“What if your deli meals were healthy, delicious and completely animal-free?” That is the question Plantcraft, a plant-based protein innovator start-up from Hungary is looking to provide.

Plantcraft has raised US$ 150 million from X-Ventures Gamma Venture Capital Fund to launch its plant-based deli product range in the US market, according to Forbes.

The venture capital investment will enable Plantcraft to take a share of the growing flexitarian market in the USA where the meat-free meats are overwhelmingly purchased by non-vegetarians and non-vegans.

Plantcraft Innovations Ltd. has developed a meat-free range of cold cuts using natural plant protein sources and unique ingredients. All of the products are vegan, soy-gluten-free and additive-free.

Second generation meat substitutes

After years of research, the two founders, Katalin Ohens and Csaba Hetényi, now offer a clean alternative to the world-famous Hungarian brand of salami as well as pepperoni, ham and pâté. They have developed “second-generation meat substitutes”. The plant-based products they offer are completely soy, gluten-free and additive-free, and comprise many varied pseudocereals, musaceae plants, legumes as well as herbs and spices.

“Our food technology expert team has developed a method that is vastly different from conventional plant-based meat analogue production,” says the Company. The unique method enables the Company to create highly nutritious products “without stabilisers, hydrocolloids, emulsifiers; synthetic acidity regulators; flavour enhancers and artificial colourings; or fillers and hydrolysed components.”

They began product development based on the recipe of a Hungarian biotechnologist researcher, and have since worked in collaboration with a Berlin incubator company, Proveg Incubator and the CEU (Central Europe University) Innovations Laboratory in Budapest.

“The initial product line includes rustic patties, pepperoni salami and ham slices, from which the patties are fully prepared and the latter are in the final stages of development. Hopefully, in a month or two they will be finalised and launched in the United States” says Csaba Hetényi, co-founder of Plantcraft.

The product range includes hickory ham style deli slices, farmhouse style pâté and pepperoni salami slices. The company claims that they are “lant-based, clean label and absolutely delicious”. As someone who grew up with a love for Hungarian salami, I for one cannot wait to try it.





