Grupo Agrovin has launched an alternative to animal-based fining agents for wine based on yeast proteins.

© Agrovin

Agrovin Unveils New Yeast Alternative to Animal-Based Wine Clarifiers

Agrovin, a Spanish biotech supplier of oenological products, winemaking equipment, and services, has launched an alternative to animal-based fining agents based on yeast proteins. Branded Clarifine Proyeast, the new development is a 100% vegan, organic, and allergen-free clarifier for wine. It can be used to produce organic wines according to European and NOP regulations. Agrovin extracts a yeast protein from the strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae to develop the product. With a molecular weight of more than 15 KDa, it is said to offer a higher absorption degree, favoring the cleanliness of the wines by collecting the impurities. Clarifine Proyeast is said to deliver cleaner whites and rosés with greater brilliance, refined reds that preserve their color, and a reduction of astringency, improving mouthfeel. Additionally, it protects …

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Creamura Tequila

Image: Creamura Tequila on LinkedIn

Cremaura Offers “Delightful and Guilt-Free” Vegan Tequila Liqueurs

Cremaura Tequila is a new UK brand offering plant-based tequila cream liqueurs. The products are also gluten-free, with the aim of being inclusive for everyone. The liqueurs are available in four flavours — rose, orange, café, and chocolate — with more additions reportedly coming soon. The beverages feature sustainable packaging, including recycled glass bottles, sugar cane heat seals, and recyclable cardboard. Cremaura recently announced a partnership with leading West Midlands drinks wholesaler Swallow Wholesale Drinks Solutions, and has reported growing interest from other wholesalers. For Valentine’s Day, the company partnered with Bolicious Vegan Chocolates to offer a range of chocolate liqueurs in the flavours hazelnut, tiramisu, orange, and dark rose gianduja. Despite being a relatively new brand, Cremaura is already available at various bar groups, …

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Panther M*lk plant-based cocktails

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Panther M*lk Offers Plant-Based Cocktails Made With Oat Milk After Dragons’ Den Appearance

UK company Panther M*lk produces plant-based cocktails similar to cream liqueur, using oat milk made by Minor Figures. The product is based on the potent Spanish drink leche de pantera (which translates to “panther milk”), created in the 1920s and made from alcohol mixed with condensed milk. After founder Paul Crawford discovered the beverage while visiting Barcelona, he opened a popup Panther Milk Bar in his hometown of Glasgow, serving the traditional dairy-based version of the drink. The bar proved so popular that it remained open for over four years, rather than the intended three months. Eventually, Crawford decided to make the drink more widely available by launching a brand. To improve its sustainability, he switched the cow’s milk to oat milk. Panther M*lk is …

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Baileys Almande

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Plant-Based Liqueurs for a Very Merry Vegan Christmas

The holiday season marks a strategic opportunity for brands to innovate and expand their product lines with vegan-friendly options. Recognizing the growing consumer demand for plant-based alternatives, several leading beverage producers are actively diversifying their portfolios. The success of pioneering products such as Baileys Almande inspires a wave of new launches each year, particularly around the festive season. These plant-based liqueurs, ranging from rich almond-infused varieties to smooth, oat-based formulations, cater to a broad market segment, including vegans and those exploring dairy-free options, offering an indulgent experience perfectly suited for the holiday season. 1. Baileys Almande  Baileys Almande is a festive favorite for those seeking a vegan-friendly liqueur. Launched in 2017 and crafted with Irish whiskey, almond milk, sugar, and vanilla extract, this rendition of …

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Chobani Pumpkin Spice

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Chobani Launches New Oat and Pumpkin Drink for Fall Season

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, …

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Coffee brand Kenco launches plant-based lattes

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

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 …

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Ripple Kids unsweetened

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

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 …

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The Oater founding team

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

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 …

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sugar free oat drink Meurens

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Meurens Natural’s Sustainable Innovations: Sugar-free Oat Drinks

In recent years, a notable trend has emerged in the beverage industry— the rise of sugar-free and no-added sugar plant-based drinks. Awareness about the negative effects of excessive sugar consumption, such as obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, has prompted individuals to seek healthier beverage options. As health-conscious consumers increasingly seek healthier alternatives to traditional sugary beverages, and as environmental concerns become more prominent, the demand for plant-based drinks has skyrocketed. The “no added sugar” claim is a significant aspect of food labelling that holds immense importance. This claim signifies that a product does not have additional sugars added during formulation or manufacturing. Innovation is key at Meurens Natural and has played a vital role in the development of our oat bases that can be …

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Alpro Barista at German service station

© Autobahn Tank & Rast Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG

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

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 …

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Mililk Packaging shot

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

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 …

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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”

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 …

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White Mushrooms

Photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash

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

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. …

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Sebastian Vettel invests in BACX

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

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 …

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Shiitake_beer_mushrooms

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

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 …

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Beetroot oat latte Blue Farm

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Blue Farm Introduces Beetroot Oat Latte in Trending Powdered Format

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 …

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Clean Juice cashew

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Clean Juice Introduces Reinvigorated Organic Cashew Milks

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 …

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NotMilk high protein

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

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 …

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almond drinks by MALK Organics

© MALK Organics

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

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 …

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Fredrik Carling CEO DUG

CEO Fredrik Carling © DUG / Veg of Lund

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

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 …

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