Healthy Farm, a multi-award winning frozen food brand under the Albatha Group, will showcase a growing portfolio of plant-based products at next week’s Gulfood 2020, to be held in Dubai, UAE.

The event, a leading annual food and beverage trade exhibition, will run from February 16 to 20 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

With an ambitious plan to convert more than 500,000 health-conscious consumers, the accent at Gulfood 2020 will be on new, innovative products intrinsic to Healthy Farm’s plant-based range, said a statement.

Among the more popular items on display at the four day event will be Plant Protein Pea Kale and Quinoa – beef free, Plant Protein Pea Kale and Quinoa – chicken Free for starters, it said.

These vegan-certified dishes will be marketed in regular and spicy versions and made available in burger patties, meatballs, kebabs, mince, and chunks.  With more protein and more fibre, these exciting low-cholesterol meat alternatives sit well on the palate and enjoy the additional advantage of having no preservatives, no monosodium glutamate (MSG) and are without artificial colours,  eggs, soya and  gluten.

In addition to these options to relish and savour, also being introduced at Gulfood 2020 is Healthy Farm’s Chicken Quinoa & Kale with Salicornia burger, a must try item promising 40 per cent less salt added, 25 per cent more protein, four times more calcium, 12 times less fat and 90 per cent less calories than traditional Chicken Burgers.

Aiming to help reduce salt intake, the key Superfood ingredient is Salicornia, a plant that replaces salt and delivers along with Quinoa and Kale, a healthy alternative with high nutritional profile, compared to regular chicken burgers.

Salicornia eventually will be grown locally in partnership with local farmers, as it thrives in salty environments and is already known for its antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Already making waves in the market, Healthy Farm’s new portfolio has garnered three major nominations for the Gulfood Innovation Awards 2020. In the ‘Most Innovative Halal Food’ category is Healthy Farm’s Plant Protein Pea, Quinoa & Kale Burger (Beef Free) and Chicken Quinoa & Kale with Salicornia, with the latter also making it to the shortlist for ‘Most Innovative Meat or Poultry Product’.

Jacek Plewa, general manager, Healthy Farm, said: “These are deeply researched, tried and tested alternatives to meat and these accolades are a real testament to the tireless dedication of our R+D team who strive to give consumers the best in each category.”

“We are no longer in the experimental stage where plant protein food sources are a gimmick or something quaint. These alternatives are impressively gaining preference across the globe as consumers recognize the tangible impact left by nutrition choices on health, wellness, the environment, and animal welfare. Bearing this in mind we anticipate that 15 to 20 per cent of meat consumption in UAE and the region will Plant Based by 2025, and we aspire a 50 per cent share for Healthy Farm’s portfolio of plant based products,” he said.

“Creating a dedicated array of products for the discerning modern food connoisseur that can whet the appetite and yet be healthier than the present meat based products has called for some very innovation-led solutions here in the UAE. Let me just say it is an exciting next step in our quest to help consumers make smarter, informed and sustainable food choices. At Healthy Farm, we use plants and superfoods to reinvent meat, without sacrifice in taste, texture and flavour,” he added.

Plewa is convinced that these products will set the standard for a revolution in food choices that is already in motion. He said, “We have combined pea protein, which delivers high nutritional value and at the same time is hypoallergenic, unlike soya, aqua kale from our own local Aquaponic farm, quinoa and other vegetables and herbs to deliver products that are a delight for the consumer and salutary for the planet as well. We are reaching the point of no return fast, as with the current model of sourcing our food via animals, there will not be enough food for all in our planet in 30 years, to put in simply, and we are already damaging irreversibly our environment and our planet.”

Plewa added that the Healthy Farm brand will be given further impetus as the nucleus of a newly formed entity within Albatha Group. Healthy Farm Food Innovation (HFFI), a new food business vertical dedicated to developing ground-breaking food concepts and products, will address the needs of the region’s growing number of health-conscious consumers across several food categories.

The HFFI will also be positioned so as to enhance Healthy Farm’s partnership with major research and education organizations, schools and universities, liaising with private and government key stakeholders in UAE to ensure sustainable and healthy nutrition and ways of living. To this end, HFFI is already partnering with ICBA, an international, non-profit agricultural research center with a team of international scientists conducting applied research and development to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability in marginal and saline environments.

Plewa reiterated the company’s commitment to adding to the Food Security premise of the UAE by offering nutritious food and doing its bit to create happy and healthy communities. He said the one major fallout of the efforts currently underway is the integration of these plant based options with local farmers and their harvests in an environment that has scarce arable land and water. He concluded by reiterating the fact that plant based diets are hugely relevant when you consider that by 2050 the planet will have 2 billion more people added to the population, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service