This Veganuary, German caterer Dussmann Food Services has joined forces with four plant-based startups — planted, BettaF!sh, BOONIAN, and Brew Bites — as part of its Vielfalt Statt Verzicht (Diversity Instead of Sacrifice) campaign.
Dishes featuring plant-based products made by the startups have been available at around 60 German business canteens throughout the month. Restaurant Ursprung, a sustainable restaurant located in Dussmann’s Berlin-based cultural media store Das KulturKaufhaus, is also participating.
About the startups
- planted uses extrusion and fermentation to make meat alternatives from clean ingredients such as peas, sunflower, and oats. One planted schnitzel emits 87% fewer greenhouse gases and requires 90% less water than its animal-based equivalent.
- BettaF!sh produces a canned tuna alternative called TU-NAH, made from seaweed, pea protein, and fava beans. By using TU-NAH, Dussmann will avoid 812 kg of bycatch and save 228 skipjack tuna fish per week.
- BOONIAN makes meat alternatives specially developed for commercial kitchens, prioritising taste and texture over replicating meat.
- Brew Bites makes all-natural beef alternatives using upcycled ingredients. The products generate just 3% of the CO₂ emissions of conventional meat and save 18,000 liters of water.
Menu
Dussman’s Veganuary menu features:
- planted schnitzel with creamy mushrooms
- planted sausages with mashed potatoes
- TU-NAH mayo on a baked potato with red cabbage
- TU-NAH bowl with rice
- BOONIAN currywurst with fries
- BOONIAN teriyaki bowl with rice noodles
- Sliced Brew Bites beef in a creamy sauce with noodles
- Red Thai curry with Brew Bites beef.
Dussman says the company is committed to sustainability through its Berlin-based Food Service Innovation Lab, which has been operating for two years and aims to have a positive impact on people and the planet.
“It is a truly synergetic partnership; by leveraging Dussmann’s large influence within the food services sector and future-proof ingredients from the start-ups, we want to prove to the rest of the industry that a 100% plant-based catering concept can be efficient and economically viable,” said Christian Hamerle, Head of Food Service Innovation at Dussmann.
