Recent reports of African Swine Flu, along with other concerns such as the coronavirus, have driven the demand for plant-based bacon – according to vegan meat company Sunfed.
The brand debuted its ‘boar-free’ bacon into New Zealand supermarkets last month – where it reportedly sold out in just two days.
Sunfed says it has ‘had to keep working at production’ after consumers were buying the meat-free product ‘by the tray’.
‘Aware of the risks’
“COVID-19 has led people to be much more conscious and aware of the risks that their food can bring,” CEO and Founder of Sunfed Shama Sukul told FoodNavigator-Asia.
“Apart from [the pandemic], there have also been other concerns such as microbes like salmonella and campylobacter and African Swine Flue – all of this already combined to drive consumer demand for our plant-based products.”
Meatstock
Earlier this year, Sunfed made its first public debut at Meatsock – a festival that is often referred to as New Zealand’s ‘biggest carnivore event’.
In a statement sent to Plant Based News, Sukul said: “Who doesn’t want bacon with all the taste and none of the bad stuff? Sunfed Bacon will actually love you back.
“These products are game-changers, a world-first – try and find anything as good as this in the global market. You can’t. New Zealanders know how to do protein.”