Taste with Vitality Foods
Taste plays a crucial role in determining the success of any food product in the market. Consumers are becoming increasingly discerning about what they eat and are more likely to choose delicious and flavourful options over bland ones. In order to compete with traditional animal-based proteins effectively, manufacturers must ensure that their alternative protein products not only meet nutritional requirements but also satisfy consumers’ taste preferences.
A scale up company based in Singapore – Vitality Foods, recently won the Big Idea Ventures accelerator programme competition for its flavour products. InnovationHongKong® attended the event at the Specialty Food & Drinks Asia|Food2Go exhibition at the Marina Bay Sands Expo in Singapore last month (Sept, 2023) and, had the pleasure of catching up with one of the Co-Founders, Raavee Shanker to learn more.
judges tasting
What is Vitality Foods ?
Vitality Foods is a Singapore-based foodtech company developing plant-based food solutions, such as flavour, for the growing silver communities in Asia Pacific.
What was the reason for focusing on the silver communities?
According to World Health Organisation silver communities will be 60 percent of the global population by 2030. As a company with the intent to do good, it is our social mission to create food solutions that cater to the taste preferences and nutritional needs of the ageing communities in Asia Pacific.
The saying goes that “ finding a Co-Founder is like finding a partner in marriage”- how did you find your Co-Founder, Sowmiya Venkatesan ?
I engaged Sowmiya to create some food dishes for a startup I was involved in previously. In 2022, I onboarded her to Vitality Foods as a Co-Founder. Bringing onboard the right people is one of the key decisions of any startup. You need to weigh on the person’s personality as much as their talent,because some people will sink the whole ship just because they can’t be the captain.
Co-Founders Raavee Shanker & Sowmiya Venkatsan
Taste is the essence of developing widescale adoption of alternative proteins – how did you decide on what flavours to produce and why in powder form ?
We identified the profile of products that plant-based companies around the world are bringing to market. Flavour wise, we decided to target meat and seafood options that are widely consumed. A product, we found in powder form allows for more efficient logistics and storage.We believe that companies can also get more creative in how the powders can be further leveraged for new products.
What is the benefit to alternative protein companies to use your flavours instead of developing their own ?
Our range of products serve as a base to impart great taste and flavour for plant-based meat and seafood analogues. They provide a fatty sheen and mouthfeel without adding any fats. We also work closely with alternative protein companies to curate a solution that can be integrated seamlessly with their manufacturing process and cater to the taste palate of the customer demographic.
Currently you have developed specialised flavours for a few companies – can you share a little more about these ?
Our customers are currently based outside of Asia however we have two Singapore based companies in our sales pipeline. One is an otah manufacturer while the other is a startup developing plant-based tuna to be launched in Europe.
[For those not familiar with “otah” -it is a dish of Malay and Peranakan origins with a blend of raw fish, chopped onions, coconut milk, herbs and spices bound together with egg. The puree is usually wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled over an open charcoal fire or in the oven.]
Having won the recent Big Idea Ventures competition in Singapore and, inclusion in their accelerator programme what are you hoping to achieve going forward ?
The consumption of plant-based products is increasing at an unprecedented rate but, delivering the authentic sensory experience of meat and seafood continues to pose a challenge for plant-based food producers. We want to bridge this gap by working with more food manufacturing companies who appreciate the value that our products offer.
Any other hopes for expansion in APAC/global ?
We are a startup with a global focus. Our immediate focus is working with food manufacturing companies in the United States, Europe and Middle East. With better economies of scale, we will be able to offer better value for hotels, restaurants, food services, airlines, etc. and food manufacturing companies are based in Asia as well.
If you wish to get in touch with Raavee & Sowmiya please contact us at [email protected]
and we will connect you.