Forget fish, move on from meat: plant-based products as an opportunity for the foodservice and hospitality market
Whether it is sausage and cheese, fish and meat or even eggs, the range of vegan alternatives to animal-based foods is growing rapidly and the level of quality has improved significantly in recent years. This trend is being driven not only by the fact that more and more people are eating vegetarian, vegan or a growing amount of plant-based food, but also increased interest in animal welfare, origin and the use of resources. These developments are the reason that plant-based alternatives are increasingly being offered, with alternatives to meat or fish using plant-based protein sources replacing the familiar classics.
‘Plant-based protein alternatives are now more varied than ever and virtually indistinguishable from the original in terms of appearance, flavour and texture,’ confirms Katleen Haefele, Director of Corporate & Institutional Engagement Germany at ProVeg International, a nutritional organisation committed to reducing the consumption of animal-based foods. ‘They offer the catering and restaurant industry a decisive advantage in that they cater to all dietary habits and preferences of guests,’ she adds. ProVeg will have its own booth at INTERNORGA 2024, where it will advise visitors on how to increase the proportion of plant-based foods in their diet.
INTERNORGA 2024 will feature numerous exhibitors offering tasteful inspiration when it comes to plant-based products. These include producers of innovative plant-based and cell-based foods, such as Wunderfish GmbH, which will be presenting 100% plant-based, protein-packed fish alternatives made from seaweed and broad beans. The Berlin-based start-up received the INTERNORGA Future Award in 2022 for its pioneering business model. The founders of Perfeggt, on the other hand, have made it their mission to create the perfect ‘vegan egg’. Using state-of-the-art scientific processes, Lovely Day Foods GmbH produces an egg substitute from pea protein. The production process is much more resource-efficient and generates fewer emissions than the animal-based original.
From strong Parmesan to the country’s signature cheese, feta, and mild mozzarella, the Greek company Upfield produces a wide range of vegan cheese alternatives under its Violife brand. These offer a fully plant-based source of protein that is sold to the foodservice and hospitality market as well as bricks-and-mortar retailers. Beyond Meat is another pioneer in the field of plant-based products. Founded in California in 2009, what was once a start-up has long since achieved global recognition and was honoured with the INTERNORGA Future Award this spring. Benjamin Döring, Senior Brand Manager DACH at Beyond Meat, says: ‘The INTERNORGA Future Award reaffirms our mission as a company to produce plant-based meat that tastes just as good as the original, but is better for the future of our planet.’
A shift in culinary culture? Cultured meat and fish as a sustainable source of protein
Is climate-friendly full (meat) flavour without animal suffering a contradiction in terms? Not any more, as ambitious start-ups have developed special processes to cultivate meat products from animal cell material. Also known as in vitro or cell-based meat, it involves taking stem cells from animals, cultivating them in a laboratory and then processing them into new meat products. This method does not involve animal slaughter and is thus considered both cruelty-free and reduces CO2 emissions. Hybrid concepts that combine animal and plant-based ingredients are also on the rise. The first producers are using special 3D printers that can reproduce the desired product almost identically. The company Redefine Meat, which develops ‘New Meat’ products for the catering industry, has been a pioneer in this field for many years. Visitors to INTERNORGA in March 2024 will have the opportunity to find out more about the technology behind cultured meat and fish products.
INTERNORGA FoodZoom 2.0 as a foretaste of INTERNORGA 2024
Having been presented live in previous years, the 2024 edition will see FoodZoom published in writing for the first time, in six parts: ‘The publication as a trend analysis gives us the opportunity to cover the topics in even greater detail and present them in such a way that they are understandable and accessible to everyone,’ says internationally recognised food trend researcher Karin Tischer from food & more in Kaarst. Tischer has identified five trends exclusively for INTERNORGA. On ‘The Future of Proteins’, Karin Tischer says: ‘The question of how to meet people’s protein requirements with a sustainable, climate-friendly diet is more topical than ever. In view of aspects such as climate change, animal welfare and changing diets, e.g. healthier or “plantarianism”-based eating, new protein sources are becoming increasingly important. Pioneering technologies offer promising and tasty solutions as well as diversity that will also shape the foodservice and hospitality market of tomorrow. The need to optimise certain products will keep the market dynamic.’
In addition to the chapter on ‘The Future of Proteins’, Karin Tischer will present short analyses of four other trends in FoodZoom 2.0. All the topics have an impact on the foodservice and hospitality market and will be part of an exhibition or trend area at INTERNORGA 2024. In addition, the 2024 edition of the leading international trade fair will offer a comprehensive overview of industry innovations in a total of ten halls. Visitors will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, share knowledge and network in the OFF THE RECORD Afterwork Lounge and at the INTERNORGA Open Stage, which will feature Karin Tischer’s Pink Cube, which is also all about food trends, for the first time in 2024.
About INTERNORGA
INTERNORGA is the leading international trade fair for hotels, restaurants, bakery and confectionery. As an annual meeting place for those industries, it will take place from 8 to 12 March 2024 on the grounds of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH. National and international exhibitors will present their products, trends and innovations for the entire foodservice and hospitality market to trade visitors. The trade show is accompanied by international conferences, an extensive supporting programme, and innovative industry competitions.
Further information can be found on the website www.internorga.com and on the INTERNORGA LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook social media channels.
Press material for download: hmc.canto.de/b/S47OF
Press releases: www.internorga.com/en/infos/press/press-releases
