Wicked Kitchen

Wicked Kitchen is on a mission to do for plant-based foods what Annie’s did for organics. Here’s how its new owners plan to help.

Consolidation is coming to the plant-based alternative space… or at least that is the category direction U.K.-based Wicked Kitchen is banking on. The company announced today it has joined plant-based conglomerate platform Ahimsa Companies.

Wicked Kitchen has acquired plant-based “raw” seafood provider Current Foods, a transaction that deepens the company’s food service offerings and grows its portfolio of plant-based products following its 2022 acquisition of Good Catch. Exact terms of the non-cash deal were not disclosed.

In this week’s roundup: Whole Foods predicts sustainability to be a consistent theme among 2023 food trends; Ingredion announces a partnership with HowGood; Wicked Kitchen opens a fully plant-based concession stand and more.

Plant-based food company Wicked Kitchen has raised $20 million to help it “further ramp up global brand awareness initiatives” and expand retail distribution into other channels, such as foodservice, the company announced in a press release today.

Wicked Kitchen announced today that it has acquired the North American rights to Good Catch, a line of plant-based seafood entrees and appetizers. Following the sale, Good Catch’s parent company, Gathered Foods, will shift its focus solely on B2B operations with services including product formulation and co-packing.

This week’s roundup of notable new products saw brands launching heat-and-eat meals inspired by global flavors, creating better-for-you, vegan versions of classic candy bars and crafting a spicy sauce with “one of the most sustainable foods on the planet.”

Consumer demand for BFY frozen pizza has begun to gain ground on conventional varieties. With this increased demand, brands have begun to view the segment as a mode to expand their better-for-you comfort food lines and reach new areas of the store.

After seeing success in the U.K. and bringing aboard CPG veteran Pete Speranza as CEO, plant-based food brand Wicked Kitchen announced today the closing of a $14 million funding round to fuel its global expansion.

Wicked Foods is hopping across the pond, and it’s picked up some talent along the way. The plant-based food brand, currently sold in United Kingdom Tesco stores under the brand Wicked Kitchen, will also add Unovis operating partner and former 301 Inc business development principal Pete Speranza as CEO.