German-based food company Veganz recently opened a new facility especially for production of its vegan plant-based salmon analog slices in Neubrandenburg, Germany in response to high demand for plant-based seafood alternatives.
The "Veganz Salmon Style Slices" consist of algae smoked over beechwood to emphasize what the company calls an authentic plant-based seafood flavor. The company said the Veganz Salmon Style Slices salmon contain more omega-3 fatty acids than its animal-based counterpart.
“We are delighted to be able to cover this year’s planned production volume of Veganz Salmon Style Slices through this temporary production facility,” Founder and CEO of Veganz Group AG Jan Bredack said. “At very short notice, we have managed to find a solution that means we can meet the growing demand for innovative alternatives to fish by Veganz as a part of our interhouse production by using our machines that are already installed on site and by employing new members of staff.”
In addition to the company’s focus on plant-based seafood, Veganz has another factory devoted to plant-based cheese, and in 2011 the company opened Europe’s first vegan supermarket in Berlin. In 2015, Veganz started production of their own brand such as vegan meats, cheeses, premade meals, and snacks. The company has expanded since 2011, having opened three additional supermarket locations and distributing hundreds of products available for purchase in more than half of all the European countries and more than 22,000 stores internationally.
Within the first six months of 2021, alternative seafood companies raised USD 116 million (EUR 110 million) according to the State of the Industry Report by Good Food Institute.
Bredack said as time goes on, the demand for products like those offered by Veganz will continue to increase thanks to shifting demographics.
“The aging of younger generations plays an important role since the number of vegetarians and vegans, as well as flexitarians, is particularly high in the younger generation," Bredack said.
