Innovation That Matters

The Karana jackfruit | Photo source Karana

Jackfruit ‘pork’ company offers sustainable meat alternative to Asian market

Food & Drink

Singapore-based company Karana’s aim is to create a sustainable meat alternative, as well as help out small farmers

UNLOCK THIS INNOVATION AND MUCH MORE…

Become a member today and get early access to the ideas transforming our world from just £39 per month*

Exclusive member benefits:

  • Access to over 13,000 innovations
  • Monthly horizon scanning reports
  • Exclusive feature articles

Already a member? Sign in here

Spotted: When the Singapore-based company Karana was co-founded in 2018 by Blair Crichton and Daniel Riegler, it was the first whole plant-based “meat” brand in Asia. Using proprietary processing technology that utilises the whole plant to make its ‘meat’, Karana is able to offer a ‘revolutionary next-generation meat alternative’, lending the product more of a “meat-like” texture, without the use of chemicals or heavy processing.

Karana’s main product is its plant-based “pork”, made from organic young jackfruit from Sri Lanka. As jackfruit can be grown alongside other plants, the crop is good for soil health and allows farmers to produce a range of products, making it both sustainable and easy to produce on small farms. Reigler points out that “Jackfruit can offer significant income generation potential while requiring minimal inputs and maintenance…[It was chosen] based on its sustainability profile and potential for various product applications”.

The next move for the company is its shredded and minced jackfruit-pork, which will be sold to the restaurant and foodservice industries. Karana also hopes to expand its product lines in Singapore, which according to Reigler is “is very well-positioned geographically and as a logistics hub to be a centre for innovation in food and agriculture for the region. Given the level of intellectual property protection, business climate, and addressable market in APAC, Singapore should become a major player, especially as larger food companies continue to invest here and the resources available to startups increase.” In the future, they are also eager to launch in other Asian markets. “We have exciting things in the pipeline, but there is still a lot more we can do with jackfruit,” they say.

Written By: Holly Hamilton

Explore more: Food & Drink Innovations | Sustainability Innovations

Website: eatkarana.com

Contact: eatkarana.com/contact

Download PDF

Springwise Services:
Our expertise in spotting the latest innovations is the best resource to empower your team’s future planning.

Find out More