Plant-based food tech company Black Sheep Foods says it has raised $5.25 million in a seed funding round.
Black Sheep Foods is the first plant-based producer to make plant-based alternatives to heritage breed meats and wild game. The company also launched Tunis-inspired heritage breed plant-based lamb last fall.
Investors in the latest round include AgFunder; Bessemer Venture Partners; Meera and Ashok Vasudevan of Tastybites; New Crop Capital; Siddhi Capital; as well as Smita Conjeevaram, an individual investor.
“We’re encouraged by the momentum the plant-based movement is currently seeing, evidenced by our support from a diverse array of investors and restaurants, and what that means both for Black Sheep Foods but also for the future of our planet,” said co-founder Sunny Kumar.
With this investment, the company wants to bring lesser-known, bold tasting plant-based game meats widely to the customers.
Pujan Sakar, chef de cuisine at San Francisco restaurant Rooh is an early convert to the plant-based cuts. “Black Sheep Lamb is an incredible product with impeccable taste and texture. For our menu at Rooh, its applications are diverse and offer enormous opportunities for Indian recipes which traditionally feature animal lamb,” he said.
“It’s the perfect addition to our menu as many diners are moving away from meat and towards plant-based proteins. Black Sheep Lamb opens up new possibilities for gluten-free and vegan recipes, which is especially exciting within the fine-dining format, ushering in a new sense of sophistication and innovation to our green cuisine. We love the fact that the company is local too.”
Focusing on texture and innovation, Black Sheep Foods has offered a new chance for restaurants and investors that are interested in sustainability.
“The plant-based movement has made spectacular strides in recent years and has incredible potential to reduce the destructive environmental impact of industrial meat production,” said Tess Hatch, partner at Bessemer Venture Partners.
“Black Sheep Foods’ first heritage lamb product has upped the stakes in what it means to deliver a delicious, sustainable, plant-based meat.”
