Kiwi company's meatless bacon hitting supermarket shelves soon

June 20, 2020

It’s creator says don’t worry, it still has plenty of sizzle.

Anyway you serve bacon, it's delicious. For carnivores, it's seen as a guilty pleasure but from Monday there will be a guilt-free option available. 

It might be made from plants but its creator says don't worry, there's still plenty of sizzle. 

Sunfed co-founder Shama Sukul Lee has been cracking the code when it comes to creating the perfect meat free alternative since she launched her "chicken-free chicken" way back in 2016. 

Now, she says she's managed to recreate the "gold standard" of meat alternatives. and one the carnivores most often say they could never give up. 

It's primary ingredients are water, pea protein and olive oil with the redish colouring coming from fermented red rice. 

"It sizzles like bacon, it has that classic bacon smell. When you bite into it, it gives you the full bacon experience," says Ms Sukul Lee. 

Pre-Covid-19, she even braved the Auckland's big meat festival, Meatstock, to see what the hardcore carnivores thought of the fake meat. 

"We were swamped... absolutely swamped... people kept coming back for seconds and thirds." 

When it comes to traditional bacon, she says there is strong evidence supporting that the original version isn't that good for you.

"The WHO, cancer councils around the world... they're all in deep concensus that bacon is a carcinogenic. They classify it as a group one carsinogen." 

Shama Sukul-Lee's idea could help slow global warming and do wonders for animal welfare.

While New Zealand Pork says Kiwis can eat moderate amounts of bacon as part of a healthy balanced diet, Sama Sukul Lee simply wants to provide an alternative. 

And she says it's not just for those who are carnivorous but the farmers too. 

"We want the farmers to start growing yellow peas ... but by giving them a commercially viable option ... it's drought-resistant, it has a very small water footprint, hardy, doesn't need pesticide and it actually leaves the soil better than you found it."

With the arrival of meat-free bacon, she reckons it could prove to be the next Tesla moment. 

"Look at electric cars... electric cars have been around since the 1800s but it had a huge stigma. It was ugly and slow and didn't have the range. Then Tesla came along and made a car that's better than the status quo." 

She's hoping that her five years of hard work will see sales sizzling when it hits shelves next week.

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