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Move into the future with plant-based foods

As the demand for plant-based/vegan food grows, opportunities abound for food production companies worldwide to expand their product base with the help of innovative cooking machinery. Gold Peg is a local Australian company with the global experience and technology for your project.

The numbers speak for themselves…

According to the latest research from PLAY Market Research (PLAY MR), 37% of Australians are actively reducing their meat consumption, while 10% are dedicated vegans or vegetarians. A Google Trends analysis also has Australia as the country with the second highest popularity globally for the vegan diet in 2020, behind the United Kingdom.

The tide is turning on a global scale

Dave Kelsey, vice president of US-based Holmen Cheese, says plant-based foods are not a fad; they are a movement. “I think plant-based foods are going hand-in-hand with society. Consumers are looking for – and moving to – foods with sustainability… and are being driven towards a healthier lifestyle.”

French cheese giant, Groupe Bel – home to The Laughing Cow and Boursin brands – have recently announced a new business strategy that will place plant alternatives at the centre of the company’s future. Plans are afoot for a new brand fully dedicated to plant-based products, which is big news in the cheese world!

Solving problems here and now

In the past, vegans and vegetarians have been frustrated by the lack of nutrient-rich plant-based foods. Thanks to innovative technology – such as the batch and continuous cooking machines from Gold Peg in Australia – production methods have become more refined, and this issue can be remedied by adding vital nutrients during the manufacturing process.

The Natec Network have been actively participating in the plant-based market for a substantial time now. We’ve been addressing its needs by developing our cutting-edge food technology for the recipe specifics and performance”, said Thomas Haas, Managing Director of Natec Network (The powerful group to which Gold Peg belongs.)

The case to fulfil the needs of plant-based eating consumers

The reasons people are making the move to plant-based products are also growing. Whether they are vegetarians, flexitarians, vegans, animal rights activists or people with other related convictions, they all need real animal-product alternatives to eat.

Such as vegan cheese!

Vegan cheese products can come in a whole range of formats including spread, portions, IWS (Individually Wrapped Slices), SOS (Slice On Slice – generally for commercial use) and jar to name a few.

We have broad experience in the production of high quality, innovative vegan cheese products through our direct affiliation with the Hochland Group. They are known traditionally as one of the largest cheese manufacturers in Europe, but have taken the bold step to diversify into plant-based products.” Thomas Haas added.

An exciting development in dairy-free products

Hochland, the parent company of Natec Network, and one of the biggest cheese companies in Europe, has invested in the Israeli-based start-up, Remilk. Using microbial fermentation, Remilk has successfully produced proteins that are identical to animal milk proteins in taste, consistency, appearance and functionality, which can be used to produce an entire range of dairy products. Hochland sees Remilk’s fermented proteins as a promising basis for manufacturing innovative and sustainable products into the future.

First-class equipment for plant-based food production, right here in Australia

As a pivotal partner of the Natec Network, Gold Peg provides diverse and innovative cooking solutions to food manufacturing companies all over the world for production rates from 100 kg/h up to 10,000 kg/h.

Plant-based products including vegetable puree, fruit puree, baby foods, pasta sauces, cheese without dairy, dressings, mayonnaise and more, can all be made with Gold Peg batch and continuous cooker equipment.

Need plant-based products that are homogeneous, chunky, fibrous, with special emulsions or ingredients? Gold Peg offers over 30 cooking systems that feature a wide variety of flexible and controllable processing abilities to suit every requirement.

Gold Peg also offers the M4E (Magnet for Emulsion) to further elevate the productivity of plant-based foods. The M4E is brand new innovative technology for the efficient creation of emulsions and dispersion that are more often than not a vital base of many products.

Opportunity awaits!

For food manufacturers, entering into the production of plant-based products is a chance to develop the existing market potential and be at the forefront of food technology.

No matter what stage of business you are in, whether new to food production, or as an extension to your product offering, everyone can join the global club of leading food producers with Gold Peg’s cutting-edge cooking solutions, designed and made in Melbourne, Australia.

Get in touch to see how Natec Network can support your plant-based product project with full service manufacturing solutions tailored to your business.

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