Beverages: Latest News 2023 - vegconomist: the vegan business magazine

Chobani Launches New Oat and Pumpkin Drink for Fall Season

August 15, 2023

Chobani introduces Chobani Oatmilk Pumpkin Spice, a pumpkin flavored oat drink made from whole-grain oats. The product is vegan-friendly, a good source of calcium, dairy, and lactose-free, and designed as a beverage for the fall season, for which it is also bringing back the pumpkin-flavored Chobani Oat Coffee Creamer. Chobani filed for IPO in 2021. A year later, the company announced: “We have come to the tough conclusion that it does not make sense for Chobani to be in the dairy milk business at this time […] We did look at ways to evolve in order to continue servicing our customers, but at the end of the day, we thought it would be best to focus our resources and prioritize our core products, like yogurt, …

Organisations and brands:

Chobani

Kenco Targets Younger Consumer Group with New Plant-Based Oat & Almond Lattes

August 8, 2023

British coffee brand Kenco is diversifying its range with the launch of plant-based lattes, available in two varieties — oat and almond. Sold in boxes of six sachets, the products are said to offer a coffee shop-style frothy latte described as “rich and creamy”. They are low in fat and sugar, complying with the UK’s HFSS nutrition regulations. The lattes have been introduced in response to the growing demand for plant-based alternatives among younger shoppers, along with a trend towards making barista-quality coffee at home. Figures suggest that one-fifth of consumers now choose plant-based milks in cafés, while one in three consume them at home. “Big opportunity” The launch comes as consumers worldwide increasingly demand plant-based coffee products, leading creamer brand Coffee mate to introduce …

Organisations and brands:

Kenco

Ripple Foods Launches Unsweetened Version of ‘Ripple Kids’ in Response to Demand

July 27, 2023

The new unsweetened version of Ripple Kids Original Milk contains 8 grams of plant-based protein, 50 mg of DHA-Omega-3 and choline, and no added sugar. It was developed in response to consumer demand for an unsweetened version of Ripple Kids, one of the company’s most requested products by parents. Ripple produces a range of nutritious milks, protein shakes, coffee creamer, and frozen desserts using protein-rich yellow peas. The company raised $60 million in a Series E funding round, in 2021, surpassing its original capital goals and reporting a +20% growth rate compared to the overall alt milk industry’s +6% growth. Last year Ripple introduced Oatmilk + Protein, which combines the taste of oat milk with the protein benefits of yellow peas. Explosive growth Since its …

Organisations and brands:

Ripple Foods

The founders of The Oater (left to right) Sarah Nesti, Henrik Burger, Lisa Nesti and Benjamin Auer © OIY Solutions GmbH

Oat Drink Machine Startup The Oater Closes Seven-Figure Round Led by Soda Stream Exec

July 26, 2023July 25, 2023

Cologne-based Food startup The Oater announces it has closed a seven-figure pre-seed financing round. The Oater’s first product is an oat drink machine for the food service sector, producing fresh barista oat drinks on-site with minimal packaging. Renowned business angels with strong connections to the food and tech sectors contributed to the successful fundraising of the startup’s capital. Notably, Rüdiger Koppelmann, General Manager of SodaStream, was the main investor in this round. In addition to securing financing through this funding round, the startup also obtained significant six-figure grants. Among these grants is the €75,000 WomenTech EU grant, which supports talented and highly educated female founders in the tech industry. This financial boost will play a crucial role in facilitating the market entry and initial series …

Organisations and brands:

The Oater

Alpro Oat Barista Drinks Now Offered in 145 Segafredo & Waynes Coffee Bars

July 21, 2023

Tank & Rast is expanding its range of high-quality coffee specialities in the Segafredo and Waynes Coffee coffee bars in European service stations, with the vegan Barista Oats from Alpro. Alpro Barista Oats was specially developed for coffee drinks and the requirements of the catering industry. It foams particularly well and goes well with coffee with its mild oat flavour. Tank & Rast customers now have the option of choosing a plant-based alternative for their coffee specialities such as cappuccino or latte macchiato. With the introduction of Alpro Barista Oats at around 145 coffee bars, Tank & Rast is focusing on a diverse and high-quality offer for customers on-the-go. Alpro focuses on cooperations in the out-of-home market In addition to the introduction of new plant-based …

“We Flatten Milk”: Veganz Commences Production of “Mililk” Printed Oat Milk Discs

July 20, 2023

Veganz has begun production of its new innovative printed plant-based milk Mililk at its new production site in Ludwigsfelde, Germany. In a 2D printing process, an oat milk alternative is first printed as a sheet in DIN A4 size. 10 of these DIN A4 sheets make 10 litres of oat milk, which can then be sent by post. With the fun tagline, “Flat, Tasty, Cheap. Veganz Mililk®: We flatten milk”, the publicly listed company says, “The delicious milk alternative avoids 90% packaging waste and gives you plenty of space in the warehouse. We simply flatten the milk by printing oats in sheet form on a 2D printer. You then rip off as much of the leaf as you need and toss it in the blender …

Organisations and brands:

Mililk

Veganz

Daniel Sjogren, VP and General Manager for Foodservice in Kerry Europe

Daniel Sjogren, VP and General Manager for Foodservice, image courtesy Kerry Europe

Kerry Foodservice: “Foodservice Outlets Should do More to Communicate What They Are Doing to Protect People, Planet and Society”

July 11, 2023

Ireland-based Kerry Foodservice offers a range of plant-based solutions for foods and beverages, in particular powders and syrups for drinks. Notably, Kerry recently worked alongside a large chain beverage customer to produce its oat latté-based range. We spoke with Daniel Sjogren, VP and General Manager for Foodservice, Kerry Europe, to find out more. Can you tell us about Kerry Foodservice’s plant-based offering for food & beverage professionals? Plant-based solutions are a strong focus for Kerry’s foodservice team, with focused investments in cheese and beverage applications. Vegan slice is an area where we have taken a market leadership position, with as close of a match to its dairy equivalent under the Kerrymaid brand. We also have a range of vegan-suitable syrups, powders, and liquid bases utilising …

Organisations and brands:

Kerry

Photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash

Revolutionary Vegan Fining Agent: Chinova Bioworks Harnesses the Humble Button Mushroom to Transform the Beverage Market

June 8, 2023

Chinova Bioworks, a food technology company based in Canada, unveils MycoKleer™, an innovative vegan clarifying and fining agent designed for beverage production. This sustainably produced solution aims to revolutionize the industry by enhancing the efficiency of the beverage clarification process, thereby saving valuable time, energy, and money. Chinova claims that MycoKleer™ is a game-changer in the pursuit of eco-friendly and cost-effective beverage manufacturing. Created from upcycled white button mushrooms, MycoKleer™ is a vegan, clean-label, self-affirmed GRAS processing aid, offering an all-natural alternative to synthetic or animal-based fining agents for clarifying beverages. It is described as a fast-acting solution that attracts and binds with yeasts, tannins, proteins, and other unwanted particles from a variety of beverages such as juice, coffee, tea, cider, seltzer, beer, and wine. …

Sebastian Vettel Leads £1.2M Funding Round for BACX Plant-Based Performance Drinks

March 20, 2023

Former Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel has led a £1.2 million seed funding round for British plant-based performance drink brand BACX. Vettel says he used BACX exclusively during his final F1 season last year. He will now become a global brand advocate for the company. “BACX is the first in my 15-year F1 career to have kept me energised right until the end of a Grand Prix, without any stomach problems. This inspired me to get involved,” said Vettel. The brand also boasts other high-profile athletes as ambassadors, such as Team GB track cyclist and Commonwealth medallist Joe Truman. Healthier alternative BACX was founded in 2020 with the aim of providing a healthier and higher-performance sports drink. The brand’s first product, Performance Fuel, is fully …

Organisations and brands:

BACX

Fungtn Harnesses Shiitake Mushrooms for New Functional, Alcohol-Free Dark Lager

June 28, 2023March 14, 2023

London-based Fungtn, an award-winning producer of alcohol-free craft beer and the first brand to market with adaptogenic, alcohol-free beers brewed with functional mushrooms, launches Shiitake Dark Lager, an alcohol-free lager with a unique stout flavour provided by adaptogenic organic Shiitake mushrooms. Founded by Zoey Henderson, with 15 years in the food and drink industry, including owning her own cafés and juice bar, and as a NoLo Alcohol consultant to brands and hospitality outlets, she set out to create great beers with reduced fermentation and added health benefits. The Fungtn range also includes Lion’s Mane IPA, and Reishi Citra Hop. “No, your beer won’t taste like mushroom, it will however help keep your mind and body on good form,” says the brand. Harnessing the power of …

Organisations and brands:

Fungtn

Blue Farm Introduces Beetroot Oat Latte in Trending Powdered Format

March 3, 2023

Germany’s Blue Farm, producer of award-winning oat drinks, announces the launch of its new Beetroot Oat Latte in powdered form, as the powdered oat milk format gains popularity for its sustainability credentials. Founded in 2020, Berlin-based startup Blue Farm closed a €3 million funding round last September, stating at the time that since its launch in early 2021, Blue Farm had sold enough oat drink powder to create over 750,000 litres of oat drink. Its Oat Base Bio received PETA’s Vegan Food Award for Best Plant-Based Drink 2022. The new Beetroot Oat Latte obtains its red colour from the natural pigment betanin, which is contained in the beet and strengthens the immune system, is 100% plant-based and made of organic quality. The freeze-dried beet provides …

Organisations and brands:

Blue Farm

Clean Juice Introduces Reinvigorated Organic Cashew Milks

March 2, 2023

Clean Juice, a leading fast-casual restaurant headquartered in North Carolina, announces the completion of a multi-phase transition to centralized processing and distribution of its products and launches its reinvigorated 3 Cashew Milks. Launched in 2016 as the “first USDA-certified organic juice and food bar franchise focused on sharing the importance of an organic, plant-based diet”, Clean Juice operates over 130 stores and states there are another 70+ in development. The chain was named one of America’s favorite restaurant chains by Newsweek. A unique offering? Clean Juice claims to be the “only known restaurant or juice bar” to offer cashew milk as a base, compared to almond, oat, or soy milk bases. The chain’s organic cashew milks are low in sugar, rich in protein, and contain …

Organisations and brands:

Clean Juice

NotCo Aims to “Change the Rules of the Game” With High Protein NotMilk Launch

February 28, 2023

NotCo, the Chilean foodtech specialized in plant-based alternatives to products across multiple categories, continues its unstoppable expansion with the launch of High Protein NotMilk in Chocolate and Peanut Butter flavors. Offering 15 grams of protein per serving, the objective of the launch is to offer options to fitness and sports lovers. According to the company, this option has been created to “change the rules of the game” and contains more protein than some animal products. This drink also contains soy protein, pea protein, pineapple juice concentrate, coconut oil, sunflower oil, calcium carbonate, cabbage juice concentrate, vitamin D2 and vitamin B12. High Protein joins the NotMilk category portfolio, together with NotMilk Original, NotMilk Zero Sugar, NotMilk Low Fat, NotMilk Chocolate and NotMilk Café Caramelo, available in …

Organisations and brands:

NotCo

MALK Organics Announces Retail Expansion Into 1,300+ Publix Stores

February 16, 2023

MALK Organics announces it has secured new listings in all 1,300+ Publix stores throughout the US Southeast. MALK’s Unsweetened Almond, Vanilla Almond, and Oat Original products are now available in the refrigerated section at Publix stores in major Southeast cities including, Miami, Atlanta, Tampa, and Orlando. The Austin Texas alt milk producer raised $9M in a Series B round last December, bringing the company’s total funding to date to $17M. MALK stated at the time its intentions to become the “cleanest premium organic” dairy-free milk on the market. In addition to its plant-based milk products made from oat and almond, MALK’s product portfolio includes a MALK Creamer line, available exclusively at Whole Foods Markets, made with gluten-free organic whole grain oats and organic nuts, with …

Organisations and brands:

Malk Organics

DUG Potato Milk: “Creating a Whole New Subcategory of Plant-Based Milks”

February 15, 2023

When we first reported on Sweden’s DUG potato milk back in 2021, we were highly curious: a first-to-market plant milk that uses half the amount of land of oat milk and an incredible 56 times less water than almond milk – what’s not to love?! Although milk from potatoes may sound unusual to say the least, after sampling at PBWE 2021 in London, we were convinced. And so were consumers; DUG’s sales increased by 49.9% that year following retail launches at Ocado and 280 Waitrose stores. Following last month’s improved recipe for DUG milk as well as the recently approved patent for its proprietary potato emulsion, it was high time for us to catch up with the brand to find out more. We discussed all …

Organisations and brands:

DUG

Veg of Lund

Nutricia Introduces First Plant-Based Medical Nutrition Drink

February 13, 2023

Danone-owned company Nutricia has launched its first ever plant-based medical nutrition drink to cater to patients who avoid dairy. Fortimel® PlantBased Energy is a nutritionally-complete drink made from pea and soy protein. It is designed to meet the needs of patients who have malnutrition or are at risk of becoming malnourished. A recent study found that the drink is well-tolerated and significantly improves protein and energy intake. 94% of patients consumed the drinks as directed for the duration of the study, demonstrating a high level of adherence. Fortimel® PlantBased Energy is available in two flavours — Mango & Passion Fruit and Mocha. The drink will initially be introduced in the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and the Czech Republic, launching in other European countries later …

Organisations and brands:

Danone

Nutricia

Vita Coco Barista MLK Launches Exclusively With Alfred Coffee in LA, SF & Austin

February 10, 2023February 10, 2023

The Vita Coco Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: COCO), a leading provider of healthy beverages and well-known for its popular coconut water product, has launched Vita Coco Barista MLK, exclusively with the LA-based Alfred Coffee chain. The uber-trendy Alfred Coffee also offers the PBBS, a Plant-Based Breakfast Sandwich featuring Impossible Sausage, folded JUST Egg and Violife Cheddar on a vegan potato bun. The new Vita Coco barista mlk product is made from a blend of coconut water and coconut cream, is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and non-GM. As part of the partnership, all Alfred Coffee locations across Los Angeles, San Francisco and Austin will offer Vita Coco Barista MLK on its menus, and customers can add it to their beverages at no extra charge. New Coconut Date …

Organisations and brands:

Alfred Coffee

Vita Coco

Vita Coco Barista MLK

Improved Recipe & Patent For DUG Potato Milk, the “Most Sustainable Alternative” On the Market

January 17, 2023

Sweden’s DUG announces a new and improved recipe for its award-winning, vegan-friendly potato milk range — Original, Barista, and Unsweetened — “to make them even more appealing to those looking for an alternative to dairy.” Additionally, Veg of Lund, DUG’s parent company, has announced that the European Patent Office notified its intent to approve the company’s vegan potato emulsion patent, which gives the potato milk its distinctive creamy characteristics. A patent for the European market To date, Sweden, the UK, and Ireland are Veg of Lund’s priority markets. Last year, DUG launched its potato milk in the UK at Waitrose and in Switzerland at Migros. The company has also announced plans for a production facility in Germany and also states it has production and distribution plans …

Organisations and brands:

DUG

Veg of Lund

@365mm/Stocksy - stock.adobe.com

Veganz to Produce Environmentally Superior PRINTED Oat, Almond & Soy Milks

December 15, 2022

Berlin-based Veganz Group, which says it is the only multi-category provider of vegan food in Europe, announces it has secured a license from Vitiprints LLC for a unique new patented printing process for producing printed oat, almond, soy and other milk alternatives. Vitiprints LLC of the USA has created a new printable delivery system that transforms 3-D products into a dissolvable print medium. Veganz will utilise this high-speed printing technology to produce a line of both market-ready and patent-protected alt milk and related products. Healthier, environmentally superior alt milk Through the patented process, unique printed sheets, discs or pads are “easily and quickly transformed into fresh, high-quality, and healthy milk alternatives”. Veganz printed milk alternative sheets or discs can be mixed with a standard blender …

Organisations and brands:

Veganz

The vegconomist-newsletterinformation for decision-makers

The vegconomist-newsletter
information for decision-makers