Hooked Foods’ plant-based seafood docks in 400 German stores

Stockholm-based vegan seafood company Hooked Foods has expanded to Germany, and it is now offering its plant-based products in 400 Rewe West stores nationwide.

This year, Hooked Foods has secured over €1.18 million in funding, including a €644,000 boost from a crowdfunding campaign in June. The financial backing fuels the startup’s ambitious expansion into Germany, the European powerhouse for plant-based food.

Hooked Foods stands out from its competitors by utilising high-moisture extrusion (HME) technology, a more advanced and versatile method than textured vegetable protein (TVP). HME enables the creation of more complex muscle fibres and flakiness, resulting in a texture that closely mimics real seafood.

In an interview with Green Queen, Hooked Foods co-founder and CEO Tom Johansson expressed his delight in finally bringing the company’s products abroad. “Our success in the Nordics has demonstrated a growing demand for innovative, sustainable alternatives, and we’re excited to introduce our iconic Swedish brand to German consumers,” he said.

According to the Good Food Institute (GFI) Europe, Germany is the frontrunner in European retail sales for vegan food. The country made €1.9 billion in purchases in 2022, indicating a 42 percent growth since 2020. However, vegan seafood still accounts for a mere 0.75 percent of the overall plant-based market in Europe, indicating ample room for expansion.

The German seafood market is on track for substantial growth, with an anticipated annual increase of 3.16 percent. The market presents an opportunity for alt-seafood companies, which have witnessed remarkable expansion across Europe in recent years.

Protein-rich vegan seafood

Founded in 2019, Hooked Foods is making waves in the plant-based seafood market with its products. The vegan salmon alternative, Salmoonish, is made from a blend of soy, pea, and wheat protein with pea fiber, vegetable oils, algal oil, aromas, and natural colorings. It is also fortified with vitamins and minerals to provide essential nutrients.

Salmoonish contains 17 grams of protein per 100 grams, compared to 20 grams for traditional salmon. However, it also contains over three grams of dietary fibre per 100 grams, which is missing from conventional salmon. It makes Salmoonish a good source of fibre, which can help promote digestive health.

Hooked Foods’ vegan tuna alternative, Toonish, is made from a dual protein base of pea and algae with pea fiber, sunflower oil, aromas, and natural colorings. It contains 17.1 grams of protein per 100 grams, compared to 26 grams for conventional bluefin tuna. Like Salmoonish, Toonish is also a good source of dietary fiber, with over three grams per 100 grams.

It also offers mayo spreads made from Toonish called Toonish Mayo and Toonish Curry. The spreads are made from a blend of Hooked Foods’ plant-based tuna, vegan mayo, and flavorings.