7/14/2021
Panda Express will put a plant-based version of its orange chicken on the menu at select locations in Southern California and New York City later this month. The dish will be made with the chain's signature orange sauce and vegan chicken from Beyond Meat.
5/18/2021
Good Karma Foods has rolled out Plantmilk, a dairy alternative line featuring a lower glycemic index than other plant-based milks and a blend of flax, peas and oats, which is available in three varieties: vanilla, chocolate and original. The company is also introducing a new design for its brand packaging and website with "a more sleek and modern look and feel," according to Sarah Meis, Good Karma's vice president of marketing.
7/2/2021
Plant-based and vegan products are continuing the robust growth that's been driven by shoppers searching for healthier food items, and grocery delivery companies across the US, the UK and Canada are reporting a marked rise in orders in both categories. "We were pretty surprised to find that one third of our customers are adding plant-based products to their carts," said Instacart's Laurentia Romaniuk.
7/23/2021
Nicholas Perkins' company Black Titan Franchise Systems is the new franchise operator of Fuddruckers, and the foodservice veteran has big plans for the burger chain. "I feel like I have the skill set to transition the brand to greater heights," said Perkins, who plans to improve the brand's technology, invest in national marketing and make menu updates including new plant-based dishes.
7/22/2021
Smoothie brands are shifting away from sweet beverages to appeal to evolving consumer tastes and growing demand for plant-based nutrition and sophisticated flavor combinations. "When you blend ginger, cinnamon, cocoa, or other herbs and spices into a smoothie, you are adding not only healthful ingredients but also flavor, and that means you can use less sugar to get a great-tasting smoothie," said Rocky Gettys, Smoothie King's vice president of product development.
12/23/2020 SmartBrief Original
Looking ahead to 2021, many of the food trends predicted by chefs, retail executives and other experts reflect the changing way consumers eat both at and away from home.
5/13/2021
California-based grocery delivery startup ELM Foods will sell only plant-based products, using an approach that focuses on offering recipe ingredients to ultimately help the company better personalize the shopping experience, according to co-founder Melissa Williams. In this Q&A, Williams discusses the origins, goals and future of ELM, which stands for Eat Less Meat.
5/12/2021
Target's flagship Good & Gather line, launched two years ago and now offering more than 2,000 products, is capitalizing on continued private-label growth and expanding with the addition of 30 plant-based items. The new offerings, priced under $8 and including oat milk, almond milk and meat and chicken alternatives, will be launched gradually through the fall online and at Target stores.
7/21/2021
Processing proteins at cold temperatures that do not break down lipids could enable creation of new plant-based protein structures, writes Harrison Helmick, a PhD candidate at Purdue University. "This may help ingredient manufacturers create novel fat replacers, emulsifiers, and oil-filled gels that are not possible by any other means of processing," he writes.
6/28/2021
The success of the plant-based dairy category requires a mindset shift from "replacement" to "better than," said Rene Lammers, executive vice president and chief science officer for PepsiCo. For plant-based cheeses specifically, the ability to scale emerging technologies that help overcome taste and texture challenges is key to growth, said Takoua Debeche, chief research and innovation officer for Danone North America.
