Armed with deep knowledge and understanding of consumers’ preferences, Haofood’s all-Asian leadership team will set the brand up for creating more plant-based alternatives enjoyed by consumers in the Asia Pacific

SHANGHAI, 27 SEPTEMBER 2022: Haofood, the world’s pioneer in the development of plant-based chicken from peanuts, today welcomed new members to its management board who are not only specialists in the food industry but also experts in alternative protein in Asia.

The Board of Directors includes Astrid Prajogo, Founder & CEO of Haofood, who represents the Founding team; Christian Cadeo, Managing Partner Asia at Big Idea Ventures and Yip Hon Mun, who has various investments in the alternative protein vertical as an independent Director, while in his personal capacity, Henry Soesanto, CEO at Monde Nissin Group and Jay J. Lin, Vice President of Strategic Investments APAC for Rich Products Ventures have joined as Board Observers.

“Asia is the most populous continent in the world, with Asian countries already making up more than half of the world’s middle class. As a result, Asia will experience increased demand for meat, and the environmental impact of a meat-heavy diet will worsen. Hence we devised a holistic solution to overcome this challenge while meeting these demands. When it comes to food, Haofood understands that every region has its own preferences, which are shaped by its cultural background. Key to the success of Haofood was the creation of plant-based meat that will be easily and widely accepted by the Asian palate when eaten on its own, and, when made into a dish, pairs well with a rich variety of Asian sauces and spices. With the addition of our new board members who have a vast amount of experience in the fast-growing alternative protein industry here in the Asia Pacific, I am positive their participation will give us a competitive edge over other industry players as we expand our brand in the region,” shared Astrid Prajogo, Founder & CEO of Haofood.

“I believe in working with start-ups who are category leaders in Climate and Food to realize their potential. Haofood is a rare find. As a healthy, tasty and affordable meat alternative originated in Asia and catered to the palate of Asian customers, Haofood brings meat alternatives closer to taste and cost parity. I am excited to see Haofood lead the transformation of the food system in China and Southeast Asia,” said Yip Hon Mun.

“Haofood started on the right foot – it has a competitive advantage thanks to its great tasting and sustainable chicken alternative products built on the back of robust, innovative technology. They also have a deep understanding of consumer behaviour across the region. I am confident that the brand will be able to grow the category and become a leader given its unique approach to winning the hearts of Asian consumers,” added Christian Cadeo, Managing Partner Asia at Big Idea Ventures.

Haofood has also appointed Shawn Keh as the General Manager for the Asia-Pacific region. Having spent two decades in the F&B industry, where he held various leadership roles at leading companies such as Australian Fruit Juice, Carlsberg, and Asia Pacific Breweries, Shawn will be instrumental in driving the business development, sales, and revenue growth of Haofood in the region (excluding China). 

“Haofood has grown the business tremendously in the Chinese market in just two years. The plant-based industry is a competitive space to be in, and I am excited to be able to work with such an illustrious team as well as contribute to the success of Haofood in Asia-Pacific,” said Shawn.

Please visit Haofood for more information.

About Haofood

Haofood is a food science and technology startup with a mission to sustain happiness from good food forever. With cutting-edge technology and science, Haofood is working to produce food in a smarter and more sustainable approach, to fulfill our protein needs today, tomorrow, and in the future. They are a pioneer, using peanut protein as the chief ingredient for their first innovation of plant-based chicken.

Based in Shanghai, Haofood was founded in 2020 and has a presence in over 2500 outlets in China. Haofood creates their product using Innotein, their own end-to-end proprietary innovative technology, to develop a variety of plant-based products from peanuts and other plant protein with a distinctive texture and strong umami taste profile. The result is a variety of safe, tasty, nutritious plant-based chicken products that are produced with a reduced carbon footprint.