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Unreal Deli Launches Full Line of Plant-Based Deli Meats into US Sprouts Markets

February 6, 2023

Mrs. Goldfarb’s Unreal Deli announces its premium plant-based deli meats are now sold at Sprouts Farmers Markets across the US. The Mark Cuban-backed company also reveals it plans to launch into thousands of more retail locations this year, and ranked as one of the fastest-growing brands on Instacart in 2022. Founded by Jenny Goldfarb, Unreal produces a line of Corn’d Beef, Roasted Turk’y and Steak lunch ‘meats’ meant to recreate the experience of enjoying a traditional New York-style deli sandwich. After securing an investment from Shark Tank in in 2019, Goldfarb went on to launch Unreal’s product line in thousands of US retail and food service locations, including Publix, Whole Foods, Ralphs, Wegmans and ShopRite. By entering Sprouts, a company spokesperson says the brand’s retail …

©Migros

Market & Trends

Coop Switzerland Reports +252% Growth of Vegan Burgers and +350% Growth of Alt Meat

February 6, 2023

A recent study by Coop regarding plant-based nutrition in Switzerland finds that 63% of the Swiss population is actively reducing their meat consumption, that vegan burgers have seen strong growth of 252% and that sales of vegan meat alternatives increased by more than 350% over the past three years. The third ‘Plant Based Food Report’ in Switzerland, compiled by Coop together with LINK, provides comprehensive facts and figures on vegan nutrition, shows trends over the last few years and takes a look into the future. Key points from the study are as follows. Demand for plant-based in Switzerland The range of meat alternatives on offer in the Swiss market is generally very diverse, finds the study. Vegan burgers continue to account for a fifth of …

Cultivated Meat

CellX & Tofflon to Build “China’s First” Pilot Facility for Cultivated Meat Production

February 6, 2023

Chinese biotechnology company CellX and Tofflon, a provider of process support, core equipment, consumables, and system engineering solutions for global drug and food manufacturing, have announced a strategic agreement partnership to build China’s first pilot facility for cultivated meat production. Additionally, the companies announced plans to develop innovative equipment and to build other global facilities for the commercial production of cultivated meat products. Ziliang Yang, co-founder and CEO of CellX, said: “Tofflon is one of the world’s leading providers of comprehensive solutions for drug and food manufacturing, and their equipment and technologies can be quickly applied to the field of cultivated meat. As part of our strategic partnership, the construction of a pilot facility is the cornerstone of CellX’s journey to scale up cultivated meat production in …

Marie-Benedicte-Charpentier, © ADM

Interviews

ADM: “The Future of Alternative Proteins Doesn’t Stop With Plant Proteins”

February 6, 2023

In the alt protein space, ADM has been increasingly making moves and entering new collaborations, including some of the most well-known names in the industry. For example, with Eat Just to accelerate production in its GOOD Meat cultivated chicken division; with New Culture as part of a strategic partnership to accelerate the commercialization of alt-dairy; and with Japan’s next-gen materials company Spiber to support the adoption of regenerative farming practices for Spiber’s Brewed Protein, to name a few. Additionally, in October last year, ADM and Marfig Global Foods announced plans to expand their joint venture, PlantPlus Foods, from Brazil into the US. We spoke with Marie-Bénédicte Charpentier, Marketing Director EMEA, at ADM, to find out more. What were the company’s highlights in 2022? Throughout 2022, …

©Lidl

Company News

Lidl Announces New Strategy, Expanding Plant-Based and Reducing Animal Products

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023

The German discount supermarket chain Lidl has revealed plans to pursue a more sustainable business strategy to 2025, with a focus on reducing the number of animal-based products in its offering and increasing its range of vegetable proteins. At Green Week, Germany’s largest agricultural trade show, Christof Graf, chief buyer for the 100-billion-turnover retail giant, told the trade magazine Lebensmittelzeitung that he wants to replace more animal proteins with plant-based alternatives. There is no alternative According to Graf, there is “no alternative” to this step; that as a human species, we must live within the boundaries of the planet, and that this can only be achieved with fewer animal products. He says a change is “without alternative because there is no second planet.” Furthermore, Graf …

rebellyous foods plant based chicken range

Investments & Finance

Rebellyous Foods Raises $9.5M for Plant-Based Chicken’s “Next-Gen Meat Machine”

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023

Rebellyous Foods, the Seattle startup working to make plant-based chicken affordable, has announced a $9.5 million equity round to build its novel production technology. Founded in late 2017 by former aerospace engineer Christie Lagally, Rebellyous focuses on making plant-based meat better, faster, and cheaper through tech-backed solutions. “Next-gen meat machine” “During a tough economic slump, we are thrilled by this testament to investors’ belief in Rebellyous and price parity as a solution to sustained growth of plant-based meat in the marketplace,” said Lagally, who is also the company’s CEO. Rebellyous will use the significant investment to deploy its breakthrough equipment and build its Mock 2 — “next-gen meat machine”— capable of producing 10K lbs per hour, with one production line controlled by one person to bring …

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Retail & E-Commerce

Nudge Principles: A Powerful Way to Encourage Plant-Based Purchases

February 6, 2023

When you’re in a supermarket, do you ever deviate from your list? And do you ever swap the products you usually buy, in favour of a seemingly ‘better’ or more cost-effective alternative? Shoppers are constantly influenced by the environments in which they shop – but this isn’t a forceful or obvious influence. Instead, shoppers are gently encouraged to make decisions based on what is around them, for example, the location, positioning and pricing of products, promotions, discounts, offers, and marketing materials. By carefully understanding how these elements work together, retailers can create an environment in which shopping decisions can be influenced. This is what is known as ‘choice architecture’ – “the practice of influencing choice by organising the context in which people make decisions.” A ‘nudge …

Food Service

Gordon Ramsay Opens Washington Restaurant With Extensive Meatless Menu

February 6, 2023

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has opened a new location of his Hell’s Kitchen chain in Washington, D.C. The first to be located outside a hotel or casino, the restaurant is also distinctive in other ways — it is the only one to have a dedicated vegetarian and vegan menu. In fact, 60% of the menu is said to be meat-free, featuring dishes such as tofu scallops, beet wellington, vegan butternut-squash risotto, and quinoa salad. The huge 14,800-square-foot location is reported to already be fully booked for the next month. Some may find the vegan-friendly menu surprising, given that Ramsay has often been disdainful of plant-based food and once said he was “allergic to vegans”. However, the chef has been starting to change his tune for …

Retail & E-Commerce

The Little Vegan Butcher Joins Growing Number of Plant-Based Butcher Shops Worldwide

February 6, 2023

As The Little Vegan Butcher opens its doors in Norwich, UK, we take a look at plant-based butcher shops on both sides of the Atlantic. The Little Vegan Butcher The Little Vegan Butcher opened its doors in January, offering meat alternatives handmade by the store’s owners. These include plant-based ribs and bacon, soy burgers containing Applewood smoky vegan cheese, and “vishcakes” made with white beans. A lunch counter will soon open in-store, serving options such as wraps, salads, and sandwiches. There is also a deli counter and a coffee machine. Maciel’s Plant-Based Butcher & Deli Los Angeles’ first ever vegan butcher shop, Maciel’s, opened in July 2022. The store offers Mexican-inspired plant-based meats, cheeses, and sandwiches, all handmade from scratch. Options include pastrami, Mexican ribs, …

Products & Launches

Red Meat Giant ABP Expands Plant-Based Dopsu Range With Mince & Meatballs

February 6, 2023

Irish meat producer ABP Group has added to its plant-based Dopsu range with two new products — No-Beef Balls and No-Beef Mince. The meat alternatives are made from wheat protein and are now available at Asda stores in the UK. The launch is accompanied by a marketing campaign featuring TV personality Fred Sirieix, who is a Dopsu brand ambassador. “Dopsu’s range cooks and tastes just like meat, so people can create their favourite meals without compromising on a meat lovers’ experience. It is affordable, convenient, and helps to reduce wastage for diners who are turning to foods that fit with a more sustainable lifestyle,” Abigail Flynn, brand manager at Dopsu, told The Grocer. Positive reception The Dopsu range was first introduced in 2021, featuring alternatives …

Politics & Law

US Judicial Panel Consolidates Five Beyond Meat Lawsuits Centred on False Advertising

February 6, 2023

The US Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has agreed to consolidate five false advertising lawsuits brought against Beyond Meat, at the request of the company. Plaintiffs include Don Lee Farms, a manufacturer of both plant-based and conventional meat that was formerly the exclusive supplier of Beyond Meat products. Three Beyond customers have also brought a civil class-action lawsuit against the company. The complaints all centre on the alleged misrepresentation of the amount of protein found in Beyond products. Don Lee Farms claims to have had the meat alternatives tested by an independent laboratory, which said the protein content was around 30% lower than stated on the packaging. The company also accuses Beyond of falsely claiming its products are free from synthetic ingredients, when in fact …

©LIVEKINDLY.co

Studies & Numbers

Sales of Plant-Based Wings Grow as Americans Expected to Consume 160M Vegan Wings for Super Bowl

February 4, 2023February 4, 2023

A new report by Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) shows that an estimated ten million Americans will consume about 160 million plant-based wings during this year’s Super Bowl. In addition, brands like Blackbird Foods report soaring demand for new vegan wing products as the segment continues to undergo expansion and innovation. Every year, Americans consume an enormous amount of party foods, including pizza, nachos and dips, during football’s biggest night. Perhaps the most popular dish of all is chicken wings – about 1.4 billion wings are eaten annually during the game. But plant-based wings are steadily gaining ground as more Americans turn to a growing range of vegan wing options. To estimate vegan wings’ popularity, CIWF estimated that roughly 6% of the U.S. population consider …

Juicy Marbles' plant-based raw whole cut loin being cut in a board

Food & Beverage

The 9 Most Incredible Brands Disrupting Steak with Plants (North America)

February 6, 2023February 4, 2023

While plant-based burgers, sausages and meatballs have long dominated the alt-meat landscape, creating realistic steak from plants has always represented the highest, if seemingly unattainable goal, for many brands. But thanks to fearless and relentless innovation, a host of shockingly meaty and juicy plant-based steaks have arrived on the US and Canadian market, and are rapidly coming to the fore. Here, vegconomist takes a look at the most noteworthy names bringing animal-free steak to mainstream consumers. 1. Beyond Meat While not a fully structured filet, Beyond’s “revolutionary” plant-based steak tips marked a major milestone for the company, which previously only offered ground-textured products like burgers and sausages. According to CEO Ethan Brown, Beyond Steak took five years of extensive R&D to develop. The product can …

Cheese Alternatives

bedda Reveals Several Exciting New Vegan Cheeses Incuding First Fermented Offering

February 3, 2023

Hanburg’s multi-award winning bedda brand, producer of plant-based cheeses, sauces, desserts, dips and dressings, plans an upcoming launch of several new vegan cheeses including its first fermented offering. The news comes less than two months after the German company’s partnership with Dominos pizza, which now uses its vegan grated melt as a topping for the Oh Jacky jackfruit pizza, launched to coincide with Veganuary. The upcoming new products include: The first fermented product from bedda –“bedda Shepherd” — a new iteration of its shepherd’s cheese alternative. bedda “Come on Bert”, its camembert alternative, has an updated recipe and is extended by the red smear alternative Red Bert and the blue mould alternative Blue Bert. bedda “Mo Zart” is its mozzarella alternative, a soft, mildly acidic …

Opinion

Op Ed: Matt Gibson, CEO and Co-Founder of New Culture, on Precision Fermentation

February 6, 2023February 3, 2023

“Precision fermentation is here to define a more sustainable, delicious path for the alternative protein industry,” says Matt Gibson, co-founder and CEO of California’s New Culture. Founded in 2019, New Culture is “revolutionizing how cheese is made by combining traditional cheesemaking methods with modern fermentation technology”, a process that Gibson asserts has been used for decades and is already used to make products in nearly every aisle of the grocery store. Precision Fermentation: The Future of the Alternative Protein Industry By Matt Gibson, CEO and co-Founder, New Culture In mid-November 2022, the global human population reached 8.0 billion from an estimated 2.5 billion people in 1950, adding 1 billion people since 2010 and 2 billion since 1998. This is causing the global demand for meat …

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