Karana

Karana, a food-tech company established in Singapore in 2018, operates in the plant-based meat alternative market with a focus on whole-plant ingredients. The company was founded by Blair Crichton and Dan Riegler, who identified a gap in the market for minimally processed meat substitutes tailored for Asian cuisine. Crichton, who grew up in Hong Kong, previously worked at Impossible Foods and recognized the opportunity to create products specifically for Asian palates. Riegler has a background in agricultural supply chains in Southeast Asia, which informed the company's focus on sustainability and sourcing.

The company's core business revolves around transforming jackfruit into a meat alternative. Karana sources its organic jackfruit from smallholder farms in Sri Lanka, aiming to reduce food waste, as a significant percentage of jackfruit is often unutilized. The business model is primarily B2B, supplying its versatile plant-based products to restaurants, food service operators, and food manufacturers. Karana launched its initial products in Singapore and Hong Kong through partnerships with prominent local restaurants and has since expanded into the U.S. market.

Karana's flagship product is a plant-based pork substitute made from young jackfruit, available in shredded and minced forms. The company utilizes proprietary mechanical processing techniques to enhance the natural meat-like texture of jackfruit without the use of harsh chemicals, protein isolates, or concentrates. This results in a minimally processed product with a short ingredient list. The versatile jackfruit meat is designed for a variety of culinary applications, particularly in Asian dishes such as dumplings, baos, and stir-fries, and can be shaped into patties or meatballs. The company has also developed a range of ready-to-cook items, including dim sum products.

Financially, Karana has secured seed funding to support its growth and research and development efforts. In July 2020, the company announced a seed round of US$1.7 million, with investors including Big Idea Ventures and Henry Soesanto, the CEO of Monde Nissin Corp. These funds were allocated to launch its initial product range, build out its team, and further develop its product portfolio for the region.

Keywords: jackfruit meat, plant-based pork, food-tech, alternative protein, sustainable food, B2B food supply, whole-plant, Asian cuisine, minimally processed, food waste reduction