In South Africa, a country where 'braai' all-day barbecuing is a national pastime, plant-based substitutes are making surprising inroads despite a deep cultural love of meat and hostility from the regulator.
But the popularity of veggie alternatives would have been unthinkable even a decade ago and the market is outstripping forecast growth for meat. The shift has so unnerved South Africa's processed meat industry that in June it lobbed for - and got - a government ban on plant-based products using words like 'nugget', 'sausage' or 'burger' on packaging.
The agriculture department at the time said the move was aimed at preventing consumer confusion. A spokesperson did not respond to repeated requests for comment.At meat processor Feinschmecker, staff pour powdered soy and pea protein into vats and rehydrate them to make its plant-based 'deli slice' - called so in anticipation of a ban on labelling it 'ham'.
“A lot of it's driven by flexitarianism. People who want to make a bit of an effort to eat less meat,” Alistair Hayward, Feinschmecker managing director, told Reuters. Top food producer Tiger Brands bought a stake in meat-substitute start-up Herbivoire in March, while supermarkets like Woolworths have introduced their own ranges.
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