TRENOS SiGINT: v2food Crosses the Pacific – Can Australia Export Its Plant-Based Know-How?

JC -Analyst - 11th August, 2025

Australian alt-meat leader v2food is making a rare offensive move in a cooling global plant-based market, acquiring US-based Daring Foods. The deal brings together v2food’s expertise in ambient-format plant-based meat with Daring’s strong US retail presence in frozen and prepared chicken-style products. For Australasia’s food manufacturing scene, this is more than a corporate headline, it’s a test case for whether regional innovators can scale globally when the “alt-protein boom” glow has faded. The acquisition suggests Australian firms still see value in owning parts of the US supply chain, particularly in hybrid-ready categories with cleaner labels and familiar formats.

Human Factor

For consumers, this isn’t just about a new label in the freezer aisle, it’s about whether plant-based products can finally escape the novelty shelf and become everyday staples. Australian know-how in texture innovation and shelf stability may give Daring’s products the staying power needed in a fickle US market. If it works, this could reopen the door for other APAC foodtech brands eyeing overseas expansion, proving that “Made in Australia” can also mean “Sold Everywhere.”

TRENOS Metrics Snapshot

Signal	Data Point
Brand/Deal	v2food acquires Daring Foods (US)
TikTok Views	~12M+ lifetime for #daringfoods content
Retail Footprint	Daring: 6,000+ US retail outlets; v2food: major AU/NZ grocery chains
Ingredient Format	Pea protein (v2food); soy protein (Daring)
Product Range	Ambient mince + burger (v2food); frozen chicken strips + prepared meals (Daring)
Consumer Segment	Flexitarian + convenience-focused shoppers
Brand Origin	Australia (v2food), USA (Daring Foods)
Export Status	Expands AU brand presence into US market
Trend Classification	Plant-based 2.0 / cross-market category integration
System Pressure Point	Market Saturation Reset

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