We are beginning to become increasingly aware of the impact that our current diet generates on the environment: including high levels of meat consumption contributing to the climate crisis, the unsustainable carbon footprint of certain products and the gases produced by intensive farming that are altering the ecosystem as we speak.
We now face the challenge of changing our diet and finding alternative sources of protein: whether its plant-based milk, alt meat, or even sustainable fish, we find ourselves following a trend created by challenger brands like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and Ripple.
The era of animal protein, with its environmental and ethical consequences, is giving way to a new era of alternative protein. And who has joined this wave of change?
- CHICKP
ChickP is an Israeli startup that has just developed a chickpea protein supplement offering high nutritional value. Its plant-based protein was created with the purpose of improving dairy options and meat substitutes. ChickP uses what the company describes as “patent pending technology to extract up to 90% pure protein from chickpea seed.”
ChickP will soon launch a line of chickpeas designed for plant-based alternative dairy products. These alternative chickpeas offer traits that help alternative dairy producers overcome challenges in processing, as well as increase consumer acceptance and demand for nutritious and tasty products.
- JUST
JUST is a food-tech company that creates its eggs from mung beans and turmeric. The product has proven popular with those looking for a healthier alternative to eggs. The JUST egg contains neither cholesterol nor GMOs, and offers 5 grams of protein per serving. Some interesting facts: the “Breakfast Sandwich” has 20 percent more protein and 65 percent less saturated fat than its animal counterpart. The best of all? This plant-based egg caters to those environmentally conscious as it requires 70 percent less water and has 40 percent less carbon footprint than a normal chicken egg.
- MEATABLE
Dutch startup Meatable has just bagged a $10 million investment round. Its mission? To develop a lab-grown pork chop by 2020, will they succeed? We hope so! The startup makes its meat using technology based on the 2012 Nobel Prize winning study of how cells develop.
Meatable has really set itself aside from other companies. Its team hopes to produce a whole pork chop, while other companies are more focused on developing beef, chicken, and seafood.
- NEW WAVE FOODS
The San Francisco-based startup New Wave Foods has created a 100% vegetable, sustainable, vegetarian, kosher, zero-cholesterol laboratory shrimp…did we miss something? New Wave is making shrimp from plant-based protein and red algae. The best of all? It tastes just like the original. This not only prevents overfishing, but also human slavery in the seafood supply chain.
Oh we forgot to mention..Google just placed an order!!!
- PERFECT DAY FOODS
Is it possible to create dairy products with a lower carbon footprint and zero cultivation? Yes it is! Perfect Day Foods produces milk proteins by fermenting milk yeast with sugar. How? Adding plant-based nutrients, fats and sugars. Since 2014, co-founders Ryan + Perumal’s mission has been to manufacture a more efficient type of dairy product, and thus create a more sustainable food system for the planet.
What does flora-based dairy mean you might ask?
It means dairy produced in a sustainable way using less water, energy, greenhouse gas emissions and land. It means cruelty-free dairy produced without the use of factory farms.
It also means dairy free of hormones, lactose, cholesterol and pathogens. The best of all? It is extremely delicious and tastes just like cow’s milk.
- SOYLENT
Soylent is a food supplement that turns a complete meal into customizable powders and nutritional bars that offer only 100 calories. Because they use plant-based proteins, making Soylent requires less water and produces less CO2. Their beverages reduce food waste with a one year shelf life and do not require refrigeration until opened. Their mission? Fight hunger and food insecurity. As part of its #SoylentForGood initiative, the company has donated 1,6 million to food banks and other organizations.