Vegan Fishmonger wins major prize. But what exactly is vegan fish?
The opening of Horecava 2025 got off to a spectacular start with the presentation of the prestigious Horecava Awards. These prizes recognise the most innovative, sustainable and creative contributions to the hospitality sector. This year, the Horecava Innovation Award went to Vegan Visboer’s plant-based fish fillet. Vegan fish—what exactly are we supposed to imagine that to be?
Vegan Visboer makes plant-based fish fillets with a seaweed skin, sparking a revolution in the world of meat and fish substitutes. Naturally, you may wonder how on earth vegan fish is made. Well, it starts with a base of NON-GMO rice grains, which are transformed into a substance with a structure similar to that of fish fillets. Oils are then added for flavour, along with algae for that characteristic fish flavour and omega 3, 6 and 9. All of this is brought together through a secret process that ensures a balance between flavour, texture and nutritional value.
What makes vegan fish so unique?
Vegan fish is a plant-based alternative that mimics the taste and structure of traditional fish, but without animal suffering and with a much smaller impact on the environment. Unlike vegetarian fish, vegan fish contains no animal products such as eggs or milk. However, the characteristic fish flavour is still there. It is recreated with a clever blend of algae and herbs. Algae, the sea’s natural flavour enhancers, provide that briny, authentic fish experience. The result? A product that can appeal both to fish lovers and environmentally conscious eaters.
The Vegan Visboer fish substitutes are therefore genuinely 100% plant-based, which is not always the case when a product is vegan. Vegan does not mean the same thing as plant-based, because vegan products can contain ingredients that are not plant-based. Margarine, for example. It is essentially vegan because the standard recipe contains no animal products. However, in many cases it is not 100% plant-based, because it may contain artificial colourings or flavourings, or emulsified chemicals that do not come from plants.
Why plant-based fish is the future
Overfishing is a major problem, and plant-based fish offers a solution for protecting the oceans and preserving biodiversity. Who knows—soon there may be a piece of ‘fish’ on your plate too, but completely vegan and ocean-friendly!
Also read:
- Albert Heijn sells plant-based ‘butter’ with ‘a source of fibre’: what does that mean?
- How to: choose a plant-based milk
- Time to book: Michelin-starred restaurant Wils launches a plant-based set menu during National Meat & Dairy-Free Week
Source: Vegan Visboer & Horecava
