Marbled plant-based steaks and popular cold cuts offer new variety  

Hamburg, February 2025 – For a year now, plant-based pioneer Planteneers and filling and portioning system manufacturer Handtmann have been collaborating to enable customers to offer plant-based steaks or filet strips with fine marbling and authentic fibrous structures. In order to make the best use of the new technology, the product range has been extended with cost-optimized steak varieties, bacon, cooked ham, and carpaccio. Planteneers is presenting the cost-optimized steak as an example at this year’s IFFA in Frankfurt (Booth C89 in Hall 11.0), the world’s leading trade fair – technology for meat and alternative proteins.

“After the launch last year we received lots of positive feedback on our offerings,” reports Florian Bark, Senior Product Manager Planteneers. “The quality of the plant-based steaks, with their marbling and fine fiber structure, was very well received by customers. This resulted in requests for further options. We got to work and developed new application possibilities for the marbling unit.” Planteneers uses European-grown soy protein for the cost-optimized steaks instead of fava beans and peas. With fiildMeat P-series functional systems and Handtmann machines, manufacturers can offer authentic plant-based alternatives to rump steak and filet. 

In developing the three further applications, Planteneers – the “Plant Based Experts” – focused on products with high sales potential in the European markets. The results are plant-based alternatives to bacon and cooked ham, which are popular in a great many countries. Plant-based carpaccio is a specialty that adds further variety. “With these additional applications our customers are now much more flexible in designing their product lines,” said Florian Bark.

Manufacturers can make these products with fiildMeat P and fiildMeat S system solutions from Planteneers and a forming and marbling unit for the well-known Handtmann filling and portioning systems. This flexible coextrusion system creates the desired plant-based products. The size and shape of the final products can be adjusted to customer desires, as can the definition of the fat layers. Depending on the fat ratio and machine setting, asymmetrical fat marbling is possible. A coarse fat structure and fine fat marbling can be produced together or individually. The high output is another big advantage of this technology. Unlike production processes like 3D printing, the Handtmann system enables a throughput of over a tonne per hour. With this, manufacturers can turn out large quantities of steak and cold cut alternatives and thus meet the demand from larger trade partners.

About Planteneers 

Planteneers GmbH, headquartered in Ahrensburg, Germany, develops and produces individual functional systems for plant-based alternatives to meat, sausage, and fish products, along with cheese, dairy products, and deli foods. As a member of the independent, owner-operated Stern-Wywiol Gruppe with a total of twelve sister companies, Planteneers can make use of many synergies. The company has access to the knowledge of some 125 R&D specialists and to the extensive applications technology of the large Stern Technology Center in Ahrensburg. Part of the Technology Center, the Plant Based Competence Center formed in 2019 is the creative pool for alternative solutions, and the heart of Planteneers. Customers also benefit from the Group’s international network of 19 subsidiaries and numerous qualified foreign representatives in the world’s key markets, as well as shared production facilities and the Group’s own logistics resources. With revenues exceeding 672 million euros and some 1974 employees around the globe, the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe is one of the world’s most successful international companies in the world of Food & Feed Ingredients.