“Rebel” Sushi Company Debuts Game-Changing Vegan Salmon

Last week, vegan brand Ima—which translates to “now” in Japanese—debuted its vegan salmon sushi meals at all seven locations of Planet Organic across London. The new sushi sets feature hand-rolled pieces of sushi filled with avocado, dill, and vegan salmon made from Asian root konjac. Ima founder Jessica Chan—a sushi aficionado that went vegan in 2017—developed the salmon to create a sustainable alternative to fish sushi while filling a void in London’s vegan sushi offerings, which mostly include cucumber rolls. “Back when sushi was created, sustainability issues such as overfishing were not a topic of discussion,” Chan told Foodnavigator. “Our oceans and fish levels are depleting at such a rapid rate, it’s just not sustainable for us to continue eating fish sushi.” In addition to creating plant-based alternatives to fish, the company further protects the oceans by packaging its meals in plastic-free biodegradable trays. Ima first launched its sushi at Planet Organic in June, then offering select items from its product line which includes sushi meals such as The Happy One (hoisin-glazed mock duck, cucumber, and sesame seeds) and burritos such as The Extraordinary One (katsu tempeh, chili sauce, and avocado). Later this month, Ima plans to launch a vegan crab sushi made with black rice.