It’s all hotting up in the world of plant-based diets. With Quorn recently sold, nut milks continuing to grow, and seeds, grains and beans fast entering the snack and treat world, it’s fascinating to witness the gold rush around businesses that are looking to create even more of these sustainable, delicious plant-based brands and product ranges.
Pinging into my inbox this week were at least two new plant-based egg alternatives, the Vegg ‘Veg Scramble’ being one of them. Apparently Clara Foods is developing a chicken-free egg white, too, which would go perfectly with The Vegg’s vegan egg yolk and make brilliant scrambled egg!
Elsewhere, US food start-up Hampton Creek continues to garner attention, with its no-egg mayo now a hit in mainstream retailers such as Walmart.
Indeed, mainstream traction for plant-based diets is a noticeable trend overall. No longer are these products the reserve of vegans alone - they are being pitched as great, better-for-you alternatives with an added feelgood factor in general.
Non-egg mayos are a particularly interesting sector. Aside from Hampton, we all know about Just Mayo, but Avèyo, an avocado-based mayonnaise I recently tasted, was such a great product. Made only with Hass avocado, white vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and lime juice, what a great alternative to egg-based options if you are seeking to go egg free! How can you not make the switch when it has a fifth of the fat and a third of the calories?
As for new plant-based meat alternatives, jackfruit is a new one on my radar this month. GBV (Global Village Fruit) had the vision to convert jackfruit wastage in its native Southern India into a delicious, nutritious food with a natural meaty texture.
Sustainably sourced, non-GM, low-calorie, gluten, nut and dairy-free, it’s pretty good and supposed to be a bit of a miracle crop. The positive impact on people and the planet these options will have is unquestionable.
Hemp is the other hero plant protein source everyone seems to be talking about, which I believe will drive significant growth in plant-based diets.
Good Hemp seems to lead the way in the UK with its pure hemp-based ranges. It will be great to see more hemp-based products and snacks; after all, it’s a super-easy to digest source of protein and has the closest omega profile to fish oils.
I think this plant-based revolution we are experiencing at the moment is just about to tip into the mainstream. It’s now a question of just how long it will take until there’s a plant-based alternative to most, if not all the traditional, typically animal-derived foods.
Claire Nuttall is founder of the Brand Incubator
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