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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Planted fermented steak

© Planted

Fermentation

Planted Launches “First of a Kind” Fermented Whole Cut Steak, Unveils Cutting-Edge Facility

Swiss foodtech company Planted has launched a new fermented steak alternative, the first product to be developed using the company’s whole-muscle platform. Made from soy protein, rapeseed oil, bean and rice flours, and microbial cultures, the product is said to be the first plant-based steak to use all-natural ingredients and no additives, while retaining a juicy, tender texture. The steak alternative is high in protein, fibre, and micronutrients such as B12 and iron, with low levels of saturated fat. Additionally, the plant-based steak is said to generate 97% fewer CO2e emissions per product weight compared to animal steak, and requires 81% less freshwater. The use of fermentation boosts the taste of the product while also improving properties such as tenderness. Whole-muscle platform Planted’s whole-muscle platform …

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juicy_marbles_basting_closeup

© Juicy Marbles

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Juicy Marbles Partners With Grocery Delivery Services in the UK & Czech Republic

Plant-based whole-cut producer Juicy Marbles has partnered with rapid grocery delivery service GoPuff, allowing UK consumers to have a two-pack of plant-based steaks delivered to their doors in as little as 30 minutes. The news comes a year after Juicy Marbles’ first major UK supply deal with supermarket chain Waitrose in a trial intended to last just two weeks. When 86% of the stock sold out within four days, the deal became long-term. Juicy Marbles’ steaks have since seen successful launches at Tesco where they retail at a lower price than comparable animal-based steaks, as well as at Whole Foods UK. Sales have reportedly been strong to date. “We love that Gopuff provides home chefs with a fast, convenient way to get their groceries when …

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Valentine's steak recipe

© Grubby/Redefine Meat

Company News

Grubby Partners With Redefine Meat for Premium Valentine’s Steak Recipe Kit

UK recipe kit startup Grubby has joined forces with plant-based meat company Redefine Meat to offer an exclusive Valentine’s Steak recipe. Available until March 22 as a premium option for Valentine’s Day, the dish marks the first time Redefine Meat’s plant-based beef flank has been available to home cooks in the UK. Previously, the product has only been available at top restaurants in the country. Grubby will also launch a Chimichurri steak dish made with the beef flank across March and April. Launched in 2020, Grubby claims to be the UK’s first fully plant-based recipe kit brand. The company has revenues of over £4 million, with customer spend trebling in the last year. In October, Grubby announced its first retail launch at Tesco, with three …

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Steakholder Foods and Wyler Farms, Israel's leading tofu producer, have partnered to produce 3D printed plant-based beef steaks.

© Steakholder Foods

Printed Technology

Steakholder Foods and Wyler Farms Partner to Launch 3D Printed Plant-Based Beef Steaks at Industrial Scale

Israeli bioprinting technology expert Steakholder Foods (Nasdaq: STKH) and Wyler Farms, Israel’s leading tofu producer, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to use industrial-scale 3D printing technology to produce 3D printed plant-based beef steaks. As part of the agreement, Wyler Farms will acquire Steakholder Foods’ 3D Fusion Pro meat printer and a subscription to the SH Software and NutriBlend ink designed explicitly for plant-based meat.  The deal, valued at millions of dollars over the coming years, represents Steakholder Foods’ first commercial partnership in the private sector. The completion of the Fusion Pro 3D printer installation is anticipated to fall between Q4 2024 and Q1 2025, according to the announcement. Arik Kaufman, CEO of Steakholder Foods, comments: “We’re not just showcasing our technology’s potential – we’re …

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Juicy Marbles launches at Tesco

© Juicy Marbles

Company News

Juicy Marbles’ Whole Cuts Arrive in Tesco, Retailing at Lower Price Than Animal Steak

Juicy Marbles, creator of luxury plant-based whole cuts including the “world’s first marbled plant-based steak” which caused a stir upon its announcement in 2021, announces the rollout of the famous steak into 350+ Tesco stores. This marks Juicy Marbles’ third major UK supermarket distribution deal following its initial distributor Waitrose and most recent listing at Whole Foods. Juicy Marbles reports that “Tesco has seen a big increase in demand for versatile, high-quality plant-based meat products in recent months, as shoppers look to reduce their meat consumption” and that Tesco’s buyers were “drawn to the versatility and quality” of the product, as well as strong sales to date. Cheaper than the “real” thing The product lands on Tesco shelves at £9 rrp and at a £6.75 …

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Squeaky Bean expands frozen range

© Squeaky Bean

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Squeaky Bean Launches Frozen Ingredients Range Featuring Chicken & Steak-Style Products

UK alt meat brand Squeaky Bean has launched its first frozen ingredients range, featuring two products — Seasoned Chicken Style Pieces and Steak Style Strips. Seasoned with salt and pepper, the plant-based chicken pieces can be used as a base for dishes such as curries and pasta. The steak-style strips aim to fill a gap in the market for premium frozen steak alternatives, and can be used in meals such as stir-fries and tacos. Both meat alternatives can be cooked from frozen in just three minutes, catering to the growing demand for convenient options that reduce food waste. Made from wheat and pea protein, they are protein-rich and low in saturated fat. According to Squeaky Bean, the frozen products are “just the start of a …

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chunk food slices

© Chunk Foods

Market & Trends

Vegan Steak Market to Be Worth Over $1Bn by 2032, Growing With 6.2% CAGR

According to a report by Polaris Market Research, the global vegan steak market is set to grow with a CAGR of 6.2% through to 2032, reaching a value of about $1.02 billion — up from $562.48 million in 2022. North America will have the largest market share throughout the forecast period, followed by Europe and the Asia Pacific. Growth will be driven by increasing interest in plant-based diets, along with improved technology for producing meat alternatives and the increased availability of vegan steak in restaurants. Health concerns will also be a key driver of the market, with red meat increasingly associated with chronic diseases such as colon cancer and cardiovascular disease. Earlier this year, Beyond Meat’s bestselling plant-based steak became the first meat alternative to …

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Beyond Steak wins innovation award

© Beyond Meat

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Beyond Steak Arrives in the UK, Wins Gold Innovation Award at Casual Dining 2023

Beyond Meat‘s plant-based steak alternative, Beyond Steak, has made its UK debut at the annual Casual Dining Show. At the event, the product won gold in the esteemed Casual Dining Innovation Challenge 2023. Judges described the plant-based steak pieces as a “sustainable gamechanger”, praising their high protein content and low levels of saturated fat. It comes after the steak alternative became the first plant-based meat to be certified by the American Heart Association in May, following its US launch in October 2022. Beyond Steak was also named one of the best inventions of 2022 by TIME magazine, with the publication praising it as having the “fibrous texture” of steak while being “definitely healthier”. Additionally, the product received a prestigious FABI Award from the US National …

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Chunk Foods vegan French Dip Sandwich

©Willow Vegan Bistro

Gastronomy & Food Service

NYC’s Willow Bistro Debuts Cutting-Edge Dishes with Chunk Foods Steak and Yo Egg

Nestled in the heart of New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, Willow Vegan Bistro is quietly disrupting bistro fare with its adventurous, thrilling take on contemporary plant-based cuisine. Recently, the eatery debuted new dishes featuring Chunk Foods’ groundbreaking plant-based steak and Yo Egg’s chicken-free eggs.  Elevated bistro dining  Willow describes itself as a “cozy vegan bistro that offers an innovative twist on classic American food” and the menu overflows with vibrant recreations of popular bistro dishes, from sandwiches and burgers to soups and mac ‘n cheese. Highlights include mini lobster rolls made with hearts of palm, chick’n francese, oyster mushroom calamari, and a B.A.L.T. with vegan bacon. But what truly sets Willow apart is its use of the latest alt-protein innovations, including Chunk Foods’ steak and Yo …

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Beyond Steak Seared Tips

©Beyond Meat

Retail & E-Commerce

Beyond Meat Expands Best-Selling Beyond Steak to Thousands of New Retail Locations

Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND) announces it is expanding retail availability for its award-winning Beyond Steak product, which can now be found at 14,000 retail locations across the US.  According to Beyond Meat, its steak ranks as the top-selling new plant-based meat in retail and recently launched at grocery chains such as Whole Foods Market, Publix, Wegmans, Meijer and Stater Bros. Markets. The company also reveals recent data showed that 2 out of 3 households that tried Beyond Steak repurchased the product, which supports other positive feedback the product has received since its US launch last year.  In June, Beyond Steak was named “Best Plant-Based Beef” by PEOPLE Food Awards 2023 for having “the texture, chew and flavor” of real steak. The product also received a FABI …

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Adamo Foods mycelium steak

© Adamo Foods

Investments & Acquisitions

Adamo Foods Raises £1.5M for “Groundbreaking” Mycelium Steaks

British food tech startup Adamo Foods has secured £1.5 million in funding to bring its whole-cut mycelium steaks to market. The sum consists of pre-seed funding from SFC Capital and two major grants from the government agency Innovate UK. The grants were received following Adamo’s participation in the ‘Better Food for All’ and ‘Novel Low Emission Food Production Systems’ competitions. Adamo will use the capital to further develop and scale its products, including by biofortifying the nutrients in mycelium to replicate the nutritional benefits of beef. The company will also develop processes to increase production to a pilot scale as it prepares to launch. The news comes after Adamo showcased its technology at the International Cellular Agriculture conference in Helsinki, which took place from June …

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Plant-based steak

©Land Lovers

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Meet Land Lovers: A Startup Looking to Disrupt the US Meat Market With the “Most Realistic Plant-Based Steak”

With plant-based burgers largely conquered, the alt-meat industry is increasingly turning its focus to the more difficult but highly lucrative realm of whole muscle cuts, which make up the majority of meat sales in the US and beyond.  One of the newest and most exciting entries to this category is Land Lovers, a Chicago-based startup determined to revolutionize the US meat market with “extraordinary” whole cuts of plant-based steak.  Formerly known as ALCHEMEAT, Land Lovers is led by chef and food industry veteran Dr. Huan Xia. Using patented technology, the company produces whole cuts of plant-based meat that look and taste exactly like premium beef. Its versatile product, made from wheat and soy protein, is said to offer a realistic alternative to beef in virtually …

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A plant-bases steak

© Made With Plants

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Made With Plants Launches Seitan-Based Steak at Woolworths Stores Across Australia

Australia’s Made With Plants has launched a plant-based sirloin-style steak at Woolworths stores across the country. The steak is made with seitan (wheat gluten), and is said to have a highly realistic texture. The production process is inspired by centuries-old traditions, with specialised flour used to create a dough that is then seasoned and cooked. “We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to indulge in the rich, comforting taste of steak. Made With Plants Meat Free Steak offers the best of both worlds, providing a guilt-free, mouth-watering alternative for meat lovers,” said Made With Plants co-founder Cale Drouin. “Unbelievable flavour” Made With Plants has been available at Woolworths since 2019, offering a selection of meat and dairy alternatives. In 2020, the brand announced an …

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Ellen Kim, Nasoya

Ellen Kim, image courtesy of Nasoya

Interviews

Nasoya: “We Really Cracked the Code to Create a Plant-Based Steak That Tastes Great”

We have been following the launches and developments of Nasoya since its parent company Pulmuone entered the plant-based meat category in 2021. The South Korean leader launched the Plantspired line under the Nasoya brand the following year, which has seen huge success (with sales up by an impressive 800% in October of last year) and multiple flavor extensions for the notable Plantspired steak which was featured in our recent roundup of popular plant-based steaks around the world. Nasoya is certainly one to watch, in our humble opinion. Marketing Director Ellen Kim kindly took the time to tell us more about the brand and its plans for the future. Can you please introduce Nasoya? Nasoya is the nation’s leading brand of tofu and Asian-inspired plant-based foods, …

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Beyond Steak Healthy Plant-Based Meat

©Beyond Meat

Health

Beyond Steak Becomes “First” Plant-Based Meat Certified by the American Heart Association

Beyond Meat (Nasdaq: BYND) announces Beyond Steak has become the first plant-based meat and first steak to be certified by the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Program.  The product will now carry the organization’s widely recognized Heart-Check seal, which helps consumers identify healthier foods when reading nutrition labels.  According to Beyond, its steak joins a select group of food products that meet the Association’s exacting nutritional standards for a heart-healthy food – including being low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol and sodium, and having over 10% of the Daily Value of essential nutrients.  Described as a better-for-you and portionable product, each serving of Beyond Steak offers 21 grams of protein, 170 calories and 1 gram of saturated fat, with no cholesterol, GMOs or added hormones …

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Juicy Marbles

© Juicy Marbles

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

BILLA’s Plant-Forward Strategy Continues With Exclusive Juicy Marbles Launch

Juicy Marbles launches its innovative plant-based fillet steak at BILLA PLUS and BILLA PFLANZILLA. The Austrian supermarket chain BILLA is pursuing a comprehensive plant-based strategy with the aim of responding optimally to the needs of customers who are increasingly looking for plant-based products. The motives for this are diverse and range from health aspects to animal welfare to climate-friendly nutrition, among others. BILLA supports them in this with a selection of more than 4,000 purely plant-based products. New to the range nationwide is now the plant-based fillet steak from the Slovenian startup Juicy Marbles. It is now available exclusively in all BILLA PLUS stores and at the plant-based supermarket that opened last year, BILLA PFLANZILLA. Verena Wiederkehr, BILLA Head of Plant-Based Business Development, says: “Our …

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Vegan Whole Cut Steak

©Chunk Foods/ The Butcher's Daughter

Fundraising

Chunk Foods Raises $15M in “Biggest Ever” Israeli Seed Round to Begin Scaling Whole-Cut Plant-Based Steak

Israeli startup Chunk Foods reveals it raised $15M in seed funding in November, in what the startup calls the “biggest ever” seed funding round for an Israeli plant-based company. Led by Fall Line Capital, The MIT E14 fund, and Robert Downey Jr. ‘s FootPrint Coalition, the raise will be used to construct one of the largest plant-based whole cuts factories in the world, which is set to be completed in Summer 2023.  According to Chunk, the new state-of-the-art facility will be capable of producing millions of plant-based steaks every year. Made with minimally processed ingredients, Chunk says its steak offers the same meaty bite, texture and umami flavors of conventional beef. Using fermentation technology, the company says it is able to produce whole-cut products with …

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Beyond Steak plant-based steak

©Beyond Meat

Company News

Beyond Meat’s Beyond Steak Wins Prestigious 2023 FABI Innovation Award

Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND) announces its Beyond Steak product has been awarded the coveted 2023 FABI Award (Food and Beverage Innovation) from the National Restaurant Association. The award recognizes plant-based Beyond Steak for “breaking new ground in creativity and taste”, and marks Beyond Meat’s seventh consecutive FABI award.  According to the National Restaurant Association, the FABI Awards honor products that are revolutionizing food and beverage with innovative flavors, ingredients, creativity, and profit potential. Beyond Meat says its Beyond Steak seared tips provide an authentically juicy, meaty taste and flavor profile that is ideal for sandwiches, bowls, salads, stir fries, tacos and more. FABI praised the product, which first launched in the US in Fall 2022, for its “tender” bite and perfectly “caramelized crust.” Made with …

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gochujang-steak-nasoya

New Gochujang Steak © Nasoya

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Nasoya Introduces New Flavors to Award-Winning Plantspired Steak Range in USA

Nasoya, a brand under Pulmuone Foods USA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pulmuone South Korea, is known as the maker of the country’s leading brand of tofu, with a nearly 70% market share in the US. Ahead of Expo West, the company announces two flavor extensions to its Plantspired range: Plantspired Plant-based Steak is now available in Korean Gochujang flavor, while Plantspired Toss’ables adds a new Sweet Chili variety.  Steady success in the category Following the hire of ex-vice president of Johnson & Johnson Kilsu Cho as General Manager in 2019, Pulmuone first entered the plant-based meat space with the Plantspired line, debuting with 20 products for the global market. Nasoya first introduced its award-winning Plantspired Korean BBQ Steak to retailers across the US last March. …

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