Asian food sector targeted with egg substitute

San-Francisco-based food technology company JUST is on a mission to build a food system where everyone eats well.

It has just joined forces in Hong Kong with Green Common, a plant-based dining and shopping business, which aims to make sustainable food.

And it has already attracted some high-profile investors including Hong Kong business magnate Li Ka-shing.

JUST chief executive officer Josh Tetrick sees Asia as the key area to fix the world’s broken food system. Speaking to CNBC, he said one of the fastest growing segments of the global food and agricultural market was the multi-billion dollar egg industry.

China produces 30% of the 1 trillion eggs laid last year, which has raised huge environmental concerns in parts of the Asian continent.

“We need to answer the question of how can we produce enough food for a planet which will see 70% growth in food demand between now and 2050.”

‘Eggs’ from mung beans

In order to counter this, JUST has introduced Just Scramble at its new Asian flagship store. Just Scramble is made from mung beans, looks and tastes like an egg, is high in protein and has zero cholesterol.

The product requires less water and emits fewer carbon emissions than conventional eggs. It is also being sold in parts of the United States and Mexico through the vegan-food start-up Hampton Creek.

Green Common chief executive officer David Yeung said he was confident Hong Kong could serve as a gateway to the rest of Asia, introducing plant-based options through restaurants and catering companies.