The plant-based food industry is booming, and Singapore is no exception to the trend.
More Singaporeans are interested in “conscious consumption” – becoming aware of the benefits of going plant-based, not just for their health but also for the planet. The number of companies that offer meat alternatives has also been rapidly growing, primarily due to the government’s support for alternative food products over the recent years.
In today’s feature, we’re sharing with you some of the plant-based food brands available in Lion City.
13 plant-based food brands available in Singapore
Quorn
UK-based Quorn makes a meat substitute made from a natural fungus, Fusarium Venenatum, that transforms carbs into protein, resulting in the company’s patented “Mycoprotein.”The company claims that its alternative meat products are high in protein, high in fibre, low in saturated fat, and free of cholesterol.
Products available: Vegetarian Sausages, Vegan Chicken-style Chunks, Soy-based mince, Soy-based alt-meatballs.
Where to buy: Leading supermarkets, including Cold Storage and FairPrice.
Tindle
Manufactured by Singapore-based food tech company Next Gen, the plant-based poultry aims to help the environment by using 74-per-cent less land, 88-per-cent less water, and producing 88-per-cent less greenhouse gas emissions than traditional chicken.
According to Tindle, its patented formulation Lipi delivers the same taste, texture, and aroma as traditional chicken. Furthermore, it is made of non-GMO and non-novel plant-based ingredients, is antibiotic-free, hormone-free, and contains zero cholesterol.
Products available: Alt-chicken ground, in strips, or fillets.
Where to buy: Restaurants including Prive, Three Buns and Empress.
Karana
Karana is Asia’s first plant-based meat alternative made from jackfruit.
The company states the jackfruit’s flesh has a texture and taste that’s “ridiculously meat-like” and versatile enough to blend into any sauce, spice, and seasoning. In addition, it’s high in fibre, has zero cholesterol, and is low in fat.
Products available: mince, shreds.
Where to buy: leading restaurants including Atout and Grain Traders.
Omnimeat
Omnimeat is an innovative range of alt-meats under Green Monday, that produces plant-based food products and frozen meals.
The brand’s products are made from a blend of peas, non-GMO soy, shiitake mushrooms, and rice.
Products available: Alt-pork mince, luncheon, alt pork-strips, alt-tuna.
Where to buy: Supermarkets including FairPrice, ShengSiong, HAO mart, Prime, Yes Natural, Four Seasons Organic & Speciality and Redmart.
Altn
Homegrown alt-meat brand Altn offers a range of plant-based food products, including gyoza and alt-chicken nuggets, using soy protein as the main ingredient.
The company claims to provide the same “great taste” of conventional meat without the environmental impact.
Products available: Meat-free Shaomai, Meat-free glutinous rice, Meet-free gyoza, Meat-free nuggets, Alt-fish fillets, Meat-free bolognese, Meat-free lasagne. Coming soon are meat-free bbq buns, meat-free satay, and meat-free sausage rolls.
Where to buy: Giant supermarket.
Mohjo
Launched early this year, the alternative dairy brand offers alt-milk made from almonds.
According to the company, its dairy-free milk contains 10 times more almonds than other commercially produced brands, making them more nutritious and higher in protein. Its products also don’t use additives, emulsifiers, or refined sugar. Instead, it uses Iranian dates as a sweetener.
The alt-dairy products are made from a Singapore Food Authority (SFA) approved facility.
Products available: unsweetened, sweetened, cacao, mocha.
Where to buy: Mohjo’s website.
Osomefood
Singapore-based Osomefood offers alt-egg and meat products using mycoprotein and plant-based ingredients.
Its egg alternative is made from yeast, almond milk and carrot juice.
According to the company, its alt-eggs contain zero hormones, zero cholesterol and are enriched with collagen.
The eggs have a shelf life of six months.
Products available: Plant-based eggs, plant-based fish.
Where to buy: Osomefood’s website.
Boxgreen
Launched in 2014, the homegrown company offers plant-based crisps and spreads.
The snacks are certified vegan and free from artificial colours, preservatives, gluten, and MSG.
In addition, the company also use recyclable and eco-friendly packaging.
Products available: Coffee Almond Biscotti with Red Quinoa, Honey Mustard Soy Crisps, Pretzel Peanut Dark Chocolate, Sriracha Multigrain Crackers, Umami Shiitake Mushroom Chips, Mexican Rice Crackers with Baked Cashews, Dark Choco Coconut Peanut Butter, Sea Salt Peanut Butter, Coffee Peanut Butter.
Where to buy: Amazon, NTUC Fair price, and Lazada.
Beyond Meat
Beyond Meat, based in Los Angeles, offers plant-based alternatives to poultry, pork, and beef.
Its first product was Chicken Strips, made from gluten-free soy powder and had a chicken-like feel thanks to a food extrusion machine. It was, however, cancelled in 2019 due to negative feedback.
The company then developed beef and pork substitutes from pea protein isolates, rice protein, mung bean protein, canola oil, coconut oil, potato starch, apple extract, sunflower lecithin, and pomegranate powder, as well as canola oil, coconut oil, potato starch, apple extract, sunflower lecithin, and pomegranate powder. Finally, they used beet juice to produce artificial ‘blood.’
This year, the company launched a new alternative chicken product in the form of chicken tenders made from faba beans, pea protein, and wheat gluten.
Products available: Burger, Ground alt-beef, Sausage, Alt-meatballs, Breakfast sausage, Alt-beef crumbles, Alt-chicken tenders.
Where to buy: Restaurants including Porta and Wolf Burgers, and supermarkets.
Heura Foods
Heura is a plant-based firm created in 2017 in Barcelona, Spain, by Bernat Aaos and Marc Coloma.
Soy is used in the production of the company’s products, which have no added sugars, are gluten-free, minimal in saturated fats, and have no cholesterol. Heura’s products are also available in Andorra, Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.
Products available: 100 per cent vegetable Original Chunks, Mediterranean Chunks, Strips and Burgers.
Where to buy: Online, leading restaurants and supermarkets, including Green Common and Mezza9.
Impossible Foods
One of the biggest names in the plant-food industry, Impossible Foods creates its products from genetically altered ingredients – heme (soy leghemoglobin) and soy protein. Its signature product is the Impossible Burger.
According to the company, to replicate the fat in burgers made from beef, it uses semi-dried coconut oil mixed with ground textured wheat and potato protein. The potato protein provides a firm exterior like when meat is seared, while the coconut oil stays solid until heated, offering a similar consistency to fat in cooked meat.
The company says on its website that making its alt-meat products uses 95-per-cent less land and 74-per-cent less water and emits 87-per-cent less greenhouse gas than making a beef burger pattie from cattle.
Products available: Ground burger, Burger patties, Ground sausage, Plant-based nuggets Impossible Beef.
Where to buy: Restaurants including Bread Street Kitchen and Fatburger, and supermarkets.
Hey! Chips
Homegrown snackfood company Hey! Chips offers dehydrated vegetable and fruit snacks.
According to the company, its vegetables undergo the same vacuum-frying process that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) serves its astronauts in space.
Because of this technology, the vegetables and fruits retain their full flavour and nutrients while having a crisp texture without oxidation.
Products available: Banana chips, Mango chips, Jackfruit chips, Pineapple chips, Okra chips, Broccoli chips, Tomato chips, and Onion chips.
Where to buy: Hey Chips! website, VP Label, NTUC Fairprice, Shopee, and Lazada.
Kroodi
Kroodi is an award-winning local brand that offers artisanal vegan alt-cheese made from cultured cashews.
According to the company, all products are prepared at low temperatures to retain their nutrients.
All of its artisanal alt-cheeses are vegan, dairy-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, and cholesterol-free, and do not contain gluten, refined sugar, or preservatives.
Products available: Alt-truffle cheese, Alt-cheddar cheese, Alt-blue cheese.
Where to buy: Lazada, Fair Price Online, Everyday Grocer, and Redmart.
The future of plant-based foods in Singapore
A recent study revealed that sales of plant-based meat in Asia rose by 7.4 per cent last year. It also showed that people from the Asia-Pacific region, which accounts for more than half of the planet’s population, have the strongest interest in plant-based food options globally.
“It is clear that plant-based foods are one of the key priorities as Asian consumers, food manufacturers, and restaurants look to sustainable alternative,” said Bernice Tay, director of food manufacturing, Enterprise Singapore, in a report. “While still nascent in Singapore, we see emerging demand for such alternatives.”
