As meat analogues rise in popularity, we check in with these plant-based advocates on their thoughts on meat alternatives
More people are discovering the benefits of veganism and vegetarianism, particularly in this region. A 2020 Zion Market Research report indicates that in five years, the Asia Pacific region will hold the largest share of the global plant-based market due to the region’s familiarity with soy-based vegan proteins as well as rising environmental consciousness.
Transitioning to plant-based diets can be challenging in the early stages. It is perhaps for this reason that the market for mock meats, or meat analogues, are thriving.
See also: 4 Malaysian Vegans On the Benefits Of Plant-Based Diet
In the aisles of urban supermarkets, upmarket brands such as Beyond Meat, Vegie Delights, OmniMeat, Impossible Foods and Uncut are mushrooming; in mid-2020, Malaysian food tech firm Phuture Foods launched a vegan mince pork product, Phuture Mince, for Singaporean restaurants. The following year, Nestlé unveiled its first plant-based meals factory in Selangor for the Southeast Asian region.
Couple Aina Fazlin and Faisal Mansor are among many Malaysians who recently made a switch to a plant-based lifestyle. According to Aina, they started removing meat from their diet after their first-born child started having health issues.
“Back then, the choices available for meat alternatives were only the ‘mock meats’ that we could get from vegetarian outlets but we avoided eating those as it was still considered processed foods,” says Aina.
“About three to four years ago, we saw the market for meat alternatives growing here in Malaysia. Vegan items from other countries also started becoming more accessible and affordable. There were more choices of meat alternatives made from beans, lentils and mushrooms. So we started trying some of them.”
Aina believes her and her family’s health have improved since starting their plant-based lifestyle. She does not mind consuming meat analogues, as long as they are not highly processed and eaten in moderation.