Beyond Meat has signed a deal which will see the company begin the production of its plant-based meat products in the Chinese market. The company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Beyond Meat Food, has signed an agreement with Jiaxing Economic & Technological Development Zone (JXEDZ) to design and develop manufacturing facilities in the region. The deal includes a ‘state-of-the-art’ production facility – which will be located near the business hub of Shanghai – to manufacture plant-based meat products including beef, pork and chicken under the Beyond Meat brand in China. Beyond Meat says it will be the first multinational company focused solely on plant-based meat production to bring its own major production facility into China. The agreement builds on Beyond Meat’s existing deals within the China market – such as its partnerships with fast-food restaurant operator Yum China and Starbucks – as the company claims the country will be one of its most important markets in the world. “China is one of the world’s largest markets for animal-based meat products, and potentially for plant-based meat,” said Ethan Brown, CEO and founder of Beyond Meat. He added: “We are delighted and confident that after several months of productive and collaborative discussions, we will partner with the JXEDZ to develop two production facilities, including one of the world’s largest and technologically advanced plant-based meat factories.” Candy Chan, general manager for Beyond Meat in China, added: “With its expertise in the food industry, proximity to Shanghai, and excellent logistics and people capabilities, the JXEDZ will be the perfect partner and location for our ambitious plans for the China market.” Trial production is expected to begin within months, with full scale production in early 2021. #BeyondMeat #China #Jiaxing #plantbasedmeat

UK-based Pip & Nut has released its limited edition Gingerbread Almond Butter (RRP £3.95), in support of the food brand’s local Hackney Foodbank charity. With an on-pack 25p donation for every jar sold, the product will roll-out nationwide this month in Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Ocado and Whole Foods. The festive flavour features a “blend of smooth almond butter with warming ginger and cinnamon spices”. Pip Murray, founder at Pip & Nut, said: “We’re really proud of our new Gingerbread Almond Butter not only because it offers a delicious, versatile and fun seasonal flavour profile but because it provides us with another opportunity to support Hackney Foodbank at this time of significant need.” “The charity has seen up to triple the demand for food parcels during the Covid crisis and there’s no sign of this easing up in the next few months. We are thrilled to have the ongoing support of our retail partners to help us to do this and are excited to see the limited edition roll-out into stores this month,” she continued. Melanie Rochford, business & development director at Hackney Foodbank, also added: “With the money we receive from Pip & Nut through this initiative we plan to purchase a new van, which is essential for keeping up with the growing demand at our five centres, along with putting the funds towards top-up items that haven’t been donated in sufficient quantities to keep up with demand.” “Every penny or food donation we receive is a massive help in enabling us to carry on not only feeding people in crisis, but working with other charities and organisations to assist clients to access the wider forms of help they need in order to find a way out of the poverty trap.” #Almondbutter #PipampNut

Beyond Meat has signed a deal which will see the company begin the production of its plant-based meat products in the Chinese market. The company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Beyond Meat Food, has signed an agreement with Jiaxing Economic & Technological Development Zone (JXEDZ) to design and develop manufacturing facilities in the region. The deal includes a 'state-of-the-art' production facility – which will be located near the business hub of Shanghai – to manufacture plant-based meat products including beef, pork and chicken under the Beyond Meat brand in China. Beyond Meat says it will be the first multinational company focused solely on plant-based meat production to bring its own major production facility into China. The agreement builds on Beyond Meat's existing deals within the China market – such as its partnerships with fast-food restaurant operator Yum China and Starbucks – as the company claims the country will be one of its most important markets in the world. "China is one of the world's largest markets for animal-based meat products, and potentially for plant-based meat," said Ethan Brown, CEO and founder of Beyond Meat. He added: "We are delighted and confident that after several months of productive and collaborative discussions, we will partner with the JXEDZ to develop two production facilities, including one of the world's largest and technologically advanced plant-based meat factories.” Candy Chan, general manager for Beyond Meat in China, added: "With its expertise in the food industry, proximity to Shanghai, and excellent logistics and people capabilities, the JXEDZ will be the perfect partner and location for our ambitious plans for the China market." Trial production is expected to begin within months, with full scale production in early 2021.

Vegan confectionery firm LoveRaw has launched what it claims is the world’s first vegan hazelnut cream filled wafer bar in the UK. LoveRaw’s Cre&m Filled Wafer Bars are coated in a layer of the brand’s proprietary M:lk chocolate and features two individually wrapped wafers per pack. The new product joins the brand’s 100% vegan line up of milk chocolate bars and chocolate butter cups. Its entire portfolio contains no artificial ingredients, no palm oil and no dairy. “As with all new product launches, we did have to jump through some hoops – the biggest being that the Cre&m Filled Wafer Bar had to taste like “chocolate chocolate” and not compromise on flavour,” said Manav Thapar, managing director of LoveRaw. LoveRaw’s vegan wafer bar marks the first product to be launched on its online store. According to the brand, a shift in consumer behaviour amid Covid-19 led to the creation of a new ecommerce strategy in addition to its retail presence. Rimi Thapar, co-founder and CEO of LoveRaw, added: “As a result of the lockdown restrictions, we have seen a huge shift in consumer shopping habits, with more people buying online than ever before. For this reason, we wanted to ensure our products are fully accessible to our customers through the launch of our own online store and have received an excellent response with direct sales up almost 800% YOY. “We are, therefore, incredibly excited about the launch of our own vegan take on a classic chocolate treat and look forward to bringing it to market via our online store and through new and existing retail partnerships.” The wafers are sealed in LoveRaw’s rebranded packaging, following a “seven-figure investment” from Blue Horizon Ventures. LoveRaw’s new Cre&m Filled Wafer Bars are available to purchase online for an RRP of £1.69, with plans to be stocked in Holland & Barrett and Waitrose later this year. #Loveraw #UK #vegan

UK-based Pip & Nut has released its limited edition Gingerbread Almond Butter (RRP £3.95), in support of the food brand's local Hackney Foodbank charity. With an on-pack 25p donation for every jar sold, the product will roll-out nationwide this month in Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Ocado and Whole Foods. The festive flavour features a "blend of smooth almond butter with warming ginger and cinnamon spices". Pip Murray, founder at Pip & Nut, said: “We’re really proud of our new Gingerbread Almond Butter not only because it offers a delicious, versatile and fun seasonal flavour profile but because it provides us with another opportunity to support Hackney Foodbank at this time of significant need." "The charity has seen up to triple the demand for food parcels during the Covid crisis and there’s no sign of this easing up in the next few months. We are thrilled to have the ongoing support of our retail partners to help us to do this and are excited to see the limited edition roll-out into stores this month,” she continued. Melanie Rochford, business & development director at Hackney Foodbank, also added: "With the money we receive from Pip & Nut through this initiative we plan to purchase a new van, which is essential for keeping up with the growing demand at our five centres, along with putting the funds towards top-up items that haven't been donated in sufficient quantities to keep up with demand." "Every penny or food donation we receive is a massive help in enabling us to carry on not only feeding people in crisis, but working with other charities and organisations to assist clients to access the wider forms of help they need in order to find a way out of the poverty trap."

Vegan confectionery firm LoveRaw has launched what it claims is the world’s first vegan hazelnut cream filled wafer bar in the UK. LoveRaw’s Cre&m Filled Wafer Bars are coated in a layer of the brand’s proprietary M:lk chocolate and features two individually wrapped wafers per pack. The new product joins the brand’s 100% vegan line up of milk chocolate bars and chocolate butter cups. Its entire portfolio contains no artificial ingredients, no palm oil and no dairy. “As with all new product launches, we did have to jump through some hoops – the biggest being that the Cre&m Filled Wafer Bar had to taste like “chocolate chocolate” and not compromise on flavour,” said Manav Thapar, managing director of LoveRaw. LoveRaw’s vegan wafer bar marks the first product to be launched on its online store. According to the brand, a shift in consumer behaviour amid Covid-19 led to the creation of a new ecommerce strategy in addition to its retail presence. Rimi Thapar, co-founder and CEO of LoveRaw, added: “As a result of the lockdown restrictions, we have seen a huge shift in consumer shopping habits, with more people buying online than ever before. For this reason, we wanted to ensure our products are fully accessible to our customers through the launch of our own online store and have received an excellent response with direct sales up almost 800% YOY. “We are, therefore, incredibly excited about the launch of our own vegan take on a classic chocolate treat and look forward to bringing it to market via our online store and through new and existing retail partnerships.” The wafers are sealed in LoveRaw's rebranded packaging, following a “seven-figure investment” from Blue Horizon Ventures. LoveRaw’s new Cre&m Filled Wafer Bars are available to purchase online for an RRP of £1.69, with plans to be stocked in Holland & Barrett and Waitrose later this year.

Hormel Foods-owned Justin’s has entered into the refrigerated bar category with the launch of a new range of Almond Butter Protein Bars in the US. Available in three varieties – Almond Butter, Honey Almond Butter and Dark Chocolate Chip Almond Butter – the brand claims that the bars have 40% less sugar than leading refrigerated bars. Each bar contains 10g of plant-based protein and is gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free and Non-GMO Project Verified. The Almond Butter variety is made with organic maple syrup, while the Dark Chocolate Chip and Honey varieties are made with organic honey. The new protein range expands Justin’s snacking portfolio that includes organic nut butters, nut butter cups and nut-butter covered nuts. “I’m excited to raise the bar on protein and share my latest take on plant-based snacking with our Refrigerated Almond Butter Protein Bars,” said Justin Gold, founder of Justin’s. He added: “We’ve heard from our fans that they wanted us to make a plant-based protein bar, and we can’t wait to hear about all the adventures they’ll fuel with our new bars.” Justin’s Almond Butter Protein Bars will be available to purchase at Whole Foods and Target stores nationwide beginning this month. #US #Justins #Nutbutter #plantbased #HormelFoods

Hormel Foods-owned Justin’s has entered into the refrigerated bar category with the launch of a new range of Almond Butter Protein Bars in the US. Available in three varieties – Almond Butter, Honey Almond Butter and Dark Chocolate Chip Almond Butter – the brand claims that the bars have 40% less sugar than leading refrigerated bars. Each bar contains 10g of plant-based protein and is gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free and Non-GMO Project Verified. The Almond Butter variety is made with organic maple syrup, while the Dark Chocolate Chip and Honey varieties are made with organic honey. The new protein range expands Justin’s snacking portfolio that includes organic nut butters, nut butter cups and nut-butter covered nuts. "I'm excited to raise the bar on protein and share my latest take on plant-based snacking with our Refrigerated Almond Butter Protein Bars," said Justin Gold, founder of Justin's. He added: "We've heard from our fans that they wanted us to make a plant-based protein bar, and we can't wait to hear about all the adventures they'll fuel with our new bars." Justin’s Almond Butter Protein Bars will be available to purchase at Whole Foods and Target stores nationwide beginning this month.

Plant-based beverage company Califia Farms has appointed Dave Ritterbush as its new CEO, following the retirement of company founder Greg Steltenpohl. Former CEO and founder of Califia Farms, Greg Steltenpohl, will remain on the board as an executive director. Most recently, Ritterbush has served as president and CEO of Quest Nutrition. During this time, he guided the company through its $1 billion acquisition by The Simply Good Foods Company last year. Prior to this, Ritterbush held the position of CEO at better-for-you snack company Popchips, and served as president and CEO of Premier Nutrition. He has also served as vice president and general manager of Red Bull North America and had a long tenure at Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream. “With Califia’s innovation and commitment to helping people and the planet, there is endless potential for continued growth, especially as an increasing number of consumers seek plant-based options,” said Ritterbush. He added: “I look forward to building on Greg’s vision and continuing the company’s commitment to innovation. Having Greg on the board will allow us to tap into his deep knowledge and passion, which will be invaluable.” Steltenpohl also founded Odwalla Juice Company – which was later acquired by The Coca-Cola Company – before launching Califia Farms in 2010. “I am super proud of what we’ve accomplished at Califia since we launched the brand ten years ago. Now is the perfect time in the company’s evolution for this next step,” said Steltenpohl. He continued: “We were committed to finding the right person to serve as our next CEO, and I couldn’t be more excited to hand over the reins to such a talented and well-respected leader. With his deep experience in CPG and nutrition, Dave is the ideal person to continue taking the company forward as a leader in the plant-based food and beverage space.” In January, the US company secured $225 million in Series D financing led by the Qatar Investment Authority to fuel its innovation and growth. Since then, Califia Farms has expanded its plant-based milk portfolio with the launch of Protein Oat. #CalifiaFarms #plantbaseddairy #US

Plant-based beverage company Califia Farms has appointed Dave Ritterbush as its new CEO, following the retirement of company founder Greg Steltenpohl. Former CEO and founder of Califia Farms, Greg Steltenpohl, will remain on the board as an executive director. Most recently, Ritterbush has served as president and CEO of Quest Nutrition. During this time, he guided the company through its $1 billion acquisition by The Simply Good Foods Company last year. Prior to this, Ritterbush held the position of CEO at better-for-you snack company Popchips, and served as president and CEO of Premier Nutrition. He has also served as vice president and general manager of Red Bull North America and had a long tenure at Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream. "With Califia's innovation and commitment to helping people and the planet, there is endless potential for continued growth, especially as an increasing number of consumers seek plant-based options," said Ritterbush. He added: "I look forward to building on Greg's vision and continuing the company's commitment to innovation. Having Greg on the board will allow us to tap into his deep knowledge and passion, which will be invaluable." Steltenpohl also founded Odwalla Juice Company – which was later acquired by The Coca-Cola Company – before launching Califia Farms in 2010. "I am super proud of what we've accomplished at Califia since we launched the brand ten years ago. Now is the perfect time in the company's evolution for this next step," said Steltenpohl. He continued: “We were committed to finding the right person to serve as our next CEO, and I couldn't be more excited to hand over the reins to such a talented and well-respected leader. With his deep experience in CPG and nutrition, Dave is the ideal person to continue taking the company forward as a leader in the plant-based food and beverage space." In January, the US company secured $225 million in Series D financing led by the Qatar Investment Authority to fuel its innovation and growth. Since then, Califia Farms has expanded its plant-based milk portfolio with the launch of Protein Oat.

Good Karma Foods, a US producer of plant-based dairy alternatives, has repurchased its majority ownership from Dean Foods and secured new investment from Valor Siren Ventures (VSV). Since 2017, Dean Foods has made multiple investments in Good Karma and the dairy company became a majority shareholder in 2018, as it was looking to delve more into the dairy-free space. However, in November 2019, Dean Foods filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it struggled with continuing declines in consumer milk consumption and private label competition. Good Karma is not the only company that has repurchased itself since the majority of Dean’s assets were purchased by Dairy Farmers of America. Original founder of Uncle Matt’s Organic, Matt McLean, acquired the juice brand back in May this year. Following its buyout, Good Karma said it will refocus on its ‘Inspiring Goodness’ mission with the support of new investors. The producer of flaxseed-based milk and yogurt alternatives said it raised ‘significant’ new capital in a funding round from VSV and existing investor 2x Consumer Products Growth Partners. According to Good Karma, its partnership with VSV will enable it to accelerate its distribution expansion into new and existing channels, innovate in a variety of plant-based categories, as well as grow its brand-building and consumer awareness programmes. “We could not have found a better partner than Valor Siren Ventures to help us bring more plant-based goodness to more places, and are honoured to be among the mission-driven teams and brands in their portfolio,” said Doug Radi, CEO of Good Karma. Jonathan Shulkin, VSV fund manager and partner at Valor Equity Partners, added: “We are delighted to welcome Good Karma into our Valor Siren Ventures portfolio as the brand has a demonstrated track record of delivering innovation in categories in need of inspiring plant-based options.” Following the transaction, Good Karma will continue to operate as a Colorado-based independent company led by its existing leadership team. No financial details of the transactions were disclosed. #DeanFoods #US #plantbaseddairy #ValorSirenVentures #GoodKarmaFoods

Good Karma Foods, a US producer of plant-based dairy alternatives, has repurchased its majority ownership from Dean Foods and secured new investment from Valor Siren Ventures (VSV). Since 2017, Dean Foods has made multiple investments in Good Karma and the dairy company became a majority shareholder in 2018, as it was looking to delve more into the dairy-free space. However, in November 2019, Dean Foods filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it struggled with continuing declines in consumer milk consumption and private label competition. Good Karma is not the only company that has repurchased itself since the majority of Dean’s assets were purchased by Dairy Farmers of America. Original founder of Uncle Matt’s Organic, Matt McLean, acquired the juice brand back in May this year. Following its buyout, Good Karma said it will refocus on its ‘Inspiring Goodness’ mission with the support of new investors. The producer of flaxseed-based milk and yogurt alternatives said it raised ‘significant’ new capital in a funding round from VSV and existing investor 2x Consumer Products Growth Partners. According to Good Karma, its partnership with VSV will enable it to accelerate its distribution expansion into new and existing channels, innovate in a variety of plant-based categories, as well as grow its brand-building and consumer awareness programmes. “We could not have found a better partner than Valor Siren Ventures to help us bring more plant-based goodness to more places, and are honoured to be among the mission-driven teams and brands in their portfolio,” said Doug Radi, CEO of Good Karma. Jonathan Shulkin, VSV fund manager and partner at Valor Equity Partners, added: “We are delighted to welcome Good Karma into our Valor Siren Ventures portfolio as the brand has a demonstrated track record of delivering innovation in categories in need of inspiring plant-based options.” Following the transaction, Good Karma will continue to operate as a Colorado-based independent company led by its existing leadership team. No financial details of the transactions were disclosed.