By Judith Sudilovsky, NoCamels -
Ofek Ron, co-founder and CEO of Israeli food tech company Oshi, believes we can do better – for the environment, for animals and for our health.
So three years ago, the entrepreneurial long-time vegan and activist set out together with the company’s fellow co-founders — 3D printing expert Hila Elimelech, and Oshi’s current innovation lead Ariel Szklanny and director of food R&D Ron Sicsic — to create the world’s first plant-based fish filet with the taste and texture of the original.
The company, formerly known as Plantish, selected salmon filets as its goal because of the fish’s popularity with consumers, Ron tells NoCamels.
Ron says he realized that there was no fish alternative among the plant-based meat alternatives popping up, largely because the texture and structure of fish differs to that of meat.
Therefore, unlike the relatively straightforward task of creating vegan burgers that mimic ground meat with ingredients like soy or mushrooms, the challenge of imitating the complex structure of fish filets presented a unique obstacle.
“You can take soy, you can take mushrooms, you can take lentils, mix it together, shape it into a ball, then squeeze it a little bit, put it into the oven and in 20 minutes, you’ll have a great vegan burger,” he says.
“If you do that, you will not get a fish filet because the texture and the structure is a lot more difficult.”
Fish filets possess intricate layers of flakes and fat lines, each contributing to its unique texture and mouthfeel, Ron explains, and no one in the food tech industry had yet tackled the problem of replicating it with plant-based alternatives.
It took the Oshi team three years of diligent, expert work on two fronts of research and development to create both the right texture and the right taste for the alternative salmon filet currently being market tested in 15 select restaurants across the USA.
Their solution lay in mycoprotein, a mycelium-based protein that also provides micronutrients, complemented by algae and vegetable oils.
This innovative blend not only mirrors the nutritional profile of fish but also replicates its texture through Oshi’s proprietary technology known as modular layering.
Ron explains that the flakes and the fat of the fish are created using two different methods and then combined in the production process.
The startup’s unique machinery meticulously constructs each filet, layer by layer of flakes and fat, ensuring an authentic fish-like experience.
“We invented machinery that can not only place the flakes one on top of the other, but it is actually shaping each flake into the right shape. It builds the fish like you build with Lego,” Ron says.
The company is now in the process of refining its product-market fit before expanding into retail sales, he says.
The plant-based filets are a solution for an industry that Ron warns is taking an environmental toll on the marine ecosystem.
Oceans are being overfished and filled with toxins such as microfibers and mercury, while traditional fish farming practices are unsustainable and even detrimental to human health with the overuse of antibiotics to keep disease at bay.
Furthermore, he explains, salmon are carnivores and fish farms take fish from the oceans in order to feed them at a pace that is also not sustainable.
“That is the main thing that people should know that when we eat fish, it’s not like we’re eating cucumbers that someone is planting: we are just taking fish, and if we take too much, there are less and less fish each year,” says Ron.
“That’s what has been happening in the past 50 years,“ he says. “We have to stop it. We have to reduce the amount of fish we’re eating in order to make the ocean thrive.”
Backed by $14.5 million in funding from investors and poised for further investment rounds, Oshi has relocated its production facility to California from its initial base in the central Israeli city of Rishon Lezion, which remains as the center of research and development.
The company was also recently recognized as one of Israel’s top 50 promising startups of the year by Israeli tech website Calcalist, for its pioneering efforts in food tech.
For now, the cost of the Oshi filet is equivalent to premium salmon filets from the Faroe Islands and Alaska, Ron says, with the price connected to the speed of the company’s production process.
“The pace of our machinery has not yet reached the pace of the fish farms [which raise] tons of fish at the same time,” he says.
But as they systematically update and upgrade their machinery, he believes they will reach the optimum price in about three years.
Rather than trying to recreate other existing kinds of fish, Ron says Oshi’s next goal is to create a new “species” of plant-based fish.
This, the company maintains, will appeal not only to the environmentally aware consumer, but also those who like to try something completely new rather than something that merely imitates an existing product.
“We are putting all our efforts into making it the healthiest and tastiest without trying to mimic a specific taste,” he says.
“We believe that if we stay with just mimicking, it will be hard to penetrate to the mainstream.”
A board member of Israeli non-profit Vegan Friendly, which promotes a lifestyle free of all animal products, Ron stresses the importance of creating startups that benefit the world, be it related to health, ecology or other fields with real meaning, which can really do good.
“I am spending my life trying to be an advocate for animals and sustainability, and for me it is a privilege to be making this ideology my full-time job,” he says.
“I have built a few ventures before, but Oshi is the most exciting for me because it aligns with my passion and can also have a massive impact.”
