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The Spoon

Daily news and analysis about the food tech revolution

alternative chicken

Singapore-based Shandi Raises $700,000 Seed Round

Shandi, an alternative protein company based in Singapore, announced this week in a press release sent to The Spoon that it has raised $700,000 USD in a second seed round. The round was led by Tolaram, and also saw participation from SparkLabs Cultiv8 and other private investors.

This new influx of capital will allow Shandi to build out a production facility in Singapore, as well as scale and commercialize its alternative protein products. Additionally, the company will focus on innovating new products and developing partnerships in the food sector.

Shandi’s offerings include various chicken analogs, including shreds, pieces, strips, and drumsticks. All of the products are made with a combination of non-GMO chickpeas, pea protein, quinoa, flax seeds, brown rice, and coconut oil. The company has not disclosed much about its production process, but it does have a pending patent for its technology involving the extraction of amino acids from various plants. This process is used to replicate the amino acid profile found in chicken to provide a similar nutritional composition and flavor.

Alternative chicken has popped up nonstop in the news during the past few months. Chicken is one of the most consumed meats in the world, and recently, there have been global supply chain shortages of it. Plant-based chicken could offer a solution for filling in these shortages. Shandi is another example of an alternative protein company opening a production facility in Singapore. Avant Meats, Perfect Day, and Next Gen are just a few other alternative protein start-ups that have built out production facilities in the city-state.

Shandi aims to launch a range of products during the first quarter of 2022 in foodservice channels. After this, it plans on releasing a B2C product.

Nowadays’ Alternative Chicken Nuggets Taste Like the Real Thing

If you keep up with news in the plant-based space, then you might be aware that there’s somewhat of a “chicken war” going on. Big players like Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat, and others have now turned their attention to bringing alternative chicken products to market. A new company called Nowadays recently joined the alternative chicken space with its first product: plant-based chicken nuggets.

Nowadays raised $2 million in a pre-seed round several months ago, which is being used for the rollout of its first product. Due to the buzz around alternative chicken products, I was excited when Nowadays sent me samples of its nuggets to taste test.

Upon opening the box and inspecting the product, the nuggets passed the first test; they definitely looked like real chicken nuggets. The company recommended that I throw the nuggets in an air fryer for seven to nine minutes at 370 degrees. For those who don’t have an air fryer, the product can also be cooked in an oven, on a skillet; however, a microwave is not recommended.

I pulled the nuggets out of the air fryer and they were golden brown and crackling. I served them with a side of vegan ranch and took my first bite. Right away, I loved the crispy breading on the nuggets. They did not taste like a fried fast-food chicken nugget, but more of a healthy, baked chicken nugget (which is a good thing).

The inside of the nugget was moist and fatty, and there was the familiar chewiness that you would find in your standard chicken nuggets. The texture was also spot-on. Although I could tell that the product was not actually chicken, I found it to be a great alternative to real chicken nuggets.

Nowadays boasts of its minimal ingredient list, which consists of only water, organic yellow pea protein, whole wheat flour, sunflower oil, yeast extract, maple fiber, and mushroom extract. I’m definitely used to seeing longer lists on alternative protein products, so it’s impressive to see what can be done with so few ingredients.

Multiple companies have brought plant-based chicken nuggets and tenders to market already, including Rebellyous, NUGGS, Beyond Meat, Target’s Good & Gather, and Tyson’s Raised & Rooted. Max Elder, the founder of Nowadays, previously shared with The Spoon that he doesn’t necessarily consider these other companies as competition. This is because, according to him, Nowadays’ the nuggets ingredient list is cleaner and simpler than those from other companies.

If you’re interested in trying Nowadays’ alternative chicken nuggets for yourself, the product is currently only available on the company’s website. One box of 50 nuggets costs $39.99, and two boxes cost $49.99.

Daring Secures $40M in Series B Round for Plant-Based Chicken

Daring, which makes realistic plant-based chicken analogues, this week announced a $40 million Series B funding round. According to a press release sent to The Spoon, D1 Capital Partners led this round, with participation from Maveron, Palm Tree Crew, and the Canadian rapper Drake.

Daring said it will use this most recent funding round to triple the size of its team. Additionally, the company will grow its presence in foodservice and retail channels, as well as focus on product development.

The main ingredients in Daring’s alternative chicken pieces are quite simple: water, soy protein concentrate, and a variety of spices and herbs depending on the flavor. Due to the use of soy, the product boasts 13 grams of protein in one serving. Currently, Daring chicken pieces come in four flavors: lemon & herb, cajun, breaded, and original.

The U.S. is the largest producer of poultry and the second-largest exporter of poultry in the world. Americans also consume more poultry than beef, pork, and other meats. But with veganism continuously on the rise in the U.S., there will be an increasing demand for plant-based chicken products.

Several other startups in the U.S. are focused on crafting plant-based chicken products. Nowadays, a newer start-up, recently raised $2 million in a pre-seed round of funding for its plant-based chicken nuggets. Nuggs also makes chicken nuggets, but announced last year it would also focus on creating alternative hot dogs. Rebellyous originally began with its only product being chicken nuggets, but has expanded its product line to include alternative chicken patties and tenders. Besides these startups, there are also large players like Gardein and Quorn that offer a variety of alternative chicken products.

Towards the end of last year, Daring raised $8 million in its Series A round, and used this capital to expand to 1,000 more retailers in the U.S., including Sprouts, Costco, Wegmans, and Kroger. Online, Daring’s products can be purchased on its website and via Imperfect Foods. The company plans on expanding to more retailers in the upcoming months.