Dr Judith Wemmer from Planted is working to ensure that in the future we can eat meat without killing animals. The chief developer and her team are on the verge of bringing their first meat substitute to the market: the perfect steak made of pea flour.
Ms Wemmer, have you ever dreamt of a juicy steak?
No, I do not think I ever have. But at the moment my thoughts are often about steaks and other Whole Cuts. At Planted, we are now in the position that we can produce large cuts of meat.
So, meatless steaks that taste like steaks?
Yes, I could feed you a thick piece in our lab that you would be really impressed by.
Does this mean you are close to being ready for market?
Yes, we are just working on scaling up and are about to launch our Whole Cuts.
That will be a big step. Another big step for Planted. Can we take a step back and look at what Planted is and how it started?
Planted is one of the fastest growing start-ups in Switzerland and also one of the fastest growing alternative protein producers in Europe. The company started two and a half years ago. In this time, we have grown from three to 180 employees. Our goal is easy to sum up: we want to revolutionise the food system with our products.
Why does it have to be a revolution?
Meat production is responsible for 14.5 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. In our opinion, it makes no sense at all to slaughter animals for pleasure and protein. Instead, we should eat the plant protein directly.
Sounds great, but not necessarily appetising.
That is what we are focusing on – bite and taste. We are working with scientists and chefs to recreate the perfect bite and taste – and have impressed consumers in doing so.
Personal background
Dr Judith Wemmer is Head of Product Development and a member of the Executive Board at Planted. The 31-year-old food process engineer joined the start-up two and a half years ago and, in addition to developing new products, also spends a lot of time communicating her knowledge and the company’s vision.
Personal background
Dr Judith Wemmer is Head of Product Development and a member of the Executive Board at Planted. The 31-year-old food process engineer joined the start-up two and a half years ago and, in addition to developing new products, also spends a lot of time communicating her knowledge and the company’s vision.
Enough for them to give up meat?
That is our goal. Our products are not an alternative to meat. They are better than animal meat – in every respect. Better in taste and texture, better for your health, better for the environment. They have a much smaller environmental footprint and will eventually also be cheaper.
Where is Planted on this journey?
In terms of environmental footprint and health aspects, we are much better than animal meat. Taste and texture compare extremely well – and as I said, we are getting there with the larger pieces too. And prices will gradually fall. In the long term, it cannot be cheaper to rear and kill an animal than to make plant proteins.
You are not pioneers in the field of meat substitutes, but you are now ahead of others. Deutsche Bahn, for example, is offering your products in their on-board restaurants. Can you explain that?
We have managed to bring something to the market that both restauranteurs and end consumers enjoy. And we did it with very few ingredients and additives.
It is based on peas.
Correct. Our products consist mainly of yellow peas, but we also work with sunflower and oat protein. It is important to us that we use various raw materials in our products. This is crucial for the environment, but also for the health of our customers. As our product range grows, the diversity of our ingredients also grows.
It is about pushing a vision forward
So there will not be a pea monoculture in Switzerland?
The funny thing is that there are already a lot of pea fields. At the moment, peas are mainly used as animal feed – like soya and other protein-containing crops. Animals convert proteins very inefficiently. They certainly do not convert all of them into muscle meat. We want to eliminate this inefficiency. We human beings do not need as much plant protein to meet our needs.
If there are no or less animals, will agriculture change?
We will certainly have to design agriculture in Switzerland and Europe in a way that resources can be used as efficiently as possible. We are working with scientists to find the perfect protein mix for Switzerland so that our food system becomes more sustainable.
How would you describe the culture at Planted?
I would say it is characterised by innovation. We have a start-up culture that allows people to try things and make mistakes. There is a lot of close collaboration. It is about pushing a vision forward. A vision that we are all working towards.
Sounds heavenly – is it? Surely quick growth brings problems?
They can be solved. The important thing is that new employees share in the vision of the company. So far, our Talent & Culture team have done a great job. No easy task when you grow to 180 employees in such a short space of time.
Walder Wyss has high quality standards, even when things are moving at pace.
Here in Kemptthal, there are number of different specialists all working together: chefs, biologists, process engineers, data specialists and so on. But no lawyers. That is where Walder Wyss comes in.
Correct. We work with the firm on all kinds of contracts – like for investment rounds, for instance. We really value our collaboration. Our cultures fit well together: Walder Wyss has high quality standards, even when things are moving at pace and we need legal support quickly.
You have a vision and are striving for a revolution, a huge upheaval. That is a big task. How does it fit with you personally?
I studied Food Process Engineering at ETH here in Zurich with two of the four Planted founders, Lukas Böni and Eric Stirnemann, and then did a doctorate in the field. The opportunity arose to start here. The combination of scientific work, innovative products and sustainability is just my thing. It also allows me to fully indulge my passion for action. It is a unique position.