Hamburg, February 2024 – Marbled steaks and bacon with meat and fat layers are standards in the classic meat segment. However, offerings in the plant-based alternatives category are still very limited. This is even more the case for plant-based products that feature not just marbling or fat layers but also an authentic, fibrous structure. To change this, plant-based pioneer Planteneers and filling and portioning system manufacturer Handtmann are joining forces.  

With functional systems from Planteneers and equipment from Handtmann, manufacturers of plant-based meat alternatives can now produce marbled pieces with a fine fibrous structure. The only requirements are a newly developed attachment for Handtmann’s familiar filling and portioning systems and the appropriate system solutions from Planteneers’ fiildMeat and fiildTex series. The latter is the basis for these meat and fat alternatives, which are produced with a flexible coextrusion system. 

The products can be plant-based alternatives to steak, filet strips, or bacon. 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 the machine setting, asymmetrical fat marbling is possible. 

Another major advantage over existing production processes for marbled meat alternatives, such as 3D printing, is the high output. With a throughput of over a ton per hour, manufacturers can turn out large quantities of steak alternatives and thus meet the demand from larger trade partners.  

About Planteneers

Planteneers GmbH, headquartered in Ahrensburg, Germany, develops and produces custom system solutions for plant-based alternatives to meat, sausage, and fish products, as well as cheese, dairy products, and deli foods. As a member of the independent, owner-operated Stern-Wywiol Gruppe with twelve sister companies, Planteneers can use many synergies. The company has access to the knowledge of some 170 R&D specialists and 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 760 million euros and some 1950 employees around the globe, the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe is one of the world’s most successful international suppliers of food & feed ingredients.  

About Handtmann Füll- und Portioniersysteme (F&P) 

Handtmann’s F&P division is part of the owner-operated Handtmann Group headquartered in Biberach, Germany. It is a leading manufacturer of food processing technology, and provides modular and cross-process line solutions from product preparation to packaging solutions. These are backed up by digital process support solutions developed in-house. Simultaneously, the company invests in sustainable concepts for food innovation. This includes highly modern technology and customer centers at the company headquarters. The Handtmann Group has about 4100 employees worldwide, of whom about 1500 work in in R&D. The company has a presence in over 100 countries through numerous subsidiaries and sales and service partners, and is extensively networked via strategic partnerships. www.handtmann.de/food