Singapore firm develops meat alternative from plants
‘Veego’ can be sliced, braised, steamed, stir-fried, deep-fried, and cooked in a curry just like the real thing
By Neo Chai Chin
With a protein-rich offering derived from plants, but which tastes like chicken, a Singaporean start-up has set its sights on pleasing meat eaters while incurring a smaller environmental footprint.
Mr Ricky Lin, 35, founder of food technology start-up Life3 Biotech, is looking to attract about S$1.5 million (US$1.12 million) in funding to set up a production facility for his plant-based protein.
Tentatively called Veego, it is possibly the closest made-in-Singapore product to “clean meat”, which has generated excitement abroad among high-profile investors.
“Clean meat”, or cultured meat, is grown from animal cells without the farming and slaughtering of animals. Its close cousin is plant-based protein that tastes like real chicken or beef.
Last month, it was reported that Singapore investment fund Temasek led a US$75 million (S$101 million) investment in American company Impossible Foods, which produces plant-based protein that tastes and looks like beef. The company genetically modifies yeast and uses fermentation to produce an iron-containing molecule called heme, which gives the patty its red colour.