A food startup has launched the first plant-based meat produced in Asia. KARANA has created an entirely plant-based ‘pork’ made from young jackfruit and is giving six of Singapore’s most popular restaurants the first taste test. The product hits tables at a time when more people across Asia are looking for meat alternatives.
As the first plant-based meat produced in Asia, KARANA will be competing with overseas options, including Beyond Meat and OmniMeat, that have been floating around various countries in the region for more than a year now.
The Singapore food startup has created a product it believes is tailored for discerning Asian palates looking for a guilt-free meat alternative to pork. KARANA uses jackfruit that is sourced responsibly from small holder farms in Sri Lanka for its ‘pork’. There were several reasons behind this choice.
“Sustainability has never been more important, especially when it comes to food, and our first base ingredient was carefully chosen with this in mind. Jackfruit is an extremely efficient crop with high yields and low water usage making it friendly to smallholder farmers,” Dan Riegler, KARANA co-founder, stated. “It is typically grown intercropped, promoting biodiversity. 60 percent of jackfruit is currently being wasted, a contributor to global warming, so with KARANA we’ll be reducing that wastage, while working with farmers to support the local economy.”
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The plant-based meat produced in Asia only available at Singapore’s best restaurants
KARANA is launching in Singapore with the startup selecting six leading restaurants to serve the first plant-based meat produced in Asia. Popular eateries Candlenut, Butcher Boy, Open Farm Community, Morsels, Atout and Grain Traders will be giving diners their first taste of this ‘pork’.
“At Candlenut we believe in using the best possible ingredients and keeping things simple, which is why we’re thrilled to be a launch partner for the first whole-plant based meat substitute in Asia, KARANA,” Malcolm Lee, Chef and Owner of Michelin starred Candlenut, said. “We’re looking forward to introducing our new KARANA dish to diners, to offer them all the texture and flavor, without any processing.”
Interesting Analysis
Plant-based meat is already becoming big business in Asia and KARANA is certainly entering the market at the right time. The startup received USD1.7 million in seed funding last year and the launch is a proof of concept move more than a true entrance. The hope here is that Singapore’s best chefs can make the not-meat meat popular with eaters before scaling up.
