Demand for natural options in the meat-free category is on the rise. Christopher Kong, co-founder and CEO of Better Nature Tempeh, discusses the potential for fermentation to change our food system, while catering for consumers in search of nutritious, ‘clean label’ products.
Right now, alternative proteins are having their time in the spotlight. Precision fermentation technologies used by businesses such as Formo (cheese) and Perfect Day (ice cream) are producing organic molecules such as dairy proteins, that are biologically and chemically indistinguishable from those derived from animals. Alongside this, plant-based meat alternatives are getting better than ever, with players such as Redefine Meat pioneering exciting 3D printing technologies that mimic the texture of whole-cut meats.
However, while these technologies can have a tremendous impact on the environment and help accelerate the shift away from eating animal proteins, do they cater for the transformational consumer shift towards health, and the growing cohort looking for natural and unprocessed plant-based options?
Growing demand for natural
Health is the number one driver for the consumption of plant-based foods; yet with the prodigious rise of alternative protein technologies, there’s growing concern about what goes into faux meat products, with 61% of shoppers finding substitutes too processed [Lumina Intelligence, Mintel] and 84% looking for products with no artificial ingredients [YouGov].
There’s also increased demand for natural plant-based foods, with over half of shoppers (58%) preferring these over meat substitutes. In fact, for more than a third (38%), natural ingredients are the single most important purchase factor when buying meat-free [Lumina Intelligence, Mintel].
The gap in the market for nutritious, minimally processed plant-based food is clear.
The power of fermentation
Using fermentation to produce protein is the most scalable and environmentally sustainable food production technology we currently have.
Take tempeh, for example, a delicious all-natural plant-based food made from cultured soybeans.
Producing 96% less CO2 than beef, tempeh production also requires just 4% of the land, given the efficiency of the fermentation process and how it can be managed vertically (with trays stacked high in cavernous rooms). It also uses far less water, produces next to no waste, and can take place anywhere in the world provided there is access to electricity and water.
Health is a huge factor too. As a 100% natural whole food with double the protein of eggs and tofu, tempeh fills the gap in the market for a natural, nutritionally dense plant-based food and offers a delicious nutty flavour. Full of prebiotics, the culturing process further enhances its beneficial gut-friendly properties, making it easier to digest.
Essentially, tempeh fermentation has the potential to convert low-cost commodity crops like soybeans, grains, nuts and seeds, into high value, all-natural foods – from meat-free products to high-protein flours, the potential is vast.
Looking to the future
The future for natural plant-based protein is bright. Growing consumer demand coupled with the prodigious rise of sustainable, scalable fermentation technologies means producing natural proteins at scale is a viable and tangible reality. The fact that tempeh is now the fastest growing meat-free product in North America (with a projected CAGR of 13.03% between 2022 and 2028) is testament to this.
For manufacturers, the natural plant-based protein space offers huge potential in terms of innovation and scalability. By supporting the future of natural fermented plant-based whole foods such as tempeh, we can improve human and planetary health.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024
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