Our Pure-Play Plant-Based Food Stocks Index of 5 fledgling fake meat, dairy, egg, and seafood companies was down another 2.4% last week and is now DOWN (-62.1%) from its market high in 2021.

Note that each constituent has hyperlinks to 3 areas of additional information which are imperative for any individual considering investing in this sector:

• The company name is hyperlinked to its web site to provide you with a description of the company and an analysis of its stock.
• The trading symbol is hyperlinked to additional financial data and commentary on the company (where available).
• The percentage change from the market high in 2021 is hyperlinked to a chart of the company's stock performance.

The "financial distress" percentage is sourced from macroaxis.com.

Below is how the munKNEE Pure-Play Plant-Based Food Stocks Index constituents have performed since they reached their market highs in 2021, in descending order:

1. Guru Organic Energy Corp. (CSE: GURU; GUROF): DOWN -29.1%
   • a Montreal, Canada beverage company launched in 1999, when it pioneered the world’s first natural, plant-based energy drink.
   • has over a 77% chance of experiencing financial distress in the next few years of operation.
2. Tattooed Chef (TTCF): DOWN -47.7%
   • offers a broad portfolio of plant-based food products that are available in the frozen food sections of national retail food stores across the United States.
   • has less than a 26% chance of experiencing some form of financial distress in the next two years of operation.
3. Else Nutrition (BABYF): DOWN -74.5%
   • an Israel-based food and nutrition company focused on developing innovative, clean and plant-based food and nutrition products for infants, toddlers, children, and adults.
   • has over a 73% probability of financial distress in the next few years of operation.
   • announced results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2021 (see here).
4. Laird Superfood (LSF): DOWN -76.8%
   • announced results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2021 (see here).
   • has more than a 58% chance of experiencing financial distress in the next 2 years of operation.
5. The Very Good Food Company (VGFC): DOWN -84.8%
   • designs, develops, produces, distributes, and sells a variety of plant-based meat and other food alternatives to customers in Canada and the United States.
   • has about a 35% probability of financial distress in the next few years of operation.
   • announced results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2021 (see here).

The average market capitalization of the above 5 stocks is $216M with an average stock price of $8.28/share. (The aforementioned currency amounts are in U.S. dollars. Go here to convert to another currency.)

The 5 pure-play stocks in the munKNEE Pure-Play Plant-Based Food Stocks Index are just that, focused almost exclusively on the research, development, sales, distribution, and marketing of vegan food products; as such, we think the Index reflects the true health of the plant-based food sector in the U.S. and Canada.

Not included in the Index are two huge companies with market capitalizations in excess of $4B which performed, as follow, from their market highs in 2021:

1. Beyond Meat (BYND):  -69.0%
2. Oatly Group (OTLY):  -72.5% 

The -62.1% performance of the Pure-Play Plant-Based Food Stocks Index since its 52-week peak is similar to that of:

• the -65.7% decline in the Pure-Play Marijuana Drug Stocks Index (see details here),
• the -66.1% decline in the Pure-Play Psychedelic Compounds-Based Drug Stocks Index (see details here), and
• the -66.8% decline in the Pure-Play "Seed-to-Sale" Pot Stocks Index (see details here).

The performances of each of the indices mentioned above have been atrocious over the past 52 weeks and are showing no signs of improving based on the -2.4%, -1.4%, -4.1% and -2.2% declines, respectively, that occurred this past week. That being said, however, perhaps the indices are setting up to rebound in 2022, so following the hyperlinks in the various articles should help investors with their due diligence should they be considering investing in any of these sectors.