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.

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.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Vegetarians and vegans are just like lesbians.

They eat food that resembles things that they hate.

Lesbians dress like things that they hate - namely men.

Ever seen a Jew dress up as a Nazi?

 

[Kelpie]

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?

Yep, the World is going mad or better still it has been pushed to go in that way by less than 1% of the population which makes the most noise.

 

[Kelpie]

No wonder that business is closing down. Who would want to eat that crap anyway.
If the vegans want to eat that way good luck to them but don't push it down the throat of anyone else.
As they say...GO WOKE GO BROKE and that is the typical example of that.

 

[Nanna T]

Re Vegan Foods ...I was one who used to say " How silly a vegan product, shaped like a sausage or chicken nugget".
However I eventually tried some of these foods only just this year and some tasted ok .
Plenty of ways to go meat free ....having said that ....
It's a subject close to my heart when businesses go into liquidation .
Bad management , greedy owners of different businesses , not all , lining their pockets while when the business goes belly up as a result , it's the employees and suppliers who pay the true cost .
The bright side of this story is that thanks to one business taking over Fenns operating equipment etc some jobs will be saved .
Sadly not the case for the second company with 160 jobs lost .
FYI I don't eat red meat because I simply have never liked the taste .
I do eat a little fish and rarely free range chicken ....
And I'm not anaemic.
Food costs , especially processed products as mentioned in the article , are getting expensive
Get back to basics .....plants , bean and herbs , become a creative cook , and you'll watch that grocery bill go down down

 

[Lizzie1149]

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.

Don't need fibre, gives you diverticulitis and leaky gut. More animal food, less fruit and veg. Fruit and veg are modified to have more sugar which equals more glucose floating around in the blood, more insulin to control it and more inflammation because of it. Going meat free is junk science

 

[Lizzie1149]

Re Vegan Foods ...I was one who used to say " How silly a vegan product, shaped like a sausage or chicken nugget".
However I eventually tried some of these foods only just this year and some tasted ok .
Plenty of ways to go meat free ....having said that ....
It's a subject close to my heart when businesses go into liquidation .
Bad management , greedy owners of different businesses , not all , lining their pockets while when the business goes belly up as a result , it's the employees and suppliers who pay the true cost .
The bright side of this story is that thanks to one business taking over Fenns operating equipment etc some jobs will be saved .
Sadly not the case for the second company with 160 jobs lost .
FYI I don't eat red meat because I simply have never liked the taste .
I do eat a little fish and rarely free range chicken ....
And I'm not anaemic.
Food costs , especially processed products as mentioned in the article , are getting expensive
Get back to basics .....plants , bean and herbs , become a creative cook , and you'll watch that grocery bill go down down

we should eat meat, we don't have the gut length to process large amounts of plants. They also have chemicals in them that our bodies don't like. Feed the man meat used to be the go to phrase, now should be feed everyone meat. It's good for you and creates less waste and land issues. Grazing cattle and such is much better than digging up the soil and planting crops and spraying for everything. Kills too many insects, bird and small animals

 

[Littleboy8]

I laughed at the CEO’s name “Raghu Reddy” sounds like a ready made meal

 

[Bridgit]

Don't need fibre, gives you diverticulitis and leaky gut. More animal food, less fruit and veg. Fruit and veg are modified to have more sugar which equals more glucose floating around in the blood, more insulin to control it and more inflammation because of it. Going meat free is junk science

Sorry that is not suitable for husband with diverticulitis and Parkinsons - we are not meat free ( approx 200 grams per meal) but give our gut a rest from high protein - too much protein interferes with meds. Must be something about our diet - for all the dairy in our diet - low cholesterol - normal sugar levels - high Vit d levels - haven't had the flu, colds, covid for over 5 years and not vaccinated. Husband has Parkinsons and diverticulitis - recently a bad groin hernia - me scoliosis, ongoing reflex dystrophy and spinal issues and nerve damage - so we are doing just fine for the mid 70's and you don't live forever.

 

[oldsalt]

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

Got me. How can you have ''plant' based chicken? Plant based ''hamburgers Bacon and other REAL food
Does the plant based chicken have feathers, lay eggs, fertuliser for gardens etc?

 

[GeeLee56]

Correct, they need to find another name. Crap bits or crap nuggets might be good.

Same as with Rice .... rice is GRAIN all the other so called veggie rices need to find another name .... they are a vegetables not a rice GRAIN. Similar situation to another comment about milk....

 

[Gaena]

Agree, nothing wrong with a meat free soup or salad etc.

I agree but try telling that to my husband who insists on having meat or fish for the evening meal, I can quite happily go without both but not him, gets upset if the usual form of protein is not in his meal, Telling him that eggs or pulses contain protein as well falls on deaf ears, if it did not walk or swim around before appearing on his plate he is not happy, oh and of course a salad is Rabbit food, he would rather eat the Rabbit!!

 

[Gaena]

Never heard of them. Kamala has been standing too close to Biden, must be contagious.

I must have missed something in the original story, please explain what the company who have gone under have to do with Kamala Harris and Joe Biden did they own them?

 

[June E]

I had no idea there were so many dieticians in the group ! and all because an almost unknown company is going bust

 

[DLHM]

Don't need fibre, gives you diverticulitis and leaky gut. More animal food, less fruit and veg. Fruit and veg are modified to have more sugar which equals more glucose floating around in the blood, more insulin to control it and more inflammation because of it. Going meat free is junk science

Your ideas are junk science.

 

[DLHM]

Don't need fibre, gives you diverticulitis and leaky gut. More animal food, less fruit and veg. Fruit and veg are modified to have more sugar which equals more glucose floating around in the blood, more insulin to control it and more inflammation because of it. Going meat free is junk science

What a lot of crap!

 

[DLHM]

we should eat meat, we don't have the gut length to process large amounts of plants. They also have chemicals in them that our bodies don't like. Feed the man meat used to be the go to phrase, now should be feed everyone meat. It's good for you and creates less waste and land issues. Grazing cattle and such is much better than digging up the soil and planting crops and spraying for everything. Kills too many insects, bird and small animals

You’ve been brainwashed. In fact , some of your fantasy beliefs are downright dangerous. Live your life as you like, but don’t preach to others.

 

[Veggiepatch]

You’ve been brainwashed. In fact , some of your fantasy beliefs are downright dangerous. Live your life as you like, but don’t preach to others.

Like Dr Steven Gundry, snake oil salesman of the highest order with Dr Phil and Dr Oz.

 

[DLHM]

Vegetarians and vegans are just like lesbians.

They eat food that resembles things that they hate.

Lesbians dress like things that they hate - namely men.

Ever seen a Jew dress up as a Nazi?

Back in the 80’s/90’s, I went vegetarian for seven years for reasons that are personal.

I have never been a lesbian not have I ever had the desire. I don’t hate men. You should know that Veggie.

I never bought “fake meat” products. I used real foods including dairy. I wasn’t vegan.

I prepared the foods that I chose to eat, but prepared “normal” meals for my family.

I’ve never preached to people what they should or shouldn’t eat. Unlike @Lizzie1149 who states her opinions as though she is fully qualified to advise. Even the quacks she believes in have got it all wrong.

Each to their own.

 

[ROVIFOXY]

I love vegetarian food, it goes great with Steak!

 

[Jennie]

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...

Yes, the world has gone crazy. The latest ad for cervical cancer testing states " all women and those with a cervix can be tested for cervical cancer" I must be out of touch as I thought only women had a cervix.