Taiwan’s Food Industry Research and Development Institute (FIRDI) has established a Plant Milk Research and Development Center to develop plant-based milk products in partnership with the drink company Ai Zhi Wei, as reported by Taiwan News.
Other goals of the new center include the improvement of Taiwan’s supply chain of raw and semi-processed agricultural for plant-based and exploring biotechnology to develop protein-rich milk alternatives with enhanced nutritional value.
Ai Zhi Wei, owned by the Nice Group, is a famous brand in the country that offers beverages, including a wide range of cold teas and oat, peanut, soy, and walnut milk dairy products. At the innovation center, the company will combine its extensive experience in the beverage industry with the scientists at FIRDI to create innovative and nutritious plant-based milk products to capitalize on the increasing worldwide demand for plant-based milk, said Taiwan News.
Steady progress in Taiwan
The Plant Milk R&D Center will be established in Chiayi County as part of the latest alt protein initiatives launched by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). For example, the MOEA announced plans to launch a startup for the production of plant-based whole cuts using a novel texturizing technology developed by the Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT) this July.
Concurrently, grassroots movements in Taiwan have been successfully advocating for plant-based diets for some time. At the end of 2022, Taiwan’s Meat-Free Monday organization announced it succeeded in inviting over 100 political candidates for Taiwan’s 2022 election to sign its Veg-Friendly pledge. And in January, the country approved a groundbreaking climate bill requiring its government to promote low-carbon diets, with a focus on plant-based foods
