In this month’s edition of The Plant Base’s Start-up spotlight, we speak to Thierry Labrecque, president at Woop4, a Canadian producer of plant-based and allergen-free sauces and seafood alternatives, including tropical ‘piranha’ and mahi-mahi.
What led to Woop4’s establishment and what is the company’s long-term mission?
The Woop4 journey began ten years ago when I founded MamaYo, a company specialising in the production of vegan mayonnaise free from common allergens. Recognising the growing demand for allergen-free products, I quickly identified a lack of suitable options on the market. This is how the concept of Woop4 was born, aiming to bring everyone together at the same table by offering an alternative for those with food allergies or specific dietary restrictions such as vegans or pregnant women.
The real inspiration behind Woop4 was to fill the void felt by people seeking an alternative to fish. It was crucial to create a simple solution using ingredients familiar to everyone. This required five years of dedicated work and in-depth research to achieve a final product that best replicates the appearance and texture of fish while catering to the specific needs of those with allergies or particular dietary preferences.
Why did you choose to focus on seafood in particular?
We chose to focus on the seafood industry to address overfishing and provide an environmentally friendly alternative. This is also because there were already several options to replace chicken and beef, but there are still very few alternatives to fish, other than those based on carrots or canned imitations of white tuna.
Our goal was to create an eco-friendly option that would contribute to the fight against overfishing, while allowing everyone to enjoy the exceptional gastronomic experience of sushi, poke and tartar with fresh ingredients inspired by the sea.
What are the environmental and health benefits of choosing Woop4’s vegan seafood over the traditional animal-based versions?
In the current context, where fish and seafood consumption represents 20% of animal proteins for 3.3 billion people, and overconsumption is constantly increasing, it becomes imperative to explore sustainable alternatives. Currently, our delicious plant-based fish substitutes are among the few options available. Replacing just one out of every two fish meals with this plant-based alternative could play a significant role in the fight against overfishing. Environmental challenges related to fishing, such as overfishing, bycatch and illegal fishing, underscore the need for sustainable solutions like Woop4 products, which provide an ecological option for preserving our oceans.
Furthermore, our products exclude harmful preservatives like titanium dioxide and go beyond merely imitating the appearance of real fish by providing substantial nutritional benefits, including high levels of omega-3, and offer five grams of protein per serving.
What do you believe differentiates your products within the plant-based seafood market?
Our products stand out with their simpler and healthier ingredient list, free of harmful preservatives such as titanium dioxide often found in competing alternatives. Our distinctiveness is also reflected in our exclusive range of flavours, particularly with our Tropical Piranha, whose vibrant yellow flesh was created not only for enjoyment but also because we felt it added beauty to the plate.
We are also one of the few to offer an imitation of white fish with our Mahi-Mahi, which we believe adds an exceptional aesthetic touch to sushi platters. We differentiate ourselves significantly with our brand image, which is funky and colourful, creating a joyful universe that mirrors the pleasure at the core of our company. We embrace a casual and lighthearted approach. Furthermore, our message goes beyond simply offering a plant-based alternative; it’s really for everyone. Our goal was to create a fish suitable for all, making our company accessible to a wide audience.
Were there any key challenges in the development of your tropical seafood alternatives?
The biggest challenge was finding the perfect formula to achieve a texture and appearance as close to a real fish as possible. There was no existing equipment to create the beautiful white lines that were similar to the fat lines of a real fish. Consequently, we had to develop specific machines that would allow us to achieve this desired visual aspect.
What has been the company’s biggest achievement to date?
Our greatest achievement so far is witnessing how rapidly Woop4 is growing. The industry is showing genuine enthusiasm for our products, and it’s thrilling! It’s gratifying to see that the invested efforts are truly worthwhile when we observe all these exciting possibilities unfolding before us.
What’s next for Woop4?
We plan to explore the European market, as there seems to be a demand to be met and we feel the interest, as we are asked about the upcoming availability of our products in European countries. We certainly have the ambition to export to Europe in the future and we are ready to take on this challenge.
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