US alt-dairy business Ripple Foods has secured $17m in its latest funding round and appointed a new CEO. New investors in the round include Material Impact and Rich Products Ventures, the corporate-venture arm of Rich Products Corporation. Becky O’Grady, who has been a member of Ripple’s board for the past five years, has been named CEO. Existing backers S2G Ventures, Prelude Ventures, Fall Line Capital, Euclidean Capital, Tao Capital Partners and Tim Koogle also participated. The latest round follows ...

Core Viewpoint - Beyond Meat announced the expiration of lock-up restrictions on 316,150,176 shares of its common stock issued in connection with an exchange offer for its 0% Convertible Senior Notes due 2027, effective October 16, 2025 [1][3]. Group 1: Exchange Offer Details - The lock-up restrictions allowed holders of Existing Convertible Notes to sell up to approximately 37.45% of the New Shares received in the Exchange Offer, referred to as Freely Tradeable Shares [2]. - After the expiration of the lock-up, holders can sell any New Shares without the previous contractual restrictions [3]. - New Shares were issued into a Contra CUSIP to restrict trading during the lock-up period, with an expected allocation into the unrestricted CUSIP on October 17, 2025 [3]. Group 2: Eligibility and Registration - The New Shares and other securities in the Exchange Offer are available only to "qualified institutional buyers" or "accredited investors" who own a minimum of $200,000 in Existing Convertible Notes [4]. - The New Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and are not offered for sale in jurisdictions where such offers would be unlawful [5]. Group 3: Company Overview - Beyond Meat is a leading plant-based meat company founded in 2009, offering products made from simple ingredients without GMOs, added hormones, or antibiotics, and with 0mg of cholesterol per serving [6]. - The company's mission emphasizes the positive impact of shifting from animal-based meat to plant-based protein on human health, climate change, natural resource constraints, and animal welfare [6].

Core Insights - The US plant-based meat market is facing challenges, particularly in the fresh chilled category, which has seen a 20% annual decline for the past three years. In contrast, the frozen segment has shown more stability with single-digit growth or decline [1][7] - V2Food has acquired Daring Foods, a California-based alt-chicken firm, to strengthen its position in the US market despite the overall challenges in the plant-based sector [6][5] - The company is optimistic about the growth potential in the frozen plant-based category, especially with cleaner-label products that have shorter ingredient lists [7][12] Market Dynamics - The fresh chilled category in the US is not performing well, while the frozen category has been more resilient, attributed to established brands and a more gradual evolution in consumer acceptance [1][7] - Daring Foods has been successful, growing over 10% last year, and is one of the few brands in the US plant-based market that is expanding [11][9] - The plant-based meat market is expected to undergo a generational change over the next 30 years rather than a rapid replacement of animal protein [14] Product Development and Strategy - V2Food plans to leverage the Daring brand to introduce new products in the US, focusing on cleaner ingredient profiles [15][16] - The company is exploring hybrid products that blend plant-based and animal proteins to meet consumer demands for taste, cost, and nutrition [24][26] - V2Food is also working on proprietary ingredients to reduce costs and improve product appeal in the competitive market [18][19] International Expansion - V2Food is collaborating with Ajinomoto to enter emerging markets in Africa and Asia, focusing on providing high-quality protein alternatives [32][35] - The partnership aims to launch Daring frozen meal products in the US and expand into new geographical markets [33][36] - Consumer testing in Africa has shown promising results, indicating strong potential for plant-based products in these regions [35][36] Financial Performance - V2Food's business in Australia is experiencing modest growth, with foodservice growing at 30-50% annually, while the retail sector remains flat [20][21] - The pro-forma net sales for V2Food, including the acquisition of Daring, are estimated to be between US$30 million and US$50 million [37]

Industry Overview - The Zacks Food – Meat Products industry is facing challenges such as high input costs and operational expenses, along with export-related hurdles like trade uncertainties and port disruptions [1][5] - The industry includes companies that manufacture, process, market, and sell various meat products, including chicken, pork, beef, and plant-based meats, catering to retail and foodservice customers [3] Current Trends - Rising cost pressures from feed, raw materials, labor, and transportation are straining profit margins, with inflation affecting consumer shopping habits, leading to tighter budgets [4] - Export challenges are exacerbated by trade uncertainties, biosecurity concerns, and strong domestic demand, which limits supply for international markets [5] - The demand for high-protein diets is increasing, benefiting meat companies, while plant-based alternatives are gaining traction as consumers seek healthier options [6] Industry Performance - The Zacks Food – Meat Products industry ranks 201, placing it in the bottom 18% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating dull near-term prospects [7][8] - The industry has underperformed the broader Zacks Consumer Staples sector and the S&P 500, declining 10.6% over the past year compared to the sector's growth of 2.8% and the S&P 500's rise of 11.1% [10] Valuation Metrics - The industry is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12.44X, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 22.52X and the sector's 17.42X [12] Company Highlights - Tyson Foods, a leading player in the protein industry, benefits from a diversified multi-protein strategy and strong brand recognition, positioning it for long-term growth despite industry volatility [14] - Beyond Meat focuses on plant-based meat alternatives, capitalizing on the growing consumer demand for healthier food options, and is well-positioned for success in the alternative protein market [19]