Vegan eggs could crack China market amid coronavirus outbreak as food companies seek animal-free protein sources
- US-based Just, which makes plant-based egg products, is fielding a wave of inquiries from Chinese food companies amid the virus outbreak
- China is viewed as a major growth market for producers of animal-free protein products, including Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat
A San Francisco-based start-up making imitation eggs from mung beans is fielding a wave of inquiries from some of China’s bigger food manufacturers.
“Some of the biggest companies, larger food manufacturers, including some that are backed by the state government, are proactively reaching out … about now wanting to partner,” he says. China’s producers are viewing the current climate as a time for more quality-controlled food, he confirms.
While Tetrick declined to name the companies, he says that authorities are trying to think about how to reduce the risk of future outbreaks by curbing China’s reliance on meat from confined animals. The country’s wet markets, where freshly slaughtered, unpackaged meat is sold, have been identified as a possible source of the outbreak that has claimed more than 3,200 lives and disrupted businesses in its global spread.
Even before the outbreak, China was already experiencing protein shortages thanks to the spread of African swine fever (ASF) and its impact on pork supplies. The country is viewed as a major growth market for producers of animal-free protein products, including Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.
