Carbon Negative & Meat-Free: Better Nature Debuts Most Sustainable & Affordable Product Yet

UK-based tempeh startup Better Nature has launched a new product range of meat-free products that are also carbon and plastic negative as part of its commitments to tackle climate change, making it the startup’s most sustainable one to date.

After closing a GBP£1.6 million(approx. US$2.2M) seed round which was led by venture fund Good Food Fund and equity crowdfunding platform, Seedrs, London-based Better Nature launched its new range of plant-based meat products available in many flavours at affordable prices to not only meet increasing consumer demand but make its products accessible to all those interested in transitioning to a plant-based diet.

Founded in 2018, Better Nature works with tempeh, a traditionally Indonesian fermented soybean cake. Its existing products include soybean and lupin bean-based tempeh mince, rashers, and bites and whole natural tempeh blocks.

Earlier this year, the startup shared that they had become certified plastic and carbon negative, meaning it offsets double of what it produces. The team worked with Foodsteps, a provider of environmental footprint data and carbon labels and ClimateCare, which offers carbon offset services and rePurpose Global, the world’s first plastic credit platform to achieve these standards for their products.

The new range comes after his announcement, making it Better Nature’s most sustainable brand to date with a carbon-negative A rating and has four flavours namely Southern-Style BBQ Ribz, Sweet & Smoky Rashers, Traditional & Tender Roast Bites and Shawarma-spiced Kebab Strips. Further, the startup is committed to an accessible price point with the two ready to eat products retailing at between GBP£2.49 and GBP£2.99 (approx. US$3.52 and US$4.22).

In a press release seen by Green Queen, co-founder and head of product development and operations at Better Nature, Fabio Rinaldo said that the new range is in alignment with their sustainability goals for the people as well as the planet.“It is a result of our ongoing mission to make a plant-based lifestyle more accessible and enjoyable, by removing the need to compromise on either taste or nutrition when choosing plant-based foods. Our delicious new products can be prepared in just five minutes, meaning even those with a hectic lifestyle don’t need to compromise on nutrition. They take on more familiar forms than traditional tempeh, and we hope that this, paired with their great taste and versatility, will mean more flexitarians can choose meat-free more often.”

The new range is a result of our ongoing mission to make a plant-based lifestyle more accessible and enjoyable, by removing the need to compromise on either taste or nutrition when choosing plant-based foods

Fabio Rinaldo, co-founder and head of product development and operations at Better Nature

The products are available on the brand’s website, TheVeganKind and Amazon. In addition, with news of their partnership with Nestlé-acquired Mindful Chef, a healthy recipe box platform, the Sweet & Smoky Rashers will be available as a new recipe that will unveil on July 12 as part of their healthy vegan recipe subscription. The startup is also in talks with other leading retailers to feature their products.

According to vegan-dedicated market research firm Moonshot Collaborative, consumers who are already on a plant-based diet top the list when it comes to purchasing plant-based meat products with approx. three-quarters of these consumers ready to pay a premium for meat alternatives. Furthermore, the data shows that the younger generation is more open to paying for these items with 92% of Gen Z consumers, 81% of millennials and 72% of Gen X consumers agreeing they would shell out more for alternative protein products

Lead image courtesy of Samantha Couzens/Better Nature.