Even meat-lovers want to try this.
Alternative meats are no longer a novelty—they have finally entered the mainstream. Vegetarians, vegans and even meat-lovers are all jumping on the trend. Many people are hoping to cut down on their meat intake, whether for health, ethical or environmental considerations, and are instead going for plant-based meat replacement products. Nowadays, there are so many delicious and healthy animal-free alternatives on the market, and they are definitely worth a try! Here are some plant-based meat production companies to pay attention to:
Impossible Foods
The California-based Impossible Foods Inc. aims to give people the experience of consuming meat without the damaging health and environmental impacts associated with livestock products. The company studies animal products at the molecular level and selects proteins from plants to replicate the taste and nutrients of meat products.
The company’s most famous product, the Impossible Burger, was launched in 2016. By the summer of 2018, the Impossible Burger was available at about 3,000 locations in the United States and Hong Kong. In partnership with Burger King, the fast-food chain started selling Impossible Whoppers, a meat-free burger, throughout the United States in 2019. ParknShop, one of the two largest supermarket chains in Hong Kong, also sells Impossible Beef, making this plant-based vegan ground beef accessible to everyone in Hong Kong.
Beyond Meat
Los Angeles company Beyond Meat was established in 2009 with the mission to tackle climate change through diet change. It is famous for its plant-based alternative to traditional meatballs, which was first introduced at Subway in the United States and Canada in 2019 through the Beyond Meatball Marinara sub. It is also known for its Beyond Burger patty, which is mainly made from pea protein isolates, rice protein and mung bean protein.
In November 2020, Beyond Meat announced a collaboration with McDonald’s for the development of McPlant, a plant-based patty and chicken substitute, in both Sweden and Denmark.
OmniFoods
OmniFoods is a food tech company with its food science team based in Canada. Its alternative protein food products include OmniPork, OmniPork Luncheon, OmniPork Strip and OmniEat Dumplings. Their famous plant-based pork mince OmniPork is widely used in numerous acclaimed restaurants around the world. Many of them, such as the Royal China Club in London, Prive in Singapore, the Four Seasons and JW Marriott Hotels in Hong Kong, even serve specific OmniPork menus.
Since October 2020, the company’s lunch meat has become available at around 400 McDonald’s restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau.
Alpha Foods
Founded in 2015, Alpha Foods is based in California and provides sustainable food choices that support animal welfare and a healthier planet. It is famous for its protein-packed, non-GMO and plant-based versions of classic comfort foods, such as chicken nuggets, burgers and burritos.
The Nugget Original Chik’n is one of its signature products. It contains plant protein and provides 13g of protein per serving. It also looks no different from real nuggets: crunchy and golden on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside. Their Breakfast Burritos, meanwhile, are made from their Alpha Crumble, dairy-free cheese, and seasoned tofu all mixed into a tortilla shell.
Try some of these alternative meat products, and maybe you’ll fall in love with vegetables all over again.
Header image courtesy of Unsplash
