Ocean Hugger Foods will be debuting its innovative plant-based sushi products, Ahimi and Unami, to the UK market at the upcoming 2019 Hyper Japan Show in London ( July 12-14). Developed to match the taste and texture of fish through a patent-pending technique, the vegan alternatives are marketed as conveying a real “seafood experience” without further depleting wild stocks.

Plant-based foods are gaining recognition as a potential solution to significantly mitigate environmental stress and stem the rapid onset of meat production-related climate change. This is adjunctly influencing NPD in companies seeking to green-up their portfolio.

Innova Market Insights data shows that meat substitutes accounted for 11 percent of new meat product launches (meat, poultry and meat substitutes) reported in Europe in 2018, up from 9 percent in 2013. The global picture shows stronger growth, with 14 percent of meat launches in 2018 being meat alternatives, compared to 6 percent in 2013.

Ahimi, Ocean Hugger’s flagship product, is a plant-based alternative to raw tuna made from tomatoes and other simple ingredients. Ahimi is ideal for use in a variety of dishes including sushi, nigiri, sashimi, ceviche, tartare and poké.

Unami is a plant-based alternative to freshwater eel, or unagi, made from eggplants and other simple ingredients including gluten-free soy sauce, mirin and algae oil. Unami is a ready-to-use product that is suitable for sushi and rice bowls, as well as more innovative dishes like Japanese-style pizzas and tacos.

Both products are made using Ocean Hugger’s patent-pending process, which changes the texture of the vegetable to resemble that of its seafood counterpart. The vegetable is then marinated to infuse it with a rich umami flavor. Both products are vegan and gluten-free.

“Both products were inspired by Japan’s traditional sushi culture and are a great alternative for chefs who want to provide their guests with dishes highlighting the natural texture and experience of sushi, without the negative environmental impacts of wild or farmed seafood,” says James Corwell, Certified Master Chef and Co-Founder of Ocean Hugger Foods.

The fish-free products are sold exclusively in the US and Canadian foodservice sectors, for restaurants and sushi counters to incorporate into a ready-to-eat dish. Ahimi and Unami will be available to the foodservice sector in the UK in autumn 2019, each packed in six kilogram cases consisting of 12-500 gram trays. The company targets an eventual rollout onto retail shelves.