v2food CEO on obtaining entry into the US through the purchase of Daring Foods: "It's one of the brand names witnessing significant growth"
In an exciting development for the plant-based industry, Australian plant-based meat company v2food has acquired US-based Daring Foods and entered into a strategic partnership with Japanese food giant Ajinomoto as of August 2025 [1][2][3].
Daring Foods, a plant-based chicken specialist, will continue to operate under its own brand in the US market, serving as a platform for v2food to launch its products. This strategic move facilitates v2food’s entry into the US market where Daring has strong distribution in 16,000 stores, including Walmart and Whole Foods [1][5].
The partnership with Ajinomoto focuses on accelerating the development and commercialization of next-generation, clean-label plant-based protein products. This collaboration aims to bring a range of frozen meals featuring short ingredient lists, natural colors, and a focus on taste, nutrition, and affordability to consumers [2][3][4]. Ajinomoto’s expertise in amino science and strong regional presence in Asia and Africa supports this global growth and product innovation effort [3][4].
Looking ahead, the collaboration is actively targeting emerging markets in Africa and Asia, driven by the recognition that these regions will house the majority of future population growth over the next 25 years [2]. Ajinomoto's existing commercial operations and operational footprint in these regions enable thoughtful market expansion strategies. The partnership aims to make plant-based eating more accessible and appealing to flexitarian consumers, using chicken—an already popular protein—which can help drive adoption in these markets [2][4].
Key strategic goals include expanding the product portfolio with clean-label, sustainable plant-based items for mass-market appeal [1][2]. The partnership also aims to leverage Ajinomoto’s technological and business development capabilities in Asia and Africa to unlock new revenue streams and scale plant-based solutions [2][4]. Using frozen meals as a critical growth segment globally, with Ajinomoto leading efforts to rapidly grow this category for Daring, is another significant objective [4].
Combining v2food’s technology with Daring’s strong US brand presence and Ajinomoto’s global expertise for accelerated innovation and commercialization is another key aspect of the partnership [3].
In a statement, v2food CEO Tim York said that the acquisition of Daring was driven by the crowded US market for plant-based meats. He believes that Daring Foods, one of the few plant-based brands in growth and likely to emerge as a winner in the consolidation process, is the perfect partner for v2food to shape the future of the plant-based industry together [1][5].
Meanwhile, Jeffrey Gendelman, CEO of Daring Foods, is excited about the partnership, seeing it as an opportunity to grow Daring’s frozen entrees business in the US and expand globally [5]. Ross Mackay, former CEO of Daring Foods, left in April 2024 to launch a beverage startup called Cadence [5].
On the product innovation front, v2food is developing methylcellulose-free products, which will be introduced in 2026 based on new technology developed by v2food [5].
In summary, the partnership is actively advancing in product innovation, US market penetration, and global expansion with a specific eye on emerging markets in Africa and Asia, with Ajinomoto playing a crucial role in those regional and technological developments [1][2][3][4][5].
Investing in the partnership with Ajinomoto allows v2food to leverage technology for accelerated innovation in plant-based business. This collaboration also aims to penetrate the US market, utilizing Daring Foods' strong distribution, and expand globally, particularly in emerging markets in Africa and Asia.
