In response to the rapid decline of king crab populations due to overfishing and climate change, Netherlands-based Vegan Zeastar has launched a plant-based alternative that it claims is a world first.
Said to provide the same taste and texture as conventional king crab, the product is suitable for use in a range of dishes, including sushi, poke bowls, crab cakes, salads, and on toast. It also provides a more affordable alternative, as king crab prices have skyrocketed following a ban on harvesting in Alaska.
Due to its lack of shell, the plant-based king crab can be handled easily. It is sold frozen for a long shelf life, and is free of palm oil and GMOs.
“Vegan Zeastar is all about unique and revolutionary plant-based seafood, with tastes and textures that perfectly mimic their fish counterparts,” Rosella D’angeli — co-founder of Vegan Zeastar’s parent company Vegan Finest Foods — told vegconomist. “The game-changing products are mind-bogglingly realistic and seamlessly replace seafood in all your favourite dishes, from sushi and poke bowls to shrimp tacos and calamari — there is no limit!”
“Unique and revolutionary”
Vegan Zeastar now offers a wide selection of seafood alternatives, with another “world first” — a range of sushi and poke bowl products — launched at the beginning of this year. The products are said to include all the ingredients necessary to make vegan versions of nigiri, sashimi, temaki, uramaki, gunkan, handrolls, or poke bowls.
Other notable launches include a range of plant-based shrimp products made from soy and wheat, along with cod and tuna alternatives.
“We have big ambitions,” said D’angeli. “We want to make our products available to a larger audience and we keep innovating in order to make the choice of a fish, meat, or dairy substitute as easy as possible. We can change the world together, one meal at a time!”
