Redefine Meat’s 3D Printed Alt-Meat Achieves Over 90% Acceptance in Landmark Blind Tasting
In a significant step forward for the future of food, Redefine Meat, a pioneering Israeli company, has unveiled the impressive results of the largest-scale public blind-tasting ever conducted for plant-based meat alternatives. Leveraging advanced 3D printing technology to create what they term “Alt-Meat products,” Redefine Meat is reshaping perceptions of sustainable eating. This groundbreaking event, specifically targeted at devoted meat-eaters, demonstrated a remarkable acceptance rate, signaling a pivotal moment for the burgeoning plant-based industry.
The initiative was a collaborative effort with Best Meister, a renowned high-quality Israeli meat distributor. Together, they launched a carnivore-branded food truck in a bustling suburb of Tel-Aviv, daringly named “There’s a new meat in town.” Initially, the organizers anticipated around 200 tastings over two days, a modest goal for such a bold experiment. However, the overwhelming public response far exceeded expectations, highlighting a growing curiosity and openness among consumers towards innovative food solutions.
The global market for plant-based alternatives has been experiencing exponential growth, with sales in the U.S. alone increasing by 11% last year, according to the Good Food Institute. This surge is driven by a complex interplay of factors, including increasing awareness of health benefits, environmental concerns related to climate change, and growing advocacy for animal welfare. Yet, for these alternatives to truly succeed and capture a mainstream audience, product satisfaction—especially in terms of taste, texture, and overall culinary experience—remains paramount. Redefine Meat recognized this crucial challenge and set out to prove that plant-based meat could truly rival its animal-derived counterparts.
The Ultimate Taste Test: A Carnivore’s Verdict
The “There’s a new meat in town” food truck quickly became a local sensation. Serving a menu of staple Mediterranean meat dishes, cooked fresh to order by Redefine Meat, the event was designed to put the Alt-Meat products through the most rigorous evaluation possible. To ensure an unbiased assessment, the dishes were served with minimal to no condiments or additional ingredients. This deliberate choice forced consumers to focus their senses entirely on the core attributes of the Alt-Meat: its appearance, aroma, flavor profile, and critically, its texture and mouthfeel. There were no distractions, just the pure, unadulterated experience of the meat itself.
The public’s response was nothing short of phenomenal. Instead of the anticipated 200 visitors, over 600 people flocked to the food truck, purchasing close to 1,000 servings of the Alt-Meat. This high volume of engagement underscored a genuine public interest and willingness to explore new culinary horizons. The true revelation, however, came after consumers had enjoyed their meals and were informed that the “meat” they had just consumed was entirely plant-based. The subsequent feedback was overwhelmingly positive, demonstrating a profound success for Redefine Meat’s innovative products.
Consumers consistently reported that the Alt-Meat products were strikingly comparable to traditional animal meat across key sensory metrics. The most frequently praised attributes included the authentic taste, the satisfying texture, and the realistic mouthfeel – often described as the full sensory experience of food in the mouth, encompassing everything from juiciness to chewiness. With an astonishing over 90% acceptance rate, this blind tasting proved that Redefine Meat had not only created a viable alternative but one that could genuinely satisfy the discerning palates of committed meat-eaters. This high acceptance rate among a demographic traditionally skeptical of plant-based options highlights the product’s superior quality and the effectiveness of Redefine Meat’s technological advancements.
The Redefine Meat food truck served over 600 visitors during its “There’s a new meat in town” blind tasting event. | Image via Redefine Meat
Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, CEO and Co-Founder of Redefine Meat, reflected on the profound impact of the experience: “We believe Alt-Meat should taste as good as animal meat – simple as that. Redefine Meat has achieved that with every product it has put to the test, transitioning the Alt-Meat conversation from health and sustainability and the view that ‘this is really close’ to ‘wow this meat is super delicious.'” This sentiment encapsulates the company’s core philosophy: that for plant-based meat to truly go mainstream, it must first and foremost deliver on taste and experience, appealing directly to the senses rather than solely relying on ethical or environmental arguments.
The overwhelming success of the blind tasting has solidified a strategic partnership between Redefine Meat and Best Meister. This collaboration is poised to bring Redefine Meat’s innovative Alt-Meat products to a wider audience, with Best Meister committing to commercial distribution to Israeli restaurants and high-end butchers starting in the first half of 2021. This partnership is a testament to the quality and market readiness of Redefine Meat’s offerings, paving the way for plant-based meat to become a staple in fine dining and everyday culinary experiences.
Over Three Years of Pioneering 3D Printed Meat Technology
Redefine Meat’s journey to this successful blind tasting has been one of relentless innovation and technological development, spanning over three years. It was back in July 2019 that the company first captured global attention by unveiling the world’s first Alt-Steak products, created using industrial digital manufacturing of plant-based ingredients. From its inception, the startup’s ambitious goal was to meticulously recreate the complex texture, rich flavor, and appetizing appearance of beef, a notoriously challenging feat for plant-based alternatives. This endeavor went beyond merely mimicking existing products; it sought to redefine the very essence of meat production.
The foundation of Redefine Meat’s breakthrough lies in its novel and patented 3D printing technology. Unlike traditional methods of producing plant-based meat, which often result in a homogenous texture, 3D printing allows for the precise layering of plant-based materials to mimic the intricate muscle and fat structure of animal meat. This sophisticated approach enables the creation of a fibrous, juicy, and complex mouthfeel that has been largely unattainable with conventional techniques. The technology permits the accurate placement of plant-based fats, proteins, and natural flavors, ensuring that each bite delivers a comprehensive sensory experience that closely mirrors traditional meat.
A crucial aspect of their development strategy was not just creating a superior product but also developing a technology that could be scaled up efficiently. To meet the demands of large-scale commercial markets, Redefine Meat understood that their 3D printing process needed to be robust, repeatable, and cost-effective. In September 2019, the company successfully raised $6 million in funding, a significant investment aimed at bringing its cutting-edge meat 3D printer to market. This funding was a clear endorsement of their vision and the potential of their technology to revolutionize the food industry.
As Eshchar Ben-Shitrit articulated at the time, “Our target is not to develop a new food product, but to introduce a new food technology that will become a platform for rapid introduction of new and superior meat alternatives that do not exist today.” This vision underscores Redefine Meat’s ambition to be more than just a food manufacturer; they aim to be a technology enabler, empowering the creation of an entirely new category of customizable, high-quality plant-based proteins. This platform approach allows for continuous innovation, enabling them to quickly adapt and introduce a diverse range of Alt-Meat products tailored to various culinary traditions and consumer preferences, truly expanding the possibilities within the alternative meat market.
A close-up of Alt-Meat, Redefine Meat’s 3D printed plant-based meat product. | Image via Redefine Meat
Paving the Way for a Sustainable Culinary Future
Today, Redefine Meat stands closer than ever to realizing its ambitious vision. The successful blind tasting event and the subsequent strategic partnership with Best Meister are concrete demonstrations of this progress. Ori Zaguri, CEO of Best Meister, shared his enthusiasm, stating: “Not only was consumer feedback overwhelmingly positive but Redefine Meat’s technology will also provide us the scale to create a wide-variety of quality meat cuts for our customers on-demand from one single source. We believe the mass meat-eater market is ready for alternative meat of this quality and we are excited to be the first to deliver it to them.” This statement highlights the dual appeal of Redefine Meat’s offerings: exceptional product quality combined with unprecedented manufacturing flexibility and scalability, which is critical for broad market adoption.
The impact of Redefine Meat’s advancements extends far beyond simply offering a new food product; it represents a significant leap towards a more sustainable and ethical food system. By providing plant-based alternatives that truly satisfy the expectations of meat-eaters, the company contributes directly to reducing the environmental footprint of food production, mitigating climate change, and promoting animal welfare. This technological revolution in food production could fundamentally alter how we consume protein, making sustainable choices not a compromise, but a desirable culinary experience.
Redefine Meat’s success story is a powerful testament to the potential of innovation in addressing global challenges. As they move towards broader commercial distribution, their 3D printed Alt-Meat products are set to challenge traditional norms and establish new benchmarks for what plant-based food can be. This opens up exciting possibilities for chefs, restaurants, and everyday consumers to explore a delicious and responsible future of eating. You can find more information about their pioneering work HERE.
Have you had the chance to try Redefine Meat’s products? Or would you be willing to try a 3D printed plant-based meat alternative that tastes and feels like traditional meat? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Let us know in a comment below or join the conversation on our Facebook and Twitter page! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter, delivering all the latest news and innovations in 3D printing directly to your inbox!