WTH Foods, a food tech startup based in the Philippines, has expanded into the plant-based seafood category with new frozen microalgae-based products rich in omega-3s. The company, which has already launched its NPD in the country, plans to launch its vegetarian seafood products – crab cakes and plant-based tuna – in Europe and Southeast Asia, reported Food Navigator ASIA.
WTH Foods claims its new products use microalgae biomass to flavor and deliver seafood. DHA and Omega-3. They are called clean-label, with microalgae and oil as main ingredients, 100% fish-free, without heavy metals or microplastics.
In January, the company said Launched Umani, a frozen plant-based meat brand made with microalgae, soy and wheat proteins. New seafood products join the Umami range, which includes sausages, meatballs, mince, a holiday ham roast, burgers, sisig (shredded meat), and tapa (cured meat).
Europe: Clean-label
As the company plans to expand into completely different markets (Europe and South East Asia), it creates its seafood using ingredients that are attractive to each region.
For the European market, its The R&D team will focus on Clean-label, pea-based products target the growing demand for convenient (frozen) and healthy foods. And to differentiate itself from other brands, it will likely add an Asian flavor to its plant-based tuna.
A report by Data Bridge Market Research predicts that the plant-based seafood market will grow at a significant CAGR of 28.5% through 2029. This shows that Europe currently dominates the plant-based seafood market driven by the growing popularity of veganism. including environmental, health and animal welfare. The latest alt seafood launches in Europe include vegan fish fingers in Germany and vegan sushi in Austria.
Asia: Wholesome tasteless
For Asian markets, the company says soy is still an acceptable source of protein. But for Asian consumers, palatability and taste are essential to entice customers – who typically find healthy food bland – the Filino company said.
The Asian seafood market is also projected to grow significantly during the forecast period due to increasing plant-based offerings with products such as Green Monday’s Onmi Seafood. However, a GFI APAC survey revealed that respondents would not compromise on the taste and freshness of seafood, a challenge Alt Seafood must overcome to win consumer repeat purchases.
At the Umani launch, Carissa Lim, co-founder and CEO of WTH Foods, said: “We hope to raise awareness of nutrition, sustainability and food safety, and find new ways to meet the population’s dietary protein needs.”