According to 2019 statistics, about 4% of the population in the U.S. reports not eating meat, in addition to adhering to a vegan or vegetarian diet. This dietary and lifestyle trend is only experiencing growth over the past half decade, and not just in the U.S., Israel also reports a nearly 5 times increase in vegan/vegetarians over the past decade. This is one of the reasons that the country dubbed the ‘Startup Nation’ is playing such a key role in the slaughter-free alternative meat market. Israeli startup Zero Egg joins the alt-meat party with a plant-based alternative to everyone’s favorite morning protein boost.
An egg without the egg
Zero Egg is part of the growing foodtech trend of providing new ways of consuming plant-based products. The startup is developing two main products that aim to replace the eggs we eat with a product that’s accessible to everyone, while also helping reduce the negative footprint that mass producing live-stock has on climate change.
Zero Egg are attempting to change the poultry egg producing market with their two leading alt products. Egg Basics - an replacement for eggs in popular dishes like omelettes, scrambled eggs, and quiches; and Egg Bake - an alternative ingredient for cakes, cookies, pancakes, and more.
Both products come in powder form, and contain protein from plant-based alternatives, such as chickpeas, soy beans, and peas. By dropping a bit of water and oil, the plant-based alternative is set for your baking quest.
With production based in Tennessee, the company is initially aiming its product line to the American vegan/vegetarian market, in addition to the organic foods market. Zero Egg CEO Liron Nimrodi says that the company will begin marketing for consumers at sometime next year.
The company reports that production of its alternative protein powder saves over 90% in energy consumption, from the water and vast space needed to raise the chickens. Furthermore, the company claims that its egg-like powder also reduces greenhouse gas emission by up to 60%.
Series A in the books
The startup announced the closing of a $5 million Series A funding round. The investment was led by Powerplant Ventures, with participation from existing investors Valor Equity Partners, Unovis Asset Management, and Straus Group’s The Kitchen FoodTech Hub, which also recently invested in another Israeli foodtech startup aiming at revolutionizing the ingredients in our favorite snacks.
Zero Egg was founded by CEO Liron Nimrodi and COO Amiel David in 2018, and has raised around $8 million to date. The company intend to invest the newly acquired funds in expanding its U.S. market penetration efforts.
