World meat industry news

The ESG project of EFKO shareholders Healthy Innovation has made the first deliveries of plant-based meat alternatives to retail chains in the United Arab Emirates. While we are talking about 45 stores of large local chains Union Coop and Aswaaq, said the executive director of EFKO and the head of the Hi! Sergey Ivanov at the Innoprom-2022 discussion "INNOFOOD: Investments in foodtech in the conditions of the" new normal ", The DairyNews was told in the press service of the Group of Companies.

Plant-based meats are represented on UAE shelves in three positions: burger patties, minced meat and meatballs Hi! We are talking about experimental sales in July-September, based on the results of which a decision will be made to expand the geography and assortment.

In general, the opening of the headquarters of the EFKO venture fund Fuel For Growth in Dubai and the increased communication with local investors, entrepreneurs and buyers have helped EFKO to see a new approach to plant-based alternatives.

“In Russia, we have to explain why plant-based meat is promising, why the food-tech technology of alternative proteins and fat biosynthesis has a future,” Sergey Ivanov said during his speech. – There is no such conversation even in the Middle East. Food security there is a national priority. And our technologies make it possible to solve this problem. We set up a biotechnological production near Dubai and get fats and proteins right on the spot. And no one needs to be convinced of the usefulness of such developments.

“Now we are actively introducing Hi! - Sergey Ivanov answered the journalists' questions. – In June, we held vegetable meat tastings in Dammam for representatives of the three largest catering companies, HoReCa distributors and local chefs. In Sharjah, a tasting was organized for the family of the ruling sheikh. We received pre-orders from representatives of the Arab catering.

Innoprom's discussion about foodtech confirmed that industry representatives have many common issues for discussion - from cooperation and the development of industry associations to a profile curator in the Ministry of Industry and Trade and integration into projects to finance the Industry Development Fund. The very fact that the food of the future is represented on a par with robotics, aircraft and mechanical engineering projects confirms the courage and high level of domestic projects. The speakers will continue the discussion of innovations in food at the large INNOFOOD forum. It will be held in September 2022 in Sochi.