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Clean Label

Herbie Tofu Healthy Chicken Sandwich

©Herbie Burger
Fast Food

Herbie Burger Opens in LA to Offer Vegetable-Based Take on Vegan Fast Food

While most vegan burger spots make use of the ever-popular Beyond and Impossible Burgers, there’s a growing counter-movement that seeks to make whole vegetables and mushrooms the new star ingredients. Herbie Burger, which opened in Culver City, CA in August, is bucking the storebought brand trend to create its own line of indulgent black bean burgers, mushroom fried chicken, and healthier sides intended to shake up the plant-based fast food scene.  [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”I want to demonstrate that vegan food is delicious, satisfying and nourishing“[/perfectpullquote] Herbie was founded by Peter Williams, a vegan of six years who enjoyed creating plant-based versions of classic comfort foods at home. When he struggled to find the same dishes at restaurants made without long …

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Edenesque Grow-NY Competition

©Edenesque
Food & Beverage

Edenesque Dairy-Free Milk Selected as $1M Finalist in Grow-NY’s Startup Competition

Edenesque, a plant-based milk startup based in Kingston, NY, has been selected as a finalist for a $1M grand prize in the Grow-NY competition, a global food innovation and agriculture tech challenge. Worldwide competition Overseen by the Empire State Development and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement, 2022 marks the fourth year of the challenge, with this year’s competition drawing a significantly higher number of applications than 2021, reports WRRV.  Though based in New York, the competition attracts entrepreneurs from across the world. From the US, 25 states were represented, with 38% having female founders and 75% a founder from an underrepresented minority group. Twenty finalists, including Edenesque, are now vying for seven cash prizes: a $1 million grand prize, two $500,000 prizes and four …

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© Barvecue

Company News

Barvecue and Arbiom Partner to ‘Dramatically Increase’ Consumer Acceptance of Plant-Based Meats

Plant BBQ brand Barvecue and protein innovator Arbiom announce a strategic partnership to improve the taste, texture and nutritional profile of clean-label plant-based meats.  [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Arbiom’s functional GMO-free ingredients have proven to be an exceptional protein source”[/perfectpullquote] The partnership seeks to “dramatically increase” public acceptance of plant-based meats by conducting product innovation, focus group research, and commercial trials.  Based in North Carolina, Barvecue produces an acclaimed line of wood-smoked pulled pork alternatives and carnitas. In 2021, the brand opened the world’s largest vegan smokehouse and has expanded its products to over 1,200 US stores, including Sprouts, Safeway and Harris Teeter. Since 2020, Barvecue has raised nearly $3M in investment funding.  “The world’s demand for protein is expected to double …

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Malt ingredients PlantMalt

© Muntons
Ingredients

Muntons Launches PlantMalt Clean Label Ingredients for Meat Alternatives

Muntons, one of the world’s most significant malt and malted ingredients companies, announces the launch of PlantMalt, a new line of grain, liquid, and powdered malt extracts to be used in plant-based foods to make better meat analogs. According to Muntons, PlantMalt has been developed to help manufacturers achieve succulent flavours, texture, colour, and mouthfeel of meat alternatives. PlantMalt’s line was created by consulting alternative protein experts and adding Muntons’ extensive knowledge of malts. Richard Platt, the senior product development technologist at Muntons, said: “As a team, we fully immersed ourselves into the plant-based category, benchmarking the existing products, we were able to understand the challenges that manufacturers are facing. We identified the common ingredients used and understood their functionalities before creating our own plant-based burger, sausage, …

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Plant-based burger

@ Photographer Yuval Gruda
Company News

Food Tech Startup Meala Develops Vegetable Protein to Replace Methylcellulose 

Many food formulators working with plant-based alternatives are looking for binders and gums that count as clean-label ingredients to add to their products. Meala, a food tech startup born in Israel, recently revealed it has developed a proprietary platform that creates ‘functionally activated proteins’ designed to replace methylcellulose and gums widely used as binding and gelling agents. The startup claims that its proteins bring the possibility of upgrading to clean label most plant-based meat alternatives while boosting its sensory attributes. [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”We believe this can be a giant step in making plant-based foods the standard”[/perfectpullquote] Meala was founded in 2020 by Product Innovation Specialist Hadar Ekhoiz Razmovich, Dr. Tali Feldman Sivan, a serial entrepreneur and business strategist, and Liran …

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Ingredients

Meurens Natural: “We Were the First to Produce Oat Syrups That Can Be Used to Produce Oat Drinks”

Meurens Natural, a Belgian company specialized in clean label extracts made from oat and other cereals, offers organic ingredients for plant-based products and therefore has developed a range of high protein brands. Tim Van de Gehuchte, International Sales & Marketing Manager at Meurens Natural, talks about possible applications and how they contribute to a healthy and sustainable way of life. Who is Meurens Natural, and what does the company stand for? Meurens Natural is a family-owned Belgian company that processes cereals and dried fruits into organic and natural ingredients for the food processing sector. Meurens Natural has been a pioneer in the organic sector with the Sipal® brand, for over 30 years. Throughout the years, we have developed a unique production know-how that is 100% …

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Next Level Burger Stacked Vegan Burger

©Next Level Burger
Fast Food

Next Level Burger Raises $20M to Quadruple US Stores and Accelerate Path to 1,000 Locations

Vegan burger chain Next Level Burger announces it has raised $20M in funding to accelerate its plans for national US expansion. The company’s growth includes quadrupling its store count by the end of 2025, and eventually opening 1,000 locations.  [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Our company mission has been focused on a triple bottom line philosophy of doing good, having fun and making money”[/perfectpullquote] According to the brand, the round was led by a strategic organic and natural foods partner, private mission-driven shareholders and early stage vegan investors Alex Payne, formerly of Twitter and Simple Bank, and Nicole Brodeur.  Operating nine locations in California, Oregon, Colorado, Texas and New York, Next Level is renowned for its 100% plant-based take on classic American fast …

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Sacred Serve Ice Cream Pints

©Sacred Serve
Food & Beverage

Sacred Serve Expands Its Upcycled Vegan Gelato to US Whole Foods Nationwide

Chicago brand Sacred Serve is expanding its line of vegan superfood gelato to Whole Foods stores across the US, reports Food Navigator-USA.  [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”The product’s integrity is going to be better than it ever was”[/perfectpullquote] Founded by Kailey Donewald, Sacred Serve packages its clean-label gelato in the world’s first plastic-free, 100% biodegradable ice cream cartons. To craft the ice cream, Sacred Serve uses a base of upcycled Thai green coconuts, which it says provides a lighter coconut flavor and thick texture that eliminates the need for gums or stabilizers. The coconut is then blended with superfoods, adaptogens and medicinal mushroom ingredients. Accelerating capacity The brand first launched at 30 regional Whole Foods stores in 2019, where it worked to …

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GOODLES Vegan Mac and Cheese Bowl

©GOODLES
Food & Beverage

Gal Gadot’s GOODLES Launches Its First Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese at Whole Foods Market

GOODLES, the mac and cheese brand backed by actress Gal Gadot, announced it has launched into US Whole Foods stores nationwide. Known for its nutritious remake of classic cheesy noodles, GOODLES’ says its first dairy-free flavor, Vegan is Believin’, will also launch at the retailer by the end of August.  [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”We hope to make GOODLES available to more foodie, health-conscious people than ever before”[/perfectpullquote] Whole Foods in fact will be the first market to feature Vegan is Believin’, a plant-based version of white cheddar mac. Made with wheat flour and chickpea protein, the spiral pasta also contains nutrients extracted from 21 plant ingredients such as broccoli, spinach, kale, pumpkin, sweet potato, cranberry, and mushrooms.  The dairy-free cheese sauce …

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Actual Veggies Clean-Label Burger Range

©Actual Veggies
Food & Beverage

Actual Veggies Launches Chef-Crafted Vegetable-Based Burgers at 57 Costco Stores

Actual Veggies, which produces plant-based burgers from real vegetables, announces it has launched into 57 Costco stores in the San Francisco Bay Area.  [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”We have been working towards this since the inception of Actual Veggies”[/perfectpullquote] For the first time, the brand’s burgers will be sold in bulk packs of eight patties each. Based in New York, Actual Veggies seeks to “put real vegetables back into veggie burgers” and produces a line of gourmet, thick-cut patties made with wholesome, plant-only ingredients.  The range of ¼ lb Actual burgers includes:  The Green Burger (Kale, broccoli, peas, zucchini, spinach) The Purple Burger (Beets, carrots, red onions, peas) The Orange Burger (Sweet potato, carrots, red pepper, cauliflower) The Black Burger (Black beans, …

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Lavva Original Yogurt

©Lavva
Company News

Lavva Plant-Based Yogurt Acquired by Next in Natural, Names Jeff Lichtenstein as New CEO

Dairy-free yogurt brand Lavva announces it has been acquired by its lead operating partner, Next in Natural, a New York-based business development studio. Through the partnership, Lavva is also appointing Jeff Lichtenstein as its new CEO, and adding several strategic investors to its team.  [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”One of the few truly healthy and delicious foods at the grocery store that doesn’t still have its leaves attached”[/perfectpullquote] According to Lavva, Lichtenstein brings extensive experience in launching and scaling national CPG brands in the natural category. As the founder and CEO of Gourmet Guru (acquired by UNFI), Lichtenstein helped to launch such well-known brands as Chobani, Stumptown Coffee, and Hu.  “Lavva is what’s next in natural – delicious and nutritious plant-based products aligned …

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almond drinks by MALK Organics

© MALK Organics
Beverages

Clean Label MALK Organics Announces New Chocolate Oat & Retail Expansion

Founded in 2015, the on-trend brand MALK Organics claims it prides itself on “leading the charge for cleaner products in the plant-based milk category”. This week the Austin Texas producer announces the launch of its new Chocolate Oat variety as well as significant distribution expansion. Known for its clean label, cold-pressed almond and oat milks containing only 3-5 simple ingredients with no glyphosates, gums, fillers, or oils, MALK’s existing products include Unsweetened Almond, Vanilla Almond, Original Oat, and Vanilla Oat. MALK tapped into the burgeoning nut milk trend in its early days and its portfolio has been available in Kroger, Whole Foods and HEB since 2018. A year later the Texan team launched a MALK Creamer line exclusively into Whole Foods Markets, created with gluten-free organic …

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Chinova Bioworks Chiber Yogurt Preservative

©Chinova Bioworks

Company News

Chinova Bioworks’ Chiber Mushroom Preservative Receives FDA GRAS Status

Canadian food tech startup Chinova Bioworks has received a No Questions Letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) application for Chiber Mushroom Fiber. The letter indicates the ingredient is now permitted for use in food applications.  [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Mushrooms have long been overlooked by our food system for their incredible functional properties”[/perfectpullquote] Acting as a natural food and beverage preservative, Chiber is derived from the upcycled stems of white button mushrooms. According to Chinova, it can improve the quality, freshness and shelf-life of many food and beverage products including plant-based meats, baked goods, hummus and dairy-free yogurt.  Prior to receiving the No Questions letter, Chinova worked with an independent panel of …

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Nowadays Chicken nuggets

© Nowadays
Food & Beverage

Nowadays’ Clean-Label Nuggets Make Retail Debut at Whole Foods Market

Nowadays, a health-focused plant-based meat brand, announces its best-selling nuggets are now available in retail for the first time. Whole Foods stores in the US Southern Pacific region will now carry the brand, with more retailers and locations being added later this year.  “Unparalleled nutrition” According to Nowadays, its “wholesome” simple-ingredient nuggets are the most nutritious on the market, compared to both plant-based and conventional brands. Made with seven ingredients, including non-GMO yellow pea protein, Nowadays nuggets contain 120 calories, 13 grams of protein, 250 mg and no saturated fat per serving.  The nuggets feature a crispy outer coating with classic fried chicken flavor, and can be quickly prepared as a snack, simple meal or healthier comfort food option. Each 16 oz Nowadays pack currently …

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Neil Rankin © Symplicity Foods
Food Service

Symplicity Foods: “Food Made by Nature is Always Better. Nature Does Things Better All Round”

Headed by Neil Rankin, the trained butcher and London steakhouse chef who switched to making 100% clean vegan meat; Symplicity Foods is a clean label food company that specialises in “helping chefs, home cooks, caterers and restaurants to reduce their reliance on meat”. Becoming increasingly concerned about sustainability, Rankin took the initial approach of trying to use every part of the animal when creating his food. Eventually became “disenchanted with the solution being meat-based” and turned his attention towards plant-based options, going on to form Symplicity Foods and supply products such as plant-based burgers, meatballs, mince and sauces with a focus on fermentation techniques. Just last month, Symplicity partnered with London’s Homeslice Pizza to open its very first vegan-only location, after the plant-based pizzas offered …

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Wildgood Caramelized Fig Ice Cream

©Wildgood
Food & Beverage

Wildgood, the World’s First Olive Oil Ice Cream, Expands Gourmet Flavor Line with Caramelized Fig

Wildgood, the world’s first plant-based ice cream made with extra virgin olive oil, is expanding its gourmet lineup of flavors with Caramelized Fig. Inspired by the Mediterranean, the new variety features fig jam and caramelized sugar in a creamy olive oil-based dessert.  [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Consumers have been blown away by Wildgood”[/perfectpullquote] Backed by Stonyfield Organic co-founder Gary Hirshberg, Wildgood uses the “good fats” found in olive oil to replicate the rich textures of traditional dairy ice cream. With 2 grams of saturated fat per serving, the brand says its products boast the category’s lowest saturated fat content (for both dairy and non-dairy products), and contain 40% fewer calories than the leading dairy ice cream brand. Wildgood adds its products are …

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Simple Root Cream Cheese

©The Simple Root
Food & Beverage

The Simple Root, Backed by McCain Foods, is Launching Potato-Based Creamy Spreads and Dips in US

The Simple Root, a new plant-based brand backed by frozen potato giant McCain Foods, is bringing its vegetable-forward line of dips, cream cheese and artisan-style cheese spreads to the US this fall. The brand’s refrigerated products will first appear in major and specialty retailers in the Northeast.  [perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”It’s no longer just about cutting meat and dairy out, but about getting more vegetables in.”[/perfectpullquote] Through an innovative process, Simple Root uses potatoes, sweet potatoes and parsnips to create a creamy product base, then blends in wholesome ingredients like vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices. All of its products are free from soy, nuts, gluten and artificial additives.  The products launching this fall include:  Dips Salsa Con Queso Sweet & Spicy …

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Chinova Bioworks

Co-founders David Brown and Natasha Dhayagude ©Chinova Bioworks
Food & Beverage

Chinova Closes $6M Series A to Expand Chiber – A Novel Preservative Made from Upcycled Mushrooms

Canadian food tech startup Chinova Bioworks announces it has secured $6M in Series A funding to expand production of Chiber™– a novel clean-label preservative extracted from mushrooms. The funding will also be used to grow Chinova’s team, create new products and enhance its production capabilities on Prince Edward Island.  Derived from the stems of upcycled white mushrooms, Chiber is a natural, allergen-free fiber that helps improve the quality, freshness and shelf-life of a wide variety of foods. It can be incorporated into plant-based meats and dairy, as well as baked goods, beverages and sauces, the company states. In the application of dairy-free yogurt, the startup says Chiber is the first clean-label ingredient that protects probiotic cultures and inhibits spoilage. Reducing waste To source its mushrooms, …

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clean label alt-meat products

© Symplicity Foods
Facts & Figures

Trained Butcher Develops Clean Label Alt-Meat Made With Fermented Plants

Based in the UK, Symplicity Foods makes clean label alt-meat products such as burgers, meatballs, and mince. The company was founded by Neil Rankin, a trained butcher best known for his meat-heavy Smokehouse and Temper restaurants. Having been concerned about sustainability for some time, Rankin initially took the approach of trying to use every part of the animal. But as he explained to Men’s Health, he eventually became “disenchanted with the solution being meat-based” and turned his attention towards plant-based options. Unimpressed by the processed ingredients used in many meat substitutes, Rankin set out to develop a healthier alternative that could be made in his home kitchen. After some trial and error, he began combining vegetables such as onions, beetroot, and mushrooms with fermented ingredients …

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Blackbird Foods Chili Seitan

©Blackbird Foods
Food & Beverage

NYC’s Blackbird Foods is Bringing Restaurant-Level Vegan Comfort Food to More Consumers

As the diversity of plant-based convenience foods grows, many brands still rely on mass-produced ingredients that typically lack hand-crafted taste and quality. Enter Blackbird Foods, an NYC plant-based foods company passionate about bringing the best NYC-style pizza and seitan to consumers everywhere.  The world’s “meatiest” seitan Founded by chefs Mark Mebus and Craig Cochran, Blackbird originally produced seitan (a meat alternative made from wheat protein) for sale to local restaurants. Chef Mebus spent over a decade perfecting the art of transforming wheat into seitan, yielding a highly-flavored, meaty product that is low in fat and packed with protein. When more customers began to request Blackbird’s seitan for home cooking, the brand opened a production facility in NYC.  While there are plenty of wheat-based plant-based meats, …

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