Catalyst Food: Lip-smacking Vegan Food & Innovation All Set to Become the Industry's Next Game Changer
Catalyst Food was the first in India to introduce vegan spreads and meat alternatives. Catalyst Food’s nutrient rich vegan menu provides a variety of easy to prep, fast and delicious vegan food options so consumers can savour & indulge their guiltfree choices for health, compassion and sustainability. Catalyst Food’s convenient 'meals in minutes' provide versatile protein rich alternatives to milk, meat, fish and poultry with their VeggyNAISE, VeggyMEAT and VeggyMATE range of products.
The growing numbers of the Health, Earth and Animal conscious people can now satisfyingly substitute animal products with plant based replacements, free of antibiotics and hormones. The global meat industry leaves a trail of destruction all over the world, from climate change to forest fires to human rights abuses. The entire supply chain of the meat industry contributes to an array of environmental issues. When we abuse the environment and the animals, we don’t teach our children to do better, we forever condemn ourselves, our children, and their future. Thankfully, veganism is being adopted extensively around the world as we see growing evidence that a plant based diet is critical for our overall health and the health of the planet. Chennai-based Catalyst Food aids this change, delivering healthy, delicious, sustainable, humane plant based options on the menu.
Where most commercially available vegan products have come under criticism for being unnatural and 'Franken food', Catalyst Food has been keen to focus on low process with cleaner, simpler and fewer ingredients labels. All Catalyst Food products have been developed in standard home kitchen settings without heavy duty technology and machinery. Catalyst Food is non-compromising on its commitment to clean labels to keep products free of unnecessary additives and preservatives.
Inception of Catalyst Food
After more than 10 years of working for animals, Marieen Vijay, founder of People for Animals, Chennai, realized that no matter what the investment in terms of the cost, time and effort and no matter how many animals were rescued and rehabilitated, it would never be more than a drop against the colossal & incessant animal abuse perpetuated every second. Real change could happen only when people, of their own volition, changed their lifestyles and habits. This compelled her to start Catalyst Food as an endeavour of faith and labour, combining her love for animals with her passion for food.
Having learnt from experience and faced the challenges of opting for a vegan lifestyle, she sought to make that journey an easier and more delicious one for others. The lack of tasty alternatives and the initial complexity of making the life changing decision to go plant based can discourage many from staying the course and keeping the faith. She created a line of products which gives consumers the easiest, laziest and most satisfying alternatives and meal options. Her client list includes celebrities, restaurants, hotels and some of the largest retail outlets. “Orders have been so over whelming that we have not started our e-Commerce yet. For Catalyst Foods its been all about quality and not volumes. We shall start our e-Commerce once our new products which are in the final phase for market preparation is ready,” says Marieen.
Portfolio of Offerings
Among the various products that have successfully increased the customer base and resulted in repeat orders are VeggyNAISE and VeggyMEAT. VeggyNAISE India’s first vegan mayo, at one time had around six flavoured offerings, including fresh mint, fresh celery and others. With VeggyMEAT, Catalyst Food initial plans were to launch a basic unflavored version of mock meat. This was soon modified & curated after customer trials and feedback. Catalyst Food enthusiastically created more than 15 delicious variants, but besides being spoiled for choice, it also created a confusion of choice, so the product line was reduced to five of the most popular and versatile variants.
VeggyMATE a Plant-based Paneer, is an exciting new offering, slated to be an industry breakthrough. The concept was ideated to offer enticing, convenient protein choices to vegans and non-vegans. Catalyst Food has recently applied for patent for this protein rich, ingenious formulation developed by Marieen. Structured as an accessible protein, the next few months will see VeggyMATE available pan-India. VeggyMATE will be strategically launched with special additional devices to promote its reception into the average Indian kitchen where it may well become a mainstay.
In the Future
To keep misery off the Menu, Catalyst Food is constantly developing and ‘veganising’ alternatives to exclude meat, eggs and dairy. “Our plant based convenience foods aim to help people with busy schedules keep the option of delicious and satisfying food which is humane and sustainable at the same time,” says Marieen. “By offering vegans, non-vegans, vegetarians and non-vegetarians, delicious, delectable and convenient zero-cholesterol vegan options, we strive to change our world one drink, one snack and one meal at a time,” Marieen concludes.
The growing numbers of the Health, Earth and Animal conscious people can now satisfyingly substitute animal products with plant based replacements, free of antibiotics and hormones. The global meat industry leaves a trail of destruction all over the world, from climate change to forest fires to human rights abuses. The entire supply chain of the meat industry contributes to an array of environmental issues. When we abuse the environment and the animals, we don’t teach our children to do better, we forever condemn ourselves, our children, and their future. Thankfully, veganism is being adopted extensively around the world as we see growing evidence that a plant based diet is critical for our overall health and the health of the planet. Chennai-based Catalyst Food aids this change, delivering healthy, delicious, sustainable, humane plant based options on the menu.
Catalyst Food aims to bring about a change in the food habits of this generation one drink, one snack & one meal at a time
Where most commercially available vegan products have come under criticism for being unnatural and 'Franken food', Catalyst Food has been keen to focus on low process with cleaner, simpler and fewer ingredients labels. All Catalyst Food products have been developed in standard home kitchen settings without heavy duty technology and machinery. Catalyst Food is non-compromising on its commitment to clean labels to keep products free of unnecessary additives and preservatives.
Inception of Catalyst Food
After more than 10 years of working for animals, Marieen Vijay, founder of People for Animals, Chennai, realized that no matter what the investment in terms of the cost, time and effort and no matter how many animals were rescued and rehabilitated, it would never be more than a drop against the colossal & incessant animal abuse perpetuated every second. Real change could happen only when people, of their own volition, changed their lifestyles and habits. This compelled her to start Catalyst Food as an endeavour of faith and labour, combining her love for animals with her passion for food.
Having learnt from experience and faced the challenges of opting for a vegan lifestyle, she sought to make that journey an easier and more delicious one for others. The lack of tasty alternatives and the initial complexity of making the life changing decision to go plant based can discourage many from staying the course and keeping the faith. She created a line of products which gives consumers the easiest, laziest and most satisfying alternatives and meal options. Her client list includes celebrities, restaurants, hotels and some of the largest retail outlets. “Orders have been so over whelming that we have not started our e-Commerce yet. For Catalyst Foods its been all about quality and not volumes. We shall start our e-Commerce once our new products which are in the final phase for market preparation is ready,” says Marieen.
Portfolio of Offerings
Among the various products that have successfully increased the customer base and resulted in repeat orders are VeggyNAISE and VeggyMEAT. VeggyNAISE India’s first vegan mayo, at one time had around six flavoured offerings, including fresh mint, fresh celery and others. With VeggyMEAT, Catalyst Food initial plans were to launch a basic unflavored version of mock meat. This was soon modified & curated after customer trials and feedback. Catalyst Food enthusiastically created more than 15 delicious variants, but besides being spoiled for choice, it also created a confusion of choice, so the product line was reduced to five of the most popular and versatile variants.
VeggyMATE a Plant-based Paneer, is an exciting new offering, slated to be an industry breakthrough. The concept was ideated to offer enticing, convenient protein choices to vegans and non-vegans. Catalyst Food has recently applied for patent for this protein rich, ingenious formulation developed by Marieen. Structured as an accessible protein, the next few months will see VeggyMATE available pan-India. VeggyMATE will be strategically launched with special additional devices to promote its reception into the average Indian kitchen where it may well become a mainstay.
In the Future
To keep misery off the Menu, Catalyst Food is constantly developing and ‘veganising’ alternatives to exclude meat, eggs and dairy. “Our plant based convenience foods aim to help people with busy schedules keep the option of delicious and satisfying food which is humane and sustainable at the same time,” says Marieen. “By offering vegans, non-vegans, vegetarians and non-vegetarians, delicious, delectable and convenient zero-cholesterol vegan options, we strive to change our world one drink, one snack and one meal at a time,” Marieen concludes.
