Gathered Foods is launching new plant-based seafood imitation products, and Something Better Foods has received a new round of funding from investors.
Austin, Texas, U.S.A.-based Gathered Foods has rolled out Plant-Based Breaded Fish Sticks, Plant-Based Breaded Fish Fillets, and Plant-Based Breaded Crab Cakes. Developed to recreate classic nostalgic comfort foods, the new lineup offers a “delicious plant-based solution to bycatch, mercury contamination, and overfishing,” Gathered Foods said in a press release.
“These new products are here to positively disrupt the seafood category while delivering comparable protein and the same taste and texture as their animal-based counterparts,” it said.
The retail market for plant-based food analogs is now worth USD 7 billion (EUR 5.7 billion), Gathered Foods said, citing data from the Good Food Institute, a trade group representing plant-based food producers.
"This nascent industry, which is ready to surge, presents an immense opportunity for our brand," Gathered Foods CEO Christine Mei said. ”As we continue to grow, our focus remains on creating craveable plant-based seafood alternatives that deliver on taste, texture, and comparable protein. With our new breaded line, we took fan-favorite seafood products consumers know and love, and transformed them into great-tasting, ocean-friendly alternatives.”
After garnering USD 18 million (EUR 15 million) in funding earlier this year, New York City-based New Wave Foods recently introduced its plant-based shrimp analog to North American restaurants and foodservice outlets.
In addition, Vallejo, California, U.S.A.-based plant-based protein maker Something Better Foods recently obtained a USD 500,000 (EUR 409,000) investment to help it continue its growth.
The supplier’s line of plant-based analogs, which it sells under the Better Chew brand name, include “Fried Fish,” “Chicken Nuggets,” and “Sausage Patty.”
Something Better Foods’ sales have increased rapidly through both foodservice and direct-to-consumer channels, the company said in a press release
Sixty-two percent of Americans are familiar with plant-based seafood, according to a recent Good Food Institute (GFI) report. After learning about plant-based or cultivated seafood, 42 percent of consumers found plant-based seafood appealing and 43 percent would consider purchasing it in the future, the report found. Thirty-five percent of those surveyed found cultivated seafood appealing and 38 percent would consider purchasing it in the future, the report discovered.
Alternative seafood enthusiasts are more likely to be flexitarian and pescatarian than the general consumer, according to the report.
“Alternative seafood is therefore already appealing to groups beyond vegans and vegetarians,” GFI said.
Photo courtesy of Something Better Foods
