Plant-based wagyu beef developed for vegetarian food market

Wagyu beef made from plants, developed by an Australian joint venture, has been described as “nonsensical” by the Australian Wagyu Association.

Protein protagonists: Farm-grown Wagyu beef has been developed using Japanese cattle genetics, while vegetarian Wagyu beef (pictured) has a soybean protein base.

THE development of Wagyu beef from plants for the vegetarian food market has been described as “nonsensical” by the Australian Wagyu Association.

JAT Oppenheimer Pty Ltd, a joint venture between Australian Securities Exchange-listed food company Jatenergy Limited and family-owned ingredients manufacturer Oppenheimer Pty Ltd, is trialling the plant-based Wagyu meat in restaurants in China with the aim of further refining them for the Asian vegetarian food trade and sale in Australian supermarkets.

JAT Oppenheimer is also trialling other plant-based products, including hot pot meatballs, pork and beef minces and chicken strips, in Chinese restaurants and major food chains.

Jatenergy managing director Wilton Yao told The Weekly Times there was a lot of interest in the products from overseas markets and the major Australian supermarkets.

Mr Yao said the Wagyu beef had a soyabean protein base with the natural flavour developed by Oppenheimer. It was also high in fibre.

“Oppenheimer have a long history in supplying good recipes for the market,” he said.

“They have been involved with Hungry Jacks in plant-based burger development.”

HAVE YOUR SAY: Can plant-based food describe itself as Wagyu? Comment below.

Mr Yao said Jatenergy was already producing a range of infant formulas and milk powders for the Chinese market, including the world’s first camel milk powder fortified with lactoferrin.

He said there were a lot of companies in the world developing plant-based meats but Jatenergy realised it had to develop something different if it was to survive in the market.

He said most companies developing plant-based meats were focused on hamburgers and sausages for the vegetarian market.

“So we decided to try making hot pot beef meatballs for the hot pot restaurants in China,” he said.

“Next, we will try to make a pork and seafood meatballs as well.

“We are also looking at developing plant-based barbecue style beef.”

Australian Wagyu Association chief executive Matt McDonagh said Australian Wagyu beef was a quality product developed over 30 years from Japanese genetics and it was nonsensical to compare it to a plant-based copy.

“I can’t see how the integrity of a mass produced manufactured product would really stand up at all in the Wagyu market,” Mr McDonagh said.

“In general, it has been difficult for consumers to accept the robustness and integrity of manufactured food products when there’s a strong drive for natural protein sources and not manufactured protein sources.”

Peter Hemphill’s family holds shares in Jatenergy.

MORE

DELAY ON $900k ANTI-ACTIVIST CAMPAIGN

AG BUREAUCRAT QUITS AS ACTIVIST LINKS CONFIRMED

COUNCIL CONSIDERS ACTIVIST VIEWS ON PROPOSED PIGGERY