Following its successful participation in Foodex Japan 2024, the pioneer plant-based food brand Week Zero continues to expand into overseas markets and will debut at the 2024 Food & Hotel Asia (FHA) show in Singapore from April 23 to 26, bringing richer and more innovative plant-based foods to overseas consumers. During the exhibition, Week Zero shared its plant-based protein products, plant-based ingredients and plant-based beverage series with industry partners from all over the world, and conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions on future cooperation opportunities.
Food & Hospitality Asia (FHA) is one of the largest and most influential food and hospitality industry exhibitions in Asia. The 2024 edition is expected to feature pavilions from more than 50 countries and regions, attracting more than 60,000 attendees, providing an effective platform for global suppliers to network, learn, and showcase the latest products, share innovative ideas, and expand their business networks with distributors, importers, manufacturers and retailers from the Asia-Pacific region.
At the exhibition site, Zhouling's booth attracted many visitors to stop and enjoy the delicious taste and surprise with its unique and innovative three product series.
Meal + drink, the three major product lines of Week 0 provide one-stop solutions
At present, Zhouling's plant-based protein products have covered beef, chicken, pork, seafood and other flavors. As a new ingredient, Zhou Ling's plant-based protein products are also widely used, not only for Western meals such as bagels, sandwiches, and hamburgers, but also for oriental specialties such as rice balls, dumplings, moon cakes, and stinky tofu. Since its establishment in 2019, Weekling has successively joined hands with many well-known brands such as Luckin, Tex, KFC, FamilyMart, Sam's, Bibigo and other well-known brands to launch a variety of plant-based protein products, and the price is almost the same as similar conventional products, which can well meet consumers' needs for deliciousness, health and price.
Taking the new products launched by Week Zero and Tex and Luckin in July 2023 as an example, the Tex Sesame Sauce Spicy Mixed Pistol Leg Niu Ruobao that uses the Week Zero plant-based beef patty and another Dai-style hot and sour chicken pistol leg burger launched at the same time are both priced at 25 yuan, and the price of the two plant-based meat sandwiches launched by Luckin is only 9.9 yuan.
Weekling plant-based drinks mainly include coconut milk, coconut water and rice milk series, selecting high-quality raw materials such as coconut source from Southeast Asia, Wuchang rice in Northeast China, and rice from Helongxuan rice in Fujian, and through advanced technologies such as INF ultra-instantaneous sterilization and aseptic cold irrigation, it realizes the triple lock of origin, ingredients and technology, bringing a more original and natural sweet taste. It is worth mentioning that the coconut water and coconut milk of Zhou Ling are formulated with 0 added flavors, colors and preservatives, while the rice milk achieves the "three zeros" promise of 0 non-dairy creamer, 0 hydrogenated vegetable oil and 0 trans fatty acids, so that every bite is a pure natural taste. Zhouling's plant-based products are made from China's National Geographical Indications, including Hubei Xiaogan Zhuhu glutinous rice, Guangxi Lipu taro, Heilongjiang Wuchang rice, etc., allowing consumers to experience the authentic and unique flavor of the region.
Weekling's plant-based drinks and plant-based ingredients are highly compatible. Whether it is sweet and refreshing coconut water, mellow and sweet coconut milk or rice milk with rich rice flavor, it can be perfectly integrated with tea, coffee and other beverages, and then paired with special ingredients to bring consumers a fresher, richer taste and a more diversified drinking experience. This diversified application mode not only meets the individual needs of consumers, but also further expands the market space of plant-based products.
At the exhibition, Zhou Ling displayed a variety of plant-based protein raw material products, plant-based ingredients and plant-based drinks, including plant-based pastry beef fillet, plant-based chicken crispy steak, plant-based ham slices, plant-based tuna surimi, plant-based cod fillet, plain rice mochi, sandwiched glutinous rice balls, coconut water, fresh coconut milk, thick coconut milk, brown rice milk, etc. In addition, Week Zero showcased a range of innovative products such as plain breaded mochi fries, pocket salad sticks, seaweed tofu, and applications such as plant-based Wellington steak, plant-based marlin pie, plant-based meatball pita boat, coconut milk sticky rice and raw coconut hojicha. Upon arrival at the booth, visitors can taste WeekZero's plant-based protein products and then have a glass of plant-based beverages with plant-based ingredients, experiencing WeekZero's rich product line in one stop.
As a food technology company focusing on plant-based health food and the integration of production, research and marketing, Zhouling has always adhered to the concept of "making health more delicious", constantly optimizing product structure, innovating product research and development, and meeting the diverse needs of different countries and regions. The participation in the Asian Food & Hotel Exhibition (FHA) in Singapore not only demonstrates the leadership and innovation of Weekling in the research and development and application of plant-based products, but also reflects WeekZero's keen insight and rapid response ability to market demand.
Plant-based, another healthier, sustainable alternative to a diet
According to a report by MarketDigits, the global plant-based food market size was $43.77 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $85 billion by 2030. At the same time, research commissioned by GFI APAC for Good Growth Co. also shows that Southeast Asia, one of the world's fastest-growing economic regions, has a large population and a thriving economy driving a huge demand for protein and protein diversity in the region. As one of the new proteins, plant-based proteins have also attracted increasing attention and favor in Singapore and other countries and regions in recent years due to their health benefits, resource and environmental friendliness. Moreover, according to a report by Mordor Intelligence, a well-known market analyst, the Singapore plant-based food and beverage market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.97% from 2022 to 2027, showing a market potential that should not be underestimated.
One of the core drivers of growth is the growing health consciousness of consumers. It is well known that long-term high intake of a diet rich in animal products increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. At present, several studies have shown that plant-based diets can have positive health effects, such as effectively lowering cholesterol and blood sugar, alleviating type 2 diabetes, and benefiting heart health.
A recent study published in Nature Food by researchers from McGill University in Canada also showed that partially replacing animal foods with plant-based protein foods can increase life expectancy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. "The co-benefits for human and planetary health do not necessarily require large-scale dietary changes, such as the adoption of restrictive dietary patterns or the complete exclusion of certain food groups, but can be achieved by simply partially replacing red and processed meats, especially with plant-based protein foods. First author Olivia Auclair, a PhD graduate in McGill's Department of Animal Science, explains. The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)" and many other nutrition science popularization at the national level have also clearly pointed out that the key to maintaining a stable health state is to avoid one-sided pursuit of a certain aspect of nutrition and achieve a balanced diet.
Wu Yanzi, founder and CEO of Zhouling, has also said many times that Zhouling does not encourage the complete replacement of animal protein with plant protein, which is a novel, safe and healthy choice for consumers, and they can occasionally choose a plant-based diet to make their body more comfortable and balanced.
Another core factor is the increased awareness of environmental responsibility among consumers. With extreme weather issues such as heat and flooding becoming more frequent, more and more consumers are concerned about the environment and the development of the planet, and are concerned about the impact of animal husbandry on the environment. Compared to animal-based products, plant-based products have a lower carbon footprint and require fewer resources to produce.
According to the first "2022 China Plant-based Meat Carbon Reduction Insight Report" jointly edited and released by Zhouling and Xinhuanet, the Institute of Agricultural Environment and Sustainable Development of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Beijing University of Agriculture, Zhouling's 5 plant-based meat products reduce emissions by up to 98% compared with similar animal meat products, and use solid research and clear data to present the carbon reduction and environmental protection effects and potential of plant-based meat. During COP28, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched a report on the potential impact of new proteins, which also showed that the global food system accounts for about 30% of current anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and is one of the main drivers of climate change, and pointed out that traditional animal product production processes, including carbon emissions, feed, land use and energy-intensive global supply chains, account for almost 60% of food-related carbon emissions, and a total of 14.5%-20% of global emissions.
A growing number of countries, regions and organizations are also increasing their promotion and support for plant-based diets. Two-thirds of the food at COP28 was plant-based or vegetarian, and the menu was also named "1.5°C aligned". So far, 27 cities, towns and regions around the world have signed the Plant Based Treaty, including Los Angeles in the United States, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Edinburgh in Scotland, and Didim in Turkey. The treaty advocates for a reduction in meat and dairy consumption to address the consequences of the climate crisis.
In addition, the growing number of consumers joining the ranks of flexitarian diets and the importance of animal welfare are also driving the growth of the plant-based market.
It is gratifying to note that with the continuous development of food technology, there are more and more plant-based food options available for consumers. Taking Week Zero as an example, in addition to cooperating with well-known catering brands to launch plant-based protein products, Week Zero has also launched plant-based protein snacks such as pocket salad sticks and seaweed tofu, among which pocket salad sticks have also become Sam's resident products.
This year, Zhou Ling expanded its vision to overseas markets, which is not only a new attempt at brand development, but also a deep exploration of the potential of the global market. We also look forward to working with more partners to provide delicious, healthy and sustainable plant-based products to consumers from all over the world.
Some references:
1.Plant-Based Food Market 2030 By Type, Distribution Channel, End-user and Region - Partner & Customer Ecosystem (Product Services, Proposition & Key Features) Competitive Index & Regional Footprints by MarketDigits
2.Mordor Intelligence，Singapore Plant-Based Food and Beverages Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029)
3.Olivia Auclair, Patricia Eustachio Colombo, James Milner & Sergio A. Burgos，Partial substitutions of animal with plant protein foods in Canadian diets have synergies and trade-offs among nutrition，health and climate outcomes
4. Xinhuanet, Zhou Ling, Institute of Agricultural Environment and Sustainable Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing University of Agriculture, "2022 China Plant-based Meat Carbon Reduction Insight Report"
5.联合国环境规划署（UNEP）、GFI等，What’s cooking: An assessment of the potential impacts of selected novel alternatives to conventional animal products