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Category: Vegan

  • Future Food Quick Bites: Oat Milk Baileys, Beyond Steak Fillet & An Impossible Burger Challenge

    baileys oat milk
    7 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Diageo’s newest non-dairy Baileys, Beyond Meat’s mycelium steak, and Minor Figures’s ‘Hyper’ oat milk.

    New products and launches

    Beverage giant Diageo has released two non-dairy versions of its popular cream liqueur Baileys. Made with oat milk, they’re available across the US in Coffee Toffee and Cookies & Creamy flavours for $24.99 per 700ml bottle.

    vegan baileys
    Courtesy: Diageo

    Also in the US, Malk Organics, known for its clean-label milk alternatives, has introduced organic coconut and soy milks, which will be available for $6.99 and $5.99 per 28oz bottle at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market.

    Elmhurst 1925 is getting in on the clean-label alt-milk action too, rolling out a suite of unsweetened options – from plain and vanilla pistachio to coconut barista and vanilla cashew – as well as a barista cashew milk. They will retail for $7.99-8.99 per pack starting June, and were debuted at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California last week.

    To celebrate its 15th anniversary, plant-based dairy leader Califia Farms has introduced a limited-edition Birthday Cake almond creamer, retailing at Kroger, Wegmans and Wakefern for $5.79. This is in addition to its new pistachio-almond creamer, organic cashew milk, and espresso-blend cold brew (available for $5.49-6.99 at various supermarkets).

    califia farms creamer
    Courtesy: Califia Farms

    US ice-cream giant Häagen-Dazs has released the new non-dairy sorbets: Summer Blueberry & Lemon, Passion Fruit & Sweet Pear, and Sweet Lemon Coconut. They’re available nationwide for $6.99 per pint.

    At the trade show, British oat milk brand Minor Figures also unveiled the newest additions to its US lineup: mocha and cinnamon oat lattes, and a functional Hyper Oat SKU, due to be launched in 2026. It has also reintroduced its barista lite edition with 33% fewer calories, which is rolling out this month.

    Meanwhile, plant-based leader Beyond Meat showcased its upcoming whole-cut steak at the event. While it didn’t confirm if this was the mycelium-based product it teased last year, the brand promised it “mirrors the texture, flavour, and experience of a premium USDA steak fillet”.

    beyond meat mycelium steak
    Courtesy: Beyond Meat

    South Korean meat-free brand Unlimeat debuted its new bowl SKUs, with the range comprising Galbi & Kimchi Rice, Bulgogi Japchae, and Gochujang Bibimbap.

    In yet another Expo West launch, plant protein maker Beleaf introduced a shelf-stable Soybean Beef Slice (which can last up to 18 months), alongside vegan bacon, mini drumsticks, and shrimp.

    In the UK, The Coconut Collab has rolled out a strawberry-flavoured protein yoghurt made with a base of coconuts and almonds. Available at Tesco and (shortly) Ocado, each £1.60 single-serve pot contains 9g of plant protein.

    oatly taste test
    Courtesy: Oatly

    Oat milk giant Oatly has kickstarted its latest marketing drive, which will see the company dole out 20,000 free coffees with its barista milk. It comes after blind taste tests found that four times as many Brits prefer oat milk in their coffee than currently purchase it.

    Speaking of brand promotions, Impossible Foods has launched its Bloody Delicious campaign in Australia, partnering with TV personality and TikTok chef Iain ‘Huey’ Hewitson to challenge locals to distinguish between its burger and beef in a blind taste test.

    Meanwhile, Australian cultured meat maker Vow has debuted its Forged Gras product at Two Men Bagel House in Singapore, with the cultivated foie gras appearing in several limited-edition menu items.

    And as part of its blended meat move, fellow Aussie startup Fable Foods has partnered with catering giant Aramark and William White Meats in the UK to create a 65-35 Beef and Shiitake Mushroom burger.

    Company and finance developments

    Polish vegan restaurant chain Krowarzywa – once the largest plant-based group in the country – is shutting down its last location at the end of the month, citing financial difficulties.

    lab grown seafood
    Courtesy: Shlomi Arbiv

    Umami Bioworks is continuing the global expansion of its cultivated seafood operations, establishing a hub in Wageningen in the Netherlands. This is its second office in Europe, following its move into the UK last October.

    Swedish cultivated meat player Re:meat has closed an oversubscribed €1M investment round to open a new facility it calls Re:meatery.

    British tempeh brand Tiba Tempeh has raised £1.1M ($1.4M) in a funding round led by Maven Capital Partners, after its retail sales jumped by 736% in 2024, making it the fastest-growing meat-free brand in the UK.

    tiba tempeh
    Courtesy: Tiba Tempeh

    Canadian vegan fast-food chain Odd Burger saw revenue grow by 6% from Q3 to Q4 2024 (though it was flat compared to Q4 2023), while losses plunged by 80% in the last three months of 2024. It ascribed the performance to the expansion of its franchise model and CPG business.

    Californian biomanufacturing startup Pow.Bio has opened a 25,000 sq ft demo facility with bench- and pilot-scale continuous fermentation capacities in Alameda. The FDA-approved plant will help precision fermentation startups transition from gram-scale experiments to production in the hundreds of kgs.

    Through its Prairies Economic Development Canada department, the Canadian government has invested C$1M to support the Cellular Agriculture Prairies Ecosystem project led by New Harvest Canada. It will be matched by contributions from regional partners, bringing total investment to C$2.4M over three years.

    second cup non dairy milk
    Courtesy: Second Cup

    Also in Canada, coffee chain Second Cup has scrapped the non-dairy surcharge, meaning all its plant-based milks are available as a free swap. It comes shortly after similar announcements from Tim Hortons and Dunkin’.

    Los Angeles coffee chain Go Get Em Tiger has partnered with Elmhurst 1925 to make its barista oat milk the exclusive oat option across all eight locations, in what is positioned as a transition to seed-oil-free milks.

    Research, policy and awards

    The Good Food Institute, a think tank focused on future foods, has introduced an interactive Alternative Protein Career Pathways web tool to provide career guidance for people interested in the sector.

    alternative protein careers
    Courtesy: GFI

    The government of India has launched a call for biomanufacturing grant proposals for researchers working on smart proteins. Applications are open until March 25.

    In the UK, the University of Oxford is working with several other institutes to help design food policies that promote net-zero targets and address public health challenges. The Thriving Food Futures project will run for five years, and has been set up with a £6M grant from UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

    plant fwd
    Courtesy: Plant FWD

    Alternative protein trade conference Plant FWD is returning to Amsterdam next month (April 8-9), convening over 1,000 industry professionals, investors, and policymakers. The event will include new product demos, a preview of the Eat-Lancet Dietary Guidelines 2.0, and pitches from 10 startups.

    The annual What’s Trending in Nutrition survey by Pollock Communications and Today’s Dietitian has named gut health and plant-based eating among the top trends that will shape consumer choices this year. However, myths about the protein content of plant-based food persist.

    plant protein survey
    Courtesy: Morning Consult/PCRM

    Aligning with the above, 87% of American adults believe they need to eat meat, dairy, eggs and other animal products to get enough protein, according to a new survey by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Morning Consult. Women and Gen Zers are most likely to disagree with this misconception.

    In California’s Bay Area, artificial intelligence organisations Electric Sheep and OpenPaws hosted a hackathon with 81 coders as part of its AI for Animals conference series. It tackled 16 real-world challenges drawn from the social impact, food system transformation, and animal protection communities.

    justine lupe
    Courtesy: Nature’s Fynd

    Finally, fungi protein startup Nature’s Fynd‘s Dairy-Free Strawberry Fy Yogurt has been named the winner in the Dairy Alternative category at the 2025 Nexty Awards.

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: Oat Milk Baileys, Beyond Steak Fillet & An Impossible Burger Challenge appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • ‘A True Asset’: Allplants Meals to Return As Fellow Vegan Brand Grubby Acquires Recipe IP

    allplants grubby
    5 Mins Read

    British vegan meal kit startup Grubby has bought the recipe IP of ready-meal brand Allplants, aiming to relaunch the latter’s products shortly after its brand assets were acquired by Deliciously Ella’s founders.

    The revival of popular plant-based meal company Allplants continues, with its frozen product range set to be relaunched by fellow British brand Grubby, which has acquired the rights to its recipes and manufacturing processes.

    It comes nearly four months after Allplants fell into administration, which resulted in the firm’s components being broken up into three areas. Its brand, trademark, consumer database and online assets were bought up by the founders of Deliciously Ella and combined with their Plants label last month, while details about its warehouse facility haven’t been disclosed.

    The recipe IP for its vegan meals, desserts, breakfast pots and sides, however, had not been part of the Plants deal, and has now been snapped up by Grubby, an extension to its existing meal kit range.

    “The Allplants range is a true asset, with real consumer love and value, stretching across multiple meal occasions,” Grubby founder and CEO Martin Holden-White told Green Queen. “The products are a testament to the years of dedication from [Allplants co-founder] Jonathan Petrides and his team, and we couldn’t overlook this exciting opportunity to bring them back to the market.”

    Asked when and where Grubby expects to roll out the products, he said: “We’re currently [in] discussions with a range of manufacturers and we aim to do this across multiple channels, as soon as we find the right solutions to bring the products back as consumers know and love them, under the Grubby brand.”

    A win-win for both Plants and Grubby?

    allplants
    Courtesy: Allplants

    Founded in 2016 by brothers Alex and Jonathan Petrides, Allplants capitalised on the meal delivery boom during the Covid-19 lockdowns, and sold six million meals within the first three months of its retail debut in November 2022.

    Such was its popularity, the brand amassed nearly 200,000 followers on social media, and attracted £67M in investment, with backers including professional footballers Chris Smalling and Kieran Gibbs.

    However, the business recorded a loss of nearly £10M in the seven months to March 2023, which it ascribed to inflation, post-Brexit supply chain disruptions, rising interest rates, and the pursuit of profitability.

    The business went into administration last November, making 65 employees redundant and working with advisory firm Interpath to find a buyer. Last month, Ella and Matthew Mills – who sold their Deliciously Ella brand to Hero Group in September – took over Allplants’s brand assets and merged it with their Plants label.

    allplants deliciously ella
    Courtesy: Allplants

    Rather than re-release Allplants’s vegan meals, though, Plants looked to capitalise on its established brand and social media following to push forward its own line of plant-based staples like pasta, sauces, kombucha and soups. It also sells two frozen ready meal SKUs in retail, and plans to expand the range and offer delivery, in response to consumer demand online.

    But with Allplants’s own recipes set to return to the market under Grubby, it begs the question: which brand will be able to retain Allplants’s customers and gain access to new ones?

    “The Allplants team spent years perfecting this range and there is real consumer love for the products – we simply could not let that all go to waste, and we’re delighted that they will live on,” said Holden-White.

    Interpath director Natasha Harbinson added: “Allplants had a loyal following, so we’re sure their customers will be thrilled at the prospect of this range being brought back into production.”

    Grubby plans to break even in 2026

    grubby bosh
    Courtesy: Grubby

    Grubby’s takeover of the Allplants IP comes right after the launch of its debut cookbook and a new online marketplace where people can add grocery items to their recipe boxes.

    “Our recent product expansions, including the Grubby Marketplace and our debut recipe book, have already shown strong demand for more varied plant-based options,” said Holden-White. “Integrating these products into our ecosystem creates a seamless experience for customers who want plant-based choices across all meal occasions.”

    The company, founded in 2019, has sold over 100,000 meal kits, and has enjoyed a 21% year-to-date growth in revenue. Holden-White ascribed this primarily to improved customer retention, with one-year retention up by 140% in the last 12 months.

    He added that the company’s EBITDA – revenue excluding all non-operational expenses – has improved by 56% year-on-year, with Grubby aiming to break even in 2026.

    vegan ready meals
    Courtesy: Allplants

    Although UK sales of plant-based ready meals plunged by 10% last year, the Allplants deal is part of this growth strategy, with its meals, desserts and breakfast pots making a “seamless addition” to Grubby’s ecosystem. But is Holden-White confident Grubby can achieve its goals without Allplants’s sizeable online following?

    “Social media is just one piece of the puzzle. At Grubby, we’ve built a highly engaged customer community and an even larger email database, giving us direct access to a passionate audience who already love plant-based meals,” he said. “With this acquisition, we’re not just bringing back these much-loved recipes – we’re expanding our own range to offer even more convenient plant-based options.”

    He added: “By leveraging our core acquisition channels, including direct-to-consumer expertise, performance marketing, and strong partnerships, we see this as a huge opportunity to attract new customers looking for high-quality, time-saving meal solutions while continuing to serve our loyal Grubby community.”

    Allpants’s revival is the latest example of plant-based companies that have been rescued from the brink recently, joining the likes of Meatless Farm, VBites, Plant & Bean, and Mycorena.

    The post ‘A True Asset’: Allplants Meals to Return As Fellow Vegan Brand Grubby Acquires Recipe IP appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Impossible Foods Steaks Its Claim with ‘Meatiest’ Plant-Based Product Yet

    impossible steak
    4 Mins Read

    US plant-based leader Impossible Foods has unveiled its first new product of 2025, Steak Bites, which it describes as its “meatiest” innovation.

    Joining the ranks of its fellow meat-free innovators, Impossible Foods has introduced its first steak product, a pre-cooked offering with 80% less saturated fat than beef flank.

    The new Steak Bites SKU was unveiled at the ongoing Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California (March 5-7), and is rolling out at grocery stores across the US for $8.99 per 10oz pack. It will also be made available to restaurants in the months ahead.

    Impossible Foods is positioning its steak as a marker of the “unparalleled acceleration” of its R&D capabilities, leveraging its flavour and ingredient science and innovative methods to create what the company says is its “meatiest” product ever released.

    Aside from taste and texture, it’s going big on nutrition, reflecting two of its biggest marketing priorities in recent months. The Steak Bites contain 21g of protein per serving (from soybeans), 3g of fibre, and just 0.5g of saturated fat, and are rich in iron, B vitamins, and calcium. This will appeal to the 65% of Americans who eat plant-based foods because they’re healthy.

    Can Impossible steak beat its rivals?

    impossible steak bites
    Courtesy: Impossible Foods

    Impossible Foods is far from the first company to offer a meat-free steak analogue to Americans. Companies like Chunk Foods, Juicy Marbles, Tender Food, Meati, The Better Meat Co, and Beyond Meat are some of the leading innovators in this space.

    The latter would likely be its closest competitor, which offers similar pre-cooked steak chunks. While Beyond Meat’s steak uses a base of faba bean protein and wheat protein, Impossible Foods’s version centred around its trademark soy protein isolate. But both companies are likely to raise questions from those looking for shorter ingredient lists, since the products contain over 20 ingredients (though many of those are nutrients to fortify the meat alternatives).

    That said, Impossible Foods promises to be the best of the lot, suggesting that its steak bites “significantly outperform the competition” when it comes to flavour and texture. It offers consumers a “juicy, savoury” experience, including a “tender, fine-grained texture” akin to the muscle structures found in animal-derived meat.

    “Our steak bites are first and foremost delicious,” says CEO Peter McGuinness. “They’re also packed with protein, no cholesterol, and less saturated fat versus the animal. You’re not going to find a better plant-based steak option than that.”

    He adds: “It’s a real testament to our advancements in R&D. Achieving the right balance of amazing taste and great nutritional value is what people want and need, whether you’re a meat-eater or not.”

    The Impossible steak comes pre-seasoned, and can be prepared on the stovetop or – meeting today’s at-home cooking trends – in the air fryer. The brand is hoping that this will widen appeal to consumers with busy weeknight schedules, as well as the steak-and-eggs-for-breakfast crowd.

    In addition to the taste and nutrition virtues, the Steak Bites come with environmental benefits – they use 94% less land and water, and generate 93% fewer emissions than a conventional sirloin steak.

    ‘Animal-free’ label in spotlight amid FDA guidance

    vegan steak
    Courtesy: Impossible Foods

    The product launch comes amid a heightened backlash against ultra-processed foods (UPFs) – and by extension, plant-based meat – in the US. With Robert F Kennedy Jr now part of the Trump administration, these foods are set to face even more scrutiny, given the new health secretary had promised to ban UPFs in schools.

    Amid the fallout, some of the country’s biggest UPF producers are facing a false marketing lawsuit, and California is figuring out the best way to crack down on these products. At the same time, annual sales of meat analogues continued to fall in 2024, with the decline remaining around 9% throughout the year. And now, there’s a new Non-UPF Verified certification for companies looking to capitalise on this shift.

    Speaking of which, labelling is in focus for plant-based producers. The FDA’s latest guidance suggests companies can use terms like ‘burgers’ and ‘steak’, with ingredient-focused qualifiers like ‘soy-based nuggets’ preferred over descriptors such as ‘meat-free’.

    The FDA’s proposed guidance is in the public consultation stage, but the recommendation that ‘meat-free’ should be used in conjunction with the source ingredient is noteworthy – Impossible Foods’s Steak Bites feature an ‘animal-free’ label next to its ‘Meat from Plants’ phrase on the front of the pack, a first for the company.

    With consumers increasingly averse to terms like ‘vegan’ and ‘plant-based’, it could prove to be an interesting move for a product charting new territory for what is a well-established brand. According to Impossible Foods, it is the US’s leading plant-based company in the foodservice channel, and ranks second in terms of retail share.

    To accelerate this growth, it recently hired Meredith Madden as its new chief demand officer. A former Chobani exec and most recently CEO of The Kraft Heinz Not Company, she is overseeing Impossible Foods’s sales, product and marketing operations, and has been given a mandate to “galvanise and simplify the company’s commercial operations”.

    “It’s no secret this category has its share of challenges, but we’re building a team that is truly up for fighting the good fight. I’m really excited and proud Meredith is on our team,” McGuinness said.

    The post Impossible Foods Steaks Its Claim with ‘Meatiest’ Plant-Based Product Yet appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Future Food Quick Bites: Expo West, Tom Brady & Lidl Vegan Meat

    tom brady vegan
    5 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers a range of product showcases at Expo West, Valsoia’s new gelato lines, and Lidl’s upgraded meat alternatives.

    New products and launches

    The world’s largest tofu maker, Pulmuone, is debuting new Korean-inspired plant-based products at Natural Products Expo West (March 5-7) in California, including cilantro-garlic potstickers, pineapple-teriyaki glazed tofu, black garlic cream noodles, and bulgogi-style rice balls.

    expo west vegan
    Courtesy: Pulmuone

    More from Expo West, Before the Butcher will showcase its just-launched The Original Butcher Sticks, a range of meat snacks in pepperoni and beef variants.

    Vegan free-from brand Whoa Dough has announced its newest product, Brownie Batter Ready-to-Bake, which it will exhibit at Expo West and launch into retail this week.

    Whole-cut meat producer Chunk Foods is debuting the latest additions to its US retail lineup at the show, rolling out four new flavours of its pulled steak: barbacoa, Texas BBQ, Korean BBQ, and teriyaki.

    chunk foods
    Courtesy: Chunk Foods

    South Korean-American vegan cheese company Armored Fresh has announced truffle as the third flavour of its oat-milk-based Zero-Dairy parmesan, set to be launched in May in the US.

    Speaking of plant-based cheese, Stockeld Dreamery has launched Spring Scallion and Midsummer Strawberry as its two new cultured cream cheese flavours, after moving its manufacturing to North America. They can be found at Essa Bagel, Zaro’s, Kismet, and Bergen Bagels, with more than 50 other shops to join the list soon.

    NFL legend Tom Brady has launched a new vegan sweets brand called Goat Gummies, as part of the former quarterback’s multi-year partnership with Gopuff. The gummies are available at the online grocer’s platform in Sweet Rush, Sour Burst, and Tropic Fusion flavours.

    goat gummies
    Courtesy: Goat Gummies

    Italian plant-based dairy Valsoia has announced two gelato lines to its portfolio: a no-added-sugar version with a rice and coconut base, and an oat milk range in lemon cake, stracciatella, and pistachio flavours. They’ll soon be available in Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, the Baltics, Czechia and other markets.

    And British clean-label alt-milk brand Plenish has introduced Enriched Oat milk, which contains three ingredients and is fortified with calcium, vitamin D, iodine, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and fibre. It’s available at Tesco for £2.25 per litre.

    Company and finance developments

    US startup Jord BioScience has secured $7M in a Series B round to commercialise microbial technologies to enhance crop inputs and advance sustainable and regenerative farming practices.

    jord bioscience
    Courtesy: Jord BioScience

    Israeli alternative protein innovator Steakholder Foods has entered an agreement with Alumni Capital to receive a $1.25M private placement, as well as an $8M equity line of credit.

    Mushroom jerky maker Madarch Cymru (Mushroom Garden) has become one of nine recipients of British national agency Innovate UK‘s £400,000 New Innovators fund.

    Japanese cellular agriculture company IntegriCulture has secured ¥200M ($1.3M) in a non-dilutive bank loan, which will be used to invest in an upcoming deal and accelerate R&D.

    Vegetal Food, a distributor of vegan products for foodservice professionals in France, has raised €1.2M ($1.26M) in investment from the FPCI Food Invest II fund, in partnership with food consultancy FoodXpert.

    Indian plant-based supplements brand Earthful landed a $570,000 investment from Srinivasan Namala and Ritesh Agarwal on Shark Tank India.

    Spanish firm Allbiotech has completed the first production run of its Genesys V1 bioreactor, which is a lower-cost solution for early-stage precision fermentation research.

    According to a life-cycle assessment, Finland-based Enifer‘s Pekilo mycoprotein for pet food produces 86% fewer emissions than soy protein concentrate, and five times fewer than lamb meat.

    beyond meat lawsuit
    Courtesy: Beyond Meat

    Plant-based leader Beyond Meat has been handed a legal victory by the US District Court for the Central District of Florida, which has thrown out a class-action lawsuit brought by some of its investors.

    Policy and regulation

    The University of North Texas has committed to making 60% of its campus menus plant-based by 2027, building on its 50% target by the end of this year. It comes after the institution ranked second on the Protein Sustainability Scorecard by Humane World for Animals (formerly the Humane Society of the United States).

    university sustainability rankings
    Courtesy: UNT Dining Services

    Aussie agrifood company Wide Open Agriculture has received General Administration approval to export its lupin protein isolate to the Chinese market, where it will be initially sold as an ingredient in protein powders, dairy alternatives, and a lupin bean tofu.

    In the US, the Plant-Based Foods Association and its sister Plant-Based Foods Institute have unveiled a six-pillar strategy for 2025-27, spanning membership, marketplace, policy, research and education, consumer engagement, and agriculture.

    To promote vegan-friendly products in sub-Saharan Africa, certification body V-Label has partnered with food awareness organisation ProVeg Nigeria.

    lidl plant based meat
    Courtesy: Lidl Nederland

    Discount retailer Lidl is continuing its plant-based progress by improving the taste, texture and nutritional value of its own-label meat analogues in the Netherlands, with two-thirds of the products now meeting the Dutch dietary guidelines.

    In state legislature, the Colorado House has passed a bipartisan bill to reduce food waste in schools, businesses, universities, and local government institutions. Measures of the legislation include a switch to ‘best if used or frozen by’ instead of ‘sell by’ dates.

    Finally, Vegan Events UK has announced the first Swansea Vegan Festival, which will take place at LC Swansea on May 31.

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: Expo West, Tom Brady & Lidl Vegan Meat appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • The Vibrant Hong Kong Table’s Christine Wong: ‘Don’t Just Replace Meat – Eat More Vegetables’

    the vibrant hong kong table
    7 Mins Read

    Christine Wong, author of plant-based cookbook The Vibrant Hong Kong Table, talks about our meat-eating culture, vegan alternatives, and marrying tradition with future-forward cooking.

    With roots in one of the world’s most meat-eating cities and a home in one of the US’s most-eating cities, being a plant-based chef must be hard work.

    Or so you’d think, but for Christine Wong, it comes easy. The chef’s new plant-based cookbook, The Vibrant Hong Kong Table, is an homage to the city she grew up in, written from her home in New York City.

    Over 88 recipes – ranging from pineapple buns and curry puffs to milk tea and steamed eggs – Wong showcases how local classics from Hong Kong can be futureproofed with animal-free ingredients. The book, in her words, is a “love letter to the city’s culinary heritage”, and an “opportunity to create longevity for these nostalgic dishes”.

    We spoke to Wong about the ideas behind her recipes, what vegan food means to a meat-loving culture, why meat alternatives took a backseat in her cookbook, and the things her pantry will never run out of.

    This interview has been edited for clarity and concision.

    Green Queen: Having lived in New York for the last two decades, what sparked the idea for the book, and how long did it take you to write it?

    hong kong vegan
    Courtesy: Chronicle Books

    Christine Wong: Ever since I left Hong Kong, whenever I was homesick, I would head over to Pearl River Mart (where I now work part-time as their creative manager), an iconic Asian emporium in Manhattan that has been around for over 50 years.

    I would eat dim sum or some of my favourite dishes, like bitter melon and rice, and go to the Asian markets to load up on Chinese groceries, observing the Chinatown aunties scrutinising produce before making their selections – from these daily life moments to festive Lunar New Year celebrations, Chinatown has become my home away from Hong Kong.

    During the pandemic, not only was the Asian American community suffering from xenophobia and Asian hate, I watched from afar as Hong Kong was also changing… with unrest and strict lockdown, and iconic restaurants and landmarks disappearing. There was a point when I thought I might never be able to return home.

    My book, The Vibrant Hong Kong Table, was inspired by my desire to encapsulate and honour the history and culture of the city that has been home to my family for four generations, and to celebrate all of our iconic foods. The dishes are nostalgic, yet future-forward with a sustainable plant-based twist.

    Having embraced a plant-predominant diet since 2014, it’s hard to find vegan versions of these dishes, so it’s also for selfish reasons to have written this book. It took me two years to thoroughly research and create all the recipes.

    GQ: What was the inspiration behind the recipes in your book?

    CW: Hong Kong is known for so many incredible dishes, but I went back in time to focus mainly on the culmination of the city’s unique West-Meets-East cuisine, or Soy Sauce Western, that sprung out of bing sutts and cha chaan tengs, which met the demand for affordable Western-style dishes using inexpensive shelf-stable ingredients and Chinese techniques.

    The recipes in The Vibrant Hong Kong Table use plant-based ingredients with traditional techniques, and are structured on a timeline of eating throughout the day in Hong Kong, from a dim sum or congee breakfast to siu yeh (late-night snacks).

    GQ: In the book, you grapple with the idea of using meat alternatives – can you give us an insight into your thinking, and why you chose to spotlight vegetables for the most part?

    vegan hong kong cookbook
    Courtesy: Chronicle Books

    CW: I prefer to use whole ingredients and vegetables as meat replacements, as mock meats tend to be overly processed. There’s so much that the plant world has to offer like cabbage, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and young jackfruit. I made sure to include these, rather than only subbing meat with tofu and mushrooms.

    GQ: Many local restaurants in Hong Kong tend to use traditional soy- or wheat-based meat analogues (which, to many, taste better than their western counterparts). What’s your view on them, and do you think there’s a place for these centuries-old alternatives in helping people cut back on meat?

    CW: The key to cutting back on meat is to keep an open mind and not to scrutinise and compare plant-based dishes with the original. It will never quite be the same, though most modern meat replacements try to – some western plant-based meat brands even bleed!

    Traditional soy- and wheat gluten-based alternatives are tasty, and less processed – however, even as a kid, seeing the Buddhist vegetarian foods my Maa Maa (paternal grandmother) would eat, I never understood why all the dishes were brown, and not colorufully vibrant. The focus should be on integrating more vegetables into your diet rather than only replacing the meat. 

    GQ: Do you think Hong Kongers – who love their meat – would be receptive to a vegan cookbook and its non-traditional recipes?

    vegan chinese cookbook
    Courtesy: Chronicle Books

    CW: Whenever I tell people about my book and mention that The Vibrant Hong Kong Table is plant-based, I can see/hear “approval” and know that I’ve captured interest in the book.

    I think Hong Kongers are more open to vegan cookbooks these days, especially this one, since many of the recipes are iconic Hong Kongese dishes. People glancing through my book often don’t realise that the dishes are vegan. 

    GQ; What do you think people get most wrong about vegan cooking?

    CW: Vegan food does not always equate to rabbit food and isn’t limited to salads and smoothies. It can be culturally nostalgic and satisfyingly flavourful, with the added benefit of being nutritiously good for you – and good for the planet.

    When prepared with the same attention and care as other dishes, one would not even miss the meat. Protein can be found in plant foods with the benefit of a plethora of nutrients and fibre, which lends to being satiated.

    GQ: What are some of your favourite recipes from the book?

    CW: My Steamed ‘Egg’, Black-Pink Pepper Cabbage Steak, Jackfruit ‘Brisket’ Noodles and Grandma’s Hong Kong Curry bring me comfort, satisfying some of my most poignant food memories.

    GQ: What was the most difficult dish to veganise in the book, and why?

    best vegan cookbooks
    Courtesy: Chronicle Books

    CW: Fishballs! I really wanted to capture that distinct bouncy texture, and played around with countless variations of flours and combinations. It was the first and last recipe I tested, with multiple iterations in between.

    GQ: What are three things that you recommend people always have in their pantry, and why?

    CW: Rice is a pantry staple that complements any dish, especially saucy and soupy ones. Whether it’s freshly steamed, fried with chopped ingredients, boiled into a congee, or even soaked, blended and steamed to make cheung fun (rice noodle rolls), rice is a versatile grain – especially if you include glutinous rice too.

    Dried mushrooms are full of umami and a perfect substitute for meat both in terms of flavour and texture. They are one of the most convenient pantry items, only requiring water to soak and rehydrate them.

    Soybeans are not only a great source of protein – these dried legumes are so versatile that making soy milk and tofu is easy. And if you have the time and patience, tofu skin.

    GQ: Your book is an ode to Hong Kong – what do you hope readers take away from your book?

    vibrant hong kong table
    Courtesy: Benjamin Von Wong

    CW: I would like The Vibrant Hong Kong Table to preserve and celebrate Hong Kong’s culture and identity. It is a culinary exploration for the vegan community who want to “travel the world” through food while opening up the mindset of meat-eaters that vegan recipes can be culturally appropriate, satisfyingly delicious, and equally nostalgic.

    The Vibrant Hong Kong Table by Christine Wong (Chronicle Books) is available online and at bookstores worldwide for $32.50.

    The post The Vibrant Hong Kong Table’s Christine Wong: ‘Don’t Just Replace Meat – Eat More Vegetables’ appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Shark Tank Vegan Pet Food Startup Wild Earth Files for Bankruptcy, Founder Says ‘It’s Not the End’

    wild earth bankruptcy
    4 Mins Read

    Vegan pet food startup Wild Earth, which shot to fame after landing a Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban, has filed for bankruptcy. But co-founder Ryan Bethencourt says it’s not the end of the brand’s story.

    Wild Earth, one of the leading plant-based pet food brands, has filed for Chapter 11 reorganisation bankruptcy in North Carolina.

    The company, which made national headlines after finding success on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2018, reported $2.4M in assets and $12.6M in liabilities in the court filing. The business will continue to operate, with the Chapter 11 filing allowing it to restructure its debt.

    “We just couldn’t find any venture investors,” co-founder and CEO Ryan Bethencourt told Triangle Business Journal, which first reported the news. He noted that Wild Earth couldn’t keep up with its venture debt despite months of negotiations, with its largest creditor, Espresso Capital, set to take over the business.

    Bethencourt, who owns 9.2% of the company, hopes to stay at the firm, which will become a “leaner, meaner” operation. “I don’t think this is the end of the Wild Earth story,” he said.

    Wild Earth CEO predicted challenges last year

    wild earth dog food
    Courtesy: Wild Earth

    A serial investor in the alternative protein ecosystem, Bethencourt established Wild Earth in 2017 after he “obsessed about pet food” and learnt about the industry’s environmental and health harms.

    A year later, he appeared on Shark Tank and convinced Cuban to invest in the startup. The Dallas Mavericks owner agreed to pay $550,000 for 10% of the company – and unlike many deals that fall through after airing on the TV, this one came good. (Cuban still owns about 0.5% of the business.)

    Its portfolio is dominated by dog food, treats and supplements, but it recently diversified into cat food too, launching a Unicorn Pate SKU in August. The company has dabbled with cultivated meat as well, working to develop a chicken broth topper for dogs – but it paused development efforts due to financial challenges, Bethencourt revealed in an interview with Green Queen last year.

    Plant-based meat had already seen sales and investment slump by then, which he called “brutal, but inevitable”. “I think one of the biggest challenges for all of us is competing with some of the planet’s largest companies in the food category,” he said at the time.

    “Most plant-based food companies are tiny in comparison to today’s food giants, but if we focus on making incredible products, with great customer benefits and very competitive prices, we can win.”

    He added: “People will want to buy tasty, healthier and cost-competitive products – we just have to push our industry harder to deliver on these, and that’s a hard challenge for us all,” he notes.

    Wild Earth has raised nearly $50M from investors since its inception, and at the time of the interview, had sold about $42M worth of pet food, according to Bethencourt. The company was targeting $15M in annual sales in 2024, though he stressed that the focus was on cost-efficient growth.

    What led Wild Earth to file for bankruptcy

    wild earth cat food
    Courtesy: Wild Earth

    According to the Chapter 11 filing, Wild Earth had made $10.7M in revenue in 2023, which dipped to just under $7.6M in 2024. So far this year, it has recorded $590,000 in sales. Moreover, Bethencourt had told Triangle Business Journal in 2024 that the company was profitable.

    Currently, it owes $259,000 to Animal Nutrition for a trial production of kibble, $319,000 to Barrett Petfood Innovation for inventory supplies, and $110,000 to entrepreneur Scot Wingo’s Triangle Tweener Fund. And the company’s largest venture investors are VegInvest Trust (a 25% share) and At One Ventures ($12.8%).

    The bankruptcy document suggests that the business’s supply chain was disrupted due to COVID-19, while sales have been down due to inflation (its products cost 20-30% more than conventional pet food). Wild Earth has also been looking to expand into big-box retailers and expand into 300 stores, for which it was planning a costly rebrand and packaging redesign.

    “Despite the debtor’s profitability, the debtor was unable to generate sufficient capital to address its outstanding secured debt,” the filing reads. “When it became clear that the Debtor would not be able to raise sufficient funds to address its outstanding obligations, while continuing to operate, the Debtor began seeking potential purchasers for its business.”

    Wild Earth’s struggles mirror the larger investment landscape in the industry, with plant-based startups receiving 64% less venture capital in 2024 than the year before. In the last 12 months, several companies have been forced to cease operations or declare bankruptcy before being rescued, including Akua, Sunfed Meats, Willicroft, Mycorena, and Allplants.

    The post Shark Tank Vegan Pet Food Startup Wild Earth Files for Bankruptcy, Founder Says ‘It’s Not the End’ appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Future Food Quick Bites: Vegan Magnum, Airline Ramen & Dairy-Free Popcorn

    magnum vegan
    5 Mins Read

    Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Magnum’s revamped vegan recipe, Heura’s new Tex-Mex Chunks, and a cultivated seafood tasting in Japan.

    New products and launches

    Unilever has changed the recipe for its vegan Magnum ice cream range, replacing pea protein with soy. It has also refreshed its packaging to a more premium design, after sales of the dairy-free ice creams grew by more than 75% in the UK last year.

    vegan magnum
    Courtesy: Magnum

    Shortly after raising $4M from investors, California’s PlantBaby has gained a listing at Sprouts Farmers Market for Kiki Milk, its kid-friendly plant-based milk line. The 32oz packs are now available at all 440 locations nationwide for $6.99.

    Also in the US, Nepra Foods has developed a proprietary hemp protein initially targeted for the egg-free baking sector, with early production already underway. The technology, set to be patented, is shared with an unnamed industry expert.

    San Antonio-based Good Eat’n, owned by NBA star Chris Paul, has launched Dairy Free White Cheddar Popcorn. After debuting at Expo West in March, it will be available on its website and GoPuff for $4.99 per 4.40oz bag and $1.99 for 1oz bag.

    heura tex mex chunks
    Courtesy: Heura

    Spanish plant-based meat leader Heura has added a Tex-Mex flavour to its chicken chunks, which contain 27% of the daily recommended intake of protein.

    British meat-free brand Cock & Bull has secured a listing with wholesaler Cotswold Fayre, with six of its products – from a Traditional Porky Pie to a Saus-ish Roll – sold unbaked and frozen, alongside a packaged range for retail.

    Dutch retailer Jumbo has rolled out a range of dairy-free yoghurts made from whole soybeans, which help retain a greater amount of protein and fibre. Produced by De Nieuwe Melkboer, they’re marketed under the supermarket’s Direct van de Boerderij label, and come in natural, vanilla, and first fruit flavours.

    all nippon airways vegan
    Courtesy: All Nippon Airways

    Japan’s largest airline, All Nippon Airways, has introduced two vegan ANA Original Ramen options for First and Business Class flyers on international routes. Flights departing from Japan will serve the Negi Miso Ramen, and those coming from overseas will feature the Tonkotsu Style Ramen.

    Company and finance updates

    French firm SeaWeed Concept has received €2M from investors to develop its lacto-fermentation process, which would be able to produce 5,000 tonnes of algae per year.

    Scottish biotech startup uFraction8 has raised £3.4M in a financing round for its microfiltration technology, which optimises cell and biomass production and provides an energy-efficient alternative to conventional manufacturing methods for bio-based food products.

    Israeli startup Forsea Foods hosted a tasting for its cultivated unagi in Japan, the world’s largest market for freshwater eel, with support from the Israeli embassy in Japan and the Israel Export Institute.

    Fellow cultivated meat producer Simple Planet – based in South Korea – has successfully developed a serum-free culture medium that can potentially reduce costs by 99.8%. It is also working with the Halal Science Center at Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University to achieve halal certification for its cultured meat products.

    Germany’s Esencia Foods, which makes whole-cut seafood analogues from mycelium, has received €2M in funding as part of the European Innovation Council’s blended finance scheme. It comes months after it won a €50,000 grant at EIT Food’s Next Bite event.

    impossible burger eu
    Courtesy: Impossible Foods

    Plant-based meat giant Impossible Foods has appointed Meredith Madden as its new chief demand officer. She previously worked at Chobani with current Impossible Foods CEO Peter McGuinness.

    Its chief rival Beyond Meat is looking to borrow up to $250M from private credit lenders to shore up liquidity and tackle some of its $1.15B of convertable bonds due in 2027. It is the firm’s second such attempt in 12 months.

    Finnish gas protein pioneer Solar Foods has begun pre-engineering work on its Factory 02, which is set to be operational by 2028. Along with the Factory 01 opened last year, it will produce Solein protein on a commercial scale.

    i am nut ok
    Courtesy: I Am Nut OK

    British artisanal vegan cheesemaker I Am Nut OK has experienced a 24% hike in year-on-year sales in 2024, with a 39% uptick in January 2025 thanks to Veganuary.

    Plant-based ingredients supplier Nutraland USA has joined the National Animal Supplement Council as a Preferred Supplier, which recognises its dedication to ingredient quality, safety and efficacy for pet food.

    After being selected in Nestlé’s Unleashed by Purina 2025 accelerator programme, Singaporean firm Umami Bioworks has introduced a cultivated seafood protein platform to tackle supply chain instability, nutrition and sustainability challenges in the pet food sector.

    oatly fashion week
    Courtesy: Iggy Diez/LinkedIn

    Swedish oat milk giant Oatly has collaborated with Madrid’s East Crema Coffee to set up a coffee bar at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid (February 20-23).

    Policy and research developments

    Austrian precision fermentation startup Fermify has submitted a regulatory dossier for its animal-free casein to the Singapore Food Agency. It comes months after it earned self-determined GRAS status in the US.

    fermify casein
    Courtesy: Fermify

    In Europe, the number of alternative protein patents has surged by 960% since 2015, surpassing 5,300 in total. In 2024 alone, 1,200 patents were published, according to analysis by the Good Food Institute Europe.

    British food producer Ark34‘s Tater Cheezz Nuggetz, made from Dutch supplier Aviko Rixona‘s potato-based cheese alternative, has won the Best Frozen Product award at Gulfood 2025.

    Meat-free diets are among the most affordable in the US, with the average vegan shopper saving $34.24 per month on groceries, according to research by CouponBirds.

    plant based diet expensive
    Courtesy: CouponBirds

    Scientists in Israel have developed a way to use aloe vera as a natural scaffold to grow bovine fat tissue for cultivated meat production, which could address cost and scalability issues.

    Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

    The post Future Food Quick Bites: Vegan Magnum, Airline Ramen & Dairy-Free Popcorn appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • PKN: As Americans Sour on Plant-Based Milk, This Brand is Turning to the Country’s Only Native Nut

    pkn milk
    6 Mins Read

    Dairy is making a comeback in the US, with sales of whole milk outpacing plant-based alternatives. Can pecans turn things around?

    The almond may be America’s favourite nut – especially when it comes to milking it – but its popularity seems to be waning a little. In the 12 months to August 2024, almond milk lost more sales than any of the other major alt-milks.

    It’s reflective of a larger dietary shift in the US, where whole milk consumption was up by 3% last year, while intake of plant-based alternatives fell by 6%, a third consecutive annual decline, according to Circana.

    Despite nearly half (49%) of households buying plant-based milk, a third of Americans still haven’t found a non-dairy product that meets all their needs. The established order of almond, oat, soy and coconut milk isn’t doing it for them – they want something more.

    It’s why we’re seeing a new crop of brands using new crops to make non-dairy milk, from pistachios and peanuts to sunflower and watermelon seeds.

    Some startups, however, are taking things back to the country’s roots with pecans. This is the only major tree nut that grows in North America and has been called the US’s “third-favourite nut”, with two-thirds of households purchasing it on the regular.

    The US produces 80% of the world’s pecan crops, growing over 1,000 varieties. In the last decade or so, new product launches featuring pecans have risen by 54%, while extensions of existing lineups to include the nut have increased by 141%. And at a time when Made in America is all the range under President Donald Trump, these products are bound to find success.

    So if there’s one nut that can reinvigorate America’s thirst for non-dairy milk, it’s the pecan. And PKN, a Texas-based startup, is banking on it.

    pecan milk
    Courtesy: PKN

    Upcycling pecans saves waste and benefits farmers

    PKN’s pitch is big on sustainability. It works with pecan farmers who use regenerative agriculture practices, utilises water in an efficient manner, and upcycles what the industry deems ‘imperfect’ pecan pieces, thus saving food waste and generating a new revenue stream for growers.

    “Our mission is to build food brands that cut a path toward sustainable agriculture for the decades ahead,” says PKN founder Laura Shenkar. “For us, sustainability means delicious foods that provide healthier nutrition using natural resources more efficiently and supporting our local economy. We’re working in partnership with pecan farmers and shellers to upcycle pecans.”

    She explains that pecans are sold based on their quality, size, colour and oil content. The larger the pecan, the higher the price. “Perfect half-shell pecans are the ones you see in the supermarket or on the top of a pecan pie,” she says. But pecans can get nicked or cracked during their shelling process, exposing more of their surface area to oxygen and making them go rancid faster.

    “Larger pieces are sold as fresh nuts, or to confectioners for trail mix and other health foods. Smaller pecan pieces are often thrown away or sold for animal feed. Today’s pecan shelling means that we’re wasting valuable food. That’s where the upcycling of pecans comes in,” says Shenkar.

    “By capturing smaller pecan pieces during the shelling process and hermetically sealing them, we can recover more pecan meats and preserve their fresh taste and nutrition. That means that we’re building a new revenue stream for pecan growers to fund their investment in water-smart irrigation and sensors that replace chemical pesticides,” she adds.

    “We are also working with the Upcycling Association to learn from food recovery techniques for other grains and nuts to make our pecan recovery methods more efficient.”

    pkn pecan milk
    Courtesy: PKN

    Pecan milk shines on the nutrition front

    Shenkar is speaking with Green Queen just as PKN has launched its newest product, Zero Pecan Milk. While its current range contains ingredients like inulin, gellan gum, and cane sugar in addition to pecans, this latest offering is stripped back.

    The ‘Zero’ is meant to signal that the milk contains zero sugar, gums or other additives. It comprises just four ingredients: water, pecan butter, vanilla extract, and sea salt. These are enough to give the product a butterry flavour that rivals cow’s milk, according to the brand.

    “We’ve developed proprietary roasting and grinding techniques to bring out the roast pecan taste reminiscent of pecan pie,” says Shenkar. While she wouldn’t be drawn on details of the process, she adds: “We spent months working with University of Georgia researchers on evolving the technique.”

    The short ingredient list plays into consumer demand for clean-label products – more than a quarter of Americans who buy plant-based milk want simpler ingredients, or at least ones they can understand.

    In addition, pecans come with nutritional gains – they have the highest flavonoid levels and antioxidant ratios of any tree nut, while also being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, manganese, mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, and fibre. That said, the protein content of 1g per cup leaves a little to be desired for Americans looking to amp up their macros.

    this pkn
    Courtesy: PKN

    PKN sales set to double amid fundraise

    Despite the downturn in sales, Shenkar believes non-dairy milk will be just fine. “Most of the people choosing plant-based milks are not lactose-intolerant, so we see a rise in consciousness towards dietary restrictions, natural sources of sweetness, a pull away from artificial sweeteners, and pull towards new flavours,” she says.

    “Pecan milk brings in flavours that have natural synergies with the coffee and tea flavours,” says Shenkar. “Pecan is a particularly popular flavour for coffees and teas, so we are seeing that coffee and tea are one of the primary applications for PKN products.”

    PKN’s milks are available for $44.99 for a six-pack on its website – that comes out to about $7.49 per 32oz. It’s a steep markup, much higher than the $1.88 you pay at Central Market (one of PKN’s stockists) for twice as much dairy milk. It’s also more expensive than Oatly ($4.24) and Almond Breeze ($2.91), but on par with smaller and more premium offerings like Three Trees ($7.59 per 28oz) or Elmhurst almond milk ($6.48), and cheaper than brands like Taché’s pistachio milk ($9).

    The self-funded company maintained stable revenues while introducing its second generation of products last year, when it rebranded from THIS PKN. It is set to launch its suite of non-dairy milks and creamers in hundreds of new stores nationwide, and is planning on raising funds in the second half of the year.

    “Overall, the market is expected to grow and we’re seeing a lot of interest in pecan creamers and milks, so we are expecting a doubling of our sales this year,” says Shenkar. “As the first pecan milk creamer on the market, we expect to grow rapidly over the next three years to rival coconut plant-based milk creamers in the US.”

    The post PKN: As Americans Sour on Plant-Based Milk, This Brand is Turning to the Country’s Only Native Nut appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Plants on the Map: The 5 Vegan Michelin Star Restaurants Around the World

    michelin star vegan restaurants
    5 Mins Read

    From London to New York City, five vegan restaurants possess Michelin stars – here’s what you need to know.

    Who says high-end can’t be climate-conscious and ethical?

    Across the world, more and more restaurants are greenifying their menus to align with sustainability and animal welfare. It’s a movement that has reached the upper echelons of tweezer cuisine, with Michelin – the tyre manufacturer famous for its food recommendations – increasingly recognising eateries that do their bit for the planet.

    To that end, the company introduced the Michelin Green Star with the 2021 guide, rewarding restaurants that go all-in on sustainability, whether that’s to do with their sourcing and suppliers, food waste, and material use. Today, 611 restaurants have a Michelin Green Star.

    When it comes to the original stars, though, that honour remains largely elusive for restaurants championing plants. New York’s Dirt Candy and Madrid’s El Invernadero are the only vegetarian restaurants with a Michelin star (each has one star).

    Meanwhile, eight fully vegan restaurants have been designated as Bib Gourmand (recognised for good quality and value), and another 19 are “selected” (honoured for good cooking). Only five fully vegan eateries have a Michelin star, with just one sporting all three. Below we list them out.

    Eleven Madison Park – 3 Michelin Stars

    Location: New York City, US
    Michelin stars: 3, since 2012 (retained as a vegan restaurant in 2022)

    Perhaps the most famous vegan eatery on the planet now, Eleven Madison Park has a storied history. It made its name as the world’s best restaurant with meat-heavy delicacies like its honey lavender duck, but chef-owner Daniel Humm’s mid-pandemic realisation – that business as usual in the food system isn’t sustainable – led to a complete 180 for the New York City establishment.

    Always at the forefront of innovation, Humm reopened Eleven Madison Park as a plant-based restaurant in 2021 and retained the three Michelin stars it has held since 2012 a year later. It operates three “hyper-seasonal” menus ranging from four to nine courses and priced between $225 and $365, with current dishes including tonburi with leeks and avocado, and agedashi tofu with brussel sprouts and basil.

    De Nieuwe Winkel – 2 Michelin Stars

    Location: Nijmegen, Netherlands
    Michelin stars: 2, since 2022

    de nieuwe winkel
    Courtesy: De Nieuwe Winkel

    Led by chef Emile van der Staak, De Nieuwe Winkel has been around since 2011 and is the only other vegan restaurant with two Michelin stars. Translated as ‘The New Shop’, its ethos lies in “botanical gastronomy” – it looks for applications for edible plants from around the world. In addition, it possesses a Michelin Green star too.

    The establishment has three seasonal menus: Awakening (for spring), Growth (summer to fall), and Abundance (for winter), all of which cost €195 – think dishes like a sunflower seed risotto, crispy seaweed with scoby, and a chestnut waffle with nut pâté. In addition to its alcohol pairing, it offers non-alcoholic botanical drinks too.

    Seven Swans – 1 Michelin Star

    Location: Frankfurt, Germany
    Michelin stars: 1, since 2015 (retained as a vegan restaurant in 2019)

    seven swans frankfurt
    Courtesy: Seven Swans

    Seven Swans gained fame as a vegetarian Michelin-star restaurant before Ricky Saward joined in 2018. As head chef, he cooked exclusively vegan food without publicly declaring it, which prompted him to make the move official. In 2019, the eatery retained its single Michelin star.

    The restaurant is all about permaculture – using locally and sustainably grown produce, often from its own garden. Seven Swans offers three a seven-course menu priced at €189 (with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink pairings) and has a Michelin Green Star as well.

    KLE – 1 Michelin Star

    Location: Zurich, Switzerland
    Michelin stars: 1, since 2023

    vegan michelin star
    Courtesy: KLE

    A dinner-only venue, KLE is a pub-style eatery championing Moroccan and Mexican flavours, drawing inspiration from chef-owner Zineb (Zizi) Hattab’s life. It gained a Michelin star in 2023 and serves modern cuisine with an emphasis on regionality and sustainability.

    KLE offers three tasting menus (from four to six courses), priced between 109 and 134 francs. Hattab only decided to make the restaurant plant-based a month before opening and serves dishes like Tortellini alla Panna, Kentucky Fried Mushroom, New York-style hot dogs, and more. It also has the Michelin Green star.

    Plates London – 1 Michelin Star

    Location: London, UK
    Michelin stars: 1, since 2025

    plates london
    Courtesy: Plates London

    The newest entrant on the list, Plates London is owned by siblings Kirk and Keeley Haworth and won its Michelin star just months after reopening in its current location in Shoreditch. Kirk, who has worked at legendary establishments like The French Laundry and Pied à Terre, turned to a plant-based diet after being diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2016. But he doesn’t want to be stuck with the word ‘vegan’, instead, he makes plants sing for themselves.

    The £75, seven-course menu – which officially makes it the cheapest place to eat Michelin-starred vegan food – comprises dishes like barbecued maitake mushrooms with black bean mole, a mung bean and urad dal lasagna, and a raw cacao gateau with coconut blossom ice cream.

    The post Plants on the Map: The 5 Vegan Michelin Star Restaurants Around the World appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • Protein Politics: An ‘Anti-Vegan Backlash’ Is Brewing. Why?

    anti-vegan backlash
    7 Mins Read

    Some headline writers and critics suggest an “anti-vegan backlash” is growing – protein and politics are key factors, but these narratives are missing the point.

    Veganism is dead, long live veganism!

    This month, the Daily Telegraph and Financial Times both suggested that an “anti-vegan backlash” has begun, one that has “made Britain fall back in love with meat” and is a clapback from carnivores. In response, The Spectator came out with its own take: “Blame vegans for the ‘anti-vegan backlash’.”

    It comes just as research shows that the popularity of veganism today has “returned to pre-2020 levels”, according to food magazine Chef’s Pencil.

    That assertion is based on Google Trends data, which found that the searches for related topics fell to levels last seen in 2016. Social media analysis also showed that the Instagram account for Veganuary witnessed a “dramatic slowdown in growth” from 49,600 new followers in January 2020 to just 5,500 in January 2025.

    is veganism declining
    Courtesy: Chef’s Pencil

    To make matters worse, sales of plant-based meat fell by 9% between July 2023 and 2024 in the US (though it’s still selling better than pre-pandemic levels), and 7% in the UK. And yes, a host of vegan restaurants have closed, including those owned or backed by celebrities, while others have put meat on their menu and then closed.

    Moreover, investment in plant-based startups is down. Compared to 2022, when vegan companies raised $1.2B, venture capital flowing into this category has fallen by 74%, attracting just $309M last year.

    So how have we got to this point? And is it truly all over for vegans?

    People seem to want more protein, and not from plants

    non upf foods
    Graphic by Green Queen Media & Robbie Lockie.

    One of the biggest criticisms of vegan meat alternative products today is that they’re processed. The same way hot dogs and whiskey are.

    In the US, 73% of the food supply is made up of ultra-processed foods (UPF), contributing to 60% of the country’s calorie consumption. Plant-based meat has suffered due to its classification as a UPF, even though the real problem lies with fizzy drinks, sugary bakes, and salty snacks.

    But as Americans try to eat healthier in the Ozempic era, questions about the health impacts of meat alternatives are louder than ever – however unfounded they may be.

    Then there’s the protein brigade. For as long as they’ve been around, plant-based products have been attacked for not having enough protein. It doesn’t matter that most meat analogues actually match the protein levels of the products they’re trying to replace, and some overtake them.

    Americans already eat too much meat – red meat consumption alone is 10 times higher than what scientists recommend. In fact, most of the Global North does. At the same time, we’re not eating enough fibre, a crucial nutrient for the gut microbiome and overall wellness (which conveniently, many plant-based meat products have in spades, along with equivalent amounts of protein). For some reason, though, we want more protein than ever.

    eat lancet meat
    Courtesy: Madre Brava/Profundo

    In 2024, protein was the nutrient Americans were most interested in consuming, as cited by 71% of respondents to a large survey. However, we’re not turning to plants for this – instead, online influencers have us gorging on meat, raw milk, and beef tallow.

    In the UK, too, more youngsters are increasing their meat intake (19%) than reducing it (16%) – despite half of them acknowledging that it causes harm to the planet. Meanwhile, only 45% of Brits say they trust plant-based proteins.

    Across Europe, less than one in five people (18%) avoid animal products. And moving forward, only a quarter would like to phase out meat and dairy, while 12% would like to increase their consumption.

    We’re eating crisps made from chicken breast, tortilla chips fried in tallow, shakes containing bone broth, and unpasteurised milk. And we’re doing so in the name of freedom and nutrition, it seems – despite experts warning about bird flu, saturated fat intake, and fibre deficiencies.

    Politics plays its part

    elon musk meat
    Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/CC | Composite by Green Queen

    Spearheaded by figures like Elon Musk – never one to shy away from a culture war – the pro-meat movement is reflective of the larger political landscape, one where wokeism is unwelcome and DEI policies are blamed for plane crashes.

    But it’s not just alpha males and ultra-masculine gym bros who are leading the carnivorous diet charge – women from their late 20s to early 40s make up the majority of the market for brands like Equip Foods, which sells products like grass-fed beef protein and colostrum gummies, as per the Financial Times.

    Then there’s the backlash against climate change. With President Donald Trump back in the White House, the US is once again pulling out of the Paris Agreement, which should come as no surprise given that the climate-denying president did so in his first term too. Moreover, Trump has demanded all mentions of the climate crisis be scrubbed from government websites.

    He may be flanked by former environmentalists in Musk and Robert F Kennedy Jr, but these two are figureheads for the people who’ve put personal power over the planet. The former has raised doubts over the scientifically established climate harms of animal agriculture and added information from a climate alarmism think tank on his Department of Government Efficiency website. The latter, now the health secretary, has railed against “fake meat” products despite their environmental superiority.

    It aligns with the narrative pedalled by the meat industry, which would have you believe that plant-based food isn’t sustainable, despite animal agriculture accounting for up to a fifth of global emissions. In addition, the meat lobby will dupe you into thinking that overlong ingredient lists are 1. universally bad (they’re not) and 2. only found in vegan products (they’re not).

    Vegan numbers have remained steady, and it’s not all about diet

    These arguments have been successful in turning people against and away from meat alternatives, gutting sales and sometimes entire businesses. But it doesn’t mean veganism is dead.

    “We are definitely in an adjustment phase. Health-conscious consumers are also seeking less processed meat alternatives, so we are seeing natural protein sources such as tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, and lentils grow in popularity,” Toni Vernelli, Veganuary’s head of communication and policy engagement, told Chef’s Pencil.

    That’s just it though – plant-based isn’t all about meat analogues. Heck, these products aren’t even the largest part of the market. That distinction goes to non-dairy milk, which is bought by nearly half (44%) of homes in America, and over 35% in Germany and the UK.

    And in any case, vegan population numbers have remained steady over the years. In the UK – where these headlines have originated from – between 2-3% of consumers say they follow a vegan diet, a trend that has been consistent since 2019, according to YouGov surveys. Government data, meanwhile, puts this at 1.5%, according to The Vegan Society.

    number of vegans
    Courtesy: YouGov

    Veganism has been growing in Asia too. In 2021, a tenth of Indians identified as vegan, and this has remained steady this year too. Similarly, the number of vegans in Singapore has grown from 7% in 2020 to 9% today.

    But perhaps the most crucial misconception of this argument is that veganism is all about diet – it’s not. Veganism is, as The Vegan Society explains, a “philosophy and way of living” that excludes all forms of animal exploitation – for food, clothing and other purposes.

    It’s why we see companies making animal-free leather and silk, cruelty-free cosmetics, and vegan toothpaste and shampoos. Veganism isn’t dead – if it were, investors and companies wouldn’t still be spending hundreds of millions of dollars on these products.

    Most of the population may not change their way of living. But as media investigations and social media continue to shine a harsh light on how we treat animals – which remains shocking, cruel and inhumane – and the true environmental impact of farming them, it’s likely the philosophy of veganism will continue to attract adherents.

    The post Protein Politics: An ‘Anti-Vegan Backlash’ Is Brewing. Why? appeared first on Green Queen.

    This post was originally published on Green Queen.

  • 10 Ways ChatGPT Can Revolutionize Your Vegan Life (For Free!)

    Did you know ChatGPT can be used for vegan inspiration without downloading anything? For free? It’s true! Whether you’re a seasoned vegan or a veggie spout (welcome!), AI can help you simplify your life—from meal planning to advocating for animals—all while keeping kindness at the forefront.

    Here are some fun yet practical ways to make the most of this tool—complete with customizable templates!

    How to Use These Templates

    1. Copy it and paste it into ChatGPT.
    2. Replace the placeholders in brackets with your own preferences, needs, or details.

    Vegan Food Hacks:

    `1. Meal Planning Made Simple 

      Low-fat? Protein-packed? Super-dooper-easy meals? Plug in your preferences and let AI do the rest. What a time to be alive!

      Template:

      “Please create a [low-fat/high-protein/easy] vegan meal plan for [a day/2 weeks]? I want recipes with [ingredient preferences, like tofu, chickpeas, or spinach] and no [allergies or dislikes, like gluten or nuts]. Include a shopping list.”

      Example Prompt:

      “Can you create a high-protein vegan meal plan for 3 days? I love lentils and quinoa but can’t eat soy. Include a shopping list.”

      2. Customized Grocery Lists

        On a budget? Picky eater? Ask ChatGPT to create a grocery list tailored just for you.

        Template:

        “Make me a grocery list for [X meals or recipes], keeping it vegan. I’d like to focus on [budget-friendly/organic/local/kid-approved] ingredients.”

        Example Prompt:

        “Can you create a vegan grocery list for three budget-friendly meals?”

        3. Party Like a Vegan Rockstar

          Throwing a vegan dinner party or attending a potluck? ChatGPT can help you plan a menu that wows your guests and helps animals at the same time.

          Template:

          “Help me create a vegan party menu with [X courses, like appetizers, mains, and desserts]. Keep it [easy to prepare/gourmet/kid-friendly]. Include recipes and a shopping list.”

          Example Prompt:

          “Can you help me create a vegan dinner party menu with an appetizer, main dish, and dessert? I’d like easy-to-make recipes.”

          4. Explore Global Vegan Cuisine

            Get a passport for your tastebuds! ChatGPT can introduce you to recipes from different cultures, all while respecting animals.

            Template:

            “Suggest some vegan recipes inspired by [specific cuisines, like Thai, Ethiopian, or Mexican]. I’d like them to be [ sy/authentic/spicy].”

            Example Prompt:

            “Can you suggest some easy vegan recipes inspired by Ethiopian cuisine?”

            5. Baking Without Stress

              Love baking but hate complicated recipes? Let ChatGPT find you simple vegan treats that everyone will love.

              Template:

              “Please find me an easy vegan recipe for [cookies/cakes/brownies]? I’d like it to include [specific ingredients, like chocolate or bananas].”

              Example Prompt:

              “Can you find me an easy vegan brownie recipe with dairy-free chocolate chips?”

              6. Plan Animal-Friendly Holidays

                If you’re feeling uninspired but are on the docket to host, fear not. ChatGPT to the rescue!

                Template:

                “I’m hosting [Christmas/Halloween/4th of July] this year. Can you help me plan a vegan menu, suggest centerpiece ideas, and recommend cruelty-free gifts?” 

                Example prompt:

                “Help me plan a vegan Thanksgiving with recipes, decorations, and gift ideas.”

                Beyond Food:

                7. Weekend Animal-Friendly Fun

                  Looking for fun, cruelty-free ways to spend your weekend? ChatGPT can help you find activities that don’t involve exploiting animals.

                  Template:

                  “What animal-friendly activities can I do in [your city/state]? I’m looking for [something my grandchildren would love/volunteer opportunities/indoor activities].”

                  Example Prompt:

                  “Can you suggest some animal-friendly activities near Valparaiso, Indiana, that I can enjoy this weekend?”

                  8. Advocate for Animals

                  Whether writing a letter to a company or crafting a social media post, ChatGPT can help you change hearts and minds. But make sure to fact-check and write it in your own words! And check out PETA’s Guide to Letter Writing.

                  Template:

                  “Help me write a [letter/social media post] advocating for [a specific cause, like vegan options at a restaurant or animal-friendly legislation]. Keep it positive and persuasive.”

                  Example Prompt:

                  “Can you help me write a letter to my local coffee shop asking them to add more vegan milk options? Keep it friendly and persuasive.”

                  9. Campaign Idea Brainstorm

                    Generate creative ideas for animal rights campaigns to raise awareness about specific issues. And while you’re at it, join PETA’s Action Team. PETA’s Action Team helps you advocate for animals with free resources, campaign updates, and invitations to local protests.

                    Template: “Brainstorm creative campaign ideas for raising awareness about [specific issue, e.g., fur farming, animal testing, or factory farming]. Include slogans, event concepts, or outreach methods.”

                    Example Prompt: “I need creative campaign ideas to promote the message that animal testing is outdated and cruel.”

                    10. Speciesism Discussion Starters

                      It helps to have some responses in mind in case someone asks you about vegan living. Who knows, you could inspire someone to ditch animal-derived foods!

                      Template: [Give me a PETA-style conversation starter for discussing speciesism in a respectful and informative way.]

                      Example Prompt: “How can I explain the concept of speciesism to someone who thinks animals are here for humans to use? Provide kind but impactful examples and facts.”

                      So go ahead and let ChatGPT inspire you. It’s like having a vegan sidekick who’s always ready to help. And hey, with all the extra time you saved, will you please speak up for animals by urging the Taiwanese Government to Ban Animal Experiments in Food and Beverage Testing?

                      Taiwan is so close to making a compassionate move by ending a cruel test on mice and rats used to back questionable bone health claims for food and drinks. Let’s rally together to support this compassionate step forward and urge the government to end this unnecessary and deadly practice.

                      Take Action!

                      The post 10 Ways ChatGPT Can Revolutionize Your Vegan Life (For Free!) appeared first on PETA.

                      This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

                    1. ‘Moove’ Aside, Big Dairy! Dunkin’ Just Ditched Its Unjust Vegan Milk Upcharge

                      Great news for cows and compassionate coffee lovers! Coffee giant Dunkin’ —the second largest coffee chain in the world—announced that it will stop charging extra for vegan milks at all of its U.S. locations starting on March 5, 2025. This victory comes after a push from PETA and tens of thousands of our kind supporters, who helped us urge the company to kick the unfair upcharge to the curb.

                      dunkin' oat milk latte

                      Dunkin’ is the fifth major coffee chain to get on board with fair pricing for animal-friendly options in recent months. It follows Scooter’s Coffee, Tim Hortons, Dutch Bros Coffee, and Starbucks, which all dropped the upcharge after hearing from PETA and our supporters.

                      Why Dunkin’ Ditching the Vegan Upcharge Is Better for Animals, the Planet, and Consumers

                      Charging extra for vegan milks discourages consumers from choosing kind and more sustainable options, thus propping up the cruel dairy industry. Cows have deep maternal instincts and, like all mothers, produce milk only to feed their babies. On dairy farms, workers manually impregnate mother cows by force and tear their precious babies from them. Cows are sent to slaughter when the dairy industry can no longer exploit them for their milk.

                      The production of dairy products also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and water scarcity. Cows in the dairy industry belch out massive amounts of methane. This potent greenhouse gas traps heat in the atmosphere, fueling the climate catastrophe.

                      Plus, vegan milk upcharges are discriminatory toward customers who are lactose intolerant—which disproportionately affects people of color. They also penalize conscious consumers who prefer vegan milks for ethical or environmental reasons. Customers shouldn’t be punished for keeping cruelty out of their cups, caring about the environment, or protecting their health—and thanks to Dunkin’ and many other major coffee chains, we’re one step closer to a fee-free future. Help us by urging Peet’s Coffee, the last major holdout, to follow suit:

                      Tell Peet’s to Drop Unjust Upcharges!

                      Mother cow with her baby

                      Don’t Stop at Vegan Lattes

                      Our fellow animals are unique individuals who can feel love, pain, and fear—they do not want to be exploited for their milk or any other reason. YOU can help sensitive cows, pigs, birds, and other animals who suffer on farms and at slaughterhouses by going vegan. Living vegan comes with a whole latte benefits: you can spare nearly 200 animals yearly, dramatically shrink your environmental footprint, and boost your health. Order PETA’s free vegan starter kit to make the compassionate switch today!

                      go vegan!

                      The post ‘Moove’ Aside, Big Dairy! Dunkin’ Just Ditched Its Unjust Vegan Milk Upcharge appeared first on PETA.

                      This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

                    2. Future Food Quick Bites: Vegan Dubai Chocolate, Impossible BrewDog & Non-Dairy Liqueurs

                      vegan dubai chocolate
                      5 Mins Read

                      Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers NotCo’s Dubai chocolate, BrewDog’s collaboration with Impossible Foods, and new products at Expo West.

                      New products and launches

                      Chilean AI-led food tech player NotCo has released Dubai Style NotSquare, a vegan version of the viral pistachio-kunafa-filled chocolate bar.

                      notco dubai chocolate
                      Courtesy: Matias Muchnick/LinkedIn

                      Scottish pub chain BrewDog has partnered with Impossible Foods to introduce a vegan chicken menu across 48 UK locations, which includes cheeseburgers and tacos made from the latter’s Chicken FIllets, as well as nuggets. The limited-edition menu is running until the end of March.

                      UK oat milk chocolate maker Happi has rolled out Salted Honeycomb and Cherry & Almond Easter eggs, which contain 35% less sugar than mass-market brands and are available at Waitrose and other retailers for £11.99 per 155g egg.

                      British sports nutrition brand Myprotein has launched a caramel-pecan flavour of its double-dough brownie in collaboration with Hotel Chocolat. It’s available on its website for £25.99 for a box of 12.

                      vegan cream liqueur
                      Courtesy: Continental Wine & Food

                      Yorkshire-based Continental Wine & Food has launched Lacey’s Vodkashake, a line of dairy-free cream liqueurs available in strawberry and banana flavours. Inspired by 1950s-style American diner milkshakes, the 15% ABV product is stocked at 500 B&M stores, retailing for £12 per 70cl bottle.

                      Elsewhere, Indian plant-based meat brand GoodDot has obtained a listing at Australian health food store Wholefood Merchants.

                      Also in Australia, Coyo has unveiled a dairy-free yoghurt line made with 74% oat milk and 17% coconut cream. They come in natural, vanilla bean, mango and strawberry flavours, and will be stocked at Woolworths and independent retailers nationwide starting March.

                      coyo vegan yogurt
                      Courtesy: Coyo

                      Amid the US egg shortage, UK startup Crackd – which makes the pourable vegan No-Egg Egg – is gearing up for a launch stateside, and will have a booth at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California (March 5-7).

                      Also at Expo West, alt-dairy leader Elmhurst 1925 will debut three new products: unsweetened vanilla cashew milk, barista cashew milk, and unsweetened coconut-cashew barista milk.

                      colruyt vegan
                      Courtesy: Colruyt

                      And Belgian retailer Colruyt Group has launched Boni Plan’t, a plant-based brand under its Boni Selection private label. The move unites over 100 existing meat-free products under the new label, with several new items to be added in the coming months.

                      Company and finance updates

                      Swedish dairy giant Valio has acquired Raisio‘s plant protein business, which includes the Härkis and Beanit fava bean brands, for €7M. The deal will see 16 employees transferred to Valio.

                      After two years of tumult, Swedish oat milk giant Oatly reported a 5% hike in revenue for both Q4 and the full year of 2024, and expects 2025 to be its “first full year of profitable growth as a public company”.

                      nespresso oatly
                      Courtesy: Nespresso

                      In northern Spain, Hijos de Rivera, Inproteins and the Xunta de Galicia have invested €7.5M in a new plant protein manufacturing facility. The project will receive a total of €18M in funding, supported by the Galician Institute for Economic Promotion and Banco Sabadell.

                      In the UK, AI-driven meal-planning platform Remy has acquired Kitche, an app that helps prevent food waste at the household level.

                      Dutch cultivated pork producer Meatable hosted a cross-industry event with 80 stakeholders to discuss sustainable proteins and the future of food.

                      meatable
                      Courtesy: Meatable

                      Speaking of cellular agriculture, Singapore’s Umami Bioworks has introduced a cultivated seafood platform to address protein diversity in the pet food industry. It comes as the firm works with another startup to commercialise cat treats made with cultivated fish, and just after the first cultivated pet food launched in the UK earlier this month.

                      Policy developments

                      Californian alternative protein pioneer Eat Just and its cultivated meat subsidiary, Good Meat, have reached an “agreement in principle” to settle their legal dispute with bioreactor supplier ABEC.

                      singapore food safety bill
                      Courtesy: Eat Just

                      Israeli startup Yeap has announced that its upcycled yeast protein now meets EU regulatory requirements, paving the way for its market entry in the region.

                      The European Plant-Based Foods Association (formerly the European Natural Soyfood Association, or ENSA) has changed its name to Plant-Based Foods Europe to “better reflect the industry’s dynamic landscape”.

                      After more than 70 years, Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States have changed their name to Humane World for Animals, marking the occasion with a new ad campaign featuring Sia.

                      In a written submission, the UK government is being urged by The Vegan Society to raise awareness of vegans in the parliament to prevent harassment and bullying, as well as increase plant-based options for policymakers.

                      Finally, in New Zealand, the Vegan Society of Aotearoa and the New Zealand Vegetarian Society have handed in a petition to ban the misleading labelling of animal-free products, since there’s no legislation to determine what products qualify as vegan or vegetarian in the country.

                      Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

                      The post Future Food Quick Bites: Vegan Dubai Chocolate, Impossible BrewDog & Non-Dairy Liqueurs appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    3. Regenerative Ag Isn’t Kind to Animals—But It Could Be. Here’s How

                      Is regenerative agriculture “sustainable” or just another way to exploit animals? First, let’s dive into what the buzzword regenerative agriculture means.

                      What Is Regenerative Agriculture?

                      Regenerative agriculture is a method of farming aimed at restoring the health of the land. Some techniques don’t use animals, like no-till farming. This method is entirely animal-free and increases water retention in the soil retains carbon and fosters the growth of beneficial microorganisms.

                      Two sets of human hands holding a bowl of tomatoes

                      But some techniques, like rotational grazing, use animals like cows or goats rotated across pastures. In other words, humans have found yet another way to exploit the animals they kill for profit. This method also relies on raising animals for food, which is cruel and devastating to the planet.

                      But don’t grazing animals fertilize the soil and help restore degraded land?

                      Animals in nature already do that without being bred, confined, and hacked into pieces. Rotational grazing also contributes to methane emissions and land use inefficiencies.

                      Vegetables in piles

                      Vegan farming can build soil health—without exploitation. But while we wait for vegan farming to catch on, we can all do our part today by ditching anything made from an animal.

                      Without animal poop, how would we fertilize the soil?

                      Cover crops, crop rotations, and compost all regenerate the soil without turning animals into “resources.” And let’s not forget—manure only has nutrients because animals eat plants. Why cycle nutrients through animals when plants provide them directly?

                      Why is going vegan more sustainable?

                      Of all the agricultural land in the U.S., 80% is used to raise animals for food and grow grain to feed them. Nearly half of all the water used in the U.S. goes to raising animals for food. This is beyond wasteful. Beans, lentils, and vegetables are nutrient-dense, resource-efficient, and don’t require suffering.

                      Why is going vegan the kindest way to farm?

                      Pigs are as intelligent as dogs, chickens cluck to their unhatched chicks, and cows form lifelong friendships. These animals have rich emotional lives and unique personalities. Yet billions of animals suffer when they are considered mere commodities.

                      Sad pig looking at camera

                      On today’s farms, mother pigs are trapped in crates so small they can’t turn around. Baby calves are torn from their mothers so humans can steal their milk. And chickens are bred to grow so unnaturally fast that their legs can’t carry themselves.  

                      Growing food without using animals in any way is the kindest way to farm.

                      Could regenerative agriculture make flesh, dairy, and eggs more sustainable?

                      Raising and killing animals for food will never be sustainable. It consumes vast resources while generating greenhouse gas emissions and pollution that devastate ecosystems and drive climate catastrophe. No tweaks in the system will change that.

                      So, watch out for misleading labels. Industries seeking to “greenwash” animal-derived ingredients, like “carbon-neutral burgers,” have co-opted the term “regenerative.” These claims mislead well-meaning customers.

                      Why going vegan is the only sustainable choice.

                      The only real way to reduce the environmental damage of animal agriculture and protect animals from cruelty is to go vegan. Researchers at the University of Oxford found that ditching meat and dairy can reduce one’s carbon footprint by up to 73%. Plus, each vegan spares nearly 200 animals from suffering every year.

                      Use vegan regenerative practices in your own garden!

                      • Plant-Based Compost: Turn kitchen scraps into rich, animal-free compost—no manure needed. 
                      • Cover Crops: Grow clover or beans to naturally replace soil nutrients between planting seasons. 
                      • No-Till Gardening: Skip digging to protect soil microbes and retain moisture. 
                      • Mulch: Use straw or wood chips to lock in water, keep weeds in check, and feed the soil.
                      • Animals Welcome: Plant native flowers to attract pollinators.

                      Help animals right now

                      Kind consumers can take steps to end this cruelty and the “humane” lies—first, by going vegan, and second, by making sure organizations know that you won’t support them until they end all their factory farm endorsements. Please sign PETA’s petition telling Humane Word for Animals (formerly Humane Society), the ASPCA, and Compassion in World Farming to resign from the Global Animal Partnership’s board of directors immediately and end their affiliation with the partnership and all factory farming of animals.

                      Take Action!

                      The post Regenerative Ag Isn’t Kind to Animals—But It Could Be. Here’s How appeared first on PETA.

                      This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

                    4. Most Consumers Hungry for Plant-Based Food, But High Prices Keep Them Away

                      plant based survey
                      5 Mins Read

                      Interest in eating more plant-based food is growing across the Global South, with high prices the biggest obstacle to increased consumption, according to a new study.

                      More than two-thirds (68%) of consumers across the world want to eat more plant-based food, with folks from countries in the Global South the most keen, according to a 31-nation study.

                      The sentiment is strongest in Vietnam, where over 90% of people express a growing appetite for plants, and which is followed by 11 other nations in the Global South. Conversely, the seven countries least interested in plant-based foods are all in the Global North, with Australia (40%) at the bottom.

                      plant based food consumption
                      Courtesy: EAT/GlobeScan

                      This is despite price being the top barrier to plant-based consumption in all regions, with 42% of global consumers finding these foods too expensive. It likely affected the three-point drop in frequent plant-based intake between 2023 and 2024, although these levels have remained largely stable over the last few years.

                      The Grains of Truth 2024 report was conducted by GlobeScan and the non-profit EAT, collecting representative online samples of over 30,000 consumers across the 31 countries.

                      Inflation cuts deep

                      plant based price parity
                      Courtesy: GFI

                      In the US, animal meat is 77% cheaper than plant-based alternatives on average; this gap expands to 104% when it comes to plant-based milk and 317% for eggs.

                      Experts have long argued that price parity is crucial for these products to compete in the market, but recent analysis shows that for true impact, they must undercut the cost of animal proteins.

                      According to a study published in December, if plant-based alternatives are more expensive than meat, their preference falls below 20%, and if they’re priced equally, this increases to 21%.

                      “Although barriers to plant-based food consumption differ around the world, price is the top barrier everywhere,” the authors of the Grains of Trust report write. This is an especially large concern in Europe and North America, where “even consumers who care about environmental sustainability often cannot afford plant-based foods regularly”.

                      Meanwhile, economic instability in regions like Latin America and Africa makes it harder for people to prioritise dietary changes amidst broader food security concerns.

                      Meat alternatives fail to impress

                      plant based barriers
                      Courtesy: EAT/GlobeScan

                      Aside from the cost, taste is the second largest hurdle to plant-based consumption, most important in North America (chosen by 45% of respondents). In Latin America, convenience trumps flavour, while health concerns aren’t a major concern – highlighting that most consumers recognise the nutritional benefits of plant-based food.

                      Likewise, health is still the top reason driving people to reduce meat, but this has weakened from 47% in 2020 to 41% in 2024. Financial considerations, meanwhile, have become more pertinent (from 12% to 17%).

                      And while a third (34%) of consumers would prefer plant-based alternatives over conventional meat – if they match the taste, nutrition and price – this has dropped from 42% in 2020. Latin Americans are the most open to meat analogues, but people in Australia, North America, and Europe show a strong preference for animal protein.

                      Broadly, too, frequent consumption of vegan or vegetarian food has decreased by at least five percentage points in the three largest markets: North America (now at 13%), Europe (18%), and Asia-Pacific (14%). Africa and the Middle East (38%) lead the way here.

                      plant based meat consumption
                      Courtesy: EAT/GlobeScan

                      Gen Z and millennials lead the protein transition

                      Nearly three-quarters (72%) of millennials – many of whom have young families now – want to eat more plant-based food, as do 69% of both Gen Z and Gen X consumers.

                      While the interest from young groups wouldn’t usually be surprising, it comes at a time when they’re returning to animal-based foods. Among 18- to 24-year-olds in the UK, for example, 19% are increasing their meat intake, while only 16% are cutting back, according to a separate poll.

                      gen z plant based food
                      Courtesy: EAT/GlobeScan

                      In this report too, frequent consumption of meat-free food dipped by more than five points among millennials in 2024. “Despite these generational differences, the data reveal a clear appetite for change – if the obstacles can be addressed,” the report notes.

                      “The plant-based food sector has made strides in developing new products, but more needs to be done to tackle the persistent concerns about flavour and texture, a prominent barrier to adopting more plant-based diets, especially for older people.”

                      Polluting food should be taxed, but meat reduction not a universal choice

                      vegan consumer trends
                      Courtesy: EAT/GlobeScan

                      Meanwhile, 86% of consumers across the world agree that carbon-heavy food should be taxed higher than low-impact options – while this would seem like an endorsement of meat taxes, only 69% of them believe it would be better if the world ate less meat. In fact, 11% completely disagreed with the idea that reducing meat consumption would be beneficial.

                      “Clear, transparent labelling and third-party certifications could help build confidence in the sustainability claims of plant-based products,” the authors state. “Investment in research and development coupled with a focus on cultural food preferences will be key to creating products that meet consumers’ tastes and expectations.”

                      They add: “By creating a clear link between plant-based eating and positive environmental and human health outcomes, brands and policymakers can encourage more consumers to make the switch.”

                      The post Most Consumers Hungry for Plant-Based Food, But High Prices Keep Them Away appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    5. Blackbird Foods: Ahimsa Companies Continues Vegan Acquisition Spree with Frozen Pizza Maker

                      blackbird pizza
                      3 Mins Read

                      New York-based Blackbird Foods has been acquired by Ahimsa Companies, a holding company with several sustainable protein startups in its roster.

                      Frozen plant-based food maker Blackbird Foods has been acquired by Ahimsa Companies, an investor on a takeover spree of alternative protein players globally.

                      The deal will help Blackbird Foods – which makes vegan pizzas and wings, seitan, and dairy-free cheese – expand its reach, enhance its manufacturing capabilities, and accelerate product innovation.

                      It is Ahimsa Companies’s third M&A deal since being founded last year, after its acquisitions of leading brand Wicked Kitchen (including subsidiaries Good Catch and Current Foods) in May 2024, and nugget maker Simulate last October.

                      Financial terms weren’t disclosed, but Blackbird Foods will continue to operate under its existing brand identity.

                      blackbird foods
                      Courtesy: Blackbird Foods

                      Banking on the market for frozen vegan food

                      Blackbird Foods, founded in 2022 by Emanuel Storch and Mike Pease, has products in Target, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, and The Fresh Market, as well as restaurants like Screamer’s Pizzeria.

                      One of its flagship products is the pepperoni pizza, which it recently revamped with the help of industry giant Beyond Meat. The startup swapped its housemade pepperoni with the latter’s pea protein version, which it said was meatier.

                      In 2024, it raised $125,000 in a crowdfunding round on StartEngine, where it claimed to have recorded lifetime sales of over $11M. According to a filing with the SEC, the business made $4.47M in revenue in 2023, a 60% increase from the year before, which it attributed to increased distribution and velocity.

                      “We are eager to tap into Ahimsa’s extensive knowledge to strengthen Blackbird’s presence in the frozen aisle. With their support, we have ambitious plans for growth and exciting product innovations on the horizon,” said Pease.

                      While retail sales of plant-based meat suffered in 2024, they sold much better in the freezer than the fridge, according to market research firm Circana. Dollar sales of chilled meat analogues took a 17% dip in the 52 weeks to July 14, 2024 to reach $309M, while those in the frozen aisle only encountered a 6% loss, totalling $720M in sales.

                      ahimsa companies
                      Courtesy: Blackbird Foods

                      Ahimsa Companies leads plant-based consolidation era

                      Backed by investors including the Ahimsa Foundation, Ahimsa Companies’s business model involves taking over companies that can reshape the sustainable food industry. The holding company has noted that consolidation is “critical to the growth and success”.

                      As part of a roll-up strategy, Ahimsa Companies is looking at companies in the precision fermentation, cultivated meat, extruded pea protein, non-dairy alternative, and plant-based food segments, and has bought a 50,000 sq ft factory in Ohio to produce meat analogues.

                      “Ahimsa Companies shares our passion for plant-based innovation and animal-free food production. Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in plant-based cuisine while maintaining the quality and authenticity our customers love,” said Storch.

                      simulate nuggs
                      Courtesy: Simulate/Green Queen

                      The acquisition comes after investment in plant-based startups fell by 75% in 2024, reflecting an overall hesitance in food tech funding among venture capitalists. It has played a part in the string of consolidation deals the sector has seen recently – in the UK alone, food and drink M&A activity was up by 29% in 2024.

                      Within the global alternative protein space, such deals included UK-based Vegan Food Group’s acquisition of Meatless Farm, Clive’s Purely Plants and Tofutown after evolving into a holding company from its VFC brand, v2food’s takeover of ready meal brands Soulara and Macros, Misha’s Inc’s purchase of vegan cheese producer Vertage, and most recently, Deliciously Ella founders’ rescue of ready meal brand Allplants.

                      The post Blackbird Foods: Ahimsa Companies Continues Vegan Acquisition Spree with Frozen Pizza Maker appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    6. New Name, Same Betrayal: Humane World for Animals Is a Factory Farm Apologist

                      The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) may have changed its name to Humane World for Animals, but its animal-betraying, factory-farm-supporting policies remain. Join PETA and urge Humane World for Animals (formerly HSUS) to make a real change and step down from the board of directors for the humane-washing scheme Global Animal Partnership (GAP).

                      Take Action in Just 10 Seconds
                      close up of pig from For Charlie video next to GAP logo

                      Humane World for Animals Is a Factory Farm Apologist

                      Humane World for Animals (formerly HSUS), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASCPA), and Compassion in World Farming are failing to prevent cruelty to animals. They have become apologists for factory farms by sitting on the board of directors for the humane-washing scheme GAP.

                      GAP uses misleading “animal welfare certified” labels to convince consumers that they’re buying the flesh and secretions of animals who were treated better than those on other factory farms, but marketing buzzwords mean nothing for animals raised and killed for food. 

                      By supporting GAP, these organizations are allowing animals to be:

                      • Routinely mutilated without any painkillers.
                      • Forcibly manually impregnated.
                      • Kept in factory farm sheds that are virtually indistinguishable from operations that aren’t “animal welfare certified.”

                      Animal welfare certified pig image

                      GAP’s welfare standards also allow companies to send sensitive, communicative pigs into C02 gas chambers at slaughterhouses, where they convulse and slowly suffocate for up to several minutes.

                      GAP is also phasing in the abysmally low standards of the “Better Chicken Commitment,” a humane-washing sham that allows chickens to continue to suffer mightily in vile, filthy, factory-farm conditions so the meat industry can profit. 

                      Over 8 billion chickens are killed for their flesh in the U.S. each year. Most of these chickens, called “broilers” by the speciesist chicken industry, spend their entire lives confined in dirty sheds with tens of thousands of other birds, even when their flesh is labeled “Animal Welfare Certified” in grocery stores like Whole Foods. The intense crowding and confinement by the meat, egg, and dairy industries often lead to disease outbreaks, such as bird flu. When the birds are only 6 or 7 weeks old, workers cram them into overcrowded crates and truck them to slaughter.

                      cage free eggs animal welfare certified

                      Urge Humane World for Animals, the ASPCA, and Compassion In World Farming to Stop Supporting GAP

                      Join PETA in urging the Humane World for Animals (formerly HSUS), the ASPCA, and Compassion In World Farming to stop supporting factory farms and humane washing and start telling consumers the truth: Eating animals is never humane. Go vegan, it’s easy.

                      Urge These Organizations to Make a Real Change for Animals

                      The post New Name, Same Betrayal: Humane World for Animals Is a Factory Farm Apologist appeared first on PETA.

                      This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

                    7. Heather Mills On Plant-Based: Sector Will Boom Again, Because It Has To

                      heather mills
                      4 Mins Read

                      British vegan entrepreneur Heather Mills, founder of legacy brand VBites, on what’s going wrong for the plant-based industry – and how it can move forward.

                      Having spent decades in the vegan food sector and collaborating with a small group of like-minded individuals to raise awareness about the urgent need to protect animals, the planet, and our health, we were delighted to witness the tremendous growth in this movement over the past five years.

                      We would like to take credit for it – and we definitely should, as far as making the best products are concerned at VBites.

                      However, the real reason for the growth was the sale of three vegan/vegetarian food companies for hundreds of millions of dollars: Quorn, Daiya, and then the IPO of Beyond Meat (which took its market cap to $12B at one point).

                      At the time, I warned these companies that they should have their messaging ready for the pushback from the meat and dairy industry. Unfortunately, they didn’t listen and that huge $12B valuation dropped to under $500M for Beyond Meat.

                      The meat and dairy industry became afraid because they did not have ownership and control of the vegan market and the boom, and put out dreadful products that turned people off going vegan.

                      Investor interest must be retained

                      vbites
                      Courtesy: VBites

                      In the UK, at VBites, we thought about this and got ahead of the game by replicating famous brands and manufacturing vegan alternates for them, such as Applewood vegan cheese, Domino’s pizza cheese, and numerous other supermarket labels of meat- and fish-free products.

                      Had these companies that obtained hundreds of millions of dollars focused on working with meat and dairy companies to replicate their brands as white labels, as well as their own brand, the Gartner effect may not have happened.

                      That’s why we created the first vegan burgers and cheese for McDonald’s and Burger King.

                      Going forward, there is no other choice than to push the reduction of global warming, the cruelty of animals, and the improvement of health by going vegan.

                      The most important thing is that greedy corporate investors stay invested in these companies for the long term, for the future of their own children, the planet, and the animals.

                      It’s not just the profit – the sector will become very profitable – however, it needs time and investment, and it needs to be well spent. I find the big corporations waste so much money and that’s attributed to this downfall.

                      It’s all about the people

                      plant based meat sales
                      Courtesy: Diana Papini

                      Vegan startups mainly started with enthusiastic founders like myself. I had 30 years’ experience and made the same mistakes. However, I never had a huge investment.

                      A lot of these founders also were really knowledgeable in tech and brand marketing, but did not think of the bigger picture or understand how difficult it is to scale up kitchen products into large-scale, manufacturing products.

                      That requires a totally different expertise.

                      At the time, I contacted them and said: “Let us do the manufacturing for you, as we have the world’s largest 100% vegan manufacturing facilities and have been the experts for decades.”

                      They had no original IP and we suggested they get on with the genius of branding, but unfortunately, they ignored this and most of them went into administration.

                      We at VBites went through a similar situation when we were invested in, because the investors thought they knew what they were doing and didn’t listen to how to run a small family business. Bottom line, it’s all about the people.

                      However, I bought the whole thing back and turned it around within six months.

                      We have our online supermarket called Alternative Stores, which is growing 55% per month. We have 2,200 products, including the most innovative boiled, fried and poached vegan eggs. We’ve also created an egg albumen to go into food application.

                      To help the smaller family businesses that have been used for their innovations, then copied, private-labelled and dumped out of the supermarkets, we don’t charge for these brands to put their products on our website. This way, they can test the market without mortgaging their house and putting themselves into debt.

                      We have turned our companies around by working directly on the factory floor with the people who have been with us for many decades. The problem with big corporates is that they sit in their ivory towers and most of them have never run a business from the ground up, so they need to listen to the founders.

                      And if the founders are not experienced, they need to listen to the financial expertise of those who know what they’re doing. 

                      I believe that there will be another plant-based boom because there has to be. There is no other option.

                      The post Heather Mills On Plant-Based: Sector Will Boom Again, Because It Has To appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    8. Sustainability NGO Gets 175+ Food Companies to Commit to Responsible Sourcing in Asia

                      lever foundation
                      4 Mins Read

                      More than 175 food businesses across Asia have committed to improving their sourcing policies in light of sustainability and animal welfare, supported by a US non-profit.

                      A total of 83 food companies committed to implementing improved sourcing and production policies across Asia in 2024, as a result of campaigning by sustainability NGO Lever Foundation.

                      This is in addition to the 95 such corporate policies secured by the charity in 2022 and 2023 from food companies based or operating in Asia, impacting production covering “several million farm animals per year”.

                      “We’re encouraged by the growing commitment from food companies across Asia to adopt more sustainable and humane sourcing practices,” said Lily Tse, corporate outreach manager at Lever Foundation.

                      “These 83 new corporate policies generated last year represent meaningful progress. By working closely with companies of all sizes, from major producers to local restaurants, we’re seeing real transformation in how food is sourced and produced in Asia.”

                      China plant-based partnerships in focus

                      accor group china vegan
                      Courtesy: Accor Group

                      Among the corporate policies Lever Foundation says it generated last year are 17 shifts towards improved production systems, and five pledges to significantly ramp up the use of plant-based foods.

                      According to its website, it has helped shift 29 million corporate meals to plant-based and prevented 82 million kgs of CO2e from businesses each year.

                      Its impact in China is particularly notable. Lever Foundation partnered with IHG Hotels & Resorts Greater China to make 30% of the group’s offerings plant-based by 2025, a commitment that was matched a few months later by Dossen Hotel Group, and bettered by Orange Hotels, which pledged to convert 70% of its menus to plant-based options at 750 hotels.

                      Lever China also signed a strategic partnership with the Low-Carbon Hotel Development Institute, a state-affiliated organisation in China, to boost the adoption of plant-based foods in the country’s hotel industry.

                      These efforts come at a time when plant-based food is becoming more popular in local diets, making up a majority of the country’s protein supply. Polling shows that almost all (98%) Chinese consumers would eat more plants if they were informed about the benefits of a vegan diet.

                      China may be world’s largest meat consumer – making up 28% of the global consumption growth in the decade to 2023, with intakes set to increase further until 2030 – but experts suggest that half of all protein consumption in the country must come from alternative sources by 2060, if it is to decarbonise.

                      Both national and local governments are promoting plant-based and novel foods, with Beijing now home to the first cultivated meat and fermented protein R&D centre. And the China Vegan Society is gearing up for V-March, a monthlong vegan challenge inspired by Veganuary.

                      “The steady growth in corporate commitments throughout 2024 reflects the value of sustained engagement and clear communication for driving positive progress in the food system,” added Kertna Tharmaraja, communications manager at Lever Foundation.

                      Can Asian hospitality meet the sustainability moment?

                      cage free asia
                      Courtesy: Patarapong/Getty Images

                      The remaining 51 commitments generated by Lever Foundation in 2024 came from companies small, medium and large – including retailers, hospitality groups, bakeries, cafés and foodservice operators – to remove “particularly destructive practices” like caged farming from their supply chains.

                      Surveys by GMO Research show that at least three-quarters of consumers prefer cage-free eggs in markets like Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.

                      In South Korea, Accor Hotels has removed caged eggs from 90% of its operations, and will fully eliminate them by this year, with support from Lever Foundation. This would speak to the 79% of Koreans who believe businesses should use cage-free eggs, and 69% who’re willing to spend more on them in restaurants.

                      So far, about 40% of the corporate policies it helped introduce have been implemented, with the remainder set to be rolled out in the years ahead, within publicly announced timelines. Of the 83 companies, 77 are based in Asia, with the rest having headquarters in Oceania, Europe or the Americas.

                      “Lever’s approach of working closely with partners across the supply chain has helped facilitate practical, implementable change that aligns with both business goals and sustainability imperatives,” said Tharmaraja.

                      “The willingness of businesses to embrace better practices – from improved production systems to expanded plant-based offerings – reflects an encouraging shift in corporate priorities and consumer expectations.”

                      asia sustainability survey
                      Courtesy: PwC

                      According to PwC, 43% of consumers in Asia-Pacific are making more eco-minded purchases, and a third are changing how they eat in line with planetary health. And 55% say they’ll spend more to stay at an environmentally friendly hotel, much higher than their counterparts in the rest of the world (around 40%).

                      Meanwhile, Lever’s venture capital fund, called Lever VC, recently announced the first close of its Fund II, which will deploy an initial $50M in early-stage agrifood tech startups. Among the first five startups to receive financing are Gavan Technologies (maker of plant-protein-based Savor butter), sweet protein innovator Oobli, and mycelium meat startup Mush Foods. To date, Lever VC has completed over 100 investments in the category.

                      The post Sustainability NGO Gets 175+ Food Companies to Commit to Responsible Sourcing in Asia appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    9. Allplants: Deliciously Ella Founders Rescue Vegan Ready Meal Brand in Anti-UPF Push

                      vegan ready meals
                      5 Mins Read

                      Months after securing an exit for Deliciously Ella, founders Ella and Matthew Mills have acquired vegan ready meal leader Allplants out of administration under their revamped Plants brand.

                      Less than three months after it entered administration, British ready meal startup Allplants is back on the market, having been rescued by the founders of fellow vegan business Deliciously Ella in their bid to drive the conversation away from “ultra-processed meat alternatives”.

                      Ella and Matthew Mills, who sold Deliciously Ella to Hero Group in September, retained their Plants brand and restaurant in the multimillion-pound deal. While the Plants by DE eatery has since closed, the CPG label – launched as a sub-brand with Waitrose in 2022 – is now undergoing a refresh with the acquisition of Allplants.

                      “We are absolutely thrilled to share that today we have acquired the Allplants brand name and associated brand assets out of administration,” Ella Mills said in a statement. “We will bring together Plants and all plants to create something truly special – a new, natural, plant-based powerhouse.”

                      Instead of launching new products under the Allplants label, Plants will look to leverage the former’s social media following – it has nearly 200,000 followers across its accounts – to expand its reach.

                      The refreshed business will be led by managing director Kerry Atack, who has worked with Deliciously Ella since 2020.

                      Deliciously Ella founders tap into Allplants’s ‘enormous promise’

                      allplants deliciously ella
                      Courtesy: Plants

                      Set up by brothers Alex and Jonathan Petrides, Allplants has been around since 2016, selling vegan ready meals online and via retailers. It capitalised on the meal delivery boom a few years later during the pandemic-induced lockdowns, and when it made its retail debut in November 2022, it sold six million meals within the first three months.

                      Over the years, the company raised £67M from investors including professional footballers Chris Smalling and Kieran Gibbs. But in the background, it registered losses of nearly £10M in the seven months to March 2023, which Jonathan ascribed to inflation, post-Brexit supply chain disruptions, rising interest rate, and the shift from the growth stage to the pursuit of profitability.

                      The business went into administration in November, making 65 employees redundant and working with Interpath to find a buyer. Now, it has become the latest in a line of plant-based companies that have been rescued from the brink, including Meatless Farm, VBites, Plant & Bean, and Mycorena.

                      allplants
                      Courtesy: Allplants

                      “When we started cooking in 2016, fewer than 1% of Brits ate vegan. Today, that number is over 6%, with millions more flexing and shifting towards plant-based,” said Jonathan, who has left the business. “Allplants was always about sparking that curiosity, nudging habits, and helping people taste the future.”

                      He added: “Putting so much goodness out into the world and being a part of this societal shift is something we can always be very proud of, and I feel privileged to have been involved in such an important movement – but there’s still a lot of progress to hopefully come.”

                      In her statement, Mills said: “Having spent the past 12 years building Deliciously Ella and Plants, we have long admired the Allplants brand, and the brand name has built remarkable consumer awareness across the UK. Unfortunately, the business ran into significant financial difficulty, and we know that the resulting administration has been an incredibly difficult time for the community, customers, suppliers, team members and investors.”

                      She added that Plants was “pleased to have signed an agreement” to acquire the brand name and assets: “We’re so excited to build an exciting future for this brand with such enormous promise.”

                      Ella Mills slams UPFs ahead of Plants brand refresh

                      plants by deliciously ella
                      Courtesy: Plants/Green Queen

                      Plants sells pantry staples like pasta, sauces, kombucha, soups, and frozen meals, which are available at Waitrose, Ocado, Whole Foods Market, and Zapp.

                      The brand will announce a packaging refresh in April, with phrases like “Real food”, “Real flavour”, and “100% natural ingredients” forming part of a new direction that looks to shift the discourse away from ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

                      These make up 57% of the average British diet, and while experts have warned against associating processing with nutrition, a backlash against UPFs has also led to plant-based meat products falling into disrepute.

                      Retail sales for plant-based meat were down by 6% in the UK in 2023, with volumes plunging further by 13%, while the country’s largest meat-free company, Quorn, posted pre-tax losses of £63M that year, a fourfold increase from the £15M it lost in 2022, just as more youngsters are increasing their meat intake (19%) than reducing it (16%) in the UK. Vegan ready meals, meanwhile, saw a decline of 20%.

                      The UPF pushback has given rise to whole foods like beans, tofu (now in 8% of British households, despite being a UPF too), and tempeh (with one tempeh maker the second-fastest growing meat-free brand last year).

                      deliciously ella
                      Courtesy: Deliciously Ella

                      “The plant-based category should be synonymous with real, nourishing food, yet for too long it has been dominated by ultra-processed meat alternatives, a trend now in steep decline. We’re here to try and change that, and to reimagine the plant-based fixture with delicious, natural, quick wins for clever cooks,” said Mills.

                      It’s the latest example of vegan brands themselves attacking plant-based meat for being ultra-processed. Phil Graves, CEO of mycelium meat maker Meati, recently told Green Queen that people shouldn’t have to choose between factory-farmed meat or “ultra-processed plant-based options that have a long list of ingredients you can’t pronounce”.

                      With the Allplants acquisition, Mills – who has built her empire on healthy eating – is looking to capitalise on the anti-UPF push.

                      The post Allplants: Deliciously Ella Founders Rescue Vegan Ready Meal Brand in Anti-UPF Push appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    10. Future Food Quick Bites: Beyond x NBA, Corn Milk & Carbon Crackers

                      beyond meat nba
                      5 Mins Read

                      Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Beyond Meat’s new products and cookbook, the US’s first corn milk brand, and a cultivated seafood tasting.

                      New products and launches

                      Plant-based meat giant Beyond Meat has expanded its steak lineup with Chimichurri and Korean BBQ-Style flavours, which are available at Sprouts Farmers Market. It has also launched a Go Beyond the BUzzer cookbook with the National Basketball Players Association, with recipes from current NBA players like Cade Cunningham, Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan.

                      beyond steak
                      Courtesy: Beyond Meat

                      German alt-seafood startup Koralo is expanding into the US, and looking to partner with clients for its co-fermented microalgae- and mycelium-based Wellness New F!sh fillet and functional food ingredients.

                      Speaking of seafood, Canadian firm Konscious Foods has partnered with New York-based seafood purveyor Acme Smoked Fish, which will distribute its plant-based smoked salmon to delis, restaurants, bagel shops, and more.

                      Fellow Canadian food tech player The Cultivated B has launched multi-channel biosensors to monitor the growth and metabolism of cell culture and fermentation processes. The tech combines continuous tracking with AI-enabled real-time analytics to help enhance accuracy and speed.

                      Also in Canada, Odd Burger has secured a retail listing with Calgary Co-op, making its vegan frozen food lineup available at all 22 locations in Alberta.

                      maizly corn milk
                      Courtesy: Maïzly

                      Based in one of the US’s major corn producers, Indianapolis startup Maïzly has debuted a category-first corn milk, which it offers in original and chocolate flavours. Free from seed, nut or vegetable oils, it packs 8g of fibre per cup, and is available on its website, Amazon and select retailers.

                      Sweden’s Veg of Lund has secured a listing for its Dug potato milk product at 150 Carrefour stores in Spain, marking its debut in the country.

                      In Spain, supermarket chain Eroski, catering company Ausolan, mycelium firm Innomy, and the Leartiker Technology Centre have created desserts and snack bars made from fungal protein as part of the Delifungus project.

                      Iceland’s ORF Genetics and South Korea’s CellMeat hosted a public tasting for cultivated shellfish meat at the Iceland Ocean Cluster, in an event attended by First Gentleman Björn Skúlason and agrifood minister Hanna Katrín Friðriksson.

                      solein protein
                      Courtesy: Solar Foods

                      Italian algae startup KelpEat has launched high-protein crackers using Solein, the gas protein produced by Finnish firm Solar Foods. It was showcased at the Pitti Taste show in Florence this week.

                      Company and finance updates

                      Solar Foods has also reached a step closer to bringing its air-based protein to the EU market, after addressing inquiries from the European Food Safety Authority regarding the scientific opinion on its novel food application.

                      heura plant based
                      Courtesy: Heura

                      Spanish plant-based meat leader Heura has improved its B Corp rating by 18%, now scoring 111 points and securing the top spot for CPG food businesses with a turnover of over €1M.

                      NoPalm Ingredients, a Dutch producer of fermentation-derived oils and fats from upcycled agricultural sidestreams, has become the first company to scale such ingredients to industrial levels of 120,000 litres.

                      Israeli food tech startup SuperMeat has teamed up with Argentinian biomanufacturing firm Stämm to expand production of the former’s cultivated meat, which it says can be produced for $11.79 per pound. The partnership is supported by mutual investor Varana Capital.

                      supermeat
                      Courtesy: Dror Varshavski

                      Canadian plant protein manufacturer Burcon Nutrascience has agreed to acquire a commercial-scale facility in Galesburg, Illinois, and will begin production in the first half of this year.

                      In the US, YC-backed blended meat startup Choppy (formerly Paul’s Table) has ceased operations nearly three years after it was established.

                      Californian alt-honey startup MeliBio earned $15,000 after winning Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition‘s NGT3 pitch slam contest for its precision-fermented honey. 

                      Research, policy and awards

                      MeliBio‘s European vegan honey distribution deal with Narayan Foods is on the backburner, but the business is aiming to become profitable by the end of the year.

                      plant based universities
                      Courtesy: Imperial College London

                      In the UK, the University of Bristol and Imperial College London have voted to support the transition towards plant-based catering menus, joining a host of other institutes in the Plant-Based Universities movement.

                      Can targeted menu modifications ‘nudge’ people into picking plant-based items in restaurants? A new study by Bryant Research explores this question, based on trials run at Mumbai restaurant Gracias Granny.

                      South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs has unveiled its 2025 Agri-Food Fund Operation Plan, committing ₩55B ($38M) towards smart agriculture and food tech.

                      gander food waste
                      Courtesy: Gander

                      Food waste app Gander has been nominated for Prince William‘s Earthshot Prize 2025. The app operates in UK, Ireland, Australia and Brazil, and has saved about 40 million items of food from ending up in the trash.

                      Finally, the Freedom Food Alliance (FFA) has launched FoodFacts.org, a fact-checking platform powered by an AI chatbot and expert-backed nutritional and health content. Disclaimer: Green Queem Media founder Sonalie Figueiras is an advisor at FFA.

                      Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

                      The post Future Food Quick Bites: Beyond x NBA, Corn Milk & Carbon Crackers appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    11. Trend Report: As Egg Prices Skyrocket, Dozens of Startups Are Hatching Chicken-Free Solutions

                      vegan eggs
                      8 Mins Read

                      With egg prices returning to sky-high levels in the US, it brings a major opportunity for plant-based and fermentation-derived alternatives. Can these companies capitalise on the moment?

                      You know things are serious when Waffle House starts upcharging you for every egg.

                      The all-day breakfast chain serves 272 million eggs every year; it has now added a temporary 50-cent per-egg surcharge on orders due to the bird-flu-induced national shortage.

                      The current wave of avian flu – in its third year now – killed more than 40 million chickens in the US in 2024, causing major supply problems and subsequently driving up prices. The peak may have been January 2023, when a dozen eggs set you back $4.82 in the supermarket – though current costs are agonisingly close.

                      The crisis is showing no signs of abatement – the number of chickens affected by the flu per month tripled in December, and increased further last month. That leaves an egg-shaped hole in grocery baskets and restaurant orders.

                      This is an opportunity made for sustainable egg protein startups, which are making egg alternatives with plant-based ingredients, as well as recombinant egg proteins from fermentation.

                      The egg market in numbers

                      egg prices
                      Courtesy: CNBC
                      • Retail chicken egg prices in the US reached $4.15 per dozen in December 2024, a 65% hike from 12 months prior, with consumers and restaurants paying up to $7.
                      • Egg prices are projected to rise by another 20% in 2025, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
                      • The cost of eggs wholesale has already reached an all-time high. White shell eggs now cost $8 a dozen, obliterating the previous record of $5.46 in December 2022.
                      • Inventories of shell eggs are roughly 15-16% below the five-year average, as per the USDA.
                      • In the US, nearly 27.5 million chickens have been affected by the bird flu in 2025 alone.
                      • It’s not just the US – since 2019, egg prices have doubled in South Africa, and grown by 50-90% in Europe, Russia, Japan, India and Brazil.
                      • In Australia, 1.8 million hens were culled last year as a result of the country’s largest avian flu outbreak. While that was eradicated, a new strain of the virus has appeared.
                      plant based eggs
                      Courtesy: GFI
                      • Plant-based eggs are a nascent market, making up just 0.5% of retail sales of vegan food in 2023. This amounted to $43M in dollar sales, a 5% decrease from 2022. Unit sales also dropped by 13%.
                      • In the longer term, retail sales of plant-based eggs grew by 11% between 2021 and 2023, and unit sales were up by 8%. In comparison, unit sales of conventional eggs fell by 4% in this period.
                      • Only 1% of US households buy vegan eggs; repeat rates have continued to increase, from 38% in 2020 to nearly half (48%) in 2023.
                      egg substitute
                      Courtesy: GFI
                      • While the price gap between chicken-free and conventional eggs shrunk in 2022, a slight stabilisation in the latter’s supply widened it in 2023, with plant-based eggs costing over $8 higher per dozen. This disparity is set to narrow again as avian flu rages on.
                      • One research firm suggests that in Europe, the plant-based egg market is expected to grow by 40% annually to reach $3.88B in 2031, showcasing the potential for these products.
                      • In Asia, this market is set to expand even faster (73% annually) to reach $850M in 2028, led by China and India.
                      vegan egg market
                      Courtesy: Data Bridge Market Research

                      The problem: Why egg prices are high

                      • A long-running flu: At the root of the issue is H5N1, the highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza that has led to the culling of nearly 158 million birds since 2022. This wave has been ongoing for much longer than usual – in the past, bird flu waves have only lasted for a season or so. Meanwhile, high animal feed prices (initially originating from Russia’s war on Ukraine) have contributed too.
                      • Refreshing flocks is not a quick process: More than 1,550 commercial and backyard flocks have been affected by H5N1 in the last three years. Disinfecting and verifying the safety of a farm can be a lengthy process – and even when it’s deemed safe, it takes a new flock up to 16 weeks to start laying eggs.
                      • Logistical challenges: The egg supply chain has not been spared by the logistical crises that have hit the global food industry. Transportation costs – especially for refrigerated items – have soared amid a shortage of truck drivers in the US and a hike in long-haul truck rates.
                      eu caged farming ban
                      Courtesy: Getty Images via Canva
                      • Cage-free policies: Almost a dozen states in the US – including California, Massachusetts, Arizona, and Washington – have introduced cage-free egg policies. Such anti-cruelty legislation sets minimum space requirements for hens, which reduces producers’ overall capacity.
                      • Political pressure: Eggs have been a talking point in the US political sphere over the last year, with President Donald Trump criticising former President Joe Biden’s administration for failing to control the price hikes and promising to get them back to normal when he took over – in actuality, things have only gotten worse since the start of his second term.
                      • Low supply, high demand: While supply has dwindled, Americans’ demand for protein-packed foods like eggs has increased. These consumers are increasingly swapping red meat for poultry and eggs, and 71% have named protein as the macronutrient they’re most interested in consuming.

                      What are chicken-free egg makers trying to solve?

                      Direct swaps for classics

                      Several startups offer liquid eggs or ready-to-eat versions of classic egg dishes that can be used as a 1:1 swap, and these tend to target CPG consumers who use eggs as part of their meals at home.

                      Perhaps the largest name is Eat Just, whose Just Egg comes in pourable and toaster formats and uses mung bean as a base – it can be used to make scrambles, omelettes and even baked goods, though it does come with a steep price tag.

                      As of late 2023, Eat Just indicated that its egg alternative captured 99% of the US vegan egg market and that by February 2024 it had sold the equivalent of half a billion eggs. The startup faces competition from brands like Zero Egg and Simply Eggless in the US, and international players such as Crack’d, Oggs, Perfeggt and Vegge.

                      just egg
                      Courtesy: Eat Just

                      Others, meanwhile, are moving past pourable formats to offer more novel options. Yo Egg, for example, makes vegan sunny-side-up and poached eggs with runny yolks, which can be boiled or fried. BeLeaf also makes hen-free fried eggs. And under it WunderEggs brand, Crafty Counter turns almonds and cashews into egg patties, boiled eggs, and deviled eggs.

                      In Singapore, Float Foods has developed a range of plant-based eggs for different applications, including poached, yolks, and XL omelette wraps, under its OnlyEg brand. Poached eggs are also a feature of Germany’s Neggst, as are sunny-side-ups, boiled eggs, and patties.

                      vegan eggs
                      Courtesy: Le Papondu

                      French brand Le Papondu, meanwhile, is looking to take things a step further. While it has gone to market with egg patties, it’s working on a crackable whole egg in the background.

                      A bang for your buck

                      Most of these pre-prepared or pourable egg alternatives don’t actually undercut the cost of eggs, contributing to the price gap between plant-based and conventional versions. This is where powdered alternatives come in.

                      It’s the original egg substitute format and it continues to enjoy popularity, as illustrated by the number of brands in this space. As dried products that shoppers add water to, they are much more wallet-friendly, they can be packaged more minimally and they don’t require refrigerated transportation.

                      egg substitute
                      Courtesy: Acremade

                      Powdered vegan eggs are an ideal alternative for cash-strapped consumers in the egg-flation era. Brands like Peggs, Acremade, Orgran, Bob’s Red Mill, Vegg, and Sol Natural are filling this gap.

                      Like-for-like functionality

                      Some companies are targeting the bakery and CPG sectors with alternatives that perform like eggs in different products—estimates suggest that up to 40% of all eggs are used as ingredients in foodservice and food manufacturing.

                      For example, Follow Your Heart, Fabalish, and Eat Just all make egg-free, plant-based mayonnaise, and companies like Orgran, Oggs, and Egg’n’Up all offer substitutes for use in baked goods.

                      just mayo
                      Courtesy: Eat Just

                      Others, including Revyve and ProteinDistillery, are using waste ingredients like spent brewer’s yeast – a byproduct of the beer industry – as fermentation feedstocks for microbes to produce egg protein alternatives for use in baked goods and meat analogues.

                      Meanwhile, some startups are using precision fermentation to make bio-identical versions of egg proteins without chickens. The Every Company makes EggWhite (which contains an ovalbumin equivalent), a transparent glycoprotein, and a whole egg; the startup has been granted three ‘no further questions’ letters from the FDA in the US and has applied for regulatory approval in the UK and the EU as well.

                      precision fermentation egg
                      Courtesy: The Every Company

                      The startup’s protein has been used in smoothies, macarons, canned cocktails, and ready-to-drink beverage powders, and was the centrepiece of a special dinner at vegan Michelin-starred eatery Eleven Madison Park.

                      Finland’s Onego Bio is using the same technology to produce its recombinant ovalbumin, Bioalbumen, and is awaiting FDA approval this year.

                      onego bio
                      Courtesy: Onego Bio

                      Belgium’s Otro is also working on egg white proteins made via precision fermentation. And Germany’s Formo is set to launch a precision-fermented egg alternative (though their version isn’t bioidentical). Elsewhere, Israeli startups PoLoPo and Finally Foods are growing egg proteins inside potatoes via molecular farming.

                      While it’s still early days for many of these startups, there is a clear opportunity amidst what looks like continued supply, quality and price volatility for the global chicken-egg industry.

                      The post Trend Report: As Egg Prices Skyrocket, Dozens of Startups Are Hatching Chicken-Free Solutions appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    12. Woo-Moo! Tim Hortons Is Now Offering Vegan Milk At No Extra Cost

                      Tim Hortons is officially moo-ving on from its vegan upcharge! After hearing from PETA, Tim Hortons has confirmed it no longer charges extra for vegan milk in the U.S. and Canada. Find out how this move helps leave mother cows and their calves in peace, reduces the company’s greenhouse gas emissions, and earns a whole latte love from PETA and conscientious consumers.

                      A brown cow licks a black cow

                      Tim Hortons Is Now Offering Vegan Milk at No Extra Cost

                      Tim Hortons—one of the largest coffee chains in the world with more than 3,000 locations in Canada and nearly 700 in the U.S.—is the third major coffee chain to drop the upcharge in the last three months, following Starbucks in November 2024 and Dutch Bros Coffee in January. In thanks, PETA is sending the Toronto-based coffeehouse and restaurant chain assorted vegan chocolates.

                      Cows Suffer When Humans Steal Their Milk

                      Cows, like all mothers, produce milk only to feed their babies. In the dairy industry, cows are repeatedly forcibly inseminated—workers insert an arm into the cow’s rectum and a metal rod to deliver semen into her vagina. Newborn males are routinely slaughtered for veal, while female calves endure the same fate as their mothers until their bodies wear out and they’re killed for their flesh.

                      mother and baby cow in field of short grass

                      Make a Positive Change for Cows, the Climate Catastrophe, and Your Health

                      Given the chance, cows nurture their young and form lifelong friendships with one another. They play games and have a wide range of emotions and personality traits. But most cows raised for the dairy industry are intensively confined, leaving them unable to fulfill their most basic desires, such as nursing their calves, even for a single day. Plus, cows in the dairy industry belch out massive amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere, fueling the climate catastrophe.

                      While cows suffer on these farms and the climate catastrophe grows, humans who drink their milk increase their chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and many other ailments.

                      Start your day off right—with a cup of delicious coffee and vegan milk. A person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals every year, dramatically shrinks their food-related carbon footprint, and slashes their risk of suffering from cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and obesity.

                      Get the Buzz on Going Vegan

                      The post Woo-Moo! Tim Hortons Is Now Offering Vegan Milk At No Extra Cost appeared first on PETA.

                      This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

                    13. Plates London: UK Gets Its First 100% Vegan Michelin-Starred Restaurant

                      plates london
                      5 Mins Read

                      Among the 22 new one-star UK restaurants in the 2025 Michelin Guide, Plates London stands out as the country’s first 100% vegan eatery to receive the honour.

                      Barbecued maitake mushrooms, a raw cacao gauteaux, and a mung bean and urad dal lasagna – these are some of the dishes that propelled Plates London to become the UK’s first vegan eatery to receive a Michelin Star.

                      Helmed by chef-owner Kirk Haworth, who founded the restaurant with his sister Keeley, Plates London was awarded a star in the 2025 Michelin Guide ceremony last night, making it one of 10 new eateries in the British capital to receive the honour.

                      Plates London joins a handful of plant-based establishments that have a Michelin star across the globe – it’s a distinction that’s hard to come by. Only five entirely vegan restaurants have been awarded a star, with eight designated as Bib Gourmand (recognised for good quality and value), while another 19 are “selected” (honoured for good cooking).

                      “We’ve always believed in pushing boundaries and this achievement proves that plant-based dining can stand proudly at the highest level of gastronomy,” Kirk and Keeley said in a joint statement, as per the Evening Standard.

                      A Michelin Guide inspector who visited the restaurant noted that chef Haworth was “clearly passionate” about his work: “As someone who’s going to eat plant-based food for the rest of his life, he’s on a mission to make sure it’s as delicious as possible.”

                      ‘Strong culinary technique’ impresses Michelin inspectors

                      Plates London officially opened in its current Shoreditch location July 2024, shortly after Haworth won BBC show The Great British Menu. Months later, it appeared in the Michelin Guide, and now, it has received its first star.

                      Haworth has worked at some of the world’s most prestigious restaurants, including The French Laundry, Pied à Terre, The Square, and Quay Sydney – but he turned to a plant-based diet after being diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2016.

                      Having gained a Michelin star, ‘plant-based’ isn’t necessarily the tag Haworth wants to be known for. “I’m trying to get rid of the word ‘vegan’, really. It’s all about flavour, excitement, and innovation. We’re taking food to a new place of deliciousness,” he says, echoing the sentiments of several other chefs on the tyre manufacturer’s guide.

                      The Michelin inspector was left impressed by the “strong culinary technique underpinning all the dishes” at Plates London. “The depth and balance of the dishes was superb; each one came with layers of flavour and texture that all worked together in brilliant harmony,” they said.

                      “Kirk Haworth is a classically trained chef, and you can see that in his impeccably made sauces; what’s most interesting is how he has adapted this to plant-based ingredients in such a clever way.”

                      What’s on the Plates London menu?

                      vegan michelin star restaurants
                      Courtesy: Plates London

                      The restaurant changes its menu seasonally, and currently has several of the dishes Haworth presented on The Great British Menu. Like most high-end vegan eateries, there are no meat alternatives seen on the menu – instead, it’s all about produce and whole foods.

                      Plates London’s £75 seven-course menu begins with a kabocha squash and ginger soup with potato dumpling and herb pesto, followed by slow-cooked leeks with chestnut cream and a jalapeño-gooseberry dressing, and house-laminated sourdough bread with whipped spirulina butter.

                      “This glistening golden roll was warm and flaky, almost like a croissant in texture with its lovely crisp exterior and soft, slightly sweet interior,” the inspector explained. “The cashew-based butter was enhanced by warming spices and sharp redcurrants to cut through the richness.”

                      The menu then moves on to a barbecued maitake mushroom dish with black bean mole, kimchi, and puffed rice, and a mung and urad bean lasagna with miso and chive sauce.

                      vegan michelin star
                      Courtesy: Plates London

                      “After several Inspector visits to Plates in the last year, every one of us came out singing the praises of this exceptional mushroom dish,” noted the Michelin inspector. “The way each layer of flavour and texture married together here was a prime example of everything this kitchen is great at.”

                      This is followed by a supplementary dish (for an additional £15) featuring caramelised lion’s mane mushrooms, smoked shio koji, bread caramel, cauliflower cream and black truffle jus.

                      For dessert, the restaurant treats diners with a rice pudding ice cream with rhubarb, beets and mulberries, and a raw cacao gateau with coconut blossom ice cream, sour cherry compote, African pepper, toasted macadamia, and a raw caramel sauce.

                      vegan michelin star
                      Courtesy: Plates London

                      Which other vegan restaurants have a Michelin star?

                      “Since it opened, Plates London has been permanently packed – and not just with vegans. The restaurant is full of curious and discerning diners, who are here not because of their diets but because they’ve heard it’s one of the most exciting new restaurants around,” said the Michelin inspector.

                      “Yes, this is a groundbreaking, unique establishment within the UK’s dining scene. But more than that, it’s just a wonderful restaurant with Michelin-star cooking that could convince the most committed of carnivores.”

                      It’s a ringing endorsement from the acclaimed food guide, and a marker of its growing acceptance of plant-based cuisine. Plates London is one of very few vegan Michelin-starred eateries, but it’s a category that’s on the rise.

                      eleven madison park
                      Courtesy: Eleven Madison Park

                      Perhaps most famous of all is Eleven Madison Park (EMP), which made its name as the world’s best restaurant via delicacies like a honey lavender duck, before doing a 180 and turning to a completely vegan menu (bar the tea and coffee service) in 2021. The New York City eatery retained its three Michelin stars in 2022.

                      Other that EMP, vegan Michelin-starred restaurants include Seven Swans in Frankurt (one star), KLE in Zurich (one star), and De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen, Netherlands (two stars). New York’s Dirt Candy and Madrid’s El Invernadero, both of which have one star, are vegetarian. And Mia, a one-star restaurant in Bangkok, offers a fully vegan tasting menu.

                      Within the UK, six meat-free restaurants appear on the Michelin Guide (without any stars): Gauthier Soho, Naïfs, Holy Carrot, Tendril, Oak, and Hendersons.

                      The post Plates London: UK Gets Its First 100% Vegan Michelin-Starred Restaurant appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    14. Can Vegan Pioneer Miyoko Schinner Shake Up the Food System with UC Berkeley Plant-Based Course?

                      plant futures
                      9 Mins Read

                      After revolutionising vegan cheese, Miyoko Schinner is leveraging her decades-long experience to teach everything plant-based at all nine University of California campuses.

                      Longtime animal rights activist, vegan dairy entrepreneur and plant-based chef Miyoko Schinner wants to change the food system. The whole darned thing.

                      “We are on the precipice of redefining what the food system could look like, and in order to understand that, we have to really dive deep into the current food system and understand every aspect,” she says.

                      “Not just the problem with animal agriculture, but the consolidation, the distribution system, the inequities around the world. Not just food deserts, but what food companies here are doing to impact food choices in developing countries,” she continues.

                      “As we try to redefine what a better food system could look like based on plants, we can’t just swap out the products. We have to really examine it from every angle and not repeat the mistakes that we’ve made in the past. And students are going to be the stewards of the future.”

                      Schinner is speaking to Green Queen from Berkeley, where she serves as a co-instructor on a new plant-based course at the University of California. Together with Brittany Sartor, who founded the programme, she is helping students advance the transformation to a plant-forward food system.

                      And where better do it than Berkeley, the hub of nouvelle American cuisine, and home to Alice Waters’s pioneering farm-to-table eatery Chez Panisse, which spearheaded the locavore food movement in the US.

                      “If you want to call Berkeley the birthplace for that type of movement, you can call Brittany the mother of this class, because she dreamed up this entire course and wrote the syllabus, and I’ve just joined at the last minute to help put some padding into it,” says Schinner.

                      The makings of University of California’s plant-based course

                      The University of California, Berkeley has a programme called Decals, a set of courses created and taught by students, covering topics not traditionally found in the institute’s coursework. When Sartor was a student at the Haas School of Business, she had an a-ha moment when she realised that “we’re not talking about plant-based alternatives” enough.

                      As she put together a syllabus for the class, she was on the hunt for a faculty sponsor. “I eventually connected with Will Rosenzweig, who teaches edible education,” she recalls. Rosenzweig had just happened to connect with a master’s student, Samantha Derrick, who was developing a course covering the public health aspects of plant-based foods.

                      “And he said: ‘You guys should just join forces create this multidisciplinary course that covers all aspects of the food system: public health, climate, environment, animal welfare,’” says Sartor, who describes herself as a “long-term vegan”.

                      She and Derrick combined to introduce two courses under the Plant Futures programme, one of which was a single-unit crash course called Introduction to Plant-Centric Food Systems. The class hosted dozens of guest speakers – Schinner among them – and has now evolved into the new three-unit course available to all nine University of California campuses.

                      The online-only course, funded by the Office of the President, already has around 55 students enrolled. It covers several critical modules, spanning Climate & Environment, Health & Nutrition, Animal Welfare, Social Impacts, Innovation, Policy & Law, Behavioral Change, Media, and Plant-Forward Cooking.

                      Students from all diets, all over the world

                      plant based course
                      Courtesy: Plant Futures

                      The Plant Futures programme is part of a growing trend of apprenticeships and university courses focusing on plant-based food and alternative proteins. This summer, for example, the Austrian government will launch a vegan and vegetarian culinary apprenticeship, as part of its green economy plan. Schinner herself has been teaching an online vegan cheesemaking course too.

                      The plant-based course at the University of California was partly born out of growing student demand, with interest in these foods on the rise across generations. Sartor believes sustainability and the climate argument hold the most weight with the youth, while the older generations are in it for health or animal welfare reasons.

                      “Not everyone’s vegan or vegetarian either,” notes Schinner. “It is an incredibly international group of students. We have students from all over the world – people from Asia, Africa, just everywhere.”

                      The team has partnered with over 60 organisations and brands, including Grener by Default, Mercy for Animals, Califia Farms, Tofurky, and Beyond Meat.

                      “Thankfully, there’s a ton of amazing non-profits that have been working in this space for a while. And so there are great partnerships there. In terms of startups, we really want them to be mission-aligned,” says Schinner. This could involve a non-vegan company working to develop a plant-based product.

                      For example, one of the projects students have worked on was to help Bel Group reformulate its iconic Babybel cheese through a dairy-free formulation, making it less grainy and more colour-identical to the original.

                      The expansion of the course to all campuses also coincides with the introduction of the Plant-Forward Cooking module. It’s also an evolution of the mini-cooking sessions from the one-unit class. “We got course feedback from the students that that was one of the most valuable things. They never – in their high school or college classes – learned how to cook.

                      “And I think especially with like, plant-based cooking, people are just like hesitant. They think it’s going to be harder, and so I’m excited for that throughout the course.”

                      Sartor likened it to the “documentary effect”, referring to popular films like Cowspiracy and The Game Changers, which influence people to give up meat or dairy. “Some people look at documentaries maybe as being biased or not reputable, where I think being part of an accredited curriculum at a university has an added layer of reputation to it.”

                      Trump administration will ‘create a landscape we haven’t witnessed’

                      trump rfk food health
                      Courtesy: Gage Skidmore/Flickr/CC

                      We’re talking about food systems transformation at a time when it is perhaps more polarising than ever before. Scientists the world over have said we need to grow and eat less meat to lower emissions, land and water use, and food insecurity.

                      Animal protein has become part of a culture war in the US of late. Carnivore diets and raw milk have become major points of discussion, Elon Musk has sung the praises of beef on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and lobby groups and mostly Republican lawmakers have attacked alternative proteins as ultra-processed foods that should be banned.

                      The impact? Sales have continued to slow over the last two years, as has investment in startups. Venture capital flowing into the sector was down by 27% last year, with cultivated meat – the target of legislation in more than a dozen states – witnessing a 40% dip.

                      alternative protein investment
                      Courtesy: GFI

                      “The industry is in a period of self-examination right now, trying to figure out what’s going on,” says Schinner, who built one of the sector’s most successful companies in Miyoko’s Creamery, subsequently exiting in 2023. “What is the direction we should be going in? Are we making the right products? Are we addressing the right audience, and is this something that should be sold with huge money or not?”

                      On Donald Trump, she says: “It’s hard to know where the current administration is going to be with this. But, we can only guess that there are going to be limitations to certain initiatives. I think anything that’s technologically based that’s going to threaten potential industrial animal agriculture is going to be seen as a threat.”

                      She adds: “That’s going to create a whole new landscape that we hadn’t previously witnessed as much […] and we’re going to have to dive deep into how we can get the industry to grow in this landscape.”

                      Products aren’t the be-all and end-all

                      plant futures lab
                      Courtesy: Plant Futures

                      Schinner believes we “can’t conflate products with the future” of the plant-based sector. “We’re just focused on the sales of products that we’re making, and that doesn’t reflect the entire picture,” she explains.

                      “The whole world’s not going to go vegan because there’s Beyond Burger, right? But they might go vegan if we promote a plant-rich diet,” she says. “We put all our eggs in that basket and threw a lot of money at it and assumed that that was what was going to create conversion. I’m not convinced of that.

                      “We have to change food culture,” she adds. “You can’t just change what we put on the shelf […] So the evolution of the human being has to go along with it if we’re going to make that change.”

                      I ask Schinner what mistakes the food system has made historically. “I’m going to say white saviour mentality,” Schinner responds. “What we did in developing countries, with protein in Africa, with formula, patented GMO seeds that went into places like India and robbed communities of food sovereignty.”

                      “That’s when the food system is focused on profits rather than actually feeding people. And so I wonder, as the plant-based industry is focused just as much on growth, IP protection and consolidation, whether or not we could be making the same mistakes that could jeopardise the health and the wealth of people in other parts of the world, as well as here in the US.”

                      Sartor notes that our food system has changed rapidly, even just in the last century or two and suggests it can change again. “There’s definitely a chance that it will change rapidly over the next 200 [years],” she says.

                      “I don’t think it’s probably feasible to say everyone will go vegan, but I do think that people are going to realise that how we’re doing animal agriculture right now is not sustainable. It’s literally just not sustainable for even the farmers themselves.

                      “Inevitably, there’s going to be a shift away from as many animal products as our population grows, because it’s just… it has to.”

                      Upcoming cookbook takes ‘whole new approach’ to vegan cheese

                      miyoko schinner cookbook
                      Courtesy: Celeste Noche

                      Schinner is the original vegan dairy queen. She made her name as the chef-owner of Now and Zen, an all-vegan eatery in San Francisco in the late 1980s, and the founder of plant-based dairy startup Miyoko’s Creamery, whose products are available in over 20,000 retail doors.

                      But legal disputes over trade secrets and IP led to her departure from the company in 2022 – she no longer has any involvement in the business, which installed Stuart Kronauge as its new CEO in 2023.

                      Schinner has been focusing on Rancho Compasión, the animal sanctuary she opened a decade ago, which educates about 50 kids each week about humanity and the food system. A prolific author, she is about to release her seventh cookbook, The Vegan Creamery, this September.

                      “I’m really excited about it, because it’s a whole new approach to making everything from milk to cheese to ice cream using all kinds of ingredients that I know,” she says. It’s not just all cashews – there are cheeses made from watermelon seeds, or a vegan halloumi from mung beans.

                      “I have recipes in the book where I actually coagulate the plant milks, separate the whey, and then the curds are pressed and over time, they melt into one smooth cheese,” she reveals. “So there’s some techniques in there that are unique, haven’t been seen before, and I am not applying for patents.

                      “I am sharing the recipes with the world, hoping that it will encourage more people to embark on this path. Hopefully, it will be the book that launches 10,000 vegan cheese companies.”

                      The post Can Vegan Pioneer Miyoko Schinner Shake Up the Food System with UC Berkeley Plant-Based Course? appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    15. Unnecessary Experiment: We Already Know Lobsters Feel Pain

                      Scientists in the U.K. are pushing for a ban on boiling lobsters and crabs because their recent study confirms crustaceans feel pain—but don’t we already know that?

                      A Needless Experiment: All Lobster Suffering Is “Avoidable Suffering”

                      The scientists who are calling for a ban on crustacean boiling are pointing to the U.K.’s Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (WATOK), which makes it illegal to cause “any avoidable pain, distress, or suffering” to protected animals while killing them. According to their letter, because lobsters are considered “sentient” by U.K. law, it should be illegal to boil them alive.

                      However, the scientists who are calling for a ban on crustacean cruelty subjected crabs and lobsters to painful experiments to, once again, prove they feel pain.

                      Many other scientists and studies have already determined that lobsters, like all animals, can feel pain. When kept in tanks, they may suffer from stress associated with confinement, low oxygen levels, and crowding. According to some scientists, lobsters may feel even more pain than we would in similar situations—like being boiled alive.

                      Thankfully, it’s easy not to cause any “avoidable suffering” to crabs and lobsters; Don’t eat them.

                      It’s Selfish to Eat Shellfish: Go Vegan Today

                      Like dolphins and other animals, a lobster uses complicated signals to explore their surroundings and establish social relationships. They take long-distance seasonal journeys and can cover 100 miles or more each year, assuming they manage to avoid the millions of traps set along the coasts. Many lobsters and crabs are killed by their most formidable predator: humans, who consume tens of millions of them each year in the U.S. alone.

                      To help end the suffering of crabs, lobsters, and all other animals used for food, go vegan today!

                      Join PETA’s 3-Week Vegan Challenge

                      The post Unnecessary Experiment: We Already Know Lobsters Feel Pain appeared first on PETA.

                      This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

                    16. Caught on Video: Pigs Sliced Open Alive at Pig Slaughterhouse in Canada

                      Inside Johnston’s Packers Slaughterhouse of Horrors

                      Look in his eyes. The terror is unmistakable.

                      A terrified pig awaiting slaughter

                      New secretly recorded video footage provided anonymously to Animal Justice reveals rampant cruelty at a pig slaughterhouse in Canada. Pigs frantically try to escape death. See for yourself.

                      Pigs Seen Screaming, Fighting for Their Lives, Trying to Escape

                      The whistleblower video reveals violations of animal “welfare” regulations:

                      • Pigs thrashed around as workers attempted to stun them
                      • Workers botched the stunning procedure
                      • Animals were in excruciating pain as they were shackled and sliced open
                      • Terrified pigs desperately tried to flee
                      • Workers disregarded pigs’ suffering
                      • Workers slit pigs’ throats often while they were still conscious
                      • Pigs were hung up to bleed out—often while still alive
                      • Workers prodded, kicked, and hit pigs
                      • Terror is seen in the pigs’ eyes as they watch others die—knowing they’re next

                      Who Pigs Are

                      Pigs are friendly and highly social animals. They are also loyal and intelligent—some experts say they are even smarter than dogs. Pigs are naturally clean and avoid soiling in their living areas. When not confined to factory farms, pigs spend hours playing, basking in the sun, and investigating the world with their powerful noses.

                      A pig standing in a chute looking at the camera

                      Yet, in slaughterhouses like Johnston’s Packers, these animals are treated as mere commodities—and forced to endure terrifying and painful deaths.

                      Canada’s Failing Animal Protection Laws 

                      Despite existing animal “welfare” regulations, the Canadian pig slaughter industry operates with little oversight, allowing routine abuse. The failure to enforce even the most basic care shows that animals desperately need our help.

                      You Can Help End This Cruelty 

                      Every person has the power to make a difference. When we refuse to support the pork industry and go vegan, we can help dismantle this cruel food system. And since compassionate, cruelty-free options are widely available, taking a stand for animals is easier than ever.

                      Join us—go vegan today.

                      I WANT A FREE VEGAN STARTER KIT!
                      happy pig outdoors on flat grass facing the viewer

                      The post Caught on Video: Pigs Sliced Open Alive at Pig Slaughterhouse in Canada appeared first on PETA.

                      This post was originally published on Animal Rights and Campaign News | PETA.

                    17. ‘Lowest Price Ever’: Meat-Free Startup Debuts Ultra-Realistic Marbled Lamb with 34g of Protein

                      juicy marbles lamb
                      4 Mins Read

                      Juicy Marbles, known for its plant-based whole cuts, has released Meaty Meat, a high-protein, high-fibre lamb analogue in the US.

                      Slovenian plant-based meat maker Juicy Marbles is building on its North American launch with a new marbled lamb product that features nearly 70% of the dairy recommended intake of protein, and 40% of fibre.

                      Marketed as Meaty Meat, the lamb is currently only available in the US and Canada, and is sold in 180g packs of two. It contains 26% soy protein concentrate, complemented with sunflower oil, natural flavours, red beet juice, and minimal amounts of pea protein concentrate, apple extract, salt, and vitamins and minerals.

                      It’s the startup’s first launch since the initial introduction of its Baby Ribs with edible bones, and is a marker of its expansion plans in North America, where it plans to roll out its whole cuts in retail this year.

                      juicy marbles
                      Courtesy: Juicy Marbles

                      Giving Americans what they want

                      Founded in 2019 by Luka Sinček, Maj Hrovat, Tilen Travnik and Vladimir Mićković, Juicy Marbles began with whole-cut beef steaks made using patent-pending ‘reverse grinder’ tech that mimics the muscle texture and marbling of conventional steak.

                      It layers plant protein fibres on top of each other to replicate animal tissue, helped by deposits of hardened sunflower oil. The effort aims to solve two of plant-based meat’s biggest pain points: taste and texture.

                      Research shows that most vegan analogues fall short of meat-eaters’ taste expectations. And among the Americans either likely to buy meat alternatives or still undecided, their taste and texture would only convince 16% to drive to the supermarket to purchase them.

                      Known for its quirky marketing, Juicy Marbles describes the Meaty Meat as a “cosy, sensual, hearty, and whimsical” product that will transport eaters to a place far away. “Take a whiff, and you’re gambling with a band of spice traders in a smokey yurt on the steppes of Mongolia. Take another, and retreat to the candle-lit warmth of a snowy inn where the barmaid, Helga, is cooking a mean shepherd’s pie,” the brand says on its website.

                      juicy marbles meaty meat
                      Courtesy: Juicy Marbles

                      Each lamb cut is packed with 34g of plant protein and 11g of fibre – two of the most sought-after macronutrients in the US, with 71% of Americans interested in consuming more protein and 64% more fibre. The latter is also in the spotlight thanks to the rise of Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs.

                      And in October, a report by 84.51° (the market research division of Kroger) showed that high-protein is the most prized nutritional attribute in food products for its shoppers, with clean ingredients another major priority – Juicy Marbles is making a play here too, highlighting that the new vegan lamb contains “no thickeners, binders, or preservatives”.

                      Juicy Marbles’s cheapest product yet

                      Juicy Marbles first came to market in 2021, and has since expanded to 3,500 European stores, with listings in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Lidl, Waitrose, Whole Foods Market, Billa, Migros and more.

                      Its product lineup includes a whole-cut lion, a thick-cut filet, and bone-in ribs, and have impressed consumers and expert panels globally. The ribs were anointed the Most Innovative Vegan Product at PETA’s 2023 Vegan Food Awards, and the brand was named Champion in the plant-based meat category at The Grocer’s 2023 Food and Packaging Awards. And last year, its sales jumped after a mention on Netflix’s You Are What You Eat documentary.

                      The new lamb is designed to be versatile – it can be pulled apart for tacos and wraps, sliced into strips for salads and sandwiches, or cut into chunks for rice bowls and noodles. It cooks in eight minutes and, according to the company, “opens up an entirely new world of cuisine to home chefs who’ve grown weary of beef, chicken, and pork alternatives”.

                      plant based lamb
                      Courtesy: Juicy Marbles

                      Meaty Meat is also Juicy Marbles’s cheapest product yet, costing 26% less per ounce than its other offerings – this will be key to attracting more consumers, since the affordability of plant proteins is becoming more and more important for Americans. For some, it even trumps flavour.

                      2025 is also a key year for the company, which has only raised $7M from investors. It aimed to reach profitability by the end of last year, a major success in an industry where sales have dwindled amid fears around ultra-processed foods and misinformation from Big Meat.

                      Alternative protein firms are taking one of two routes to win back consumers: they’re either reformulating products to include more whole foods and lean into health, or they’re going all-in on flavour, texture and meatiness with whole cuts. Juicy Marbles belongs to the latter category, as do innovators like Chunk Foods, Prime Roots, Redefine Meat, Project Eaden, Meati Foods, and Planted.

                      The post ‘Lowest Price Ever’: Meat-Free Startup Debuts Ultra-Realistic Marbled Lamb with 34g of Protein appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    18. Future Food Quick Bites: Vegan Hot Honey, Dairy-Free February & Earthshot Prize

                      vegan hot honey
                      5 Mins Read

                      Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Eleven Madison Park’s new vegan hot honey, Beyond Meat’s new steaks, and Kite Hill’s post-Veganuary dairy-free campaign.

                      New products and launches

                      Famed New York City restaurant Eleven Madison Park has released a private-label version of MeliBio‘s Mellody plant-based honey. Launched under the Eleven Madison Home label, the hot honey is made from plant extracts and red habanero chillies, and is available on its website for $28 per 375g jar.

                      beyond steak
                      Courtesy: Beyond Meat

                      Beyond Meat has expanded its vegan steak lineup with chimichurri and Korean-style BBQ flavours, which are available at Sprouts Farmers Market.

                      In the UK, Singapore-headquartered HAPPIEE! is taking on McDonald’s with its plant-based alternatives, launching a new truck with HAPPIEE Meals featuring its vegan scampi right in front of the Golden Arches.

                      US alt-dairy producer Califia Farms has brought its Simple & Organic range of three-ingredient plant-based milks to the UK, starting with almond and oat milk in Waitrose.

                      califia farms organic
                      Courtesy: Califia Farms

                      Now owned by Oddlygood, British plant milk brand Rude Health has introduced a chilled soy milk with added calcium. Available from February in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Tesco, the four-ingredient offering contains 120mg of calcium (or 15% of the daily recommended intake) per 100ml.

                      Meanwhile, TiNDLE Foods has brought its vegan chicken to all Call a Pizza locations in Germany, where it will be part of menu items like crispy tenders and juicy burgers.

                      In the Netherlands, Unilever-owned meat-free brand The Vegetarian Butcher has revamped its beef mince, rolled out tender beef stripes, and relaunched its Cordon Blij and Little Willies SKUs at Albert Heijn.

                      the vegetarian butcher
                      Courtesy: The Vegetarian Butcher

                      And agrifood firm Jaouda has launched Nabatlé, Morocco’s first homegrown plant-based milk brand. It’s available in three varieties: oat, almond, and coconut.

                      Company and finance updates

                      Dutch retailer Ahold Delhaize has set a ‘protein split’ target to achieve 50% of its protein sales from plant-based foods across its European operations by 2030.

                      Also in the Netherlands, AI-led food waste scanner startup OneThird has raised €3.5M ($3.6M) in Series A funding and appointed Henrike Langbroek as CEO.

                      onethird scanner
                      Courtesy: OneThird

                      Danish biotech firm Enduro Genetics has secured €12M ($12.4M) in a Series A round to expand its “synthetic addiction” technology to boost yields and lower costs of microbial bioproduction across industries like alternative proteins, green fuels, bioplastics, and specialty chemicals.

                      British cocoa-free chocolate company Win-Win has named Mark Golder as its new CEO. He has previously worked at Bosh!, Ripple Foods, and Rhythm 108.

                      European firm The New Originals Company has acquired Dutch tofu maker SoFine Foods and its production facility in Landgraaf.

                      sofine tofu
                      Courtesy: SoFine Foods

                      Now that Veganuary is over, plant-based dairy brand Kite Hill has launched a Dairy-Free February campaign, after a survey found that 36% of Americans would consider trying more plant-based products if they had more information about their health benefits.

                      North Carolina startup Biomilq, which specialises in cell-based breast milk bioactives, has filed for bankruptcy amid a protracted IP dispute.

                      Speaking of legal battles, precision fermentation leader Perfect Day has ended its dispute with co-manufacturer Olon, with the case voluntarily dismissed and each entity paying its own legal fees. It’s now on the hunt for a new CEO, following the exit of interim chief Narayan TM.

                      perfect day whey
                      Courtesy: Perfect Day

                      Positioning cultivated meat as a direct alternative rather than a substitute, German cultivated meat startup MyriaMeat has developed pig muscle tissues from pluripotent stem cells that exhibit spontaneous contractions.

                      Israel’s Vanilla Vida has completed the first scaled harvest of vanilla plants grown via an indoor farming system, which cuts the growing time in half and delivers higher yields than vanillin.

                      Finnish precision fermentation startup Onego Bio has completed a successful large-scale bakery run with its animal-free egg protein, producing cookies, muffins and cakes.

                      onego bio
                      Courtesy: Halle Redfearn/LinkedIn

                      Swedish oat milk giant Oatly has announced a plan to readjust the ratio of its American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) – instead of one ADR representing one ordinary share, the change would see each ADR represent 20 ordinary shares.

                      In more news from Sweden, dairy giant Valio has teamed up with food tech startup Melt&Marble to use its precision-fermented fats in a variety of “next-generation plant-based products”.

                      Policy, research and awards

                      Environmental action charity WRAP and the International Food Waste Coalition have joined forces to launch WRAP EU in an effort to tackle food waste in Europe.

                      wrap eu
                      Courtesy: WRAP EU

                      As part of the WIDERA ERA Talents call, the EU has invested €3M in a project to develop new types of plant-based proteins from Turkish staple crops like chickpeas, lentils, and other legumes. The four-year APRISE project is led by the Middle East Technical University, and the investment falls under the Horizon Europe scheme.

                      In Canada, the government of Nova Scotia has invested over C$1M to expand the Verschuren Centre, a precision fermentation facility in Cape Breton. The capital will create skilled biomanufacturing jobs, help enhance automation, and increase its client capacity.

                      Replacing meat with plant-based and fungal alternatives can reduce total cholesterol by 6%, LDL cholesterol by 11%, and body weight by 1% in eight weeks or less, a new study has found.

                      senara
                      Courtesy: Senara

                      German cultivated milk producer Senara has been shortlisted for the 2025 edition of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, after being nominated by the WWF.

                      Check out last week’s Future Food Quick Bites.

                      The post Future Food Quick Bites: Vegan Hot Honey, Dairy-Free February & Earthshot Prize appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.

                    19. Dairy-Free Fromage: France’s Jay&Joy Bags €2M & Acquires Rival Startup Les Nouveaux Affineurs

                      jay and joy
                      4 Mins Read

                      France’s Jay&Joy has secured €2M and acquired fellow vegan artisanal cheese maker Les Nouveaux Affineurs to expand its presence across Europe.

                      Just over 18 months after it was rescued from insolvency, Paris-based vegan cheesemaker Jay&Joy has turned its fortunes around with new funding and a takeover of its main rival.

                      The firm has secured €2M in investment and taken over fellow Parisian plant-based cheese startup Les Nouveaux Affineurs, which itself had a turbulent year in 2024, forcing it to halt production.

                      The deal will double Jay&Joy’s production capacity – adding an Ivry-sur-Seine site to complement its facility in Lacroix-Saint-Ouen – as well as its product portfolio, while keeping the Les Nouveaux Affineurs brand intact and retaining its 10 employees.

                      It will allow the companies to “create a veritable industrial scale-up with extensive product and technology portfolios”, according to Les Nouveaux Affeneurs founder Nour Akbaraly. He has now transitioned into the role of chief operating and innovation officer at Jay&Joy.

                      Greener pastures after a rough road for both brands

                      Founded a decade ago by Mary Carmen and Éric Jähnke, Jay&Joy was among France’s plant-based cheese leaders, having previously secured listings in 1,900 stores nationwide and customers in seven other countries.

                      But in early 2023, it stopped production after cases of listeriosis were linked to its cheeses. The halt in sales forced the company into receivership, before it was bought by an investment consortium including César Augier (a former sustainability associate at McKinsey) and VC firm High Flyers Capital, which led a concurrent €2M fundraise for the firm.

                      Augier took over as CEO and restarted production soon after, reestablishing Jay&Joy’s distribution channels and stepping up its expansion efforts both domestically and overseas. And after a turbulent 2023, the company saw revenues hike by 90% last year.

                      fromage végétale
                      Courtesy: Les Nouveaux Affineurs

                      Les Nouveaux Affineurs, meanwhile, faced several challenges to its business in 2024, and had therefore been in talks with Jay&Joy for several months. “In the course of our discussions with César Augier, we understood that beyond being competitors, our companies shared strong values and a common ambition: to accelerate the development of plant-based food in Europe,” Akbaraly wrote on LinkedIn.

                      The takeover expands Jay&Joy’s offering from seven to 15 products, with its existing cheeses like Jean-Jacques and Janis (alternatives to Maroilles and feta, respectively) now complemented by Les Nouveaux Affineurs’s innovations such as L’Affiné d’Albert, La Bûche, and more.

                      “We will also continue our development in concert with Jay&Joy rather than in competition, and will strengthen our presence alongside the major cheesemakers,” wrote Akbaraly.

                      Latest investment will fuel new product launches and expansion

                      Jay&Joy plans to introduce four new products this year, including a mozzarella in May and two formats exclusive to foodservice. “When it comes to foodservice, there is a real demand from consumers, but also corporate decarbonisation targets with deadlines more or less distant. In the ongoing food transition, cheese is absolutely key,” said Augier.

                      Jay&Joy’s dairy-free cheeses already appear at sites of major hospitality companies like Hilton, Novotel, and Bvlgari Hotels. It is now also in advanced discussions with distributors like Transgourmet and Pomona, as well as catering giant Sodexo.

                      les nouveaux affineurs
                      Courtesy: Les Nouveaux Affineurs

                      This expansion will be supported by the €2M it has raised in its latest funding round, which was supported by existing investors including the Demeter and Beyond Impact funds. “This integration is a key step in our entrepreneurial ambition. With Les Nouveaux Affineurs, Jay&Joy is asserting its business ambitions to create a genuine French champion in the plant sector,” said HappyVore co-founder Cédric Meston, a fellow investor in Jay&Joy.

                      “Our ambition is to strengthen our presence in Europe and increase our impact with increasingly high-quality products that meet consumer expectations,” added Augier.

                      Non-dairy cheese now makes up 3.6% of Europe’s plant-based market, and was the fastest-growing vegan category in France, where its sales grew by 34%. That said, it is a tough and crowded market, dominated by players like Violife, Sheese and Bel Group’s Nurishh, but failing to meet many consumers’ expectations on taste and texture.

                      france plant based market
                      Courtesy: GFI Europe

                      These trials were why Dutch vegan cheese brand Willicroft recently ceased operations, and why so many alternative protein startups are engaging in mergers and acquisitions.

                      Within the alt-dairy world, Indian superfood brand Nourish You bought One Good, UK-based The Compleat Food Group (formerly Winterbotham Darby) took over vegan cheesemaker Palace Culture in late 2023, and Finland’s Oddlygood acquired Planti and Rude Health. And just last month, US artisanal vegan cheese brand Vertage Foods was snapped up by fellow plant-based firm Misha’s Inc.

                      The post Dairy-Free Fromage: France’s Jay&Joy Bags €2M & Acquires Rival Startup Les Nouveaux Affineurs appeared first on Green Queen.

                      This post was originally published on Green Queen.