3 Mins Read
Hello Fresh, one of the largest meal-kit brands in Australia has decided to expand its vegan offerings to address the growing demand for plant-based meat in the country. Consumers can now opt for a carbon-neutral plant-based mince from homegrown company Fenn Foods.
Setting a standard for other meal delivery services
Germany-based Hello Fresh, which is the largest meal-kit provider in the United States along with a massive presence in Australia has decided to include Fenn Foods’ vegan offerings in its meal kit.
The Australia-based Fenn Foods offers meat alternatives under its brand called “veef”, which is a first of its kind in the plant-based sector. The product offerings include plant-based burger patties, meatballs, bacon bits, and pulled beef. They are mainly created using soy protein, pea protein, vegetable oil, and cocoa butter.
By teaming up with carbon reduction institute Noco2, Fenn Foods has made its offerings carbon-neutral by offsetting its emissions by investing in renewables and environmentally-friendly projects.
Hello Fresh chose Fenn Foods given that the company is carbon neutral certified and its sustainability vision aligns with the brand. Through its meal kit, consumers will have the opportunity to taste the brand’s vegan mince which will be incorporated in the ‘Chilli Cin Carne’ dish, with more recipes to follow soon.
Read: Australia Rejects ‘Certified Humane’ Labelling On Animal-Based Products
People are more interested than ever in the ethical and sustainability issues behind their food and so we’ve seen a massive rise in demand for our plant-based meat range
Alejandro Cancino, co-founder and CEO of Fenn Foods
Australia’s burgeoning demand for plant-based meat
According to a report by the Australian alternative protein think tank Food Frontier, the plant-based meat sector was worth AU$185 million in 2020 alone (approx. US$142 million). In addition, leading restaurant chains and retailers almost doubled their plant-based meat offerings in response to one-third of Australians who are looking for ways to limit their meat intake.
“People are more interested than ever in the ethical and sustainability issues behind their food and so we’ve seen a massive rise in demand for our plant-based meat range,” said co-founder and CEO of Fenn Foods, Alejandro Cancino in a statement. “This trend is set to continue as large brands like Hello Fresh begin to invest in their vegetarian and vegan offerings.”
Cancino has trained at Mugaritz in Spain, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in England, and at Bulgari in Japan. In the past, he received awards like the Young Chef of the Year in the UK, Best New Talent in Australia, and Chef of the Year in Queensland.
In the past, Hello Fresh partnered with leading plant-based meat giant Beyond Meat to offer the company’s Beyond Burger in its meal kit for consumers across North America. Hello Fresh has even launched an online store called HelloFresh Market in the U.S. offering consumers breakfast options, fresh produce, and groceries.
To drive the growth of Australia’s alternative protein sector, a new group has launched called the Alternative Proteins Council (APC) with some of the founding members including local vegan companies like Proform Foods, v2food and Rogue Foods. along with major players like Nestlé Australia, and U.S. based alt protein pioneer Impossible Foods.
Read: Australia’s alternative protein sector poised for exceptional growth thanks to homegrown superstars
Lead image courtesy of Fenn Foods.
Author
