Alternative Foods: Not Just for Meat Anymore - Kate Muhl

Lower impact meat alternatives are mainstream now. Seems they’re emerging for the vegetable world, too

Actual Avocado — For the record, this one’s a real avocado. Which, according to the creator of the Ecovado, requires a whopping 85 gallons of water to grow and harvest internationally.

What’s happening:

The Ecovado is an alternative avocado concept designed to deliver the flavor, texture and aesthetic experience of an avocado but without the environmental impacts of this water-intensive, high food mileage berry. (Technically avos are berries. The more you know!)

To approximate the flavor and texture of an avocado, the Ecovado would be made from natural, low-impact components that can be locally sourced. For instance, a British Ecovado would be made from broad beans, hazelnut, apple and rapeseed oil.

The Ecovado is the brainchild of Arina Shokouhi, recent graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins’ masters in Material Futures program. What inspired her? “Avocados are one of the most unsustainable crops to export because of their delicate, easy-to-bruise nature, and the plantation-style monoculture farms required to meet the global demand for avocados are driving the deforestation of some of the most diverse landscapes in the world.”

How to think about it:

Is this the next phase of conscious eating? As sustainable practices evolve and mature, Green consumers’ expectations do as well. Environmentally committed consumers are looking for ways to reduce their entire environmental footprint without sacrificing the flavors and foods they love.

Key consumer values: Sustainability, Environmentalism, Leadership, Creativity

Key categories: Food, Sustainability/ESG

Key Application Areas: Consumer Insight, Product Development, Brand Strategy

h/t Dezeen British-made Ecovado offers low-impact alternative to “unsustainable” avocados

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