Proteins

WEBINAR Oct 28: Kids and the plant-based trend

27-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Do children like oatmilk and Beyond Burgers? Research* shows that US families with children over-index for plant-based milk and yogurt sales and that parents of children under 18 are more likely to think that plant-based proteins are healthier than animal-based...

ADM shares top 5 food trends for 2021: ‘It’s going to be a year of innovation, marked by significant breakthroughs in nutrition’

27-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Influenced by feelings of stress and anxiety, shifting priorities caused by the ongoing pandemic, and changes in social connectivity, consumers are taking a more holistic and proactive approach to health and wellness, according to a new report from ADM....

Is cell-cultured meat commercially viable? ‘We have to be able to show a clear path to profit at scale,’ says Memphis Meats VP

26-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

What will it take to make cell-cultured meat – growing animal cells outside of an animal to produce ‘real’ meat without slaughter – commercially viable on an industrial scale?

DAH! launches ‘game-changing’ plant-based yogurt combining oat, almond, and coconut

23-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Indian-inspired brand DAH! has entered the plant-based yogurt category with an oat, almond, and coconut slow-cultured blend, which president Ajeet Burns believes will be a taste and nutritional game-changer in the segment.

'Vegan cheese' banned but 'veggie burger' still on the table, votes European Parliament

23-Oct-2020 By Flora Southey

The European Parliament has voted to ban dairy-related terms for plant-based alternatives. An amendment proposing to ban ‘meaty’ terms for vegan products, however, has not passed – much to the sector’s delight.

Good Catch plant-based seafood products enter Canadian retailers

22-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Good Catch has launched nationwide in Canada, where its frozen plant-based seafood entrees and appetizers are available at 640 locations from retailers including Loblaws, Provigo, Dominion, and others.

SEED study aims to address the 'growing yet surprisingly silent pandemic of anxiety' around kids and food allergies

22-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Building off the landmark LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy) study, food allergy advocacy group FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), is launching the SEED (Start Eating Early Diet) study exploring early introduction of multiple allergenic...

Fava bean innovation opens new avenue for plant-based product development: ‘We are thrilled to imagine where this will lead us’

22-Oct-2020 By Katy Askew

Verso Food has secured a patent covering its fava bean processing technology for plant-based foods and meat analogues. FoodNavigator hears from the company's CEO Tomi Järvenpää about the product development opportunities it could unlock, the group’s...

SunOpta makes ‘huge bet’ on oatmilk as new extraction facility set to become operational

21-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

With oatmilk muscling ahead of soymilk to become the #2 player in the plant-based milk category, SunOpta is aggressively building capacity to meet growing demand, with a new oat extraction facility in Alexandria, Minnesota, due to come online in the fourth...

‘We want to make sure that when people live on Mars, we’ll be there too’: Aleph Farms plans to accelerate cell-based meat production in outer space

21-Oct-2020 By Oliver Morrison

After its first experiment producing meat on the International Space Station a year ago, cultured meat company Aleph Farms has announced its new ‘Aleph Zero’ programme, which aims to accelerate ‘extra-terrestrial food production’.

Impossible Foods seeks to double size of R&D team, provides glimpse of work on Impossible Milk and egg alternatives

20-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

It’s not sharing launch dates, but Impossible Foods is making progress on developing egg alternatives and a milk that “is better than anything that comes from a cow,” company execs told reporters during a call outlining plans to double the size of the...

Albertsons digital sales up 243% year-over-year as retailer drives customer engagement

20-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Albertsons Companies saw total revenue grow 11.2% to $15.8bn during Q2 2020 (12 weeks ended Sept. 12, 2020) driven by strong digital sales growth (+243%) and a growing base of loyal consumers who are gravitating towards the retailer's private label...

Whole Foods reveals top 10 food trends for 2021

19-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, Whole Foods Market has unveiled its top 10 food trends for 2021, which include revitalized “epic” breakfast meals and culinary-inspired baby food, to growing consumer adoption of fringe cooking oils and food...

Cell-cultured meat startups, NAMI, urge USDA to gather more data before issuing a proposed rule on labeling

19-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Cell cultured meat startups and conventional meat companies have written to USDA’s food safety and inspection service (FSIS) urging officials to gather more data before publishing a proposed rule on how cell-cultured meat and poultry products should be...

Plant-based meat webinar highlights… from Impossible Foods’ global ambitions to those ‘frankly desperate’ Lightlife ads

17-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Impossible Foods is gearing up for market entry in Europe, China and Brazil; Beyond Meat is looking at “any and all plant-based protein sources” as it expands its ingredient toolbox; Meati Foods is preparing to launch fungi-based steaks, and Planterra...

Pulled Oats… the new trend in plant-based meat? Gold & Green touts shorter, cleaner label for 'next wave' of meat alternatives

16-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

While all the key brands in plant-based meat are exploring new protein sources, most still use soy or pea as the primary protein source. Oats, rapidly emerging as star players in the plant-based milk category, have not, however, made any real impact in...

LIVEKINDLY Collective raises $135m gearing up for 2021 US launch of plant-based portfolio

15-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Launched earlier this year, global multi-brand plant-based food company The LIVEKINDLY Collective has closed a $135m capital raise led by Blue Horizon Corporation to accelerate and increase capacity for its planned 2021 US launch.

Hooray Foods to debut plant-based bacon at seven regions of Whole Foods

15-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Hooray Foods – which launched its allergy-friendly vegan bacon (no soy or wheat) in restaurants late last year – will make its retail debut on November 1 with a roll out to seven regions of Whole Foods Market.

Kroger adds more than 50 plant-based items to Simple Truth line

14-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Kroger has added more than 50 items -- from oat milk ice cream and non-dairy cheese to the debut of Emerge Chik'n -- to its Simple Truth plant-based collection to meet consumers' growing appetite for plant-based alternatives.

Tune into the Consumer Parents' Panel in part one of the FOOD FOR KIDS 2020 virtual summit

14-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

How are parents coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in their households when it comes to feeding their kids? Has the extra time spent at home given families more opportunity to cook and experiment with new recipes, or has the anxiety left parents scrambling...

Acosta: Consumers split on attitudes towards eating and cooking at home

13-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Coronavirus has forced many consumers to get comfortable eating and cooking at home for most meals, and while some are rediscovering their love for cooking, others have grown tired of the routine, according to an Acosta survey.

FOOD FOR KIDS TRAILBLAZERS GALLERY: Entrepreneurs to watch... innovative new brands in kids' food & beverage

13-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

We had a record number of entries for this year's FOOD FOR KIDS Trailblazers Challenge, spanning everything from chickpea butter and lentil-based meat crumbles to bubbly probiotic water and veggie-infused ketchup. Here are some of the innovations...

Kroger enters meal delivery game with launch of on-premise ghost kitchens

08-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

In partnership with Indiana-based technology startup ClusterTruck, Kroger is repurposing around 1,000 square feet of retail space at select stores to meet consumer demand for quick, freshly-prepared, restaurant-quality meals delivered to customers'...

Israeli startup Zero Egg enters US market with b2b launch of plant-based egg replacement

08-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Following a successful launch in Israel and the Netherlands, Israeli startup Zero Egg is hoping to crack the US market with the launch of plant-based egg alternatives for CPG manufacturers and foodservice operators that it claims blows rivals out of the...

What’s in a name? FDA requests info on labeling of cell-cultured seafood

07-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

The FDA has issued a request for information on how best to label cell-cultured seafood as startups in the space edge closer to commercialization.

Good Catch plant-based tuna enters Veggie Grill locations

07-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Gathered Foods, maker of Good Catch plant-based seafood, has partnered with fast casual restaurant chain Veggie Grill to launch a tuna melt menu item featuring Good Catch Plant Based Tuna.

Last chance to register: FREE plant-based meat webinar with Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat, Meati Foods, Planterra Foods, GFI

07-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

Where is the plant-based meat category heading, and how reliable are some of the predictions out there about how much this market could be worth over the next 10-15 years?

NEW PRODUCTS GALLERY: From Beyond Meatballs and dairy-free parm crisps to keto yogurt

07-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

From a flurry of plant-based meat launches and keto snacks, to beverages promoting immunity, checkout FoodNavigator-USA's latest gallery of new products hitting the market this fall/winter.

SpoonfulOne launches virtual trial to study real-world applications of early food allergen introduction

06-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Food allergy protection company, SpoonfulOne, and the Duke Clinical Research Institute, are launching a digital randomized controlled trial recruiting 1,500 healthy babies to investigate the feasibility of early allergen introduction.

Whole Foods CEO and Eat Just CEO talk the future of food and importance of innovation

05-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Innovation at the hands of forward-thinking entrepreneurs will be key to creating a more sustainable food system and healthier population, Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey told attendees of an online discussion about the new documentary, 'They...

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Organic Trade Association & CPG leaders address ‘existential threat’ of climate change

05-Oct-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Over the last two weeks of September, members of the Organic Trade Association met virtually with 30 legislators on both sides of the aisle from 19 states to advocate for policies that they say will help all farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change,...

Tasty Jungle expands gluten-free options in pasta aisle with novel ingredient: breadfruit

05-Oct-2020 By Elaine Watson

It’s the fruit that inspired the most famous naval mutiny in history… and it’s coming to the US pasta category this year.

Beverage alliance IncuBev provides one-stop-shop for beverage brands navigating ‘the choppy go-to-market waters’

02-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Four companies have teamed up combining their beverage commercialization expertise to launch IncuBev, a multi-phase service offering to assist beverage brands with the challenges of product development and commercialization.

Conagra posts strong Q1 2021 results: ‘Our business is healthy, our products are relevant, and our capabilities are strong’

01-Oct-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Conagra Brands posted stronger-than-expected Q1 2021 (13 weeks ended Aug. 30) results, which saw organic net sales increase 15% with significant growth coming from its grocery & snacks (+16%), refrigerated & frozen (+17.9%), and international...

Roquette’s world’s largest pea protein plant marks ‘new era of food innovation’

01-Oct-2020 By Oliver Morrison

The French ingredients maker says it is on track to open the world’s largest pea protein factory in Manitoba, Canada, later this year in December, despite COVID-19 headwinds.

Serenity Kids goes beyond baby food with toddler purees with bone broth, continues rise in natural

01-Oct-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

With today’s launch of a trio of toddler purees with bone broth, emerging children’s food brand Serenity Kids not only expands its reach beyond baby food pouches, but its founders say they hope to further boost the brand’s already fast-rising position...

Beyond Burger rolls out to 2,400 Walmart stores

30-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Walmart plans to triple availability of Beyond Meat's plant-based Beyond Burger from 800 stores to 2,400+ stores nationwide beginning next week, as plant-based meat continues to gain traction in mainstream grocery retail.

Introducing the FOOD FOR KIDS 2020 virtual summit: From kids and the plant-based trend to dietary guidelines for infants and toddlers

29-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

School closures – and tentative re-openings – have compounded stress levels for families, while COVID-19-induced economic anxiety is also straining household budgets. So how can food and beverage brands come up with enticing – but affordable – recipes,...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Kroger names former Mondelēz executive as new SVP of supply chain

29-Sep-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Kroger has named Gabriel Arreaga as its new SVP of supply chain beginning Oct. 1, 2020 replacing Robert Clark who will retire from the company effective February 1, 2021.

New proteins, processing technologies could open the door for plant-based seafood to gain share

29-Sep-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Even though seafood alternatives account for only a small fraction of the current total plant-based protein market, it is primed for fast-paced growth and holds the most promise for capturing market share from its animal-based conventional counterpart,...

UC Davis receives $3.55m grant to investigate long-term viability of cell-cultured meat

28-Sep-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

The University of California, Davis, (UC Davis) has received a grant of up to $3.55m from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Growing Convergence program to explore the long-term sustainability and commercial viability of cell-cultured (a.k.a. 'cultivated')...

Alt Protein conference highlights: ‘We’ll see more change in the next 10 years than we’ve seen in the last 10,000’

28-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

The authors of a 2019 report from RethinkX predicting that the US dairy and cattle industry would collapse by 2030 as microscopic microbial protein factories disrupt the food system as we know it were dismissed by some as living in a ‘vegan fantasyland.'...

How will Mosa Meat spend its latest $55m injection?

25-Sep-2020 By Flora Southey

Cultured meat company Mosa Meat has closed a $55m (€47m) Series B funding round. FoodNavigator asks the start-up’s Head of Operations, Sarah Lucas, exactly how it plans to use the money.

Beyond burgers? Renegade Food gears up to open new production facility for plant-based charcuterie

24-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

With most retail chains now stocking a wide selection of plant-based burgers, sausages, and grounds, retailers and investors are looking for areas of untapped opportunity in the plant-based meat space, says Berkeley-based startup Renegade Food, which...

Researcher: “There is enormous potential for breadfruit in the protein sector”

23-Sep-2020 By Danielle Masterson

As more consumers focus on health, wellness and sustainability, researchers are pointing to one botanical that has been hiding in plain sight for thousands of years.

Sophie’s Kitchen heads to Walmart as plant-based seafood seeks mainstream positioning

22-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Sophie’s Kitchen is heading to the frozen food aisle at 400 Walmart stores this month with vegan crab cakes and vegan breaded shrimp, in a move CEO Dr Miles Woodruff says provides a further proof point that plant-based seafood has the potential to move...

‘The next wave of plant-based alternatives needs to be significantly less processed…’ Daring Foods raises $8m

22-Sep-2020 By Elaine Watson

Daring Foods – a startup seeking to punch above its weight in the plant-based chicken category via a lower calorie product with a shorter, cleaner, ingredients list and bold branding – has closed an $8m Series A funding round led by VC firm Maveron, taking...

Decentralized production & enhanced biodiversity, bioavailability are key for a ‘perfect food system’

22-Sep-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

To create a “perfect food system” that can feed more people with fewer resources in the next 50 years, the food industry needs to turn 180-degrees away from long-considered “best practices,” including focusing on high yield crops, concentrating production...

Investments in grocery CPG, food delivery increase despite lingering economic uncertainty

22-Sep-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Venture capitalists’ initial hesitancy to enter new deals immediately following the coronavirus outbreak appears to be easing with the most interest and activity focused on grocery CPGs and food delivery, according to an analyst with Pitchbook.

Study: Facts up Front nutrition labels associated with improved nutritional quality

21-Sep-2020 By Mary Ellen Shoup

An analysis of 21,096 food products from 9,083 brands across 44 categories found an association between Facts Up Front labeling – in which nutrition facts appear on the front of the package in addition to mandated nutritional information on the back of...