According to the Plant-Based Foods Association, plant-based food has become a booming business with retail sales of fake meat, dairy, eggs, and seafood products hitting $5 billion in 2019, an increase of more than 11% year-over-year. The Good Food Institute says there has been a steady rise in plant-based products year-over-year across regions, which indicates that this is not a bubble or a fad, but a real change in consumer behavior - a tipping point - with so much product innovation yet to hit the market.

To provide insights into the progress of this fledgling sector's growth we have created the munKNEE Pure-Play Plant-Based Food Stocks Index* to track each constituent's stock price performance to complement the munKNEE Pure-Play Pot Stock Index and the munKNEE Pure-Play Psychedelic Stocks Index. Only 6 pure-play plant-based stocks are currently listed on the various Canadian and American stock exchanges and all 6 are included in the Index. Below are introductory paragraphs, and links, to the recent exclusive TalkMarkets articles on each company followed by their stock performances for the week ended November 13th. (All prices in USD):

Constituent Introductions

1. Q3 Financial Report Shows How Hard COVID-19 Affected Beyond Meat Inc.
   • People hardly talked about things like vegan/vegetarian, chemical-free, GMO-free, hormone-free, gluten-free, and so on, a decade ago but it is a megatrend today.
2. Else Nutrition: Plant-Based Food Products For Young Children
   • The steady rise in plant-based products indicates that this is not a bubble or a fad, but a real change in consumer behavior - a tipping point. One of those companies with truly innovative products is Else Nutrition Holdings Inc. (BABYF).
3. Award Winning Modern Meat Inc. Is Disrupting The Traditional Meat Industry
   • Recognizing a gap in the market for nutritious and satisfying meat alternatives that were soy-, gluten-, nut-, and GMO-free the company quickly became the fastest-growing alternative-meat company in Canada.
4. The Very Good Food Company Inc.: A Promising Newcomer In the Plant-Based Food Sector
   • VRYYF went public in June of 2020 at C$0.25/share and is currently trading around C$1.73.
5. Better Plant Sciences Inc. Ready To Capitalize On The Burgeoning Growth In Plant-Based Foods
   • Better Plant Sciences is focused on developing and acquiring plant-based food and beverage formulas, health supplements, therapeutic formulas, and skincare formulas to take full advantage of the dramatic growth in such products.
6. Laird Superfood Inc. Capitalizing On Rapid Growth In Plant-Based Foods
   • The plant-based beverage market was valued at $11B in 2017 and is expected to reach $20B by 2023, growing at 12% CAGR, and Laird Superfood is capitalizing on that growth.

*Please note: The 6 pure-play stocks in the munKNEE Pure-Play Plant-Based Food Stocks Index are just that, pure, focused almost exclusively on the research, development, sales, distribution, and marketing of vegan food products and, as such, the Index reflects the true health of the plant-based food sector in the U.S. and Canada.

Constituent Stock Performance Comparisons

The Index is divided into two categories - those trading for less than US5$/share and those trading at much higher prices -  to account for the considerable range in pricing between the constituents and to provide more meaningful comparisons and conclusions as to the performance of the Index..

1. Else Nutrition: (BABYF) +16.2% to $2.29/share
2. The Very Good Food Company: (VRYYF) -6.0% to $2.96/share
3. Modern Meat: (SUVRF) -9.7% to $2.04/share
4. Better Plant Sciences (VEGGF) -16.7% to $0.05/share
   • Average Sub-Total Performance: -1.3%
5. Laird Superfood: (LSF) -18.5% to $39.13/share
6. Beyond Meat: (BYND) -20.5% to 124.74/share
   • Average Sub-Total Performance: -20.0%

In summary, the munKNEE Pure-Play Plant-Based Food Stocks Index declined -19.4% this past week as compared to a  +9.1% advance the previous week.