The Tofoo Co. has expanded the production capacity at its factory in Yorkshire, UK, by approximately 70% following the installation of new equipment at the site. The Malton-headquartered tofu producer has installed a new soy milk cooker at the plant, which will enable to company to produce an additional 50 tonnes of plain tofu per week. The firm has also added new packing and pressing machinery to meet increased demand. The Tofoo Co. was acquired by its current owners in 2016, and the company's annual turnover has increased from £600,000 to £14 million in this time. While the company solely produced plain block tofu prior to its takeover, The Tofoo Co. now produces tofu products containing Nigari, a natural ingredient which reportedly enhances the texture and taste of tofu products. The Tofoo Co. has released several new products this year, including Sage & Onion tofu Sizzlers in April and a range of Crispy Bites in March. A statement from the company claims that this latest expansion will allow it to meet the increasing demand for its products, driven by the increasing number of consumers following meat-free diets. David Knibbs, managing director of The Tofoo Co. said: “The arrival and installation of the new milk cooker marks a further one million pound investment at the Tofoo factory. "The new piece of equipment will support the business to increase its monthly turnover that currently sits at over £1 million. We’re also expanding our operational output with packing hall machinery and pressing to ensure we have enough capacity to meet the anticipated high demand. “Trends suggest that interest in trying tofu has increased, and with cafés and restaurants currently closed, people are experimenting more with what they can cook at home. "The tofu category penetration is continuing to increase, up 40% compared to two years ago, and its share in meat-free is growing month on month. The category has also added over 500,000 households in one year, however there are currently 5.8 million households eating meat-free who aren’t trying tofu. The opportunity for growth within the sector is significant."

Plant-based food collective The Livekindly Co. has acquired meat alternative brand Oumph from Sweden-headquartered Food for Progress. Founded in 2014, Oumph produces and markets a wide range of plant-based meat alternative products, which are principally made from soy. Oumph products are currently available across the Nordic countries, the UK and the Netherlands. According to a statement from The Livekindly Co., Oumph registered sales growth of 40% in the first quarter of 2020, due to the growing appetite for plant-based meat alternative products from consumers. Indeed, figures provided by the company claim that the plant-based meat market will be worth $27.9 billion by 2025, with a predicted compound annual growth rate of 15% between 2019 and 2025. No financial details were disclosed by either company. The Livekindly Co. was formed earlier this year following a $200 million funding round. The collective was founded by Roger Lienhard, an early investor in Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, and the organisation encompasses the operations of The Fry Family Food Co., LikeMeat and Livekindly Media. Commenting on the acquisition, Kees Kruythoff, CEO and chairman of the Livekindly Co., said: “The Livekindly Co. is leading a movement to build a more sustainable future through our portfolio of brands—who are all creating delicious healthy plant-based food—and our ecosystem of mission-aligned partners. “Bringing Oumph! into the Livekindly Co. family was a natural next step for us. Their commitment to plant-based food quality and protecting the planet mirrors our own as we accelerate our mission to make plant-based eating the new normal.” Anders Wallerman, co-founder of Oumph!, added: “Since co-founding Oumph! five years ago, it’s been an amazing journey to date and I’m incredibly proud of the work our team has done in creating exceptionally tasty plant-based food. “Our mission from day one has been to get more people eating plant-based food, which is a healthier, more sustainable way forward for the environment. I look forward to working with the Livekindly Co. to introduce new, and existing products to more people around the world.” #FoodforProgress #LivekindlyCollective #meatalternatives #Oumph

Plant-based food collective The Livekindly Co. has acquired meat alternative brand Oumph from Sweden-headquartered Food for Progress. Founded in 2014, Oumph produces and markets a wide range of plant-based meat alternative products, which are principally made from soy. Oumph products are currently available across the Nordic countries, the UK and the Netherlands. According to a statement from The Livekindly Co., Oumph registered sales growth of 40% in the first quarter of 2020, due to the growing appetite for plant-based meat alternative products from consumers. Indeed, figures provided by the company claim that the plant-based meat market will be worth $27.9 billion by 2025, with a predicted compound annual growth rate of 15% between 2019 and 2025. No financial details were disclosed by either company. The Livekindly Co. was formed earlier this year following a $200 million funding round. The collective was founded by Roger Lienhard, an early investor in Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, and the organisation encompasses the operations of The Fry Family Food Co., LikeMeat and Livekindly Media. Commenting on the acquisition, Kees Kruythoff, CEO and chairman of the Livekindly Co., said: “The Livekindly Co. is leading a movement to build a more sustainable future through our portfolio of brands—who are all creating delicious healthy plant-based food—and our ecosystem of mission-aligned partners. “Bringing Oumph! into the Livekindly Co. family was a natural next step for us. Their commitment to plant-based food quality and protecting the planet mirrors our own as we accelerate our mission to make plant-based eating the new normal.” Anders Wallerman, co-founder of Oumph!, added: “Since co-founding Oumph! five years ago, it’s been an amazing journey to date and I’m incredibly proud of the work our team has done in creating exceptionally tasty plant-based food. “Our mission from day one has been to get more people eating plant-based food, which is a healthier, more sustainable way forward for the environment. I look forward to working with the Livekindly Co. to introduce new, and existing products to more people around the world.”

Upfield Group plans to invest €50 million in a new plant-based research and development (R&D) facility, which will be located in Wageningen, the Netherlands. Planning for the proposed €50 million Upfield Food Science Centre has been submitted to the Dutch Works Council, and the company hopes to open the R&D site by the end of 2021. Upfield produces a range of plant-based spreads, cheeses and margarine products, and owns major plant-based brands including Flora, Violife and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. According to a statement from the company, the Food Science Centre will aim to accelerate the development of plant-based food products and sustainable packaging solutions. In addition, the company announced plans to open a new Global Headquarters by the end of 2021. The company is currently headquartered in Amsterdam, and Upfield stated that the new office will bring together associates based in Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Upfield Group CEO David Haines said: “The announcement today demonstrates our commitment to ambitious and pioneering research and development. Our track record is good. Since Upfield was established under two years ago, we have already launched new and industry-leading plant-based cheese, cream, and butter products. “The new Upfield Food Science Centre will allow us to accelerate our ambitious agenda and develop even more options so people can enjoy great-tasting, natural, plant-based foods that are not only beneficial to their health, but to the planet. “As a global leader in plant-based nutrition, we are extremely excited by what this investment means for the future of the category.” John Verbakel, chief research and development officer at Upfield added: “Investment in the new Upfield Food Science Centre will give us access to state-of-the art equipment, technology and an inspiring and creative network of individuals and companies, allowing us to really push the boundaries of what we can achieve in natural, plant-based foods innovation. “It is exciting to be part of a company committed to such a large-scale investment, which recognizes the importance of food science and plant-based foods.” #plantbased #Researchanddevelopment #theNetherlands #Upfield

Swiss plant equipment manufacturer Bühler has partnered with Big Idea Ventures to accelerate its creation of sustainable alternatives to animal-derived protein products. Bühler has invested in Big Idea Ventures’ New Protein Fund, which will invest in and accelerate up to 100 plant- and cell-based companies worldwide. The venture capital fund runs four accelerator programmes annually in New York and Singapore. “We are glad to have Bühler join Tyson Ventures, Temasek and our other strategic investors in the Big Idea Ventures’ New Protein Fund,” said Andrew D Ive, founder of Big Idea Ventures. “Together we can support the growth of the new generation of leading plant-based companies in North America, Asia and ultimately, the planet. Bühler and Big Idea Ventures will work together to build great companies responding to consumer demands for great-tasting food that is good for them and good for the planet.” Ian Roberts, CTO at Bühler Group commented: “Providing safe, nutritious, pleasurable and affordable food to a population of 10 billion people by 2050 and doing that within the planetary boundaries is a formidable challenge. “There is an urgent need for wide-scale collaboration if we are to make an impact on the climate and nutrition challenges within the next decade. Academics, start-ups, and established companies need to come together to innovate and find more sustainable ways to produce food.” He continued: This is why we are partnering with Big Idea Ventures: to accelerate the journey for promising start-ups, to reinforce partnerships and start-up ecosystems in Singapore and the US, and to do this with a clear focus on creating a more sustainable food supply for the future”. “This new partnership benefits from our global network of Food Application Centers across Europe, Asia, and the US,” said Johannes Wick, CEO grains and food at Bühler Group. “However, it is particularly timely, given that we are opening our Food Application Center in Minneapolis on June 19 and introducing new technologies, such as the Filtrex solution, specifically for this sector, and will open our joint innovation facility with Givaudan in Singapore later this year.” The Food Application Center will provide a platform for developing new methods to transform peas, beans, corn, pulses, oats, ancient grains, to name a few, into new food applications, including flours, snacks, pasta, cereals, as well as plant-based meat analogues. Meanwhile, the joint Givaudan and Bühler innovation facility in Singapore combines the companies’ expertise in order to focus on sustainable protein-based products. “We will be pleased to welcome Big Idea Ventures start-ups to benefit from our facilities and capabilities,” added Roberts. “We are excited about this partnership and believe that we can advance our goals for a sustainable food system with Andrew and his team.” #Bühler #BühlerGroup #plantprotein #plantbasedproteins

Upfield Group plans to invest €50 million in a new plant-based research and development (R&D) facility, which will be located in Wageningen, the Netherlands. Planning for the proposed €50 million Upfield Food Science Centre has been submitted to the Dutch Works Council, and the company hopes to open the R&D site by the end of 2021. Upfield produces a range of plant-based spreads, cheeses and margarine products, and owns major plant-based brands including Flora, Violife and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. According to a statement from the company, the Food Science Centre will aim to accelerate the development of plant-based food products and sustainable packaging solutions. In addition, the company announced plans to open a new Global Headquarters by the end of 2021. The company is currently headquartered in Amsterdam, and Upfield stated that the new office will bring together associates based in Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Upfield Group CEO David Haines said: "The announcement today demonstrates our commitment to ambitious and pioneering research and development. Our track record is good. Since Upfield was established under two years ago, we have already launched new and industry-leading plant-based cheese, cream, and butter products. "The new Upfield Food Science Centre will allow us to accelerate our ambitious agenda and develop even more options so people can enjoy great-tasting, natural, plant-based foods that are not only beneficial to their health, but to the planet. "As a global leader in plant-based nutrition, we are extremely excited by what this investment means for the future of the category." John Verbakel, chief research and development officer at Upfield added: "Investment in the new Upfield Food Science Centre will give us access to state-of-the art equipment, technology and an inspiring and creative network of individuals and companies, allowing us to really push the boundaries of what we can achieve in natural, plant-based foods innovation. "It is exciting to be part of a company committed to such a large-scale investment, which recognizes the importance of food science and plant-based foods."

Swiss plant equipment manufacturer Bühler has partnered with Big Idea Ventures to accelerate its creation of sustainable alternatives to animal-derived protein products. Bühler has invested in Big Idea Ventures' New Protein Fund, which will invest in and accelerate up to 100 plant- and cell-based companies worldwide. The venture capital fund runs four accelerator programmes annually in New York and Singapore. "We are glad to have Bühler join Tyson Ventures, Temasek and our other strategic investors in the Big Idea Ventures’ New Protein Fund," said Andrew D Ive, founder of Big Idea Ventures. "Together we can support the growth of the new generation of leading plant-based companies in North America, Asia and ultimately, the planet. Bühler and Big Idea Ventures will work together to build great companies responding to consumer demands for great-tasting food that is good for them and good for the planet." Ian Roberts, CTO at Bühler Group commented: "Providing safe, nutritious, pleasurable and affordable food to a population of 10 billion people by 2050 and doing that within the planetary boundaries is a formidable challenge. "There is an urgent need for wide-scale collaboration if we are to make an impact on the climate and nutrition challenges within the next decade. Academics, start-ups, and established companies need to come together to innovate and find more sustainable ways to produce food." He continued: This is why we are partnering with Big Idea Ventures: to accelerate the journey for promising start-ups, to reinforce partnerships and start-up ecosystems in Singapore and the US, and to do this with a clear focus on creating a more sustainable food supply for the future". "This new partnership benefits from our global network of Food Application Centers across Europe, Asia, and the US," said Johannes Wick, CEO grains and food at Bühler Group. "However, it is particularly timely, given that we are opening our Food Application Center in Minneapolis on June 19 and introducing new technologies, such as the Filtrex solution, specifically for this sector, and will open our joint innovation facility with Givaudan in Singapore later this year." The Food Application Center will provide a platform for developing new methods to transform peas, beans, corn, pulses, oats, ancient grains, to name a few, into new food applications, including flours, snacks, pasta, cereals, as well as plant-based meat analogues. Meanwhile, the joint Givaudan and Bühler innovation facility in Singapore combines the companies' expertise in order to focus on sustainable protein-based products. "We will be pleased to welcome Big Idea Ventures start-ups to benefit from our facilities and capabilities," added Roberts. "We are excited about this partnership and believe that we can advance our goals for a sustainable food system with Andrew and his team."

Beyond Meat has expanded its European production capacity by opening a new co-manufacturing facility and acquiring a new production site, both located in the Netherlands. The co-manufacturing facility is located in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands, and is owned and operated by Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat. The factory will produce the plant-based Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage meat alternatives, and will allow the ‘efficient distribution’ of these products in the European market. Meanwhile, Beyond Meat also fully-acquired its first manufacturing facility in Europe, located in Enschede, the Netherlands. The Beyond Meat-owned site is the first factory outside of Missouri, US, which can produce texturised plant proteins, the main ingredient in the company’s meat alternative products. The fully-owned protein production site will reportedly be fully operational by the end of 2020, and will work in tandem with the Zandbergen site. Additionally, the Zandbergen site will also enable the introduction of new, packaging for the Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage products. According to Beyond Meat, the new packaging features fully recyclable trays and 30% less material overall, compared to the firm’s existing packaging. Ethan Brown, founder and CEO of Beyond Meat, said: “This latest investment in production capacity reflects our continued commitment to serving global markets. “Our new facility in Enschede will not only bring production closer to the consumer, representing an investment in the markets and communities we serve, but is expected to allow us to leverage local supply chains, improving our cost structure and sustainability of operations. “We are excited to take this next step in bringing the nutritional and environmental benefits of our plant-based meats to the European consumer.” Adriaan Figee, chief commercial officer of Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat, added: “As the demand for plant-based protein and particularly Beyond Meat products grows in Europe and the Middle East, the official opening of this co-manufacturing facility in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands is timely.” #BeyondMeat #meatalternatives #plantbasedmeat

Beyond Meat has expanded its European production capacity by opening a new co-manufacturing facility and acquiring a new production site, both located in the Netherlands. The co-manufacturing facility is located in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands, and is owned and operated by Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat. The factory will produce the plant-based Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage meat alternatives, and will allow the 'efficient distribution' of these products in the European market. Meanwhile, Beyond Meat also fully-acquired its first manufacturing facility in Europe, located in Enschede, the Netherlands. The Beyond Meat-owned site is the first factory outside of Missouri, US, which can produce texturised plant proteins, the main ingredient in the company's meat alternative products. The fully-owned protein production site will reportedly be fully operational by the end of 2020, and will work in tandem with the Zandbergen site. Additionally, the Zandbergen site will also enable the introduction of new, packaging for the Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage products. According to Beyond Meat, the new packaging features fully recyclable trays and 30% less material overall, compared to the firm's existing packaging. Ethan Brown, founder and CEO of Beyond Meat, said: “This latest investment in production capacity reflects our continued commitment to serving global markets. “Our new facility in Enschede will not only bring production closer to the consumer, representing an investment in the markets and communities we serve, but is expected to allow us to leverage local supply chains, improving our cost structure and sustainability of operations. "We are excited to take this next step in bringing the nutritional and environmental benefits of our plant-based meats to the European consumer." Adriaan Figee, chief commercial officer of Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat, added: “As the demand for plant-based protein and particularly Beyond Meat products grows in Europe and the Middle East, the official opening of this co-manufacturing facility in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands is timely."

In a bid to meet growing demand for plant-based food and beverages, taste and nutrition company Kerry has expanded its range of plant protein ingredients. The range includes organic, vegan and allergen-free products that are suitable for use in a variety of food and beverage applications — from infant nutrition to seniors’ protein beverages to vegan requirements. Products contain desirable plant sources, including pea, rice and sunflower combinations. In total, 13 new plant protein ingredients have been developed for the ProDiem and Hypro ranges. John Reilly, VP business development, proteins for Kerry Taste & Nutrition said: “We recognise the rapidly growing demand for plant-based protein as more and more consumers adopt a ‘flexitarian’ diet for health and sustainability reasons and are delighted to bring our expanded plant protein range to the market. “By combining these new sources of plant protein with our established processing technology, technical expertise and flavour-masking capability, we have opened up many new innovation opportunities for our customers — and innovation remains at the heart of our work.” He continued: “At Kerry, we keep a constant focus on developing new products and, for plant protein in particular, are now working on exciting applications in plant-based yogurt, ice cream bars and clear beverages, to name but a few”. #Kerry #plantbasedprotein #peaprotein #plantbased #plantbasedproteins

In a bid to meet growing demand for plant-based food and beverages, taste and nutrition company Kerry has expanded its range of plant protein ingredients. The range includes organic, vegan and allergen-free products that are suitable for use in a variety of food and beverage applications — from infant nutrition to seniors’ protein beverages to vegan requirements. Products contain desirable plant sources, including pea, rice and sunflower combinations. In total, 13 new plant protein ingredients have been developed for the ProDiem and Hypro ranges. John Reilly, VP business development, proteins for Kerry Taste & Nutrition said: "We recognise the rapidly growing demand for plant-based protein as more and more consumers adopt a ‘flexitarian’ diet for health and sustainability reasons and are delighted to bring our expanded plant protein range to the market. "By combining these new sources of plant protein with our established processing technology, technical expertise and flavour-masking capability, we have opened up many new innovation opportunities for our customers — and innovation remains at the heart of our work." He continued: "At Kerry, we keep a constant focus on developing new products and, for plant protein in particular, are now working on exciting applications in plant-based yogurt, ice cream bars and clear beverages, to name but a few”.

UK cheese manufacturer Norseland has expanded its line-up of vegan cheeses with a dairy-free version for its Mexicana brand. According to Norseland, Mexicana Vegan contains the same fiery spice mix and real bell and jalapeño peppers as its original Mexicana cheese. The coconut-based Mexicana Vegan follows on from the company’s successful launch of Applewood Vegan in 2019, which was made available in slice format earlier this year. Norseland’s latest dairy-free product is Vegan Society approved, fortified with Vitamin B12 and calcium, and free-from lactose, milk, eggs, soya, nuts and gluten. “The popularity of Applewood Vegan proved to us that there is a real demand for vegan alternatives to cheese, not just from vegans, but from flexitarians too,” said Lisa Harrison, senior brand manager for Mexicana at Norseland. She continued: “And what was key in its popularity was how well it melts like its dairy cheese counterparts. Mexicana Vegan is described as a “quick melting vegan cheese” “We applied the same logic to the creation of Mexicana Vegan and our taste panel of spicy cheese enthusiasts are already hooked on it, because it’s super-stringy when it melts and has all of the flavour of Mexicana, including a nice spicy kick.” Mexicana Vegan will be available to purchase from 20 July 2020 exclusively in Asda stores nationwide for an RRP of £2.30 per 200g block. Earlier this year, the company released a range of cheese snack bars called Amazin Grazin, in response to consumer demands for less sugary snacks. #dairyfree #Norseland #UK #vegan