synthetic meat

WTF is Quorn and why did it make me hurl? A search for the (fake) meaty truth

by

After a bite of schnitzel sends her running to the toilet, Julie Hill dives into the murky world of Britain’s favourite meat substitute. It was late in the evening and my stomach was empty. I was on my way home after a slightly depressing trip to the hospital, hungry but too weary to cook from … Read more

Cheat sheet: The rise and rise of plant-based eating 

by

New research has found a third of New Zealanders are actively reducing their meat consumption or have cut it out entirely. What’s this nonsense? Meat and three veg all the way for us Kiwis, surely? Apparently not – a newly released study found 31% of New Zealanders can be categorised as flexitarian or meat-reducers, while a … Read more

Why ignoring plant proteins and hoping for the best isn’t an option for NZ farmers

by

Late last month, John Hart attended the ProteinTech 2018 conference and got thinking about New Zealand’s agricultural future. I was at the ProteinTech 2018 conference held in Auckland in late July – the first of its kind, and judging by the response, definitely not the last. Among the 200 plus attendees were representatives from traditional … Read more

Sunfed Foods is making meat-free ‘meat’ an option for everyone

by

Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week Simon talks to Shama Lee of Sunfed Foods about how meat-free meats shouldn’t just … Read more

How genetic modification helps the Impossible Burger take flight

by

Air New Zealand caused a storm by announcing the ‘Impossible’ Burger will be made available to a tiny sliver of customers – a move described as an ‘existential threat’ to the meat sector by NZ First’s Mark Patterson. And genetic engineering is central to the synthetic meat’s success, explains Dr Siouxsie Wiles This week, Air … Read more

Fight back against the fake-meat traitors and live like me, a true NZ patriot

by

Air New Zealand has been lambasted for serving Business Class passengers a burger without meat in it, which is obviously an assault on the NZ economy. Here The Spinoff’s leading New Zealander, Madeleine Chapman, recounts the day in the life of a true patriot  Every night, before I slide beneath my All Blacks™ duvet cover, … Read more

Sunfed Meats is scaling up as its ‘beef’ and ‘bacon’ prepares to hit shelves

by

Following the raging success of its chicken-free chicken, Sunfed Meats has announced its expanding production, with cow-free beef and pig-free bacon also on their way. Carolyn Robinson loved it. Nigel Latta loved it. And judging by its Facebook page, every vegan in the country seems to love it as well. Since Sunfed Meats launched earlier this year, … Read more

‘Alternative proteins is not a new concept’: Beef + Lamb NZ on the threat of synthetic meat

by

Beef + Lamb NZ’s Nick Beeby responds to a recent Spinoff column predicting that synthetic proteins will lay waste to our farming sector. Food strategist Dr Rosie Bosworth is not wrong in her comment piece about the challenge ‘synthetic’ proteins pose to New Zealand’s agricultural sector – but sheep and beef farmers, and our exporters, … Read more

Synthetic meats are on their way, and our farmers are going to be left behind

by

‘Fake’ animal proteins are set to disrupt world markets – and much faster than our agriculture industry is anticipating, argues food strategist Dr Rosie Bosworth. New Zealand’s agricultural sector has been having a rough time of late. If waking up to a centre-left government wasn’t enough of a nightmare for most Kiwi farmers, then the … Read more