v2food is an Australia-based producer of plant-based meat substitutes. It is a partnership between Jack Cowin's Competitive Foods Australia and CSIRO's investment fund Main Sequence Ventures.[1] The company produces plant-based meat alternative products using protein extracted from legumes.[2]
History
v2food was founded in January 2019 out of a partnership between Jack Cowin's Competitive Foods and CSIRO's investment fund Main Sequence Ventures.[3] Jack Cowin's company also owns Hungry Jack's, the master franchisee of Burger King in Australia.[4][5] CSIRO entered into an arrangement where the organization would generate research in exchange for an equity stake of the company.[6] Founder Nick Hazell also serves as CEO of v2food.[5]
Competitive Foods currently operates a facility in Brisbane. In 2019 the Australian Financial Review reported that a new factory to supply v2food would break ground in Wodonga before the end of 2019.[7] The factory opened in December 2020; however in 2023 the factory was shut down following challenges in the marketplace.[8]
The company intends to expand its reach into China and other parts of Asia.[2]
Products
Hungry Jack's launched v2food's first product in October 2019, the "Rebel Whopper", a meat-free alternative to the fast food company's signature Whopper burger.[7][5][9] v2food's burger patties later became available at Soul Burger and Burger Urge outlets, as well as New Zealand Burger King restaurants from January 2020.[10] In late 2020 Burger King launched the "Plant-Based Whopper" featuring v2food's patties in the Philippines and Japan.[11]
In April 2020 v2food's mince product became available in meal kits from Marley Spoon. Their mince and burger patties became available in Woolworths and Coles supermarkets later that same year.[10] The company released a sausage product in 2021.[12]
