Shanghai, China-based Z-Rou Meat, a brand of YouKuai Group, has formed a strategic cooperation with seafood supplier IS Seafood.
Z-Rou Meat, which launched in China in November 2019, delivers plant-based “meat” products to mainstream restaurants, while business-to-business supplier Shanghai-based IS Seafood has a network with top restaurants in China, Z-Rou said in a press release.
“When Z-Rou approached me, I was immediately sold, not only about the product but also about the love and passion from the team,” IS founder and CEO Big Stefansson said. “I feel IS Seafood and Z-Rou Meat are much aligned on our core values and where we want to head in the future. We are looking forward to introducing this futuristic and tasty product into our network.”
Twenty-year-old IS Seafood sources sustainable seafood from Iceland, a Z-Rou spokesperson told SeafoodSource. Its products include North Atlantic cod, langoustine (scampi), and mackerel.
“We all care about the future. We all care about our health. We care about our children. We feel it’s important to reduce meat consumption based on environmental factors,” Stefansson added.
Z-Rou Meat is made with 100 percent plant ingredients, including non-GMO soybeans, konjac, coconut oil, and shiitake. The end product is 87 more efficient in terms of environmental impact compared to traditional pork production, according to Z-Rou.
“YouKuai Group holds the vision of empowering consumers and chefs with tasty and sustainable plant-based meat alternatives. With Z-Rou Meat, people with different dietary habits can sit together at a dining table and enjoy the same food, while being more environmentally responsible,” Z-Rou said.
Z-Rou Meat Founder Yao Franklin said he envisions Z-Rou “as a global brand from China to serve the entire world, to empower customers who want good food and make choices to do more good.”
When Franklin visited the United States last year, he drew inspiration from eating plant-based foods such as Impossible burger and Beyond Meat sausage.
“It struck him that somebody was going to do this for China, for ground pork, and for Chinese dishes like mapo tofu, dumplings, and for Lion’s Head meatballs, and it should be started from Shanghai. He founded Z-Rou Meat afterwards, and is happy to see growing momentum for this space with the likes of Omnipork entering China,” Z-Rou said
Photo courtesy of Z-Rou Meat
