Fake salmon may soon be coming to a restaurant near you — if you're willing to eat it. New School Foods is launching plant-based salmon sold in whole, raw pieces unlike most of the burger patties and nuggets flooding the plant-based meat-replacement market.
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Though some vegan salmon is already on the market, New School Foods says its version stands out for cooking up just like the real thing. But don't look to buy it at the supermarket anytime soon.
The product is being first introduced in restaurants, where 70% of seafood is eaten and where the company hopes chefs will help fine-tune it. If customers enjoy eating fake salmon when dining out, it's likely they'll begin asking for it to surface in the grocery store.
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The cost of real fish, including salmon, has skyrocketed, so the real benefit of the fake stuff may be a lower price, unlike fake-meat alternatives, which generally cost more.
And New School Foods isn't the only brand in the game. Plantish hopes to begin selling plant-based salmon in restaurants nationwide starting in 2024. Other competitors in the fake seafood business include Gardein, Good Catch, and Sophie's Kitchen.
Some experts predict the sector could become a $1.6 billion business over the next 10 years, as consumers search for seafood alternatives that are kinder to the environment. But the burning question is: Can faux salmon satisfy diners' appetites even if it's cheaper?
