• Australian plant-based protein company ProForm Foods launched its chilled MEET range in 2021. In 2022, Andrew Forrest's private investment arm Tattarang bought a minority stake in the business.
    Australian plant-based protein company ProForm Foods launched its chilled MEET range in 2021. In 2022, Andrew Forrest's private investment arm Tattarang bought a minority stake in the business.
  • ProForm CEO Matt Dunn explains part of the manufacturing process to the then Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews at the launch of the company's $11m plant and the end of 2020.
    ProForm CEO Matt Dunn explains part of the manufacturing process to the then Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews at the launch of the company's $11m plant and the end of 2020.
  • ProForm Foods founder Stephen Dunn and CEO Matt Dunn at the opening of its $11m factory.
    ProForm Foods founder Stephen Dunn and CEO Matt Dunn at the opening of its $11m factory.
  • ProForm Foods launched its chilled MEET range in 2021.
    ProForm Foods launched its chilled MEET range in 2021.
  • ProForm Foods launched its chilled MEET range in 2021.
    ProForm Foods launched its chilled MEET range in 2021.
  • Proform Foods has been a pioneer in plant-based protein production technology. It launched its consumer brand MEET in frozen and fresh options in 2021.
    Proform Foods has been a pioneer in plant-based protein production technology. It launched its consumer brand MEET in frozen and fresh options in 2021.
  • ProForm Foods has been at the forefront of commercial scale production of plant-based meats for more than a decade.
    ProForm Foods has been at the forefront of commercial scale production of plant-based meats for more than a decade.
  • ProForm Foods CEO Matt Dunn at the launch of the company's first retail product MEET.
    ProForm Foods CEO Matt Dunn at the launch of the company's first retail product MEET.
  • Proform Foods has pioneered plant-based protein in Australia since 2006. Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry caught up with CEO Matthew Dunn on its work, the recent launch of its retail brand MEET and what’s ahead.
    Proform Foods has pioneered plant-based protein in Australia since 2006. Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry caught up with CEO Matthew Dunn on its work, the recent launch of its retail brand MEET and what’s ahead.
Close×

Agribusiness Harvest Road, part of Andrew Forrest’s Tattarang, has invested in commercial scale plant-based pioneer ProForm Foods.  

ProForm Foods CEO Matt Dunn told Food & Drink Business the investment gives Harvest Road a minority stake in the company and will accelerate its next growth phase, assist its existing production facilities, and strengthen its focus on using locally sourced ingredients.

“We started a capital raise mid 2021 with the objective of getting a key strategic investor on the register.

“Capital markets are aggressive in this space, but we were focused on a sustainable growth strategy to build domestically and overseas. To do that we needed to get the right investor onboard committed to our short-, medium-, and long-term goals,” Dunn said.

ProForm Foods founder Stephen Dunn and CEO Matt Dunn at the opening of its $11m factory.
ProForm Foods founder Stephen Dunn and
CEO Matt Dunn.

ProForm was established in the early 2000s by Dunn’s father Stephen with the intention of producing nutritious plant-based protein at scale. It has been supplying some of Australia’s largest food companies for the better part of a decade.

Last year it opened a new 1600 square metre facility with its patented processing method that can produce 5000 tonnes of plant-based meat every year. It also launched its first own retail brand, MEET.

Dunn said Harvest Road’s principles aligned to those of ProForm and its business strategy and it could see ProForm was a premium investment.

“They have seen the milestones we’ve hit in the last twelve months – getting our products into Hello Fresh meal offerings, and in particular, our successful move into a fresh retail range as well as our original frozen products. That was incredibly validating for us. We presented a product that had good shelf life, presented well, still met our high Health Star Ratings and tastes good.

“We were a good proposition for them for them to invest in from a technology, capability, and brand perspective,” Dunn said.

Harvest Road CEO Paul Slaughter said the investment was part of the company’s commitment to high quality and environmentally sustainable food companies that prioritise Australian provenance.

“Sustainable food production that meets the growing global demand for protein is a challenge we must all rise to, and we recognise the opportunity to invest in Australian innovators who are ahead of the game in the development of high-quality, plant-based protein sources,” Slaughter said.

ProForm Foods has been at the forefront of commercial scale production of plant-based meats for more than a decade.
ProForm Foods has been at the forefront of commercial scale production of plant-based meats for more than a decade.

ProForm uses around 70 per cent of Australian ingredients but has said from its launch that it wanted to raise that to 100 per cent as the local industry matures.

A major challenge for the Australian plant-based meat industry has been a lack of domestic processing and therefore supply of protein inputs, although investment has ramped up in the last two years.   

While a lack of local demand for Australian-made inputs made investment in the sector harder to justify, regional demand for 100 per cent Australian ingredients and produced is providing the business case, Dunn said.

“Covid supply chain issues have been challenging for everyone, which translates into pricing increases and inflation, so it starts to make sense to produce locally,” he said.  

For ProForm, R&D on protein inputs and the functionality of ingredients in its products is pushing the business to the next level of innovation.

Dunn said they would be looking to proceed with another capital raise to deliver further growth.

“At the moment we believe we’re ahead of the game in terms of commercialised in the market technology, but we want to maintain that and stay at the forefront.”  

You can listen to our 2021 podcast episode with Matt Dunn here

Proform Foods has pioneered plant-based protein in Australia since 2006. Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry caught up with CEO Matthew Dunn on its work, the recent launch of its retail brand MEET and what’s ahead.

 

 

Packaging News

Earlier this month PKN published an article that voiced industry concern over the speculation that Qenos might be closing its polymer manufacturing plants in Australia. Qenos has remained silent on the matter. The MD of Qenos customer Impact International, Aleks Lajovic, wants some answers.

Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, is the proud recipient of eight FPA Awards for innovative and sustainable contributions to the industry.

An impressive number of quality entries into the inaugural Hive Awards created a highly competitive line-up for judges to consider. The packaging category was one of the most strongly contested.