Florida might be known for a lot of things, but the state is set to transform into the plant-based food capital of the United States thanks to 40 new Odd Burger locations slated to open over the next eight years.
Subway Canada is getting deeper into meatless offerings with four new globally inspired sandwiches—most of which can easily be made vegan.
Plus, Tofurky is launching a new hot dog and making its deli slices a little meatier. Read on for more.
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Food news
Next to the hamburger, the hot dog is the quintessential summer grilling food. This year, we’re getting something new from Tofurky, which is launching a new plant-based hot dog through DOT Foods, a distributor to venues such as stadiums, amusement parks, and more.
Tofurky
Tofurky is also introducing its “Next Gen Plant-Based Deli Slices” in Turk’y and Ham varieties. These new vegan meat slices are designed to emulate the taste, texture, and visual appeal of whole muscle cuts of animal-based meats, offering a delicious and sustainable option for food service customers. This means that meatier sandwiches are on the way.
What’s great on both a hot dog and a sandwich? Hot sauce, of course, and there’s a new one coming in hot from Bachan’s, a company known for its Japanese barbecue sauce.
The new Hella Hot Japanese Barbecue Sauce, exclusive to Target, features a fiery blend of red jalapeño and red habanero, which deliver double the heat.
“Hella Hot is for fans of heat and spice, for everyone who doesn’t mind a good burn or a little sweat,” Justin Gill, Bachan’s founder and CEO, said.
The sauce intensifies in heat as you eat it, amplifying the bold, fresh flavors of soy, ginger, garlic, and green onion. It can be used as a marinade, dip, finishing sauce, or hot sauce, making it perfect for cauliflower wings, stir-fry dishes, tacos, pizza, and spicy micheladas.
Malai
To cool things down a bit, AAPI-owned ice cream company Malai just launched its signature pints at select Mid-Atlantic grocery stores. Founded by Food Network alum Pooja Bavishi—winner of the Chopped Sweets competition—this ice cream company focuses on the bold flavors found in South East Asia.
“I founded Malai because desserts bring people joy, and I wanted to be in the business of delivering happiness,” Bavishi said.
Malai’s dairy-free pints are indeed joyful with flavors such as Tamarind Spice, Royal Cinnamon with Black Salt Caramel, and Hibiscus Chaat Masala Sorbet.
The company also just opened an ice cream shop in Washington DC, its first location outside of New York City, where it is scooping 12 different flavors, including vegan Passionfruit Cilantro Sorbet.
Technology news
From mashed to baked to fried, potatoes are one of the world’s most versatile vegetables. But did you know that they can also be used to make eggs? Molecular farming company PoLoPo uses potatoes to do exactly that by turning them into micro-biofactories for producing ovalbumin, a protein found in eggs.
PoLoPo
Through proprietary metabolic engineering techniques, PoLoPo’s SuperAA platform enables potato plants to manufacture and store target proteins in their tubers.
This week, PoLoPo submitted its application for Regulatory Status Review to the USDA, marking a significant step toward gaining approval for its innovative platform. This approval would allow PoLoPo to commercially grow its transgenic potato plants in the US.
“The production of ovalbumin in plants, not animals, will transform food processing with a price- and supply chain-stable option and set off a domino effect on sustainability, a big first step toward changing our food industry,” Maya Sapir-Mir, PhD, PoLoPo CEO, said in a statement.
While PoLoPo is turning potatoes into a sustainable source of egg proteins, Wanda Fish is making waves by unveiling the world’s first cell-cultivated bluefin tuna toro sashimi.
Noam Preisman
This milestone achievement addresses the high demand for bluefin tuna by offering a pollution-free and consistent supply. Wanda Fish’s sashimi, created using proprietary fat formation and downstream technology, mimics the taste, texture, and nutritional content of wild-caught tuna.
“Reaching this milestone demonstrates Wanda Fish’s ability to bring to market a whole-cut bluefin tuna toro filet without harming the ocean or diminishing the population of wild fish,” Wanda Fish CEO Daphna Heffetz said in a statement.
While the cell cultivated meat market is still new, Wanda Fish plans to introduce its bluefin tuna toro in the high-end foodservice sector with a focus on Japanese cuisine.
Restaurant news
If you’ve grown tired of the constant stream of restaurant closures, we’ve got good news for you. Three exciting businesses are opening all across the country. In Washington, DC, Mita restaurant is offering a 14-course, vegan tasting menu inspired by Latin American cuisine.
Created by former El Cielo chefs Miguel Guerra and Tatiana Mora, Mita features innovative dishes like mini arepas with unique dipping sauces and crispy kale fajitas. The restaurant is designed by Venezuelan designer Valentina Story, providing a cozy and artistic dining experience.
Runaway Cow
In Chicago, summer just got a little sweeter with the opening of Runaway Cow. Located in the Bridgeport neighborhood, this new ice cream shop, created by Alison Eichhorn and Aaron Gutierrez, offers nostalgic treats such as Snowstorms, dipped cones, malts, and banana splits.
Eichhorn, whose family owned a Dairy Queen, brings her expertise to provide high-quality oat milk-based desserts, aiming to recreate familiar favorites for both vegans and non-vegans alike.
Down in Florida, 40 new vegan burger shops are slated to open thanks to Odd Burger, a pioneering Canadian chain known for its plant-based fast food. This expansion follows a new agreement with StarMatt Corporation, which will help develop the locations over the next eight years.
Odd Burger
Odd Burger’s menu includes popular items such as boneless plant-based wings, burgers, and dairy-free milkshakes, all designed to offer sustainable alternatives to traditional fast food.
“We see an incredible opportunity in the Florida market,” Prashant Dalal, President and co-founder of StarMatt Corporation, said in a statement.
“We feel that our team has the perfect experience to succeed in developing this territory and we believe that the Odd Burger brand will rapidly expand across Florida,” Dalal said.
While Odd Burger gets situated in Florida, the chain’s home country has some exciting developments, too. Subway Canada is making us want to rethink our summer vacation plans with four new meatless subs on its permanent “Globally Inspired” menu.
Joining the menu are The Tandoori-Spiced Mozza, The Big Veggie, Chimichurri Veggie, and Mozzarella Melt.
Subway Canada
While each vegetarian sandwich can be modified to be ordered vegan upon request—most by simply swapping the sauce and removing cheese. A veggie patty can be swapped in for a little extra body, as well. However, a Subway spokesperson tells VegNews that the Mozzarella Melt might be underwhelming without most of its ingredients.
While Subway does not have immediate plans to bring these sandwiches to the US, the spokesperson teases that anything might be possible in the future.
Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.
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