Paul Polman, the former CEO of Unilever, is among a clutch of new board members at acquisitive vegetarian-foods supplier Livekindly Collective.

Polman, who spent nine years at the helm of the UK-based FMCG giant, is one of six new board members at Livekindly, the owner of brands including Fry’s and Oumph.

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Walter Robb, the former co-CEO of US grocer Whole Foods Market, also takes a board seat at the business.

Livekindly CEO and chairman Kees Kruythoff – also once of Unilever – said the board appointments will see the company “ensure that our mission is supported through best practices in governance and corporate stewardship”.

Former Siemens executive – and current Firmenich vice-chair – Barbara Kux, as well as author and entrepreneur Suzy Amis Cameron have been named to the board. 

Shujun Li, the managing partner of China-focused private-equity firm – and Livekindly investor – Trustbridge Partners, and Gaby Sulzberger, a Mastercard director and former chairman of Whole Foods, have also joined the Livekindly board.

Known until last year as Foods United, Delaware-based Livekindly has had Blue Horizon Ventures as a principal shareholder since its formation.

The company, which also counts German meat giant PHW Gruppe among its investors, has acquired a number of companies in the plant-based meat market, including The Fry Family Food Co. in South Africa, the Swedish brand Oumph and LikeMeat in Germany.

Livekindly’s most recent acquisition came last month when it snapped up No Meat from UK frozen-food retailer Iceland Foods.

In October, Livekindly announced it had raised some US$135m in funding, taking the amount it had attracted in 2020 to $335m.