JBS-owned Planterra has announced that it will open a new R&D innovation centre at its expanded headquarters in Lafayette, Colorado. The new space and R&D centre will enable Planterra to continue its mission of sharing plant-based food creations and provide new opportunities to test ingredient and product innovations, expanding office space and adding new jobs for the local area. “I am proud of the team we’ve built at Planterra Foods and look forward to a future of continued growth and innovation in our new space in Lafayette,” said Darcey Macken, CEO of Planterra Foods. “With a team full of passionate, problem-solving food lovers, I’m confident that Planterra Foods will continue to grow the world of plant-based with the best-tasting foods in the market.” “Planterra Foods new R&D Innovation Center will open the doors to endless opportunities in plant-based protein,” said Raúl Pero, VP of marketing and innovation at Planterra Foods. “With more and more plant-based options popping up in stores for consumers to choose from, our goal is to bring innovative solutions to plant-based foods with delicious, high-quality products that people can feel good about eating and feeding their families at home.” “Colorado is open for business and this expansion will result in 100 new jobs,” said Jared Polis, governor of the State of Colorado. “We look forward to continuing Colorado’s reputation as one of the foremost agricultural producers in the world.” In July, Planterra’s Ozo brand has released five new frozen and fresh plant-based meat alternative products in the US. #JBS #plantbased #PlanterraFoods #US

British dairy-free food producer Nush has expanded its range of Yogs with a Mango & Passionfruit variant; and its epicurean potted desserts with a Chocolate Fudge Pot flavour. Mango & Passionfruit Yog sharing pot will be available from Ocado from August with an RRP of £2.99 for 350g. Made with whole ingredients and free from gluten, soya, preservatives, additives and refined sugar, the new Yog is made from almonds. Chocolate Fudge Pot is the second edition to join the Nush Dessert range, alongside the Chocolate Orange Pot and will be available from Ocado from August with an RRP of £3.00 for 2x 75g pots. Bethany Eaton, co-founder of Nush says: “As the first brand to bring nut m*lk yogurt to the UK, innovation has always been at the heart of Nush. 2021 will be a big year of innovation for the business as we grow our share of the dairy-free category”. “We are really excited to be launching the Choc Fudge Pots, after the huge success of entering the dessert category with the Choc Pot, which was an instant favourite amongst British consumers. This NPD will be joined by a Mango & Passionfruit Yog, which we think consumers will love as it tastes just like Summertime.” #Nush #potteddesserts #Yogs #dairyfree #plantbased

Plant-based meat alternative company Meatless Farm is releasing its first vegan chicken product in the UK, Meatless Farm Chicken Burger. The new product uses natural ingredients, pea protein to imitate the texture and taste of chicken and is layered with southern fried crumbs. Meatless Farm UK and Ireland managing director Michael Hunter said: “Our first retail launch into chicken products is a significant area of growth for the business”. He continued: “To secure another listing from the UK’s largest food retailer, Tesco, shows that plant-based is no longer a challenger category, but fast becoming part of daily British food culture as we become more concerned about health and the environment.” Meatless Farm Chicken Burgers will retail for an RRP of £2.75 per package across 300 Tesco stores from 20 September. Last year, Meatless Farm launched two meat-free breakfast sausage varieties in the US. #chicken #MeatlessFarm #plantbased #UK

Country Archer Provisions has unveiled its first plant-based jerky line, made with king oyster mushrooms. The new gluten- and soy-free offering comes in three variants: Spiced Bacon, which derives its flavour from natural hickory smoke, black pepper and a blend of spices; BBQ, combining a smoky BBQ flavour with a touch of sweetness; Teriyaki, featuring a blend of garlic, pineapple and ginger. Containing 3g of dietary fibre per serving, the new offering is said to be low in fat and free from artificial preservatives, and was created in partnership with chef Will Horowitz. The plant-based jerky is made using whole slices of king oyster mushrooms, which are said to have fibres with a similar look and tear to meat that deliver a chew comparable to traditional jerky. “Throughout the last ten years that we have been crafting jerky, we’ve stayed committed to using only high-quality, responsibly sourced, real ingredients,” said co-founder and CEO of Country Archer Provisions, Eugene Kang. “The new line continues our commitment to crafting real food to craft a better world, delivering a snack for flexitarians, curious carnivores and omnivores, meeting at the intersection of taste and real ingredients.” With an SRP of $7.99, the new offering will be available at Sprouts, as well as on Amazon and the brand’s website this month, and at Whole Foods Market stores across the US in October. #CountryArcherProvisions #plantbasedjerky #US

Organic food producer Green Life Farms has agreed to acquire Finn Farms, a hydroponic grower based in Florida. The transaction will give Green Life Farms full ownership of Finn Farms, including all site and equipment assets, and enable the company to expand Green Life Farms’ growing and sales footprint in southwest Florida. Green Life Farms currently operates a hydroponic greenhouse in Lake Worth, Florida, with plans to open another 13 sites in the state. Finn Farms operates a 2.5-acre hydroponic greenhouse in southwest Florida, which uses nutrient film treatment growing technology supplied by Green Automation, Novarbo, Priva, among others. Here, Finn Farms produces a range of leafy greens and herbs, including spinach and basil, and the site is expected to be fully operational later this year. Upon completion of the transaction, Finn Farms will retain its brand name for herbs and microgreens. A company statement said: “The acquisition allows Green Life Farms to rapidly accelerate its sales and capital growth plans, add technological diversity, and incorporate new intellectual property and licensing rights to its business model. Previously, Green Life Farms announced an expansion plan that included eight total facilities; based on market demand for its premium lettuce products, the company has updated its expansion plan to 13 farms.” #FinnFarms #GreenLifeFarms #Hydroponics #verticalfarming

As the plant-based industry continues to skyrocket, innovation in the plant-based snacking and ready-to-consume sectors are witnessing similar growth. This is partly due to an influx of investment in recent years and the ability of manufacturers to offer a wider range of tasty products. The plant-based snacks market is set to exceed $73 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 8.7 %, according to a new report by Future Market Insights. Here, FoodBev explores where businesses are adapting to fulfil the ever-increasing consumer demand. Plant-based confectionery Plant-based confectionery has seen a huge increase in the last several years. Grand View Research reports that the global vegan confectionery market size was valued at $816.0 million in 2019, expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.8% from 2020 to 2027. Interest and acceptance of veganism and plant-based diets over the world have fuelled the growth of the market. There have been various product launches in this category. For example, LoveRaw unveiled its new salted caramel Cre&m wafer bars. Meanwhile, Kellogg’s Rxbar recently debuted its functional plant-based protein snack bars in the US. Continued growth is expected here, as more innovative confectionery products hit the aisles. Sauces, dressings and spreads Grand View’s report also highlights the global plant-based sauces, dressings and spreads market size, which was valued at $194.6 million in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% from 2020 to 2027. Sauces, dressings and spreads can often be plant-based unintentionally; however many also require dairy or meat flavouring as a staple ingredient. Many sauce and condiment manufacturers in the sector are now looking to provide alternatives to these dairy- and meat-based products. One such company is Gotham Greens, which in recent months has introduced several new products to the market, including vegan ranch and vegan caesar dressings. Ice cream The variety and availability of plant-based ice cream offerings have led to significant growth in dairy-free sweet treats. One of 2020’s major trends, mochi balls, has been turned into a plant-based treat with Bubbies recently launching their new vegan mochi ice creams in three flavours. The dairy-alternative ice cream market has even seen some of the most established brands at the fore – this is most evident in the expansion of ice cream giant Ben and Jerry’s plant-based range. Ben and Jerry’s in the last year have added three new flavours to their pre-existing plant-based ice cream line up, as well as all-new plant-based iced desserts. Savoury bites Savoury snacks have also seen a huge increase in popularity in recent years. Squeaky Bean launched new on-the-go bites in UK Sainsbury’s stores. Munchy Seeds launched a new vegan sprinkles range. The functional savoury plant-based space has also seen innovation with plant-based food manufacturer Alpha Foods introducing five new products, including breakfast sandwiches and burritos. Have you launched a plant-based product worthy of recognition and want to celebrate its excellence or innovation, then entries are now open for both our World Plant-Based Taste Awards and World Plant-Based Awards. #WorldPlantBasedTasteAwards #WorldPlantBasedTasteAwards2021 #WorldPlantBasedAwards2021 #WorldPlantBasedAwards #Food #awards #innovation #beverage #plantbased

Oatly has announced plans to increase oat base capacity at its factory in Ogden, Utah, and for a new production facility in Fort Worth, Texas. During the second half of this year, Oatly will begin work on an expansion project at its Ogden plant, which will see the oat beverages maker add 75 million litres of finished goods equivalent oat base capacity. Oat base provides the foundation for the brand’s drinks. The expansion will increase the company’s total estimated finished goods equivalent oat base capacity from 1,000 million to 1,075 million litres annually by the end of 2022. Oatly says that it will deliver the Ogden capacity expansion – which aims to support “an acceleration in consumer demand” – within its previously stated plan for capital expenditures. Meanwhile, the planned 280,000-square-foot manufacturing centre in Fort Worth is expected to create more than 100 jobs once completed in 2023. The new factory will be Oatly’s third production facility in North America and will produce an estimated 150 million litres of oat milk annually. “We’re excited to break ground on this factory in Fort Worth, which we believe will allow us to meet the growing demand for Oatly’s products and grow our positive impact on the planet,” said Oatly president North America, Mike Messersmith. Commenting on the Ogden site expansion, Oatly CEO Toni Petersson said: “In March of 2021 we opened Oatly’s first-ever end-to-end self-manufacturing production facility in the Americas region and we’re excited that based on an acceleration in consumer demand in the region we are already increasing capacity with construction starting in the second half of this year”. He added: “We believe the fundamentals of our business are stronger than ever as consumer demand continues to accelerate, and we are increasing production capacity globally to meet that growing demand”. Meanwhile, SunOpta has also chosen the Fort Worth-Dallas area as the location for a new ‘mega facility’, which it says will support long-term growth in the company’s plant-based business. SunOpta has said that it is in the final stages of negotiating a lease for the construction of the facility, which it expects to be operational by late 2022. #Dairyalternatives #Oatly #SunOpta #US

LoveRaw has expanded its line of plant-based Cre&m Wafer Bars with the launch of what it claims is the world’s first vegan Salted Caramel Cre&m Wafer Bar. The new edition, which supports the company’s expansion plans, is filled with the brand’s salted caramel cre&m filling, contains a vegan caramel coating and is sprinkled with LoveRaw’s own vegan chocolate. LoveRaw’s Salted Caramel Cre&m Wafer Bar joins the brand’s vegan range of milk chocolate bars, white chocolate cream wafer bars and hazelnut cream filled wafer bars. LoveRaw’s co-founder, Manav Thapar, said: “We are delighted to be expanding our range of Cre&m Wafer Bars, following the huge success and popularity of LoveRaw’s M:lk and White Choc editions”. “The Salted Caramel Cre&m Wafer Bar is our latest innovation and is part of our accelerated growth plan and mission to be the best tasting vegan chocolate in the UK.” The offering is available at Amazon, The Vegan Kind, Holland & Barrett, Whole Foods Market and Spar stores with an RRP of £1.69 per bar. #Loveraw #UK #vegan

Plant-based superfood company Laird Superfood has announced that Paul Hodge will step down from his role as president and CEO, and transition to a non-executive position once a successor has been named. Laird’s board of directors has already commenced the search for Hodge’s replacement, and they are seeking someone with experience in scaling consumer packaged goods (CPG). “It has been a privilege to lead this company for the past six years and I’m extremely proud of all we’ve accomplished together,” said Hodge. “In a short period of time, we’ve gone from ideation to creating a leading consumer brand and dominant omnichannel platform while staying true to our values around high-quality, natural ingredients and sustainability. “My deep passion for this Company is widely known as is my commitment to its long-term success for all stakeholders. As a large shareholder myself, I recognise the benefit that complementary platform expertise would bring to accelerating growth on the path to becoming the multi-billion dollar business to which we aspire.” He continued: “So the search is underway for a person who shares our passion, vision and values for the Laird Superfood brand along with possessing other key attributes including large CPG experience. I thank you all for your support. The next chapter of growth for Laird Superfood is underway, it’s going to be an exciting journey.” Geoffrey Barker, chairman of the board of directors added: “We are grateful for Paul’s vision in inventing and building the Laird Superfood brand from the ground up, and his leadership throughout a period of rapid growth. He and his team have created significant value for our customers and shareholders.” “On behalf of the entire Board, I want to thank Paul for his efforts in making Laird Superfood the unique, dynamic company it is today, well-positioned for substantial long-term growth. Paul will remain a valued member of the company’s board of directors and we look forward to continuing our work together.” #LairdSuperfood #plantbased #US

Rebbl, a US producer of organic plant-based functional beverages, has announced the launch of two new product lines. Available in four flavours – root beer, mandarin orange, blackberry and ginger lime – the new Rebbl Pop is a sparkling prebiotic soda that aims to support immunity and digestive health. The new certified-organic beverages are free from gluten, and contain only 50 calories and 5g of sugar. “We’re excited to bring a better-for-you alternative to the soda category,” said Bonnie Neulight, chief marketing and innovation officer at Rebbl. “Rebbl Pop is the answer to the soda drinker’s dilemma. With Rebbl Pop there are no more feelings of guilt nor yearning for taste.” Meanwhile, Rebbl Stacked Coffee is a ‘plant-powered’ ready-to-drink cold brew beverage that combines caffeine with L-theanine. Made with oat milk and functional ingredients such as lion’s mane mushrooms, the new offering aims to support focus, immunity and energy. The organic drink comes in four flavours – cafe mocha, vanilla latte, hazelnut latte and straight black – all of which are non-GMO, while also being free from dairy, soy and gluten. “We literally ‘stacked’ our best-tasting, fair trade coffee with premium function,” commented Neulight. Rebbl Pop and Rebbl Stacked Coffee are available online via the brand’s website and Amazon, as well as at Whole Foods Market stores across the US. #functionalbeverages #US #Rebbl #plantbased #Coldbrewcoffee

Mushroom-based meat alternatives company Fable Food has raised AUD 6.5 million (approx. $4.8 million) in seed funding, as it looks to expand its production globally. The seed funding round was led by Blackbird Ventures, with participation from VC AgFunder, sustainability-focused Aera VC, Better Bite Ventures, Singapore-based Ban Choon Marketing and former Sequoia Capital partner, Warren Hogarth. Founded in 2019, the Sydney-based start-up plans to use its new capital on continued research and product development, as well as to expand its production and manufacturing capacity globally. After having already launched in Singapore and the UK, Fable Food is now preparing to arrive in the United States by the end of this year. Fable Food’s co-founder and CEO, Michael Fox, said: “We’re thrilled to have partners dedicated to creating a more sustainable future, and who believe in our mission to help people reduce their meat consumption and ultimately end industrial animal agriculture”. “Thanks to the backing and support of Blackbird Ventures, AgFunder and all of our investors, we will be able to bring our delicious, clean, and responsibly crafted meaty mushroom products to more people around the world. “We’re continually developing delicious meaty mushroom products to make it as easy as possible for people to eat less meat. We want to inspire people to make more healthy and sustainable food choices, and we believe that people shouldn’t have to compromise on taste or quality to do so.” Late last year, Fable Food released a range of ready meals made with its plant-based braised beef product. #US #meatalternatives #Australia #UK #Singapore #plantbased #FableFood

Plant-based cheese maker Good Planet Foods has introduced new ‘snackable’ vegan cheese wedges. The ‘creamy’ plant-based wedges are individually wrapped for portability and can be enjoyed as a snack, in a lunchbox or as part of a charcuterie board. According to Good Planet Foods, its wedges are made with simple ingredients such as coconut oil and plant proteins, and are free from gluten, soy and lactose. Three varieties are available – original, pepper jack and smoked gouda – each of which is keto-friendly. “The plant-based cheese segment is growing extremely fast, but the potential is far greater than we are seeing,” said Good Planet co-CEO, Bart Adlam. “We are committed to growing the segment by making it easy for consumers to make a sustainable choice and choose plant-based. With this innovation, we are delivering an allergen-free, keto-certified, plant-based snackable cheese wedge that delivers all the creaminess, satisfaction and taste of dairy cheese.” The new offering comes in 4oz packs of six wedges and is available for $4.99 at HyVee, Wakefern and other grocery retailers. Last year, Good Planet secured $12 million in a Series A funding round led by venture capital firm Cleveland Avenue. #Dairyalternatives #GoodPlanetFoods #US