ISRAEL – Israeli food tech innovator Redefine Meat has launched its 3D-printed vegan flank steak in retail outlets across the UK and Switzerland, with plans to enter the Dutch market soon.
Following a successful debut in food service sectors spanning over nine countries, Redefine Meat’s plant-based steak is now available at Ocado in the UK and Coop in Switzerland.
Dutch consumers will soon find it in Jumbo, Albert Heijn, and Crisp, with Germany and Italy slated for future releases.
Zee Ahmad, Ocado’s senior buyer of frozen food, expressed enthusiasm about the addition: “We’re excited to expand our offerings to include the first premium-quality plant-based steak in our range. Since its launch in late 2023, the product has performed well and received excellent reviews from our customers.”
Redefine Meat’s flank steak, a key product in its ‘new-meat’ line, is touted as a premium, chef-driven item praised by both industry professionals and consumers.
Introduced in 2021, these products are available in over 4,000 foodservice locations across Europe, as well as in retail stores in the UK, Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands.
Made from a blend of wheat, soy, and potato protein, along with soy and wheat flours, rapeseed oil, cornstarch, natural flavorings, maltodextrin, barley malt, salt, and colorings, the steak undergoes a unique 3D printing process at Redefine Meat’s Dutch factory.
This patented additive manufacturing technique, described by the company as ‘Plant-Based Tissue Engineering,’ breaks down textured vegetable protein (TVP) into fibers, then combines them with a dough made from soy or pea protein isolates.
This method allows the product to closely mimic the texture and flavor of beef.
The steak’s innovative production process, which reconstructs the meat-like fibrous structure and encapsulates fats within a hydrocolloid matrix, addresses the growing consumer demand for improved taste and texture in plant-based meats.
Esteemed chefs like Marco Pierre-White and Ron Blaauw have endorsed the product, which aligns with findings from a 10-country survey indicating that taste is a crucial factor for 53% of European consumers of vegan products.
Globally, 75% of consumers value the texture of plant-based meats as much as traditional ones, though only about 60% are satisfied with current offerings.
For all the latest food safety news from Africa and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
