OmniMeat is the latest product to hit the markets for those opting to move towards a plant-based lifestyle. Produced by Hong Kong-based Green Monday, the multi-faceted social venture aims to take on the world’s most pressing crises of climate change, global food insecurity and public health.
We speak to one of its co-founders, David Yeung to find out more about the business, and its latest offering, OmniMeat.
Tell us a bit about Green Monday.
There are many problems our world is facing: climate change, food insecurity, public health issues and population explosion. The nexus of these urgent global crises is the food industry, or more specifically our overconsumption of meat. The Green Monday movement was established to provide a common platform that institutions and individuals can join to contribute to sustainability and health. While I believe that education and empowerment must go hand in hand. We cannot advocate sustainability just by telling people what NOT to do. We must come with innovation and provide a new solution, which is where Green Common and OmniMeat come into the picture.
Today, the Green Monday movement has expanded to a multi-pronged social venture model with offices and advocates across Asia, the UK and USA. We have created and continue to innovate revolutionary products such as OmniMeat that both educate and provide practical solutions to sustainable living.
How do you inject the ‘meat’ texture and flavour into OmniMeat?
OmniMeat has more of the meat texture and cooking applications than flavour. In fact, the flavour is quite neutral, which allows chefs to season or marinate it however way they want. Many meat eaters like OmniMeat exactly because they dislike the original meat flavour. The traditional mock meat is targeted more for the vegans/vegetarians and most likely can’t satisfy hard-core meat eaters. These new generation plant-meat companies have elevated the technology and quality to the level that can win over meat eaters.
Which is the brand’s closest competitor?
Our real competition is the meat and dairy industries. So the success of all plant-based brands and companies only add more fuel and momentum to the overall global movement. That said, in the case of Green Monday and Green Common, we have been building an ecosystem and platform since Day 1. We are the turn-key distributor and strategic investor for numerous plant-based brands such as Beyond Meat, Califia Farms and Alpha Foods. We share our established retail and F&B network and branding & marketing know-how to them, with the goal to accelerate their entry into the various Asian markets. Ultimately, with both our own brand and the ones we distribute, we are creating a one-stop destination both for end consumers and for retail and restaurant partners. As for more authentic Asian food, our own OmniFoods range caters to such need. This holistic and synergistic platform has proven to be an incredibly effective model to spearhead this new generation plant-based food category to the various markets.
Then what sets apart OmniMeat from other plant-based alternatives?
The most obvious is our Asian focus, while most of the plant-based innovations are for Western food, OmniMeat is designed specifically with Oriental culinary applications in mind. We are based in Asia, so our direction on R&D from day one is to develop new innovations that will fit into our ways of cooking and eating.
How healthy are OmniMeat products?
OmniMeat is so much more superior to meat in terms of lower fat, no cholesterol, GMO-free, hormone-free and antibiotics-free, yet high protein, even higher in calcium and iron.
What is the goal of the brand?
Our motto is to “make change happen, make green common.” With Green Monday, we have created the movement to motivate people to go plant-based at least one day per week. Meanwhile, with Green Common, we have created a one-stop lifestyle destination for people to try innovative plant-based products from around the world. Last but certainly not least, with OmniFoods, we are innovating new products that cater to Asian palettes and needs. We hope to catalyse the world towards a healthier and more sustainable future.
The OmniMeat Mince, OmniMeat Luncheon and OmniMeat Strip, available for consumers to purchase in selected supermarkets and retailers across Malaysia, which includes Ben’s Independent Grocer, Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer, Oliver’s Gourmet, and selected AEON supermarkets, as well as eateries Nourish by Kenny Hills Bakers and Botanica+Co.
