Calamari

BeanStalk Foods, a new plant-based meat brand inspired by Beyond Meat, Moving Mountains, and Heura, is entering the European market with a wide range of plant-based meat products.

Image courtesy of BeanStalk Foods
Products & Launches

New Plant-Based Meat Brand ‘BeanStalk’ Enters European Market with Diverse Range from Burgers to Pastrami

BeanStalk Foods, a new plant-based meat brand inspired by Beyond Meat, Moving Mountains, and Heura, is entering the European market with a wide range of plant-based meat products that the company describes as delicious and high-quality alternatives to animal proteins. Supported by a large international business group with operations in Madrid and Barcelona, a production facility near Shanghai, China, and a sister company in New York to market its products in North America, the company presents itself as a global entity producing and distributing high-quality plant-based meat. After a year of product development and adhering to European regulations, its portfolio includes traditional items like hamburgers and meatballs and less common options such as pastrami, breaded calamari, and pulled meat. It also offers salami and chorizo …

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Vegan calamari rings on a plate

© Vrave
Products & Launches

Spanish Seafood Producer Aguinamar Partners with Vrave to Launch Vegan Calamari in Major Retailers

In another collaboration between a traditional food company and a food startup, the Spanish seafood producer Angulas Aguinaga Group, via its brand Aguinamar, has partnered with Grin Grin Foods (which recently rebranded to Vrave) to launch its first plant-based product, Aros de Mar, a vegan calamari. With Aros de Mar, Aguinamar is adding a vegan option to its lineup of easy-to-prepare seafood products, expanding into the growing plant-based seafood category. The new alternative will be available in Carrefour and Alcampo at the end of April. The product is konjac-based, providing quality and texture to the calamari alternative while offering a good amount of fiber and a few kilocalories. It is suitable for pan frying, baking, or air frying, allowing it to obtain a crunchy and firm texture. Konjac …

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Calamari rings

© Екатерина - stock.adobe.com

Agriculture / Agribusiness

Scientists Develop 3D-Printed Calamari Rings from Microalgae and Mung Bean Protein

Researchers at the National University of Singapore have developed vegan calamari rings using microalgae, mung bean proteins, and 3D printing technology. They claim that the new vegan calamari rings are tasty, high in protein, and have the potential for commercialization. The team, which aims to create alternative proteins to address overfishing and food security, unveiled their NPD at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2023. “We need to be prepared from an alternative protein point of view, especially here in Singapore, where over 90% of the fish is imported,” said Poornima Vijayan, a graduate student presenting the work at ACS. Starting with calamari According to Huang Dejian, the project’s lead researcher, plant-based options for seafood frequently fall short in terms of nutritional value, taste, and …

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Eat Plant Love fish balls

© Eat Plant Love

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Seafood Company Ha Li Fa Launches Eat Plant Love Brand With Asian Style Fishless Products

Best known for its seafood brand Bobo; Ha Li Fa, a Singapore manufacturer specialising in fish balls for over 30 years, expanded into the plant-based seafood market with the launch of a new 100% plant brand called Eat Plant Love (EPL) in Singapore last year.  ELP offers a fishless alternative to traditional Asian dishes, such as fish balls, fish cakes, and fish rolls. The company’s R&D team took two years to develop a 100% plant-based version of its best-selling seafood products, prioritising the taste and texture preferences of Asian consumers to create its Asian-style offer. Randall Ang, ELP Deputy Managing Director, told Food Navigator that the customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, affirming the ability of the plant-based alternatives to deliver the brand’s original fish flavors. …

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Boldly Fish

©Boldly
Products & Launches

Aiming to Disrupt Global Seafood, Boldly Debuts With Plant-Based Calamari, Sashimi, Crab Sticks and More

Boldly, a new plant-based foods brand, announces the upcoming launch of its 100% vegan seafood line, featuring salmon and tuna sashimi, calamari, shrimp, crab sticks, and white fish filets. The range will initially launch through US restaurant and food service partnerships in Summer 2023.  Bringing diversity Created to disrupt the $600Bn global seafood industry, Boldly states its products use cutting-edge innovation to deliver the same taste and texture as animal-based seafood.  As the public becomes more aware of the dire threats facing the world’s oceans, such as overfishing, plastic pollution, and heavy metal contamination, more consumers than ever are looking to balance their seafood intake with plant-based alternatives. Boldly’s new seafood line, which features konjac root as a core ingredient, is intended to create a …

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Plant-Based Sushi/ Seafood

© Aqua Cultured Foods
Company News

Aqua Cultured Foods Begins Building Chicago Facility Ahead of Commercial Launch in 2023

Food tech startup Aqua Cultured Foods announces it has begun building out a new facility that will enable it to begin scaling production of whole-cut plant-based seafood.  The company is also holding tasting events with strategic partners as it prepares to introduce its products in Q2 2023.  According to Aqua, the new Chicago facility is nearly triple the size of the company’s current headquarters. The space is already food-grade and needs minimal upgrades to customize it for scaling the production of fermentation-enabled protein.  Aqua adds its space-efficient methods are similar to vertical farming and that it only uses standard equipment, which allows for a rapid and affordable buildout.  Founded in 2020, Aqua is creating ‘ultra-realistic’ calamari, shrimp, scallops, and tuna and whitefish filets with mycoprotein fermentation. …

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Aqua Cultured Seafood Appetizer

©Aqua Cultured Foods
Fermentation

Aqua Cultured Foods Doubles Production Output of Novel Fish and Seafood Alternatives

Food tech startup Aqua Cultured Foods announces new advancements in its fermentation technology that allow it to double the biomass output of whole-muscle seafood alternatives.  According to Aqua, these developments have dramatically improved the growth timeline for its seafood products, which include tuna, whitefish, calamari, popcorn shrimp and scallops. The startup says it has filed five patents relating to its unique method of protein production, and is preparing for its next financing round.  Novel fermentation  Based in Chicago, Aqua has previously created sushi-grade fish filets and calamari using microbial fermentation techniques that “grow” protein from a proprietary strain of fungi. By controlling environmental conditions such as culture medium, oxygen, temperature, and humidity, the company says it can create the same look, texture and moisture level found …

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Aqua Cultured Mycoprotein Calamari

©Aqua Cultured Foods
Products & Launches

Aqua Cultured Foods Reveals First Official Product: Calamari Fries

Alt-seafood startup Aqua Cultured Foods announces the development of calamari fries, the brand’s first commercial food product. Made from mycoprotein fermentation, the product offers a realistic calamari taste and texture, and will be available through the startup’s strategic partners later this year.  Aqua Cultured creates whole-muscle, sushi-quality seafood alternatives that match traditional seafood in flavor and nutritional value. Compared to squid-based calamari, Aqua Cultured’s product contains more protein, less sodium, and zero cholesterol or saturated fat. Unlike conventional seafood, the brand’s creations also provide a good source of fiber.  To perfect the calamari fries’ formula, the company enlisted the expertise of renowned chef and restaurateur Johnny Carino, who helped the team refine the product’s squid-like texture and preparation.  “As you bite in, you get an …

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Calamari

Photo by Farhad Ibrahimzade on Unsplash
Products & Launches

Jinka Unveils World’s First Fully Prepared Plant-Based Calamari

Alt-seafood company Jinka recently revealed what may be the first pre-cooked plant-based calamari on the retail market.  Jinka quietly previewed the novel appetizer at a recent trade show, which appears to be sold as a perishable frozen product. According to the packaging, Jinka’s tempura-battered rings offer the same taste and texture as squid calamari, along with protein and omega-3 fatty acids.  The product can be eaten in snack or appetizer form, or as the centerpiece of a meal. While labeled Non-GMO, the ingredients have not yet been specified. Pending an official launch date, Jinka’s calamari would join the brand’s current line of plant-based tuna spreads and crab cakes. Though plant-based alternatives to fish and crabs are accelerating, specialized seafood delicacies like squid and lobster remain a …

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