Table 3.
The industrialization status of alternative food technologies in Korea
| Company | Description of products |
|---|---|
| Lotte Foods | - In April 2019, the company launched the first “Enature Zero Meat” brand while producing “Zero Meat Nuggets” and “Zero Meat Cutlet” based on wheat protein. - It reproduces the muscle fiber of meat with vegetable protein extruded from whole wheat and embodies the chewy texture unique to chicken. |
| CJ CHEILJEDANG | - Launched “Plantable,” a 100% vegetable product brand certified as vegan. - Using ingredients, such as cabbage, onions, leeks, and vegetable oils, such as canola oil and onion oil, “Bibigo Plantable Wang Gyoja and Kimchi Wang Gyoja” products were developed. |
| Nongshim | - Launched Veggie Garden, a vegan food brand based on vegetable alternative meat. - It has developed products such as “Veggie Garden Crispy Sweet and Sour Pork,” “Veggie Garden Tender Steak with Sweet Soy Sauce,” and “Veggie Garden Vegetable Cheddar Cheese Slice,” which are made from vegetable proteins such as peas, chickpeas, and coconut oil. - High Moisture Meat Analog (HMMA) has been developed that can implement its own meat-like flavor and texture. |
| Dongwon F&B | - Dongwon F&B signed an exclusive supply contract with Beyond Meat of the U.S., which manufactures vegetable meat, in December 2018 and introduced the vegetable meat patty “Beyond Burger” to take the lead in the domestic vegan food market. - Since then, Beyond Beef and Beyond Sausage have been additionally released to expand Beyond Meat’s brand lineup. - Beyond Meat is a 100% vegetable alternative meat product made of protein extracted from beans, mushrooms, and pumpkins. |
| SajoDaerim | - In April 2021, Daelimsun 0.6 Chaedam Dumplings were officially certified as vegan dumplings by the Korea agency of Vegan Certification and Services for the first time in Korea, and the company has been steadily introducing products for vegetarians. |
| UNLIMEAT | - Developed vegetable slice meat products with low fat content and rich protein by utilizing skimmed bean powder and micrograin, which are by-products of grain processing. - It has acquired its own patented technology related to “protein molding extrusion” that can simulate the texture of meat based on vegetable materials. - Applied for a patent on the composition and production method of grain meat that can provide the same texture as traditional meat (Application No. 10-2008-0090169). |
| The PlantEat | - Discoverer of its own pure vegetable raw materials, molecular data analysis, and database (DB) for animal food replacement. - It has developed Eat’s Better Mayo product, which is the only vegan certified product in Korea by the Vegetarian Society of the UK, using domestic medicinal beans, rosemary extract, and lemon concentrate as ingredients. - Based on the data, it developed a 100% vegetable alternative milk “XILK” product by mixing natural ingredients, such as soy protein, sugar apple, and coconut oil, which can mimic the taste, color, and nutrition of milk. - A patent was filed for the method of producing clean-labeled soybean powder with excellent quality by suppressing protein denaturation (Application No. 10-2020-0143195). |
| ALTist | - It launched “Instead of Meat,” a representative vegetable ingredient-based alternative meat brand. - Products such as “vegan marinated ribs,” “vegan jerky,” and “vegan spicy pork stir-fry” are released using vegetable protein extracted from beans and wheat and ingredients, such as dietary fiber, starch, and vegetable oil. - Applied for a patent related to the method of preparing vegetable meat and food composition using soybean without a fishy odor (Application No. 10-2020-0086088). |
| KEIL | - It has developed alternative protein materials, such as dry powder, protein extraction concentrate, and fat extracted from Tenebrio molitor and crickets. - Processing technology was developed to standardize the quality of edible insects using high-temperature hot air and far-infrared rays. |
| Future Food Lab | - Developed a high-protein powder shake product called “more noble savory shake” using oat powder and high-protein powder. - It launched protein bar products using “Future Protein,” an insect protein manufactured by processing soybean separation protein (ISP), brown Tenebrio molitor, crickets. |