Burgers

Beyond Stack Burger_with packaging

© Beyond Meat

Products & Launches

The New Beyond Stack Burger, “Closer in Taste & Texture to Beef”, Arrives in US Retail

Beyond Meat announces today the expansion of its burger portfolio with latest NPD, the Beyond Stack Burger, a patty described as even closer in taste and texture to beef and designed for single, double, and triple-stacked burgers. Beyond says the Beyond Stack Burger is described in early reviews as “juicy,” having a “delicate crumble that truly resembles beef burgers,” and being “crispy on the outside, resembling the popular beef smash burgers“, with the launch coming as smash-style burgers continue to grow in popularity, with a 720% increase on menus over the past four years. This May, the company launched its first Smash Burger into foodservice, and this retail expansion allows consumers to enjoy the product at home. Despite recent naysaying regarding the nutritional qualities of …

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Oumph! Smash Burger

© Oumph!
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Oumph! Launches Fava & Pea Smash Burger, the “First Ever” Vegan Smash Burger in Sweden

Award-winning Swedish plant meat brand Oumph! introduces a smash burger created with pea and fava beans, stating the launch makes Oumph! the first Swedish brand to launch a plant-based smash burger.   The product is initially targeted at foodservice, launching into 80+ locations of the Brödernas chain with more restaurants to follow, then it is set to roll out into supermarket retail. Positive consumer feedback at the Fast Food & Café show in Stockholm earlier this year, included comments such as, “This is the best plant-based burger I’ve ever tried” and “WHAT? Is this plant-based?”   Smash burgers represent an emerging trend in foodservice, entailing a larger patty designed for the cooking method of smashing the ‘meat’ into the grill with a spatula resulting in …

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Plantasia Foods microwaveable vegan burger

© Plantasia Foods
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Former Campbell Soup & Garden Fresh R&D Experts Launch Microwaveable Vegan Burgers

Dallas-based company Plantasia Foods has launched pre-cooked, microwaveable vegan burger patties across the US. Plantasia Foods was founded by Carlos Burroso, former senior vice president of R&D at Campbell Soup, along with George Vutetakis, chef and former head of R&D at Garden Fresh Gourmet. The two met when Campbell acquired Garden Fresh, and decided to start a venture that would meet the need for easy-to-prepare, nutritious plant-based products. Sold frozen, the patties can be prepared in just 60 seconds; they contain 22 grams of protein and are free of soy, gluten, and GMOs. For those without a microwave, the burgers can also be grilled, fried, air-fried, or steamed. Plantasia Foods is now planning to launch more products in the near future, including plant-based BBQ burgers …

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New vegan burger brand called Vungr

Image credit: Hunger Brands LinkedIn
Delivery Services

Spain’s New Vungr Service Delivers Burgers Featuring Heura Patties and Väcka Cheese

Barcelona-based Hunger Brands has announced the launch of a new 100% vegan brand tailored explicitly for delivery called Vungr, created in collaboration with plant-based meat company Heura Foods and vegan cheese startup Väcka. Vungr is a 100% vegan burger brand targeting vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians, and even meat lovers, looking for convenient animal protein-free options.  Vungr’s burgers come in pita-bread style buns and, according to the brand, are the first of their kind in the Spanish market. Its range includes Classic Vegan, Four Cheeses, Not Pollo, Porteña Vegan, and Truvada Vegan. It launched initially at Glovo and Uber Eats, but the company announced expansion plans across Spain soon. In addition to its burger offerings, Vungr’s menu includes Not Pollo fingers by Heura in various flavors. Heura+Väcka=Vungr The new burgers feature Heura’s beef burger patties, which recently …

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Neat Burger founders

© Neat Burger
Investments & Acquisitions

Neat Burger Raises $18M as Sales at First US Location Beat Expectations

Plant-based fast food chain Neat Burger has raised $18 million in a Series B round led by private institutional investment firm B-Flexion. Other participants included Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton (a longtime backer), Chimera Capital, and new investors such as Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Neat Burger will use the funding to continue expanding its global reach. The news comes after the UK-based chain opened its first permanent US location in Nolita, New York City, last month. Sales so far have beaten expectations, and the store is currently the best performing in the group’s estate due to high levels of repeat purchases. “We see New York as a tastemaker gateway to the US, and by all metrics it has been our most successful launch to …

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MAX Burgers

© MAX Burgers
Fast Food

Sweden’s Oldest Burger Chain MAX Burgers Launches “Supreme Green” Meat-Free Menu

Swedish chain MAX Burgers has launched its new Supreme Green meatless menu, as the company works towards the goal of making half the burgers it sells red-meat-free. MAX Burgers’ original Green menu was introduced in 2016, and the chain has now debuted more meat-free options to “make going green the natural choice”. These include the vegan Real Green Burger, which is made from mung beans, and the lacto-ovo vegetarian Crispy Supreme burger, made from Swedish yellow peas. Fully plant-based items on the Supreme Green menu also include the Plant Beef Burger and the Crispy Green Nuggets. Some options are not suitable for vegans as they contain dairy cheese. Founded in 1968, MAX Burgers is Sweden’s oldest restaurant chain and now has 191 locations; most are …

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revyve's healthy foods made with BSY proteins

© revyve
Studies & Numbers

Survey Unveils Surprising Similarity in Taste Preferences for Vegan Burgers Among French and British Consumers

MANE, the French leader in the Fragrance and Flavour industry, contacts vegconomist to discuss the results of an exclusive survey regarding consumer preferences in flavours for vegan beef burgers. The survey conducted for MANE by an independent research agency delves into the key taste features that drive consumer preferences regarding plant-based burgers. During the blind-testing, six beef burger alternatives available on the market along with three MANE prototypes were sampled by 248 consumers from the UK and France to obtain feedback regarding colour, texture, and aromatic profile. Surprising similarities The findings revealed that consumers in France and the UK have remarkably close preferences regarding texture and aromatic profile, despite the highly distinct consumption habits between the two cultures. For instance, grilled and smoky flavours are …

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Neat Burger Nolita

Credit: Vito Oliva, image supplied
Fast Food

Lewis Hamilton’s Neat Burger Opens First US Location in New York City

Neat Burger, the plant-based burger chain by F-1 champion Lewis Hamilton, has opened its first permanent US restaurant. Located in NYC, the opening is part of the chain’s plans to open 30 additional outlets around the globe in the coming years, following the success of its eight UK locations. Situated in the Nolita neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, the first US-based Neat Burger offers a menu of plant-based burgers, chick’n sandwiches, hot dogs, tater tots, fries and milkshakes. For the grand opening, Neat Burger offered free burgers to the first 100 guests, and reports it received a huge response, with hundreds of guests lining up to celebrate the occasion.  The Nolita restaurant follows Neat Burger’s six-month temporary pop-up location in UrbanSpace on Park Avenue. The company’s …

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Havredals partners with Shady Burgers to create a menu of vegan burgers.

© Image courtesy of Havredals
Fast Food

Havredals & Shady Burgers Partner to Offer “Next Level” Vegan Burgers

Swedish plant-based food company Havredals and popular Swedish burger chain Shady Burgers have joined forces to create Shady Vegan — a new menu that takes plant-based burgers “to the next level”. The companies have developed five vegan burgers to add to Shady Burgers’ menu, claiming they are capable of convincing even the most avid meat-eater because they taste “just as good as meat.”  “For us, quality is everything. We searched the whole country for an amazing vegan burger – eventually, we found Havredals that meet our demands for quality, taste, and vision,” explains Shady Burgers.  “Incredibly good” Based in Uppsala, Havredals develops plant-based foods ranging from oat drinks and creams to burgers and minced meat. Its first product, Havredryck Original, launched in early 2020. Havredals products …

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Future Burger 4.0

© Future Farm
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Future Farm Launches “Revolutionary” Future Burger 4.0 at Tesco Stores UK-Wide

Brazilian alt meat brand Future Farm has launched a new and improved version of its plant-based Future Burger in the UK. Described as “revolutionary”, the soy and pea-based Future Burger 4.0 has the same amount of protein as its predecessor, but is gluten-free and lower in salt and saturated fat. Future Farm’s True Texture Technology™ is used to give the burger an authentically meat-like texture, and the product is also entirely carbon-neutral. The Future Burger 4.0 is now available at 345 Tesco stores, along with the brand’s tuna alternative, Future Tvna. This marks the first time that Future Farm products have been stocked at the UK’s largest supermarket chain, after they previously launched at Sainsbury’s and Ocado. Global brand Just a few years after it …

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NotCo Juicy NotBurger

©NotCo
Gastronomy & Food Service

NotCo Partners with Canada’s Hero Certified Burgers to Bring NotBurger, NotChicken and NotMilk to Menus

Food tech startup NotCo announces a new partnership with Canadian fast-casual chain Hero Certified Burgers. Customers can now order any burger with a NotBurger patty, NotChicken patty or opt for new NotChicken nuggets. In addition, Hero Certified will also offer NotCo’s plant-based milks in Whole or Chocolate flavors.  Based in Toronto, Hero Certified operates dozens of locations across the city and throughout eastern Canada. For a limited time, the chain is also featuring the NotBurger in its Spicy Plant Based Soul Burger combo for $6.99, which includes fries and a beverage.  Canadian expansion NotCo first launched its popular NotBurger in Canadian retailers including Loblaw Companies Limited, Walmart and Sobeys, in May 2022. At the time, the company announced it was strengthening its presence in the …

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Healthy Vegan Burgers

©NoBull Burgers
Food & Beverage

Meet NoBull Burger: A “True” Veggie Burger Leading the Movement for Whole Food Ingredients

In the past decade, countless plant-based burgers have debuted on the global retail market, seeking either to recreate the experience of eating beef or to offer classic garden-style patties made of veggies, grains and legumes. However, many such products have been accused of compromising on quality by containing excessively processed ingredients or lacking in taste and flavor.  NoBull Burger was launched to bring healthy change. Founded by mother and chef Chrissanne Raymond, NoBull burgers are made exclusively from 100% “close-to-the-earth” whole ingredients, such as organic lentils, grains and roasted veggies. Most importantly, the brand claims, its products offer truly delicious flavor, and provides consumers with a clean and versatile source of plant-based protein.  According to the brand, Raymond began making veggie burgers in 1970 using …

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cultivated wagyu burger

Cultivated wagyu burger © Ohayo Valley IG
Company News

Ohayo Valley Unveils Cultivated Wagyu Burger at Private Tasting in California

Last week, Berkeley cultivated meat startup Ohayo Valley unveiled its cultivated wagyu burger at a private tasting organized by KITCHENTOWN in California. 15 startups attended the event, showcasing their products to journalists and investors. On social media, Ohayo Valley said, “Better than Animal! Ohayo’s second historical tasting passed with flying colors. Tasters said that cultivated wagyu burgers taste better than conventional burgers. Next stop is wagyu steak!” The event was hosted by CULT Food Science, an investment platform focused on cellular agriculture (with Canadian entrepreneur Marc Lustig as the company’s largest individual shareholder) and Vevolution, the global vegan investment platform. Erik Amundson, CEO and co-founder of Vevolution, recently published an Op-Ed on vegconomist discussing plant cell culture technology.   Plant proteins & cultivated meat Founded by Jess …

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felsineoveg's plant-based deli slices

© FelsineoVeg
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

FelsineoVeg: Tradition & Innovation Fuel Success of Plant-Based Deli Slices Made in Bologna

FelsineoVeg is an Italian manufacturer of plant-based deli slices, lardons, and burgers. The company started life as a new venture of the Felsineo Group — a Historic Brand of National Interest from Bologna, specializing in producing mortadella since 1963 — that launched a plant-based deli brand called Veghiamo in 2017. “It is an incontrovertible fact that the number of consumers choosing vegetarian and vegan products is growing,” said Andrea Raimondi, Felsineo’s president, at the time of the launch of the new brand six years ago. Immense success In 2022, FelsineoVeg’s Veghiamo rebranded to Good&Green with a diverse portfolio offering NPDs such as lardons, deli whole cuts, and alt meat, besides its deli slices range.  Recently, Good&Green introduced a new tuna-flavoured deli slice to its 100% …

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Wakao Foods

© Wakao Foods
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

India’s Wakao Foods Launches Burger Patty Made From Jackfruit & Pea Protein

Indian alt meat brand Wakao Foods has launched a new product — the plant-based Continental Burger Patty, made from 53% jackfruit. Said to be rich in fibre and protein, the patty also contains pea protein and spices, and mimics the texture of pulled meat. It does not require refrigeration and has a year-long shelf life at ambient temperatures. Wakao’s extensive range also features jackfruit in the varieties Raw, Butter, Teriyaki, and BBQ, along with other jackfruit-based products such as the Hot & Spicy Sausage, American Herbs Sausage, and Supreme Burger Patty. “Sustainable and ethically sourced” India is a major jackfruit producer, exporting significant quantities to European alt meat brands. But now, Goa-based Wakao is bringing jackfruit-based meat alternatives to the fast-growing Indian plant-based market. The …

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APPETEX Plant-Based Burger Texture

©Motif FoodWorks
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Motif FoodWorks Announces First Consumer Launch of Motif BeefWorks™ Burger Patties Featuring APPETEX

Boston-based Motif FoodWorks announces it has launched its second food technology ingredient, APPETEX™, for large-scale commercial distribution. Described as a “breakthrough” ingredient, APPETEX is said to enhance the texture of plant-based foods by providing the unique springy and juicy chew found in animal meat products.  To enable consumers to taste the benefits of APPETEX, Motif will offer its first finished products, Motif BeefWorks™ Plant-Based Burger Patties, to consumers beginning in April.  According to Motif, APPETEX (a combination of “appetite” and “texture”) is an edible plant-based  hydrogel that is capable of recreating the bite associated with animal connective tissue. While plant-based proteins like texturized soy or pea protein can mimic the fibrous structure of meat, Motif says, these ingredients fall short in creating the springy “chewdown” …

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Beyond Burger

© Beyond Meat
Studies & Numbers

Survey: 99.8% of Chinese Respondents Would Buy Locally-Produced Plant-Based Burgers

A survey of Chinese consumers in four major cities has revealed immensely positive attitudes towards plant-based meat. Conducted by the School of Advanced Agricultural Sciences at Peking University, the research found that a huge 99.8% of respondents would be willing to buy locally-produced plant-based burgers. 85% had already tried plant-based meat, largely due to a desire to try new things and a belief that plant-based products are healthier. Women, highly educated people, and those with a high income were the most likely to buy plant-based meat. Beijing had the highest proportion of consumers who had tried meat alternatives, at 89%. However, a previous study in November found that 60% of Chinese consumers were only somewhat aware of plant-based meat, or not aware at all. The …

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Next Level Bigger Vegan Burgers

Courtesy of Stephanie Kelly Photography
Gastronomy & Food Service

Next Level Burger Unveils New Menu and ‘Defies Inflation’ with Bigger Burger Patties

Plant-based burger chain Next Level Burger (NLB), announces it is rolling out a new menu at all 10 of its US locations. In addition to expanded offerings, the brand will now offer an Actual Veggies burger along with larger-sized Beyond Burger patties.  NLB, which operates locations in six states, says the new menu will feature a range of indulgences, such as The Classic Burger (A smash burger patty, organic dill pickles and choice of sauce) to The Animal (Two quarter-pound Beyond Burger patties, cheese, organic tempeh bacon, a layer of French fries, grilled onions, tomato and lettuce on an organic bun.) Along with a new milkshake and chicken sandwich, the brand is adding a Chipotle Burger featuring an Actual Veggies Black Bean Burger patty with …

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Ready Burger close up

© Ready Burger

Fast Food

Ready Burger Partners With Givaudan to Use Award-Winning PrimeLock+ Fat Technology

Ready Burger, a UK based vegan fast food chain offering plant burgers and more at price parity with conventional McDonald’s options, announces it is working to improve the fat used in its burgers through a partnership with world-famous flavour and fragrance manufacturer Givaudan. Givaudan has developed a new technology called PrimeLock+, which imitates animal fat and locks flavour and moisture into proteins. It is said to enable the fat content of meat alternatives to be reduced by up to 75%. Last year, Givaudan received two awards for the technology — The International V-Label Award and Best Ingredients Innovation at The Gulfood Manufacturing Industry Excellence Awards. Ready Burger will be one of the first companies worldwide to integrate the patent-pending solution into its proteins, and is …

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Beyond Meat CEO

Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown © Beyond Meat
Investments & Finance

Beyond Meat Stock Surges 15% After Cutting Losses and Improving Margins

On Friday, Beyond Meat beat analysts’ expectations for its fourth quarter results, shrinking its losses and reporting higher-than-expected revenue. The news sent Beyond shares soaring by 15% in after-market trading.  In an earnings call, Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown said that Q4 concluded a “[C]hallenging year for our business and category, one marked by persistently high inflation and trading down by consumers among proteins, slowing economy in key markets, and increased competitive activity.” Indeed, the company reported a 21% decline in revenue and lower sales across “all channels”, including a 17% drop in US grocery sales and a 30% sales decline in food service. International revenue also fell by 19.9% from the same period a year earlier.  Despite the drop in sales, Beyond successfully shrunk …

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