当今市场上有许多基于植物性的肉类选择，但是Planterra的首席执行官达西·麦肯（Darcey Macken）一直想创造真正不同的东西：消费者想要用刀和叉子吃东西的物品。
本月晚些时候，使植物性肉成为更正式的板块选择的产品来自Planterra。JBS USA的植物性肉臂正在推出一系列真正的咬合植物性的鸡肉肉排和碎片，该公司表示，这是整个肉或碎肉的质地和外观。
Macken said Planterra has been working on these new products for about a year and a half. The company has had a dual focus as they have developed the technology, processes and ingredients for its True Bite products in a way that fits with the rest of Planterra's Ozo brand of plant-based meats.
“It is still very much focused on ingredients, nutrition and simplicity, but in a unique way to create [it]," she said. "It's almost a craft, small-batch, artisan type of way to manufacture and process and create this new flavor in food in a True Bite sense, where you feel like, 'Wow, this is unique.'"
尽管Planterra的全部削减正在今年年初上市，但自去年6月以来，Conagra Brands的Gardein在市场上也有类似的产品。Gardein的终极基于植物性的Chick'n系列包括植物性的菲力，招标和掘金。
Jill Dexter, vice president and general manager of Gardein, said that since eight in 10 plant-based meat buyers also eat traditional meat, the brand has been working to develop products that provide a similar experience.
“重要的是要获得整个肌肉的体验，以便他们进入类别，他们的品尝是真的，非常美味和熟悉的东西，然后他们呆在类别中，也许每周一次无肉星期一，” Dexter说。“这种味觉体验真的很重要，这就是我们在这里努力的。”
到目前为止，这些产品与消费者引起了共鸣。在头六个月中，最终的基于植物的Chick'n平台带来了2200万美元的零售销售。德克斯特说，最受欢迎的产品一直是菲力。
Plant-based meat whole cuts have long been a food science challenge. They often involve different processes, different ingredients and different ways to put together the product. But these first examples — two out of several expected to hit the market in 2022 — have been worth the struggle, the companies said.
“We're along for the long ride," Macken said. "We're not just in it for short term, quick hits, quick innovation. We really want to build something special here."
Planterra: Reaching for a high bar of consumer acceptance
Talking about other entrants in the current plant-based chicken nugget segment, Planterra's Macken stumbled as she came up with the right words to use.
“It's kind of a tough word but, [it's], like, emulsified, right," she said. "It's a different type of dry extrusion that you hydrate."
Ozo's new True Bite Plant-Based Chicken isn't like that, though, Macken said. The company uses a proprietary high-moisture extrusion technique to make a plant-based alternative that looks, shreds and has a mouthfeel like actual chicken. She said this process and the craft that goes into the products is the main differentiator between True Bite Plant-Based Chicken and other poultry alternatives. The ingredients are mostly the same as Ozo's other chicken-alternative products, just put together in a way that makes them seem more like the actual meat. True Bite Plant-Based Chicken is still pea-based and has the distinctive来自霉菌技术的发酵蘑菇菌丝体。麦肯说，真正咬植物的鸡肉碎与炸肉排非常相似。基础是相同的，但是过程和调味剂有所不同。
“我们知道，我们必须要钉子，这是必须保持一致的，这是质地和整体饮食经历：香气，如何准备它以及如何在盘子上吃它。”
达西·麦肯（Darcey Macken）
CEO, Planterra
Macken said the True Bite products have undergone more consumer testing than most others. Those who seek plant-based chicken cutlets are more likely meat eaters, so Macken said the bar is much higher.
麦肯说：“我们知道我们必须要钉住，这是必须保持一致的，是质地和整体饮食经验：香气，如何准备它以及如何在盘子上吃它。”“……[我们有30次迭代。“
True Bite Plant-Based Chicken isn't a product that's necessarily been created to steal marketshare from traditional poultry. Since Planterra started, Macken has said the brand's goal is toprovide more options to consumers。就真正的咬合植物性鸡肉而言，给消费者的信息与简单地提供与传统牛肉更有营养的蛋白质选择不同。麦肯说，毕竟，人们经常选择鸡肉作为更健康的肉类选择。她说，Planterra的计划是传播一个信息，即True Bite可以为他们提供所需的鸡肉体验，但胆固醇较少，纤维更多。
True Bite Plant-Based Chicken is priced similarly to other plant-based poultry options, Macken said, and the goal is to make it as accessible as other similar products. And, she said, the innovation that started with True Bite Plant-Based Chicken will be on display in future Ozo products.
“这只是开始,“Macken说。“If you think about how many different types of food forms as well as flavors we can work our way into. I think this is so important in this category, with innovation of just finding, testing and learning, being able to be flexible and nimble enough to figure out what's working and what's not working, all with that consumer focus of bringing solutions to the table."
Gardein:使用移动拖的先发优势ard more innovation
Gardein had been working on its Ultimate Plant-Based Chick'n products for about a year before they hit shelves, Conagra's Dexter said.
Clint Johnson, director of research and development for Gardein, said the products had to meet three standards. They needed to be juicy like actual chicken. They needed to pull apart into shreds, which actual chicken can do. And they needed to have a breading that is similar to what consumers expect from a premium frozen chicken product. It was an R&D challenge, Johnson and Dexter said.
约翰逊说：“基于植物的空间的问题是您会从植物性蛋白质中得到的回味，因此[您需要]处理。”“处理……[纹理]：您想要多肉。这就像植物性蛋白质中的新词一样。您需要多肉类才能像真实的东西一样。”
The succulence and texture come partially from the process. Johnson would not go into detail about how Gardein makes its Ultimate Plant-Based Chick'n, but said they use high-moisture extrusion processes. Making the Gardein Chick'n product into something that works as a whole cut, he said, was the result of "smart formulation work."
正确的面包屑也很困难。即使加德因的终极植物性鸡肉产品仅在杂货店出售，但约翰逊说，他们努力模仿QSR鸡肉三明治和掘金上发现的面包屑：质感，脆皮，酥脆，并补充内部肉类模拟的味道。
As a brand that's been in the plant-based space for decades, Dexter said Gardein is used to having first-mover advantage on a variety of products and watching competitors try to catch up. The brand is highly focused both on what consumers want and how to use food technology to make it happen, so the consumer knowledge, tech capability and manufacturing capacity can keep them ahead of the curve.
但是，她和约翰逊说，其他人会赶上该产品。Gardein已经在计划接下来将在哪里使用该技术，该品牌一直在努力改进其所有产品。
“One of Conagra's core strengths and competencies is our capabilities within frozen meals — single-serve meals and multi-serve meals," Dexter said. "So how can we provide this great taste, texture, fibrous kind of real meat experience in some of those more convenient, complete meal solutions? I think that's our goal as we think about innovation and leveraging this technology: How do we continue to expand the variety within the space for our consumers?"
