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About vegconomist
Open Position: Paywall and Subscription Manager (remote) (m/f/d)

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Veronica Fil

© Veronica Fil

Op Ed: Veronica Fil, Founder of Grounded Foods Co, On Plant-Based Restaurant Trends

June 9, 2023

Veronica Fil is a former behavioral economist, who now specializes in marketing for the alternative protein industry. She is the co-founder of Grounded Foods Co. and author of Plant Based USA: a Guide to Eating Animal-Free in America. Reinventing the menu: more chefs embrace plant-based alternatives to meet diner demand By Veronica Fil As I patrolled the floors of the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago last week, I was struck by a realization: ‘plant-based’ no longer appeared as a specialty category of the food service industry. Judging by the sheer amount of meat, seafood, and dairy alternatives spread throughout the Show floor–and the excitement surrounding them–I knew that plant-based food had become firmly embedded in the mainstream culinary mindset. It hasn’t always been this …

ADM's new innovation center in Manchester, the UK

Image courtesy of ADM

ADM Opens New Center in the UK for Innovations in Alt Protein and Other Foods

June 9, 2023

Agribusiness leader ADM (NYSE: ADM) has opened an innovation center in the UK for alt protein and other categories such as sweet, dairy, alternative dairy, and beverages. Located in Manchester, the Customer Creation and Innovation Center (CCIC) will be a UK hub fostering collaborations with food manufacturers, brands, and food service to create novel products. The 800-square-meter facility includes a state-of-the-art kitchen, a chef’s presentation theater, and flavor development lab, where ADM’s team will explore and expand its culinary capabilities and solutions into developing food innovations for the UK. Expanding in alt protein At CCIC, ADM will offer its expertise (technology, ingredients, and solutions) for formulating and developing plant-based offerings that meet consumers’ high sensory expectations and health demands, said the company in the announcement. Other ADM initiatives in …

Organisations and Brands:

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)

Shopping in a LIDL grocery discount supermarket in the meat aisle

©Hamik-stock.adobe.com

Retail & E-Commerce

Lidl to Display Plant-Based Alternatives Next to Animal Meat to Entice Meat-Eaters

June 9, 2023June 9, 2023

Lidl Netherlands today reveals plans to display the top four best-selling meat alternatives right alongside the meat products in the refrigerator. The strategy has already been adopted in some markets such as Spain, with the strategic placement aiming to encourage flexitarian customers to opt for plant-based options more frequently. It’s important to note that not all meat substitutes will be positioned alongside the meat initially. The focus will be on vegan ground beef, vegetarian chicken pieces, vegan schnitzels, and veggie burgers. The development follows Lidl’s much-discussed news from February that the German discounter will pursue a plant-forward strategy to 2025, with a focus on reducing the number of animal-based products in its offering and increasing its range of vegetable proteins. Christof Graf, chief buyer for …

Organisations and Brands:

Vivera sausage rolls

Image: Vivera on LinkedIn

Vivera Reports Stable Growth, Becomes B-Corp Certified, Enters Dutch Foodservice

June 9, 2023

Vivera is experiencing stable growth and says it aims to become one of the leading brands in meat alternatives. Yesterday the Netherlands brand announced it had achieved B Corp certification, and furthermore, the brand has entered into its first collaboration in the foodservice market, launching a meat-free sausage roll into Bakkerij van Maanen. In April Vivera launched three new meat alternatives, entailing spicy vegan drumsticks, a vegan schnitzel, and a vegan fillet spinach & cheese alternative. Having already grown faster than the category in recent years, Vivera is moving closer to its self-imposed goal of occupying a place among the top five brands in the meat alternatives category. At the moment growth of 12.5 percent is almost double that of the overall category (6.3 percent). …

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Roquette opens new food innovation center

Image courtesy of Roquette

Roquette Opens €4.5M Food Innovation Centre: “We See This Opening as an Innovation Boost for the Global Food Sector”

June 9, 2023

Global leader in plant-based ingredients, Roquette celebrated yesterday the launch of a new €4.5 million food innovation centre in Lestrem, France. As demand for new, healthier, and more sustainable diets grows, Roquette’s Food Innovation Center will foster innovation and accelerate the launch of novel products. The center will be a “key part” of the company’s R&D global network and a unique place to develop a more collaborative relationship with customers, Roquette said in the announcement. “The ultimate goal of the Food Innovation Center is to partner with food industry players to speed up innovation, from the earliest stage of product development. To ensure this is possible, the teams can rely upon a worldwide network, as well as in-house expertise, co-development sessions, and technical training. The site …

Organisations and Brands:

Two brown cows/ cattle

© Mosa Meat

Charity & Campaigns

Animal Rights Switzerland Sets Out Vision to Make the Country Vegan

June 9, 2023

Campaign group Animal Rights Switzerland has launched a project outlining how the country could become animal-friendly. The group describes how meat and dairy products could be produced through cultivation and fermentation technologies, removing the need for animal agriculture. Slaughterhouses could then be repurposed, or turned into museums. Recreational fishermen could remove litter from rivers rather than catching fish, or focus on monitoring and photographing aquatic life. Contraceptives could be used to prevent wild animals such as deer from becoming overpopulated, removing the need for hunting. To make clothing, leather and petroleum-derived materials would be replaced with alternatives such as mushroom or apple leather, and plant-based alternatives to wool would also be used. Animal protection laws would be updated to totally forbid harming and killing animals. …

Organisations and Brands:

Animal Rights Switzerland

Asda launches new products for barbecue season

© Asda

Products & Launches

Asda Launches Range of New Plant-Based Products for BBQ Season

June 9, 2023

UK supermarket chain Asda has expanded its vegan OMV! and Plant Based By Asda ranges, launching several new products for the barbecue season. These include the OMV! No-Pork Chilli Sausages — featuring jalapeños, red chillies, and chipotle — along with the Plant Based by ASDA Mushroom Sausages and the OMV! No Beef Burgers. There are also some vegetable-based options, such as the Plant Based by ASDA Spiced Bean Burgers and Bombay Inspired Meat-Free Bangers (containing sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and spinach). The burgers can be served with OMV! Burger Mayo and Brioche Burger Buns. The launches come as the weather in the UK heats up, reportedly leading to a 300% surge in Google searches for “vegetarian BBQ ideas”. Over 110 new products The OMV! range launched …

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Uncommon raises $30M for its cultivated pork

Image courtesy of Uncommon

Investments & Finance

UK Cultivated Meat Company Uncommon, Previously Higher Steaks, Raises $30M in Series A

June 9, 2023June 9, 2023

Cultivated meat company Uncommon, formerly known as Higher Steaks, announces it has secured $30 million in Series A, led by Balderton Capital and Lowercarbon Capital. Founded in Cambridge by Benjamina Bollag and Dr. Ruth Faram, Uncommon leverages cell ag and RNA technologies to cultivate meat for the global pork market. To date, the company has raised a total of $35 million to achieve its mission of replacing animals in meat production for the health of humanity. The fresh capital will further develop the company’s groundbreaking approach and scale production at its pilot manufacturing facility (located in Cambridge Technopark). It will also help to hire talent and begin the necessary regulatory approvals. Redalpine, East Alpha, and previous investors Max and Sam Altman, Miray Zaki and …

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OCA Low Sneakers

©Cariuma

This World Ocean Day, Cariuma Partners with Coral Vita to Launch “Coral Saving” OCA Low Sneakers

June 8, 2023

In honor of World Ocean Day, sustainable sneaker brand Cariuma announces it is partnering with Coral Vita to launch a special collection of OCA Low shoes. Through their collaboration, Cariuma will support Coral Vita’s work to restore degraded coral reefs, and help save 10cm² of coral reef for every pair purchased. Featuring a design of churning waves, the new OCA Low sneakers are meant to evoke the energy and strength of the world’s oceans. The 100% vegan style is made with organic cotton canvas and natural rubber for comfort and fit. The show also offers a unique cap toe design and a fully-stitched lightweight outsole for a more durable shoe. Based in Brazil, Cariuma is known for its “better-for-the-earth materials” that offset carbon emissions and utilize …

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Vegan chicken nuggets by Tyson

©Tyson Foods

Products & Launches

Amid Weakening Meat Sales, Tyson Quietly Launches New Plant-Based Nuggets

June 8, 2023

Tyson Foods, the world’s second-largest meat processor, has released a new line of plant-based nuggets under its famed logo for the first time. The new Tyson Nuggets have appeared in US Target stores, along with a new variety of plant-based chicken by Raised and Rooted, the company’s meat-free spinoff. The surprise launch comes as Tyson grapples with a drop in share price, flattening sales, and lower margins due to increased operational costs. In May, Tyson posted a second-quarter loss of $97M and downgraded its annual sales forecast. While the company’s second-quarter sales were $13.13Bn, compared to $13.11Bn a year before, adjusted operating income for the first half of the fiscal year dropped 80% to $518M. First-time challenges The company said the results were “weaker than …

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Dr Arne Ewerbeck, The Raging Pig Co

Dr Arne Ewerbeck, ©The Raging Pig Co

veg+ Interviews

The Raging Pig Co: “On a Mission to Remove 1.5 Billion Pigs From Our Global Food System”

June 8, 2023

When it comes to bold, eye-catching branding, Hamburg-based Raging Pig Co is right there in your face. Along with its cocky tagline, “The pig-less bacon that even your dad will love,” Raging Pig is impossible to ignore. And who can resist the idea of “mouthwatering pigless bacon”? On a mission to eliminate pigs from the food system, Raging Pig was co-founded by Constantin Klass and Dr. Arne Ewerbeck, who set out in 2021 on “an exciting journey to merge the power of bacon, foodtech, and pop culture to drive the positive change our world needed yesterday”. We spoke with Dr Arne who told us about the importance of branding and messaging, two recent NPDs, and some “secret” products set to follow. Also, the world’s largest …

Organisations and Brands:

The Raging Pig Co

OmniSeafood plant-based range

© OmniFoods

Green Monday Launches OmniSeafood Dishes and Discounts to Celebrate World Ocean Day

June 8, 2023

In support of World Ocean Day, Green Monday has partnered with restaurants and supermarkets in Hong Kong to offer OmniSeafood dishes and product discounts for a month. Green Common, the company’s online platform combining retail, distribution, and dining service with stores in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore, will also provide retail deals and dinner options. The initiative aims to encourage consumers to cherish the oceans and protect marine life by switching to plant-based seafood. Green Monday is the operational arm producing and distributing plant-based food products in Asia and beyond, including OmniFoods and Green Common. OmniFoods is a global plant-based food brand retailing in over 20 markets. Its Canadian-based R&D team is responsible for the company’s plant-based series: OmniPork, OmniSeafood, and OmniEat. Switching to OmniSeafood The OmniSeafood …

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RIP Foods street food

© RIP Foods

Mycorena and RIP Foods Partner Up to Create Mycoprotein-Based Street Food

June 8, 2023

Mycoprotein specialist Mycorena and Spain’s plant-based street food brand RIP Foods are collaborating to develop mycelium-based street food appealing to mainstream customers. Today, Mycorena announced their first joint creation using mycoprotein — a vegan kofta inspired by Middle Eastern flavors. The product is set to launch soon in the Netherlands at plant-based restaurant Karma Kebab. “Mycorena and RIP Foods share many traits, working tirelessly with R&D and strongly focusing on innovation and technology to improve taste and texture that will please flexitarians and meat eaters,” said the Finnish company. First step in the Mediterranean market Based in Barcelona, RIP raised €625,000 in a pre-seed funding round last year. Its retailer and food service portfolio includes plant-based gyozas and various flavors of bao, skewers, spring rolls, and katsu. Recently, the company …

Organisations and Brands:

Beyond Meat launches at Metro China

© Beyond Meat

Market & Trends

The Chinese Plant-Based Meat Industry is “Faltering”, Claims Publication. Is This Really the Case?

June 8, 2023June 8, 2023

Earlier this week, Sixth Tone, a digital platform covering Chinese current affairs, claimed that plant-based brands both domestic and imported are struggling in China, in a now-familiar rhetoric that is being churned out globally making vegan products as well as veganism itself an easy target. “Once the darlings of both foreign and domestic investors, Chinese plant-based startups are folding amid a downturn for the industry globally,” the platform denounces, citing Chinese brands Hey Maet and Zhenmeat which were amongst those swept up in the post-Beyond IPO hype around 2019. The bigger picture Is alt protein actually faltering in the most populous country in the world? Just in the past few months, we have seen news emerging regarding China’s first alt dairy products made with a …

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter ©Meati

Meati Foods Welcomes Baseball Legend Derek Jeter to its Roster of Celebrity Investors

June 8, 2023June 8, 2023

Colorado’s Meati Foods, a producer of animal-free meat made from mycelium, announces that baseball legend Derek Jeter has joined the company as an investor and advisor. “When it came to considering an investment in this industry, I had three main priorities in evaluating the food: nutrition, sustainability, and taste,” comments Jeter. Meati Foods made its retail debut at Sprouts in March 2023 after a year of DTC record sellouts. The brand’s alt meat, which claims to be clean-label, nutritious, and sustainable whole food, is made with 95% mushroom root providing complete protein, fiber, and minerals. “An investment from Derek, one of the greatest athletes of all time, is a huge validation of our food. Very few people are as discriminating about the quality of food that …

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The field of vegan news has grown enormously in recent years, making it increasingly important for decision-makers to keep track of the dynamic scene. While the mass of vegan news certainly does not determine its quality, the increasing coverage of vegan issues in mainstream media highlights the lasting impact that veganism has on our society and the future of the food industry.

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The relevance of vegan news is especially evident in google data, as vegan google searches increased by 47% in 2020, reaching a popularity almost twice as high as in 2015.

While the overall vegan newsfeed is steadily expanding in response to the growing interest, several sub-reporting media have been formed to cover different issues connected to a vegan lifestyle. Most importantly, vegan food sites, recipe sites, and vegan business sites are shaping the vegan news landscape, with the latter underlining the immense economic potential of the vegan industry.

Vegan News About Food

For publishing, perhaps more than any other industry, it is necessary to capture and reflect social change, with the press ramping up coverage of plant-based issues in response to the rising success of vegan lifestyles. Vegan news mostly focus on the positive effects of a vegan diet, addressing human health, animal welfare and the planet. Therefore, vegan food news is one of the strongest sectors in vegan reporting.

©insta_photos-stock.adobe.com

Because concerns about the health-ramifications of a meat-rich diet are rising sharply, vegan food news is a crucial news branch in which plant-based foods and recipes are discussed. In particular, vegan food news channels carry the message that there are a lot of vegan food options on the market, saving animals’ lives.

If plant-based products as a whole were seen as a brand, it is safe to say that the brand awareness of plant-based products is increasing year by year. In 2021, more vegan alternatives were launching than ever before, opening a giant market supported by the passion for a healthy vegan diet.

However, the key players in the search for a vegan turnaround are the stakeholders within the industry, including established companies and startups that are gradually expanding their plant-based portfolio. At this pivotal point, the need for another vegan news category has formed, the vegan business news.

Vegan Business News

Vegconomist is an online magazine that specializes in vegan business news and is geared towards a B2B audience. Created by Peter Link in 2018, vegconomist shares news from all over the business world, including vegan hotspots like the UK, Germany, and the United States, but also Asian countries and the African continent.

Vegconomist is now available in four languages, with each site having a different focus based on the language region. While the English-language page is internationally oriented, the German, French and Spanish pages each have a regional focus.

© everythingpossible - stock.adobe.com

Furthermore, vegconomist provides a newsletter that decision-makers and anyone looking to know more about vegan brands, new products in the growing plant-based meat and dairy market, as well as investments and market trends, can sign up for to receive emails containing the latest vegan business news.

If you don't want to miss out on any vegan business news, you can sign up for the vegconomist newsletter here.