From September 2023 German and European consumers will be able to enjoy the authentic taste and experience of an animal meat kebab from a plant-based kebab skewer that’s also halal-certified and lactose-free.
And it’s all thanks to the latest meat-hack from The Vegetarian Butcher, developed in partnership withThe Düzgün Group, a family-owned business and market-leading producer of commercial döner kebabs.
“The development was an exciting challenge: döner kebab is a unique product with a long tradition,” says Bart van de Ree, R&D Developer at The Vegetarian Butcher.
“The joint development allowed us to understand and then mimic all the culinary aspects of the kebab: the flavour, the texture, the slicing and shaving as well as the grilling behaviour,” he explains.
“The plant-based kebab is a great extension of our existing product range. It is not an alternative but rather a stand-alone addition to our range. We cannot wait to distribute the first skewers to our customers,” says Fevzi Düzgün, CEO of The Düzgün Group, which currently supplies skewers to döner chains, shops and restaurants in more than 15 countries.
“We can deliver on a large scale and hence we are perfectly set up to offer restaurateurs an international supply chain for plant-based skewers,” adds Blue Yildizbakan, Project Leader at The Düzgün Group.
And while restaurant guests can order a completely plant-based kebab whose meat substitute is cut off the skewer, is crispy on the outside and mimics the taste and texture of a traditional meat kebab, kitchen teams don’t need to add equipment or amend their cooking techniques.
The skewer “can seamlessly fit with their equipment and cooking procedures. The product performs just the way we intended to,” says Hugo Verkuil, CEO of The Vegetarian Butcher.
“Hacking meat icons like the döner kebab with plant-based equivalents is what it is all about for us,” he adds. “We are targeting meat-lovers – from vegans to carnivores – who don’t want to miss out. And when it comes to guests, we are convinced people will not be able to taste the difference.”
