No Meat Factory, an alternative-protein co-manufacturer in Canada, is set to open its first factory in the US.
The Vancouver-based start-up, founded in 2019 by CEO Dieter Thiem and COO Leon Bell, is investing US$20m to convert a facility in Stanwood, Washington. The plant was previously owned by Twin City Foods, a frozen vegetables supplier that closed the site in 2017.
No Meat Factory secured $42m in a Series B financing round from investors in January, taking funding to date to $60m. At the time, a spokesperson told Just Food that its second manufacturing plant would enable the start-up to begin serving private-label customers.
The company serves up animal-free nuggets, hamburgers and “whole-muscle alternatives” for food brands in Canada and the US, selling into retail and foodservice.
Bell said in a statement: “In Stanwood, No Meat Factory will realise additional manufacturing capacity for convenience products and provide additional manufacturing capabilities for plant-based deli and sausage alternatives, allowing us to better service the US market through our existing brand owner partners and increase our offering to foodservice and private-label clients.”
Stanwood is expected to be operational toward the end of 2023 and will employ around 150 people when up to capacity, with seafood alternatives also on the menu.
No Meat Factory’s investment to revive the Twin City Foods plant is supported by a $200,000 state grant to Economic Alliance Snohomish County, which will support site engineering and development costs as well as initial upgrades to the facility.
