Asia turns to plants for protein as meat safety fears spike

Impossible Pork, a new plant-based pork product by Impossible Foods, is served at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada on Jan 9, 2020. - AFP

HONG KONG (Reuters): Demand for plant-based protein foods is surging in Asia, suppliers say, as suspicion over possible links between wild animal meat and the new coronavirus drives some consumers, particularly in Hong Kong and Chinese mainland, to rethink diets.

Though still a tiny business compared to Asia’s giant meat supply chain, vegetarian alternatives to meat, dairy and seafood are gaining growing custom from people like Hong Kong-based fitness trainer Mike Lee