With Asian-inspired plant-based propositions, Thai Union is attracting global interest. For example, its plant-based shrimp dumpling – a world first – was recently made a finalist in the prestigious Gulfood Innovation Awards.

Created by Thai Union’s ‘Alternative Proteins’ business unit, the world’s first plant-based shrimp dumpling was launched last year in supermarkets across Thailand to meet the growing consumer demand for healthy and environmentally friendly products.

Major plant-based milestone for leading shrimp processor

In July 2022 Thai Union introduced plant-based shrimp dumplings as its latest innovation for home-market of Thailand, showcasing its second plant-based innovation after plant-based tuna. The move marked a significant milestone for one of the world’s largest processors of shrimp – one that reflected its ambition to also become a leading player in the plant-based sector. 

The company’s plant-based shrimp dumplings have since sparked interest from retailers and brand owners across regions. The dumplings fit the growing appetite for easy adoption of plant-based solutions with an Asian culinary experience.

Bringing fresh innovation to plant category

Later this year, Thai Union will launch its first branded plant-based offerings in Europe, partnering with some of the largest retailers and gaining exposure to hundreds of stores.

 

As a steamed or microwavable product, Thai Union’s plant-based shrimp dumpling brings fresh innovation to the plant category, currently dominated by burger patties and breaded, battered products. Thai Union entered the Gulfood Innovation Awards for the first time in 2023, with its plant-based shrimp dumpling making it to the finals.

 

“Our plant-based shrimp dumpling being named a finalist in this year’s Gulfood Innovation Awards, together with the market success this product already has in Asia, recognises our strong efforts in the plant-based category over the past few years,” observed Gerben Kamps, Global Business Development Manager of Thai Union’s Alternative Proteins business unit. “We find great inspiration in the Asian cuisine and reinterpret them with plant-based ingredients. This has proven a successful angle for our products to find their way into everyday consumption.

“Thai Union is playing a leading role in seafood-inspired, plant-based proteins,” he continued. “We’re committed to embracing the opportunities that alternative proteins present, such as creating more seafood consumption occasions and attracting new consumers into the seafood category – especially when we can leverage our production knowledge and capabilities together with partners.”

 

Thai Union Alternative Protein’s presence at the recently concluded Gulfood show in Dubai saw the department sharing product innovations such as the award-winning plant-based shrimp dumplings and providing more insights to F&B companies from more than 120 countries on how brands can partner with them to bring plant-based products into the mainstream.

Promoting ‘Healthy Living, Healthy Oceans’

Thai Union Group PCL is the world's seafood leader, bringing high quality, healthy, tasty and innovative seafood products to customers across the world for 45 years.

Today, Thai Union is regarded as one of the world's leading seafood producers and is one of the largest producers of shelf-stable tuna products with annual sales exceeding THB 141.0 billion (~US$4.5bn) and a global workforce of more than 44,000 people dedicated to pioneering sustainable, innovative seafood products.

The company’s global brand portfolio includes market-leading international brands such as: Chicken of the Sea, John West, Petit Navire, Parmentier, Mareblu, King Oscar, Hawesta, and Rügen Fisch, Thai-leading brands SEALECT, Fisho, Qfresh, Monori, OMG Meat, Bellotta and Marvo, alongside ingredient and supplement brands UniQ®BONE, UniQ®DHA and ZEAvita.

As company committed to ‘Healthy Living, Healthy Oceans’, Thai Union is a proud member of the United Nations Global Compact, a founding participating company of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), and current Chair of Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS). 

Thai Union's on-going work through its SeaChange® sustainability strategy was recognised when the company was listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the ninth consecutive year in 2022. The company was ranked number one on the Food Products Industry Index of the DJSI, a position it previously held in 2018 and 2019. Thai Union was also named to the FTSE4Good Emerging Index for the sixth straight year in 2021. Learn more about the Group’s sustainability here