KANSAS CITY – The US venture capital fund Stray Dog Capital has invested in Deliciou, a manufacturer of shelf-stable plant-based meats. The terms of the investment, which were part of a seed round, were not disclosed.

“The shelf-stable alternative meat category has been an area of interest for us for some time,” said Johnny Ream, a partner with Stray Dog Capital. “Deliciou not only delivers on taste but also in terms of its cleaner nutritional profile — that impressed us.”

Deliciou was founded five years ago by Kjetil Hansen. The company initially offered a vegetarian bacon seasoning, but, later transitioned into the development of plant-based meat alternatives. The company now offers plant-based beef, chicken and pork as well as pre-seasoned vegetable-centric meal applications.

“We found that store-bought plant-based meats often had high levels of salt, sugar, and other nasties, which made a lot of people stay away from the category,” Mr. Hansen said. “We wanted to create a healthy alternative. By making the Deliciou plant-based meats from dehydrated plant proteins, we eliminated the need for preservatives, salt, and sugar which made more room for plant proteins and fiber.”

The company is currently expanding its distribution footprint to the United States, Europe and Asia, Mr. Hansen said.

“The investment from Stray Dog Capital and others has helped unlock our full potential and allow us to produce more inventory and expand the distribution globally,” he said.

Stray Dog Capital specializes in alternative protein investing, according to the company. Other businesses within its active portfolio include Aleph Farms, BlueNalu, Eat Your Coffee, Good Catch, Nut Pods and others.