Wamame Foods News - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

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Messages From Vegan Business Leaders on World Vegan Day, Part 2

November 1, 2023November 1, 2023

In this second installment, we feature messages from prominent figures in the plant-based space who each have valuable insights to share, featuring vegan cheese legend Miyoko Schinner; bee-free honey pioneer Darko Mandich of Melibio; Canadian Waygu beef leader Blair Bullus of Wamame Foods; and vegan business expert Elysabeth Alfano of VegTech Invest. We asked: as we approach the end of what has been a turbulent year for many in the business, what is your message for the plant-based industry as we look ahead to 2024? Miyoko Schinner: “Celebrate compassion” Yes, it’s been a rough year for the industry of “alt-protein,” but does that necessarily mean it’s been rough for the advancement of veganism? The question we must ask as vegans is actually what is our …

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Food Service

Wamame’s Waygu Plant-Based Beef Now Available at All StrEATS Kitchens in Canada

July 13, 2023

Wamame Foods announces it is partnering with Canadian fast-casual chain StrEATS Kitchens to launch plant-based Waygu beef strips at all locations. Customers across British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan can now order Wamame’s premium plant-based beef in any dish, including tacos, burritos, bowls and sandwiches. Operating 21 locations across Western Canada, StrEATS Kitchens serves a diverse menu of globally inspired street cuisine that focuses on healthy ingredients. The chain is known for its innovative options and regularly rotates its menu based on current street food trends. The collaboration is the latest restaurant partnership for Wamame, which also recently launched Waygu beef at one of Canada’s largest pizza chains, Panago Pizza. At Panago, the beef strips are featured on two specialty pizzas – the Kansas BBQ Pizza …

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Beef

©Panago Pizza

Food Service

Wamame Foods Launches Plant-Based Waygu Beef at Canada’s Panago Pizza

June 20, 2023

Wamame Foods announces its Waygu™ teriyaki beef strips are launching at Panago Pizza locations in Ottawa, Ontario. Wamame’s plant-based “Sukiyaki Style” strips are now available on two innovative pizzas — the Kansas BBQ and Korean-Style BBQ — and mark the brand’s first major market test with a pizza chain. Panago, one of the largest pizza chains in Canada, has long supported sustainable ingredients, introducing plant-based options in 2008 and dairy-free cheese in 2014. Panago also offers a large plant-based menu of specialty pizzas and appetizers. The new Waygu pizzas can be made fully vegan by substituting mozzarella and cheddar with Daiya cheese. They include: Kansas BBQ – Plant-based Waygu® beef alternative, Kansas BBQ sauce, jalapeños, caramelized onions, fire-roasted corn, mozzarella + cheddar. Korean-Style BBQ – …

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Wamame Launches ‘Waygu’ Beef at Germany’s Biggest Sushi Chain Eat Happy Group

May 31, 2023April 17, 2023

Canada’s Wamame Foods announces the launch of its ultra-premium Waygu plant-based meat at Germany’s largest sushi concept, Eat Happy Group, marking its debut on the European market. The introduction of Wamame’s Waygu will begin as a limited store trial with the potential for a larger rollout across Europe; Eat Happy operates as individual restaurants or independent kiosks within major grocery store chains in over 2500 locations across six countries. Showcasing Waygu at TED2023 Waygu’s launch in Germany coincides with Wamame Foods’ partnership at next week’s TED2023 flagship conference in Vancouver. After a hugely successful introduction at last year’s TED2022 (where Elon Musk and Al Gore tasted Waygu), the world’s top business leaders, tech innovators, and A-list celebrities will be able to try Waygu beef’s plant-based alternative at this year’s TED event, …

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Waygu

Investments & Finance

Protein Industries Canada Receives $150M CAD in Federal Funding for Next Five Years

February 14, 2023February 14, 2023

Protein Industries Canada (PIC) announces it has received $150M CAD in funding from the Canadian government to continue to accelerate plant-based protein innovation. François Philippe Champagne, the country’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, today announced the renewal as part of a $750M investment into the Global Innovation Cluster program. The renewed investment brings the total funding of the consortium to $353M from 2018 through to 2028, including $30 million from the Pan Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy. “As a global agricultural powerhouse, Canada has the means, resources, and skill to turn crops into food – and transform the way the world eats, while also bringing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including global food security, the environment and human health,” said Bill …

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The 9 Most Incredible Brands Disrupting Steak with Plants (North America)

March 31, 2023February 4, 2023

While plant-based burgers, sausages and meatballs have long dominated the alt-meat landscape, creating realistic steak from plants has always represented the highest, if seemingly unattainable goal, for many brands. But thanks to fearless and relentless innovation, a host of shockingly meaty and juicy plant-based steaks have arrived on the US and Canadian market, and are rapidly coming to the fore. Here, vegconomist takes a look at the most noteworthy names bringing animal-free steak to mainstream consumers. 1. Beyond Meat While not a fully structured filet, Beyond’s “revolutionary” plant-based steak tips marked a major milestone for the company, which previously only offered ground-textured products like burgers and sausages. According to CEO Ethan Brown, Beyond Steak took five years of extensive R&D to develop. The product can …

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Wamame Foods: “We Believe Alternative Proteins Must Be Of a Higher Quality Than Their Animal-Based Counterparts”

January 26, 2023

Wamame Foods is the Canadian innovator behind Waygu™, a plant-based alternative to wagyu beef that has been highly praised by renowned chefs. Just this month, Waygu arrived at 7-Eleven stores in Canada, with its plant-based steak strips now featuring in several ready-to-serve menu offerings such as the Southwestern Plant-Based Steak Wrap and Mexican Plant-Based Steak Wrap. Since its launch in 2021, Waygu has seen incredible success, securing millions of dollars in funding and being served at the Ted2022 Conference attended by Bill Gates, Al Gore, and Elon Musk. The beef alternative has now expanded across the US and Canada, with the help of online marketplace GTFO It’s Vegan and other notable partners. Following the 7-Eleven launch, Wamame president Blair Bullus spoke to us about the …

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Southwestern Plant-Based Steak Wrap ©7-Eleven Canada

Products & Launches

Wamame’s ‘Waygu’ Beef Launches in 7-Eleven Canada Plant-Based Steak Wraps

January 11, 2023January 11, 2023

Canada’s Wamame Foods announces it is launching its ultra-premium Waygu™ plant-based meat strips in 7-Eleven Canada locations nationwide. Now available for a limited time, Waygu is featured in several items on the chain’s “ready-to-serve” menu, including the Southwestern Plant-Based Steak Wrap and Mexican Plant-Based Steak Wrap. According to Wamame, its products were chosen as 7-Eleven Canada’s top choice to help drive the chain’s mandate to offer more “ready-to-serve” vegan and sustainable options. Wamame states it worked directly with 7-Eleven Canada for six months to develop the new offerings. Every 7-Eleven across Canada “We are excited that Wamame products are now available in every 7-Eleven location across Canada,” says Mr. Jarrett Malnarich, CEO of Wamame Foods Inc. “Being able to develop, launch and support 7-Eleven Canada’s …

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Wamame Foods Welcomes New Partners to Expand Plant-Based Waygu Beef Across Canada and US

December 9, 2022December 9, 2022

Canada’s Wamame Foods, which produces the world’s first plant-based wagyu beef, welcomes Teja Foods and Sierra Meat and Seafood as new consortium partners. Along with innovation partners Merit Functional Foods, Wismettac Asian Foods and Crush Dynamics, and a co-investment from Protein Industries Canada, the plant-based consortium seeks to develop and distribute Wamame’s plant-based alternatives to wagyu beef. The companies’ efforts will build on the early success of Wamame’s Waygu brand by investing in research and development through partnerships with the University of British Columbia and the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre. According to Wamame, the research process will help create a suite of products that can compete against the best beef brands in the world. These offerings would be sold under both the Waygu brand and …

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Plant-Based Waygu Beef Launches on GTFO It’s Vegan Across US

May 10, 2022

Canada’s Wamame Foods has launched its plant-based Waygu branded beef products across the US with online retailer GTFO It’s Vegan. The vegan version of Japanese wagyu steak is claimed to be the world’s first premium plant-based alternative and will now be available via eCommerce. Speaking to vegconomist on the launch, founder Blair Bullus said: “What GTFO It’sVegan offers Waygu is an avenue to reach all customers across the US and Canada with an internet connection. Now anyone interested in purchasing a truly premium plant-based meat has a great way to order, via GTFOit’sVegan.com” The new partnership will start with Wamame’s Waygu Premium Sukiyaki Style “Beef” Teriyaki strips, which the company claims have the same tenderness and aroma as conventional wagyu beef, and is made in …

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Vegan Wagyu Steak to Be Served to Elon Musk, Bill Gates & Al Gore at Exclusive TED Conference

April 6, 2022

Wamame Foods, a subsidiary of Top Tier Foods Inc., is best known for its leading brand Waygu – creators of alt wagyu steak which the company describes as the “world’s first premium, plant-based beef alternative.” Top Tier announces today that its flagship product will be served at the Ted2022 Conference in Vancouver later this month. The news follows a string of successes for the Canadian producer which last November raised $7.6 million for global expansion and this February announced its launch into Advanced Fresh Concepts, the largest sushi franchise in the US. Musk, Gates and Gore to try? Speakers at this year’s TED2022 Conference in Vancouver will include Elon Musk, former Vice President Al Gore, and Bill Gates. It could be assumed that Gates is …

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Investments & Finance

Canadian Alt Wagyu Beef Company Wamame Foods Secures $7.6M to Expand Globally

November 11, 2021

Canada’s Wamame Foods – the plant-based food producer known for creating Waygu, the world’s first plant-based wagyu beef – forms part of an international collaboration to expand its product line. The $7.6 million project will use ground-breaking plant-based research to create a suite of high-quality meat alternatives with beef textures to be sold under the Waygu brand. A subsidiary of Top Tier Foods, Wamame Foods will lead a consortium of companies including Protein Industries Canada, Merit Functional Foods, University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems, and Wismettac Asian Foods – one of the largest Japanese food distributors in North America. Through honoring traditional Japanese cooking and fermentation techniques, Wamame will use the funding to focus on research and development in taste and …

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