Verso Food, the Finnish developer of fava bean based foods, is launching its new Beanit® range on the international arena at the Anuga 2019 trade fair in Cologne, Germany. The delicious new Beanit® chunks and mince meet the growing global demand for high-quality plant protein foods. Their uniqueness on the market comes from using Finnish fava beans as an ingredient. The team behind Beanit® was thrilled to learn that the range was selected for special display at the Anuga taste Innovation Show by a jury of experts and journalists.
Finnish fava beans are a sustainable and versatile ingredient which, in expert hands, can be transformed into a wide range of foods. Verso Food has grown from a small start-up company to an innovator and pioneer in the food sector. The company’s delicious new product, Beanit® fava bean chunks, is the first of its kind in the world and the outcome of a long product development process. The key focus in the product development of this innovation was excellent taste and texture. Frying the Beanit chunks makes them crispy on the outside, but perfectly tender and juicy on the inside.
“We are strong believers in Finnish fava beans and the products we make from them. One step at a time, sustainable eating habits are reaching new dinner tables and situations. There is potential for growth both in our home market Finland and beyond,” says Verso Food’s CEO, Tomi Järvenpää.
The Beanit® chunks are packed with flavour and excellent in texture
The Beanit® fava bean chunks are made in Kauhava in Western Finland. The patented process uses a formula of natural elements: just water, heat and pressure.
“The products are based on natural flavours and simple ingredients – they contain only Finnish fava beans, pea protein and water. A flavoured rapeseed oil then adds taste and convenience to the final product” explains Verso Food’s Chief Marketing Officer, Annika Boström-Kumlin.
The Beanit® fava bean chunks are currently available in three flavours: Season to taste, Savoury Lemon and Garlic & Herbs. The Beanit® fava bean mince has a mild round flavour profile that simply enhances the taste of the fava bean itself. Both the chunks and the mince work beautifully pan-fried, stir-fried, in sauces, stews, on pizza or as a salad topping.
Successful at home and geared up for international expansion
With its brand new production facility in Western Finland, Verso Food is starting up an ingredients business to support the international arena. This means that carefully selected partner companies in different markets can shape and finalise the products according to local cuisines and market standards. The products can be locally flavoured and packed for both chilled and frozen retail sales.
“We have also developed our brand and communication for consumers all over the world. Our brand reflects joy, freshness and a passion for flavour, with the fava bean at centre stage,” says Annika.
The chunk products were launched in Verso Food’s home market Finland in August 2019 and the reception from both trade and consumers has been overwhelmingly positive.
The team behind Beanit® is thrilled to have been selected for display at the Anuga taste Innovation Show, as one of only 65 products out of over 2300 applicants. “Our whole team is so excited. We truly believe in the Nordic fava bean as a new ingredient, and we were happy to discover that also the Anuga jury of experts and journalists feel the same”, Annika Boström-Kumlin concludes. “We couldn’t have had a better start to our exports.”
Further information
Tomi Järvenpää, CEO, Verso Food
tomi.jarvenpaa@versofood.fi, tel. +358 40 547 6020
Annika Boström-Kumlin, Chief Marketing Officer, Verso Food
annika.bostrom-kumlin@versofood.fi, tel. +358 40 507 1989
More about the Beanit® range in our Products section!