It’s been a mixed bag in the food world this week. On the one hand, Suzy Amis Cameron has unveiled a $300 million global holding company dedicated to making several industries, including food, more sustainable. But on the other hand—Meati Foods—a $450 million brand focused on accelerating innovation in plant-based meat—is at risk of shuttering due to insufficient funds. Despite this setback, the brand is dedicated to its mission, and is still operational through the crisis. It’s hoping for new funding, so watch this space.
Other good news in the food space comes from Eat Just, which just revealed that alongside cultivated meat, it has also been working on protein-packed plant-based chicken, too. Violife has also stepped into the creamer category and enlisted the help of Selling Sunset star Chrishelle Stause to promote the new products. On top of this, Oatly is giving away thousands of dairy-free flat whites, and there’s a new vegan flavor from Ben & Jerry’s. Keep reading for details on all of this and more below.
Vegan food news
This week in food news: new plant-based chicken at Eat Just and the Impastelito arrives at Vicky Bakery. Aloha has a new energy bar, and British brand Tiba Tempeh is thriving.
Eat Just reveals new plant-based chicken
Violife isn’t the only brand branching out into new categories. Eat Just, which is known for its vegan liquid egg, recently unveiled its new plant-based chicken at Natural Products Expo West (one of the world’s largest exhibitions of new products from thousands of brands). Not much is known about the new product yet, other than that it packs in around 18 grams of protein per serving. The new plant-based chicken is separate from its Good Meat spinoff, which produces cultivated chicken (chicken made with real animal cells).
Vicky Bakery launches plant-based Cuban pastry with Impossible Foods
Miami-based Cuban bakery Vicky Bakery has partnered with Impossible Foods on a new pastry, the Impastelito. According to the chain, it’s a vegan take on a pastelito, the classic Cuban pastry, and it will be available until May 16 in all locations. “With the same flavor profile we all know and love, the Impastelito stays true to Cuban tradition while offering a delicious, meatless alternative,” Amy Cao, managing partner of Vicky Bakery, said in a statement. “Whether you’re vegan, plant-curious, or just looking to try something new, this pastelito has you covered. As we evolve the brand, we’re always looking for fresh ways to connect with new customers.”
Tiba Tempeh
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British tempeh brand raises $1.4 million in funding
British brand Tiba Tempeh, which makes a range of tempeh products including Sweet Chili Pieces and Smoky BBQ Burgers, has raised $1.4 million (£1.1 million) in funding. The round follows a very successful year for the brand, which saw its sales increase by 736 percent. “The investment will help us accelerate our growth and support our mission to create a healthier world by inspiring people to enjoy more delicious, naturally healthy, and sustainable plant-based food,” Tiba Tempeh co-founder Ross Longton said in a statement.
Aloha launches new energy bar with taro
Protein bar and drinks brand Aloha has launched a brand new flavor in honor of Hawaii. The new flavor is made with taro, a starchy root vegetable that is a staple ingredient on the Hawaiian islands. “For centuries, taro (or kalo) has been a sacred root in Hawaiian culture, symbolizing life, nourishment, and connection to the land,” the brand stated on social media. “We’ve honored this tradition by crafting a bar that’s not only delicious but deeply rooted in heritage.” The bar is also fiber-rich and made with macadamia nuts. It’s available to buy now.
Dairy-free food news
This week in the dairy-free industry: your coffee is getting an upgrade thanks to Violife, and there’s a brand new Ben & Jerry’s vegan flavor. Oatly is feeling extra generous, plus Nature’s Fynd wins a prestigious award, New Culture is in high demand, and Urban Dessert Lab has new flavors courtesy of singer Coco Jones.
Violife
Violife teams up with Chrishell Stause to push vegan creamers
Violife is best known for its popular dairy-free cheeses, but the Greek brand recently branched out. It launched a new line of lentil-based Supreme Coffee Creamers in flavors like Tempting Vanilla, Seductive Caramel, and Boldly Original. To promote the new range, Violife has teamed up with content creators and reality TV stars, like Stause and Bozoma Saint John, in a new social media campaign called Creamy Confessions. The campaign is all about getting “dairy-free flirts” to commit to vegan creamer. “Smooth, rich, and never one to ghost you mid-sip, it blends seamlessly from the first pour to the last drop,” says Violife’s global president Olga Osminkina-Jones in a statement. “No separation, no letdowns—just pure, dairy-free indulgence you can count on.”
Oatly is giving away 20,000 free oat milk coffees
Popular oat milk brand Oatly has announced a new campaign that involves giving away 20,000 free coffees, made with Oatly (of course), across the UK. The brand is focused on attracting new customers with the campaign, which will see it visit major UK cities like Bristol, Leeds, Glasgow, and Birmingham to hand out flat whites in partnership with local cafés. “Our blind taste tests showed there are potentially millions of people missing out on a first-class taste experience, so we’re going on a journey to sample delicious Oatly coffees to people across the UK who may never have had the chance to try it before, proving what we know to be true—our oat drinks taste delicious,” Oatly CEO Filip Nilsson said in a statement.
New Culture’s dairy-free mozzarella racks up $5 million in demand from pizzerias
Animal-free dairy company New Culture combines traditional cheesemaking practices with food science to create vegan mozzarella that stretches and melts just like the animal-based version—and pizzerias want in. According to the brand, it has secured $5 million in early demand from pizza restaurants and chefs across the US. “New Culture is offering the pizza industry what it has long sought, and the industry response has been overwhelming,” reads a statement from the brand.
Ben & Jerry’s adds new dairy-free flavor to the lineup
There’s a new dairy-free Ben & Jerry’s flavor in town. The beloved ice cream brand has launched Chocolate Caramel Brownie, which is made with oat milk and features salted caramel swirls, almond toffee pieces, and fudge brownies. The new product joins Ben & Jerry’s many non-dairy options, which include flavors like Cherry Garcia, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and Peanut Butter Half Baked.
Nature’s Fynd wins a NEXTY award
Plant-based brand Nature’s Fynd, which makes meat and dairy products with fungi protein, has won a Nexty Award. Every year, Natural Products Expo West hosts the awards, which are dedicated to the “most progressive, innovative, inspiring, and trustworthy products in the natural products industry.” Nature’s Fynd won in the Dairy Alternative category for its Dairy-Free Strawberry Fy Yogurt. “This recognition from the Nexty Awards is a testament to our commitment of creating truly amazing foods that nourish people and nurture the planet,” Thomas Jonas, Co-Founder and CEO at Nature’s Fynd, said in a statement. He added: “Fungi-powered nutrition is the future.”
Coco Jones partners with Urban Dessert Lab on dairy-free pop-up
Singer-songwriter Coco Jones recently celebrated the release of her new single “Taste” by partnering with Urban Dessert Lab, a dairy-free ice cream shop in West Hollywood, CA. For a special pop-up, the ice cream shop developed new flavors, including Just a Taste, which featured cookies and cream and red velvet crunchy pieces. The new flavor, alongside Kissed By Coco (with vanilla cake and strawberry cream), is available at the West Hollywood store until the end of March. A percentage of each sale will be donated to Altadena Girls, which is supporting young women affected by the recent wildfires.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
