Australian alt meat manufacturer v2food has acquired plant-based ready meal brand Soulara, which is also based in Australia.
Soulara’s meals — which include options such as Thai-Style Tofu and Eggplant Caponata with Ravioli — are delivered directly to consumers’ doors and can be prepared in three minutes. Through the acquisition, v2food hopes to expand beyond retail and food service into direct-to-consumer sales.
Soulara will be integrated into v2food under a new entity called Flexitarian Meal Solutions, along with MACROS, a fitness-focused ready meal brand also owned by v2food.
“We know consumers want to eat more plant-based products in their diets, but some of the barriers to making this change are concerns around taste and how to cook them,” said Tim York, CEO of v2food. “By adding Soulara to our portfolio, we can further demonstrate how easy and delicious meat reduction can be.”
Technological advancements
The news comes almost a year after v2food announced it would be closing its manufacturing facility in Wodonga, Victoria, saying it was not the right time for the brand to have its own production site. Instead, v2food’s ingredients are now made by third-party suppliers. However, the company said last year that sales remained strong, after its products gained listings at major supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths in 2022.
v2food also recently unveiled RepliHue, a new plant-based meat coloring made from red algae. The ingredient reacts to heat exposure, producing different shades of pink and brown throughout the cooking process to replicate the experience of preparing conventional meat.
“We are thrilled to pioneer the new wave of technological advancements in this space, not only in algae technology but in a sustainable future that can support the health and nutritional needs of our global food chain,” said v2food on social media.
