T. Hasegawa USA Inc., one of the world’s top flavor manufacturers, is responding to consumer demand for better tasting vegan proteins with a breakthrough technology that redefines plant-based protein flavor.
Today, the California-based company announces the launch of PLANTREACT™, a natural, science-driven flavor technology designed to replicate the complex, savory taste of animal proteins in plant-based foods. Using advanced reaction flavor techniques — like Maillard reactions and biotransformation steps like enzymolysis, and fermentation — PLANTREACT delivers authentic chicken, beef, pork, and milk profiles in fully vegan applications, ensuring plant-based products taste just as rich and satisfying as their animal-based counterparts.
The true-to-life flavor profiles produced with T. Hasegawa’s PLANTREACT solve one of the industry’s biggest challenges: making plant-based proteins more appealing. According to Mintel1, the U.S. market for plant-based proteins was $1.225 billion in 2024, but the category declined 9.6 percent over the last year. Despite more than a quarter of U.S. consumers saying they limit or eliminate animal proteins in their diet1, the market for plant-based proteins is declining and flavor is among the biggest reasons for this decline. A 2024 Mintel survey1 found that 36 percent of U.S. consumers claimed the reason they did not purchase plant-based proteins more often is because they didn’t taste great.
“Interest in plant-based diets is greater than ever, but the flavor profile of plant-based proteins has been a barrier for many consumers in the past, ” said Mary Maier, director of flavor creation at T. Hasegawa USA. “We’re excited to offer a solution to this problem and change consumer perceptions of plant-based proteins with a natural technology that delivers a more satisfying and authentic taste experience.”
The proprietary technology was developed over a 6-month period as part of T. Hasegawa’s “Bridge to Tokyo” program, which combines the R&D expertise and innovations of the company’s global headquarters in Japan and its California-based U.S. subsidiary.
PLANTREACT launches with formulations in beef, chicken and pork flavors along with milk, which aims to solve manufacturing challenges in producing vegan products by delivering a creamy, rich taste that serves as an alternative to dairy products. Within each meat alternative flavor, T. Hasegawa targets a range of applications that replicate the specific flavor profile of cooked proteins such as steak, burger patties, chicken tenders, battered/breaded par-fry, sausage and more. PLANTREACT flavors are all natural, so they can maintain clean label guidelines and are heat stable, ensuring a consistent taste regardless of cooking processes. All PLANTREACT flavors are available in a range of delivery systems, including liquid and dry paste.
