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V2Food seals major China deals, to launch local production

Australian alt-meat producer V2Food has sealed three partnerships in Mainland China, including one with 30,000 distribution points. 

That company is Shuhui, one of China’s largest steamed-bun manufacturers, which will produce a range filled with V2Food’s plant-based ingredients. 

Western-style ready meals featuring the Australian company’s ingredients will also soon go on sale through the Food Vending China network, including plant-based lasagne and sausage rolls. 

Dong Chi, a leader in nutritious weight-management ready meals, which serves more than 200,000 members per month, is the third partner. 

In another partnership, Duoguo, China’s first domestic food-content service platform, with 62 million active users per month and almost 400 million downloads to date, will allow V2Food to reach a vast pool of alt-meat-curious consumers to experiment with new recipes.

“Plant-based meat in China presents huge market potential,” said Cyrus Pan, GM at V2Food China. “As Chinese living standards rise and consumption patterns shift, Chinese meat consumption demand has been continuously increasing, accounting for a quarter of global meat consumption.”

Recognising consumer demand for more protein, V2 has worked closely with Chinese butchers and chefs to develop great-tasting bespoke pork, designed for the Chinese palette. 

“V2 is the perfect choice for local partners looking to diversify their consumer offerings with a tasty plant-based alternative while staying true to cuisine that’s culturally relevant,” said Pan.

Nick Hazell, V2Food’s founder and CEO, sees China as a huge opportunity for the business given it is now the world’s largest consumer of meat. 

“We share our new partners’ ambition to build a better food future while paying homage to China’s rich heritage of Asian cuisine.”

The two-year-old company launched in China last June, and has been working hard to adapt its offer to the local palate. The recipe of its core V2Mince is different in China from the Australian version and the company has created ready-to-cook products, tailored to suit consumers cooking and eating more at home post-pandemic. Now the company is focused on expanding its scale in China, including local production of V2Dumplings, V2Buns, V2Lasagna, and V2 Pork Rolls.

Hazell says the company will be looking to work with more partners, focusing on quick-service restaurants, foodservice, and catering channels across a range of Chinese and Western-style dishes, as well as developing online and offline retail channels.

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