77 Foods is one of the startups that was named a winner of the Innovation Challenge at the Future Food Tech Summit. The company stood out for its plant-based tissue that not only resembles meat but slowly releases oil upon cooking. Nicolas Schweitzer, co-founder and chief executive officer of 77 Foods, says, "Animal fat is amazing. It will infuse into the meat and create this intensity and savoriness that is very hard to replicate with plant-based fats." While there are some meatless products on the market that mimic animal fats with coconut oil or pine oil, these ingredients are stable at room temperature and melt when heated. As such, 77 Foods makes its plant-based fat with sunflower oil.
Ultimately, 77 Foods is on a mission to create a whole line of plant-based products that can replace fatty proteins like bacon and lardon.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Plant-based Fat Replacements
- Innovative startups like 77 Foods are creating animal-free fats that mimic the savoriness of animal fats, presenting an opportunity for developed fat replacements.
- Slow-release Oil
- 77 Foods' plant-based tissue releases oil gradually during cooking, highlighting a trend towards innovative food products that improve cooking methods and reduce energy usage.
- Stable Plant-based Fats
- Stable plant-based fats that do not melt at room temperature and can survive high heat cooking are growing in popularity, presenting a potential opportunity for startups to develop alternative ingredients like sunflower oil.
Where This Applies
- Food
- 77 Foods and other innovative startups that are creating plant-based fat replacements are poised to disrupt the food industry by offering high-quality, sustainable alternatives to animal fat.
- Agriculture
- As demand for plant-based fats and meat alternatives grows, there is potential for innovation within the agriculture industry to develop crops and ingredients that can meet these demands and reduce dependency on animal products.
- Sustainability
- The development of plant-based fat replacements like those offered by 77 Foods aligns with the trend towards sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of food production.
