A Protein Revolution

Plant-based meats are sparking the next wave of food innovation

- Jennifer Lee

Meat is getting a bad rap. Factory farming practices, health concerns, and the environmental impact of livestock cultivation are all factors leading to decreasing meat consumption, at least in the West.

A meat-free diet was once considered part of the ‘hippie’ or ‘alternative’ lifestyle, but it is rapidly gaining mainstream acceptance. And to cater to this fast-growing market, meat alternatives are being developed by many different companies, using different ingredients and methods.

With the ever-growing number of investments, acquisitions, and product launches in the still-nascent plant-based meat industry, it might seem as though the meat alternative sector is starting on its path to a self-sustaining scale. Impossible Foods, maker of the cult-famous Impossible Burger, raised an impressive US$300 million in its latest funding round from a diverse set of investors ranging from Horizons Ventures to Katy Perry. Around the same time, Beyond Meat had the highest-performing IPO in nearly two decades. And Tyson, the number-one producer of broiler chickens in the US, just launched its own line of plant-forward, vegetarian chicken products.

ALT LEFT Such faux meats are, of course, made from plant-based ingredients. That is where the similarities end – each manufacturer has its own proprietary process and secret ingredients.

But it has sparked a rush for a humble ingredient: the split pea. More commonly used as dhal in Indian cuisine, split peas are the choice for faux beef, chicken, seafood, cheese, and others. Mintel, the market research firm, reported that 757 new pea-related foods hit the shelves last year. That’s in addition to what’s already out there, including the most famous pea food, the Beyond burger.