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From Rice Bran to Plant Protein: The Innovative Journey of Plant Origin Food
You are likely familiar with plant-based meats and soy milk, but have you heard about vegan omelette?
The Thailand startup Plant Origin Food is focusing on the emerging field of "plant-based protein" products. Founded in 2022 by Pas Niratbhand, they are distinct from the more established markets of plant-based meat and milk.
Plant Origin Food is confident that rice bran (rice bran is the outer layer of rice grains that is removed during the milling process to produce refined white rice, and is known beyond others for its nutritional value), once overlooked as waste, holds the potential to create tasty and nutritious plant-based protein offerings.
Plant Origin Food is currently focused on the Asian market, including Taiwan, Singapore, and Japan, with plans for expansion into North America and the United Arab Emirates by 2026.
What motivated Pas Niratbhand to enter this specialized market? How does he convert rice bran, traditionally discarded as waste, into a viable plant-based protein?
Why Plant Origin Food choose plant-based protein powder over plant-based meat
Plant Origin Food founder Pas Niratbhand said, "Unless you do better than existing products on the market, it's difficult to break in." In recent years, the plant-based meat market has become saturated, necessitating distinct features to succeed. "Plant-based protein is a relatively niche market, but it holds substantial growth potential."
The core technology of Plant Origin Food involves using hydrolysis to extract plant-based protein from rice bran. This technique breaks down proteins into smaller molecules for easier absorption by the body, which are then blended with other ingredients to create "exx," a plant-based protein powder.
Rice bran: minimizing waste and depletion of natural resources
Regarding the choice of rice bran, Pas Niratbhand explained that it's a healthier and more sustainable material, often discarded as a byproduct of rice processing despite its high protein content and nutritional value.
"We aim to maintain nutritional value while promoting environmental sustainability, minimizing waste and depletion of natural resources," said Pas Niratbhand. The initial goal in founding the brand was to revolutionize the food industry by offering healthy, high-quality, affordable plant-based protein. Repurposing nutrient-rich rice bran helps reduce waste, and to ensure a stable supply, the team collaborates with major edible oil companies in Thailand.
Plant Origin Food's technology offers significant advantages, including a faster production time of just three days compared to the typical 2-8 weeks cycle for other plant-based proteins. Additionally, their products are 75% cheaper than cell-based and cultured proteins, costing only $12 per kilogram. By extracting rice bran into powder or liquid form, they achieve a 90% reduction in natural resource usage compared to traditional chicken eggs. This technique not only makes their plant-based protein more efficient and affordable but also more sustainable.
Actively expanding into the B2B market, Plant Origin Food aims to bring plant-based protein to more dining tables. "In the United States, I ate meat and dairy for over 20 years, and my weight kept increasing," said Pas Niratbhand. It wasn't until he tried vegetarianism that he realized its profound impact on health after watching the documentary "Forks Over Knives."
The venture of being a serial entrepreneur who wants to let people eat healthier
Inspired by this experience, he founded a company in 2012 specializing in events for vegan eaters, and in 2022, decided to start a business in Thailand due to the pandemic.
However, Pas Niratbhand's entrepreneurial journey was not without challenges. He launched a service delivering three meals of vegetarian food in Thailand, but logistical complications and dispersed clientele hindered its success. "Logistics were a nightmare; delivering fresh food by motorcycle in Bangkok by 9 AM was impossible." Subsequently, he attempted to provide customized meals for diabetes and cancer patients, but this service's business model was unsustainable.
With logistics proving impractical, he shifted focus to developing plant-based foods, seeking a breakthrough in the Asian market. "I wanted to create plant-based protein powder that fits Thai dietary habits, easy to fry or cook with just water, suitable for various dishes," observed Pas Niratbhand. While plant-based protein products dominate in Europe and America, typically made from mung beans, they often carry a bean-like taste and lack crispiness after deep-frying.
Pas is aware that many people either don't have the time to cook or lack access to a proper kitchen. To address this, they have developed a ready-to-eat frozen omelet. This product is designed to be effortlessly prepared in just a few minutes using a microwave, making it an ideal option for those with busy schedules or limited cooking facilities.
Achieving the right texture remains key to successfully promoting plant-based eggs in the Asian market. To achieve a texture and flavor closer to real eggs, Pas collaborated with university research teams, ultimately discovering protein extraction techniques from rice bran at Chiang Mai University.
In conclusion, Plant Origin Food is making progress in the plant-based protein market by using new technology to turn rice bran, often thrown away, into a healthy and sustainable food option. Their partnerships with well-known companies like Wei Chuan, Glico and Ajinomoto show their dedication to spreading plant-based protein to more people, helping them achieve their goal of making healthy, plant-based food available worldwide.
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