(23rd March 2022) – Singapore/Hong Kong - Singapore food startup KARANA is proud to announce its launch in the US market as it continues its global expansion as a leading Asian plant-based meat alternative after its successful launch in Singapore and Hong Kong in 2021.
(23rd March 2022) – Singapore/Hong Kong - Singapore food startup KARANA is proud to announce its launch in the US market as it continues its global expansion as a leading Asian plant-based meat alternative after its successful launch in Singapore and Hong Kong in 2021.
In the competitive market of meat alternatives, KARANA’s meat made from whole plants sets itself apart as it champions taste, biodiversity, and health. KARANA produces its unbelievably meaty products using jackfruits sourced from Sri Lanka, and in doing so promotes sustainability and biodiversity as jackfruit trees are grown intercropped. KARANA’s meat made from whole-plants is processed as little possible using a unique proprietary process that captures the nutrients and natural meat-like qualities of the jackfruit plant.
As part of the first phase of its US launch, KARANA has partnered with restaurants in San Francisco to offer its unique products across a variety of cuisines; from the acclaimed Cantonese restaurant Empress by Boon which is run by Malaysian Michelin-starred chef Ho Chee Boon, to plant-based Wildseed best known for their vegan pizza, and Basecamp founded by Nepalese chef/owner Suraksha Basnet.
KARANA creates innovative and versatile products that are interesting for both professional chefs and homecooks. The ground meat product features eight simple ingredients that are vegan, GMO-free, soy-free, has no cholesterol, is asource of dietary fibre, processed as little as possible, and free from artificial colors and flavors. KARANA’s current offerings in the US market include aground meat as well as a completely plant-based version of a classic pork gyoza that will first be available for food service to chefs and restaurateurs in theBay Area, followed by the Greater Los Angeles area.
Jackfruit is an efficient crop with high yields and low water usage that grows across Asia and has been underutilized, with many parts of the plant going to waste. KARANA works with smallholder farmers that ensure a transparent, fair and sustainable food supply chain as they continue to grow their global market share in the plant-based food arena.
Following the company’s closing of a pre-series A round, including follow-on investments from Big Idea Ventures and Henry Soesanto, amongst others, KARANA has expanded into the US market after its successes in Asia. The new round of funding has also helped support the ongoing process of Research & Development and hiring efforts to grow the team.
KARANA Co-Founder Dan Riegler states: "We have been leading up to a US expansion for two years now. This is a very exciting moment for our company and we are thrilled to share what we've built in the Asian market with this new audience. Our mission is to take ingredients like jackfruit that support soil health and farmers, and make them an incredible, diverse textural and flavor experience for use in the kitchen.”
KARANA Co-founder Blair Crichton added, “Our original goal was always to have people taste KARANA while dining out which is what we have achieved with fantastic restaurants in Singapore and Hong Kong. Now, we're thrilled to have such wonderful and talented partners in this lineup of Bay Area establishments for US consumers to taste our products for the first time as we begin our expansion in this market."
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Editor’s note:
For more information on KARANA please visit:
www.eatkarana.com
IG: @eatkarana
For high-res images of KARANA please visit:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k51q4qrocnyk4op/AAB-r7sFFL-7hkdi619FpAATa?dl=0
For further information, including interview requests, please contact:
Sneha Rupani Nagpal
Companion Communications
sneha@companioncommunications.com
T: +65 97247621
Dominique Backhouse
Companion Communications
Dominique@companioncommunications.com
T: +85290881096
About KARANA: KARANA Foods is the triple factor of plant-based meat. It finds the best plants nature provides and combines them with innovative techniques to create meat from whole plants; products that are versatile,delicious, sustainable, and healthier. Based in Singapore, the company was founded in 2018 by Dan Riegler and Blair Crichton and since then, has launched four products in three countries — a massive growth trajectory. Karana'sproduct line includes three different pork options made from young jackfruit as well as two different types of dumplings. The company has raised $3M to date from Big Idea Ventures, amongst others, and recently launched in San Francisco, its first entry into the US market.