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

Sebastian Vettel invests in BACX

© BACX

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

Shiitake_beer_mushrooms

© Fungtn

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

March 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

Beetroot oat latte Blue Farm

© Blue Farm

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 cashew

© Clean Juice

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

NotMilk high protein

© NotCo

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

almond drinks by MALK Organics

© MALK Organics

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

Fredrik Carling CEO DUG

CEO Fredrik Carling © DUG / Veg of Lund

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

Medical nutrition drink

© Nutricia

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

Vitacoco X Alfred

© Vita Coco

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

dug's potato milk range

© DUG

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

oat milk

@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

Oatbox oats

© Oatbox

Canada: Oatbox Closes C$7.1M Round to Construct ‘World Class’ Oat Base Manufacturing Facility

December 13, 2022December 13, 2022

Canadian startup Oatbox, which specializes in products made from oats, announces it closed a C$7.1M financing round to finalize the construction of its oat milk base manufacturing facility. Located in St-Damase, Quebec, the plant will allow Oatbox to develop a wide range of plant-based oat products, including oat milk, as well as partner with companies requiring oat base for their operations. According to Oatbox, whose product line offers granola, oatmeal, overnight oats, and nutrition bars, it has been working for two years to develop its Canadian oat milk. The financial support will be used to finalize the construction of a world-class production line, which Oatbox says far exceeds the needs for its own product line. “This funding is a strong endorsement of our business plan …

Misunderstood Hard Oat Nog

©Misunderstood Whiskey Co.

Misunderstood Whiskey to Debut ‘America’s First’ Hard Oat Nog for Holiday Season

November 2, 2022October 15, 2022

Whiskey brewer Misunderstood Whiskey will soon debut what it calls America’s first ready-to-drink hard Oat Nog. Set to launch this fall, the limited-release Oat Nog Liqueur will provide a vegan, allergy-friendly alternative to traditional milk- and cream-based eggnog. The Oat Nog Liqueur (14% ABV) features Misunderstood’s Ginger Spiced Whiskey blended with oat milk to provide a light, smooth and creamy taste. According to the brand, the Nog provides a light and flavorful alternative to traditional eggnog, while being free from common allergens such as eggs, lactose, nuts and gluten. “Our goal has always been to change perceptions with products that taste so good they make you think twice about a category,” said Chris Buglisi, co-founder of Misunderstood Whiskey Company. “First, it was bringing together flavored …

Glebe Farm

Philip Rayner ©Glebe Farm Foods

Glebe Farm Foods: “We Have Big Plans to Redefine the UK Plant Milk Market”

October 14, 2022October 13, 2022

Glebe Farm says it has always prided itself on being the only UK company to produce gluten-free oat milk from scratch. Now, the brand is looking to shake up the UK plant milk market by encouraging a shift away from imported products. A recent poll by Glebe found that 34% of consumers don’t know where their oat milk comes from, despite 70% believing it is important to be aware of the origins of food and drink. “THE BIG PLANT MILK CON: Yes we said it…Big oat milk names = big, hefty food miles. When we CAN grow oats in the UK why import from overseas? Support real British farming and legit sustainability.” Glebe Farm on LinkedIn Respondents strongly supported labelling plant milks with their origin, …

Organisations and Brands:PureOaty

Protein-boosted hard juice

© The EVERY Co.

Brendan Brazier’s Pulp Culture Partners With EVERY Co. for “World’s First” Protein-Boosted Hard Juice

October 13, 2022

Functional beverage brand Pulp Culture, co-founded by former endurance athlete Brendan Brazier, has joined forces with The EVERY Co. to launch what it claims is the first ever protein-boosted hard juice. Called BUILD, the “hyper-functional” drink includes probiotics, adaptogens, super fruits, and superfoods, along with 5g of EVERY Protein. It contains 4.9% naturally occurring alcohol and is sugar-free. EVERY Protein EVERY Protein took seven years of R&D to develop and is said to be “nearly invisible”, with a neutral taste and good solubility properties. Previously known as ClearEgg, it is identical to a protein found in egg white. The Pulp Culture launch marks EVERY’s first entry into the alcoholic beverage segment. EVERY Protein is one of three products now offered by the company. The others …

Organisations and Brands:The EVERY Company