Last week (15 to 21 June) was World Meat Free Week (WMFW) and a group of people around the world made the pledge to go meat free for a week as a commitment towards sustainable food source to save planet Earth.
An annual, global initiative, in its 3rd edition this year, WMFW’s goal is to cast a spotlight on the importance of reducing meat intake for the sake of our planet. By 2050, global food production will struggle to keep up with more hungry mouths, who will need about 60 per cent more food. Meat agriculture has a heavier environmental impact compared to plant-based agriculture and a switch to more plant-based food consumption will help address sustainability in the long run. COVID-19 has also accelerated a change in consumers’ eating habits, leading people to take up healthier diets, which includes more plant-based options and foods that support the immune system. It might surprise you how much of an impact you can make by going meat free.
In the past, most people on meat free diet do so because of religious reasons. Increasing, many are going meat free as a lifestyle choice too to support sustainable food source or just to keep healthier.
Alternative-meat brand, Quorn is one of the global partners for WMFW and locally in Singapore, Quorn has roped in a local F&B partner, REBEL sandwich restaurant as a partner. The two brands have been working together for some time in Singapore, launching a series of meat-free gourmet sandwiches at affordable pricing to cater to the masses as an advocate for sustainable food source. The sandwiches at Quorn are prices reasonably from S$7.60 to S$9.80 to keep them accessible, not much more than a sandwich from Subway.
For WMFW, REBEL will be launching three new meat-free menu items under an OBOY! sub-brand in July. The founder gave us a preview of the new items during a press event for WMFW, hosted together with Quorn representatives.
1. Goma Salad
A delightful Japanese sesame salad dressed with lettuce, cherry tomato, shredded cabbage, japanese cucumber, radish, nori, spring onion and Quorn nuggets for protein. This is currently already available on REBEL’s online menu.
2. Vegetarian Saucy Sandwich
A classic meatball sandwich with tomato sauce and a dash of REBEL’s secret sauce, made better with Quorn’s meat-free meatballs. Love this and I would definitely order this again. This is also currently available on REBEL’s online menu.
3. Vegan Katsu Curry with Rice
A delicious Japanese-style curry with potatoes and carrots poured on top of a delicious Quorn (katsu) patty, served with a tangy Asian pickle and optional omelette (for extra protein). Granted the patty wasn’t an exact substitute for pork katsu in flavour, it is still delicious in a different way.
Quorn’s meat-free products are made with mycoprotein, a protein source derived from a naturally occurring fungus through the process of fermentation, like in bread and soy sauce. It is high in protein and fibre, low in saturated fat, with zero cholestrol and is soy free. Additionally, it is also Halal-certified, meat free, GMO free, MSG free, gluten mock neat free, artificial favours free, artificial colours free, hormone free, antibiotic free and preservatives free.
Other than helping to save the environment, opting for Quorn’s meat-free products can also help in dieting. For instance, a 100g of mycoprotein (meat-free protein) from Quorn provides the equivalent of 1/3 of the calories of minced beef; fibres from 3 cups of broccoli; protein from 2 glasses of milks; and fat from 4 pieces of peanuts, which is lower in calories and fat, but high in fibre and protein.
The meat-free movement has been gaining traction globally, including in Singapore. Since Quorn entered the Singapore market in 2017, their business has grown 7.5 times to date. Some of their best-selling products include Quorn’s Mince, Pieces and Crispy Nuggets.
The partnership between Quorn and REBEL came about because both brands have the shared vision in making healthy eating accessible to the consumers, in both price and taste. Quorn’s products were the perfect ingredient for vegan and vegetarian sandwiches which REBEL was exploring going into. The rest is history.
If you are interested to explore going meat free on an ad hoc basis or even in the long run, visit Quorn’s official website for more details or you can even try ordering a meat free meal from REBEL as a start. 🙂
