Organisation / Brand: Upfield

Modern Milkman

© Modern Milkman
Politics & Law

UK Government Urged to Reject Alt Dairy Labelling Restrictions as Survey Says Consumers Aren’t Confused

After the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released draft guidance confirming that plant-based dairy alternatives can use the word “milk” on their packaging, the UK government has been urged to do the same. Plant-based brands are currently banned from using dairy-like terms in the UK due to an EU law from 1987. But following Brexit, the UK government could choose to remove the labelling restrictions. Unfortunately, the country’s Food Standards and Information Focus Group (FSIFG) is currently attempting to do the opposite, lobbying for labelling laws to be tightened. The proposed restrictions would ban phrases such as “alternative to milk”, along with terms like “mylk” and “cheeze”. While many have protested that the ban would serve no useful purpose — including Member of Parliament …

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Violife Vegan Cheese Caribbean

©The Price Club Supermarket
Products & Launches

Upfield and Vemco Launch Violife Dairy-Free Products in Trinidad and Tobago

Dairy-free giant Upfield announces it has partnered with Vemco, the leading distributor of consumer packaged goods in the Caribbean, to bring Violife plant-based products to the Trinidad and Tobago market.  According to Shelly Ann Simon, divisional manager of Vemco, Violife’s range of cheeses and spreads launched in the country’s supermarkets in July, including Price Club Supermarket, and the company highly “underestimated” the demand.  “The reason why we had the launch this month is because we sold out our products quickly,” Simon told the Trinidad Express.  “We underestimated the response from retailers and consumers. Therefore, we had to wait for more products to come in. The feedback has been fantastic from vegans and non-vegans, who have tried it.” Simon adds the partnership came about when Unilever …

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Violife celebration platter

© Violife

Cheese Alternatives

Violife’s Celebration Platter With “New to Market” Vegan Blue Cheese for Christmas

Violife reveals its Christmas vegan cheese offering for the UK market with the launch of its Celebration Platter which includes “new to market” Vegan Blue cheese and Le Rond Camembert. The new Plant-Based Celebration Platter, retailing around £6, rolls out into Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose including Vegan Blue, a crumbly block with added spirulina “veins” for an authentic look. Vegan Blue can also be found as an isolated product in Tesco for £3.25. The platter also features best-selling flavours Le Rond Camembert flavour, Mature Cheddar Flavour and EPIC Smoked Cheddar Flavour. Earlier this month, Violife parent company Upfield rebranded its food service business from Upfield Professional to Violife Professional, to reflect the company’s dedication to encouraging and supporting the hospitality industry’s increasing demand for plant-based …

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Country Crock Decadent Plant Cream

©Country Crock
Products & Launches

Country Crock Adds New Plant Cream Heavy Whipping Cream to Dairy-Free Line

Country Crock, an Upfield food brand known for its buttery spreads, is launching Plant Cream – a plant-based alternative to traditional heavy whipping cream. The product, which Country Crock says provides a “no-sacrifice” dairy replacement, is now available nationwide in the US at Kroger, and will be coming soon to Publix and regional retailers Albertsons, Safeway, Price Chopper, and United Supermarkets. Elevating recipes According to the brand, the new Plant Cream offers a versatile substitute that can be swapped 1:1 with dairy cream in any cooking or baking recipe. Made to add richness and depth to a wide variety of foods, the Plant Cream has 29% less saturated fat than dairy whipping cream, is soy-free, and certified plant-based by The Plant-Based Foods Association. The innovation …

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Violife Le Rond Camembert

©Violife
Interviews

Violife: “Continuing to Develop Flavors and Formats That Are First-of-their Kind in the Plant-Based Cheese Space”

Violife became part of the Upfield portfolio following the acquisition of Arivia in 2020, creating the largest plant-based consumer food products company in the world. Violife cheeses are available in more than 50 countries and are most widely available in the UK, US, and mainland Europe. We spoke with General Manager Andy Reichgut, who is responsible for building business in US retail and food service channels. Reichgut is a leader in the CPG industry joining Violife from Veggies Made Great®, bringing over twenty years of brand management experience from Mars, Reckitt Benckiser, and Pinnacle Foods.   What is the origin of Violife’s story and how has the brand evolved over the years? Violife was created as a dairy-free alternative to cheese by three friends in Greece …

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make it plant campaign logo

©Upfield
Company News

Upfield’s Global #makeitplant Campaign Will Educate & Encourage Chefs to Focus on Plant-Based

Upfield is to announce the launch of its #makeitplant campaign, at this year’s Worldchefs Congress & Expo 2022 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from May 30 to June 2. Along with its portfolio brand Violife, Upfield intends to encourage and support the hospitality industry with the increasing demand for plant-based food with the new campaign. The #makeitplant campaign aims to ensure consumers have tasty and nutritious food options inside and outside the home, as well as to support and encourage chefs to focus on sustainable and dairy-free alternatives. As part of the campaign, Upfield will provide chefs with an “expansive” range of plant-based options for their menus and there will be dedication for junior and aspiring head chefs on the importance of using …

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Change Foods raises $15.3 million

© Change Foods
Investments & Finance

Change Foods Raises $15.3 Million in Record-Breaking Seed Funding Round

Change Foods raises $15.3 million to develop animal-free dairy proteins. US-Australian company Change Foods has raised $12 million in its seed extension funding round, bringing its total seed investment to $15.3 million. This sum is the largest ever seed raise for a precision fermentation company. The round was led by Route 66 Ventures, with participation from Upfield, Blue Horizon, Sigma, British soccer player Chris Smalling, and more. Additionally, Change Foods has signed strategic collaboration agreements with both Upfield and Sigma. Transforming the cheese business Upfield is the world’s largest plant-based foods producer, with a focus on dairy alternatives, while Sigma is a global food company with over $6.7 billion in annual revenues. These collaborations will allow for more rapid product development and scaling up, as …

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OGGS cake vegan egg

©OGGS
Investments & Finance

Upfield Unveils Strategic Partnership with UK Vegan Egg Leader OGGS 

Upfield to enter into strategic partnership with OGGS, with minority stake in the UK-based egg alternative and vegan bakery Upfield, the world’s largest producer of plant-based spreads and owner of brands including Flora and Violife, has partnered with OGGS – one of the UK’s first and largest alt egg brands. The move looks to solidify Upfield’s position as a global leader in sustainable plant-based alternatives and includes Upfield taking a minority stake in Alternative Foods, the OGGS parent company.  Alternative Foods launched in 2019, offering a range of bakery products and liquid egg alternatives including OGGS Aquafaba, a patented liquid egg alternative, as well as Scrambled OGGS. The company calculates that it has saved over 2.2 million eggs being used in cooking and baking so …

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Plant Based Food Alliance UK Logo_TW + LI

©Plant Based Food Alliance UK

Society

Plant-Based Food Alliance Launches to Help Make UK a Global Plant-Based Leader

A new coalition of companies, charities, and civil groups called the Plant-Based Food Alliance, with founding members Alpro, Oatly, ProVeg UK, Upfield, and The Vegan Society, has launched in the UK to provide a voice for the growing plant-based sector. The Alliance says its aim is to “help make the UK a global leader in plant-based food and drink”. The organisation will be developing a UK Plant-based Food Charter, which will enable businesses to collaborate with the UK government to promote the transition to a plant-based diet. The Alliance will campaign for policies such as: Public health campaigns informing people of the benefits of a plant-based diet. Labels on food packaging to show the environmental impact of plant-based versus animal-based products. Support to help farmers …

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Violife Upfield

Violife Upfield
Agriculture / Agribusiness

Upfield to Support 140,000 African Smallholder Farmers in Commitment to Reduce World Hunger

Upfield, the largest producer of plant-based butters, margarines, creams and cheeses and owner of brands including Flora and Violife, has announced a commitment to support 140,000 smallholder farmers and plant-based entrepreneurs, by becoming a signatory of the Zero Hunger Pledge, led by the Global Alliance for Improve Nutrition (GAIN). Last month The Rotterdam based company said it had calculated the greenhouse gas emissions its customers have prevented over the past year by purchasing its plant-based products over dairy, claiming the savings are equivalent to around six million metric tonnes of CO2, the same as planting 100 million trees. Now the global player announces it is investing in two projects in rural Kenya: one focusing on supporting farmers to grow high-quality peanuts, and the second on …

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RZA X Violife CREDIT Mike Relm

RZA CREDIT Mike Relm
Society

RZA to Promote Plant-Based Eating in Black Community With Upfield’s New Plant Grants Program

Upfield US today announced a new grant program, Plant Grants, aimed at promoting plant-based eating through charitable funding, education, and mentorship. This first year is being sponsored by Upfield’s plant-based cheese brand Violife, in collaboration with legendary hip-hop artist and long-time vegan RZA, who in 2018 launched a line of vegan lipstick for Milk Makeup. “I’m partnering with Violife because we share a similar philosophy about eating plant-based, and we want to make plant-based eating more accessible, affordable and sustainable to all” – RZA The focus of the 2021 Plant Grants program reflects the disproportionate challenges faced by Black-owned community businesses by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic recovery of these businesses, in particular restaurants.       The grant program consists of $20,000 in funding to each recipient; coaching and guidance on plant-based menus and recipes …

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chef arranging food on plates

© DDRockstar – stock.adobe.com
Gastronomy & Food Service

49% of Chefs Cooking More Plant-Based Dishes as Part of “Wellbeing Revolution”

A new study by Upfield Professional on emerging trends within the restaurant industry, finds that chefs have become more aware of ingredients and their impact since COVID. “As chefs, we are no longer simply serving up a plate of culinary entertainment, but we are also responsible for delivering a little slice of our future well-being.”

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