Major plant-based food supplier for supermarkets ceases operations

Supermarkets are the go-to places for grocery shopping, as it offers various options for different palates.

In a recent development, a major supplier of plant-based and meat-free products to supermarket giants has gone into liquidation.

This sudden collapse raised concerns about potential shortages of these products on supermarket shelves.


Fenn Foods prided itself on being the first certified carbon-neutral, plant-based food producer in Australia.

However, the Queensland-based company ceased operations on 9 October.

The company, launched in 2015 by Michelin-starred chef Alejandro Cancino and his wife, had 32 staff members.


compressed-fenn foods veef.jpeg
Fenn Foods brought in plant-based meat products like Veef in the Australian market. Image Credit: Fenn Foods


Known for producing products like Veef and Lovebuds, Fenn Foods merged with All G Foods' plant-based division earlier last year.

Fenn Foods saw a downturn in sales and struggled to attract investment in recent years, indicating the broader challenges faced by plant-based food manufacturers.

The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these issues, as lockdowns impacted wholesale and retail sales.


Fort Restructuring's Ken Whittingham and Mark Robinson managed to secure a buyer for Fenn Foods' assets in a swift transaction.

Gold Coast-based Smart Foods agreed to purchase Fenn Foods' plant, equipment, stock, brand names, registered IPs, and other related intellectual property.

The deal, completed within seven days of the liquidators' appointment, could also mean that up to half of staff members could get new roles, preventing layoffs.

Smart Foods's acquisition was seen as a crucial step in preventing a disruption in the supply of plant-based products to consumers.

Smart Foods CEO Raghu Reddy expressed his confidence in the foundation and team of Fenn Foods.

'While the company has faced recent challenges, I believe in its strong foundation and the dedication of its team,' Mr Reddy shared in a statement.


The fall of Fenn Foods is not an isolated incident in the Australian food supply landscape.

A few weeks ago, specialty food brand The Essential Ingredient ceased operations after almost 40 years of service.

The company cited economic challenges and the inability to return to pre-COVID profitability for its closure.

South Australian dairy company Beston Global Food Company also went under due to high operating costs, which affected about 160 employees.

For those who rely on consistent and reliable access to groceries, this news may be concerning.

Stay informed about the availability of your preferred products and be prepared for potential changes in selection or pricing.
Key Takeaways

  • Fenn Foods, a major plant-based food supplier to Woolworths and Coles, has gone into liquidation.
  • The Queensland-based company was a pioneer in plant-based and meat-free products but faced declining sales and a lack of investment.
  • Smart Foods bought the company's major assets, including brand names, stock, and intellectual property. They also saved almost half of the former company's staff.
  • Other food suppliers also faced similar challenges this year, as The Essential Ingredient and Beston Global Food Company also ceased operations last month.
Are you affected by Fenn Foods' closure? Please share your thoughts and food-related concerns in the comments section below.
 
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False , false, false, and why it hasn't been jumped on by the ACCC, is beyond me, but then the world is going mad..

Chicken nuggets are made from CHICKEN! Bacon bits are made from BACON!
And whilst we are at it, Almond WATER is NOT milk, same as soy, coconut and all the others calling themselves a product that is really only produced in the mammary glands of MAMMALS!
I guess if a man can be a woman...
 
False , false, false, and why it hasn't been jumped on by the ACCC, is beyond me, but then the world is going mad..

Chicken nuggets are made from CHICKEN! Bacon bits are made from BACON!
And whilst we are at it, Almond WATER is NOT milk, same as soy, coconut and all the others calling themselves a product that is really only produced in the mammary glands of MAMMALS!
I guess if a man can be a woman...
Well, Kamala says men can be women and play in women’s sport‘s events so who can argue against that Proposition. Like, feMALE, HEr, huMAN, WOMAN, woMEN … What’s the problem?
 
This is why I wont pay to join SDC.
This news is alreadty 2 days old, so you'd expect SDC "journalist" to have the easy job and get it right. They didn't.
The official report stated that a major cause of the collapse was a Decline in Sales. It was NOT a popular supermarket item...people were not buying it. So they went under.
Not good when you just rehash old news but then get your attention grabbers wrong.
 
Major plant base closes ... I've never heard of them.

Have you ever tasted plant bas foods..horrible.

I've never understood why they say plant base chicken nuggets ect. It Is vegetarians who mainly eat these so why even refer to it as chicken ect
I agree, why do vegan/ vegetarian suppliers knock themselves out trying to replicate meat products?
Vegetarian chicken
Vegetarian Sausages
Vegetarian Hamburgers...even listed as Halal.. Halal HAMburgers, that's how ridiculous they get LOL. Even saw vegetarian Bacon once...be good to see that as Halal .
 
Yes I have often wondered about people who eat fake meat - they claim they are vegetarians or don't like meat or don't eat meat on principle - BUT they have to have products named the same as the real deal! When they started oat milk, almond milk etc I had visions on someone sitting in cow bail squeezing oats and almonds - enough to give me the horrors - they should be made to change the names of all these products to something more appropriate. Same as "men and women" wanting to be something they are not - maybe "it"might be more appropriate.
 
We eat some vegan meals every week. When I say that I DON'T mean this overpriced super processed rubbish, I mean things like soup with no meat but lots of beans and lentils (which I make myself from scratch). All the fake vegan stuff half the time costs more than unprocessed cooked chicken and meat.
 
We eat some vegan meals every week. When I say that I DON'T mean this overpriced super processed rubbish, I mean things like soup with no meat but lots of beans and lentils (which I make myself from scratch). All the fake vegan stuff half the time costs more than unprocessed cooked chicken and meat.
Yes we are the same - we only have meat and vege dishes 3-4 nights per week and have lighter high vege etc on other nights. It suits us and for the most part veges are cheaper full of much needed fibre.
 
Well, Kamala says men can be women and play in women’s sport‘s events so who can argue against that Proposition. Like, feMALE, HEr, huMAN, WOMAN, woMEN … What’s the problem?
You forgot about MENopause, MANkind, MENtal health and HIStory. I would say there are many more!
 
I agree, why do vegan/ vegetarian suppliers knock themselves out trying to replicate meat products?
Vegetarian chicken
Vegetarian Sausages
Vegetarian Hamburgers...even listed as Halal.. Halal HAMburgers, that's how ridiculous they get LOL. Even saw vegetarian Bacon once...be good to see that as Halal .
McDonalds McPlant went well, didn't it!
 
Studies have shown that more animals, rodents, birds and reptiles are killed and wasted annually protecting crops, than killed for consumption. Vegan / Vegetarianism simply increases this significantly, so the bleeding heart brigade are just hypocritics.
 

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