This image provided by Ottogi Co. shows the food producer’s plant-based canned UNTUNA Basil.
SEOUL, March 20 (Korea Bizwire) — Alternative seafood is drawing increasing attention in South Korea, reflecting a social atmosphere oriented towards a plant-based diet for health and sustainability.
Dongwon F&B Co., a South Korean food producer recently unveiled a canned tuna product under its newly-released alternative vegan brand My Plant.
The tuna product is made of soybean protein and canola oil, and is therefore cholesterol-free.
Food giant Ottogi Co. launched canned vegan tuna made of bean protein in June last year. Compared to existing canned products, Ottogi’s vegan tuna features a reduction in calories and cholesterol content.
Competition is also heating up to develop alternative seafood.
Local startup HN Novatech is preparing to commercialize new products after developing a vegan alternative to mackerel made from amino acids, fatty acids and purslane extracted from seaweed.
Another startup CellMEAT succeeded in developing a cell-cultured shrimp in late 2021. Although it’s not a vegan product, it belongs to the category of alternative seafood.
According to market researcher Euromonitor, the size of the world’s alternative meat and seafood market grew from US$4.76 billion in 2020 to $6.07 billion in 2022.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
