A plant-based steak with marbled fat

Image courtesy of Planteneers

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

The Latest in Plant-Based Steaks and Why They’re So Crucial Right Now

The consumer behaviour of those (vegans and omnivores alike) who purchase plant-based products has evolved significantly from the curiosity-led impulse buys before the 2023 dip — amid an influx of new, sometimes inferior products on the market — to repeat purchases of quality, evolved products which fit into the day-to-day routine and are now tried and tested by families and cooked at home in their favourite ways. Last week, the UK’s biggest supermarket chain Tesco reported that the plant-based revolution is entering a second phase, largely driven by more consumers cooking from scratch. The retailer noted that despite the drop in sales last year, sales of meat-free ingredients and whole cuts are now increasing, with plant-based steaks and chicken breasts witnessing a 20% sales uptick …

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OmniFoods mushroom steak

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Products & Launches

OmniFoods Debuts Lion’s Mane Steak as “New Generation of Fungi Innovation”

Plant-based food producer OmniFoods is set to introduce the latest advancements in its plant-based cuisine offerings at the upcoming Expo West 2024 in California. The new lineup includes a series of sweet baos and the launch of the OMNI Garden product line, which notably includes the debut of the company’s Lion’s Mane Mushroom Steak. At this year’s event, OMNI is unveiling the OMNI Garden series, a new collection of bowls, patties, and various plant-based delicacies focused on whole-vegetable ingredients. The Lion’s Mane Mushroom Steak is the standout product of this series, showcasing the versatility and appealing taste of lion’s mane mushrooms and offering attendees of Expo West the first opportunity to sample them. In addition, the company will expand its sweet offerings, following the success …

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Omni Foods teriyaki bao bun

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Products & Launches

OmniFoods Launches Award-Winning Plant-Based Teriyaki Bao Buns Across Major US Retailers

OmniFoods has announced the nationwide availability of its award-winning Plant-Based Teriyaki Bao Buns in several major retailers across the United States (as listed below). These steamed buns are filled with OMNI plant-based pork-style ground, Japanese Teriyaki sauce, king oyster mushroom, and cabbage, delivering 8g of plant-based protein per serving. David Yeung, co-founder and CEO of OMNI, comments, “We are thrilled to bring the flavors of Asia directly to households across the nation. Our Plant-Based Teriyaki Bao Buns have been selected as one of the best new vegan products among over thousands of new products at Expo West 2023. The new bao buns provide a convenient and mouthwatering way for people to enjoy authentic Asian snacks while embracing the benefits of plant-based eating.” OmniFoods is simultaneously …

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Image courtesy of OmniFoods

Food Service

OmniFoods & Neat Burger Launch Seafood Menu with Sustainable Twist in NYC

OmniFoods announces a new foodservice partnership with plant-based fast food chain Neat Burger to launch a seafood menu at the chain’s store in Nolita, New York City, from the 18th of October. As part of the collaboration, Neat Burger is introducing two plant-based seafood options: Neat Fish & Chips, a classic British delicacy, and Crispy Fish Sandwich, a favorite garnished with Neat Burger’s unique toppings.  Both menu items will feature OMNI Golden Fillet, a vegan alternative that is said to perfectly replicate the taste and texture of traditional battered fish. Made with pea protein, shiitake mushroom powder, and rice protein, Omni’s fish fillet received the Monde Selection Silver Award from the International Quality Institute in 2022. It has also been voted best vegan fish by PETA UK.  …

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Veggie Grill and OmniFoods

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Food Service

Veggie Grill Relaunches Mexican Baja Fish Menu with OmniFoods Golden Fillet

Vegan fast-casual chain Veggie Grill announces partnership with OmniFoods, relaunching its Baja Fish menu items with OMNI Golden Fillet, replacing the Gardein Fish Filet.  The announcement follows the restaurant chain’s other recent, notable menu additions over the last few months, including steak fajita quesadillas with Beyond Steak and poached egg avocado toast with Yo Egg’s plant-based runny egg. Veggie Grill will feature the OMNI Golden Fillet in three authentic Mexican dishes: Crispy Baja Fish Tacos, Crispy Baja Fish Bowl, and Crispy Baja Fish Burrito. These menu items will be topped with a jalapeno slaw, cilantro, and pico de gallo.  The new offerings will be available at all of the chain’s 17 locations across California, Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts. This marks OmniFood’s first restaurant partnership in …

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Omni Seafood range OmniFoods

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Company News

What’s Been Happening at OmniFoods?

The Hong Kong-based company continues its efforts to remove animals from plates in various global markets. Let’s look at what OmniFoods has been up to recently.  United States In the United States, the recent launch of the Katsu OMNI Luncheon Musubi at 7-Eleven Hawaii received an impressive response, with the product selling out in just three days. The positive reaction secured it a place as a regular item at 7-Eleven Hawaii locations. OmniFoods is currently selling at Walmart, Whole Foods and Sprouts around the country, but it has also hit the shelves at Lily’s Vegan Grocery store in New York and at New Seasons Market locations where it has received a lot of good feedback already. The brand has plans to continue expanding its food …

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Katsu Musubi

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Products & Launches

OmniFoods & 7-Eleven Hawaii Launch Plant-Based Katsu Musubi

7-Eleven Hawaii has partnered with plant-based meat brand OmniFoods to launch a plant-based version of the Japanese dish katsu musubi. The product is made with OMNI Luncheon, a high-fiber plant-based pork alternative made from soy, wheat, and beets. The meat alternative is prepared katsu-style and placed on rice, before being wrapped in nori. The katsu musubi is now available at all 66 7-Eleven locations on the Hawaiian islands of Oahu, Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii Island. “We are thrilled to partner with OmniFoods to offer our customers a new, plant-based option that is not only delicious but also healthier for them and the planet,” said Debbie Lee Soon, Food Innovation & Development Manager at 7-Eleven Hawaii. “The plant-based Katsu Musubi is a great addition to our …

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OmniSeafood plant-based range

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Company News

Green Monday Launches OmniSeafood Dishes and Discounts to Celebrate World Ocean Day

In support of World Ocean Day, Green Monday has partnered with restaurants and supermarkets in Hong Kong to offer OmniSeafood dishes and product discounts for a month. Green Common, the company’s online platform combining retail, distribution, and dining service with stores in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore, will also provide retail deals and dinner options. The initiative aims to encourage consumers to cherish the oceans and protect marine life by switching to plant-based seafood. Green Monday is the operational arm producing and distributing plant-based food products in Asia and beyond, including OmniFoods and Green Common. OmniFoods is a global plant-based food brand retailing in over 20 markets. Its Canadian-based R&D team is responsible for the company’s plant-based series: OmniPork, OmniSeafood, and OmniEat.   Switching to OmniSeafood  The OmniSeafood …

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Bao buns

© OMNI

Products & Launches

OMNI Launches Vegan Bao Buns and Crystal Dumplings in the US

Hong Kong-based alt meat brand OMNI is set to launch two new appetizers — vegan bao buns and crystal dumplings — in the US in the coming months. Each Asian-inspired recipe has been developed by a Michelin-starred dim sum specialist. The bao buns will be available in the flavours teriyaki and gochujang, and are made with a proprietary formula for an authentic fluffy texture. The dumplings feature vegetables and minced plant-based meat, encased in a soft and chewy translucent wrapper. Updated packaging The launches come as OMNI US announces a packaging update for its range of meat alternatives. These include Crab-Style Cakes, Golden Fish-Style Fillet, Classic Fish-Style Fillet, Meat-Style Luncheon, Pork-Style Ground, and Pork-Style Strips. The update will also apply to the brand’s existing appetisers, …

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OmniNano technology

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Meat- and Fish Alternatives

OmniFoods Reveals Groundbreaking OmniNano Vegan Fat Technology

Hong Kong-based OmniFoods has revealed an innovative new patented technology called OmniNano Vegan Fat, which it says will strengthen the company’s leading position in the alt meat industry. The technology works by emulsifying oil and water, which then penetrates into plant-based materials to replicate animal fat. Fat is extremely important for juicy, high-quality meat, and OmniFoods is using the new vegan alternative to develop a range of plant-based whole cuts. 2023 launch According to the company, OmniNano technology locks flavour into the plant-based meats and improves tenderness. OmniFoods aims to launch the new range — featuring the Plant-Based Beef Cut and Tips, Plant-Based Chicken Wings, and Plant-Based Pork Cutlet — in 2023.  Fat alternatives Several companies are beginning to recognise fat as a key missing …

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Kenchan Vegan Pork Spicy Ramen

©Kenchan Ramen

Gastronomy & Food Service

OMNIFoods and Kenchan Ramen Launch DIY Ramen Kits Featuring OMNI Ground Pork

Alt-protein brand OMNIFoods announces it is partnering with LA’s Kenchan Ramen to offer at-home, DIY vegan ramen kits to consumers in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada and Utah.  Made to provide an authentic, at-home ramen experience, Kenchan Ramen’s plant-based options are now available for purchase online and include three varieties:  White Truffle Mushroom – Creamy veggie broth adn white truffle w/ spinach noodles, edamame and sauteed mushrooms, drizzled with truffle oil. Ginger Garlic Shio – An umami-filled ginger & garlic soup base with fresh noodles, sauteed mushrooms, spinach, lotus root, and onion ginger oil.  Spicy Sesame – A spicy ramen with stir-fried OmniGround pork protein, fresh noodles, edamame, chili threads and sesame seeds.  According to OMNIFoods, its plant-based OMNIPork is an all-purpose pork alternative with a …

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Fish and Chips vegan

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Meat- and Fish Alternatives

OmniFoods Vegan Fish & Chips Launch in 500+ Greene King Pubs Across UK

OmniFoods announces today that a vegan fish & chips option featuring Omni Golden Fillet is now available at more than 250 Hungry Horse pubs, 160 Greene King Local pubs, and 70 Farmhouse Inns pubs owned by Greene King. Further locations will be added mid October. Following a recent report by WWF titled Risky Seafood Business, which exposed the devastating impact of the UK’s fish & chip shop industry, the British public, as well as food service professionals, are looking more and more towards sustainable alternatives. As such, OmniFoods says “the launch of this vegan Fish & Chips alternative is more timely than ever”. Greene King is one of the UK’s largest pub retailers and brewers, operating 2600 pubs, restaurants and hotels. The plant-based fish fillet …

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OmniFoods OmniSeafood GTFO

©OmniFoods

Retail & E-Commerce

OmniFoods Announces Partnership With Dot Foods, North America’s Largest Food Service Redistributor

The recently announced partnership between OmniFoods and Dot Food, North America’s largest food industry redistributor, will provide consumers with access to Omni’s product portfolio through Dot’s network of more than 5,200 grocers across the US. In the first phase, which begins this month, the OMNI product range at Dot Foods consists of OMNI Ground, OMNI Strips, OMNI Luncheon and OMNI Tuna. OMNI Classic Fillet, OMNI Golden Fillet, OMNI Ocean Burger, OMNI Golden Sticks and OMNI Crab-Style Cake will be added in October. Dot Foods serves retailers across all food channels, including food service, supermarkets, convenience, drugstores and all alternative channels. With access to diverse grocery outlets, OMNI can now be sourced through Dot with a minimum quantity and two-day lead time, eliminating operational hurdles and …

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Rainbao Colorful Plant-Based Dumplings

©Rainbao Dumplings

Products & Launches

Rainbao Dumplings Launches Colorful Asian Buns Filled with Plant-Based OmniPork

Rainbao Dumplings, a manufacturer of traditional Xiao Long Bao dumplings, is launching its range of brightly-colored buns filled with plant-based meat and seafood. The brand’s latest recipe, Golden Egg, features a plant-based chorizo made with leading Asian alt-protein brand OmniPork. Rainbao is also showcasing its line at the Western Foodservice and Hospitality Show from Aug. 28th – 30th in LA.  Founded by Jim Saunders and Cindy Liu, Rainbao specializes in providing plant-based Xiao Long Bao dumplings to both foodservice partners and retail consumers. “Xiao Long Bao” refers to a traditional type of small Chinese bun prepared in a steam basket.  According to Rainbao, their multcolored, plant-forward dumplings offer the authentic taste and texture of conventional beef, pork, chicken and seafood. Available in flavors such as …

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why-is-spam-so-popular

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Market & Trends

What’s Behind the Recent Vegan Spam Explosion? Five Reasons Why Vegan Spam is “Hitting Meat Right Where it Hurts the Most”

The Phillippines’ largest branded food company, Century Pacific, has launched a vegan spam through its unMEAT brand, becoming the third company in a month to release a plant-based canned pork. What’s going on with this apparent vegan spam explosion? Plant-based meat brand unMeat this week announced two varieties of plant-based luncheon meat — Luncheon Style Meat and Burger Style Luncheon Meat — for the US market. The products are available via online retailers, GTFO It’s Vegan! and Weee!, along with select stores throughout the Midwest and East Coast. Brought to retailers by Century Pacific Food, the launch is the most current in a series of rollouts conducted by several food and retail giants across Asia Pacific and aimed at the US market. Here we take …

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ANEW vegan spam explosion

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Food & Beverage

Singapore’s OTS Holdings Plans to Export New SPAM-Style Canned Vegan Meat to Over 40 Countries

OTS Holdings recently announced its plans to enter the global market with its plant-based protein products. One of Singapore’s biggest manufacturers of chilled, frozen, dried, and canned meat products, the food giant’s plant-based ANEW brand makes its debut with a new plant-based SPAM-style canned vegan meat. OTS is one of Singapore’s largest food producers, exporting 40% of its products to Asia, Europe, and other countries. The company’s plant-based brand ANEW is set to focus on ready-to-eat products that “push the frontiers of food innovation with a taste of heritage.” The result of over two years of research and development work, ANEW’s plant-based canned meat is made from wheat, soy protein, vegetable juice, and Eucheuma Seaweed. Growing supply for plant-based SPAM First invented by US-based global …

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Fish and Chips vegan

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Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Plant-Based OmniSeafood Arrives in the UK

Omni Foods, the alt-food innovation arm under Green Monday Holdings, announces that its plant-based OmniSeafood range is now available in-store at Whole Foods Market in London and online at Ocado and The Vegan Kind Supermarket. First launched on World’s Ocean Day 2021, the OmniSeafood line was named the “single biggest milestone worth reflecting upon” in the Business Year Review of Green Monday Holdings founder David Yeung. Apart from its most recent OmniSeafood line, the plant-based food company’s range of alternative protein products also includes the legendary OmniPork series and OmniEats series. Omni Golden Fillet and Ocean Burger collaborations After the groundbreaking launch in Asia, the UK first got a taste of the successful OmniSeafood line for Veganuary, when the award-winning Omni Golden Fillet made its …

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OmniSeafood Fish Filet

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Food & Beverage

OmniFoods’ New OmniSeafood Line Makes US Debut on GTFO It’s Vegan

Alt-protein brand OmniFoods announces its popular OmniSeafood line is now available in the US via online retailer GTFO It’s Vegan. The range, which features a “game-changing” whitefish fillet alternative, launched earlier this year in the UK. Made with ingredients like non-GMO soy, shiitake mushrooms, rice and peas, the OmniSeafood line features three seafood-style proteins:  Omni Classic Fillet – A “first of its kind” innovation, the non-breaded and unbreaded fillet has a flaky texture the brand says is indistinguishable from real fish.  Omni Golden Fillet – An award-winning fried fish fillet with a crispy golden crust and flaky texture.   OmniCrab Cake – A nutritious and sustainable crab alternative that looks and tastes like real crab meat.  According to OmniFoods, all three products offer a good source …

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Ocean Burger

© OmniFoods/Oowee Vegan

Fast Food

Oowee Partners With OmniFoods to Launch Limited Edition Ocean Burger

UK chain Oowee Vegan has joined forces with pioneering Asian alt-meat brand OmniFoods to offer the Ocean Burger, a vegan fish fillet burger that is described as being highly realistic. The brands celebrated the launch by giving away 500 free Ocean Burgers on July 11. The burger is a limited-edition menu item that will be available until August 14, priced at £6.95. OmniFoods in the UK OmniFoods first entered the UK last year with The Big Vegan Pig Out, a partnership with several popular restaurants that showcased three of the brand’s plant-based pork products — Mince, Luncheon (AKA vegan SPAM), and Strips. The following month, OmniFoods launched at 119 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK. This May, OmniFoods also partnered with London restaurant Vetomeato to offer …

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Lily's Vegan Pantry Products

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Society

NYC Favorite Lily’s Vegan Pantry: Selling Plant-Based Meats Before They Were Cool

In the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown lies one of the earliest, lesser-known champions of today’s alternative protein movement. Lily’s Vegan Pantry, formerly known as May Wah Vegetarian Market, has been supplying NYC patrons with a dazzling assortment of exotic animal-free meats since 1995. Today, the landmark store is one of New York State’s largest distributors of vegetarian foods, and recently added plant-based pork leader OmniFoods to its lineup.  Originally founded by Lee Mee Ng, who sought to bring the vegetarian meats she enjoyed in Taiwan to the US,  the market has since transferred ownership to Lee’s daughter Lily and converted to a fully-vegan establishment.  Surprising selection Located on Hester Street, Lily’s sells a vast assortment of unique plant-based meats including the popular black pepper steak,  …

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