It’s been a big week in food news. First, the popular soda brand Olipop teamed up with Hidden Valley to launch ranch-flavored drinks. Then, dairy-free brand Califia Farms announced a new Tabasco milk, and on top of this, Beyond Meat launched new Beyond Burger gummies.
Oh wait, none of that actually happened.
This week was, of course, April Fool’s, which means that plant-based brands everywhere enjoyed getting mischievous and tricking us all with weird and wonderful product announcements. At VegNews, we couldn’t resist getting involved.
Before we get onto the real food news of the week (which includes bonafide exciting announcements from Beyond Meat and Califia Farms), here’s a little April Fools recap.
Vegan April Fool’s Day jokes
April Fool’s Day is the perfect opportunity for silliness. Last year, we attempted to convince everyone that Wendy’s had launched its first vegan location, with one major catch—it only served potatoes. This year, due to the popularity of Mike White’s HBO series (and vegan cast members), we chose to make The White Lotus the center of our April Fool’s prank.
We joked with you that the beloved HBO series was heading to a vegan resort for its next season. But honestly, the location for season four of the hit show hasn’t been confirmed yet, so maybe our joke is a premonition? We have all of our fingers crossed.
Koukoumi
We aren’t the only jokers in the vegan space. As mentioned above, many plant-based brands joined in on the fun this year. Olipop claimed it had teamed up with Hidden Valley to launch four new flavors: Classic Ranch, Hot Honey Ranch, Jalapeño Ranch, and Garlic Ranch. “Crazy? Maybe. Brilliant? Definitely,” the brand captioned the post.
Califia Farms also had us fooled with a Tabasco-flavored peppermilk beverage, and so did Beyond Meat with its pretend announcement that it was partnering with Smart Sweets to launch vegan Beyond Meat gummies (which, of course, were also packed with protein). “The perfectly juicy bite, no grill required,” the post read.
Violife
Vegan cheese brand Violife also tricked fans with the announcement of an edible vegan cheese candle. One user commented on the post, “Ok but I would actually buy this,” while another added, “This is the type of product I’ve been waiting for!”
April Fool’s Day is always fun and games, but, fortunately, it doesn’t last forever. We promise you that all of the exciting news below is true, from the new Baileys speakeasy to Peet’s new spring menu.
Vegan food news (it’s real this time)
Califia Farms
BECOME A VEGNEWS VIP: Get exclusive product deals, freebies, and perks galore!
Califia Farms rolls out new coconut cream beverages
Califia Farms is not launching Tabasco-flavored milk (to our relief), but in the real world, it has launched a tasty new range of coconut cream, lower-sugar beverages. The new line features four different summery flavors: Strawberry Creme, Key Lime Colada, Piña Colada, and Orange Creme. They’re currently available to buy from retailers across the US, including Target, Kroger, and Albertsons.
“Over the last 15 years, Califia Farms has loved experimenting with the endless possibilities of plants,” Suzanne Ginestro, chief marketing officer for Califia Farms, said in a statement. “Creamy Refreshers is a perfect example of how that innovation unlocked something new, delicious, and fresh. Today’s consumer embraces mindful indulgence, and we’re proud to bring a new little sweet treat to retail shelves.”
Salt & Straw to bring back its Upcycled Foods Series
This April, ice cream brand Salt & Straw is relaunching its popular Upcycled Food Series for the third year in a row. In celebration of Earth Month, the brand will launch a range of flavors made with ingredients that were otherwise destined for the landfill. One of the new options is vegan. The Sourdough and Olive Oil Chocolate flavor will help repurpose more than 1,000 pounds of baked goods—it’s a yummy mix of pain au chocolat, sourdough chunks, extra-virgin olive oil, and chocolate barley milk. Find it in scoop shops or order it online from April 4.
Baileys celebrates new oat milk drinks with a speakeasy
In March, popular liqueur brand Baileys announced the launch of a new oat milk range in the US, featuring two new flavors: Coffee Toffee and Cookies & Creamy. To celebrate the products, the brand is set to host a pop-up speakeasy in Venice, CA, on April 5 and April 6. Called The Baileys Treatesy, the hidden pop-up will be accessed by a secret hallway and offer guests an immersive experience with oat liqueur drinks and a live DJ.
Peet’s launches new coconut water drinks for Spring
Peet’s made headlines in March when it announced it would finally be dropping the extra charge for dairy-free milk starting June 4. This week, it’s in the news again, but this time, it’s for its tasty new spring drinks. The chain has partnered with Vita Coco to launch two refreshing new beverages: Coconut Water Matcha and Coconut Water Cold Brew.
Honest Burger
Beyond Meat and La Vie are working together on a new plant-based campaign
Two popular plant-based brands, La Vie and Beyond Meat, have formed an alliance. In a new “brandmance,” both have launched complementary campaigns centered around animals. Both campaigns feature a person preparing a meal with meat while an anxious-looking animal watches them. The twist? The meal is 100 percent plant-based.
“As a society, we need to rethink how we eat meat,” Romain Jolivet, chief marketing officer of La Vie, said in a statement. “Joining forces with Beyond Meat is a great opportunity to show everyone just how delicious our plant-based meat can be. The brandmance between La Vie and Beyond Meat is only just getting started.” The companies have also joined forces to help create the Bacon Plant 2.0, a meaty vegan bacon burger available at UK Honest Burger locations.
New Beyond Meat unbreaded chicken lands in stores
Beyond Meat has been busy. As well as teaming up with La Vie in the UK and pranking us with vegan gummies, it has also launched a new product in the US. The company recently launched new unbreaded vegan chicken pieces—keep an eye on a retailer near you to give them a try. According to the Instagram account Big Box Vegan, the product was recently spotted on the shelves of My Smiths Grocery in Las Vegas.
The first vegan black cod alternative is about to hit the market
Black cod, also known as sablefish, is popular for its naturally lean and tender texture and silky consistency. Up until now, it’s been difficult to find a plant-based version of the fish, but thanks to Revo Foods, that’s about to change. Using 3D extrusion technology and mycoprotein, the Austrian brand has successfully created El Blanco, a plant-based black cod alternative. The new vegan fish will be on the shelves in Austrian and German grocery stores starting this month.
Carrefour partners with dairy-free brand in Brazil
Carrefour Brazil has partnered with Vida Veg, a Brazilian vegan cheese, milk, and yogurt brand. The grocery store chain is set to stock three of the brand’s products: vegan cream cheese, vegan cream cheese with herbs, and vegan mozzarella, but each will be sold under the Carrefour private label.
Swap
Heura teams up with French food tech company on new vegan chicken fillets
Spanish plant-based meat brand Heura has been working with SWAP, a French food tech company, on new protein-packed chicken-free fillets made with only seven ingredients. The product is now ready to launch and is set to hit shelves in stores across France, Spain, and Portugal. “We have joined forces with a common goal—to break the mold by offering products that appeal equally to meat lovers, flexitarians, vegans, and vegetarians,” Christel Delasson, vice president of sales and marketing at SWAP, said in a statement.
MyForest Foods lands $11 million to scale up
MyForest Foods, a New York-based brand that specializes in minimally processed fungi-based bacon, is growing. The brand, which is operated by the biotechnology company Ecovative, recently scored $11 million in funding, which will help to expand innovation and packaging. It will also help Ecovative build a new lab dedicated to food science and technology. “We’re also planning to introduce a new product that will be a complimentary pork product that will sit alongside our bacon,” Eben Bayer, MyForest Foods co-founder, told AgFunderNews. “And we’re making a big move into the foodservice channel later this year.”
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Subscribe
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
