Vegan Drumsticks That Pull Apart Like Chicken to Launch Globally

Singapore’s plant-based startup Shandi Global just debuted a vegan chicken drumstick.

According to the brand, the plant-based meat pulls apart like conventional whole-muscle chicken. It cooks the same way as animal-based meat, and is sold at a “similar price” so as to compete directly with traditional products.

Shandi Global’s vegan chicken drumsticks will sell the drumsticks to retailers, manufacturers, and foodservice providers at SG $2.80 (approximately U.S. $2.12) per 300g. This will rival local and regional market prices for traditional chicken products.

The meat-free drumsticks will reach customers in Singapore within the first quarter of 2021. Shandi Global currently sells its various vegan chicken products — including breaded patties, strips, pieces, shredded, and the new drumsticks — in India, Singapore, Canada, and Australia. According to the company, it is currently in the process of commercialization.

Using patented processes, Shandi Global combines soybeans, pigeon peas, mung beans, chickpeas, urad lentils, white beans, and black-eyed peas with cold pressed oil, herbs, and vegetables to create its high-protein vegan chicken drumsticks. The company said that the new products taste like conventional drumsticks “barbequed on bamboo charcoal.”

Shandi Global recently showcased its vegan meat technology — something it calls “high-performance chromatography” — at the virtual 2020 Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit.

Founders Dr. Reena Sharma and Dr. Aditya Sharma are both lifelong vegetarians, and aim to produce sustainable plant-based options that are both affordable and nutritious. In addition to being high protein, the brand’s competitively priced vegan chicken also matches the amino profile of traditional meat. With a “tender and juicy texture.”

Demand for vegan chicken

Poultry is the second most widely consumed meat in the world, and chicken is the most common variety of poultry. But demand for vegan meat is growing. Plant-based chicken products, in particular, have seen unprecedented sales over the last two years.

Singapore is no exception to the growing demand for meat-free food. And PETA Asia named the city-state the second most vegan-friendly city in the region. Dedicated restaurants such as VeganBurg and Genesis — and supermarkets such as Everyday Vegan — cater to consumers looking for plant-based chicken, meat, and other products.

Last month, Singapore’s government gave food technology startup Eat Just regulatory approval to bring its cell-based chicken to market. In a world first, the cell-based meat — “real” meat produced from animal cells — debuted at a Singapore restaurant.

“Singapore has long been a leader in innovation of all kinds,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just. “From information technology to biologics to now leading the world in building a healthier, safer food system.”