Kate Farms – maker of plant-based formulas used in the treatment of chronic illnesses – has raised $51 million in a Series B funding round led by Goldman Sachs, with additional participation from Kaiser Permanente Ventures and existing individual investors. Kate Farms produces plant-based, organic formulas for tube feeding to provide nourishment to those suffering from chronic illnesses. The company also produces nutrition shakes for people with shorter-term or milder conditions that don't require tube feeding. The company's vegan and gluten-free products are made without major allergens, and are now available in more than 95% of US hospitals. According to a statement, this new funding will be used to 'drive overall innovation' and aid the expansion of the business. Brett Matthews, chairman and CEO of Kate Farms, said: "Kate Farms' mission has always been to make nutrition the foundation of health so that people can live their best lives. "We know first-hand that plant-based nutrition can reverse disease and prevent illness and are excited to be working alongside some of the leading hospitals, doctors and dietitians to provide a higher standard of nutrition for people with medical conditions. "Now with the addition of our new blue-chip investors, we will continue to accelerate our efforts to lead the plant-based revolution in healthcare to help the hundreds of millions of people who can benefit." Allison Berardo, a vice-president in Goldman Sachs' growth equity platform, GS Growth, will be joining the board of directors at Kate Farms. Berardo added: "We are excited to be backing the Kate Farms team as they continue to pave the way for plant-based nutrition in healthcare. "Kate Farms' differentiated product, strong community support from both patients and providers, and widespread distribution make them a true category leader within the overall liquid nutrition industry.

Kate Farms – maker of plant-based formulas used in the treatment of chronic illnesses – has raised $51 million in a Series B funding round led by Goldman Sachs, with additional participation from Kaiser Permanente Ventures and existing individual investors. Kate Farms produces plant-based, organic formulas for tube feeding to provide nourishment to those suffering from chronic illnesses. The company also produces nutrition shakes for people with shorter-term or milder conditions that don’t require tube feeding. The company’s vegan and gluten-free products are made without major allergens, and are now available in more than 95% of US hospitals. According to a statement, this new funding will be used to ‘drive overall innovation’ and aid the expansion of the business. Brett Matthews, chairman and CEO of Kate Farms, said: “Kate Farms’ mission has always been to make nutrition the foundation of health so that people can live their best lives. “We know first-hand that plant-based nutrition can reverse disease and prevent illness and are excited to be working alongside some of the leading hospitals, doctors and dietitians to provide a higher standard of nutrition for people with medical conditions. “Now with the addition of our new blue-chip investors, we will continue to accelerate our efforts to lead the plant-based revolution in healthcare to help the hundreds of millions of people who can benefit.” Allison Berardo, a vice-president in Goldman Sachs’ growth equity platform, GS Growth, will be joining the board of directors at Kate Farms. Berardo added: “We are excited to be backing the Kate Farms team as they continue to pave the way for plant-based nutrition in healthcare. “Kate Farms’ differentiated product, strong community support from both patients and providers, and widespread distribution make them a true category leader within the overall liquid nutrition industry. #formula #KateFarms #plantbased #US

AAK has joined Mista, an innovation platform focused on the development of sustainable foods, as it aims to accelerate innovation in the plant-based category. Established by Givaudan, Mista is an initiative that aims to bring together the expertise of larger companies operating in different segments of the value chain, and the agility and fast-paced innovation spirit of start-ups. The start-ups within the Mista platform include clean meat, plant-based, biotech and technology companies. “Plant-based foods is not just a trend, rather it is rapidly becoming a mainstream lifestyle choice given its growth trajectory,” said Niall Sands, president plant-based foods at AAK. “With our speciality oils and fats knowledge and application expertise, we very much look forward to collaborating with the other Mista members to respond to the rapidly changing needs of consumers." Scott May, head of Mista, added: "We are excited to welcome AAK as a Mista member and a key contributor to deliver on our purpose to transform the global food system and meet the needs of the future. “With its global presence and focus on sustainability, AAK will have a significant impact on delivering consumer-preferred solutions that require speciality oils and fats for optimal taste, texture and appearance.” AAK will join Danone, Mars, and Ingredion – who signed up as founding members of the platform in 2018 – and Chr. Hansen, who joined earlier this year to develop plant-based dairy solutions. Earlier this year, AAK Kamani, established as a joint venture and now fully owned by AAK, partnered with the Good Food Institute India to accelerate the development of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives.

AAK has joined Mista, an innovation platform focused on the development of sustainable foods, as it aims to accelerate innovation in the plant-based category. Established by Givaudan, Mista is an initiative that aims to bring together the expertise of larger companies operating in different segments of the value chain, and the agility and fast-paced innovation spirit of start-ups. The start-ups within the Mista platform include clean meat, plant-based, biotech and technology companies. “Plant-based foods is not just a trend, rather it is rapidly becoming a mainstream lifestyle choice given its growth trajectory,” said Niall Sands, president plant-based foods at AAK. “With our speciality oils and fats knowledge and application expertise, we very much look forward to collaborating with the other Mista members to respond to the rapidly changing needs of consumers.” Scott May, head of Mista, added: “We are excited to welcome AAK as a Mista member and a key contributor to deliver on our purpose to transform the global food system and meet the needs of the future. “With its global presence and focus on sustainability, AAK will have a significant impact on delivering consumer-preferred solutions that require speciality oils and fats for optimal taste, texture and appearance.” AAK will join Danone, Mars, and Ingredion – who signed up as founding members of the platform in 2018 – and Chr. Hansen, who joined earlier this year to develop plant-based dairy solutions. Earlier this year, AAK Kamani, established as a joint venture and now fully owned by AAK, partnered with the Good Food Institute India to accelerate the development of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. #AAK #oilsandfats #Mista #Givaudan #plantbased

A consortium that includes Ingredion has come together to commercialise new technology that will improve the functionality of pulse-based ingredients. Verdient Foods, T Base 4 Investments and OMD Food Products join Ingredion in a project that aims to open new markets for pulse-based proteins by increasing their functionality. A total of $25.7 million has been committed to the project, with the partners investing $12.8 million and Protein Industries Canada an additional $12.8 million. The project marks Protein Industries Canada’s 12th project, having invested approximately $272 million into plant-protein technology projects so far. With an initial focus on yellow peas, the project will use physical processing techniques to turn the commodities into ingredients that will be available to food processors and manufacturers throughout Canada and international markets. Following the processing of yellow peas, the partners intend to shift their focus to commodities such as lentils, chickpeas, green peas and faba beans. “Ingredion is excited to advance our specialties strategy by providing high-quality ingredients that address consumers’ preferences for sustainable, plant-based alternatives,” said Beth Tormey, Ingredion’s vice president of plant-based proteins. She added: “Protein Industries Canada’s contribution will accelerate our work by enabling the use of new technology and innovation to create a more inclusive and sustainable food system. By coming together with other consortium members, we will produce the next generation of ingredients that can be used by food manufacturers in Canada and on a global scale.” Protein Industries Canada’s investment will be used to improve the manufacturing capabilities in Vanscoy, Canada. Jorgen Kokke, Ingredion’s executive vice president and president, Americas, said: “This project complements our pulse-based protein portfolio, aligns with our growth strategy and accelerates our ability to deliver consumer-preferred foods and beverages to global markets.”

A consortium that includes Ingredion has come together to commercialise new technology that will improve the functionality of pulse-based ingredients. Verdient Foods, T Base 4 Investments and OMD Food Products join Ingredion in a project that aims to open new markets for pulse-based proteins by increasing their functionality. A total of $25.7 million has been committed to the project, with the partners investing $12.8 million and Protein Industries Canada an additional $12.8 million. The project marks Protein Industries Canada’s 12th project, having invested approximately $272 million into plant-protein technology projects so far. With an initial focus on yellow peas, the project will use physical processing techniques to turn the commodities into ingredients that will be available to food processors and manufacturers throughout Canada and international markets. Following the processing of yellow peas, the partners intend to shift their focus to commodities such as lentils, chickpeas, green peas and faba beans. “Ingredion is excited to advance our specialties strategy by providing high-quality ingredients that address consumers’ preferences for sustainable, plant-based alternatives,” said Beth Tormey, Ingredion’s vice president of plant-based proteins. She added: “Protein Industries Canada’s contribution will accelerate our work by enabling the use of new technology and innovation to create a more inclusive and sustainable food system. By coming together with other consortium members, we will produce the next generation of ingredients that can be used by food manufacturers in Canada and on a global scale.” Protein Industries Canada’s investment will be used to improve the manufacturing capabilities in Vanscoy, Canada. Jorgen Kokke, Ingredion’s executive vice president and president, Americas, said: “This project complements our pulse-based protein portfolio, aligns with our growth strategy and accelerates our ability to deliver consumer-preferred foods and beverages to global markets.” #VerdientFoods #Canada #Ingredion #yellowpea #plantprotein #ProteinIndustriesCanada

Egg alternative producer, Zero Egg, has raised $5 million in a Series A funding round led by Powerplant Ventures. Made from a blend of plant proteins, Zero Egg’s plant-based product is designed for foodservice and food manufacturers, and is said to taste, look and function like an ordinary egg. As well as Powerplant Ventures, Zero Egg’s latest round was backed by existing investors Unovis Asset Management-New Crop Capital and Strauss Group’s food tech-focused incubator, The Kitchen Hub. “We are proud to see Liron and her team materialise the Zero Egg vision,” said Amir Zaidman, vice president business development at Strauss Group-The Kitchen Hub. “The company was started under the framework of “The Kitchen” incubator. The support of investors such as Powerplant Ventures and Unovis-New Crop Capital are strong votes of confidence, and what we see as a big step forward for the plant-based egg category.” Zero Egg will use the funds raised to grow the brand in the US – following its recent entry into the US market – and to support new product launches in the coming year. “By filling the white space in the foodservice industry for plant-based egg alternatives, Zero Egg aims to make plant-based foods the norm and empower the era of sustainable foods,” said Liron Nimrodi, CEO and co-founder of Zero Egg. “Our goal is to meet growing consumer demand for an egg replacement that is effective, nutritious, versatile, and kind to animals and to the planet. “We are elated to join Powerplant Ventures’ portfolio of brands. We can’t imagine a better partner to help us grow the brand and transform the industry.” Powerplant Ventures co-founder and partner T.K. Pillan, who is joining the Zero Egg board of directors, said: “I’ve been on a mission to offer practical plant-based options for consumers at both the retail and restaurant level for many years. What has been missing until now is a complete, affordable plant-based alternative for eggs. “Zero Egg is a game-changer for the industry. We’re proud to invest in their team and confident it will be the much-needed affordable and versatile solution for operators looking to continue to reduce their use of animal products.” #eggalternative #US #StraussGroup #Israel #ZeroEgg #PowerPlantVentures #plantbased #TheKitchenHub

Egg alternative producer, Zero Egg, has raised $5 million in a Series A funding round led by Powerplant Ventures. Made from a blend of plant proteins, Zero Egg’s plant-based product is designed for foodservice and food manufacturers, and is said to taste, look and function like an ordinary egg. As well as Powerplant Ventures, Zero Egg’s latest round was backed by existing investors Unovis Asset Management-New Crop Capital and Strauss Group’s food tech-focused incubator, The Kitchen Hub. “We are proud to see Liron and her team materialise the Zero Egg vision,” said Amir Zaidman, vice president business development at Strauss Group-The Kitchen Hub. “The company was started under the framework of "The Kitchen" incubator. The support of investors such as Powerplant Ventures and Unovis-New Crop Capital are strong votes of confidence, and what we see as a big step forward for the plant-based egg category.” Zero Egg will use the funds raised to grow the brand in the US – following its recent entry into the US market – and to support new product launches in the coming year. “By filling the white space in the foodservice industry for plant-based egg alternatives, Zero Egg aims to make plant-based foods the norm and empower the era of sustainable foods,” said Liron Nimrodi, CEO and co-founder of Zero Egg. “Our goal is to meet growing consumer demand for an egg replacement that is effective, nutritious, versatile, and kind to animals and to the planet. “We are elated to join Powerplant Ventures’ portfolio of brands. We can't imagine a better partner to help us grow the brand and transform the industry.” Powerplant Ventures co-founder and partner T.K. Pillan, who is joining the Zero Egg board of directors, said: “I've been on a mission to offer practical plant-based options for consumers at both the retail and restaurant level for many years. What has been missing until now is a complete, affordable plant-based alternative for eggs. “Zero Egg is a game-changer for the industry. We're proud to invest in their team and confident it will be the much-needed affordable and versatile solution for operators looking to continue to reduce their use of animal products.”

Pizza Hut has partnered with Beyond Meat to add a sausage alternative from the plant-based meat giant to its menus nationwide in the US. The restaurant chain’s new Beyond Pan Pizzas were co-created by culinary teams at Beyond Meat and Pizza Hut to deliver the taste of Pizza Hut’s Italian pork sausage in a meat-free option. The Great Beyond Pizza combines fresh veggie toppings with Beyond Italian Sausage, a plant-based meat alternative seasoned with Italian herbs and spices like garlic, paprika and fennel seeds. Meanwhile, the Beyond Italian Sausage Pizza pairs Pizza Hut’s classic cheese pizza with Beyond Italian Sausage crumbles. The pizzas are available for a limited time at all traditional Pizza Hut locations nationwide for contactless delivery, carryout and curbside pickup, as well as at select Pizza Hut Express locations. “I’d challenge anyone to go try the new Beyond Pan Pizza and tell the difference. I shared it with friends and family, and they couldn’t,” said David Graves, chief brand officer at Pizza Hut. “The Beyond Italian Sausage is rich, juicy and has the signature Pizza Hut flavours—pizza lovers everywhere are going to love it.” Ethan Brown, CEO and founder of Beyond Meat, added: “Our partnership with Pizza Hut is a category first and together we will continue to raise the bar on game-changing product innovations as we introduce the delicious taste of Beyond Meat products to pizza fans nationwide. “We’re thrilled to be on this journey with Pizza Hut that enables us to further increase access to better-for-you plant-based meat as we continue to expand our partnership with Yum! Brands.” This announcement comes as part of a broader collaboration between the two brands, and Beyond Meat pizzas are currently available at select London Pizza Huts in a limited-time offering. The partnership with Pizza Hut is the latest in a string of foodservice deals for Beyond Meat. These include partnerships with Yum China and Starbucks, a trial with McDonald’s and a collaboration with Yum! Brands-owned KFC. #YumBrands #US #meatalternatives #BeyondMeat #PizzaHut #foodservice

Pizza Hut has partnered with Beyond Meat to add a sausage alternative from the plant-based meat giant to its menus nationwide in the US. The restaurant chain’s new Beyond Pan Pizzas were co-created by culinary teams at Beyond Meat and Pizza Hut to deliver the taste of Pizza Hut's Italian pork sausage in a meat-free option. The Great Beyond Pizza combines fresh veggie toppings with Beyond Italian Sausage, a plant-based meat alternative seasoned with Italian herbs and spices like garlic, paprika and fennel seeds. Meanwhile, the Beyond Italian Sausage Pizza pairs Pizza Hut's classic cheese pizza with Beyond Italian Sausage crumbles. The pizzas are available for a limited time at all traditional Pizza Hut locations nationwide for contactless delivery, carryout and curbside pickup, as well as at select Pizza Hut Express locations. “I'd challenge anyone to go try the new Beyond Pan Pizza and tell the difference. I shared it with friends and family, and they couldn't,” said David Graves, chief brand officer at Pizza Hut. “The Beyond Italian Sausage is rich, juicy and has the signature Pizza Hut flavours—pizza lovers everywhere are going to love it.” Ethan Brown, CEO and founder of Beyond Meat, added: “Our partnership with Pizza Hut is a category first and together we will continue to raise the bar on game-changing product innovations as we introduce the delicious taste of Beyond Meat products to pizza fans nationwide. “We're thrilled to be on this journey with Pizza Hut that enables us to further increase access to better-for-you plant-based meat as we continue to expand our partnership with Yum! Brands.” This announcement comes as part of a broader collaboration between the two brands, and Beyond Meat pizzas are currently available at select London Pizza Huts in a limited-time offering. The partnership with Pizza Hut is the latest in a string of foodservice deals for Beyond Meat. These include partnerships with Yum China and Starbucks, a trial with McDonald's and a collaboration with Yum! Brands-owned KFC.

Meat alternatives brand This has expanded its portfolio with the introduction of a new marinaded plant-based chicken product, designed for stir-fries. Made from a pea and soya bean base, This isn’t Chicken Dark Soy & Garlic pieces contains 21g of protein per 100g and is a source of iron and vitamin B12. According to This, the meat alternative is also low in fat and salt. The brand’s latest plant-based offering is available now at Waitrose. Mimicking chicken in taste, texture and appearance, the brand’s latest plant-based offering can be enjoyed in wraps and salads, and rice and noodle dishes, as well as in stir-fries. “This isn’t Chicken Dark Soy & Garlic pieces can be used in a number of ways but is aimed pretty squarely at stir-fry lovers,” said This co-founder, Andy Shovel. “Generally, the flavour of stir-fries comes from sauces, marinades and herbs whilst the protein is usually just the nutritional workhorse of the dish. “We’re trying to put a stop to that with our new marinaded plant-based chicken pieces by adding a rich dark soy sauce and garlicky note to Asian-inspired dishes up and down the country, especially as more people are likely to be cooking at home.” The new product is available, for an RRP of £3.65, from Waitrose. Earlier this year, This exceeded its funding target in a Seedrs campaign, as it aimed to accelerate growth and innovation. #meatalternatives #plantbased #This #UK

Meat alternatives brand This has expanded its portfolio with the introduction of a new marinaded plant-based chicken product, designed for stir-fries. Made from a pea and soya bean base, This isn't Chicken Dark Soy & Garlic pieces contains 21g of protein per 100g and is a source of iron and vitamin B12. According to This, the meat alternative is also low in fat and salt. Mimicking chicken in taste, texture and appearance, the brand’s latest plant-based offering can be enjoyed in wraps and salads, and rice and noodle dishes, as well as in stir-fries. “This isn't Chicken Dark Soy & Garlic pieces can be used in a number of ways but is aimed pretty squarely at stir-fry lovers,” said This co-founder, Andy Shovel. “Generally, the flavour of stir-fries comes from sauces, marinades and herbs whilst the protein is usually just the nutritional workhorse of the dish. “We’re trying to put a stop to that with our new marinaded plant-based chicken pieces by adding a rich dark soy sauce and garlicky note to Asian-inspired dishes up and down the country, especially as more people are likely to be cooking at home.” The new product is available, for an RRP of £3.65, from Waitrose. Earlier this year, This exceeded its funding target in a Seedrs campaign, as it aimed to accelerate growth and innovation.