In contrast to meat alternatives, the range of vegan seafood available on the market is relatively insignificant, despite alternative seafood being a growing sector.
Says Netherlands-based Vivera, a subsidiary of JBS since its 2021 acquisition, the development of convincing products that resemble fish in terms of flavour and texture poses challenges for producers.
“Fish has a specific, very delicate consistency and a characteristic flavour that can only be approximated by other ingredients. In contrast to meat alternatives, there are significantly fewer flavourings available in the production of fish substitutes to replicate the taste of fish. In addition, fish such as salmon, herring or mackerel are an important source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12. These are nutrients that many fish alternatives are often unable to provide due to their complex development,” explains Emke Kieffer, Research & Development Director at Vivera.
Vivera has been offering its vegan salmon fillet since May 2022. “In the production of the vegan salmon fillet, we used the tried and tested methods from the production of our other plant-based alternatives. First, we analysed the animal product, in this case, salmon, and identified the properties that make it unique. We then recombined available raw materials using our techniques to achieve the right consistency and perfect flavour.”
Worldwide, successful producers of plant-based salmon include:
- BettaF!sh – Germany (flakes)
- Impact Food – USA (whole cut / sushi grade)
- Revo Foods – Austria (whole cut / slices)
- Oshi – Israel / US (whole cut)
- Ocean Kiss – France (slices)
- New School Foods – Canada (whole cuts)
- The ISH Company – (burgers, crumbles)
- Squeaky Bean – UK (slices)
- Vegan Zeastar – Netherlands (sashimi)
The necessity of these alternatives cannot be understated. Oceans are depleted to the point of crisis due to overfishing and habitat degradation. Concerns about animal welfare, climate change, and health are prompting some consumers to cut back on meat consumption and increase their intake of fish. Projections show growth in consumption of seafood by 14 percent by 2030 versus 2020 levels, according to a recent McKinsey report.
Vivera enters alt dairy with Vairy
In mid-July, Vivera announced a new collaboration with the Dutch company Boermarke to launch a wide range of plant-based alternatives for the catering industry under Boermarke’s ‘Vairy’ brand. The Vairy brand has already proven successful in 24 European countries following its launch.
Together with Boermarke, Vivera has launched a wide range of new savoury and sweet plant-based foodservice products to help the hospitality and healthcare sectors make progress in the sustainable protein transition. The new product range includes meat and cheese alternatives, yogurt, ice cream, pudding and more.
Boermarke said on LinkedIn: ‘This expansion fits perfectly with the ongoing protein transition in the food industry, where restaurants, caterers and healthcare facilities are pushing hard to switch from animal proteins to plant-based proteins.’
Further information: vivera.com/en
