Erin Cabrey

A federal judge in Baltimore has denied a motion to dismiss fraud and racketeering counts in a lawsuit filed by dressing and condiment maker Tessemae’s against a group of former advisors and board members. The lawsuit, filed last June, alleges the defendants had attempted to steal the Tessamae’s business.

Plant-based foods are continuing to take a bite out of the U.S. retail food market, with sales up 27% to $7 billion in 2020, nearly double the growth of the total U.S. retail food market, according to a new report from the Plant Based Food Association and the Good Food Institute.

With the support of entrepreneur Mark Cuban, plant-based burger brand Everything Legendary is “going to be bold” in order to take a bite out of the increasingly crowded meat alternative category, according to CEO and co-founder Duane “Myko” Cheers. This month, the brand is making its retail debut, seeking to grab consumers’ attention with what it believes is a more approachable vegan meat product featuring vibrant packaging and a consumer-friendly ingredient label.

In this week’s Checkout, the FDA introduces “Closer to Zero” action plan for toxic elements in baby food; cultivated animal fat company Mission Barns raises $24 million; Impossible Foods launches its first national ad campaign; and Conagra reports its third quarter results for fiscal 2021.

Gathered Foods, maker of plant-based seafood brand Good Catch, announced yesterday it has raised $26.35 million in a funding round which the company will use to fuel new product innovation and continue its international expansion.

Label this one as a step back for Tofurky. Turtle Island Foods SPC, maker of the plant-based meat brand, along with food advocacy organization The Good Food Institute (GFI) last week lost an appeal to block a Missouri labeling law that would make it a crime for plant-based meat producers to represent their products as containing real meat.

In this week’s Checkout, Post Holdings acquires dry pasta brand Ronzoni; sugar-free gelato and chocolate bar maker Bon AppéSweet is named the winner of The Empower Project; synthetic honey maker MeliBio raises $850K; Anheuser-Busch breaks grounds on a $100 million EverGrain facility; and brands celebrate April Fools’ Day with creative product launches.

Plant-based start-up platform LiveKindly Collective announced yesterday the close of a $335 million funding round as the company looks to extend its brands’ reach to new geographies, while also growing its portfolio through new acquisitions and strategic partnerships.

In this week’s investment-focused Checkout, nut butter and snack brand Abby’s Better lands $1 million and adds Kevin Love and Kate Bock as investors; cultivated meat company Meatable secures $47 million; and JUST Egg maker Eat Just raises $200 million.

For the 32 million Americans who suffer from food allergies, access to safe and affordable specialty care — including allergy-safe food — is a necessity. But that doesn’t mean that it’s available on an equal basis, particularly for minority or low-income consumers. A new report from the food allergy advocacy organization FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) has identified systemic racial and economic inequity — both in healthcare and with regard to a lack of access to allergy-friendly food — as the root obstacles to that specialized care. To help further its mission, FARE is identifying ways CPG food brands can advance equality initiatives in the food allergy community.