North Carolina meat alternatives startup Barvecue has raised $780,000 in debt and options. The round was capped at $2 million with participation from three investors.
Barvecue was founded in 2017 by Lee Cooper and Zack Werner. The startup makes wood-smoked vegan “pulled pork” from wheat and soy protein powder. It is sold frozen, both with and without sauce. The company aims to “bring the best tasting barbecue to vegetarians, omnivores, and adventurous carnivores around the globe”.
As part of its philosophy, the company’s products contain no artificial additives, GMOs, or hydrogenated oils. It is also part of the Plant Based Foods Association.
The brand began as a wholesale kitchen based in Cornelius, North Carolina, and it was soon selling its products to natural foods markets across North America.
Its success isn’t unexpected, since vegan barbecue is a growing trend worldwide. Beyond Meat recently launched a limited edition cookout kit, while Lidl Germany launched a campaign to develop vegan barbecue ideas earlier this year. But Barvecue isn’t just targeting vegans — it hopes to win over omnivores too.
“We wanted to create great-tasting, high-quality food, that just happened to be plant-based,” Cooper told Charlotte Magazine.
The company has not yet disclosed how it intends to invest the new funding.
