Better Nature: Tempeh Startup Teams Up With Mindful Chef To Launch Plant-Based Recipe Kits

Better Nature, the British tempeh brand whose mission is to popularise the traditional Indonesian fermented protein, has announced a new collaboration with Mindful Chef to bring new plant-based options to the healthy recipe box platform’s subscribers. There will be two new plant-based recipes added on the roster – nasi goreng and cottage pie – made with Better Nature’s range of tempeh-based ingredients. 

Working together to create new plant-based recipes to meet the growing demand for healthier, sustainable meals, Nestlé-acquired Mindful Chef and Better Nature will be debuting two new plant-powered dishes. There will be a new cottage pie featuring Better Nature’s tempeh-based mince with a “cheesy” cashew crumb, and a nasi goreng with brown rice and Better Nature’s saucy stir-fry tempeh bites. 

They’ll be additions to Mindful Chef’s existing range of vegan-friendly recipes, which currently includes chickpea tagine, Scandinavian-style lentil salad and tikka masala quinoa bowl, just to name a few. 

Each recipe box, designed for homecooks to whip up in just half an hour, is available to British consumers nationwide starting from £6 (approx. US$8.36) per portion for family boxes. The addition of new vegan recipe kits on Mindful Chef is no doubt in response to the major coronavirus-driven uptick in demand. 

For us, it’s the next step in our mission to make our tempeh-based products even more accessible, while increasing awareness and education around their unique nutritional content, wide-ranging health benefits, and delicious versatility in the kitchen.

Chris Kong, Co-Founder, Better Nature

Startups offering convenient plant-based meal options, in particular, have seen sales skyrocket since the pandemic, whether it be vegan ready meal subscription services like Flave in Sydney and Thistle in San Francisco, on-demand plant-based food deliveries Get Vegan Grub or D-I-Y home-cooking kits like Mindful Chef. 

Commenting on their latest collaboration with the popular recipe box service, co-founder and CEO of Better Nature Chris Kong said: “Mindful Chef is a company that shares our passion for great tasting quality food so we’re so excited about this partnership. For us, it’s the next step in our mission to make our tempeh-based products even more accessible, while increasing awareness and education around their unique nutritional content, wide-ranging health benefits, and delicious versatility in the kitchen.”

“We want to show people that protein can be sourced sustainably and ethically without compromising on taste, and these new recipes certainly do that,” he added. 

While Better Nature is based in London, its team has strong Asian roots with its co-founder Driando Ahnan hailing from Indonesia, the country that pioneered the natural plant-based fermented protein, and fellow co-founder Kong coming from Hong Kong. Since the brand’s inception in 2018, its range has grown to include soybean and lupin bean-based tempeh mince, rashers, and bites in various flavours, including masala, taco and a saucy stir-fry, as well as whole natural tempeh blocks.

We want to show people that protein can be sourced sustainably and ethically without compromising on taste, and these new recipes certainly do that.

Chris Kong, Co-Founder, Better Nature

Looking ahead to its ongoing expansion, Better Nature is about to launch a crowdfunding campaign on the Seedrs platform, which aims to fuel its R&D for new products as well as launching into mainstream supermarkets nationwide. 

In a social media post about the upcoming crowdfunder, the startup said: “In order to realise our mission, keep growing and developing tasty products, we’re looking to raise more investment. Through Seedrs, you can invest in us and become part of Better Nature, no need to have big bucks or prior investment experience.” 

By backing the firm, retail investors will be able to own shares in the startup, and crowdfunding on the platform means that virtually anyone can support the company with the minimum investment starting at £10 (approx. US$14). 

Lead image courtesy of Better Nature.