At this point, plant-based burgers that re-create the look and feel of animal meat are nothing new. Creating ground “meat” is easier to bring to market because you don’t have to worry as much about creating the structure and integrity of a whole cut of meat.
Slovenian startup, Juicy Marbles however, diving into the deep end of fake meat making. This week the company officially launched its new plant-based whole cut of filet mignon, complete with marbled “fat.”
Unlike NovaMeat or Redefine Meat, which use 3D printing to create whole cuts of plant-based meat, Juicy Marbles uses something it playfully calls the “Meat-o-matic Reverse Grinder TM 9000.” Neither the press release emailed to The Spoon nor Juicy Marble’s website offers up a ton of detail. The company just said the Meat-o-matic re-creates muscle texture and fat by aligning and layering fibers of its ingredients, which include soy protein isolate, wheat protein isolate, and sunflower oil. We reached out to the company for more detail.
Juicy Marbles is not the only startup working on plant-based whole cuts of meat right now. In addition to the previously mentioned NovaMeat and Redefine Meat, companies like Emergi Foods and Meati Foods are using fungi to create steaks.
The question all of these startups face however, is whom their products are for. For many vegans/vegetarians, plant-based meat is so close to the real thing that it’s a turn-off. On the other end of the spectrum, meat eaters will just eat meat, which is still more affordable. But as whole cuts of plant-based steaks get better and more “realistic,” they could convert people more interested in the environmental benefits of avoiding meat.
Regardless, if you want to try out Juicy Marbles’ steak, it’s available in the 48 contiguous United States and Europe — but it’ll cost you. The company is selling 600 grams of its raw, unseasoned tenderloin for $150 on its website.
