The future of food: Romanian brand Verdino, an EUR 3 million investment in sustainable eating

The Salconserv Food company, owned by businessmen Raul Ciurtin and Eberhart Răducanu, has invested three million euros in the Verdino brand. Verdino contains a range of over 30 products, all based on pea protein, which replaces meat. Salconserv Food thus bets on the food of the future, increasingly sought after and consumed globally.

Salconserv Food company started production at the end of 2018, ending 2019 with a turnover of 8.3 million lei and 80 employees and estimates an increase of up to 12.2 million lei in 2020.

Verdino products – including burgers, small, minced meat, sausages, but also cheeses – offer the same satisfaction to meat lovers, with a similar taste and texture. Apart from the fact that they do not contain meat or milk, Verdino products are rich in fiber and protein and are free of lactose, soy and genetically modified organisms.

 “Verdino is the foundation for a completely new category of products and we are proud to say that the food of the future is also produced in Romania. We started the first exports with Verdino plant-based products this year. We have signed the first distribution contracts for several European countries, a distribution contract for the USA and we are in negotiations with several potential distributors for our products in other countries in Europe, but also in Canada and China”, stated Eberhart Răducanu, CEO Salconserv Food.

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Verdino products are found in major chains of supermarkets – Cora, Auchan, Profi and Rewe – but the company also delivers through its own online platform.

Herbal foods are becoming increasingly sought after due to the growing consumer demand for products that meet sustainability criteria. That is why manufacturers are turning to such foods worldwide and using high-performance technologies, innovating to obtain foods that taste similar to meat-based foods. Peas are considered the protein of the future because in the production of one kilogram of peas, 87% less water is consumed and 90% less CO2 is emitted than in the production of one kilogram of meat.

The global herbal meat market was estimated at $ 12.1 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $ 27.9 billion by 2025, with an annual growth rate of 15% (Euromonitor 2019).

The Good Food Institute reported that sales of plant-based meat foods in the US increased by 38% between 2017 and 2019, and a recent Nielsen market research indicated an increase of 279.8% during the coronavirus pandemic. And in the UK it was found that nearly eight million people had eaten more vegan food since the beginning of the pandemic.

The sustainability of herbal products and concerns about the negative impact of meat on health determine consumer interest and changes in consumption habits. Globally, the plant-based food market is expected to reach $ 120 billion by 2025, according to global consulting firm AT Kearney.