Clean Label

The ISH Company

Christie Fleming ©The ISH Company
Interviews

The ISH Company: “More Than 25 Products in the Works That Have the Same Taste & Texture of Animal Products”

The ISH Company is a US startup taking a unique approach to producing “deliciously disruptive” plant-based seafood. ISH stands for Innovative, Healthy and Sustainable, and the company says it is devoted to creating superior seafood alternatives that don’t compromise on taste or ingredients. Founded by sustainability veteran Bernard David, ISH’s portfolio includes an extensive range of future offerings, from plant-based cod and salmon to lobster and crab. The startup’s flagship product, the ultra realistic Shrimpish, is now available at select US food service locations. We spoke with ISH President and COO Christie Fleming about this impressive startup and its ambitious goals to transform the alt-seafood category. Please tell our readers more about The ISH Company – how did it begin and what kind of products …

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Organisations and Brands:
Millow woman eating

© Millow
Fungi, Mushrooms & Mycelium

Introducing Millow: “The Purest Meat Analog Ever” Made of Mycelium and Oats

Sweden’s Millow is an alt meat company leveraging the power of mycelium and the nutritional profile of oats to produce a clean-label and versatile meat analog that can be fried, baked, barbequed, or roasted. “The purest analog ever”, “Nothing artificial, non-MO, zero binders, pure wholefood, easily digestible, high protein, high fibre, low water usage, land responsible, cruelty-free,” says Millow on its website. Based in Gothenburg, the company uses a revolutionary in-house biotechnology called MUTE — Mycelium Utilized Texture Engineering — developed by Professor Mohammad Taherzadeh, who has been researching mycelium as a potentially sustainable and nutritious functional food for more than 25 years. A new category of meat alternatives? Millow’s proprietary process differs from solid-state, submerged, or biomass fermentation. Instead, the company’s tech is based on …

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Clean-Label Vegan Burger

©Great American Plant Co.

Company News

The Great American Plant Co: A Private Label Helping Retailers and Restaurants to Offer Lower Cost Plant-Based Products

As higher prices for plant-based proteins continue to challenge sales, one company is launching to help retailers and restaurants offer more affordable plant-based meats under their own brands. The Great American Plant Co. (GAPC) is a private-label manufacturer offering a line of plant-based foods, including burgers, meatballs and sausages, to retailers and food service operators.  What sets GAPC apart, the company states, is its focus on clean-label ingredients and lower prices; compared to major competitors, GAPC’s products wholesale for 10-20% less than other leading brands. In addition, GAPC’s proteins are wholly sourced and manufactured in North America, creating what it calls a ‘significantly smaller’ environmental footprint than its competitors.  “Great products that delight consumers” Founded in Dallas in 2020, GAPC offers a line of pea …

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©PlantBaby
Products & Launches

PlantBaby Launches Mac Nut Kiki Milk as First Organic, Clean-Label Macadamia Nut Milk

Innovative nutrition company PlantBaby announces the launch of Mac Nut Kiki Milk, the first all-organic, clean-label macadamia nut milk. Available in shelf-stable 32 oz. cartons, Mac Nut Kiki Milk is made exclusively with organic whole food and superfood ingredients, and contains more macadamia nuts per serving than leading competitors, the company states.  As PlantBaby’s first nut-forward product offering, the new milk is said to boast a healthier nutritional profile and richer flavor than other macadamia-based milks, and is made with naturally nutrient-rich ingredients and dairy-free calcium. Shelf-stable for up to 12 months, the product’s ingredients include organic macadamia nuts, cashews, brazil nuts, sprouted pumpkin seeds, oats, coconut sugar, coconuts, and seaplant vitamin Aquamin™.  Like all PlantBaby products, Mac Nut Kiki Milk is fully organic and …

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planetaria's plant ribs

© Planet Ribs
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Planetarians Raises $6M to Upscale Vegan Meat From Upcycled Ingredients

B2B plant-based foods company Planetarians has raised $6 million in a Seed II investment round to produce at a commercial scale its vegan meat blocks and supply the food service industry.  The food technology company has invested seven years in R&D to develop a sustainable, low cost alternative to meat made only from two upcycled ingredients: oil cakes and brewer’s yeast.  The raised funds will be used to build a pilot facility capable of producing tons of vegan blocks per year and move to a commercial production phase. Mindrock led the investment round, joined by Traction Fund, Techstars, SOSV, and AB InBev, the company behind some of the world’s largest beer brands and Planetarians brewers’ yeast supplier, committed to recycling barley and yeast from its brewing …

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peanut-based pulled chicken

Image courtesy of Haofood
Products & Launches

Haofood Launches Umami-Packed ‘Carefree Pulled Chickless’ Chicken Made of Peanuts

Chinese peanut-based chicken brand Haofood has announced the launch of its latest innovation — Carefree Pulled Chickless (轻享素素肌™) — a clean-label plant-based chicken “with a strong umami sensation” at various restaurants and DTC in China. The new peanut-based chicken comes in three flavours — Original, Xinjiang Spices, and Salt & Pepper — and the company claims it is free from artificial additives, preservatives, thickeners, water retention agents, colourings, flavourings, and MSG, offering a high-quality nutritional profile. Astrid Prajogo, Haofood’s founder and CEO, shared: “Clean-label products will be more favourable for consumers, as one of the main reasons to choose plant-based products is for health benefits. The consumer demands the assurance that they are eating the healthiest and safest food product and, at the same time, that it …

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Michroma Natural Food Colorings

©Michroma
Investments & Finance

Michroma Closes $6.4M in Seed to Commercialize ‘High Performance’ Natural Food Colorings From Mushrooms

Precision fermentation startup Michroma announces it has closed $6.4M in seed financing to fast-track commercialization of its sustainable, mushroom-derived natural food coloring. The round, led by General Mills-backed Supply Chain Capital, will also help the startup expand research and development capabilities and broaden its ingredient platform.  Founded in 2019, Michroma is working to disrupt the global ingredients industry with high-performance colorants made from fungi through precision fermentation. To achieve this, Michroma focuses on creating ‘fungal biofactories’ to produce small molecules, like colors, more efficiently. “We see compelling market and consumer potential for Michroma’s fungal platform to create next-generation natural ingredients, from colorants to flavors, that are healthier and more sustainable while maximizing production efficiency,” said Noramay Cadena, Supply Change Capital’s Managing Director and Michroma Board …

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Veggie Grill Bacon Cup

©Veggie Grill
Gastronomy & Food Service

Hooray Foods’ Crispy Vegan Bacon Now Served at All Veggie Grill Locations

Alt-bacon brand Hooray Foods announces its innovative plant-based bacon is now available at Veggie Grill – the world’s leading fast-casual vegan restaurant chain. The bacon can now be ordered at all of Veggie Grill’s 35 US locations. Veggie Grill is featuring the crispy bacon – made from rice flour, pea starch and coconut oil – in a signature vegan BLT Avocado Croissant, with romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, Dijonnaise, and mashed avocado on a croissant roll. The bacon is also available as an add-on to a variety of other menu items, such as salads, sandwiches, and sides. “It’s a huge win for us to be able to bring Hooray bacon to a family of restaurants that share our commitment to offering delicious and sustainable plant-based options,” …

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Organisations and Brands:
Dirty Vegan

© Dirty Vegan
Products & Launches

Matt Pritchard’s Dirty Vegan Launches Alt Meats Made From Fermented Veg

In 2018, vegan athlete and former professional skateboarder Matt Pritchard hosted the UK’s first ever vegan cookery show, Dirty Vegan. Two series (and two cookbooks) later, Pritchard has announced the launch of a plant-based food brand of the same name. The range will feature meat alternatives made with fermented vegetables, designed to promote gut health so that “the more you eat, the better you will feel”. The first products to launch are burgers, sausages, and meatballs. They are free of additives and saturated fat, while also being very high in protein — the burger contains 20 grams. On social media, Pritchard said the brand aims to launch for both retail and food service. Dirty Vegan is also working alongside food service outlets to design plant-based …

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Vegan Pork Sandwich

©Final Foods
Products & Launches

Final Foods Debuts ‘Gourmet’ Line of Whole-Cut Plant-Based Meats for Food Industry

Natural foods startup Final Foods announces the launch of its first line of plant-based, protein-rich meat alternatives. Made primarily for the food service industry, Final Foods says its clean-label products are created to offer chefs a wider range of formats with premium texture. Available online, the products are initially shipping to California and Nevada.  Unlike many protein alternatives that are usually sold in ground or crumbled form, Final Foods’ plant-based offerings come in slices and large cuts, which the company says makes them ideal for grilling, as well as stewing, sautéing and stir-frying.  Made from pea protein, the brand states its vegan meats are created from a simple extrusion process, which provides a more realistic and natural texture with no fillers.  Final Foods’ current offerings …

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kinoko's fungi-based product served with vegetables

© Kinoko
Fermentation

Kinoko Turns Legumes into High-Quality Protein Foods Using Mycelium & SSF

Kinoko-Tech is an Israel-based B2B company developing high-quality protein plant-based foods by “harnessing fermentation to elevate healthy food to superfood”. The company was founded in 2019 by Jasmin Ravid and Hadar Shohat, to supply food manufacturers and the food service industry with fermented fungi-based ingredients and products to be used as a source of high-quality protein.  Solid state fermentation  Kinoko claims it has developed a solid-state fermentation technology (SSF) platform that supports various fungi strains and legumes, enabling the company to make multiple mycelium-based foods.  The company’s SSF process creates protein-packed nutritious foods containing all nine essential amino acids plus the legume’s fibres. Fermentation and the mycelium give the legumes an umami flavour which tastes like a “combination between lentils and mushrooms,” says Ravid. After …

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Organic Oatmilk

©Califia Farms
Products & Launches

Califia Farms Debuts Line of 3-Ingredient Organic Oatmilk and Almondmilk

Plant-based beverage leader Califia Farms announces it is expanding its popular line of dairy-free products with USDA Certified Organic Oatmilk and Almondmilk.  Now available at Kroger, Whole Foods, Sprouts and other US national retailers, the new Oatmilk and Almondmilk expand the number of Certified Organic dairy-free milk products in US stores.  Made with just three ingredients and no oils or gums, Califia says the products are designed to meet the needs of consumers seeking fewer ingredients at an affordable price point. Described as having a “true homemade taste”, the products can be used for cereal, smoothies, cooking and baking. Additional descriptions: Organic Almondmilk Made from purified water, organic almonds and sea salt USDA certified  Available in refrigerated format in a 48-ounce bottle $5.99 MSRP Califia …

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Plant-based Pepita Egg

©Spero Foods
Products & Launches

Spero Foods Launches Pourable Pepita Egg into US Sprouts Markets

Plant-based dairy brand Spero announces it is launching The Pepita Egg egg alternative into Sprouts Farmers Markets across the US. Made with just seven ingredients, The Pepita Egg is described as the “first and only” clean-label, pourable egg alternative.  Sold as a bottled, liquid product, Pepita Egg’s star ingredient is pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, which offer a good source of plant-based zinc, iron, and magnesium, and contain a similar amount of protein per serving as chicken eggs. Pepita Egg can be used for scrambles, omelets or baking, and unlike traditional eggs, is allergy-friendly and free from cholesterol.  Fewer ingredients According to the brand, most plant-based eggs on the market contain an average of 13-30 different ingredients, including lecithins, pyrophosphates, citrates, sugars, synthetic vitamins and transglutaminase. Pepita …

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Issei Vegan Gummies

©Issei
Food & Beverage

Issei Brings Gelatin-Free, Japanese-Inspired Mochi Gummies to Whole Foods

While most gummy candies on the market utilize animal gelatin, corn syrup and artificial colors, one brand is reinventing chewy snacks using East Asian artisan techniques and better, cleaner ingredients.  Issei is a female- and Asian-owned brand whose plant-based mochi gummies are merging Japanese culture traditions with modern innovation. Inspired by beloved Japanese mochi treats, the gummies are bite-sized snacks made with rice flour that come in several flavors, including Strawberry, Vanilla and Mango.  Naturally crafted without gelatin, Issei mochi gummies are also low in sugar, gluten-free, soy-free and non-GMO.    Fueled by heritage Founded by Miko Shino, Issei (which translates to “first Japanese immigrants to the US”) was born from Shino’s desire to create healthy, chewy snacks she would be proud to feed her …

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Strong Roots Entrees

© Strong Roots
Products & Launches

Strong Roots Debuts ‘Good Made Easy’ Frozen Line with 14 Plant-Based Entrees

Plant-based frozen foods brand Strong Roots announces it is launching ‘Good Made Easy’ – its first line of single serve frozen entrees. Coming to US Whole Foods in 2023, the new range boasts 14 innovative meal options.  According to Strong Roots, the ‘Good Made Easy’ range is only made from whole plant, clean label ingredients. Each meal is portioned for individual eating and the entrées can be conveniently prepared in under 5 minutes. Nutritionally, the meals, which contain less than 450 calories each, are low in saturated fat, sugar and sodium and provide up to 24 grams of protein. Most also provide a good source of fiber. The flavors include: Thai Green Veg Curry Greek Orzo Pasta Bake Veggie Masala Chickpea And Red Lentil Saag  …

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