San Diego

Algenesis produces a plastic-like material made from plants and algae that is biodegradable.

© BLUEVIEW
Materials

Algenesis Secures $5M to Produce at Scale Biodegradable Plastic Made From Algae

San Diego-based Algenesis Corporation, the plant-based material science company behind the biodegradable shoe brand BLUEVIEW, announces it has raised $5 million in a seed funding round to expand production and commercialization of Soleic PU, a plastic biomaterial made from plants and algae. Additionally, with the new funds, the company will expand Soleic product lines into breathable and waterproof textiles and phone cases. Soleic PU is currently available in soft foam applications, such as midsoles and insoles for footwear. In previous partnerships with the surfing brands REEF and Artic Form, the company created innovative algae foam blank surfboards.  First Bight Ventures and Circulate Capital led the round, with MIH Capital, Diamond Sports Group, and RhinoShield supporting the biomaterials company. The investment follows a $5 million grant from the US Department …

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US-based cultivated seafood company BlueNalu has raised $33.5 million to scale its cultivated toro platform.

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Investments & Finance

BlueNalu Secures $33.5M to Expand Cultivated Toro Platform Ahead of Launch

US-based cultivated seafood company BlueNalu has raised $33.5 million from new and existing investors in a Series B round, announces Agronomics, the UK’s leading biotech VC with a strong portfolio of cell ag companies, including BlueNalu. The new funds will allow BlueNalu to scale the production of cultivated toro (the high-value portion of bluefin tuna) and demonstrate the technological capabilities of its platform to create whole-muscle products. BlueNalu is based in San Diego, California, where it operates a 40,000-square-foot pilot facility producing small batches and carrying out market testing and research insights in food service settings across the USA. The announced plan is to scale the current production further and prepare to launch, following regulatory approval, its first commercial product (toro). BlueNalu raised $60 million in debt financing …

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Company News

Planet Based Foods Announces CAD $675,000 Private Placement

Planet Based Foods Global Inc. (CSE: PBF) (OTCQB: PBFFF), a San Diego producer of a variety of hemp-based foods, ranging from burger patties to ice cream, announces a non-brokered financing consisting of units at a price of $1,000 per Unit for gross aggregate proceeds of up to CAD $675,000. The net proceeds will be used for general working capital and corporate purposes. Each Unit is comprised of: (i) $1,000 principal amount of 10% unsecured convertible debentures issued by the Company with a maturity date of 18 months from the date of issuance; and (ii) 5,000 subordinate voting share purchase warrants of the Company. Each Convertible Debenture is convertible at the holder’s option into fully-paid subordinate voting shares of the Company at any time prior to …

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Plant-based Pepperoni - Investing in alt proteins reduces methane emissions and creates jobs.

© Before the Butcher
Products & Launches

Before the Butcher Launches Award-Winning Plant-Based Pepperoni into Food Service

US brand Before the Butcher announces it is launching new Plant-Based Pepperoni for restaurant and food service vendors. Made from pea protein, the pepperoni recently won a 2023 National Restaurant Association Food & Beverage Award (FABI.) According to Before the Butcher, the new Pepperoni uses a proprietary pea protein along with natural ingredients like radish extract, paprika and other spices to recreate the textures and flavors of pork-based pepperoni.  The company states it is offering the Pepperoni to retailers who are looking to expand their plant-based private label offerings. The Pepperoni joins the brand’s existing line of burgers, breakfast sausage, chicken patties, and grounds.  Retail expansion Based in San Diego, California, Before the Butcher was acquired by private investors in 2019. At the time, the …

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PlantX Xmarket

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Gastronomy & Food Service

XMarket, San Diego: PlantX Opens First Grocery Store in the US

PlantX – the plant-based e-commerce platform – has opened its first brick-and-mortar store in the US. Named XMarket, the vegan grocery store is based in Hillcrest, San Diego, and was born from the recent partnership between Chef Matthew Kenney and PlantX.  The 4,500 square foot XMarket location includes a plant-based retail store, a state-of-the-art café and sandwich shop, and a plant-based education center. The retail store showcases a wide variety of plant-based items and aims to increase public engagement by offering an interactive shopping experience. Founded by vegan entrepreneur Sean Dollinger, the Canadian plant-based e-commerce platform PlantX appointed Matthew Kenney as its Chief Culinary Officer this year, with the deal including a five-year partnership with the vegan chef’s global plant-based lifestyle brand, which prepares all …

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Investments & Finance

San Diego’s Plantible Secures $21.5M For Alt Meat & Dairy Created From One of World’s Most Sustainable Plant Proteins

Plantible Foods announces it has closed a $21.5 million Series A funding round led by Astanor Ventures, making a total raise of $27 million to date. The startup’s proprietary plant protein Rubi Protein™ harnesses lemna, an aquatic plant commonly known as duckweed which is considered to be one of the most sustainable and nutrient-dense plants in the world. “lemna contains one of the most valuable proteins in the world; a protein that behaves just like egg-whites” Plantible was founded in 2018 by Tony Martens and Maurits van de Ven with the goal of reshaping the world’s food supply chain. Speaking with vegconomist in a previous interview, the founders explained that duckweed imitates the characteristics of animal-based proteins: “Being considered one of the world’s most sustainable …

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BlueNalu's whole-muscle, cell-based yellowtail medallions, image supplied

BlueNalu's whole-muscle, cell-based yellowtail medallions, image supplied
Company News

BlueNalu Announces Framework for Food Safety and Quality Assurance for Cell-Cultured Seafood

Following its recent $60 million raise, cellular aquaculture specialist BlueNalu today announced a framework designed to achieve a premier standard of food safety, quality, and traceability for its cell-cultured seafood production, stating it is committed to pursuing third-party certification recognized by the international Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), such as the Safe Quality Food (SQF). The company is set to launch its cell-cultured mahi-mahi, bluefin tuna and other species through small-scale market testing that will be produced at its nearly 40,000 sq. ft. pilot-scale food production facility in San Diego, and plans to break ground on its first large-scale, regional production facility in the next few years. Leading the new initiatives at BlueNalu is Noreen Hobayan, MSc, PCQI, its director of quality assurance and regulatory …

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PPFF OB Exterior

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Investments & Finance

BREAKING: Plant Power Fast Food Raises $7.5M to Double the Number of “Vegan McDonald’s” Across USA

Plant Power Restaurant Group, LLC., the parent company of San Diego’s Plant Power Fast Food, a QSR restaurant chain aiming to establish itself as the Vegan McDonald’s, today announces to vegconomist the completion of a $7.5 million Series A capital raise. The fresh funds will be used for continued nationwide expansion, with plans for two Las Vegas locations already underway. “We’re doing our best to be part of the change. And to be as effective as we’d like to be, we’ll have to continue to grow.” The Series A was led by Helia Capital USA, Inc., a subsidiary of Fusion Ventures; Eat Beyond Global Holdings; and Batta Foods. Additional funds came from a group of individual investors with close ties to the Company, as well as …

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Jeffrey, Zach & Mitch PPFF

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Investments & Finance

Plant Power Fast Food, the Vegan McDonalds of California, Joins Eat Beyond Porfolio

Canada’s Eat Beyond Global Holdings Inc announced this week an investment in Plant Power Restaurant Group, operating as Plant Power Fast Food. The San Diego based QSR chain has been going from strength to strength over the past two years, enjoying increasing demand for its range of burgers, fries, ‘chicken’ tenders, wraps, salads, juices, raw items, and kids menu, all in biodegradable packaging.

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Jensen Meat

©Jensen Meat

Food & Beverage

Jensen Meat Breaks Ground on New Facility to Produce “Affordable” Vegan Beef

San Diego’s Jensen Meat, a privately held processor of ground animal beef which supplies large US retailers such as Walmart and Kroger, is expanding both its facilities and its team to manage co-packing opportunities for plant-based beef and has already broken ground on its new processing plant, which will create jobs in the region.

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PPFF

©PPFF
Company News

BREAKING: Plant Power Fast Food Reports “Unprecedented Growth” Plans to Double in Size

Plant Power Fast Food today announces seven new locations, representing an expansion rate of 100%, and the appontment of three new executives to lead the way. Citing unprecedented growth, Co-CEO Jeffrey Harris reported that 2020 brand-wide net sales for the San Diego-based vegan fast food chain are forecast to hit $14 million.

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Rubi Protein - Plantible Foods

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Company News

Plantible Foods Secures $4.6 M for “World’s Most Sustainable Protein” Derived From Aquatic Duckweed

Plantible Foods announces $4.6 million in investment for a proprietary plant protein created by harnessing lemna, an aquatic plant commonly known as duckweed which is considered to be one of the most sustainable and nutrient-dense plants in the world. Lemna is reportedly 100 X more protein efficient than soy and 40 X more than peas.

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Plant Power Fast Food

©Plant Power Fast Food
Gastronomy & Food Service

Plant Power Fast Food Announces Four New California Locations

San Diego’s plant-based fast food restaurant chain, Plant Power Fast Food, known for launching the first vegan drive through, recently opened its fifth location in Long Beach, California, after reporting massive growth in sales. The chain now debuts a Los Angeles food truck and four new locations coming in the next 16 months. “Fast food doesn’t have to be unhealthy for our bodies or bad for the planet. We’re here to demonstrate that there’s a better way,” said PPFF’s president and co-founder.

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Company News

Plant Power Expands After Vegan Fast Food Skyrockets

San Diego vegan restaurant chain Plant Power Fast Food is to open its fifth location Long Beach, California, after reporting that sales from the Long Beach location on its launch day at the end of June were higher than any day’s earnings across all of its locations. The company saw an increase of 438% in gross sales between 2016 and 2018 as vegan food continues to explode.

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logo BlueNalu

© BluNalu Inc.
Company News

BlueNalu Announces World-Class Advisory Board

BlueNalu is a clean seafood company based in San Diego, established in 2018 with the mission to disrupt the seafood industry and to create and provide clean seafood to the world. To date, BlueNalu has attracted $4.5 million in funding, that originated from more than 25 investors from five nations, and it has initiated design plans for its first factory.

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kulitivertes Fleisch (in-vitro-fleisch) im Labor

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Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

BlueNalu Laboratory Meat Start-Up Receives Funding

Laboratory-grown meat is no longer just the dream of some animal lovers and vegans, but is now becoming a reality. Laboratory meat, also known as “clean meat”, is hoped to be a solution to many production problems in the meat industry. The production of synthetic meat is a response to people’s increasing awareness of sustainability.

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