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Dive Briefing:
- Swiss food technology company Planted plans to expand its fermented whole steak product, which debuted in France on Monday, to a global stage.
- The steak was originally launched in foodservice outlets across Europe and then retailers in Switzerland and Germany. The product has now made its way into French restaurants and some supermarkets.
- The company made a major investment in its fermentation capacity in March, creating 30 new jobs at its production plant in Kempthal, Switzerland.
Dive Insight:
Steak products are whole muscle cuts of beef tenderloin protein made with ingredients such as soybeans, rapeseed oil, soybeans, rice and a proprietary blend of microbial cultures.
Planted is one of many companies using fermentation to create alternative protein products. Juicy Marbles, Chunk Foods, Meati Foods, and Umami are just a few of the companies making “whole cut” alternatives to traditional meat.
Planted touts its products as being high in protein, fiber, low in saturated fat, high in iron, and high in vitamin B12. The brand describes its “planted.steak” as the first of its kind: a beef tenderloin style made entirely from plant-based and natural ingredients.
Co-founder Pascal Bieri said the company worked with more than 50 food experts to create its products.
In October, the company will showcase its steak products on the world stage at the 60th anniversary of SIAL Paris, a biennial event that is considered the world’s largest food fair. The event will be a way for Planted to reach more consumers in the European market.
“I would say the UK is most like the US. There has been a downturn in the category over the last few years. The big companies, the traditional protein companies, have come in without much concern for product quality and the repeat business hasn’t been very good,” Bieri told AgFunder News in a previous interview.
The CEO also said the company's strong presence in the foodservice sector has helped it gain access to certain retailers, which he said are more selective than ever.
