A popular Floridian steakhouse has introduced a new item to its menu, a filet mignon that looks and tastes like beef but is actually made from simple, plant-based ingredients. Created by Israeli startup Chunk Foods, this meatless whole cut is crafted using cultured wheat and soy, coconut oil, and natural colors and flavors.
Chunk Foods utilizes a proprietary fermentation technology to replicate the texture, color, and taste of traditional meat. According to Chunk CEO Amos Golan, this technology distinguishes the company from other alternative protein companies. He explains, “We’ve created a product that resembles meat to a much greater extent than anything that’s been out there in the market. And fermentation is really the ‘secret sauce’ to create these flavors.”
Fermentation is a natural process in which microorganisms convert sugar and starches into products such as carbon dioxide or alcohol. In Chunk’s case, food-grade microorganisms consume a blend of soy and wheat flour to produce high-protein products in a matter of days. After the fermentation process is complete, the remaining ingredients, along with iron and Vitamin B12, are added.
Chunk is just one of many startups in Israel’s rapidly expanding alternative protein industry. According to the Good Food Institute Israel, the local industry has attracted over $1 billion in investment in the last two years, second only to the US. Last May, the startup gained the attention of American actor Robert Downey Jr., whose climate tech venture capital firm FootPrint Coalition contributed to a $15 million seed funding round.