Investments & Acquisitions

Vegan Essentials / PlantX

©Vegan Essentials

PlantX Plans to Acquire 25-Year-Old US Shopping Domain VeganEssentials.com

Digital platform PlantX announces it will acquire the online e-commerce domain www.veganessentials.com and associated intellectual property and assets.  Operating since 1997, Vegan Essentials is known as a “one-stop shopping destination” for plant-based grocery items, household goods and apparel. Stocking over 2,200 products in diverse categories, the US-based website also sells a large selection of plant-based meats and cheeses and offers worldwide shipping. According to the terms of the transaction, PlantX and Veji Holdings Ltd. (CSE: VEJI)(OTC: VEJIF) will acquire veganessentials.com and associated assets for an aggregate purchase price of C$900,000 (US$675,000), to be paid in cash and post-Consolidation Common Shares. The closing is expected to be completed no later than October 15, 2022.  Building the portfolio  “The acquisition is expected to build upon and complement …

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MIcroHarvest creates "world's fastest protein production system"

© MicroHarvest

MicroHarvest Raises €8.5M for “World’s Fastest Protein Production”

German startup MicroHarvest has raised €8.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Astanor Ventures. MicroHarvest has developed a precision fermentation technique that is claimed to be the world’s fastest protein production system. Bacteria are cultivated in a solution, then separated from the water and inactivated before being transformed into the final product. Elegantly simple tech The “elegantly simple” technology can turn raw materials into complete protein products in the space of a single day, compared to the months required for plant or animal-based proteins. Highly nutritious single-cell proteins can be very efficiently produced for use in human food, pet food, and animal feed. The production process can also be scaled in a decentralised way, aiding in the transition towards more sustainable and …

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kaleunited logo

©Kale United

General Public is Invited to Participate in €4M Kale United Round

The Swedish holding company Kale United invites the general public to a €4M round to expand investment opportunities in sustainable plant-based businesses.  According to Kale United, the current invitation to acquire shares coincides with a 1.8 million euro investment from institutional investors. UK-based IP Group, dedicated to evolving great ideas into world-changing businesses, is among the larger investors in this round. The financial advisor Pepins will manage the public round, and retail investors are welcome to acquire new shares valued at €2.3M. The share price will be 24.9 euros with a minimum tradable lot of ten shares, announced Kale United. “Meat and dairy represent about one-third of the world’s climate challenges. That’s why we’re inspired by Kale United’s business and its ambition of lowering thresholds …

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RIP Foods

©RIP Foods

RIP Foods Secures €625K to Accelerate Growth in Spanish Food Service

The Spanish plant-based meat startup RIP Foods recently announced it has closed a €625K pre-seed funding round led by Ship2B Ventures.  The funds will increase restaurant sales and double the company’s team to 20 employees by the end of the year. Launching products for retail and closing deals with major supermarkets are also among the company’s plans. RIP (Rich in Plants) was founded in 2021 in Barcelona. It is focused on developing plant-based chicken alternatives for the HORECA channel (foodservice). In January 2022, RIP launched two vegan chicken gyozas flavours, using its Meatrix formula, which it claims encapsulates fats and mimics meat to perfection. RIP’s CEO and Founder Kevin Forssmann commented on the raised funds: “We are very excited about the closing of this funding round due …

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Chris & Sebastiano, ForGood

Chris Smalling & Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni

List of High Profile ‘Changemakers’ Join Chris Smalling’s ForGood Fund

Earlier this year, athlete and investor Chris Smalling, in partnership with Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni and Rebecca Wheeler, launched global investment firm ForGood, with the purpose of investing in companies that address the world’s largest environmental challenges and help end animal suffering.  In a recent announcement, the investment consultancy revealed the names of four new high-profile ‘changemakers’ joining the ForGood community: Helen Skelton, an English television presenter and actress; Barcelona footballer Héctor Bellerín; Australian Snooker Star Neil Robertson; and English-Moroccan Musician Zak Abel. According to ForGood, anyone that invests in planet-friendly ideas, products, and services becomes a ‘changemaker’, hence the concept behind the changemakers community.  ForGood connects athletes, musicians, entertainers, and personalities with early-stage businesses focused on tackling social, environmental, and animal welfare issues, making investing …

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Activated nuts

@ Boundless Activated Snacking

Boundless Activated Snacking Announces £650K Investment & New Director

Boundless Activated Snacking, a healthy snacks brand based in the UK, today announces the hiring of Ben Jones as the company’s new director and investor. The brand also announced its recently closed £650K investment round led by various investors.  Ben Jones is an experienced UK entrepreneur who has founded, invested in, and managed other fast-growing companies like graze.com, tails.com, and skinandme.com. Cathy Moseley, founder of Boundless commented: “It’s just the beginning for Boundless, but to have a founder of such a well-known household snacking brand join the Boundless family shows exactly what we’re here to do and shows how much we’re on to something.” “I believe a healthy gut equals a healthy mind and body, and I’m excited to help Boundless in their next stage …

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Neggst whole vegan egg

© Antonios Mitsopoulos/Neggst

Neggst Raises €5M for Whole Vegan Egg With Shell

Germany’s Neggst has raised €5 million in seed funding for its whole vegan eggs, which feature a white, a yolk, and a biodegradable shell. The round was led by Green Generation Fund (GGF), with participation from BayWa AG, RWZ, Corecam Capital Partners, and various notable angel investors. The company says it is in talks with other potential investors for a second funding round. Neggst was founded in 2021 by Veronica Garcia-Arteaga and Dr. Patrick Deufel. While carrying out research work at the Fraunhofer Institute, Garcia–Arteaga set out to create an egg alternative that was not just a substitute but an upgrade. According to the company, the resulting plant-based egg is virtually indistinguishable from conventional chicken eggs in terms of taste, appearance, functionality, and nutritional value. …

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CEO Nathalie Rolland. © Nutropy

France’s Nutropy Raises €2M for “Next Generation of Cheese”

France’s Nutropy has raised €2 million in pre-seed funding for its animal-free cheeses and milk components. The female-led startup plans to use the capital to launch the cheeses on an industrial scale. Founded by Nathalie Rolland and Dr. Maya Bendifallah, Nutropy uses precision fermentation technology to produce animal-free casein. This milk protein is what gives cheese its stretchiness and creaminess, and until recently could only be obtained from animal sources. Additionally, Nutropy is developing animal-free dairy fatty acids. By combining these ingredients with cheese cultures, the company claims it can create products that are extremely similar to premium dairy cheeses. Nutropy’s pre-seed round was led by Beast, Trellis Road, and Big Idea Ventures (the startup took part in the latter’s accelerator program earlier this year). …

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Ozers microalgae sports supplements

© Ozers

Ozers to Raise €300K for Unique Microalgae Sports Supplements

French startup Ozers has opened a funding round to raise €300,000 for its innovative microalgae sports supplements. Ozers was founded last year by former boxer Maxence Damarey, food trends hunter Oliver Dahan, and Algama co-founders Alvyn Severien and Gaëtan Gohin. Damarey was inspired to create the company because he was unable to find any supplements that met his needs. The use of microalgae is said to significantly enhance athletes’ endurance, and sets Ozers apart from other plant-based sports nutrition brands. Damarey told vegconomist that microalgae have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, while also enhancing oxygen transport in the blood. The products are marketed towards both professional and amateur athletes. Funding Last year, Ozers (previously known as NØKO FOODS) took part in the sixth cohort of the …

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Biotech Foods meatballs

© Biotech Foods

BioTech Foods Receives €750,000 From Spanish Foreign Trade Institute

Spain’s Biotech Foods has received a €753,000 grant for its investMEAT project from the Spanish Foreign Trade Institute (ICEX). The investMEAT project is researching cell lines, cultured media, and biomaterials in order to scale up cultivated meat production to an industrial level. The funding will be provided through ICEX’s R&D program Innova Invest.  The ultimate goal is to significantly bring down the cost of cultivated meat, making it available to the consumer at competitive prices. This will be done by making the production process much more efficient, which will improve scalability. “Results will contribute to the development of the first cultivated meat industrial production plant in Spain, and one of the most state of the art in the world,” said Iñigo Charola, co-founder and CEO …

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Powerplant-Ventures

©Powerplant Ventures

PowerPlant Partners Reveals New $330M Fund to Exclusively Support Growth-Stage Companies

PowerPlant Partners, a global growth equity firm investing in disruptive plant-based companies, announces it has closed a $330M fund to shift from investing in startups to focus solely on growth-stage companies.  The new fund, known as PPV Fund III, will invest between $15M and $40M in target companies generating $10-$75M in annual revenue as active, primarily minority, investors. The firm will continue to support consumer-facing brands, but is expanding its vision beyond food and beverage products to include consumer technology, service and enablement companies that prioritize the importance of human and planetary life.  According to PowerPlant, this shift will allow the firm to grow its consumer wellness platform while providing a more integrated network for its current portfolio brands. Miyoko’s and more “With this additional …

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© Wicked Kitchen/Good Catch

Wicked Kitchen Acquires Good Catch’s North American Channels

Plant-based brand Wicked Kitchen has acquired alt-seafood producer Good Catch’s North American channels, stating: “We will have the largest variety of animal-free consumer packaged goods in the industry.” The acquisition will enhance Wicked’s portfolio to include frozen and ambient plant-based seafood. The company will take over the Good Catch brand in North America, while Good Catch’s parent company, Gathered Foods, will become a Wicked shareholder. Branding, product availability, and distribution will all remain the same. Both Wicked and Good Catch were co-founded by chef-brothers Chad and Derek Sarno. Chad Sarno will act as chief culinary officer for both brands, with Wicked and Good Catch working together on plant-based product innovations. Good Catch will also help Wicked expand its presence in foodservice. Wicked Kitchen in the …

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© Cultivated Biosciences

Cultivated Biosciences Raises $1.5M to Make Plant-Based Dairy Creamier

Switzerland’s Cultivated Biosciences has raised $1.5 million in pre-seed funding to further develop its creamy yeast-based fat ingredient. The sustainable, clean-label fat improves the mouthfeel of plant-based dairy products, with the potential to win over flexitarian consumers who are not satisfied with the options currently available. The ingredient has natural emulsification properties, low lipid oxidation, and the same texture and colour as dairy cream. The pre-seed funding round was led by Wingman Ventures, with participation from firms including Big Idea Ventures, Blue Horizon, ProVeg International, and the FoodHack syndicate. Arturo Elizando, CEO and co-founder of The EVERY Company, and Lukas Böni, co-founder of Planted, also supported the round. Cultivated Biosciences will begin testing the ingredient with selected clients in 2023, and is open to further …

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Planted raises one of Europe's largest alt-protein rounds

© Planted

Planted Raises £61M in One of Europe’s Largest Alt-Protein Rounds

Switzerland’s Planted has raised £61 million in Series B funding, achieving one of the largest alt-protein rounds ever to take place in Europe. The round was led by private equity firm L Catterton, with participation from existing investors including Vorwerk Ventures, Movendo, and footballer Yann Sommer. Planted will use the funding to accelerate its international growth, expand its product range, and build another production site. Planted produces whole-cut plant-based meats using ingredients such as peas, oats, and sunflower. The meat alternatives are made with a biostructuring approach, combining protein structuring with fermentation to produce clean-label whole cuts. The company says it is in the final stages of launching its new product range, which features plant-based chicken breasts, tenders, and patties. Planted is already established in …

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Cultivated scallops

© Mermade Seafoods

Israel’s Mermade Raises $3.3M for Cultivated Scallops

Israel’s Mermade has closed an oversubscribed seed funding round, with investors including OurCrowd, Fall Line, and Sake Bosch. Mermade is a startup developing what it claims are the world’s first cultivated scallops. What sets the company apart is that it is using aquaponics, a circular process that allows it to cut costs and improve sustainability compared to other cultivated meat and seafood producers. The technology uses algae to recycle spent growth medium, a byproduct of the cell cultivation process. Mermade intends to use the funding to hire stem cell and algae researchers, with the goal of producing its scallops on a laboratory scale by 2023. The startup is one of many alt-seafood producers to find success with investors in 2022 — figures show that the …

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