Heura’s new plant based fish is said to meet all the taste criteria of marine proteins but with 70% lower climate impact, meeting demand from a shifting consumption palate.
- Growing numbers of Europeans are shifting away from animal protein consumption but Heura’s plant based fish may be a first.
- Oceans are the lungs of the planet, storing 93% of the world’s CO2 , which makes addressing exploitation and degradation of marine ecosystems a priority.
- There is growing focus on sustainable food technology architecture as growing demand for food and the critical importance of protecting ecosystems clash.
Heura is moving from land to sea as it expands across Europe, with the release of two delicious new plant-based fish SKUs. The company has worked with third-party auditors to conduct the industry’s first Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for a 100% plant-based fish to push the food industry to a more transparent, informative, and impactful system.
Growing focus on lower animal consumption is changing the food markets
Nearly half, 46% of Europeans are reducing animal meat consumption , with one of the main drivers being to address climate change. This reduction is a great step forward for the future of the earth and its inhabitants, since animal products account for 82% of the carbon emissions of European diets3.
However, as people become more aware of their power to “vote with your fork” this decline in animal meat consumption primarily focuses on beef, pork and chicken, leaving global fish stocks to continue to plummet each year.
In fact, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 70% of the fish population is already fully exploited or completely depleted. Heura introduces fish successors – sustainable Mediterranean inspired foods that don’t disrupt the marine ecosystem, and have 70% less climate change impact than animal fish, because the oceans must be protected.
The importance of addressing marine ecosystems
“Science and data have shown us the importance of keeping marine ecosystems intact, and the best way to do so is to reduce human activity to the minimum,” said chief executive and Heura co-founder Marc Coloma.
“As a mission-driven food-tech startup steeped in rich Mediterranean heritage, we recognised the need to introduce fish successors, so people across Europe can continue to enjoy the foods we love, while minimising the negative impact on the planet and animals. The launch of our 100% plant-based fish is our latest step towards Heura’s ambition of creating a net positive food system by accelerating the transition to plant-based protein and offering sought-after foods with a significantly lower CO2 impact that enables a more just food system.”
What has Heura launched?
After more than a year of research and development, Heura has introduced two new sustainable plant-based skus – F’sh Fillet and F’sh Fingers. Low in saturated fat and rich in high-quality protein, both F’sh Fillet and F’sh Fingers provide 40mg of Omega 3, which supports brain health and vision.
Heura is the first company to conduct a comparative LCA for a plant-based fish, according to the ISO 14040 standard. Comparative LCAs include a critical review by an external review panel to guarantee accuracy.
The study’s preliminary results found that Heura’s F’sh Fillet and F’sh Fingers have more than 70% less climate impact than animal fish. This is just the start of Heura’s foray into plant-based fish, with new SKUs slated to add to the collection next year.
Next steps for Heura
Throughout 2023, Coloma says that Heura will remain ‘laser focused’ on building a net-positive food system throughout Europe by accelerating the plant-based protein transition.
Already the established market leader in Spain, Heura is expanding the plant-based category across Europe and beyond, including Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, Sweden, Switzerland, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and more.
To date, the company has grown the plant based food market in Spain by 70% and the company is filing its first patents, with new technology slated to debut this year. Additionally, new partnerships with major European retailers will be announced in Q1, as well as details on the company’s triple-digit growth.
