Tyson Foods is introducing a new line of meat alternatives across the Asia Pacific under its First Pride brand, marking the first time the company has introduced plant-based products in the region. The First Pride brand has offered frozen chicken, beef and fish products in Malaysia for nearly 15 years. The new plant-based line will initially consist of frozen bites, nuggets and strips, made with regionally sourced ingredients such as bamboo fibre, soy protein and wheat protein. The halal certified products will initially launch in Malaysia in retail and via ecommerce and will roll out to other markets in the coming months. “We’re thrilled to offer Asia Pacific consumers more high-quality protein choices as they explore flexitarian diets,” said Tan Sun, president of Tyson Foods APAC. “The Asian market is a natural fit for this category with traditional plant-based products like tofu already entrenched in the culture. The key to meeting consumer preferences with new plant-based protein is through innovation and making locally relevant products that taste great, which is our expertise.” David Ervin, vice president of alternative protein for Tyson Foods, added: “Our global culinary network and scalability positions us well to replicate the success we’ve had in the US in Asia Pacific and provide consumers with great tasting plant protein options.” Earlier this year, the company expanded its meat alternatives portfolio in the US with four new products under its Raised & Rooted brand. Tyson Foods also plans to offer its new First Pride plant-based innovations to foodservice customers in the region later this year. #Asia #FirstPride #plantbasedmeat #TysonFoods

GoodMills-owned Müller’s Mühle has announced an investment of €14.5 million into new refining technology for its Smart Pulses Pro legume flours. With the support of a modern air separation plant, the German company says it can now produce functional flours with a protein content of up to 65% – enabling protein enrichment of many foods. Müller’s Mühle uses a range of legume species as raw materials (pea, bean and lentil), which are processed into flours marketed under its Smart Pulses Pro brand. According to Müller’s Mühle, its legume flours are particularly suitable as a basis for plant-based alternatives such as meat, egg and milk substitutes; as well as for snacks, baked goods and pasta. ”Vegan, high-protein, low carb, clean label, free-from – pulses serve several major food trends at once. Moreover, with their low carbon footprint and excellent nutritional profile, they are the ideal raw material for a sustainable diet,” said Uwe Walter, managing director at Müller’s Mühle. “We are therefore convinced that ingredients based on these superfoods will become increasingly important for contemporary food concepts. From new product development to reformulation, with our new functional variants, we can support food manufacturers better than ever.” #legumeflours #plantbased #MüllersMühle #Germany #GoodmillsInnovation

British snack brand Perkier has launched the UK’s first probiotic bar, to meet the demand for healthier snacking options. The Blueberry with Dark Chocolate bar is the first of the Active Cultures snack line, which provides a plant-based, gut-friendly option and is made with natural ingredients. The bar contains blueberries and nuts, bound with chicory fibre and dipped in dark chocolate. Meanwhile, Madagascan Vanilla with Dark Chocolate combines vanilla and nuts, bound with chicory fibre, with a rich dark chocolate base. Both bars contain two precision strains of probiotics, Bifidobacteria longum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, which are proven to support immune health. The range uses microencapsulated cultures, which are “1,000 times more effective than dairy products at reaching the gut alive,” a company statement said. Ann Perkins, co-founder of Perkier said: “Our Active Cultures bars are the UK’s first and only range of probiotic bars, with billions of active cultures for a Happy Healthy Gut. As more consumers demand products to support their gut health and overall wellbeing, we have extended the range with our new Blueberry & Dark Chocolate bar capitalising on Perkier’s powerful combination of great taste and cutting-edge functionality. This new launch will meet this demand and support Perkier in its goal to grow its share of the healthy snack bar category.” In addition, each bar contains 100% of the daily recommended intake of vitamins B5, B12 and calcium, 5g plant protein, and is 160 kcals. The bars are now available in Morrisons, as well as online. RSP £13.99 for a box of 15 bars; £8 for an 8 bar variety box. #prebiotics #Perkier #UK #probiotics #snackbars

Livekindly Collective has entered into a deal to acquire The Dutch Weed Burger, an Amsterdam-based company that uses seaweed to make plant-based meat alternatives. Founded in 2012, The Dutch Weed Burger offers a variety of plant-based food enriched with seaweed and microalgae such as its Weed Burger, Weed Balls, Weed Dogg, Seawharma and Nuggets. The brand’s products are available direct-to-consumer, from supermarkets such as Albert Heijn, as well as a variety of restaurants. The deal expands Livekindly’s brand portfolio – that currently includes Oumph!, The Fry Family Food Co., LikeMeat and No Meat – with seaweed, a source of protein that it claims is cultivated using minimal fresh water and no agricultural land. With the acquisition, Livekindly Collective intends to scale internationally in the UK, Nordics, and the US and Canadian markets; as well as enter into Asia. “Innovation in plant-based protein has created a tremendous opportunity to transform the global food system, as consumers increasingly demand tasty and nutritious alternatives to meat,” said Kees Kruythoff, CEO and chairman of Livekindly Collective. “With the addition of The Dutch Weed Burger, we expand the types of plant-based protein we can offer our consumers in more than 40 countries and accelerate our mission to make plant-based living the new norm.” The acquisition comes shortly after Livekindly closed a funding round of $335 million, bringing its total funding to more than $535 million in its first 12 months since launching. Mark Kulsdom, CEO and founder of The Dutch Weed Burger, added: “We are so excited to join these driven, experienced and passionate leaders who are going to help scale our brand and change the food culture around the globe. “Seaweed farming is highly sustainable because it grows profusely in the ocean and it breathes out oxygen while it grows. The plant is nutrient-rich and healthy while bringing a unique umami flavour to people’s taste buds. These ocean greens mix perfectly with protein-rich beans and other innovative textures we use. “I am looking forward to working within Livekindly Collective, because the time for real change is imminent and more urgent than ever.” #LivekindlyCollective #TheDutchWeedBurger #theNetherlands #plantbasedburger #seaweed

According to a recent study by FMCG Gurus, 57% of consumers say they will increase their consumption of plant-based products following the Covid-19 pandemic. There are two main reasons for this. One is the growing appeal of products that are perceived to be natural, healthy and sustainable – for both humans and the planet. The other is the increasingly adventurous nature of consumers who want to try something new. As dairy and plant-based manufacturers worldwide are rushing to capitalise on this opportunity, there is one major challenge they face, however: recent research indicates that dairy alternatives leave ‘nutritional value gaps’ – especially in non-soy varieties like almond and oat-based drinks. In fact, some 44% of Europeans feel that plant-based dairy drinks are less nutritious than their dairy counterparts. So how can manufacturers of these products fill these gaps and meet growing demand? One promising solution is an innovation called CanolaPRO® from DSM. CanolaPRO® is a new, highly soluble and nutritional protein isolate, derived from non-GMO canola (rapeseed). It delivers excellent nutritional quality, with a minimum protein level of 90%. CanolaPRO® will be commercially available in 2022. Ultimately, CanolaPRO® has the potential to meet the growing demand for protein without the need for more arable land. At DSM, our purpose is to create brighter lives for all. We believe CanolaPRO® has the potential to deliver it. Join Barbara Jacobs, application manager and Ben Rutten, business manager for milk drinks at DSM Food Specialties, who will provide an introduction to CanolaPRO®. Register for the webinar today to learn how to differentiate your products with this non-GMO, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free and solvent-free plant-based protein. When: Tuesday 15 June 2021 · 14:00 PM · London Click here to register #dairyfree #DSM #plantprotein #webinars

Italy’s Coppola Foods-owned brand Fabalous has expanded its line of organic chocolate spreads that are made with chickpeas, with the introduction of two new varieties. Orange Hazelnut & Cocoa and Crunchy Hazelnut & Cocoa have joined the brand’s original Organic Hazelnut & Cocoa spread – which Fabalous claims was the first hazelnut-chocolate spread to use chickpeas as the primary ingredient (32%). Each 200g jar contains an average of 128 dried chickpeas and eight shelled hazelnuts. The spreads also switch out palm oil for sunflower oil and cocoa butter. The Italian brand says its spreads offer an “indulgent, intense chocolatey flavour; a smooth and silky texture; the unique draw of protein and fibre-rich chickpeas and reduced sugar”. The trio of plant-based spreads are available now online and from Planet Organic for an RRP of £4.99 per jar, and will be rolling out further via delis, cafés and other retailers across the UK. #chickpeas #Fabalous #CoppolaFoods #UK #plantbasedspreads

Kellogg-owned Rxbar has released its first plant-based protein bar, available in two flavours. Containing 10g of plant protein in place of the brand’s signature egg whites, the new Rxbar Plant comes in chocolate chip and peanut butter variants. Both flavours are made with five simple, core ingredients – dates, nuts, oats, and a blend of pea and almond protein – and contain 0g of added sugar. “Fans have been asking for a plant-based Rxbar for quite some time,” said Jenny Lindquist, director of experience planning, Rxbar. “Today, we answered that call with a plant-based protein bar that delivers on both quality and taste, both essential to us in the development of Rxbar Plant. That’s why it has been nearly two years in the making, to make sure we did it right.” The new Rxbar Plant is available now via the brand’s website and is rolling out to retailers including Target and Kroger. Last year, Rxbar launched a new layered bar with 14-15g of protein, the highest protein offering from the brand. #Kellogg #plantprotein #Rxbar #US

UK-based dairy alternative brand Violife has launched a vegan BBQ pack in Sainsbury’s stores nationwide. The BBQ pack contains three varieties of vegan cheese: Violife BBQ Slices; Violife Greek White; and Violife Mediterranean Style Block. The Slices, which are new and exclusive to the BBQ pack, are said to have a “sweet and smoky flavour with a touch of paprika” and are designed to be paired with vegan burgers. Meanwhile, Greek White is perfect for salads and the Mediterranean Style Block for grilling. Simon Orchard, country manager UK & Ireland, Violife said: “With socialising restrictions lifting across the country and warmer weather well on its way, this summer is set to be a big one for barbecues”. “We know it’s not always easy for vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians at barbecues with their traditional focus upon meat and dairy products, which is why we’re delighted to share the news of Violife’s breakthrough Vegan BBQ Box providing a dairy-free solution that is suitable for everyone to enjoy.” He continued: “Featuring a brand new launch, the sweet and smoky BBQ Slices, alongside two summer favourites, Greek White Block and Mediterranean Style Block, we’re looking forward to helping our customers spend time with friends and family over delicious food this summer”. The BBQ Pack is vegan, free from dairy, soya, gluten, lactose nuts, GMO, cholesterol and preservatives. RSP £6. #Dairyalternatives #UK #Vegancheese #Violife

Protein Industries Canada is investing in a partnership that will develop new plant-based foods and ingredients using Canadian crops. The initiative has seen Merit Functional Foods, TWC Nutrition, Daiya Foods and Grand River Foods join forces with the aim of producing new plant-based products using Merit’s pea, canola and blended pea-canola protein ingredients. The project’s collaborators are providing half of the total CAD 7.9 million ($6.5 million approx.) project investment, with Protein Industries Canada providing the other half. According to Protein Industries Canada, the project will see the scaling up of Merit Functional Foods’ ingredient development and the creation by TWC Nutrition, Daiya Foods and Grand River Foods of products such as meat and dairy alternatives. “Canada has become a global supplier of ingredients and plant-based foods,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “This project, led by Merit Foods, will help producers reach new markets while meeting growing consumer demand for alternative protein products. This will help us find high-quality Canadian ingredients and strengthen the Canadian economy.” Protein Industries Canada CEO, Bill Greuel, added: “Canada is known for our diverse selection of high-quality crops, but we have the potential to be known for what we can do with them. “Merit Functional Foods has proven that our peas and canola make for ideal plant protein ingredients, and now TWC Nutrition, Daiya Foods and Grand River Foods will help show consumers around the world that these ingredients can be the base for healthy, delicious plant-based foods and beverages.” Earlier this year, Protein Industries Canada announced that it was investing in a partnership to develop and commercialise soybean protein ingredients. #Canada #plantprotein #ProteinIndustriesCanada

Ecotone UK has expanded its Kallø range of lentil and pea-protein Veggie Cakes with two new flavours: Tomato Salsa, Lime & Coriander and Caramelised Onion Chutney. The new flavours follow the initial launch of the brand’s Veggie Cakes range last year with Spinach & Pesto and Beetroot & Balsamic variants. Each 122g pack contains 13 jumbo-sized cakes of the new flavour combinations, which Kallø says are ideal for a savoury snack or topped lunch. Hayley Murgett, Kallø marketing controller at Ecotone UK, said: “Kallø is a pioneer of innovative snacks. Last year was the first time we had taken the rice out of rice cakes to create a completely unique and innovative concept. The launch was well received and Veggie Cakes are one of the strongest performers in our product range. “Introducing grown-up flavour profiles such as Tomato Salsa, Lime & Coriander and Caramelised Onion Chutney was a natural next step as we branch out to appeal to those savoury moments and offer a versatile snack that tastes just as good plain as it does topped.” The new Veggie Cakes are available now in Waitrose stores for an RRP of £2.49. #Kallø #Ecotone #UK #vegan #peaprotein

US plant-based butter brand NuttZo has made its first foray into the savoury spreads and cooking ingredients category with a five seed tahini-style butter. NuttZo Five-Seed Tahini Fusion is made with a blend of organic sesame, flax, sunflower, pumpkin and chia. The vegan seed butter is gluten-free and approved for the paleo, keto, Whole30 and kosher lifestyles. It is also said to be allergen-friendly – free of nuts and soy, and made in a peanut-free facility. NuttZo says its tahini-style spread can be used in dressings, dips, desserts, main dishes and smoothies. “During quarantine, I discovered tahini and was so impressed by how versatile it is. I began experimenting in my kitchen and decided to give it a NuttZo twist by adding a variety of seeds to build out the flavour and nutrient profile, and it was amazing,” said Danielle Dietz-LiVolsi, founder and CEO of NuttZo. “Five-Seed Tahini Fusion is a no-brainer evolution for NuttZo. We are always looking for strategic ways to expand across the grocery store.” NuttZo Five-Seed Tahini Fusion will be available at select Whole Foods and online for an SRP of $7.99. Like the rest of its mixed nut and seed butters, portions of the proceeds will be donated to Project Left Behind, NuttZo’s sister non-profit that supports orphaned and underprivileged children. #plantbasedbutter #US #organic #seeds #NuttZo

Unilever has announced its new partnership with food-tech company Enough, which produces fungi-based mycoprotein, as it looks to bring more plant-based meat products to market. Formerly known as 3F Bio, Enough produces Abunda mycoprotein using what it claims is a zero-waste fermentation process that feeds natural fungi renewable feedstock such as wheat and corn. Based in Scotland, Enough supplies Abunda as a food ingredient to consumer brands and retailers. According to Unilever, the ingredient contains all essential amino acids and is high in dietary fibre. With the new partnership, Unilever intends to explore the use of Abunda mycoprotein in the manufacture of foods under its meat alternative brand The Vegetarian Butcher, which it acquired in 2018. “Plant-based foods is one of Unilever’s fastest growing segments and we’re delighted to partner with Enough to develop more sustainable protein products that are delicious, nutritious, and a force for good,” said Carla Hilhorst, executive vice president of R&D for foods & refreshment at Unilever. “We’re excited by the potential that this technology has for future innovations across our portfolio, and we can’t wait to launch more plant-based foods that help people cut down on meat, without compromising on taste.” The partnership marks a step by Unilever towards its annual global sales target of €1 billion from plant-based meat and dairy alternatives by 2025-2027, as part of its ‘Future Foods’ ambition. Last July, Unilever partnered with Algenuity to explore ways of bringing plant-based foods made with microalgae to the market. In 2020, The Vegetarian Butcher reportedly grew over 70%. The meat alternatives brand’s portfolio is currently available in 45 countries and is used for vegan Burger King menu items such as the Plant-Based Whopper, Nuggets and Vegan Royal. Andrew Beasley, commercial director of Enough, said: “Producing vast quantities of healthy and sustainable protein is one of the most urgent global priorities. There’s a rapid transition in the food industry and we are excited with this collaboration with Unilever and The Vegetarian Butcher, which truly supports our aim to create impact and scale.” #plantbasedprotein #mycoprotein #sustainability #Enough #TheVegetarianButcher #Unilever