Planet Based Foods, a hemp specialist based in the US, has established a subsidiary in the UK with the aim of expanding across Europe.
The company, which has its origins in California and a presence in Canada, offers a line of frozen vegan products made from hemp. Their range includes burgers, sausages, crumble, and taquitos.
The company intends to expand its product offerings to Europe through a newly established UK subsidiary called PBF Europe.
In March, the company, which was established in 2018, revealed its plans to broaden its presence in the United States by entering into new distribution agreements that cover the Western and Midwestern regions. As a continuation of this expansion, the company now aims to penetrate the European market through its UK subsidiary.
On its new European venture, CEO and co-founder Braelyn Davis said: “This is a groundbreaking announcement for Planet Based Foods and should come as no surprise for those that have been following our growth these past few months.”
According to Davis, the company is seeking to collaborate with distributors and producers in the “food and beverage technology space” across Europe. Rather than focusing solely on selling its own products, the company aims to build an ethically sustainable food system. To achieve this goal, the company is also interested in partnering with local growers to cultivate hemp.
To establish a foothold in Europe, the company has hired Jason Smith, a business development consultant who has helped multiple companies navigate the difficult European foodservice and manufacturing sectors.
Quizzed on its European expansion plans, Davis said, “Initially, the order of operation will be to set up distribution partners and cold storage facilities. We will work with UK produce groups to get hemp in the seed for trial runs. The main projects right now are developing the European food system and setting up cold storage and distribution partners. The US team will operate between the US and Europe and is in the process of hiring sales reps in Europe.”
Davis confirmed that the company has already identified potential distributors and producers in Europe, and in the upcoming months, the company will focus on expanding its presence in the foodservice and retail sectors.
The company will be outsourcing the manufacturing of its products to third-party producers.
“We have identified key partners and manufacturers who we plan to work with and will announce this shortly,” Davis said.
The company’s first offerings in the European retail market will consist of non-dairy ice cream, taquitos, and burgers.
Initially, the company plans to focus on the UK market and subsequently expand to other European markets.
“We will use the UK as a launch pad; we are just getting started,” Davis said.
According to him, the company does not expect any regulatory issues with European authorities.
“There are always hurdles, but not more or less in Europe versus the US. We will have to make some package adjustments as well as ensure compliance,” he said.
Davis said the company’s vision is “much bigger than creating a plant-based, better-for-you brand”.
He said, “We’re here to help transform the food system. We’re on a mission to establish hemp as a nutrient-dense, sustainable food system that will nourish the people and rejuvenate our planet for generations to come.”