Vegan Validation: Female-Founded and Plant-Based Egg, Seafood Innovators Square Off to Be Featured on Behind the Wrapper Segment with Marc Summers in Latest Battle of the Brands

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With sales of plant-based foods outpacing overall food sales by a 3-to-1 margin last year and the number of vegans worldwide expected to grow tenfold by 2030, the race is on for innovators and investors to bring the next great vegan foods and beverages to retailers' shelves and ecommerce stores. Two of the hottest plant-based brands, Crafty Counter and Mind Blown, are competing in their own race for greatness in Better For You Media's Battle of the Brands, vying for investment, global distribution, and brand exposure on the Marc Summers-led Behind the Wrapper show.

Battle of the Brands pits two better-for-you brands against each other during two-minute audition trailers in the same "weight class," aligned by key characteristics like sales data, founding story, or social audience size. The better-for-you market is expected to grow rapidly across many sectors like snacks and beverages over the next decade.

Each week in Battle of the Brands, competing brands' fanbases can cast their votes for the chance to win a free year's supply of their favorite snack brand. The brand that receives the most votes wins the right to appear in a full episode on Season 1 of Behind the Wrapper, BFY Media's how-it's-made program hosted by Summers, the renowned Food Network and Nickelodeon host/producer. Behind the Wrapper will air later this year as full episodes featuring celebrity guests and variety segments. In addition to being showcased, brands will earn a chance to secure funding from investors, sell on a direct-to-consumer, QVC-style home shopping show, and increase their global distribution footprint.

This week's ongoing battle pits Crafty Counter founder Hema Reddy, a mother on a mission to feed her children healthier, versus the Mind Blown mother-daughter founder team and seafood industry veterans Shelley Van Cleave and Monica Talbert.

"This week we see a matchup of two very motivated, women-led teams who have carved out really great spaces for growth and innovation," says Summers. "Both Crafty Counter and Mind Blown have consistently grown their product line and brand awareness in big ways in a short time and are on track for major success."

Crafty Counter launched WunderEggs last year as the first whole food, plant-based, ready-to-eat, hard-boiled egg. The plant-based egg category is growing rapidly – 28% annually through 2030 – due to health concerns and safety risks of salmonella and antibiotic-resistant, bacterial food-borne illnesses have been increasingly turning people away from chicken eggs. WunderEggs contain a base of cashews, almonds, coconut milk, and agar (a seaweed-based gelatin substitute) and are colored and flavored with turmeric and nutritional yeast. WunderEggs are available at more than 330 retailers across the U.S., including at dozens of Target locations.

Mind Blown, fresh off an investment this summer from Bravo Top Chef judge Tom Collichio, is also known as the Plant-Based Seafood Company. Their line of products includes shrimp, scallops, crabcakes, oysters, lobster, and soon, smoked salmon – all made from superfoods that produce flavors that continue to win over traditional seafood lovers. With fish farming threatening water ecosystems and the most common food allergy, shellfish, on the rise, there are high hopes for plant-based seafood. Mind Blown is available at hundreds of U.S. retail locations, including dozens of Sprouts Farmers Markets.

Six battles are complete with Three Farm Daughters vs. Big Tree Farms remaining after this week:

• Chocolate energizer Mid Day Squares defeated healthy hydrator Lemon Perfect
• Plant protein heavyweight Tosi Snacks defeated clean snack champion Lesser Evil
• Fermented foods forerunner Cleveland Kitchen defeated plant-based powerhouse Big Mountain Foods
• Water kefir pioneer Sunny Culture defeated organic marshmallow innovator Dandies.
• Macadamia master Milkadamia was victorious by TKO in its opening battle
• Date darling Joolies defeated healthy candy champ Zolli Candy

The Behind the Wrapper team will be at Natural Products Expo East next month in Philadelphia auditioning new brands for Season 2, which will start production later this fall. Brands interested in connecting at Expo East or elsewhere can arrange a conversation with BFY Media here.

The Better for You (BFY) Media network covers the global wellness market for global-minded, socially-conscious, and forward-thinking consumers. BFY Media produces multi-channel programming and content from original productions, licensed final series and materials, and curated wellness industry media sources, providing data-driven, in-depth educational entertainment that leaves everyone feeling good. For more, visit betterforyoumedia.com.

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SOURCE Better For You Media