Wednesday, 17 April 2024 13:00

Plant-based bubble bursts

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird Ventures, and its products are no longer available in supermarkets.

This is leading to questions about the future of Australia’s once-hot alternative meat sector.

The New Zealand plantbased meat company Sunfed has announced it will be shutting down as its inventory runs out and investors leave.

The company, which started in 2015, provided meat alternatives across New Zealand and Australia, using regenerative yellow peas, water and coldpressed extra virgin olive oil as its primary ingredients.

It says “plant-based bubble” had burst and the existing venture capital investors were “no longer interested in supporting the business”. No one should be surprised.

More like this

More bad news

OPINION: Several days after securing shareholder approval for a $130 million loan from Bright Dairy, Synlait has delivered more bad news to investors.

Code Red for National?

OPINION: Recently several Labour MPs, including leader Chris Hipkins and deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni spent two days in Waikato with representatives of DairyNZ, Beef+Lamb NZ, Federated Farmers, Groundswell and Rural Women NZ among others.

OCR pressure

OPINION: While Reserve Bank boss Adrian Orr is sticking to his 'abundance of caution' messaging, the economy is in tatters and the jungle drums beat ever louder for an OCR cut no later than November (to be clear, that's Nov 2024, not 2025!).

100-year-old milk powder

OPINION: A 100-year-old sample of milk powder from Ernest Shackletons’ first solo expedition to Antarctica has been analysed by scientists.

Featured

Keep warm, boost weight

The missing link in getting maximum weight gain in your calves may be as simple as keeping them warm, says the Christchurch manufacturer of a range of woollen covers for young livestock.

Colostrum expert turns 40

Auckland-based supplement and nutritional company New Image International is celebrating 40 years of business in their home country.

National

Passing on a farming legacy

Waiuku dairy farmers Nick and Nikki Ruygrok are passing on a dairy farming legacy to their sons that they can…

Better than feared

Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold says last week's Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction went much better than feared.

Machinery & Products

Classy triple auger layout

The growing popularity of whole-crop cereals for livestock, and in some countries as a food source for anaerobic digesters, has…

JD set to run with Skechers

Probably best known for its tractors, harvesters and farm equipment, it looks like John Deere is about to put its…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

More bad news

OPINION: Several days after securing shareholder approval for a $130 million loan from Bright Dairy, Synlait has delivered more bad…

Code Red for National?

OPINION: Recently several Labour MPs, including leader Chris Hipkins and deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni spent two days in Waikato with…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter