UK vegan chocolate brand Mummy Meagz has launched a new plant-based range for Easter, featuring two eggs and a honeycomb bar. The Sunnycomb Bar is the brand’s take on a classic chocolate-coated honeycomb bar and retails for £1.49. Meanwhile, the new Easter eggs includes Smoove Moove, featuring a blend of dark chocolate with vegan mylk chocolate. The 70g egg retails for £3.99. A large orange chocolate egg joins Mummy Meagz’ popular Orange Choccie Bar in a new Easter set: Dark Chocolate Orange Choccie Easter Egg and Bar. The 40g bar and 165g egg have an RRP of £6.99. Each product bears the Vegan Society logo, are free from GMOs and contain responsibly-sourced palm oil, certified by the RSPO. “Easter is a time when we celebrate life, so by creating a range of new plant-based treats to mark the occasion, we’re hoping that more people than ever will choose to have a vegan celebration and give animal products a miss,” said Meagan Boyle, co-founder of Mummy Meagz. “Our Smoove Moove Easter eggs taste even better than their dairy counterparts, so everyone can enjoy a sweet springtime treat, regardless of whether they are vegan or not,” she added. Mummy Meagz’ new Easter range is available now in-store and online at Holland & Barrett nationwide. Keep up to date with the plant-based industry by subscribing to FoodBev’s latest title, The Plant Base, launching March 2021. #Easter #UK #confectionery #MummyMeagz #veganchocolate

Beyond Meat has signed new global strategic agreements with McDonald’s and Yum! Brands to add signature plant-based menu items to the fast-food chains. The company has struck a three-year global agreement with McDonald’s, which will see Beyond Meat become the fast-food chain’s preferred supplier for the patty in the McPlant, a new plant-based burger being tested in select markets. As part of the deal, Beyond Meat and McDonald’s will explore co-developing other plant-based menu items such as plant-based chicken, pork and egg alternatives, under the broader McPlant platform. The announcement expands the existing partnership between McDonald’s and Beyond Meat, which began with a plant-based burger trial in Canada in 2019. “We’re excited to work with Beyond Meat to drive innovation in this space, and entering into this strategic agreement is an important step on our journey to bring delicious, high quality, plant-based menu items to our customers,” said Francesca DeBiase, McDonald’s executive vice president and chief supply chain officer. Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat founder and CEO, added: “We will combine the power of Beyond Meat’s rapid and relentless approach to innovation with the strength of McDonald’s global brand to introduce craveable, new plant-based menu items that consumers will love.” Under Beyond Meat’s partnership with Yum! Brands, the companies will co-create and offer plant-based protein menu items that can only be found at KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell over the next several years. The agreement expands on previous collaborations, such as KFC trialling plant-based chicken at an Atlanta restaurant in 2019. Since the initial rollout, KFC has expanded testing of Beyond Fried Chicken in other US cities. Last year, Pizza Hut launched the Beyond Italian Sausage Pizza and Great Beyond Pizza nationwide. “Today’s announcement builds on our strong relationship with Beyond Meat and, given the consumer response during recent tests with Beyond Meat, we’re excited about the long-term potential plant-based protein menu items have to attract more customers to our brands, especially younger consumers,” said Chris Turner, Yum! Brands CFO. Keep up to date with the plant-based industry by subscribing to FoodBev’s latest title, The Plant Base, launching March 2021. #YumBrands #TacoBell #KFC #meatalternatives #BeyondMeat #McDonalds #plantbased #PizzaHut

Ardent Mills has announced its intention to acquire the operations of US-based chickpea sourcing and processing firm, Hinrichs Trading Company. Headquartered in Pullman, Washington, Hinrichs is a pulse processing company specialising in the production and processing of chickpea products. The company currently operates across five locations in Washington and Montana. The move to acquire ‘substantially all of’ Hinrichs’ business operations is part of Ardent Mills’ strategy to diversify its portfolio of solutions. The company is looking to further invest in its speciality ingredient capabilities, building upon its existing wheat flour business. “Ardent Mills and Hinrichs Trading Company share a strong commitment to our growers, customers, team members, communities, and to growth and innovation,” said Dan Dye, CEO of Ardent Mills. “There is a strong cultural alignment and shared values across both organisations. We look forward to welcoming the talented Hinrichs Trading Company team to the Ardent Mills family.” Commenting on the prospective partnership with Ardent Mills, Hinrichs Trading Company CEO Phil Hinrichs said: “They bring operational and technical expertise, access to new markets, and the ability to scale quickly and sustainably. “Hinrichs Trading Company complements that with our extensive chickpea sourcing knowledge and extremely close grower connections.” Shrene White, general manager of The Annex by Ardent Mills, added: “The plant-based food and beverage market shows no sign of slowing down…This potential venture will enable us to offer diverse chickpea solutions to our customers from day one.” The parties are undertaking due diligence and expect the deal to close in April 2021. Last year, Ardent Mills announced that it had agreed to acquire Andean Naturals’ quinoa operations, as it aimed to expand its speciality grain capabilities. Keep up to date with the plant-based industry by subscribing to FoodBev’s latest title, The Plant Base, launching March 2021. #ArdentMills #chickpeas #HinrichsTradingCompany #US

Plant-based group The Very Good Food Company has completed its acquisition of The Cultured Nut, an artisan vegan cheese producer in Canada, for an aggregate price of CAD$3m (approximately US$2.4m). The Cultured Nut, which sells its products through several online and grocery platforms such as Whole Foods, creates products including block-style cheese, cream cheese, as well as plant-based butter, among other products. The acquisition will enable Very Good Food to capitalise on the growing dairy alternatives market, which is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.2% between 2020-2027 to reach US$44.9 billion by 2027. Very will rebrand Cultured Nut’s line under a new name, The Very Good Cheese Company, which is expected to launch in Q2 2021 through the company’s ecommerce and wholesale distribution networks. Very also hopes to scale Cultured Nut’s existing production facility to over 100,000 units per month this year and in 2022. “The acquisition of Cultured Nut allows Very to efficiently enter into the dairy alternatives space,” said Mitchell Scott, CEO of Very. “This is a significant milestone in the realisation of our long-term strategy of owning several brands under the banner of the Very Good Food Company in all major food categories providing consumers fun, innovative and healthier plant-based alternatives to everyday animal-based products.” #Dairyalternatives #Canada #TheVeryGoodFoodCompany #TheCulturedNut #plantbased

Danone has invested €12 million in a new plant-based production line at its Parets del Vallès factory, near Barcelona, which will produce coconut and oat-based products. As a result of the new line, Parets del Vallès will become Danone’s first hybrid factory that produces both dairy yogurts and plant-based alternatives. The new line is dedicated exclusively to the manufacture of coconut and oat-based products under the company’s Alpro, Activia and Oikos brands for both local and international markets. The investment forms part of Danone’s commitment to reinvest itself and become a “local-first company”, as it continues to strengthen its plant-based business and offer more and better alternatives. Earlier this month, the company agreed to acquire Earth Island, maker of the dairy-free Follow Your Heart range. “Our commitment is bringing health through nutrition and hydration to as many people as possible. And we do this by driving the food revolution with innovation as the main force of transformation, both in our products and in our operations,” said Paolo Tafuri, CEO of Danone Spain. “Answering the new food trends, such as flexitarianism, brings us closer every day to our ambition to offer a healthy, sustainable and inclusive food choices,” he concluded. Danone says the investment will result in 12 new positions, joining the current 181 employees at the 52,000 square-metre facility. To date, Danone operates four production centres in Spain: Parets (province of Barcelona), Aldaia (Valencia), Salas (Asturias) and Tres Cantos (Madrid). Keep up to date with the plant-based industry by subscribing to FoodBev’s latest title, The Plant Base, launching March 2021. #Alpro #Activia #Spain #Oikos #Dairyalternatives #Danone #plantbaseddairy

The World Plant-Based Taste Awards, in association with Plant Based World Europe Conference & Expo 2021, are a celebration of taste across many categories of the global plant-based industry. As one of the first of its kind in this sector, these awards are a fantastic way for you to enhance the promotion of your plant-based brand. These awards are different to our innovation-based awards schemes as, instead of basing the winners on innovation and concept, the winners will be decided based solely on the taste of the product. As FoodBev Media’s first taste awards, the World Plant-Based Taste Awards team has laid out exactly how the judging will work for this exciting scheme and how product entry will differ from previous awards schemes. How to enter Click ‘Enter Now’, select the categories you wish to enter and then fill out the personal details form on the right-hand side. Once you have paid and filled in the entry form, you will be sent a confirmation email with a unique username and password so that you can log into your awards portal to submit your product images and ingredients list. Please ensure you submit: 2 high-res images of your product. A full list of ingredients and allergens in the ‘product description box’. The storage conditions required for your entered product. A short description about your product’s intention; this should include whether this product is acting as a meat-analogue/dairy substitute or as a standalone product, the notes or flavours you are trying to achieve and the texture you are aiming for. Once the scheme closes for entries we will notify entrants on where to send samples. All entries must be received before close of business Friday 20 August 2021. How will the judging work Every entry will be personally tasted and judged by a panel of leading figureheads in the plant-based industry at the Plant Based World Europe Conference & Expo on 15-16 October 2021. The categories will be split into two judging categories; live-tasting and behind closed doors. The live-tasting categories will be split into 2 separate judging sessions. On 15 October (AM), all entries will be tasted and scored by a handpicked judging panel of industry experts in a dedicated tasting room. The top 3 highest scoring entries will then be tasted live on Thursday afternoon by a celebrity panel. Whilst the tasting will take place in front of an audience, the scoring will not. Finalists of the live-tasting categories will be contacted via email or phone as the results are in. If you do not hear from us then, unfortunately, it means you have not been shortlisted. The behind closed doors categories will be judged by our handpicked panel of industry experts on 15 October, in a dedicated tasting room. The judges will score each entry and the winners and finalists will be determined by the highest scores. We will let the finalists of the behind closed doors categories know on Friday afternoon, as soon as the results are in. If you do not hear from us then, unfortunately, it means you have not been shortlisted. All of our winners and finalists will be announced during our 2021 World Plant-Based Taste Awards ceremony which will take place on 16 October 2021, at Plant Based World Europe Conference & Expo. For more information on the World Plant-Based Taste Awards 2021, such as entry criteria, the media package prize and categories, please visit our awards page. #plantbased #WorldPlantBasedTasteAwards2021

Campbell-owned snack brand Late July has rolled out new vegetable tortilla chips made with ingredients such as chia seeds and carrot. The new tortilla chips line – which aims to bring together flavourful vegetables with bright spices and seeds – comes in two flavours: Beat the Heat! Red Pepper and Dangle the Carrot. Beat the Heat! Red Pepper features chia seeds and chipotle; while Dangle the Carrot vegetable tortilla chips are made with teff seeds and seasoned with cumin and paprika. According to Late July, each chip is crafted with real ingredients and is plant-based and Non-GMO Project Verified. The brand’s new vegetable line joins its portfolio of no grain, multigrain and classic tortilla chips in flavours such as bacon habanero, sea salt & lime, and sweet potato. Late July Beat the Heat! Red Pepper and Dangle the Carrot vegetable tortilla chips are available in retailers such as Whole Foods nationwide for an RRP of $3.29 per 5.5oz bag. Keep up to date with the plant-based industry by subscribing to FoodBev’s latest title, The Plant Base, launching March 2021. #CampbellSoupCompany #US #plantbased #LateJuly #snacks

Food processor Cardinal Foods has announced plans to invest more than $26 million to boost the processing capacity of sweet potatoes and butternut squash in its Burgaw, North Carolina facility. Cardinal Foods specialises in the processing, marketing and distribution of fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, sweet potatoes and butternut squash across the eastern US. As a result of the expansion, an additional 56,000 square feet of food grade processing will be added to the company’s existing facility at 201 Progress Drive in Burgaw. To accommodate the increased capacity, the facility will house raw material receiving equipment. Uncooked materials are steam peeled, diced, sorted and prepared for further processing such as battering and frying. Food such as sweet potato fries will be packaged in a variety of sizes and supplied to retail customers, restaurants and food service operations worldwide. “This investment will enable Cardinal to be one of the largest sweet potato fry manufacturers in the world,” said Corey Barnhill, Cardinal Foods president and CEO. “Due to a lack of processing capacity regionally, a large majority of fruits and vegetables travel outside of North Carolina — as far away as Idaho and Canada — to be processed. This expansion represents an enormous competitive advantage that will place Cardinal in a great spot for future growth,” he added. With its expanded capacity, Cardinal Foods aims to better serve blueberry, sweet potato and butternut squash growers from Florida to New Jersey and particularly benefiting North Carolina. As part of the project, the company plans to create about 50 jobs. Pender County board of commissioners chairman, George Brown, said: “We welcome Cardinal Foods’ continued investment in Pender County, further capitalising on the opportunities available to our region on the agribusiness import and export side.” According to a news release from Wilmington Business Development, Cardinal Foods will receive a state and local economic development incentive package to facilitate the investment in Pender County. Keep up to date with the plant-based industry by subscribing to FoodBev’s latest title, The Plant Base, launching March 2021. #CardinalFoods #processing #US

Nestlé has abandoned its application to trademark the term “The Vegan Butcher”, following legal opposition from US vegan shop The Herbivorous Butcher. Based in Minneapolis, The Herbivorous Butcher was set up by siblings Aubry and Kale Walch in 2016 to sell a variety of plant-based meats and cheeses. According to VegNews, in August 2017, The Herbivorous Butcher tried to register the trademark “Vegan Butcher” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), but were denied on the basis that the term was “merely descriptive”. In 2017, Nestlé acquired Californian plant-based brand Sweet Earth Foods and has since released the Awesome Burger. The Swiss giant also revealed it would sell Sweet Earth vegan deli slices from supermarket counters using the phrase “The Vegan Butcher”. As a result, VegNews reports that Nestlé applied to trademark the term with the USPTO, but was met with opposition by The Herbivorous Butcher over arguments that the term is crucial to the marketing and operations of its independent butcher shop. Nestlé has since abandoned its application, with The Herbivorous Butcher winning the court battle. The company does not intend to pursue a trademark, as it wants to encourage companies to continue innovating with plant-based meats without potential legal recourse. On the company’s Facebook page, The Herbivorous Butcher wrote: “Friends, we are beyond thrilled to share this news with you! The phrase “vegan butcher” shouldn’t belong to any single company, and this is also a huge victory for small businesses like ours.” Last year, Nestlé was ordered by a Dutch court to stop using the product name “Incredible Burger” following a preliminary injunction filed by Impossible Foods. #Nestlé #US #plantbasedmeat #vegan #TheHerbivorousButcher

Danone has agreed to acquire Earth Island, maker of the dairy-free Follow Your Heart range, in a move to strengthen its plant-based business. Earth Island was founded in 1988 to meet the growing demand for Vegenaise egg-free mayonnaise at the Follow Your Heart Market & Café in Los Angeles. As well as the Vegenaise brand, the company’s Follow Your Heart portfolio also includes dairy-free cheeses, plant-based sour cream, salad dressings and VeganEgg. Dairy giant Danone says that under its ownership, Earth Island will be able to accelerate the growth of the Follow Your Heart brand nationally and internationally. The companies have entered into a share purchase agreement under which Danone will acquire 100% of the shares of Earth Island. Danone expects the partnership to contribute to its goal of increasing plant-based sales worldwide from more than €2 billion in 2020 to €5 billion by 2025. The acquisition will also enable Danone – which already has a portfolio of dairy-free brands including Alpro and Silk – to expand its plant-based offerings to provide consumers with alternatives for more occasions throughout the day. “Consumers are increasingly eating flexitarian diets, and we look forward to working with the Follow Your Heart team to offer our consumers even more choices,” said Shane Grant, EVP and CEO, Danone North America. “This partnership will build on our success in plant-based beverages, yogurt alternatives and creamers, further accelerating the growth of our North American plant-based business.” Bob Goldberg, co-founder and CEO of Earth Island, added: “Our mission has always been to produce the best plant-based food products and to make them available to as many people as possible. We’re very pleased to be joining the Danone family of plant-based companies in a collective effort to bring positive change in the world through the creation of sustainably and responsibly made foods.” The transaction is subject to receipt of required regulatory approvals. The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. #Vegenaise #FollowYourHeart #US #Dairyalternatives #Danone #EarthIsland

Real Food From The Ground Up has announced the launch of two new plant-based snacks. With an SRP of $3.99 per 3.5oz bag, the brand’s Cauliflower Chips offer a “cauliflower-based version of the classic potato chip”. The snacks come in four flavours: sea salt, salt & vinegar, sour cream & onion, and buffalo. Real Food From The Ground Up’s new Cauliflower Snacking Cracker. Meanwhile, Real Food’s Cauliflower Snacking Cracker comes in sea salt and ‘everything’ flavours, with an SRP of $3.99 per 3.5oz pouch. “We see cauliflower as our lead vegetable base and will keep innovating until there is a plant-based, cauliflower offering for each salty snack subcategory,” said Deb Holt, CMO of Real Food From The Ground Up. “That said, we’re really excited about dipping into the potato chip category with a cauliflower-based version, as America’s favourite chip needed an update. And our new Cauliflower Snacking Cracker is a two-three bite cracker that makes the perfect vehicle for your favourite pairings and entertaining.” Real Food says that its snacks are vegan, Non-GMO Project Verified and free from gluten, artificial flavours, colours and preservatives. The brand’s latest offerings will be available nationwide at retailers and online this year. #plantbased #RealFoodFromTheGroundUp #US

Vegan alternatives brand Violife has launched its new round-shaped Smoky Cheddar Flavour Slices, which it says have a fully-edible hickory-smoked ‘rind’ to create a “delicate smoky flavour”. The Slices are free from dairy, gluten, soya, lactose, nuts, GMO, cholesterol and preservatives, and are 100% vegan-friendly. Simon Orchard, country manager UK & Ireland, Violife said: “We’re excited to announce the addition of Violife’s latest cheese alternative innovation, the Smoky Cheddar Flavour Slices, to the brand’s ever-growing range. The breakthrough launch sees the smoked-flavour slices take on a round shape which is a vegan-first and allows for ease of use as well as great taste.” Violife’s new Slices are available at Tesco stores nationwide (£2.80 RSP). #Cheeseslices #SmokyCheddar #Vegancheese #Violife