Kellogg-owned Rxbar has expanded into the breakfast cereal aisle with the release of a new Rx Cereal line made with plant-based protein. Inspired by the brand’s top-selling protein bars and classic cereal flavours, the range comes in three varieties: chocolate almond, vanilla almond and strawberry. Rx Cereal is made with a mix of brown rice, pea protein, almonds and fruit, and features no artificial colours, flavour or ingredients. Each serving contains 11-12g of plant-based protein and 3-4g of fibre. According to the brand, the cereal offers a “deliciously satisfying crunch” and is suitable as a wholesome breakfast or convenient snack. Rx Cereal marks the brand’s second new product made with plant-based protein to launch this year, following the release of Rxbar Plant. “We’re strong believers in taking an honest, straightforward approach to food and using simple ingredients and protein to help fans fuel their day,” said Jason Moraff, VP of marketing at Rxbar. “That’s why we created Rx Cereal, to bring that approach to a category that needs more wholesome, convenient options that not only taste amazing but are made with real ingredients people recognise.” Rx Cereal is available now online and in Walmart stores, with more nationwide retailers to come. #US #Rxbar #Kellogg #breakfastcereal #plantprotein

Food-tech company Nature’s Fynd has raised $350 million in a Series C funding round, as it looks to bring its fungi protein-based products to consumers worldwide. The Series C round brings the company’s total financing to over $500 million, following a $45 million raise last December. Nature’s Fynd produces its nutritional fungi protein called Fy from a microbe sourced from volcanic springs, using fermentation technology that it claims uses just a fraction of the land, water and energy required by traditional agriculture. Earlier this year, Nature’s Fynd launched its Fy Breakfast Bundle with Original Meatless Breakfast Patties and Dairy-free Cream Cheese direct-to-consumers, which it claims sold out in 24 hours. With the capital, the company is looking to enter multiple brand-aligned partnerships with retail stores and quick-serve restaurants – expecting to further roll out its Fy based meatless and dairy-free products in the coming year. Nature’s Fynd also intends to expand its production capacity and product portfolio and says it is preparing for a significant geographical expansion, with a particular focus on Asia. Thomas Jonas, CEO and co-founder of Nature’s Fynd, said: “We know consumers today expect great tasting meat and dairy alternatives without compromising on health or sustainability. And Fy – our natural, complete vegan protein delivers on all fronts: amazing taste and texture while being healthier for people and gentler on the planet than traditional proteins. “In the past year, we also showed that we can grow Fy at commercial scale leveraging robotics and automation in our new state-of-the-art facility in Chicago’s historic Union Stockyards.” The Series C round was led by SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2 and joined by new investors such as Blackstone Strategic Partners, Balyasny Asset Management, Hillhouse Investment and Hongkou. Existing investors also continued to show their support including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Generation Investment Management and 1955 Capital, Danone Manifesto Ventures and ADM. Angela Du, investment director at SoftBank Investment Advisers, said: “We are excited to partner with Thomas Jonas and the Nature’s Fynd team to help them scale their business and capture the tremendous global opportunities in front of them.” #NaturesFynd #US #Dairyalternatives #sustainableprotein #meatalternatives

Russian plant-based meat start-up Welldone has raised $1.5 million in a funding round, as it looks to expand its production capacity and distribution. The funding round was led by Phystech Ventures, with participation from Lever VC – a global investor in the alternative protein space, which recently announced a $46 million close of its Lever VC Fund I. Welldone manufactures a range of meat alternatives including plant-based burgers, mince and cutlets, which are available online, via retail and feature on restaurant menus. Since launching in September last year, the company has expanded its offerings to more than 500 points of sale in 50 cities across Russia, including listings at five national retail chains. In an effort to meet sales growth, Welldone plans to use the funding to increase its monthly production capacity to 150 tons, expand its R&D team and launch new product lines. The Russian company also intends to grow its distribution in Moscow and other regions, as well as internationally – building upon its current presence in Belarus and Kazakhstan. The funding comes as the Russian plant-based meat market shows signs of growth. According to the Russian Agricultural Bank, plant-based meat will account for 1.5% of the entire meat category within four years. “Today more and more people in Russia are starting to think about their diet. They understand that there are ingredients in animal meat which are not good for them, such as cholesterol,” said Alexander Kiselev, CEO of Welldone. He added: “The plant-based market is poised to grow very quickly in Russia and Eastern Europe, and with our significant investment in R&D, world-class yet affordable products, and partnership with Phystech Ventures and Lever VC, we look forward to leading the growth of the category.” Phystech Ventures principal, Anna Gishko, said: “Welldone’s key advantages include an experienced team, deep R&D expertise, and strong collaboration with the country’s leading food biotech institutes. “With excellent scientific talent available in the country and much lower input costs, the efficiency of R&D in Russia is an important competitive advantage for international expansion.” #Russia #Welldone #meatalternatives #plantbasedmeat #PhystechVentures #LeverVC

US sweet potato snack brand Spudsy has announced the launch of a new range of gluten- and grain-free Sweet Potato Fries. Made with Spudsy’s signature sweet potato flour, the new line is vegan and features three flavours: Hot Fry, Vegan Ranch Fry and Cheese Fry. California-based Spudsy uses sweet potatoes that traditionally end up in landfill due to minor imperfections in shape, size or colour to make its snacks. The brand claims to be on track to ‘save’ 1 million such sweet potatoes by the end of the year. “It was really important to the Spudsy team that our newest product was something equally as delicious as our classic puffs,” said Ashley Boeckle, CEO of Spudsy. “We know that these new fries were the perfect addition to fulfil our vision of creating another flavourful, healthy snack while continuing to encourage our brand fans to #savethespud.” Spudsy’s new Sweet Potato Fries will be available to purchase at select Kroger stores and online via the brand’s website and Amazon. Last year, Spudsy was named winner of PepsiCo’s second annual North America Greenhouse programme, which aims to support emerging entrepreneurs and brands in the food and beverage industry. #Spudsy #upcycling #US

Plant-based food brand Wicked Kitchen has secured $14 million in a Series A funding round, as it prepares to launch its product line in the US. The round was co-led by plant-based foods venture fund Unovis Asset Management and Thailand-based NRF-owned Nove Foods. Co-founded by American brothers Derek and Chad Sarno, Wicked Kitchen first launched its range of vegan products in 2018 in collaboration with UK retailer Tesco. After experiencing success in the UK, the company aims to bring the Wicked Kitchen product line to the US market amid the growing plant-based movement. Derek and Chad Sarno are also the co-founders of Gathered Foods, makers of the Good Catch plant-based seafood brand. “This funding supports the next giant leap in growth and adoption of the Wicked Kitchen product line – a journey that will span the globe,” said Wicked Foods CEO, Pete Speranza. He added: “As was demonstrated by Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain, the breadth of offerings Wicked Kitchen brings to market allows motivated regional retail partners to commit to multi cross-category adoption. What Wicked brings into the US will be unlike anything else that has come before it in the plant-based space.” The company’s plant-based offerings include convenient breakfast, lunch and dinner options such as porridge, meal kits, noodle pots, ready meals, meat alternatives, sauces and marinades. Chris Kerr, founding partner of Unovis, said: “The fastest adoption of plant-based foods is always driven by great culinary experience. Wicked Kitchen has an unparalleled range of exceptional products, a revered brand, and two founding chefs willing to stir the pot. Unovis is here to support this effort from every angle.” Wicked Kitchen plans to make further announcements in the coming week regarding the brand’s US launch. #US #readytoeat #mealkits #WickedKitchen #UK #plantbased

Oat milk chocolate brand Happi Free From is moving into the drinks aisle with the introduction of a new range of flavoured oat beverages. The new plant-based Happi Oat Drinks will launch with two flavours – chocolate and strawberry – both of which are free from gluten and enriched with vitamins A, B6, B9, B12, C and D. The drinks will be available in 1-litre cartons and are made using oats milled and processed in the UK. There are no added sugars in the strawberry flavour and no refined sugars in the chocolate variant, according to Happi. Gavin Cox, founder of Happi Free From, said: “We are incredibly excited to be launching our delicious new oat drinks range. There’s still a huge gap in the market for high-quality, flavoured oat drinks and ours are here to fill it. “We will be targeting plant-based milkshake fans with our delicious, all-natural and allergen-friendly Happi Oat Drink and hope to attract vegans, flexitarians and families with this new range.” With an MRSP of £2.39, Happi Oat Drinks will roll out to 459 Holland & Barrett stores across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands starting next month. The new drinks will also be available to purchase via the brand’s website. Georgina Stoddart, assistant category buyer at Holland & Barrett, said: “The flavours married with the fun and vibrant packaging will appeal to our plant-based customers, as well as dipping into the children’s market and encouraging more customers to experience fantastic plant-based products.” Happi recently expanded its portfolio of oat milk chocolate with the launch of two white chocolate varieties across the UK. #Dairyalternatives #Happi #theNetherlands #UK #Ireland

High-tech yeast company Angel Yeast has officially opened the doors of its new purpose-built facility, dedicated to yeast and biotechnology research and development. Based in Yichang, China, the company unveiled the centre back in June. This week’s opening now marks a major milestone for Angel Yeast’s scientific capabilities and advancement in the biotechnology sector. The complex spans 36,000sqm and can accommodate up to 1,500 people. The complex contains nine centres, focusing on: yeast and enzyme, industrial and brewing microbiology, protein nutrition and food flavouring, baking and Chinese dim sum, agricultural biotechnology, environmental protection, industrial innovation, nutrition and health, and testing. The project first got underway in October 2019, and more than 196 million yuan ($30 million) has been invested in the facility to date. Angel Yeast said it expects to allocate more than $60 million toward scientific research, enabling the company to become a global leader in yeast technology research. “We are thrilled to open our new R&D complex after more than a year of planning and construction. We believe this project will further accelerate the advancement of Angel Yeast’s innovation system in major industries, including yeast and yeast derivatives, healthy ingredients and raw materials, nutrition and healthcare, and non-yeast related biotechnologies,” said Xiong Tao, chairman of Angel Yeast. “By enhancing our independent innovation capabilities and strengthening our international cooperation, we have cemented Angel Yeast’s position as a leader and pioneer in the development of the industry,” he added. Researchers will focus on a number of key areas, including: plant-based alternatives, food flavour enhancements, gut health and probiotics, clean nutritional sources for fermentation, immune health and sports nutrition, alternatives to antibiotics, and yeast production and sustainable development. The company has already partnered with the likes of Novozymes to improve the application of enzymes in pasta and with Chr. Hansen to develop probiotic formulations. #yeast #China #AngelYeast #enzymes #Researchanddevelopment

Vegan brand Follow Your Heart has launched dairy-free Greek Style Crumbles in the UK, available in Tesco stores nationwide from 12 July. Created in the brand’s Los Angeles solar-powered, zero-waste facility (known as Earth Island), the crumble format is aimed at plant-based and flexitarian consumers looking for a traditional feta alternative. John O’Connor, new business development at Follow Your Heart said: “We are so excited to launch the first dairy-free Greek Crumbles in the UK and it’s a great testament to our strong innovation team in the US focusing on plant-based cheese. We are passionate about showing UK shoppers how delicious and easy plant-based eating can be.” “In contrast to some other brands with long ingredients lists including unrecognisable components, Follow Your Heart focuses on keeping things clean and minimal to create inherently better-for-you products for shoppers,” he added. Greek Style Crumbles features just ten ingredients, is coconut-oil based, allergen-free and non-GMO. It is also free of dairy, soy, casein, gluten, lactose and preservatives. RRP £3.50 for 170g. #dairyfreecheese #Fetacheese #FollowYourHeart #US

Plant-based meat producer Next Gen Foods has announced a $20 million extension of its seed round, which takes the round’s total to $30 million. Headquartered in Singapore, Next Gen is a food tech start-up developing and commercialising new plant-based food products. The company launched just last year after raising $2.2 million in seed funding. The new funds will primarily be used to launch Tindle – the first brand created by Next Gen – in the US. Tindle plant-based chicken is already sold in more than 70 restaurants in Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau. New investors in Next Gen include: GGV Capital, agriculture and food tech venture fund Bits x Bites, Yeo Hiap Seng, athletes including footballer Dele Alli, and Blitzscaling co-author Chris Yeh. Existing investors include Temasek and Asia-based venture capital fund K3 Ventures. As part of its entry into the US market, Next Gen plans to hire more than 50 employees across research and development (R&D), sales, supply chain, finance and marketing. “The United States is the world’s biggest market for plant-based foods. We are already putting our foundations in place to be in-market within the next 12 months as we accelerate our goal of becoming the world’s number one plant-based chicken,” said Andre Menezes, who co-founded Next Gen with LikeMeat founder, Timo Recker. The company will also use the extended funding for continued expansion in the APAC region and the Middle East, as well as for developing its technology, establishing an R&D centre in Singapore and product diversification. Jenny Lee, a managing partner at GGV Capital, said: “The team’s focus on product quality, brand recall and distribution provides a strong foundation for the future growth of the company. “Our partnership with the NextGen team is underpinned by our commitment to team up with founders who show real passion and flair in solving the fundamental challenges of our time – food sustainability is one of them.” Jean Madden, Next Gen CMO, added: “Following our March 2021 Tindle launch, we have expanded to three key markets, and we expect to be in more than five by end-2021, a mark that some leading brands do not cross after years of existence. “We are scaling at this incredibly fast pace with our asset-lite business model, distribution network, talent and collaborations with great chefs and hot restaurants.” #Temasek #US #BitsxBites #meatalternatives #Tindle #Singapore #NextGen

Private equity firm Paine Schwartz Partners has acquired Californian cold-pressed, organic beverage brand Suja Life from Goldman Sachs Asset Management and co-investors. The deal – which was made for an undisclosed sum – comes after a record-breaking year for Suja Life in both revenue and profit and its new ownership will reportedly enable the brand’s next phase of growth. Shortly after launching in 2012, Suja claims it became the nation’s leading organic, cold-pressed juice brand. Made using high pressure processing, the brand’s portfolio includes cold pressed juices, functional shots and sparkling juices, which are available at major grocery and natural food stores nationwide. “I’m excited to see Suja achieve so much success after the almost ten-year journey of this amazing brand and I could not be more excited for the next chapter,” said James Brennan, Suja co-founder. He added: “Suja has experienced two phases of rapid growth, the initial years after the brand was founded and then again since 2018. The Suja team has delivered fantastic results in recent years.” Nicole Agnew, managing director in Goldman Sachs Asset Management, added: “Suja’s success has led them to become a household brand, and we’re thrilled to have been part of the journey.” Suja says it chose Paine Schwartz as its new partner due to its shared purpose in offering consumers better-for-you plant-based options. “We are incredibly excited to partner with the Suja team at this inflection point in the company’s growth trajectory,” said Kevin Schwartz, CEO of Paine Schwartz Partners. “Suja sits at the centre of our company’s investment ethos – products that deliver great-tasting, functional ingredients that are as healthy for you as they are delicious. We look forward to supporting the company in this next phase of growth, investing behind new products and expanding distribution to bring Suja to even more consumers everywhere.” In 2019, Paine Schwartz closed a sustainable food chain fund at $1.43 billion, marking its largest fund to date. #functionalbeverages #Suja #US #PaineSchwartz #juice #organic #GoldmanSachsAssetManagement #Coldpressedjuice

Speciality protein company Geltor has unveiled a new vegan collagen ingredient, claiming that the new PrimaColl solution represents a ‘first-of-its-kind’ animal-free collagen for food and beverage applications. Produced through Geltor’s proprietary fermentation process in collaboration with Lonza Specialty Ingredients, the vegan collagen will be available in 2021, as commercial scaling of the ingredient has already begun this summer. Collagen is commonly produced from sources such as the cartilage, bones and marrow of animals including pigs and cows, and a vegan collagen source for use as an ingredient in food and beverage applications had proved elusive. According to Geltor, the ingredient is an exact match to the bioactive amino acid core of the ‘less abundant’ Type 21 collagen. Like most collagens, the natural production of Type 21 decreases into adulthood, with collagen supplements such as drinks and snack bars gaining interest from consumers. Geltor claims that this collagen type was selected in the biodesign of PrimaColl due to its important role in interacting with other collagens, which can help stimulate additional collagen production at the cellular level. Geltor CEO and co-founder Alex Lorestani, said: “Collagen’s popularity is accelerating year-over-year, in spite of its constraints as an ingredient derived from animals. “With PrimaColl, our customers finally have a unique and unprecedented opportunity to access new markets with a bona fide collagen that is truly animal-free.” Last year, Geltor raised $91.3 million in Series B financing, with the company claiming that it would use the financing to fuel the expansion of its ingredients-as-a-service platform. #collagen #Geltor #ingredients #vegancollagen

Yoplait’s Petits Filous brand has entered into the plant-based category with the introduction of its first dairy-free range across the UK. Made with almonds, the plant-based yogurts are available in the brand’s bestselling raspberry flavour. The launch comes as Petits Filous looks to meet the growing demand of families seeking dairy-free options for their kids. “In recent years we’ve seen an increase in families seeking dairy free alternatives, either due to intolerances or simply as a lifestyle choice,” said Joanna Goodman, head of marketing of yogurt, northern Europe at General Mills. “With limited healthy snacking options available in this space, we wanted to ensure that children who don’t eat dairy can still enjoy the benefits of our yogurts. Dairy Free is packed with calcium and vitamin D and offers the same great taste you would expect from Petits Filous.” The new dairy-free Petits Filous yogurts are currently available to purchase from Tesco stores, and will be rolled out in Morrisons and Sainsbury’s in September. Petits Filous Dairy Free will come in packs of four and will retail for £2.35. Last month, the brand expanded its Mess Free drinkable yogurt portfolio with a no-added-sugar option. #GeneralMills #Yoplait #PetitsFilous #yogurt #UK #dairyfree