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The Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Authority (APEDA) has facilitated the shipment of a container of plant-based meat alternatives to the United States.
About 13 tonnes of jackfruit-based products of Wakao Foods’ were shipped to the US from Kochi port last week, marking a significant milestone in the plant-based movement in India, APEDA said. The flag-off was attended by Rajesh Agrawal, Chairman, APEDA, Vinod Kumar Vidyarthi, General Manager, APEDA and Sairaj Dound of Wakao Foods and other industry stakeholders, a release said.
Wakao Foods is a Goa-based start-up which produces plant-based meat alternatives mainly from jackfruit. Wakao’s exports to the US included various products derived from jackfruits, such as American herbs sausages, Raw Jack, BBQ Jack and Teriyaki Jack, among others. “This is the largest consignment of jack fruit based products to the US,” Sairaj said, adding that the second shipment would be done in the next 10 days.
The company sources jackfruit from states such as Karnataka and Kerala and processes them at its factory in Kochi. Wakao has been exporting jack-based meat alternatives to Dubai, the Netherlands, Norway and Singapore.
Rajesh Agrawal, chairman of APEDA, emphasised the importance of globalising indigenous inputs like jackfruit to diversify the protein supply and combat protein-related malnutrition in India. Unlocking the potential of jackfruit supports plant-based movement and brings economic benefits to the jackfruit growers by augmenting their incomes, APEDA said in a statement.
APEDA has been actively promoting plant-based meat products and intends to expand its export basket with more choices in this category. The successful export of Wakao Foods’ full container load is a testament to the growing popularity of vegan foods in developed countries. The high nutrient value, rich fibre content and absence of cholesterol in vegan food products have made them attractive alternatives globally, it said.
Wakao Foods has worked for the past eight months to decode the taste and palate of the US market and develop specifically suitable products, including ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat options. Their flagship product is jackfruit meat, catering to the growing vegan trend. Launched in 2020, Wakao Food has achieved 25 per cent monthly growth.
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