Verso Food, the market leader of plant-based foods in Finland has been granted a patent for the production method of its Beanit® fava bean Chunks and Mince. The patent helps in expanding the international presence of Beanit®. Currently the products are available in the UK, Sweden, Poland and Japan.
Product Development Manager Elli Laukkala explains the contents of the patent: “When developing new plant-based foods there is a limited number of protein rich crops to choose from; typically soy, pea, wheat, oat, and fava bean. There is also only a handful of applicable methods. This patent covers one of these few combinations: the production method of wet extrusion applied with fava beans.” The patent covers 36 European countries, with more markets pending.
Turning fava beans into food that both meets the requirements of food industry and convinces the customers in terms taste and texture isn’t the simplest of tasks. Wet extrusion creates Beanit® Chunks and Mince the distinctive meat-like texture that provides the perfect mouthfeel that the products have become loved for. After their introduction to the markets a year ago, the Beanit® products further strengthened Verso Food’s position as the market leader of plant-based foods in Finland. However, the impact of the patent goes far beyond the domestic markets.
FINNISH FAVA BEAN PROVIDES A UNIQUE OFFERING FOR GLOBAL EXTENSION
Tomi Järvenpää, the CEO of Verso Food is thrilled with the patent which will provide the company a further global competitive edge. He adds that Finnish origins provide the company extraordinary grounds for exporting plant-based foods: “The Finnish fava bean is a unique ingredient that constantly amazes us with its applicability. Our country’s clean environment, pure processing water and high quality standards are also strong assets.
In addition, the top-notch expertise that the Finnish food technologists have can be seen on the shelves of any Finnish grocery store; the number of high-quality innovations that emerge from a rather small market is exceptional. Järvenpää concludes: “The plant-based food markets are still young both globally and in Finland, but we do see an exceptionally high know-how and progression in our market. I believe Finland as a country could have the position to stand out as a forerunner in this arena. It’s something we really can be proud of.”
