Handy Seafood, a 125-year-old seafood processor, is releasing the company’s first vegan entree.
The Plant-Based Crabless Cake is made from a proprietary blend of pea and wheat protein, and intended to recreate the texture of traditional crab cakes. Featuring a Maryland-style flavor combined with sweet peppers and onions, Handy states the entree-sized Crabless Cakes are made from responsibly sourced vegan ingredients and contain 10 grams of protein per serving.
Based in Crisfield, Maryland, Handy Seafood specializes in crab cakes and crab meat appetizers. According to a press release, the company’s entry into plant-based products was inspired by the rise of flexitarian consumers, who now make up 42% of the market. To make plant-based eating more accessible, Handy states the new Crabless Cakes will be sold at an affordable price point across grocery retailers and foodservice distributors in the US.
Stunning statistics
Handy Seafood now joins Good Catch, Hungry Planet, The Plant Based Seafood Co, Jinka and several other brands in offering a realistic alternative to popular crab cakes. Consumers’ appetites for alt-seafood products are indeed enormous – a 2021 survey by the sustainability platform abillion found 78% of respondents would try animal-free seafood based on descriptions of taste alone.
While alternatives to tuna and crab are becoming more common, they represent a tiny portion of the 200-300 seafood species consumed globally, leaving large-scale room for innovation. Regional markets in Spain, Singapore and the UK showed the strongest growth in alternative seafood products.
The launch of plant-based options from industry veterans like Handy Seafood indicates established companies are enthusiastically pushing the sector’s growth, and alternative seafood will continue to accelerate. Commenting on the company’s latest product, Lion Gardner, Handy Seafood’s Director of Product Development, stated: “We’re proud to elevate the category by delivering a savory and delicious plant-based product that consumers crave.”
