California-based Alpha Foods makes plant-based foods that many of us have in our fridges for years, founded in 2015, and offers convenient animal-free meals like burritos, wraps, nuggets and strips. Alpha Foods was started with a vision to “use the power of food to make impactful and positive changes in our health, animal welfare and our planet’s food system,” and that’s a mission we can definitely get behind.
Founder and CEO Cole Aurobetz says, “I believe in the power of food to change; Food is an experience that has the power to connect us, nourish us, and often divide us.”
Since we haven’t spoken to Cole since 2020, it was time to catch up; A lot has happened in between.
What is the story behind Alpha Foods?
In 2015, Alpha Foods was founded to provide crave-worthy, convenient and nutritious plant-based frozen products that anyone can enjoy, no matter where they are on their plant-based journey. Our mission is to facilitate a casual and non-threatening transition to plant-based eating, empowering individuals to make a positive impact on their health, animal welfare and the environment, all while avoiding feeling trapped by food labels. Alpha has become a convenient entry point for those exploring plant-based eating, offering a variety of familiar choices that fit seamlessly into consumers’ lifestyles.
We started by pioneering plant-based burritos nationwide, and have now expanded into different day parts to include our breakfast burritos and sandwiches along with our new Chik’n and Maple Waffle sandwiches. Today, Alpha leads the renaissance in the plant-based category. We are committed to creating aspirational choices using innovative High Moisture Extrusion (HME) technology to create some exciting items that reflect the characteristics of their animal counterparts and our partnership with The EVERY Co.
“We are committed to creating desirable choices that reflect the characteristics of their animal counterparts.”
Because we are at the forefront of innovation, we aim to create delicious products that positively contribute to our collective health, animal welfare, and keep our planet’s food system intact.
Recently you developed High Moisture Extrusion (HME) technology for plant-based chicken strips. Can you share how HME works and its benefits?
Alpha uses High Moisture Extrusion (HME) technology to process our new plant-based Alpha Thin strips. Our proprietary HME process involves a special cooking and stirring method at high heat and pressure, producing products with high protein content and low ingredients. These strips cook, slice and taste just like their animal counterparts.
HME’s integration fuels innovation, allowing us to create more choice-worthy and nutritious plant-based options in a variety of formats and flavors. By harnessing HME, we aim to offer more consumers plant-based options with improved taste and texture with uncompromised nutrition as its animal counterparts.
Tell us more about the collaboration with protein pioneer Every Company – what can we expect from this partnership?
Our partnership with each company combines their sustainable, nature-equivalent proteins with Alpha’s chef-crafted products. As an innovative company, this partnership allows us to offer superior, desirable, and convenient plant-based alternatives that closely mimic traditional animal proteins, Without the associated disease risk, price volatility, and environmental footprint associated with animal-based products.
“…this partnership allows us to offer superior, desirable, and convenient plant-based options”
Consumer education will be critical to propel these hybrid-type products into the market at scale and ultimately propel the eco-system as they perform amazingly.
Please describe your current portfolio, which is the best seller and why? Are you available in any markets and retailers?
We offer a variety of seed-worthy plant-based choices for any time of day. Our top sellers are breakfast burritos and sandwiches, including our chicken portfolio, all-day burritos, and our new Alpha Chicken and Maple Waffle Sandwiches. They are our biggest sellers because these products meet the demand for convenient and nutritious plant-based options paired with unmatched taste that consumers love. Alpha Foods is currently distributed in the United States, Canada and Asia, with a US presence in 11,000 retail doors, including Costco, Sprouts, Kroger, Whole Foods, Safeway, HEB and 90,000 other retail points.
How do you see the current state of the plant-based industry in light of recent challenges and how do you think it will evolve?
Although the plant-based industry has faced some challenges, it is important to note that it is dynamic and has continued to evolve over the past few years.
Recently Alpha conducted a study This shows that more consumers are plant-curious, but some may be dissuaded from trying a plant-based diet because of false nutrition claims. This drives us to continue to innovate within the category and create delicious products with improved taste, texture and nutrition that welcome both meat eaters and vegetarians to enjoy products that are better for our health, animal welfare and the planet. We are always aware of market trends, technological advancements and consumer preferences to further our innovation pipeline.
Retailers have also voiced to us that they are actively looking for solutions to revitalize their plant-based offerings and look to Alpha Foods for category leadership here.
Whether it’s through our recently launched Alpha Chick’n Strips HME product line or this recent collaboration with The EVERY Company, Alpha has always been proudly at the forefront of innovation, and not only to lead but with huge opportunities to expand plant-based. Excited Division beyond what we know today. Given our strong retailer relationships, we at Alpha Foods have a unique opportunity to partner with those who are innovation-oriented and look forward to reviewing new product offerings with retailers in the latter half of the year.
Do you have any new products or projects in the pipeline?
We look forward to bringing innovation to the market through our partnerships with each company in the near future as well as being the first with new projects based on our recently launched HME proteins. Alpha Thin Strips. We are undergoing a comprehensive portfolio renovation that will upgrade the dining experience, nutrition, and look/feel of our core product lines. Watch for all this over the next 2-6 months.
“We have a comprehensive portfolio of reforms underway”
We are finalizing several other partnerships that will be announced later this year to advance innovation within our current pipeline and create new crave-worthy, plant-based choices that consumers of all dietary lifestyles can enjoy.
Where do you see Alpha Foods 5 years from now?
Alpha Foods is a pioneer in the ever-evolving plant-based food industry and we want to be a household brand known for creating the most delicious and convenient products made from plants. We will continue our mission to create convenient, aspiration-able choices that promote better health, animal welfare and a better food system for our planet.
With our strong and growing retailer relationships, we are seeing growth in our consumer fan base. Alpha Foods will continue to partner with other innovation-forward companies that will help strengthen our product line such as our current partnerships with EVERY Co, Violife and others. Alpha Foods will continue to create plant-based favorites with uncompromising nutrition that are accessible to thousands of retailers for all dietary lifestyles to enjoy.