Stories of the Year: The Curious Demise of Kevin Hart’s Vegan Restaurants

Hart House abruptly closed all four locations despite Kevin Hart’s backing, reflecting broader issues plaguing plant-based restaurants.

Plant-Based 2.0: An Uphill Battle

Despite losing steam in recent years, the plant-based movement is still experiencing pockets of growth, supported by innovation. During the recent FI webinar on the F&B market, industry experts discussed the segment’s future.

Flat-Out Innovative: Oat Milk Sheets Require 94% Less Packaging

The new Flat Pack oat milk sheets by milkadamia reportedly reduce packaging waste by 94%. The shelf-stable solution allows consumers to make fresh oat milk in customizable portions, addressing the bulk of the category’s environmental challenges at the source instead of placing the burden on consumers.

Fiber: The Unsung Hero of Athletic Performance, Overall Health

Most Americans fall short of recommended fiber intake levels. Nutrition expert and Olympic cyclist Dotsie Bausch notes there are numerous misconceptions around fiber and its benefits for gut health and disease prevention.

A Seat at the Table: Innovative, Allergen-Free Holiday Treats

F&B brands are embracing inclusivity this year, debuting an array of innovative, allergen-free holiday treats ranging from vegan advent calendars to dairy-free nog.

Spilling the Beans on America’s Latest Nutrition Obsession

Beans have gained popularity as a cost-effective, nutrient-dense option, supporting gut health and reducing risks of obesity, colon cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Some feel beans are poised to become a staple alternative to meat for many Americans.

New Age of Nutrition: Nutritarian Diet May Slow Aging

A recent study found that women following the plant-based “Nutritarian diet” experienced slower biological aging and lower inflammation levels. The diet is designed to be rich in nutrients but low in salt and fat.

Makers Eye Precision Fermentation, Alt Protein for Solutions

With the world’s population expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, manufacturers are looking for unique solutions to satisfy the growing consumer base’s nutrient-dense needs. Can precision fermentation be the key?

Why Beyond Meat’s Revenue Bump May Not Mean a Full Comeback

With waning consumer demand and a cautious outlook for the year’s revenue, Beyond Meat faces challenges in regaining consumer trust and competing within the plant-based sector.

Watermelon Seed Milk: A Dairy Alternative Requiring 99% Less Water Than Almonds

Força Foods’ new plant-based milk alternative is mostly made from watermelon seeds, providing many nutrients while also conserving water. Could it be the next big thing in alt-dairy?

Has Mike Tyson Bitten Off More Than He Can Chew with Mr. Charlie’s?

Mike Tyson is investing in a QSR chain dubbed the “vegan McDonald’s.” However, the rapidly expanding brand has locations in California, where the recent minimum wage increase played a major role in the demise of Kevin Hart’s similar concept last month.

Jackpot: Jackfruit Has Become a Plant-Based Bright Spot

Annie Ryu, founder of The Jackfruit Company and the jack & annie’s brand, is a believer in the health and sustainability benefits of jackfruit. As her brands are receiving significant investment, she’s focusing on partnerships to scale production and lower costs.

Rebirth of the Alt-Meat Market? Frozen Continues to Outperform Fresh

The alt-meat market, which peaked in 2018-19, saw sales decline due to factors like market saturation and high prices, but signs of recovery are emerging, particularly in the frozen segment, according to expert Chris DuBois of Circana.

CPGs Bet Big on Plant-Based Packaging

Plant-based packaging is gaining momentum, prompted by environmental concerns, regulatory pressures, and corporate sustainability efforts. With a projected 9% CAGR in the plant-based packaging market expected through 2032, companies like Califia Farms are innovating with recyclable solutions.

Plant-Based Maker Claims Landmark Milestone, Efficiency

Rebellyous is set to unveil a production system that would enable the company to produce plant-based meat that competes in price and quality.

4 Reasons Fresh Meatless Chicken Nuggets Aren’t Selling

The alternative meat market has struggled across the board in recent years, but some plant-based products are bearing the brunt. Sales of fresh, meatless chicken nuggets have sharply declined by 56.2% in 2024 – but why?

Getting to the Heart of Hart House: The Curious Demise of Kevin Hart’s Vegan Restaurants

The vegan QSR chain Hart House abruptly closed all four of its locations based in Los Angeles on September 10 despite Kevin Hart’s celebrity backing, reflecting broader issues plaguing the plant-based sector.

3 Key Takeaways From Plant Based World Expo 2024

Innovation was rife at this year’s Plant Based World Expo; on display were breakout processes to better deliver on taste, texture, and even price.

Aloha Protein Bar Brand Riding Wellness Wave to Big Growth

Aloha CEO Brad Charron is bullish on plant-based products. And it’s easy to see why, considering his better-for-you protein bar brand experienced 500% growth from 2020 to 2023.

5 Innovations Shifting the Alternative Meat Landscape

In a recent webinar, Food Business News shared emerging data, trends, innovations, and consumer insights impacting the alternative meat, dairy, and seafood markets, a $1.03B industry attempting to recover from a sharp decline beginning in 2018. Here are five key takeaways.

Veganism Spurring Growth of Precision Fermentation

The precision fermentation category is projected to grow at a massive CAGR for the foreseeable future. While advancements are accelerating the production of animal-free ingredients, experts say a few key challenges could hold the sector back.

Expert Analysis: Nutrient-Dense Plants Could Reshape the Future of Nutrition

Consumers’ growing demand for healthier and sustainable options is propelling nutrient-dense plants like sorghum, spirulina, and aronia berries into the spotlight, redefining nutrition.

Circana: Consumers Increasingly Spending on Health and Wellness

The idea of health and wellness is evolving, as shown by a report that noted ways people are tapping into products to harmonize their lives.

Down to the Bones: Juicy Marbles’ Primal Plant-Based Meat Experience

Alt-meat brand Juicy Marbles’ Baby Ribs aim to capture “the primal eating experience” ribs are known for, while delivering improved nutrition.

Freeze Frame: Viral Frozen Grape Trend Illustrates Power of TikTok

The frozen grape food hack has been popular for three years now – and there’s still time for food businesses to take advantage.

Plant-Based Making Inroads at Breakfast Time

Plant-based foods are witnessing notable growth in the breakfast market, as more consumers seek alternatives to traditional items like eggs, bacon, and dairy-based products.

Disease, Weather Devastating U.S. Citrus Industry

Citrus, once the dominant crop in Florida, has declined 92% in the past two decades, the victim of disease and extreme weather.

Plant-Based Sweets and Snacks Enjoying Significant Growth

Plant-based sweets and snacks grew nearly 20% in dollar sales from 2022 to 2023, according to the Plant-Based Food Association.

Beyond Meat’s New Sun Sausage “Not Intended to Replicate Meat”

Beyond Meat has launched Beyond Sun Sausage, a “first-of-its-kind innovation” made with a blend of fruits, vegetables and legumes. The product is not intended to replicate beef, pork or poultry but rather be its own protein option.

Bayou Best Foods Aims to Jump Start Plant-Based Seafood Sector

While the U.S. alt-seafood market has been sluggish at best, Big Idea Ventures (BIV) has plans to change that. The agrifoodtech investor recently unveiled Bayou Best Foods, the newest entrant to the plant-based seafood sector.

Grass-Fed Beef Challenging Meat Alternatives

Growing support for products like grass-fed beef is creating new challenges for the meat alternative market, which continues to struggle with adoption and repeat purchases among its primary consumer base – flexitarians.

Mycelium-based Meat Intriguing Investors and Consumers

Alt-meat funding has all but dried up, but mycelium-based meats are still intriguing investors and consumers. From chicken and steak to deli meats, here’s what’s cooking in the world of mushroom roots.

Dr. Praeger’s Targeting ‘Nutrition-Curious’ Consumers

Dr. Praeger’s is enjoying double-digit growth across several product categories, including veggie-forward burgers and those that mimic traditional meat. What’s the secret behind their success?

Hummus: The Original Plant-Based Dip

According to Brightfield research group, the top need states searched online with hummus over the past three years are functional health, digestive health, and sustainability, while the top nutrition states are low sugar, low carb, and high protein – all benefits from the humble chickpea.

Innovation and Inflation: Dual Forces Shaping the Plant-Based Milk Market

Milk alternatives continue to hold the largest share of the plant-based category as innovations intrigue a broader group of consumers. But inflation remains a challenge and some varieties are facing more scrutiny from consumers.

Plant-based Consumers’ Favorite QSRs

U.S. consumers love fast food and those who follow a plant-forward diet are no exception. Which quick service restaurants (QSRs) are plant-based consumers seeking out this year?