The Week In Plant-Based: Andrew Zimmern Joins TiNDLE, Willicroft & InnovoPro Launch Fondue

Andrew Zimmern recently threw his chef’s hat in the plant-based protein ring when he joined Next Gen Foods’ TiNDLE brand as an advisor. Elsewhere in news this week, Willicroft teamed up with InnovoPro to launch vegan fondue and new products from No Evil Foods, Unreal Deli, and Hell Pizza launched.

Singapore/: Celeb Chef Andrew Zimmerman joins TiNDLE

Four-time James Beard Award winner Zimmern has joined Singaporean alt-protein company Next Gen Foods as a business and culinary advisor to the TiNDLE brand. This is his first culinary advisor role for a plant-based meat company. 

“It really cooks and presents like chicken. I think the product is amazing,” he recently said.  

Zimmern will act as a brand ambassador for TiNDLE and also provide counsel and business advice for future products. 

US: No Evil Foods launches “clean label” beef-style strips at Sprouts

Best Life “Beef,” the latest product from alt-meat maker and plastic-negative brand No Evil Foods, is now available exclusively at over 300 Sprouts grocery stores across the US. A wider rollout to other US food retailers is planned for later this spring.

The plant-based “meat” strip is made from upcycled ingredients and contains 27 grams of protein and 14 grams of carbohydrates.

New Zealand: Hell Pizza launches challenge with Impossible

Hell Pizza has launched a challenge for carnivores: guess whether the ground patties on its Burger Pizza are made with animal-based beef or Impossible Beef. Customers that opt in and order the Burger Pizza won’t know which they’ve been given, and must scan a QR code on the pizza box to guess. 

Those that guess correctly get a free Snack Pizza. The challenge runs for a limited time, “while stocks last.”

Hell Pizza has been teaming up with various alt-meat makers for some time, including a recent partnership with Australia’s v2food.

UK/Netherlands: Willicroft launches plant-based fondue with InnovoPro

Willicroft, a Devon-based dairy farm that pivoted to plant-based cheesemaking a few years ago, has launched an entirely vegan fondue now available in the UK, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The brand also sells Greek and parmesan cheeses.

For the fondu, Willicroft teamed up with Israel’s InnovoPro, which specializes in protein made from chickpeas. The Willicroft fondu uses InnovoPro’s CP-PRO 70 protein and also includes ingredients like soybeans, rice, coconut oil, and potato starch.

US: Trader Joe’s debuts vegan buffalo dip

Plenty of vegan meat options for party trays exist nowadays. Less common is vegan dip to accompany those products, which is something US grocery store chain Trader Joe’s is addressing with the launch of its new Vegan Buffalo Dip. 

The dip, made with vegetables like cauliflower, red peppers, carrots, and cayenne, is completely meat-free and dairy-free. The product is in stores now in the US and joins the Trader Joe’s chain’s growing list of plant-based and vegan products. 

US: Only Plant Based! and Unreal Deli launch plant-based sub chain

Vegan food brand Only Plant Based!, best known for its shelf-stable, eggless mayo, has partnered with Mrs. Goldfarb’s Unreal Deli brand to launch a restaurant dedicated to plant-based sub sandwiches. Accelerate, which manages ghost kitchens in the US, has also joined the partnership. 

Though no date has been specified yet, the chain will launch across the US. Meanwhile, Unreal plant-based sandwiches can be found currently in various restaurants around New York, Los Angeles, Denver Austin, and Raleigh. 

UK: Clive’s readies range of plant-based pies and quiches for Asda’s Nature Programme

Devon-based vegan bakery Clive’s is one of 15 emerging brands selected to participate in this round of the Asda program. As part of the program, Clive’s will launch two brand new and exclusive products – the Clive’s Saag Aloo Puff Pie and Clive’s Creamy Mushroom Pie, along with two other favourites – Clive’s Quiche Lorraine and Clive’s Chickeny Puff Pie.  

The range will be available in 72 stores around the UK. 

US: Dharma Southern Kitchen launches investment campaign and new locations

Chef Shaun Noonan’s restaurant chain, which specializes in plant-based comfort food, announced a funding campaign through StartupEngine that will help the brand expand throughout the US. The crowdfunding campaign invites anyone with $190 to invest.

Dharma Southern Kitchen has also expanded to its next two locations, in Orlando and Tampa, Florida. Future locations are expected in 2022 followed by growth across the southeast US in 2023.

US: New vegan Nutella launches in Kroger stores

Starday-owned Gooey Snacks unveiled a Nutella analogue meant to replicate the popular chocolate-hazelnut spread without dairy. 

The launch comes roughly six months after Gooey’s Hazelnut Cocoa Spread, as the product is called, made its direct-to-consumer debut. The product is available at 2,000 Kroger stores in the US including Mariano’s, Ralphs, Frys and King Soopers.

Lead image courtesy of Next Gen Foods/TiNDLE.