No Frickin Chicken's new location.

© No Frickin Chicken

Startups, Accelerators & Incubators

5 Small Vegan Businesses You May Not Know That Deserve to Be on Your Radar

This week we will introduce ten small vegan businesses you may have never heard of; below are five interesting small businesses from around the world, and stay tuned on Friday for another five that deserve to be on your watch list. From Chacino in Spain, offering vegan-friendly cured sausages, to No Frickin Chicken in the UK, serving cruelty-free chicken, these businesses are catering to the growing demand for sustainable and animal-free options. 1. Chacino – Ávila, Spain Born from a partnership between Jamones y Embutidos Pinantes and a team of chefs and scientists, Chacino offers unique plant-based cured sausages, combining the art of traditional curing with modern food innovation.  With a focus on honoring the heritage of past generations and expertise while looking toward the future, Chacino …

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Italian company Biolab launches new products in BILLA PLUS, Austria

© Biolab

Retail & E-Commerce

Biolab Expands into Austria with Billa Plus Listings for Vegan Cold Cuts and Seitan

Biolab, an Italian company specializing in vegan cold cuts, has expanded into Austria after securing listings with the supermarket chain Billa Plus. Three products under two different brands — Liveg’s vegetable pastrami slices, Biolab’s vegetable carpaccio slices, and  Biolab’s seitan — have already launched in 150 stores across Austria. All the products, made with Italian organic wheat gluten, are said to be rich in protein, a source of fiber, and low in carbs.   Biolab, a pioneer in the plant-based food industry, has been in operation for over thirty years. The company was founded by Massimo Santinelli in 1991 after discovering the health benefits of macrobiotic and vegetarian cuisine.  Since its inception, Biolab has focused on producing organic plant-based foods, sourcing most of its ingredients from its …

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Vegan chorizo on a wooden board

© Shocken Foods

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Former Heston Blumenthal Chef’s Shocken Foods to Hit UK Shelves for Christmas

Award-winning UK plant-based deli meat manufacturer Shocken Foods is preparing to launch its innovative plant-based deli products before Christmas.  Launched by Emma Bowe, a trailblazing female chef now turned vegan food tech entrepreneur, and Peter Kalkowsky, a professional caterer and previous senior manager at a global corporation, the company was first established as Veganly Deli and later rebranded to Shocken Foods.  Bowe has worked with culinary legends such as Heston Blumenthal and Helene Darroze in three Michelin-starred kitchens, including at the Mandarin Oriental and The Connaught. She has also served as an executive head chef for renowned establishments such as Riverford Organic and Elior and has even catered for the BAFTAs, HRH The Queen, and the British Prime Minister. Furthermore, she has earned three nominations in the upcoming Great …

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Kim Le founder Prime Roots

Image courtesy of Prime Roots

Investments & Acquisitions

Prime Roots’ Total Funding Reaches $50M Following Series B Round

Prime Roots, a producer of koji mycelium-based deli meats, has secured $30 million in a Series B round. The raise takes the company’s total funding to $50 million. True Ventures, Pangaea Ventures, SOSV/IndieBio, and Monde Nissin (the parent company of Quorn) all participated in the round, among others. Prime Roots will use the funding to scale and expand to deli counters and restaurants nationwide. Prime Roots claims to be able to identically replicate the microscopic texture of meat through proprietary fermentation and food science technology. The company offers a range of alternatives to deli meats, including cracked pepper turkey, black forest ham, hickory bacon, salami, and pepperoni — all developed alongside acclaimed chefs. The products can be made in just three days, compared to months …

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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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Get Plant’d deli sandwich alt meat

© Get Plant’d

Products & Launches

Get Plant’d Launches New Deli Sandwich Alt Meat Products in Coles Stores Across Australia

Plant-based brand Get Plant’d announces new deli sandwich alt meat products — Get Plant’d Ham and Steak Slices — that will launch at selected Coles supermarkets across Australia this week. Get Plant’d is a brand under Cale and Daughters (an Australian company known for its plant-based cheese), co-founded by Cale Drouin to offer vegans and meat-eaters great tasting and convenient alternative meat products. Last year, the brand’s range, including meat-free pepperoni, bacon, roast duck, roast chicken, and roast pork, debuted at 800 Coles stores. “Our new Get Plant’d Ham and Steak Slices are the perfect sandwich fillings and will make lunchtimes easy, said Get Plant’d co-founder Cale Drouin. “We know that plant-curious shoppers are looking for convenience and variety.”  Mimicking traditional meat As described by Get Plant’d, its new ham slices, …

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Shelf-stable vegan salami

©Renegade Foods

Products & Launches

Renegade Foods Unveils ‘Industry First’ Shelf-Stable Vegan Deli Meat

Meat-free charcuterie brand Renegade Foods announces the launch of an “industry first” shelf-stable salami that can be stored, shipped and merchandised without refrigeration. Now available via Renegade’s website, the company says the salamis mark a first-of-its-kind innovation for the vegan culinary world.  According to Renegade, its plant-based charcuterie is made to honor centuries-old European traditions. To create salamis and chorizo, the company uses organic ingredients and traditional meat preservation techniques that require minimal processing.  Preserving flavor When developing a shelf-stable salami, Iona Campbell, CEO and co-founder of Renegade Foods, says the company sought to maintain the products’ naturally robust flavors without over-processing, or relying on flavor additives or preservatives.  “Our tools are the traditional tools of food artisans used over centuries – fermentation, smoking and …

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Prime roots deli sandwich quorn

©Prime Roots

Company News

Prime Roots Achieves ‘First’ B Corp Certification for a Mycelium-Based Food Company

Prime Roots, maker of innovative Koji-Meats, announces it has become the ‘first’ mycelium-based food company to receive B Corp certification. Through this recognition, Prime Roots states its company will equitable benefits consumers, employees, communities, and the environment. Co-founded by Kimberlie Le, Prime Roots has transformed from a company primarily focused on ready-made meals to an animal-free deli meat brand. Aiming to disrupt the $300Bn bulk deli industry, Prime Roots creates realistic deli meat slices using koji mycelium – a versatile type of fungi.  Ancient ingredient According to the company, koji is a traditional ingredient used for centuries to make foods like miso and soy sauce, and is a popular ingredient in Michelin-starred restaurants. Prime Roots says koji’s long, microscopic fibers can closely replicate the structures …

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Unreal Deli Vegan Lunch Meats

© Unreal Deli

Products & Launches

Unreal Deli Launches Full Line of Plant-Based Deli Meats into US Sprouts Markets

Mrs. Goldfarb’s Unreal Deli announces its premium plant-based deli meats are now sold at Sprouts Farmers Markets across the US. The Mark Cuban-backed company also reveals it plans to launch into thousands of more retail locations this year, and ranked as one of the fastest-growing brands on Instacart in 2022.  Founded by Jenny Goldfarb, Unreal produces a line of Corn’d Beef, Roasted Turk’y and Steak lunch ‘meats’ meant to recreate the experience of enjoying a traditional New York-style deli sandwich. After securing an investment from Shark Tank in in 2019, Goldfarb went on to launch Unreal’s product line in thousands of US retail and food service locations, including Publix, Whole Foods, Ralphs, Wegmans and ShopRite.  By entering Sprouts, an Unreal spokesperson says the brand’s retail …

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Plantcraft Bologna Sandwich

©Plantcraft

Food & Beverage

New York’s Plantega Partners with Plantcraft for Exclusive Plant-Based Bologna Sandwich

NYC’s Plantega, a deli-in-store concept found throughout the city’s bodegas, is partnering with deli meat startup Plantcraft to debut the latter’s new plant-based bologna. For a limited time, the new Bologna Sandwich will be available exclusively at four Plantega locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan.  Featuring Plantcraft Bologna, mustard, vegan mayo, vegan cheese, lettuce and tomato on sliced bread, the sandwich will be on the menu Aug. 26 – Sept. 26 in the following Plantega locations:  Marinello’s (114 Wyckoff Ave, Brookly, NY 11237) between E 35th St & E 36th St 8th Avenue Gourmet Deli (134 8th Ave, Manhattan) between W 17th St & W 16th St Goodness Organic Market (717 W. 181st St, Manhattan) between Bennett Ave & Broadway King’s Deli & Grill (592 Albany Ave, …

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Plantcraft Pepperoni Slices

©Plantcraft

Food & Beverage

Plantcraft Unveils New, Cleaner-Label Plant-Based Pepperoni

Plantcraft, a plant-based deli meat company, announces the launch of Plant-Based Pepperoni in Spicy and Mild varieties. Made with allergy-friendly green banana flour, the Pepperoni is the first product release from Plantcraft’s upcoming line of deli slices.  The brand says its Plant-Based Pepperoni will provide the same taste as traditional pepperoni with eight grams of protein per serving, five grams of fiber and no nuts, grains, soy, or eggs. The pepperoni also offers a clean label that is free from artificial additives and preservatives, with ingredients such as pea protein, green banana flour, faba protein, sunflower seed oil, salt and spices.  The Plant-Based Pepperoni is now available at Earth Fare Markets, a Southeast US-based chain with 20+ locations, followed by additional retailers. Each seven-ounce package will …

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Prime Roots Koji Ham Deli Meats

©Prime Roots

Products & Launches

Prime Roots Launches World’s First Koji-Based Deli Meats and Foie Gras

Prime Roots, pioneers of Koji-based Meat, announces the company has re-branded and is launching the first-ever line of Koji Deli Meats and Charcuterie. The new line includes sliceable hams, turkey and salami, as well as koji pâtés, pepperoni and foie gras.  Aiming to disrupt the $300 billion global bulk deli market, the brand intends to revolutionize the concept of deli meat alternatives, where it says there is currently a lack of strong leading players.  Prime Root’s koji protein platform has allowed it to create the first animal-free deli meats that can be freshly sliced and used to make traditional deli classics, like smokey ham and cracked pepper turkey sandwiches.  The groundbreaking meats and pâtés are crafted from koji – the same fungi used to make …

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Herbed Porquetta

Herbed Porquetta ©Veganly Deli

Food & Beverage

Veganly Deli Uses Superfoods to Create High Protein Vegan Deli Meats

Veganly Deli is a gourmet plant-based food producer in the UK that applies Michelin quality standards to produce high protein deli meats and dairy free cheeses aiming to make a contribution towards a new mainstream of plant-based eating. The product range of the British gourmet manufacturer includes variety of charcuterie, proper brie cheese, spicy n’duja spread and foie gras pate. The entire range is vegan and 100% natural, without refined sugars, additives or thickeners. According to Veganly Deli, the unique selling point of its products is the implementation of nutritional superfoods and protein powders. In place of standard flours, Veganly Deli uses a mix of organic hemp, rice and pumpkin protein, upping the protein content & quality of the product. Each meat of the range …

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Plantcraft founders

Csaba Hetenyi & Kati Ohens, Plantcraft founders

Products & Launches

The Next Generation Plant-Based Deli Meat Company is Here – Plantcraft Announces its US Launch

Plantcraft, calling itself the world’s first clean-label, plant-based deli meat company, announces its launch after almost a year of development. We spoke with the two entrepreneurs from Europe and New Zealand behind the new brand, creating innovative lunch meats out of banana and legumes.

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Rügenwalder Mühle

© Rügenwalder Mühle

Products & Launches

Rügenwalder Mühle Adds to Vegan Range With Launch of New Products

Rügenwalder Mühle
© Rügenwalder Mühle

Rügenwalder Mühle is a  meat production company based in North Germany, who since 2014 have been gradually increasing their number of meat alternatives, such as sausages, escalopes, and deli slices, to great success. This meat-free range has proved immensely popular in Germany, and last year their reported turnover reached 210 million euros, with 30% coming from vegetarian and vegan products.

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