Dishes made from plant-based meat are available in some Chinese markets. The artificial meat is promoted as it's good for health and the environment. (XING YI / CHINA DAILY)
The plant-based meat trend has been gaining momentum in China, as evidenced by the increasing number of options available in the market.
The artificial meat is made from extracted proteins from different plants, such as beans and legumes, and has been associated with healthy eating and sustainability as these products require fewer resources to produce compared to raising livestock.
About 160 supermarkets around China started selling microwavable meals featuring plant-based meats by Hong Kong-based food-technology company OmniFoods on Aug 27.
I learned about plantbased meat in the news three years ago, but this is the first time I’m cooking it
Gu Chao, executive chef at hotel Le Sun Chine in Shanghai
The meals, which include sticky rice in lotus leaf, pumpkin stir-fried noodles, multigrain rice with assorted vegetables and "pork" with mushrooms, are priced at 32 yuan (US$4.69) for a 220-gram pack. They can be found in supermarket chains such as Ole', City Super, Parkson, Metro, Sogo and Apita.
Over at hotel Le Sun Chine in Shanghai, executive chef Gu Chao has created two dishes with plant-based meat－Shanghai-style meatballs with pumpkin filling and pancakes with "meat" toppings－for the launch of Omni-Foods' products in City Super, a high-end supermarket in Shanghai.
"I learned about plant-based meat in the news three years ago, but this is the first time I'm cooking it," Gu says. "It doesn't have the strong smell of a normal bean product, so I found it easy to use as a substitute for meat. There is no need to add special condiments."
Jiang Yijing, a consumer who sampled Gu's dishes, says: "I have dined at vegetarian restaurants but this is the first time I'm tasting plant-based meat. It's quite new to me. I think either traditional vegetarian dishes or plant-based meat are good for health and the environment."
David Yeung, the founder of OmniFoods, says that raising pigs, which account for 65 percent of all meat consumed in China, significantly contributes to greenhouse-gas emissions, water consumption and pollution.
"When consumers choose plant-based meats, the savings in water consumption, land use and greenhouse-gas emissions is well over 90 percent," he says.
"Many studies have estimated that plant-based meats will account for 10 percent of the meat market in 10 years. We see that as highly achievable."
Earlier in April, major food-and-beverage chains such as Starbucks, KFC and Pizza Hut partnered with US plant-based meat company Beyond Meat to offer time-limited plant-based pasta, sandwiches and "chicken" nuggets in China.
In July, Beyond Meat worked with Alibaba's grocery-retail chain, Freshippo, to sell its plant-based meat hamburgers in 50 of the latter's stores in Shanghai.
With the Mid-Autumn Festival arriving in less than a month, Kam Wah Gift, a bakery company, has partnered with local plant-based meat producer Starfield to design two mooncakes－rose black truffle and matsutake mushroom－that feature the artificial meat.
More restaurants in Shanghai have been offering vegan or vegetarian dishes with plant-based meat in recent years, says Eve Samyuktha, founder of Plant-Based Consulting.
Since 2016, Samyuktha's organization has been helping restaurants design vegan dishes and promote public awareness by conducting community and public outreach programs such as a vegan challenge and holding plant-based meat festivals.
"We aim to reduce 30 percent of animal-product consumption per restaurant in around 100 restaurants in Shanghai by 2020," she says.
Zhang Lin, executive director of The Natural Step China, a sustainability advisory firm, points out that China is a market with huge potential for plant-based meat companies.
"The recent surge of plant-based meat is a good sign for the environment, but I don't think companies should make environmentally friendly as the only selling point for their products," she says.
"Texture, taste and safety are the basic requirements for all foods, and there is no exception for plant-based meat."
