Plant Based Meat & Cheese Association 🌱🥓🧀

This is Pastrami on Rye from @Katz's Deli in NYC made from beef. Why post? Because it's arguably the best and tastiest and that IS the mark. NOT being "cheapest" (it's $28.95/sandwich). ▶ Slow-cured for ~30 days smoked low and slow, hand-carved, and piled high between Rye. The tangy mustard flavor cuts through the richness of the pastrami (every great business needs great sidekicks). ▶ It's been serving these same sandwiches since 1888 - not focused on advertising the latest 4.0 burger tech upgrades. You simply can't shortcut greatness in the culinary world - it's doesn't pop out of a machine. ▶ Big applause to Chunk Foods and Amos Golan carving out (literally) a premium leadership position targeting steakhouses. Konscious Foods as well. These product are exceptional with tightly defined platforms. More brands need to be shooting for these high marks and that serve as positive halos for the entire category. ▶ There's room for everyone (i.e. Rebellyous Foods doing great things w/max $ efficiency with Nuggets) - but very be very honest upfront on where you are competing in the market or you'll get clocked with 90% of undefined mids all competing for mediocrity.

We want to end the week by highlighting a very important hire by MGP Ingredients - a major supplier of plant proteins (including Proterra® wheat/pea protein). Congratulations to Viswas Ghorpade PhD on his appointment as VP of R&D for Ingredient Solutions at MGP Ingredients! 🌱 👏 Dr. Ghorpade has had deep experience at the Kellogg Company (owner of Morningstar Farms, Gardenburger, Kashi) with an incredible history of innovation there, with Black Sheep Foods and establishing their Mediterranean protein platform, with Beyond Meat innovation, and now in commercializing opportunities with MGP Ingredients If you are looking at a variety of opportunities in plant-based ingredients to build or enhance your products - MGP Ingredients / Viswas Ghorpade PhD we can vouch (unpaid!) as an excellent place to start!

What say you? Seems more like that big kid that throws rocks at you runs away but is too big/slow to get away and then calls time-out time-out and wants everyone to stop.

Two things can be true at once: 1) Politicians need to stay out of regulatory capture/special interests dictating what people choose to safely and humanely eat. What's happened in TN/AL is a disgrace to conservative/libertarian/American values and is entirely special interest driven. 2) Cultured Meat companies and their VCs for +9 years have continued to make wildly false and outlandish promises and have hung themselves with their own ropes/messaging/inability to execute. You go around claiming you're going to eliminate another industry/the livelihood of a large segment of workers in every state - you better move quick before those pitchforks circles back on you. Entrepreneurs must understand regulatory capture. Best explanation by one of the greatest Bill Gurley

Great insights this month by 84.51˚ on PBMs. Top insight: Plant-Based Milks are the entry way into getting consumers to try and adopt Plant-Based Meats. This follows (our observations) Europe's early adoption of plant-based milks, followed by plant-based meats ~18 months lagging sales growth correlation that often look identical when charted out. In both respective categories in the U.S. - the states have consistently been 12-18 months behind in correlation to Europe. If you want to know what will happen with PBMs, look at what's going on with Plant-Based Milks in those same markets. Plant-Based Milks have the category covered, from high-end organic/"natural" nut-based milks - to very low-cost options. #followtheevidence #followthetrends

Genuine Question....

Looking good CHi Foods! Organic/Regenerative line of Plant-Based Meats now across Whole Foods Market! Tucker Garrison / Philip Matthew Richardson / team great work! For the PBM category to be successful - we NEED options like this across the board that meat consumer preferences from conventional to organic. Great leadership!

VERY BUSY week ahead at Expo West for plant-based brands/investors 🌱 ! The (free) 4th Annual Plant-based Investor Summit will be on Friday Mar 15th from 7:30-10am. Thanks to PlantBased Solutions CEO Daniel Karsevar w/VEGPRENEUR Noah Hyams and STEP Strategy Advisors Sharona Justman hosting the event. Get connected with a great network! Registration link/info in comments. 7:30 AM: Investor Networking Breakfast 8:00 AM: Introductions & Investor Discussions 8:30 AM: VEGPRENEUR's Pitch For The Planet 9:30 AM: Awards + Networking LOCATION: Sheraton Park Hotel, Anaheim Resort, 1855 S. Harbor Blvd. (5 min walk from Convention Center) Shen Tong @FoodFutureCo and James Joaquin Co-Founder Obvious Ventures will be in attendance as pitch judges you'll want a chance to network with as well.

We like to call out great partners for the category when they are doing things really really really well. Melissa Facchina/team, Co-Managing Partner of Siddhi Capital , recently took the time for Forbes and emphasized the importance of merging capital and operating expertise in CPG investing. 1. Siddhi Capital differentiates itself with a team composition of two-thirds operators and one-third investors, offering in-depth operational support alongside financial investment. [So important the right investment partners are more than just a check - in this case offering hands-on operational/scale excellence] 2. Facchina's deep-rooted experience in the food and beverage industry informs her investment strategy, focusing on nutrient-dense, quality food brands with potential for substantial growth and acquisition. [So important there is a SOLID thesis like this behind a fund and what they stand for/do really well] 3. Siddhi Capital's approach to investing involves extensive operational diligence to identify next-generation businesses and support their growth and scalability. [NOT the right partners if you just want a check. The right brands KNOW the expertise Siddhi brings to the table and welcomes it] 4. The firm experiences predominantly inbound deal flow, with companies seeking Siddhi's unique operational expertise, reflecting the value placed on their hands-on investment approach. 5. In response to the evolving landscape of CPG investing, Siddhi advises early-stage entrepreneurs on the significance of their earliest investors and the importance of setting realistic milestones and governance structures. [We can't emphasize enough the importance/value of really solid governance and governance practices - noticeably missing across most companies] Steven Finn/Melissa Facchina/Siddhi team - Thanks for helping to lead out/be a great partner with such great brands - keep up the great work supporting and leading and scaling great brands into the future!

We strongly believe Yves Potvin is back for a hat trick this year w/ Konscious Foods (the last exit being Gardein). Why we believe: incredible ultra convenient food, with an ownable platform (Sushi), at a healthy price point (~$9) consumers are already used to paying for sushi for on the go (+$12). They’re going big at Expo West Hall E #5679, right next to poppi - our #1/#2 choices for brands to watch in 2024. #categorydesign #categoryleadership