The Single Origin Food Co (Sofco) has secured $1.1 million in seed funding to support the rollout of its plant-based honey alternative. Headquartered in Delaware, US, Sofco is a provider of traceable, plant-based foods. The company’s portfolio of rice, salt and sugars is sold across the country. Earlier this year, Sofco launched Vegan Un-Honey, which is fortified with organic flower pollen. The company’s seed round – which was led by A’Z Angels – will support the rollout of the vegan honey substitute, as well as Sofco’s product development efforts. “Our Single Origin model of working collaboratively with our farming partners actively reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases biodiversity, removes animal use from the food chain and provides full product traceability to our customers to ensure we deliver the highest quality, best value food to market,” said Belal Elbana, CEO of Sofco. “Our seed round will support the Vegan Un-Honey rollout and accelerate product development.” Elbana added: “Longer term, we see enormous potential of further “Un” plant-based natural products and + (plus) fortification using organic flower pollen and wild nutrition.” Amr Abdelaziz, managing partner, A’Z Angels, added: “Our focus is investing in disruptive innovation. Our portfolio is primarily technology companies. However, Sofco and Vegan Un-Honey are poised to disrupt the food industry with innovation at the heart of everything they do.” #honey #plantbased #TheSingleOriginFoodCo #US

The Coconut Collaborative is looking to transform dairy-free cooking with the launch of its new crème fraîche alternative in the UK. The brand claims its new plant-based product is mild and creamy, and can be used in variety of dishes such as soups, dips, pasta sauces and baked goods. The Coconut Collaborative says the versatility of its plant-based crème fraîche product allows non-dairy consumers to rediscover the joys of creamy food without using dairy. Made with live cultures, the new addition is also gluten-free. “We were seeing more and more of our customers experimenting with our Natural Coconut Yog in savoury dishes, and for many dishes like curries, it’s perfect. However, the feedback we were getting was that it’s not quite right for all cuisines, so we went back to the drawing board,” said James Averdieck, founder and managing director of The Coconut Collaborative. The new dairy-free crème fraîche alternative will be available in Tesco and Wholefoods stores from 5 July for an RRP of £1.60. #crèmefraîche #dairyfree #TheCoconutCollaborative #UK

Livekindly Collective has announced its entry into the China market with the launch of two new flagship plant-based brands created exclusively for Chinese consumers. The Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken brands will initially offer seven plant-based products based on beloved Chinese dishes including plant-based dumplings, mushroom-based dishes and a seasoned minced dish. Both brands have been developed and manufactured locally to cater to Chinese consumer tastes, and target Generation Z consumers. The launch comes shortly after the Livekindly Collective closed a $335 million round to fund its international expansion into China – which it considers a high growth potential market. “China is one of the most exciting and strategic markets for the plant-based revolution, and a key pillar of our growth strategy,” said Kees Kruythoff, CEO and chairman of Livekindly Collective. According to the Good Food Institute, China’s plant-based market reached nearly $1 billion in 2018, and is projected to grow between 20-25% per year. Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken also mark the first brands created in-house by Livekindly Collective, which has purchased a collection of brands since its establishment including Oumph, LikeMeat, and most recently, The Dutch Weed Burger. “We’re coming off a phenomenal first year, having become one of the top three highest-funded and fastest-growing plant-based food companies in the world,” said Roger Lienhard, founder and executive chairman of Blue Horizon Group and founder of Livekindly Collective. “Our portfolio and model are global, and with the launch of our China office and delicious new products, we are closer than ever to achieving our mission of making plant-based living the new norm,” he added. Joanna LiuQiao, regional director of Greater China at Livekindly Collective, said: “China has a long history in plant-based cuisine and has been cooking with ingredients like seitan, tofu and tempeh well before it was mainstream. We understand what works and doesn’t work for this market, and our new brands are delicious, high-quality and tailored to local consumer tastes.” #China #LivekindlyCollective #plantbasedfoods

Dairy alternative brand Miyoko’s Creamery has introduced new vegan cheddar sticks crafted using its plant milk recipe that features oats and legumes. The dairy-free cheese sticks come in individually-wrapped packets, and each serving contains 2g of plant protein. The family-friendly creation aims to provide an on-the-go snacking option and is also allergen friendly – free from lactose, soy and gluten. “For a while now, parents have been craving more family-friendly cheese snacks, so we’re very excited to debut our one-of-a-kind Vegan Cheddar Sticks,” said Miyoko Schinner, founder and CEO of Miyoko’s Creamery. “These vegan cheese sticks deliver all the goodness that plant milks have to offer in a convenient form, while supporting a more compassionate food system.” Miyoko’s vegan cheddar sticks can be purchased online or in Whole Foods Market stores nationwide for an RRP of $4.99 per pack of six, with a further roll out nationwide in August. Last year, Miyoko’s released vegan cheddar and pepper jack cheeses – its first cheese alternatives made without nuts. #dairyfreecheese #US #Dairyalternatives #MiyokosCreamery #vegan

UK pea ingredients producer Novo Farina has raised more than £3 million in an investment round to fund the next stage of its development. Based in Norfolk, Novo Farina uses whole yellow peas to produce sustainable and ‘highly nutritious’ ingredients that offer an alternative to meat- and wheat-based options. The company’s lead product Novo-Tex is a texturised pea protein that has been developed for use in meat alternative products. Other offerings include pea flour and pea crumb. In 2020, Novo Farina launched its first retail product: baked pea-based curls called Simpleas Snacks. The company’s recent funding round was led by British venture capital investor and author Richard Koch, with participation from other private investors. Novo Farina managing director, Chris Harrison, said: “We are absolutely delighted that investor confidence in Novo Farina means that we can increase production and relocate to bigger and better premises, giving us room for future expansion to keep up with the demand for our unique pea flour and protein products.” Koch said: “I am delighted to invest in Novo Farina, which has a unique series of healthy and ecologically sound food products and which is a terrific pioneer and star business.” #NovoFarina #peaprotein #plantprotein #UK

Tiny Organics has raised $11 million in a Series A funding round, as it aims to increase consumer awareness of its baby and toddler food brand and expand its team. Headquartered in New York, Tiny Organics claims that its mission is “to shape the palates of a generation to prefer and love vegetables from the earliest days”. The brand – which launched nationwide just over a year ago – offers 100% organic and plant-based, home-delivered baby and toddler meals. According to Tiny Organics, its meals are created in collaboration with the Tufts University school of nutrition to suit baby and toddler developmental milestones. They are said to contain no added sugar or salt, and not more than 5g of natural sugars per serving. Led by Springdale Ventures, the brand’s latest funding round also received participation from InvestEco, Silas Capital, Human Ventures, VegInvest, Babylist and Gaingels, among others. The baby food producer will use the new capital to scale its team, build the Tiny Organics brand and customer awareness, and develop new product categories and sales channels. The company also says that the funding will enable it to build on the momentum of its partnerships, including with former first lady Michelle Obama’s Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA). “Tiny Organics’ vision in the marketplace is compelling: to positively impact a generation of adventurous eaters by shifting away from sugary purees to a whole food, savoury-forward, nutrient-dense foundation with meals that are both convenient and comprehensive for the modern parent,” said Genevieve Gilbreath, co-founder and general partner of Springdale Ventures. “While that vision is inspired, what separates Tiny Organics from the other companies in the sector we looked at is the world-class execution of this vision by Betsy and Sofia to bring Tiny Organics to all communities across the nation.” Tiny Organics co-founders, Betsy Fore and Sofia Laurell, said: “As moms and as a women-led company, we’ve seen first hand how Tiny Organics has helped develop our children’s love of vegetables and healthy, nourishing food. “Together with Tufts and PHA, we will continue to build on the momentum of the last year and strengthen our commitment to unlocking the nutritional power of food to build healthy, strong and adventurous eaters. We want to make feeding babies and toddlers easy and convenient for parents everywhere.” #babyfood #organic #TinyOrganics #US

Israeli tech start-up Equinom has raised $20 million in Series C funding, as it looks to develop novel seed-based ingredients for sustainable, nutritious food. The round was led by The Phoenix, with participation from Trendlines, Maverick and existing investors Fortissimo Capital and BASF Venture Capital. Equinom uses AI-driven technology to naturally breed and grow ‘superior’ seed varieties for food and ingredient firms, in an effort to provide more affordable and nutritious plant protein. Founded in 2012, Equinom now has over 100,000 acres grown across five continents and works with partners (including the likes of PepsiCo-owned Sabra, Roquette and Dipasa) to custom-design ingredients and enable local sourcing. Most recently, the company announced a collaboration with GoodMills to create a unique yellow pea variant. Equinom says it will use the capital to continue to expand its global operations in sales, marketing and research and development. Later this year, the firm plans to release its first batch of Smarter Pea Protein concentrate to the market, which it claims will be the highest pea protein concentrate available in the world. “With this capital vote of trust from investors, we now have the ability to unleash our products in the market and become a global leader in the agtech space,” said Gil Shalev, founder and CEO of Equinom. He added: “Leveraging our cutting-edge seed-to-plate food-application technology to create source ingredients, Equinom helps market-leading food brands turn regular food into super food. Similar to how consumers use Google, we anticipate they will use Equinom’s AI database to match their needs with non-GMO ingredients that have never been explored before.” Elad Givoni, head of private equity at The Phoenix, added: “Equinom is uniquely positioned in the agtech space as a major player who can impact the future of food. “Through its proprietary technology, distinct methodology and unique genomic database, Equinom is able to create a wide range of products for a broad spectrum of commercial food applications, while ensuring that the products can be quickly adapted to rapidly changing market needs.” #Equinom #Israel #plantprotein #plantbasedfoods

UK brand Tenzing has expanded its range of natural energy drinks with the launch of a new tropical variant that combines the flavours of pineapple and passionfruit. The new beverage is made with Peruvian passionfruit and Kenyan pineapples, combined with Tenzing’s signature hit of natural caffeine, vitamin C, electrolytes and plant-based branched chain amino acids (BCAAs). Each 330ml can contains 63 calories and zero artificial sweeteners or additives – with 60% less sugar than traditional energy drinks, according to Tenzing. Tenzing Pineapple & Passionfruit joins the brand’s line of natural energy drinks including Original, Raspberry & Yuzu, and Blackberry & Acai. Tenzing’s new tropical blend will be available to purchase nationwide online and from stores such as Holland & Barrett and Wholefoods for an RRP of £1.99. #energydrinks #Tenzing #UK

Mediterranean plant-based meat brand, Heura, has raised €16 million in a Series A funding round led by Impact Fooding. Founded in 2017, Heura offers a range of chicken and beef alternative products. The company’s backers include Lever VC and Green Monday, as well as footballers such as Chris Smalling and Sergi Roberto. Headquartered in Barcelona, Heura recently entered the French, Italian and UK markets and currently operates in 16 countries in total. The start-up, which describes itself as a “mission-driven” company, closed 2020 with a turnover of €8 million, triple the previous year’s total. The proceeds from the Series A round will support the brand’s expansion into new markets, as well as its research and development efforts. Heura is currently hiring as it looks to grow its new product development team. “Having such a mission-driven profile of investors who trust and believe in our purpose means we’ll be able to boost the protein transition and accelerate the change we want to see in the world,” said Heura co-founder and CEO, Marc Coloma. “Our mission is clear, and now we have gas to get there faster,” he added. #Heura #meatalternatives #Spain

US holding company Brand Holdings has announced the acquisition of Healthy Skoop, a plant-based protein powder brand, from private equity firm Seurat Investment Group. Based in Colorado, Healthy Skoop offers an assortment of breakfast protein powders and daily proteins, which are paired with prebiotics, probiotics, vitamins and minerals. The deal marks Brand Holdings’ third acquisition in 12 months, as it looks to execute its direct-to-consumer ecommerce strategy with a focus on companies in the areas of health and wellness, sports nutrition, beauty and functional foods. It comes after the purchase of supplements and sports nutrition brand Dr. Emil Nutrition and more recently, Simple Botanics, a producer of herbal teas and organic nutrition bars. “With this third acquisition in the Brand Holdings portfolio in less than a year from the formation of the company, we are excited for the future both due to the individual strength of these brands as well as the economies of scale of combining under the Brand Holdings umbrella,” said Dale Cheney, managing partner at T-street Capital, which backs Brand Holdings alongside Kidd & Company. Following the acquisition, Brand Holdings plans to launch a new presence for the Healthy Skoop brand online and accelerate its growth across the US. “As the world begins to open back up and our customers’ busy lifestyles start up again, providing them an easy way to get their daily requirement of plant-based protein, vitamins and minerals is a priority, and we are thrilled with the ability to lead the future growth of a company with products as strong as Healthy Skoop,” said Jeffrey Hennion, chairman and CEO of Brand Holdings. James Rouse, one of the original founders of Healthy Skoop, said: “Our commitment to quality, taste and experience has always been the foundation of our brand, and this relationship with Brand Holdings will insure that we will have the honour to continue to serve our passionate Healthy Skoop community.” Adam Greenberger, managing partner of Seurat Capital, added: “We have always been extremely proud of the quality of the Healthy Skoop product line and we look forward to the bright future of the brand and the continued growth of the company that Jeff and the Brand Holdings team will bring.” #HealthySkoop #SeuratInvestmentGroup #US #plantbasedprotein #BrandHoldings

Food tech start-up Enough, formerly known as 3F BIO, has raised €42 million in Series B funding. Based in Scotland, Enough produces its Abunda mycoprotein using a fermentation process that feeds natural fungi renewable feedstock such as wheat and corn. The company aims to grow more than 1 million tonnes by 2032, which it says would be the equivalent of replacing 5 million cows or more than 1 billion chickens. Led by Nutreco and Olympic Investments, Enough’s Series B funding round also received participation from new investors such as AXA IM Alts, Hal Investments and Tailored Solutions, as well as existing investors CPT Capital and Scottish Enterprise. “The market for delicious, nutritious vegan products is growing at a pace that requires a step change in the supply of sustainable ingredients,” said Jim Laird, CEO of Enough. “We are privileged by support from investors who share our focus on making sustainable protein.” Nutreco CEO, Rob Koremans, said: “This partnership perfectly supports our ambitions to accelerate the contribution we can make to the challenge of feeding a growing global population. “If we are serious about meeting this objective in a sustainable way, we will need to produce protein from a variety of sources such as fermentation, which is very much a shared goal.” Jonathan Dean, head of impact investing at AXA IM Alts, added: “We are excited to support Enough in its mission to provide a scalable alternative to animal protein, which in turn contributes to the transition towards a more sustainable, climate-aligned food system.” Enough is building a protein facility that will initially produce 10,000 tonnes per year. The plans have received funding from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking within the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Unilever recently announced a new partnership with Enough, as part of its strategy to bring more plant-based meat products to market. #Enough #Nutreco #plantprotein #UK

Tyson Foods has expanded its Raised & Rooted portfolio with the introduction of new ‘snackable’ Plant Based Bites. Available in two varieties, the bites can be prepared in the oven or microwave and offer 8g of protein and 3g of fibre per serving. They are also said to contain 33% less saturated fat than USDA white meat chicken nuggets. The new Sweet Barbecue Flavored Plant Based Bites are covered in a ‘sweet yet smoky’ sauce. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Style Plant Based Bites are seasoned with cayenne pepper to provide a tangy, spicy kick. “Our new plant-based bites deliver the taste that will wow taste buds in a better-for-you alternative,” said David Ervin, vice president of marketing, Raised & Rooted. “We are excited to continue to grow our offerings and provide people with the alternative protein options they seek for meal or snack time with beloved flavours.” The new offerings are available across the US, priced at $4.99 per pack. The launch follows the introduction of four new Raised & Rooted products – including plant-based burger patties, Bratwurst and Italian sausages, and ground – earlier this year. #meatalternatives #RaisedampRooted #TysonFoods