A Japanese food manufacturer has introduced an "alternative tuna" made from plant-based ingredients, with the claim that the product contributes to the preservation of tuna stocks in the ocean. Such fish is extremely popular in Japanese cuisine.
NH Foods says the product is based on "konnyaku": made from ginger and other ingredients. The company says it took six months to develop the flavor and texture of the product to make it resemble fish. NH Foods plans to offer the "tuna alternative" to businesses starting in April.
In addition, the company has developed vegetable rassolnik, which mimics the flavor of pork broth, and Korean steaks with soybean meat. The company aims to achieve sales of plant-based products of 10 billion yen by 2030, which is the equivalent of $68 million. NH Foods says this product line is part of their strategy to meet the diverse demand for food as the world population grows.
Research firm Fuji Keizai predicts that the global alternative food market will grow to $44 billion by 2030, four times the 2022 volume.
