Food & Beverage

Vegan food has come a long way over the last decade, with many vegan brands developing into industry leaders in terms of nutritional value, sustainability, and innovation of their products. While the animal-based food business is barely growing in many product categories, the vegan food sector is experiencing strong growth across the board.

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Awareness of issues regarding planet and animal welfare is growing and results in an increasing number of adults and children following a vegan lifestyle. Today, the search for vegan alternatives is easier than ever before, whilst revolutionary vegan food news delivered by brands all over the world are reported by the international press.

vegan-food-news
© Symega Food Ingredients

Revolutionary food transition is shaping the future

A vegan lifestyle creates a link between the need for a healthier diet and the urgent shift to a sustainable food economy. Therefore, all signs point to a meat-free future that no longer exploits animals for food products.

News on food products without animal-derived ingredients are providing encouraging developments and events for a global food transition. Whether it’s vegan food news on airlines that will offer larger selections of vegan dishes, the emergence of dedicated plant-based school kitchens, or the creation of the world’s first vegan sub chain, they all provide clear indications for the direction that human nutrition is going to take.

A growing number of consumers are following vegan diets. Supported by a global vegan movement, including the successful non-profit organization Veganuary and The Vegan Society, many new vegan products entered the shelves of supermarkets and the menus of restaurants.

However, not only the number of vegan products in the store is rising, as searches for homemade vegan recipes are at an all-time high, while many celebrities and influencers are cooking vegan dishes to inspire their followers to go vegan. For vegan companies, it is essential to recognize trends early on and adapt the product range accordingly.

vegan-food-trends
©Eat Just

Trends in vegan news

The diversity and power of innovation in vegan food news from the nutrition sector is expanding every year. Trends to watch for in 2022 include cultured food produced using cellular agriculture, vegan egg alternatives, and innovative seafood products.

In 2022, the new category of cultivated pet food for cats and dogs will make its debut, while the development of nutritious egg alternatives continues to gain momentum. As predicted by the Vegan Society, 2022 will be the year that could finally boost veganism into mainstream.

Most relevant vegan food news

At vegconomist, the first vegan business magazine, you don’t have to search for relevant news, because we report on the latest innovations and developments in our category Food & Beverage several times per week. We receive emails from leading companies and market researchers in the vegan business world and guarantee for first-class vegan food news articles and interviews.

Through our newsletter, thousands of industry insiders and friends of the vegan business community are receiving the most relevant news from the vegan business environment directly into their inbox.

If you don’t want to miss out on the most relevant vegan news, sign up for the vegconomist newsletter here.

Alpine Bio Nobell Foods

© Alpine Bio

Alpine Bio Announces Rebrand from Nobell Foods, Secures New Patent in Dairy Alternatives

Alpine Bio, formerly known as Nobell Foods, announces a significant development in its business and technology strategy, revealing a corporate rebranding and the acquisition of a new US patent. The company, which produces animal-free dairy products through molecular farming, is now expanding its technological and market footprint. Nobell Foods has been focused on creating cheeses from plant-derived casein proteins but has shifted its corporate identity to better reflect its broader biomanufacturing ambitions. The rebranding to Alpine Bio aligns with the company’s vision to enhance its biotechnological capabilities in producing various plant-based proteins. Nobell Foods will continue to operate as a division of Alpine Bio. Alpine Bio announced the rebrand on social media today, stating, “Today marks a significant milestone in our journey as our platform …

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Cell scaffolding at NUS

© National University of Singapore

A Deep Dive into the Role of 3D Scaffolds as the Building Blocks for Cultivated Meat

In addition to scaling and cost hurdles, cultivated meat production faces the unique challenge of developing final products that meet the consumer’s expectations of conventional animal-based meat, including larger pieces akin to whole cuts. However, most prototypes are made from ground meat and do not look exactly like whole cuts. Why is this the case? 3D scaffolds Companies in the space are experimenting with 3D structures or scaffolds to recreate the structure and taste of animal tissue to make complex products such as steaks, filets, and even burgers. In animals, the extracellular matrix (ECM), a structure made of proteins and carbohydrates, supports the cells and guides them in their growth journey: differentiation and tissue development to make the different organs and body parts. Scaffolds for …

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La Vie sandwiches launch in multiple French retailers

© La Vie

La Vie’s New Range of Vegan Club Sandwiches is “Selling Like Hotcakes” in Multiple French Retailers

La Vie™, the fast-growing French startup behind a patented plant-based recipe that replicates the taste, look, and texture of pork from pigs, has launched a range of three 100% plant-based club sandwiches: Le Parisien, Le Suédois, and Le British. The sandwiches all feature one of the brand’s two hero ingredients, the famous vegan bacon, and the more recently developed ham. The two products have both received numerous awards in France and throughout Europe, and are rich in protein, sources of fibre, and rated green on the Yuka app. Founded in 2021 by Nicolas Schweitzer and Vincent Poulichet and enjoying consistent success throughout the UK and mainland Europe, including a permanent listing on Burger King menus, La Vie is now investing in takeaway sales and the …

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Green Boy

© Green Boy

Green Boy Launches Global Plant-Based Pet Food Ingredients Division

Plant-based food ingredients supplier Green Boy has launched a new division dedicated to plant-based pet food ingredients, extending its operations globally. This new venture aims to provide a comprehensive range of plant-based ingredients, including starches, sweeteners, proteins, and fibers, to pet food manufacturers. The newly formed pet food ingredient sector at Green Boy will supply ingredients derived from pulses, grains, cereals, and vegetables. This includes a variety of proteins such as vital wheat gluten, pumpkin, pea, potato, and chickpea proteins. Additional offerings will include sweet potato, psyllium husk, arrowroot, and tapioca. Co-founder and owner of Green Boy, Peter van Dijken, commented, “Green Boy has always operated with the goal of accelerating the plant-based food reformation, to help with the transition from animal-based food products to …

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outlier protein wamame foods

© Wamame Foods

Wamame Foods Unveils “World’s Highest Protein Content” Meat Alternative, Outlier Protein

Wamame Foods, a company recognized for its plant-based product line Waygu, has launched a new protein alternative called Outlier Protein. This product, made using only seven ingredients, boasts a protein content that the company claims is 64% higher than that of cooked ground beef. The launch of Outlier Protein was announced in a press conference today, with Blair Bullus, president of Wamame Foods, commenting, “This is a complete protein, and it uses only seven ingredients. […] It uses the same protein isolates that you’d find in protein bars and protein shakes, but we’re now able to create them into meat products, which allows us to actually create new products that have a significant nutritional advantage over other animal-based proteins.” The product is formulated from natural, …

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Neggst whole vegan egg

© Antonios Mitsopoulos/Neggst

Plant-Based Eggs Come to the Rescue Amid “Eggflation” and Avian Flu Outbreaks

The exceptional circumstances around the poultry egg industry — high prices leading to what has been commonly termed “eggflation“, avian flu outbreaks, the rise of plant-based diets, and food allergy awareness – have created a business opportunity for plant-based egg companies.  Rising energy, feed, and labor costs have translated into unusually high prices for a dozen eggs in many countries, prompting consumers and manufacturers to look for alternatives. However, these high prices are mostly driven by supply shortages.  Reportedly, bird flu outbreaks are the primary cause of egg shortages worldwide. Avian influenza, or H5N1, is a highly contagious virus that is deadly to avian populations and has extended across the globe, even reaching the poles. The virus spread to Europe, Africa, and Asia in 2020, arriving …

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Rügenwalder Mühle new vegan ham

© Rügenwalder Mühle

Rügenwalder Mühle Further Expands Vegan Range After Discontinuing Animal Ham

Following the announcement that Rügenwalder Mühle was to discontinue its meat-based Schinken Spicker sausage to increase capacity for the vegan segment, the company now releases the next product in its vegan Schinken Spicker range. The family business, recently acquired by Pfeifer & Langen, is further expanding its vegetarian and vegan segment and is launching the new Vegan Ham Spicker type meat sausage with pea protein. With its strong and spicy flavour and a slight smoky note, it is modelled on a meat sausage in one piece. According to the company, the new product clearly stands out from the sliced Vegan Ham Spicker in terms of both flavour and range of uses. The Vegan Ham Spicker Meat Sausage can be prepared both hot and cold, is …

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JULIENNE BRUNO artisan vegan cheeses launch at Coop Switzerland

© JULIENNE BRUNO

Artisan Vegan Cheese Brand JULIENNE BRUNO Expands to Switzerland with Updated Packaging

UK-based artisan vegan cheese brand JULIENNE BRUNO has announced an expansion to Switzerland, rolling out at hundreds of Coop stores across the country. The brand’s burrata alternative, Burrella, will be available at 375 Coop locations, while its stracciatella alternative, Superstraccia, has gained listings at 170 stores. Both products are award-winning — Burrella won the Dairy Alternative Innovation category at last year’s World Dairy Innovation Awards, while Superstraccia has received a Great Taste Award. This is JULIENNE BRUNO’s first international launch, with further market expansion planned in the coming months. The brand is also developing a new product range called Collection 02. New packaging In the meantime, JULIENNE BRUNO has relaunched its Collection 01 (featuring Burrella, Superstraccia, and the cream cheese alternative Crematta) with updated packaging. …

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Ingood by Olga, a Plant-Based and Natural Ingredient for Confectionery

Ingood by Olga is the business unit dedicated to ingredients of the Olga group, a family-owned company based in French Brittany. Ingood by Olga is committed to better nutrition through plant-based foods, and they believe that good nutrition starts with taste. For example, confectionery is a fast-growing market where texture and taste play a crucial role. PEPTIPEA® perfectly meets these expectations. PEPTIPEA® is a pea protein hydrolysate derived from European yellow peas. This plant-based protein has been developed for the nutrition and food markets. PEPTIPEA® is a foaming agent and an ideal substitute for gelatine, thanks to its functional properties: – Texture improvement: thanks to the swelling properties of pea peptides, PEPTIPEA® offers a light, airy texture, perfect for marshmallows or melt-in-the-mouth sweets – Clean-label: PEPTIPEA® enables the formulation of clean-label …

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A collage of the brands that have partnered with Spiber

© Spiber Inc.

Spiber Raises Over JPY10 Billion for Mass Production of Fermented Proteins for Materials

Spiber Inc., a Japanese biotech “brewing” sustainable materials for the fashion, automotive, and personal care industry, announces it has raised over JPY10 billion (around $65M) in equity financing. Spiber has raised a total funding of $489 million over 9 rounds. The funding, which included additional investments from existing shareholders, will allow the company to accelerate mass production of its innovative Brewed Protein materials and facilitate global sales.  Founded in 2007, Spiber uses precision fermentation and polymer and material science to develop protein-based alternatives to animal and petrochemical materials. Its polymers can be used to make spider silk, wool, cashmere, leather, fur, and more. The company already operates biomanufacturing plants in Thailand and is building another in Iowa, USA. Kazuhide Sekiyama, Director and Representative Executive Officer …

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Quest Meat

© Quest Meat

Quest’s First Tasting for Microcarrier Replacements for Cultivated Meat Reveals Promising Results

Quest Meat, a UK-based B2B company specializing in high-quality cell lines and ingredients for the cell-based industry, has developed edible and food-safe microcarrier replacements —  the most promising method for scaling up the production of cultivated meat, according to the company. Recently, the team at Quest Meat conducted a microcarrier cooking test and tasting to see how they behaved in a food product. The material was blended only with rapeseed oil, shaped like a burger patty without other ingredients, binders, or cells, and cooked in a frying pan. “The tasting showed us that not only is our microcarrier replacement material scalable and sustainable, but it can also provide beneficial meat-like, visual and sensorial attributes to the final food product. I’m really excited by the potential of our material …

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Macalat and MycoTechnology have partnered to create a sweet dark chocolate bar

© Macalat

Sugar-Free Mycelium Chocolate Described as Most Significant Innovation in Chocolate in a Century

US confectionery brand Macalat has introduced a vegan, organic, zero-sugar, sweet dark chocolate bar —  Organic Sweet Dark Chocolate — claiming it to be the most significant innovation in chocolate in the past 100 years. To achieve this breakthrough, Macalat has partnered with the mushroom innovator MycoTechnology to create a dark chocolate experience using a mycelium-derived flavor modulator called ClearIQ.   Produced using fermentation, ClearIQ is said to be an “incredible” and natural solution to eliminate the need for sugar, milk, or artificial sweeteners and mask the bitterness and astringency of dark chocolate. In addition, as a flavor amplifier, it enhances the full spectrum of cacao flavors while delivering a smooth texture. According to MycoTechnology, ClearIQ’s capabilities extend beyond chocolate to other F&B products, positioning it as …

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© Blue DIamond Growers

Kagome Takes Over Blue Diamond Almond Breeze in Japan, Will Launch New Products in September

Blue Diamond Growers, which claims to be the world’s largest almond marketer and processor, has announced that Kagome Co Ltd, known as a manufacturer and distributor of tomato-based foods, and fruit and vegetable juices, will now operate all production and distribution in Japan. Blue Diamond intends to utilize Kagome’s market knowledge to increase sales and consumption of Almond Breeze in Japan. The new partnership will focus on accelerating market growth and increasing demand for Almond Breeze, and additionally, new products will also be launched through Kagome in September of this year. Almond’s popularity in Japan The almond milk category in Japan continues to see year-on-year growth and almond is one of the most preferred plant milk in the country after soy. “The growth of the …

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© Kern Tec

How Bauer and Kern Tec Turn Apricot Kernels into Plant-Based Milk

The private dairy Bauer launched a range of plant-based drinks, yogurt alternatives and puddings at the beginning of 2024 under the ZUM GLÜCK! brand. The products are based on ingredients made from apricot kernels, an upcycled product from fruit farming. Here, Privatmolkerei Bauer is cooperating with the Austrian startup Kern Tec, which has created an innovative ready-to-use solution for the food industry from previously unused fruit kernels. We spoke to Frank Mayerhofer (Director of Marketing & Innovation) and Sascha Leiser (Sales Director Brand) from Privatmolkerei Bauer as well as Michael Beitl (founder of Kern Tec) about the new brand, product development, and the successful collaboration. Why did Privatmolkerei Bauer decide to launch a vegan brand? How does this fit into the company’s long-term strategy in …

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©Oatly

Is Oat Milk Unhealthy? Examining Viral Social Media Nutrition Claims

In recent years, oat milk has risen from obscurity to become the plant-based milk of choice for many consumers worldwide, and is arguably the milk alternative most commonly offered in cafes and coffee shops. But over the past year, viral social media posts and tabloid-style news articles have claimed that oat milk is deficient in nutrients, and have blamed the milk alternative for health issues such as bloating and blood sugar spikes. Here, we take a look at some of these claims. Is oat milk high in sugar? Many oat milk brands do not contain added sugar, but the way they are produced does allow the natural sugars in oats to be absorbed more rapidly into the bloodstream compared to eating whole oats. However, cow’s …

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Pleese Cheese shreds

© Pleese Cheese

Pleese Cheese Partners with Performance Food Group for Nationwide US Expansion

Article amended 12 April to reflect Webstaurant’s shipping capabilities, at the company’s request. Pleese Cheese, a NYC-based plant-based pizza cheese brand, has announced a national expansion in partnership with Performance Food Group (PFG), a leading American foodservice distributor with a network of 150 hubs and 300,000 restaurants. The company creates plant-based cheese alternatives designed specifically for pizza, offering a delicious, melty option free from dairy, nuts, and soy. Crafted with a mixture of fava bean protein, potato, and coconut oil, its formulation prioritizes meltability. This cheese substitute adopts a clean label strategy, utilizing a minimal selection of natural ingredients. Following its launch in 2022, the company originally partnered with Webstaurant Store to serve the US foodservice market through ecommerce. However, it found that one of …

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Plant Attitude Challenge vote

© Givaudan

Five Startups Compete to Revolutionize Alt Protein Cost Efficiency in Givaudan Plant Attitude Challenge

Five startup finalists — Eat Typcal (Brazil), Meatless Kingdom (Indonesia), Eternal (US), Juicy Marbles (Slovenia), and BVeg Foods (India) — are set to pitch their ideas to reduce the costs of alt-protein recipes by 20% while ensuring a “delicious” consumer experience at Givaudan’s Plant Attitude Challenge on April 17th, 2024. The finalists will also explain how their solutions specifically relate to the findings and recommendations outlined in Givaudan’s recent white paper in collaboration with the University of California Berkeley.  The paper discusses various alt protein production methods and opportunities for improving efficiency in the food industry. In addition, it provides ten actionable pathways to help producers address supply chain issues, resource consumption, production scale-up, and competitive pricing to reduce product costs. Flavio Garofalo, Global Director, …

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Three Mushketeers stand

© Three Mushketeers

Finnish Startup Three Mushketeers is Redefining Plant-Based Taste with Mushroom Waste

Three Mushketeers is a food tech startup from Helsinki Finland, working to revolutionize the taste of plant-based foods by using sustainable, clean-label ingredients derived from mushroom waste.  Emmi Korjus, Emma Kynkäänniemi, and Ida Nikkilä, experts in food technology, food chemistry, and nutrition science, co-founded the startup with a mission to address the main challenges faced by the vegan food industry: tastelessness and off-flavors. According to the team, despite the growing popularity of sustainable eating and veganism, 60% of consumers still dislike the taste of these products. However, Three Mushketeers says its innovative product offers a straightforward solution. Masking off-flavors Using a proprietary technology called “remush,” the startup processes by-products of mushroom cultivation into a savory powder that is said to effectively mask off-flavors in plant …

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VION_me-at_spareribs

© Vion Food Group

EU Meat Producers Driving Plant-Based Market Growth in Europe, Part 1

Europe experienced some of the most significant growth in the plant-based food sector globally, with the industry expanding by a reported 49% between 2018 and 2020 amid the first bubble of hype, post-Beyond IPO. This surge didn’t go unnoticed by the EU’s leading meat producers. Possessing well-established brands, extensive marketing capabilities, and solid distribution channels—bolstered by government subsidies—these traditional meat companies have substantial resources for research and development. Their entrance into the plant-based market undoubtedly raises consumer awareness and accessibility of these alternatives. However, this shift can present a challenge for startups competing in the same space. After looking closely at meat producers in the Americas starting plant-based projects last year, this series now looks at Europe. The European market is characterized by its high …

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Willicroft dairy alternatives

© Willicroft

Willicroft Dairy Alternatives Produce Up to 25X Fewer Emissions Than Conventional Dairy

Dutch dairy alternatives producer Willicroft has published a product emissions report comparing the environmental impact of its plant-based cheeses and butter to equivalent dairy products. The results take into account agricultural processes, production, packaging, transportation, and end-of-life for packaging. They show that Willicroft cheeses produce up to 25 times fewer carbon emissions than their dairy equivalents; for example, Willicroft Greek White generates just 1.26 kg of CO2 equivalent per kilogram, while traditional feta produces 34.1 kg. The brand’s butter alternative, Original Better, produces 2.48 kg CO2-eq/kg, compared to 16.9 kg for dairy butter. Furthermore, many of the products have lower emissions than dairy alternatives made by other plant-based brands. Original Better outperforms an Upfield butter alternative, and is roughly on par with Naturli’s organic spread. …

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