New Vegan Bleeding Burger, Fish Steaks Launch in Brazil

Brazilian vegan food brand Superbom recently debuted a ready-made “bleeding” burger and fish steaks in the frozen section of supermarkets in Brazil. The Gourmet Burger—which is made from pea protein and is gluten- and soy-free—has a similar scent, flavor, and texture to animal-based burgers. “To ensure maximum benefits to consumers, we developed a formula that has a high protein content—15 grams of protein per hamburger—juiciness, dietary fiber, vitamins A, B12, and B9, and minerals such as iron and zinc,” Cristina Ferriera, Superbom Director of Research and Development, told media outlet Food Navigator-Latam. The company’s biggest challenge when formulating the burger was achieving a  texture that is comparable to a traditional animal-based burger, and it took nearly a year to get it right. Superbom’s new vegan fish steaks are also made with pea protein. “The vegan fish steak is an innovative item because there are few vegan foods that simulate fish meat in the Brazilian market,” David Oliveira, Superbom Marketing Director, said. “Therefore, we have good expectations of consumers’ receptiveness with this novelty.” Similar to trends in other parts of the world, the popularity and availability of innovative vegan burgers is growing in Brazil. This month, startup Fazenda Futuro (“Future Farm”) began distributing its vegan Futuro Burger—made with the help of artificial intelligence—at retailers and restaurants in Rio De Janeiro and São Paulo.