The companies aim to develop a range of plant-based meat alternatives derived from pumpkin seed.
Tivol (Tel Aviv, Israel), a subsidiary of Osem-Nestlè Group serving the Israeli market, is now working with foodtech startup More Foods (Tel Aviv, Israel) to develop plant-based meat alternatives made from pumpkin seed for use in food products. According to the companies’ press release, this is Tivol’s first partnership with a foodtech startup.
“The collaboration aims to meet the growing demand for healthy and sustainable food options, leveraging More Foods’ expertise in plant-based technology and the Osem-Nestlè Group’s vast market research,” the press release states. It points out that in Israel, 13% of the population identifies as vegetarian or vegan, with 45% of the population stating that they want to reduce their meat consumption.
More Foods’ pumpkin seed–based meaty products are available in restaurant chains in Israel. Working with Osem-Nestlè Group, More Foods will work to expand international distribution of its products in Europe and the UK.
The resulting ingredients will be rich in fiber and proteins, the companies say. “Allowing More Foods to expand its presence and offer its innovative plant-based products to a larger consumer base, the collaboration puts ‘clean-label’ products on shelves to provide consumers with a healthy and juicy main meal food with a desirable meaty consumption,” the release states. It adds: “Produced from raw materials that are typically found in side streams of the food industry, More Foods’ products ensure a significant reduction of damage to the environment.”