rolling out in retail in August. #ImpossibleFoods #US

Fungal ingredient company, The Protein Brewery, has announced the appointment of Sue Garfitt as CEO. Formerly chief executive of Alpro, Garfitt will lead the next stage of the company’s development as it prepares to go to market. The Protein Brewery, which develops fungal food ingredients, such as its flagship product Fermotein, says that Garfitt has extensive leadership experience in the food sector. After beginning her career at PepsiCo, Garfitt further developed her commercial skills at New York Bakery, before taking the helm at plant-based dairy giant Alpro. “We are incredibly pleased that Sue has accepted the position as CEO of The Protein Brewery,” said the company’s chairman, Bente Korsgaard Andersen. “She has broad and quite unique experience, from both the food sector in general and, more specifically, an impressive track record in pioneering in the plant-based field, setting the scene for what plant-based is today. “Sue knows how to bring a story to market and grow the business. We are confident she will be successful in driving The Protein Brewery forward in supplying scalable, smart and sustainable food ingredient solutions, contributing to feeding a growing population towards 10 billion people in 2050.” Commenting on her appointment, Garfitt said: “I am excited to be joining The Protein Brewery at this pivotal moment in the company’s development. I look forward to working with an enthusiastic and smart group of colleagues to further accelerate the company’s position in championing fermented fungal food ingredients across the globe.” She added: “We are well positioned to deploy our scientific capabilities and prepare for the next stage of bringing Fermotein and other alternative protein solutions to the market”. To support this next step, the company is constructing its first commercial scale-up brewery, which is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2023. #Appointments #theNetherlands #TheProteinBrewery

Business-centric multimedia company, FoodBev Media, has announced the official launch of a website dedicated to the plant-based food and beverage industry. With plant-based diets becoming increasingly mainstream in societies across the world, the new platform will help industry professionals to keep pace with developments in this fast-moving sector. The launch of theplantbasemag.com comes as analysts project that the global plant-based food market could surpass a value of $100 billion within the next decade. The website will feature news and analysis on topics including manufacturing, ingredients, packaging and labelling, and complement FoodBev Media’s dedicated industry title, The Plant Base. Commenting on the company’s latest venture, FoodBev Media chairman, Richard Hall, said: “Plant-based may well prove to be the biggest global dietary change of this decade. It is also constantly evolving in taste, nutrition, science, cost and sustainability. Theplantbasemag.com will be the simplest link to keep up with all the latest international innovations and developments.” FoodBev Media also operates several social channels focused on news and views from the plant-based sector. For the latest industry updates or to get involved in the conversation, visit: #FoodBevMedia #plantbased #theplantbasemagcom

Swiss meat alternatives maker Planted has closed a Series B financing round of CHF 70 million ($71.5 million approx). Founded in 2019, Planted is a spin-off from ETH Zurich. The food tech start-up produces meat alternatives from plant proteins, such as pea, oat and sunflower, through its novel biostructuring approach, which combines protein structuring and fermentation. Led by private equity firm L Catterton, the round also received participation from existing backers, including Vorwerk Ventures, Gullspång Re:food and ETH Zürich Foundation, as well as new investor Tengelmann Ventures. “Not only are…[Planted’s] products inspired by nature, but they are also free of unnatural ingredients, scalable, and able to be easily incorporated into consumers’ daily lives as well as traditional meat supply chains,” said Liz Gordon of L Catterton. “With food as a strong lever to promote human health and environmental stability, Planted directly contributes to creating a healthier and more sustainable food system. We have strong conviction in the company’s continued growth, as more people across the globe continue to adopt alternative proteins into their lives.” Planted will use the funds to launch its new whole-cut product line, accelerate its international expansion and build an additional production site. The company’s proprietary technology allows it to design and structure larger pieces of plant-based meat with “complex structure, texture, juiciness and tenderness”. #meatalternatives #Planted #Switzerland

Hippeas has partnered with plant-based meat brand This to launch its limited edition This Isn’t Smoky Bacon flavour of its chickpea puff snacks. The smoky bacon flavour replicates the meatiness of This’s best-selling plant-based bacon products, which have won Great Taste awards. “Everyone loves bacon, snacks and being healthy. The assignment was simple to comprehend but hard to execute. These puffs are 10/10”, said Andy Shovel, co-founder of This. Each 22g pack contains 1.3g fibre, 3.7g of plant-based protein and only 87 kcals. They are vegan friendly whilst also being gluten, palm oil and MSG free, and are non-HFSS compliant. Paul Nardone, Hippeas CEO added: “As two of the UK’s leading plant-based food brands it made perfect sense for us to collaborate. The product delivers against what we know consumers are looking for: maximised flavour and texture, alongside revolutionised nutrition to deliver better-for-you snacks.” The smoky chickpea puffs are available from Waitrose stores (22g single packs, RRP £1) nationwide or direct to consumers on the Hippeas website. #This #Hippeas #UK #plantbasedsnacks #plantbased #plantbasedbacon

Mindful Chef has partnered with Deliciously Ella to introduce four plant-based recipes that will be available for two weeks this September. Filled with plant-based proteins and fresh, seasonal vegetables, the meal options include: chermoula aubergine with lentils and broccoli; miso mushroom rice with tofu and broccoli; dahl with roasted squash and green beans; and ‘golden’ bean stew with celeriac fries. The new offerings are gluten-, dairy- and refined carb-free, and are inspired by the “most-loved” recipes on the Deliciously Ella app, Feel Better. Giles Humphries, Mindful Chef founder and CMO, said: “We’ve always admired Ella’s approach to food so we couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with someone who’s as passionate about plant-based food and sustainable eating as we are. These exclusive recipes are bursting with flavour, and colourful seasonal produce using the same high-quality, sustainably sourced ingredients you’ll find in all Mindful Chef meals.” On the menu for two weeks only, starting 11 September, the recipes will be available across the one-person, two-person and family options. #DeliciouslyElla #MindfulChef #UK

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has carried out the first large study to compare levels of four key micronutrients – phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and selenium – in eight different plant-based milk substitutes, as well as cow’s milk. The FDA analysed levels of the four minerals in 85 samples of plant milks, made from almond, cashew, coconut, hemp, oat, pea, rice and soya. The study found that almost all plant-based milks have lower amounts of the four micronutrients, with the exception of milk substitutes made from pea protein, which contain similar levels to cow’s milk. Phosphorus promotes growth and tissue repair, while selenium is needed for a healthy immune system. “Those who consume plant-based milk alternatives lower in these target minerals should seek to obtain these nutrients through other foods or beverages,” said Benjamin Redan of the FDA. Clare Thornton-Wood, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, added: “All of these nutrients can be obtained from other sources, such as nuts, seeds and lentils”. Alternative milks have been growing in popularity in recent years, and while health is a significant driver in the adoption of plant-based foods, other factors such as sustainability and animal welfare are also key motivators. #cowsmilk #FDA #plantbasedmilk #sustainability

From 1 September, Asda will remove the ‘best before’ dates from almost 250 of its fresh fruit and vegetable products to help customers reduce food waste and save money. The rollout will be across all of Asda’s UK stores and the dates will be replaced with a code to be used by store employees to ensure quality and freshness are maintained. The supermarket is also providing additional guidance online and on packaging to help customers to understand how to best store and prepare fresh food, as well as tips on how to reduce food waste. The change is just one way Asda is targeting a 20% reduction in waste by 2025 and comes as research from climate action group Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) reveals that the average family throws away £60 worth of food and drink each month. Catherine David, director of collaboration and change at WRAP, said: “Our research has shown that date labels on fruit and veg are unnecessary – getting rid of them can prevent the equivalent of 7 million shopping baskets’ worth from our household bins. Storing most fruit and veg products in the fridge, below 5 degrees, will keep them fresher longer.” #Asda #foodwaste #sustainability #UK