Plant-based meats' popularity takes root in China

Earlier in April, major food-and-beverage chains such as Starbucks, KFC and Pizza Hut partnered with US plant-based meat company Beyond Meat to offer time-limited plant-based pasta, sandwiches and "chicken" nuggets in China.

In July, Beyond Meat worked with Alibaba's grocery-retail chain, Freshippo, to sell its plant-based meat hamburgers in 50 of the latter's stores in Shanghai.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival arriving in less than a month, Kam Wah Gift, a bakery company, has partnered with local plant-based meat producer Starfield to design two mooncakes-rose black truffle and matsutake mushroom-that feature the artificial meat.

More restaurants in Shanghai have been offering vegan or vegetarian dishes with plant-based meat in recent years, says Eve Samyuktha, founder of Plant-Based Consulting.

Since 2016, Samyuktha's organization has been helping restaurants design vegan dishes and promote public awareness by conducting community and public outreach programs such as a vegan challenge and holding plant-based meat festivals.

"We aim to reduce 30 percent of animal-product consumption per restaurant in around 100 restaurants in Shanghai by 2020," she says.

Zhang Lin, executive director of The Natural Step China, a sustainability advisory firm, points out that China is a market with huge potential for plant-based meat companies.

"The recent surge of plant-based meat is a good sign for the environment, but I don't think companies should make environmentally friendly as the only selling point for their products," she says.

"Texture, taste and safety are the basic requirements for all foods, and there is no exception for plant-based meat."