Beyond Meat
Weaning carnivores off the juicy goodness of hamburgers is a tough feat. Beyond Meat wants to give meat eaters all the things they love about classic burger (or any meat product, for that matter) in a better-for-you-and-the-planet package.
The company is on a mission to create better protein, made wholly from plant-based ingredients. Don't expect your average black bean and quinoa burger here. Beyond Meat has taken the blueprint of what makes meat what it is (protein, fat, trace minerals, water) and found plant-based alternatives to create burgers, sausages, and ground meats that look and cook just like the real deal.
Beyond Meat has been buzzing since going public this past May. The brands' faux meats are popping up everywhere, with sausage patties in breakfast sandwiches at Dunkin' Donuts to burgers on menus at Bareburger and BurgerFi.
Beanfields
Beanfields wants to prove you can get all the crunch and flavor of old fashioned tortilla chips with a host of more nutritious ingredients. As the name suggests, beans are the hero ingredient here — they provide more protein, fiber, and less fat than your traditional corn, wheat, or potato chip.
Beans need little to no fertilizer to grow, which helps prevent the pollution runoff that occurs when farming corn (which needs a lot of fertilizer). As a certified B Corporation, Beanfields is committed to using their business to make a positive societal and environmental impact. The brand works with Homeboy Industries — an organization that provides programs that help high-risk, formerly gang-involved men and women with rehab and re-entry into public and private life — employing graduates of the program, and donating a portion of their sales to the group. On top of all the good they're doing, these non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher chips are certified delicious — the products are flush with five-star reviews on Amazon.
JUST
Computational biologists, food engineers, and chefs make up the team at JUST, where they're on a mission to find delicious plant-based alternatives that can recreate some of our favorite decadent foods like mayonnaise, cookie dough, and eggs.
The brand first came onto the food scene with JUST Mayo, an alternative to your typical combination of eggs and oil that uses yellow split peas to create a creamy texture. JUST has branched out into the world of dressings (you can find classics like Caesar and ranch), cookie doughs that are totally safe to eat raw, and the highly-anticipated eggless eggs.
It took six years for JUST to find a plant-based formula that mimicked the texture, flavor, color, and scramble-ability of eggs. While it may not taste exactly like an egg to omnivores, dress it up in a breakfast sandwich and you won't be able to tell the difference. Canadian chain Tim Hortons is testing menu items featuring JUST Egg, which is made from mung bean protein, oil, and turmeric, among other ingredients.
Thrive Market
Thrive Market may not be a totally plant-based platform, but it's reinventing the way we access healthy foods. We're told buying organic, non-GMO, and all-natural is better for us, but it's not possible for many. Organic food tends to be more expensive — they don't call Whole Foods "Whole Paycheck" for nothing. Yet, many consumers still want access to these high-quality products, whether to support fair-trade purveyors for ethical reasons or buy more natural foods for health purposes.
Thrive Market wants to make grocery shopping simpler and more affordable for everyone by providing transparent labeling and wholesale prices. Every product on the website is GMO-free and Thrive lets you shop by diet and values, whether that's keto, raw, or Fair-Trade Certified. Pick the products you want and Thrive will deliver them right to your door, a particularly great convenience if you don't live near an organic market or grocery store. It's a membership service that costs $59.95 a year, which comes down to just $5 a month. Once a member, you can shop your favorite healthy brands at a fraction of the price. If you grocery shop often, or have a big family to feed, you'll likely make up the yearly membership fee in savings from your first two orders.
Additionally, Thrive is extending its mission to make healthy eating more affordable and accessible with its Thrive Gives memberships. When you buy a membership to Thrive Market, Thrive will donate a membership to a low-income family, along with educational content and grocery stipends. If you're on the fence, you can try a 30-day membership totally free.
Ripple
Milk made out of peas? Yes, it exists, and Ripple is leading the charge. There are plenty of dairy-free milks out there, but pea milk is becoming increasingly popular for it's high protein and low sugar content, especially when compared to cow's milk.
Founders Neil Renninger and Adam Lowry both have backgrounds working for environmentally conscious brands and causes. They chose peas for their small environmental footprint — yellow peas need little or no irrigation, so less water is needed to help them grow. Ripple bottles are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, which makes it easily recyclable, too.
Ripple milks are vegan, lactose-intolerant, nut-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and gmo-free — so they really appeal to just about everyone. Since releasing their milks, Ripple has also released half and half, barista style foams and froths, protein shakes, and kids' beverages.