NEVER MEAT: YOUR HEROES

The UAE’s first ever meat alternative production plant has just begun operations in Abu Dhabi

a massive 20,000 sqft plot in KEZAD has now sprung into life and is preparing halal-certified, GMO-free, soy-free, allergen-free, gluten-free, completely meat-free regional favourites such as kebabs, kofta, soujuk, minced ‘meat’, and of course, burger patties.

The science is pretty clear – most of us should be eating less meat. We’re simply pointing out the facts, we’re not here to judge. The author of this feature likely ranks in the 99th percentile for carnivorous consumption. But for our own health, and that of the planet’s, going plant-based – if not exclusively at least a little more often – is almost certainly a very good thing.

The cruelty-free trend isn’t new of course, and neither is the concept of ‘meat alternatives’ – but the products have been getting steadily more sophisticated, and some are now suspiciously close to their inspiration. There are entirely ethical plantbased burgers that ‘bleed’, chickenfree nuggets you’d swear had history in the coop and doner that once spiced and layered with condiments are virtually indistinguishable from the traditional 2am “all the salad and chilli sauce, please boss” snack.

The demand is blossoming too. According to the statista.com website, the value of the meat-substitute market in the UAE is growing annually by over 27 per cent.

And with Abu Dhabi being at the cutting edge of most future technology, it was only ever going to be a matter of time before it spawned some homegrown plantbased meat pioneers of its own. And that bread roll has now been filled by locally-based FoodTech outfit, Switch Foods. Their first location,

Talking about the importance of this sort of project, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment H.E Mariam bint Mohammed AlMheiri, who was there to inaugurate the facility said: “Plantbased meat generates 30 to 90 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional meat and contributes to a more sustainable food supply.”

“The inauguration of Switch Foods’ facility is timely as we celebrate the Year of Sustainability and prepare to host COP28 later this year ... we are investing in a thriving ecosystem that fosters innovation and growth through partnerships and investments in sustainable food production. This project embodies the spirit of public-private collaboration and ingenuity necessary to achieve our food security and climate action objectives.”

And it represents a huge milestone in the journey of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051, a project focusing on promoting food security “through sustainable innovations and diversified food sources”. A massive deal for a country with a land surface area that is still majority desert.

But, without positioning our mouthes at the end of a conveyor belt in Switch HQ, where does one find tasty meatalternatives in the city?