Slovenian coconut oil supplier Narayan Foods has teamed up with California-based startup MeliBio to bring a vegan honey alternative to the UK.
Called Vegan H*ney (rsp: £5.99/300g), the NPD is claimed to be “identical to honey on a molecular level”, without containing any animal byproducts or preservatives.
MeliBio developed the ingredient in 2021, using a “proprietary plant extract blend” designed to emulate the flavour notes from wildflower nectar used by bees to make honey.
The ingredient was initially sold to B2B and foodservice customers in the US, before MeliBio teamed up with Narayan Foods earlier this year to launch their joint venture, Better Foodie, in Europe.
Vegan H*ney has already rolled into around 200 independent retailers in the UK under the Better Foodie brand.
Better Foodie chief strategy officer Ziga Vranicar said “launching a vegan alternative to honey that delivers all the taste and mouthfeel of the real thing, without the environmental consequences, was a no-brainer”.
“Vegan H*ney makes it easier than ever for families to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diet, while doing the right thing for the planet,” Vranicar added.
The NPD isn’t the first honey alternative to launch into UK retail.
Plant Based Artisan’s Vegan Honea (which contains sugar, inulin, apple juice, natural flowers, lemon juice, natural flavours and molasses) made its Selfridges debut in January 2019, as part of an expansion of the retailer’s plant-based offering.
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