The buzz at Food & Hotel Asia 2022 in Singapore last week appeared to center around the alternative protein pavilion. It was hard to determine whether the crowd and interest was due to the novelty of the offerings or the free samples that were being freely distributed. Still, we must acknowledge that it is fast becoming an important feature within the ‘protein’ mix.
Chong Nyet Chin, Director of Food Safety and Quality at Singapore’s NTUC Fairprice, contends that alternative proteins still have a long way to go to become mainstream as prices currently too high, and they do not emulate meat enough in terms of palatability, texture, nutrition, and ingredients. Yet traditional animal protein producers like CP Foods, Thai Union and Tyson are investing heavily in this segment.
