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The Spoon

Daily news and analysis about the food tech revolution

alternative dairy

Mill It Farms Finds A Plant-Based Whitespace in Alt-Buttermilk

As the name suggests, buttermilk was made from the cultured cream leftover from the butter-making process. Was, being the keyword. With little sacrifice in its taste, modern buttermilk is made through a fermentation process in which cultures are added to low-fat or whole-fat milk. The result is a versatile product that is not only a popular beverage but a key ingredient in salad dressings, baked goods, pancakes, and a laundry list of other food.

The brain trust at Mill It Farms with an accent on brains, blended art, and science to create plant-based, vegan-friendly buttermilk that uses the fermentation of ancient grains to create a standalone beverage and salad dressing line. Mill It Farms Bill Myers, a food scientist who combines practical knowledge with keen market awareness, has taken on the challenge of developing a buttermilk substitute with a universal appeal.

Bill Myers’s dad, a food scientist, was developing a plant-based yogurt for Califia Farms when the two men realized buttermilk represented a significant whitespace in the plant-based market. “It’s like a little bit crazy that no one’s done this yet,” Myers told The Spoon in a recent interview.” With all the plant-based growth, there hasn’t been buttermilk (especially given) how many things buttermilk goes into.”

Aside from the success Mill It has found with offering buttermilk as a standalone beverage, it has a role in the three salad dressings the company provides. A Classic Ranch, Creamy Italian, and Thousand Islands are emerging as competitors to long-standing brands such as Follow Your Heart and Daiya, which contain sugar, cultured dextrose, and natural flavors.

Myers points out that the aim of vegan products, such as salad dressings, that claim to offer clean, healthy alternatives often fall short. “A lot of the early plant-based dressings would take out buttermilk and replace it with hydrogenated oils high in calories and high in fat.”

Myers adds, “I think that’s one of the biggest problems in the plant-based space right now is, you know, people who want to eat plant-based typically are people who are trying to eat clean and trying to eat healthily. They also are trying to eat fewer calories because they’re really kind of monitoring their diet. But a lot of the early like alternatives in the space is high in calories, high in fat, and high in sugar”

To create a sustainable substitute for dairy, Myers went back to a college food science project involving baking and landed on ancient grains such as millet and sorghum. “With ancient grains, there’s a lot of benefits. One is that there are much more sustainable, and they can grow in arid climates. And so it makes sourcing a lot more efficient. “Our costs are lower because they don’t require as many resources, but it also allows it’s also a lot better for the planet.”

Grains also work well as a fermentation substrate, Myers said. With the proper fermentation process, the resulting buttermilk replicates the taste, consistency, and acidity of products made from a dairy source.

MIll It Farms’ vegan buttermilk and buttermilk dressings are now sold in hundreds of retail locations across the country, including Whole Foods, Krogers, and Sprouts.

Betterland Foods Launches Better-For-You Chocolate Using Perfect Day’s Animal-Free Whey Protein

Move over Hershey and Mars, WOO is coming, and it’s fixing to make a sweet, healthy impact on the candy category.

betterland foods, a Napa-based company that recently introduced its cow-free milk, is taking the alternative whey protein it created to take on the alternative dairy market and now aiming at making noise in the candy space with WOO. This better-for-you candy bar competes with the big names on taste but without guilt.

“Candy has not been disrupted since 1934,” company CEO Lizanne Falsetto said in an interview with The Spoon. “Keep in mind that Hershey and Mars can buy up the shelf space, but they still can’t get to the core of what we believe people want today. They want to have a decadent treat that’s better for them and better for the planet.”

WOO (as in Moo or Whoo) is now available direct to consumers before being launched in retail. WOO’s layered chocolate bar, built using Perfect Day’s whey protein, contains organic chocolate, caramel, peanuts, and cow-free nougat. Falsetto quickly points out the dramatic difference between WOO and its entrenched competitors.

Falsetto explains that most candy bars on the market have 28 grams of sugar, while WOO had nine. The betterland’s bar has six grams of fiber compared to one in most others and eight grams of protein versus four.

Falsetto and her partner, company president Bill Pikar come to the “healthy” food space with a significant win under their belts. Falsetto is the founder and former CEO of Think! A pioneering protein bar that she developed in her kitchen. The company was sold in late 2015, after which Falsetto began working with women leaders in her Holistic Success Network.

Always keeping an eye on the alternative protein space, Falsetto and Pikar were ready to jump at the chance at another chance to (as she puts it) “blow up a category.” The Perfect Day folks reached out to the former nutrition bar creator and suggested a new type of bar using cow-free whey. Not one to focus on their “been-there, done-that” space, the betterland’s team suggested they produce a “better for you” candy bar.

“We decided the candy category would need a disruptive product, and that’s why candy was the choice.” Falsetto commented. She also jokes that betterland’s newest product has a deja-vu experience. “Interestingly enough, we were making nutrition bars on candy equipment in 1995, and now, in reverse, we are now making candy on nutrition bar equipment.”

Having gone through retail product placement with THINK!, Falsetto has developed a clear marketing strategy. Initially, protein bars, she says, didn’t have a set home in a retail store, and she sees the same route for WOO. A “dual placement” strategy, where the vegan-friendly candy bar sits with its category competitors and at the cash wrap for impulse purchases.

WOO’s initial direct-to-consumer campaign aims to create consumer familiarity and tap into social media awareness. When betterland approaches Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods of the world, the company will be in a better position for retail acceptance.

Falsetto’s take on marketing speaks to her success at finding and fulfilling a market need: I would say when it comes to a market campaign., all we want to put the food into people’s mouths, and we want them to eat it alongside a Snickers bar—like the Pepsi Challenge.”

Without going into detail, likely, we’ve not heard the last of betterland’s relationship with Perfect Day and its alternative whey. “Lizanne’s experience as a protein innovator and retail disruptor made her our first choice to launch candy made kinder and greener with Perfect Day’s whey protein,” said Ryan Pandya, co-founder, and CEO of Perfect Day. “Lizanne has already proven what she can do with betterland milk, and we are thrilled to now bring animal-free layered chocolate candy to consumers who have been excitedly awaiting more products made with Perfect Day protein.”

WOO candy bars will retail for $2.69 and are available at woobars.com

I Tried THIS PKN Pecan Milk, the Latest Plant-Based Milk in the Alt. Dairy Space

With 41 percent of all households purchasing non-dairy milk, a carton of almond milk is no longer a fringe product but a mainstream staple. So it’s no surprise that the alternative milk category is now the largest in the plant-based space. One of the most recent companies to join this space is Texas-based Lifestock. 

Lifestock launched its first two products at the beginning of October: shelf-stable Original and Chocolate pecan milk called THIS PKN. Laura Shenkar, the founder of the company, worked in Central Texas to preserve freshwater ecosystems. She worked closely with local farmers that tended pecan orchards, a crop indigenous to the U.S. and Texas. After seeing how pecan trees can tolerate drought and grow with regenerative farming practices, Shenkar realized that the buttery pecan would be a great ingredient to use to develop sustainable plant-based milk.

The company recently reached out to me and offered to send me samples of its products. I am a daily oat-milk drinker and am hesitant to try new alternative milks due to some sub-par products I have tasted. However, having never tried pecan milk before, I happily obliged. 

The Original pecan milk on the left, the Chocolate pecan milk on the right

When trying new non-dairy milks, I first pour a cold glass of it and drink it straight up (full disclosure: I sometimes just take a quick chug straight out of the carton). I sipped on the Original pecan milk first and immediately noticed the pecan flavor. With some nut milks, like almond milk, in my opinion, you don’t really get the flavor of the nut, but just a generic nutty flavor. The milk also had a “buttery” flavor and creamy texture as the company promised. 

The Chocolate pecan milk tasted lightly sweetened, and it was enjoyable to sip cold. And while the chocolate flavor overpowered the pecan taste, it was nonetheless tasty. Both milks contain zero grams of added sugar, instead relying on monk fruit extract and stevia to add sweetness.

The next test was heating and attempting to froth the milk. While Lifestock did not state whether their pecan milks are capable of frothing, I figured I would try it anyway. I used my hand frother as I heated the milk up on the stove. Unfortunately, the milk remained relatively flat and I did not get the level of froth that oat and soy milk can provide. Despite this, it still tasted delicious in my coffee.

The possible downside for some people is that THIS PKN milk does not taste like dairy milk at all. As someone who hasn’t had milk in eight years, this did not bother me in the slightest. Someone looking to transition from dairy milk to alternative milk might be bothered by this. But in the company’s defense, Livestock makes no claims of trying to be a direct replacement for dairy milk (unlike NotCo and others).  

At this point, we’ve seen alternative milk made from every possible ingredient, including oats, barley, kabocha squash, walnuts, and hemp and other ingredients. However, the only other company we are aware of producing pecan milk is Malk Organics. Still, while alt-milk consumers often experiment with different types, many have standardized on their favorite oat, almond or soy brand, meaning THIS PKN will face competition from big players like Oatly, NotCo, Ripple, and So Delicious.

If you’d like to try out THIS PKN for yourself, it is currently available for purchase on the company’s website. Both the Original and Chocolate flavors cost $5.99 for 32 fluid ounces.

Danone North America to Launch “Dairy-Like” Segment

One common complaint amongst those trying to make the switch to non-dairy milk is that some alternatives have a “plant-y” flavor; meaning, it doesn’t quite taste like cow’s milk. Some alternative milks might taste distinctively like soy, almonds, or coconut. That being said, companies like Oatly and NotCo have produced some pretty great milk alternatives that give conventional milk a run for its money.

Danone North America is the latest company to attempt to create a “dairy-like” segment of plant-based products in hopes of providing alternative milk that dairy-drinkers can enjoy. Through its two brands, Silk and So Delicious Dairy Free, it will launch Silk nextmilk™ and So Delicious Wondermilk™ in January 2022.

According to an email sent to The Spoon, the company’s scientists deconstructed the attributes of real dairy and the sensory experience, like the mouthfeel, of drinking milk. These characteristics were then recreated by blending different plant-based ingredients, including soy, coconut, and oats.

Both brands will offer a whole fat and reduced-fat version of plant-based milk. Silk Nextmilk will contain six key nutrients found in dairy (Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, B12, Riboflavin, and Phosphorus), with each serving offering 4 grams of protein.

Little information was disclosed in regards to the So Delicious Wondermilk. However, the Wondermilk line will also include frozen dessert (a vegan way to say ice cream) pints and cones.

Alternative milk, already a $2.5 billion market, is the most established category in the plant-based food space. Another company that aims to be a direct replacement for dairy is NotCo, which uses AI to develop its whole fat and 2 percent alternative milk. Other big players in the space that Danone’s brand will face competition from include Oatly, Ripple, Good Karma, and possibly Beyond Meat in the future.

When launched in grocery stores early next year, both Nextmilk and Wondermilk will retail for $4.99 per carton.

Stockeld Dreamery Raises €16.5 Million for Legume-Based Alternative Cheeses

This week, Swedish plant-based cheese company Stockeld Dreamery announced that it has raised €16.5 million (~$20 million USD) in a Series A round, according to a release sent to The Spoon. Led by Astanor Ventures and Northzone, the funding round also saw participation from new investors, including Trellis Road, Eurazeo, Norrsken VC, Edastra, Gullspång Re:food, and several angel investors. This brings the company’s total funding to around $24 million USD.

Stockeld Dreamery, formerly known as Noquo Foods, launched its first product in May 2021, called Stockeld Chunk. The plant-based cheese is an alternative to feta and is made from a base of fermented peas and fava beans. Similar to feta’s nutritional composition, it contains 20 percent fat, 1.5 percent carbs, and 13 percent protein.

The company is currently hiring and is planning to use the new capital to grow its team from 22 people to about 50. In 2022, Stockeld will move into a pilot production plant and headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden.

Alternative milk and dairy are the largest categories in the plant-based space, with the alternative cheese category alone growing a total of 42.5 percent in 2020. Stockeld Dreamery is not the only plant-based cheese company to raise a hefty funding round this year; Miyoko’s Creamery raised a $52 million Series C round in August, and Nobel Foods closed a $75 million funding round in July.

For now, Stockeld Dreamery’s first alternative cheese product is only available in select retailers in Stockholm, Sweden. However, the press release mentioned that after moving into its new facility, the company will release new products and expand its distribution outside of the country.

I Tried NotCo’s A.I.-Generated Milk Alternative

NotCo, a Chile-based company, is sometimes referred to as the Impossible Foods/Beyond Meat of Latin America. The company produces various alternative products including plant-based mayo, burgers, ice cream, and milk. When they reached out to me recently offering to send samples of their products, I happily accepted.

NotCo uses its patented A.I. platform to determine what plant-based ingredients would best replicate properties found in animal-based ingredients. For example, in its alt-milk products, the two main ingredients are simply water and pea protein. However, there is a small amount of pineapple juice, cabbage juice, sunflower oil, and chicory root, among other natural flavors, added to the milk alternative to bolster its flavor and texture.

The Bezos-backed company sent me a half-gallon of its whole milk and 2 percent milk alternatives. I first poured a small glass of the whole milk and drank it straight up. At first sip, I was surprised by the sweetness of it. Surprisingly, there are only three grams of sugar in a single serving. It had a vanilla flavor with a light aftertaste of coconut. The two percent milk had the same flavor, but tasted a tad bit more watery than the whole milk.

Photo of the alternative whole and two percent milk that was sent to me

I heated some of the whole milk in a pot on the stove and attempted to produce foam with my handheld frother. I had no luck, and the milk was completely flat after frothing for about two minutes. In defense of NotCo, they do not make any claims about their milk’s ability to froth, and I do not have barista-grade equipment. It makes me wonder if the company has plans to develop a “barista version” of its milk that is meant to produce a thick froth for lattes, like many alternative milk companies have done.

NotCo’s whole milk after being heated and frothed

I haven’t had milk for about eight years, but for what it’s worth, NotCo’s NotMilk reminded me of real dairy milk. The sweetness of NotMilk was reminiscent of the sweetness that lactose provides in dairy milk. However, there was something about the NotMilk that still suggested it wasn’t actually dairy. While I couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason, it could very well be the slight aftertaste/mouthfeel of pea protein. Overall, though I would say that NotMilk is a pretty good milk alternative product.

Pea protein, meanwhile, is a popular ingredient in the plant-based space due to its neutral flavor, versatility, and high protein content. It is the second ingredient in NotMilk, and both the whole and 2 percent milk contain four grams of protein in a single serving (one cup). U.S.-based Ripple and Swedish-based Sproud are two other companies that both also produce alternative milk made from pea protein.

NotCo launched its milk in the U.S. last year, and it seems like Oatly will be one of its biggest competitors in the alternative dairy space. Oatly has steadily gained a cult-like following in the U.S. since launching in independent coffee shops in 2016. The Swedish-based company went public this March, and raised $1.4 billion USD through this.

In the U.S., NotCo’s milks are available in stores like Whole Foods, Sprouts, and some independent grocers and retailers. A half-gallon of the alternative whole or two percent milk normally retails for $4.99.

Blume Aims to Invigorate Alternative Milk Space with New Adaptogenic Concentrate

The most developed category in the plant-based space is alternative dairy, which is estimated to be worth around $2.5 billion. There is so much development in the sector that it feels like a new type of alternative milk such as Táche’s pistachio milk or Take Two Foods‘ barley milk, pops up every week. You can now add Blume to that list as this week, the Vancouver-based superfood company launched a new concentrated nut milk paste filled with adaptogenic ingredients.

Blume’s Adaptogenic Milk Blend has a similar texture to smooth nut butter, and it comes packaged in a glass jar. The base ingredients include almonds, cashews, coconut, and oats. The concentrate is considered adaptogenic because it contains Reishi, Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, and Chaga mushrooms, which are supposed to help the body modulate its stress response and increase focus. Adaptogenic ingredients are defined as being able to increase the body’s ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote normal physiological functioning.

Many other plant-based milks contain some type of oil that acts as an emulsifier that ensures the milk won’t separate, and also helps it foam. The Adaptogenic Milk Blend does not contain added oil, but according to the company, still has the capacity to foam when used to create a latte. It is recommended to store the concentrate in the fridge after opening, where it will last three to four months.

Photo by Ashlen Wilder

Blume sent me a jar of their Adaptogenic Milk Blend to test out. To make milk, I followed the directions and blended one tablespoon of the concentrate with one cup of water for 20-30 seconds. The result was fresh milk that had a thick foam, and was an interesting light brown color. I took a sip and was immediately disappointed by the off-flavor and lack of creaminess. I tasted nothing like milk, or any type of plant-based milk I had before. Despite the thick foam on top, the rest of the liquid tasted closer to water. Separation occurred almost immediately after blending, and gritty sediment settled at the bottom.

A few other companies have products similar to Blume. JOI and Modest Mylk use various bases of coconut, almond, oat, and cashew to produce a similar nut milk concentrate. Daily Harvest now sells frozen almond milk cubes that can be blended into fresh milk. We have not tried the concentrates from other brands, so cannot attest to how these are.

I like the idea of these concentrated nut milk pastes, and see some of the benefits they offer over plant-based milks that come in cartons. However, if it doesn’t taste good, then it’s not worth it. On top of this, it is more money upfront: $24 for one jar of Blume’s concentrate versus a $4-$5 half-gallon carton of plant-based milk. A jar of Adaptogenic Milk Blend includes 20 servings, which equates to about $1.20 per serving. It’s also an extra step to blend the milk, and I (like most other consumers) are already accustomed to just reaching in the fridge for ready-to-drink milk.

I’ll personally be sticking to prepared plant-based milk for now. If you’re interested in trying out Blume’s Adaptogenic Milk Concentrate for yourself, it is now available for purchase on the company’s website. The company plans on selling it direct-to-consumer for the time being.

Bezos-Backed NotCo Raises $235M for Plant-Based Alternatives

NotCo, a Chile-based food tech company that produces various plant-based alternative foods, announced today that it has raised $235 million in its Series D round of funding.

The round was led by Tiger Global and saw participation from DFJ Growth Fund and ZOMA Lab, with individuals also joining including Jack Dorsey, Joe Gebbia, Lewis Hamilton, Roger Federer, and DJ Questlove. Existing investors include Bezos Expeditions, EHI, Future Positive, L Catterton, and Kaszek Ventures. This brings the company’s total funding to $360 million.

This new capital will allow NotCo to expand into new product categories in North America and scale its proprietary A.I. platform. Additionally, the funds will help the company accelerate its plans to launch in Europe and Asia. Currently, NotCo offers five products: NotMilk, NotBurger, NotIceCream, and NotMayo. The products are available in approximately 6,000 retailers and foodservice locations throughout the U.S., Chile, Brazil, and Argentina.

Something that sets NotCo apart from other plant-based companies is its use of its A.I. technology (the company has five patents in the U.S. for this). Called Giuseppe, the proprietary A.I. platform analyzes the properties of thousands of plants in a database and then creates unique combinations with the goal of replicating animal ingredients. For example, the ingredients in the NotMilk product include pea protein, pineapple juice, chicory root, coconut oil, and cabbage juice.

NotCo joins the ranks with other large players in the plant-based space that have successfully expanded internationally. Beyond Meat fortified its presence in Europe earlier this year, and around the same time announced that it had opened a manufacturing facility in China. Impossible Foods and Just Eat made major expansions to Asia in the fall of 2020. Oatly is currently building or planning future production facilities in Singapore, China, and the UK.

In the U.S., NotCo’s NotMilk is currently available in Sprouts, Whole Foods, Wegmans, and other retailers. All of the company’s products are available in Chile, Brazil, and Argentina. By the end of 2021, NotCo aims to have its products available in 8,000 retailers globally.

Uproot is Bringing Plant-Based Milk Dispensers to College Campuses

As a vegan, it is my dream to see plant-based milk options everywhere I go. Most coffee shops are hip to this, but there are certainly still some areas in the foodservice sector that lag behind in the alternative milk game. A start-up called Uproot, based in New York City, has the mission of distributing its alternative milk dispensers to college campuses and beyond.

Jacob Conway and Kevin Eve, the co-founders of Uproot, saw that plant-based dairy options we not accessible on many college campuses. Conventional milk is always an option for cereal and coffee in college cafeterias, but college students often have to ask the chef or cafeteria staff for a plant-based milk option. Dispensers for tea, coffee, and juice drinks already exist in college cafeterias, so it seemed like the logical option to have a dispenser for non-dairy milk.

The Uproot dispensers are given to college campuses, and then the schools must purchase Uproot’s bags of milk. The company produces its own plant-based milk blends, including oat, chocolate pea, and soy. The milks are shelf-stable and are good for 12 months. A 2.5-gallon bag of milk is priced between $28-$30, depending on the flavor and food distributor.

Uproot first launched its bulk dispenser program in March 2020, prior to the start of the pandemic, at Brown University and Wellesley College. The pandemic promptly shut the program down. During this time, Uproot transitioned to offer college campuses packaged 8 oz single-serving containers of its plant-based milks (which are still available for purchase).

College campuses have recently come into the spotlight for becoming a place for food innovation. Chartwells Higher Education announced earlier this year its plans for launching a plant-based dining program (called 100% Plant Forward) and ghost kitchens at colleges nationwide. At the beginning of the summer, Grubhub announced its plans for bringing food delivery robots to college campuses through its partnership with Yandex. Yo-Kai shared at the beginning of this year that it had installed its automated hot ramen vending machines at several college campus locations.

In addition to college campuses, Uproot plans on expanding to K-12 cafeterias, hospitals, and coffee shops. The company will relaunch its dispenser program this fall at Brown University, Roger Williams University, Wellesley
College, Villanova University, Wesleyan University, Bennington College, Bucknell University, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Connecticut College, Johnson and Wales University and Stonehill College.

Kite Hill Aims to Boost Protein Content of Plant-Based Dairy with New Product Launch

One major complaint of plant-based products is the lack of protein, as many alternative products are not on par with the product they are trying to replicate. The average American actually consumes double the amount of protein required, so it’s no surprise that we are so fixated on the protein content of plant-based alternatives. One company in the plant-based space, Kite Hill, recently launched new yogurt products with a boosted protein content.

Kite Hill recently debuted four new flavors of high-protein yogurt; strawberry, blueberry, vanilla, and plain. The yogurt is made from a base of almond milk and boasts 10-12 grams of protein (depending on the flavor) from added soy isolate. Additionally, the company added a new flavor to its dip line, a spicy queso (not a high-protein product), and its main ingredients are cultured almond milk and coconut oil.

When Kite Hill offered to send me samples of its high-protein yogurts and queso, I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical. One non-dairy protein yogurt I tried recently was straight-up gritty. Catherine Lamb, a previous writer at The Spoon, tried Ripple’s high-protein Greek yogurt and was not a fan.

Photo by Ashlen Wilder

I am pleased to report that none of the flavors of the Kite Hill yogurt had a gritty texture or off-flavor. Each of the flavors had a creamy texture and the tangy flavor that yogurt should have. I normally don’t go for flavored yogurts due to the high sugar content, but each fruit flavor had 5 grams of sugar.

The non-dairy queso had a very thick texture straight out of the refrigerator. The directions on the package instructed that the queso should be heated for 30 seconds in the microwave. After it was heated, it had the familiar gooey, liquid texture of traditional queso. It had a delightfully spicy kick and went well with chips, and drizzled on tacos and black beans.

It’s hard to keep track of how many alternative yogurts and cheese products are now available on the market, and some are definitely better than others. Lavva uses pili nuts to produce a creamy and tangy plant yogurt. The Collaborative raised $7 million last year for the expansion of its coconut-based yogurt. There are also other brands that produce vegan yogurt like Forager, So Delicious, Cocojune, Oatly, Harmless Harvest, and Daiya. Larger companies like Chobani and Yoplait have even stepped up in recent years to offer plant-based options.

As for vegan queso, a few others exist on the market. Loca Food produces delicious non-dairy queso made from a base of potatoes. Siete and Mother Raw are two other companies also competing in this space.

Despite how many alternative options are available on retailer shelves, I would still probably purchase the Kite Hill high-protein yogurt again if I saw it in stores. I typically don’t purchase queso, but I think a queso lover who avoids dairy would enjoy this product. The individual 5.3oz protein yogurts cost $1.99, while the 16 oz. tub of plain yogurt costs $5.99. The 8oz tub of queso costs. $4.99, and all of the products are available in Whole Foods and Sprouts nationwide.

Eclipse Foods Launches Seven New Ice Cream Flavors for Summer

The summer season is rapidly approaching, and I’ve already experienced some 85 degree days here in Denver, Colorado. Therefore, I was thrilled when I was invited to be one of the first to taste test Eclipse Foods’ new ice cream flavors.

Eclipse is a plant-based dairy company based in Berkeley, California that is currently focused on its “cowlessly creamy” ice cream. The startup has previously said that it aims to be the Impossible Foods of the alternative dairy industry.

In June, Eclipse is launching seven new flavors including mango passion fruit, strawberry fields, mint chip, caramel butter pecan, the dark side of the spoon (chocolate, peanut butter cookie dough, and fudge chunks), and cookies n’ cream. Eclipse last released three flavors (chocolate, vanilla, and cookie butter) into retail channels in 2020.

This was my first time trying Eclipse’s ice cream, and I certainly enjoyed it. What stood out to me were the vibrant flavors, and the mint chip and dark side of the spoon flavors were especially tasty.

Prior to tasting the samples, I had analyzed the ingredients in Eclipse’s product and was surprised to find that the ice cream contained no creamy vegan ingredients, like coconut, cashews, or soy. Interestingly, the main ingredients in Eclipse’s ice cream are water, sugar, and canola oil.

Eclipse’s website states that the company looked at the composition of milk and built its own milk from the ground up using plant ingredients. I spoke to Aylon Steinhardt this week, one of the co-founders of Eclipse, who said that “magic of milk” (referring to its taste and creamy texture) comes from a structure found in casein called a micelle. Eclipse was able to recreate this structure in the plant-based milk base it uses for its ice cream, and currently has a patent pending for this.

In a previous interview with The Spoon, Steinhardt said that one of Eclipse’s goals is to make its ice cream available in fast food chains like Sonic, Wendy’s, Dairy Queen, and Carl’s Jr., across the nation. He confirmed that this is indeed still a goal of the company, but that the pandemic had an effect on the company’s ability to scale throughout foodservice channels. As the world begins to open back up, Eclipse will take a two-pronged approach to scale in both retail and foodservice channels.

When I first went vegan, I remembered only having a minuscule selection of vegan ice cream to choose from in the average grocery store. Now, there almost seems to be as many alternative dairy ice creams as there are traditional dairy options in the frozen aisle. However, Eclipse claims to be a direct replacement for ice cream, rather than an alternative like most other brands. Perfect Day is another startup with this same mentality, though it uses a different method — a fermented strain of yeast — than Eclipse to create its ice cream.

Eclipse’s new ice cream flavors will be available through the company’s website and in select grocers and retailers starting this June. Additionally, the company is currently available in locations predominantly on the east and west coasts, but will soon expand to differnt regions of the U.S.

LegenDairy Rebrands to Formo, Announces Plans to Bring Products to Market

LegenDairy, a precision fermentation alterative dairy company, announced today that it has rebranded to the name Formo, and that it will focus on consumer-facing products with plans to unveil its first products later this year.

To create its animal-free milk proteins, Formo uses microorganisms instead of cows. These undisclosed microorganisms are first encoded with the DNA sequences of milk proteins. A fermenter is then used to grow the cells, which are harvested when enough protein has been raised. From this point, the cultivated milk protein can be used to make cheese.

Plant-based ingredients, like different fats and carbohydrates, are added to the milk proteins to create the base of cheese products. Like traditional cheese, the product is heated until it turns into curd. After this step, a wide spectrum of cheese products can be created from this base and packaged as fresh or ripened to create a stronger flavor.

Formo shared that it is first focusing on specialty European cheeses, like ricotta and a few ripened/aged kinds of cheese. The company will launch its products where customers are most excited about it (based on its upcoming consumer acceptance study) and where it can get regulatory approval.

In addition to Formo, a few other companies use precision fermentation to create alternative dairy and cheese products. Perfect Day applies its precision fermentation process through its spinoff brand, Brave Robot, to create an animal-free ice cream that is molecularly identical to real dairy. Change Foods uses precision fermentation to develop its cheddar and mozzerella, and plans on launching its product on the market in 2023.

Formo is currently expanding its team of scientists and executives in preparation for its initial product presentation in Europe this year, and market launch in 2023. Prior to the launch, the company will host a tasting this summer for its alternative cheese products with Ricky Saward, the first plant-based Michelin star chef.