The Plant-Based Revolution: New Flavors, New Challenges, and a Golden Opportunity Worth Chasing

From Steak-Centric Plates to the Rise of Alternative Protein

Not long ago, the culinary world revolved around meat.Steak, burgers, and chicken reigned supreme at the center of our plates. But in recent years, a profound shift has taken place—ushering in the era of alternative proteins. Today, protein is increasingly sourced from plants, microbial fermentation, and even cultured cells grown in bioreactors.

This isn’t just a dietary trend—it’s a fundamental transformation encompassing science, regulation, consumer awareness, and the culinary experience. And if you look at the plate today, it’s already remarkably different than it was a decade ago.

As someone who’s spent years both in kitchens and in product development labs, I can confidently say: the revolution is here. But let’s be clear—it’s still far from over. There’s much more to learn.

Gen 1.0 HasFailed—Houston, We’re Moving to Gen 2.0

The market for meat and dairy alternatives skyrocketed.Forecasts were brimming with optimism: billions in revenue, mainstream adoption, and the feeling that we had "cracked the code."

But reality told a different story.

2023 marked a year of reckoning. Consumer enthusiasm began to fade. Sales dropped. Companies folded. The reason? The products simply weren’t good enough.

Off-flavors were too common. The textures?Unconvincing. And the ingredient lists? Packed with things nobody wants to see in their food—methyl cellulose, E-numbers, stabilizers, and mystery compounds far removed from nature.

The customer? They tried it once—and rarely came back.

Let me be clear: I’m not against innovation. Quite the opposite.

At Gruda’s development lab, I encourage my team to dream boldly and push boundaries. But dreams without passion? They fall flat.

Because at the end of the day—something many companies seem to have forgotten—this is food. And food is about emotion.

It's not just a spreadsheet or a formula. It’s a story, an experience, a feeling.

In 2023, Gruda supported around 85% of the alternative protein companies operating in Israel. Our mission was to inject culinary soul into scientific ventures. To season the lab coat with flavor, love, and meaning.

Because if the consumer senses that their burger was“cooked” by a detached scientist wielding a pipette—rather than a chef who understands desire—it’s a lost cause.

Food needs emotion. It needs a chef’s touch.

The Ocean Is Vast—And Hungry for Solutions

In the first wave, everyone focused on cracking the burger. But today? Eyes are turning toward the sea.

Fish alternatives are now among the most intriguing and technically demanding segments in food tech.

Recreating tuna, salmon, or delicate fish patties from plants requires next-level precision—because fish, especially raw or lightly cooked, is a world apart in terms of texture, aroma, and mouthfeel.

Using seaweed, marine proteins, and carefully selected plant-based fats, we’re getting closer to the real thing—without over fishing, pollution, or that telltale “fishy” odor.

The market is still emerging, but interest is rising—especially among chefs, restaurant chains, and conscious consumers.

Whoever nails the flavor and mouthfeel here could dominate the entire category.

And those who don’t?

Well, let’s just say the sea has a way of sorting things out. Fail to swim in this space, and you might find yourself drifting into the Bermuda Triangle of the protein industry.

Hybrid Products: Between Tech Ambition and Gut Instinct

Hybrid products—blending animal-derived and plant-based components—are gaining popularity among companies looking to bridge innovation and market practicality.

Instead of going fully vegan, many are offering products like chicken patties with 40% plant ingredients. It’s a pragmatic approach that says: we’re reducing environmental impact, improving nutrition, but still keeping what you love.

But then there’s the 50/50 vision—half animal meat, half cultured cells. For me? That crosses a line.

Personally, I don’t get excited about lab-grown meat.Not because I fear it—just because, as a chef, my gut says no.

Can I cook it? Sure.

Would I eat it? I’ll let the next generation answer that.

I’m a chef. Amidst all this innovation, I’m still a bit of a traditionalist. And that’s okay.

You can respect technology and believe in flavor at the same time.

I want to know that behind every dish there’s heart—not just a gene sequence and a lab flask.

Egg Replacements: Simple Need, Complex Solution

Eggs don’t get much attention in the plant-based conversation—but they should. They’re essential in baking, emulsions, sauces, pasta, mayonnaise, and more.

Replacing them isn’t just about flavor. It’s about structure, aeration, stabilization, and emulsification.

Yes, there are promising startups working on engineered proteins and precision fermentation—including one here in Israel. But let’s face it: these solutions are still far from supermarket-ready.

What the industry really needs are practical tools:

• Reduce egg quantities where     possible
• Complement with functional     ingredients
• And avoid unnecessary complexity

This isn’t the place for over-engineering—it’s a chance to simplify and refine.

Cultivated &Fermented Proteins: Tech That’s Still Incubating

Cultivated meat, chicken, and fish—grown from stem cells—and fermented proteins via precision fermentation have dominated headlines for years.

The potential is enormous. The tech is groundbreaking.But when these products exit the lab too early, they risk falling short.

I’m mainly talking here about meat, poultry, and seafood—not dairy alternatives, where we are seeing real progress.

With meat, I feel the launch was premature. The tech left academia a little too soon—like a preterm birth.

A few more years of incubation—more refinement, cost reduction, and consumer experience work—might’ve changed everything.

Instead, massive investments were poured into prototypes that couldn’t deliver. Trust was broken.

Investors expecting the “iPhone of food” ended up with a beta version.

And when the truly exceptional product finally arrives?Some may have already checked out.

That’s my personal view—and I hope I’m wrong.

This technology will mature.

It will arrive. And it will disrupt everything.

Just maybe not in 3–5 years—but in 10 or 20.

In the End, Taste Wins

Let me say this as plainly as I can:

The protein revolution won’t be won by slide decks. It will only win if the food tastes amazing.

Not “good for what it is.”

Actually good. Crave-worthy. Surprising. Satisfying.

It should make you pause and say, “Wait—this isn’t meat?!”

And it must come with clean, understandable labels.

Consumers want real ingredients. Trustworthy compositions. Clear choices—not confusion.

Here’s the most important line of all:

No matter how innovative, advanced, or well-funded a product is—if it doesn’t speak to the customer’s heart, it will fail.

All of the innovation, all the science, all the effort—

It’s for them.

And they—rightfully—are no longer willing to settle.

At Gruda, we’ll keep pushing boundaries. We believe culinary artistry must walk hand-in-hand with food science.

Because if it doesn’t taste good… well, then it’s probably a supplement.

Come join me in building Gen 2.0.

This time, we’re not compromising.

Liran Gruda
Founder & Head of Culinary R&D, Gruda Food Lab

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