Swiss plant equipment manufacturer Bühler has partnered with Big Idea Ventures to accelerate its creation of sustainable alternatives to animal-derived protein products. Bühler has invested in Big Idea Ventures' New Protein Fund, which will invest in and accelerate up to 100 plant- and cell-based companies worldwide. The venture capital fund runs four accelerator programmes annually in New York and Singapore. "We are glad to have Bühler join Tyson Ventures, Temasek and our other strategic investors in the Big Idea Ventures’ New Protein Fund," said Andrew D Ive, founder of Big Idea Ventures. "Together we can support the growth of the new generation of leading plant-based companies in North America, Asia and ultimately, the planet. Bühler and Big Idea Ventures will work together to build great companies responding to consumer demands for great-tasting food that is good for them and good for the planet." Ian Roberts, CTO at Bühler Group commented: "Providing safe, nutritious, pleasurable and affordable food to a population of 10 billion people by 2050 and doing that within the planetary boundaries is a formidable challenge. "There is an urgent need for wide-scale collaboration if we are to make an impact on the climate and nutrition challenges within the next decade. Academics, start-ups, and established companies need to come together to innovate and find more sustainable ways to produce food." He continued: This is why we are partnering with Big Idea Ventures: to accelerate the journey for promising start-ups, to reinforce partnerships and start-up ecosystems in Singapore and the US, and to do this with a clear focus on creating a more sustainable food supply for the future". "This new partnership benefits from our global network of Food Application Centers across Europe, Asia, and the US," said Johannes Wick, CEO grains and food at Bühler Group. "However, it is particularly timely, given that we are opening our Food Application Center in Minneapolis on June 19 and introducing new technologies, such as the Filtrex solution, specifically for this sector, and will open our joint innovation facility with Givaudan in Singapore later this year." The Food Application Center will provide a platform for developing new methods to transform peas, beans, corn, pulses, oats, ancient grains, to name a few, into new food applications, including flours, snacks, pasta, cereals, as well as plant-based meat analogues. Meanwhile, the joint Givaudan and Bühler innovation facility in Singapore combines the companies' expertise in order to focus on sustainable protein-based products. "We will be pleased to welcome Big Idea Ventures start-ups to benefit from our facilities and capabilities," added Roberts. "We are excited about this partnership and believe that we can advance our goals for a sustainable food system with Andrew and his team."

Beyond Meat has expanded its European production capacity by opening a new co-manufacturing facility and acquiring a new production site, both located in the Netherlands. The co-manufacturing facility is located in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands, and is owned and operated by Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat. The factory will produce the plant-based Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage meat alternatives, and will allow the ‘efficient distribution’ of these products in the European market. Meanwhile, Beyond Meat also fully-acquired its first manufacturing facility in Europe, located in Enschede, the Netherlands. The Beyond Meat-owned site is the first factory outside of Missouri, US, which can produce texturised plant proteins, the main ingredient in the company’s meat alternative products. The fully-owned protein production site will reportedly be fully operational by the end of 2020, and will work in tandem with the Zandbergen site. Additionally, the Zandbergen site will also enable the introduction of new, packaging for the Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage products. According to Beyond Meat, the new packaging features fully recyclable trays and 30% less material overall, compared to the firm’s existing packaging. Ethan Brown, founder and CEO of Beyond Meat, said: “This latest investment in production capacity reflects our continued commitment to serving global markets. “Our new facility in Enschede will not only bring production closer to the consumer, representing an investment in the markets and communities we serve, but is expected to allow us to leverage local supply chains, improving our cost structure and sustainability of operations. “We are excited to take this next step in bringing the nutritional and environmental benefits of our plant-based meats to the European consumer.” Adriaan Figee, chief commercial officer of Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat, added: “As the demand for plant-based protein and particularly Beyond Meat products grows in Europe and the Middle East, the official opening of this co-manufacturing facility in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands is timely.” #BeyondMeat #meatalternatives #plantbasedmeat

Beyond Meat has expanded its European production capacity by opening a new co-manufacturing facility and acquiring a new production site, both located in the Netherlands. The co-manufacturing facility is located in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands, and is owned and operated by Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat. The factory will produce the plant-based Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage meat alternatives, and will allow the 'efficient distribution' of these products in the European market. Meanwhile, Beyond Meat also fully-acquired its first manufacturing facility in Europe, located in Enschede, the Netherlands. The Beyond Meat-owned site is the first factory outside of Missouri, US, which can produce texturised plant proteins, the main ingredient in the company's meat alternative products. The fully-owned protein production site will reportedly be fully operational by the end of 2020, and will work in tandem with the Zandbergen site. Additionally, the Zandbergen site will also enable the introduction of new, packaging for the Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage products. According to Beyond Meat, the new packaging features fully recyclable trays and 30% less material overall, compared to the firm's existing packaging. Ethan Brown, founder and CEO of Beyond Meat, said: “This latest investment in production capacity reflects our continued commitment to serving global markets. “Our new facility in Enschede will not only bring production closer to the consumer, representing an investment in the markets and communities we serve, but is expected to allow us to leverage local supply chains, improving our cost structure and sustainability of operations. "We are excited to take this next step in bringing the nutritional and environmental benefits of our plant-based meats to the European consumer." Adriaan Figee, chief commercial officer of Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat, added: “As the demand for plant-based protein and particularly Beyond Meat products grows in Europe and the Middle East, the official opening of this co-manufacturing facility in Zoeterwoude, the Netherlands is timely."

In a bid to meet growing demand for plant-based food and beverages, taste and nutrition company Kerry has expanded its range of plant protein ingredients. The range includes organic, vegan and allergen-free products that are suitable for use in a variety of food and beverage applications — from infant nutrition to seniors’ protein beverages to vegan requirements. Products contain desirable plant sources, including pea, rice and sunflower combinations. In total, 13 new plant protein ingredients have been developed for the ProDiem and Hypro ranges. John Reilly, VP business development, proteins for Kerry Taste & Nutrition said: “We recognise the rapidly growing demand for plant-based protein as more and more consumers adopt a ‘flexitarian’ diet for health and sustainability reasons and are delighted to bring our expanded plant protein range to the market. “By combining these new sources of plant protein with our established processing technology, technical expertise and flavour-masking capability, we have opened up many new innovation opportunities for our customers — and innovation remains at the heart of our work.” He continued: “At Kerry, we keep a constant focus on developing new products and, for plant protein in particular, are now working on exciting applications in plant-based yogurt, ice cream bars and clear beverages, to name but a few”. #Kerry #plantbasedprotein #peaprotein #plantbased #plantbasedproteins

In a bid to meet growing demand for plant-based food and beverages, taste and nutrition company Kerry has expanded its range of plant protein ingredients. The range includes organic, vegan and allergen-free products that are suitable for use in a variety of food and beverage applications — from infant nutrition to seniors’ protein beverages to vegan requirements. Products contain desirable plant sources, including pea, rice and sunflower combinations. In total, 13 new plant protein ingredients have been developed for the ProDiem and Hypro ranges. John Reilly, VP business development, proteins for Kerry Taste & Nutrition said: "We recognise the rapidly growing demand for plant-based protein as more and more consumers adopt a ‘flexitarian’ diet for health and sustainability reasons and are delighted to bring our expanded plant protein range to the market. "By combining these new sources of plant protein with our established processing technology, technical expertise and flavour-masking capability, we have opened up many new innovation opportunities for our customers — and innovation remains at the heart of our work." He continued: "At Kerry, we keep a constant focus on developing new products and, for plant protein in particular, are now working on exciting applications in plant-based yogurt, ice cream bars and clear beverages, to name but a few”.

UK cheese manufacturer Norseland has expanded its line-up of vegan cheeses with a dairy-free version for its Mexicana brand. According to Norseland, Mexicana Vegan contains the same fiery spice mix and real bell and jalapeño peppers as its original Mexicana cheese. The coconut-based Mexicana Vegan follows on from the company’s successful launch of Applewood Vegan in 2019, which was made available in slice format earlier this year. Norseland’s latest dairy-free product is Vegan Society approved, fortified with Vitamin B12 and calcium, and free-from lactose, milk, eggs, soya, nuts and gluten. “The popularity of Applewood Vegan proved to us that there is a real demand for vegan alternatives to cheese, not just from vegans, but from flexitarians too,” said Lisa Harrison, senior brand manager for Mexicana at Norseland. She continued: “And what was key in its popularity was how well it melts like its dairy cheese counterparts. Mexicana Vegan is described as a “quick melting vegan cheese” “We applied the same logic to the creation of Mexicana Vegan and our taste panel of spicy cheese enthusiasts are already hooked on it, because it’s super-stringy when it melts and has all of the flavour of Mexicana, including a nice spicy kick.” Mexicana Vegan will be available to purchase from 20 July 2020 exclusively in Asda stores nationwide for an RRP of £2.30 per 200g block. Earlier this year, the company released a range of cheese snack bars called Amazin Grazin, in response to consumer demands for less sugary snacks. #dairyfree #Norseland #UK #vegan

UK cheese manufacturer Norseland has expanded its line-up of vegan cheeses with a dairy-free version for its Mexicana brand. According to Norseland, Mexicana Vegan contains the same fiery spice mix and real bell and jalapeño peppers as its original Mexicana cheese. The coconut-based Mexicana Vegan follows on from the company’s successful launch of Applewood Vegan in 2019, which was made available in slice format earlier this year. Norseland’s latest dairy-free product is Vegan Society approved, fortified with Vitamin B12 and calcium, and free-from lactose, milk, eggs, soya, nuts and gluten. “The popularity of Applewood Vegan proved to us that there is a real demand for vegan alternatives to cheese, not just from vegans, but from flexitarians too,” said Lisa Harrison, senior brand manager for Mexicana at Norseland. She continued: “And what was key in its popularity was how well it melts like its dairy cheese counterparts. "We applied the same logic to the creation of Mexicana Vegan and our taste panel of spicy cheese enthusiasts are already hooked on it, because it's super-stringy when it melts and has all of the flavour of Mexicana, including a nice spicy kick." Mexicana Vegan will be available to purchase from 20 July 2020 exclusively in Asda stores nationwide for an RRP of £2.30 per 200g block. Earlier this year, the company released a range of cheese snack bars called Amazin Grazin, in response to consumer demands for less sugary snacks.

US-based Arctic Zero has expanded its line of low-calorie, non-dairy frozen desserts with the launch of two new flavours. Classic Vanilla and Pistachio join Arctic Zero’s range of plant-based frozen desserts made with fava bean protein. At 40 calories per serving, Pistachio offers a blend of pistachio and amaretto flavour, while Classic Vanilla is described as “smooth and rich” offering the perfect base for a smoothie or shake. While Arctic Zero initially entered the low-calorie ice cream category with its frozen desserts, it has since reformulated its original line to meet dairy-free diets. The brand’s complete range is now non-dairy and certified plant-based. The San Diego-headquartered brand claims its better-for-you range is without all the calories and fat that regular ice cream and nut-based frozen desserts have. Each pint of Classic Vanilla and Pistachio contains 160 calories and is Non-GMO Project Verified, naturally flavoured, gluten-free and low-glycaemic. The new varieties will join other flavours in its line-up including Salted Caramel, Cookie Shake, Cake Batter, Hint of Mint and Purely Chocolate. “There has been a lot of disruption in the better-for-you category leaving consumers overwhelmed. The launch of these two new flavours show our fans that we are listening and will continue to focus on being the lowest calorie, plant based frozen dessert available,” said Arctic Zero CEO Jason Paine. Arctic Zero’s Classic Vanilla and Pistachio flavours are now available to purchase at select grocers and natural food stores across the US. #ArticZero #dairyfreeicecream #favabean #US

US-based Arctic Zero has expanded its line of low-calorie, non-dairy frozen desserts with the launch of two new flavours. Classic Vanilla and Pistachio join Arctic Zero’s range of plant-based frozen desserts made with fava bean protein. At 40 calories per serving, Pistachio offers a blend of pistachio and amaretto flavour, while Classic Vanilla is described as “smooth and rich” offering the perfect base for a smoothie or shake. While Arctic Zero initially entered the low-calorie ice cream category with its frozen desserts, it has since reformulated its original line to meet dairy-free diets. The brand’s complete range is now non-dairy and certified plant-based. The San Diego-headquartered brand claims its better-for-you range is without all the calories and fat that regular ice cream and nut-based frozen desserts have. Each pint of Classic Vanilla and Pistachio contains 160 calories and is Non-GMO Project Verified, naturally flavoured, gluten-free and low-glycaemic. The new varieties will join other flavours in its line-up including Salted Caramel, Cookie Shake, Cake Batter, Hint of Mint and Purely Chocolate. "There has been a lot of disruption in the better-for-you category leaving consumers overwhelmed. The launch of these two new flavours show our fans that we are listening and will continue to focus on being the lowest calorie, plant based frozen dessert available,” said Arctic Zero CEO Jason Paine. Arctic Zero’s Classic Vanilla and Pistachio flavours are now available to purchase at select grocers and natural food stores across the US.

Nestlé has been ordered by a Dutch court to stop using the product name “Incredible Burger” following a preliminary injunction filed by Impossible Foods. The District Court of The Hague ruled that Nestlé’s use of “Incredible” for its plant-based burger in Europe infringed upon Impossible Foods’ trademark and said it was “likely to confuse customers”. Following the court ruling, Nestlé is prohibited from branding products “Incredible Burger” in Europe and has four weeks to withdraw the infringing branding from retailers or each of the 10 subsidiaries involved will face a €25,000 penalty per day. Nestlé launched the Incredible Burger under its Garden Gourmet brand in Europe last year. During the ruling, the European court noted that Nestlé deliberately used similar visual, phonetic and conceptual similarities to the Impossible Burger trademark to capitalise on the strength of Impossible Foods’ brand. Dana Wagner, Impossible Foods’ chief legal officer, said: “While we applaud other companies’ efforts to develop plant-based products, we don’t want consumers confused by simulacra. We’re grateful that the court recognised the importance of our trademarks and supported our efforts to protect our brand against incursion from a powerful multinational giant.” Nestlé has since announced plans to unveil a new burger recipe across Europe as part of its Garden Gourmet range named Sensational Burger. The Swiss food and beverage giant said it will rebrand all of its products that previously used the ‘incredible’ descriptor in Europe to “sensational”. In a statement sent to FoodBev, a Nestlé spokesperson said: “We are disappointed by this provisional ruling as it is our belief that anyone should be able to use descriptive terms such as ‘incredible’ that explain the qualities of a product. We will of course abide by this decision, but in parallel, we will file an appeal.” #Europe #GardenGourmet #ImpossibleFoods #Nestlé

Nestlé has been ordered by a Dutch court to stop using the product name “Incredible Burger” following a preliminary injunction filed by Impossible Foods. The District Court of The Hague ruled that Nestlé’s use of “Incredible” for its plant-based burger in Europe infringed upon Impossible Foods’ trademark and said it was “likely to confuse customers”. Following the court ruling, Nestlé is prohibited from branding products “Incredible Burger” in Europe and has four weeks to withdraw the infringing branding from retailers or each of the 10 subsidiaries involved will face a €25,000 penalty per day. Nestlé launched the Incredible Burger under its Garden Gourmet brand in Europe last year. During the ruling, the European court noted that Nestlé deliberately used similar visual, phonetic and conceptual similarities to the Impossible Burger trademark to capitalise on the strength of Impossible Foods’ brand. Dana Wagner, Impossible Foods’ chief legal officer, said: “While we applaud other companies’ efforts to develop plant-based products, we don’t want consumers confused by simulacra. We’re grateful that the court recognised the importance of our trademarks and supported our efforts to protect our brand against incursion from a powerful multinational giant.” Nestlé has since announced plans to unveil a new burger recipe across Europe as part of its Garden Gourmet range named Sensational Burger. The Swiss food and beverage giant said it will rebrand all of its products that previously used the ‘incredible’ descriptor in Europe to “sensational”. In a statement sent to FoodBev, a Nestlé spokesperson said: “We are disappointed by this provisional ruling as it is our belief that anyone should be able to use descriptive terms such as ‘incredible’ that explain the qualities of a product. We will of course abide by this decision, but in parallel, we will file an appeal.”