May 14, 2020   SOURCE: BusinessWire

JUST & European Food Manufacturer Emsland Group Partner to Scale Plant-Based JUST Egg

JUST (Eat JUST, Inc.), a company that applies cutting-edge science and technology to create healthier, more sustainable foods, today announced a partnership to expand its protein processing capacity with Emsland Group, a worldwide leader in manufacturing raw materials from vegetables. This partnership will provide the scale needed to meet increasing global demand for the award-winning, plant-based product marketed as JUST Egg in the United States.

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JUST and Emsland Group unlock the magic inside the mung bean. (Photo: Business Wire)

JUST and Emsland Group unlock the magic inside the mung bean. (Photo: Business Wire)

Headquartered in Emlichheim, Germany, Emsland Group has manufactured innovative pea and potato products that are essential elements in a wide range of food applications since 1928. Partnering with JUST to process mung bean protein, the key ingredient in JUST Egg, is a first for the venerable farmer cooperative and will help ensure a manufacturing infrastructure for JUST Egg that is dependable, efficient and expandable.

Today’s news comes on the heels of JUST’s December acquisition of a 30,000-square-foot factory in Appleton, Minnesota that specializes in patented protein extraction methods for JUST Egg. It also follows the company’s March announcement of a host of global strategic partnerships to manufacture and distribute JUST Egg across North America, Europe, Latin America and East Asia.

Emsland Group’s protein processing partnership with JUST and expertise in starch extraction and utilization for various food products are critical components of making JUST Egg one of the lowest-cost and most sustainable proteins on the planet. This alliance will allow the manufacturing partners to access mung bean protein more easily and create a new revenue stream from the sale of the legume’s high starch content.

“Our partnership with Emsland Group is not only an innovative and creative development in the world of protein processing but it will ultimately help us make JUST Egg more accessible and affordable to customers and consumers around the globe,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of JUST. “We’re excited to learn from their more than 90 years of experience and leadership in the food industry, guided by the philosophy 'using nature to create.'”

In an effort to make JUST Egg accessible to millions more consumers, and as a result of increased efficiencies in sourcing, protein processing and manufacturing, American shoppers are now able to buy JUST Egg at a much more competitive price than when it launched nationally last year as a liquid in a 12-ounce retail bottle and in larger liquid and patty formats in foodservice.

JUST Egg’s Grocery sales velocity in the United States has grown 51% since December with large gains at top national chains. In April, a new frozen, folded JUST Egg debuted in retail and at a top five U.S. supermarket, velocity has grown 150% in a matter of weeks. In addition, a growing number of quick-service restaurants and other foodservice destinations like college campuses, amusement parks, hospitals and corporate cafeterias have added JUST Egg to their menus.

About Eat JUST, Inc.

JUST (Eat JUST, Inc.) is on a mission to build a food system where everyone eats well. The company’s world-class team of scientists and researchers leverage a one-of-a-kind discovery platform for food ingredient innovation and Michelin starred chefs combine these discoveries with decades of culinary expertise to create delicious, accessible, healthier and more sustainable products. JUST has been recognized as one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies,” Entrepreneur’s “100 Brilliant Companies,” CNBC’s “Disruptor 50” and a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer. The company’s flagship product JUST Egg was named among Popular Science’s “100 Greatest Innovations,” Fast Company’s “World Changing Ideas” and, most recently, folded JUST Egg won “Best New Frozen Product” at Expo West’s NEXTY Awards and Delicious Living’s “Best Bite Awards.” For more information, visit http://ju.st.