YouKuai, the creators of Zrou, are the pioneers reshaping the landscape of plant-based cuisine in China. Now China’s leading plant-based meat brand plans to make its international debut at the 2022 Plant-based World Expo, held on September 8-9 at the Javits Center in New York.
“My primary goal of working with Zrou is to deliver as much satisfaction through vegetarian cuisine as through any other dining experience involving pork or other types of meat.”
Chef-led movement with an Asian soul
Since the brand’s conception in 2019, Zrou has been working with chefs to develop plant-based solutions at restaurants, supermarkets, canteens, and more.
Also Read: Slingshot Biosciences, Partners With BIOKÉ to Distribute Synthetic Cells
Working toward “a world worth inheriting” through protein diversification, Zrou strives to give consumers a “More Good” option to meat that is as tasty as it is nutritious.
Already, Zrou is served extensively across China in over 130 HORECA locations and 55 school & corporate canteens across 18 cities. Its retail products are available both in 18 premium supermarkets and online. With a diverse product line Zrou has found a unique place in China’s F&B landscape, from being served at burger joints to being enjoyed in the office as ready-to-heat meals.
Notably in 2021, Zrou announced a partnership with Accor Group, the largest hospitality company in Europe and the sixth largest worldwide. As part of Accor Live Limitless, the company’s global lifestyle loyalty program, the collaboration aims to bring innovation to the hospitality dining arena. Fairmont Peace Shanghai, Fairmont Chengdu, and Sofitel Kunming are among the locations that offer signature Zrou dishes on their dining menu – expecting to follow are Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, Pullman, Swissôtel, Grand Mercure and Novotel hotels throughout Greater China.
“From day one, we created Zrou to be a global brand, showcasing a ‘More Good’ version of Chinese cuisine,” says Franklin Yao, co-founder and CEO of Youkuai Group International, who will be attending Plant Based World. “We are excited to share the yumminess of Zrou Chef Creations for the first time to a North American audience.”
An opportunity to try out Zrou’s Chef Creations
The sampling menu for the exhibition will be the following:
Zrou Northern Style Buns with Shiitake and Bean Sprouts
Zrou’s partnered with Chef Hu Zhang to develop a baozi that would be emblematic of Northern Chinese flavors. Zhang, born in Beijing, has been appointed by the National Council of Culture and Tourism to present on Chinese culinary arts in France, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Egypt.
“When I found out about Zrou for the first time, I was inspired – I just knew there was a lot of potential in it,” says Zhang. “I knew I had to make Zrou seamlessly replace meat – in essence, to create something novel and interesting while preserving the essence of Northern baozi.”