Heura collaborates with schools to provide plant-based nutrition

Furthermore, the company collaborated with parents, chefs, school monitors and directors in order to educate children as to the benefits of plant-based meat.

“Introducing the advantages of plant-based eating from a nutritional standpoint is essential,”​ Marc Coloma, CEO and co-founder of Heura, told FoodNavigator. “Plant-based proteins tend to excel in nutrient density, containing less fat, total calories and sugar, while providing more protein, micronutrients such as B12 and iron and dietary fibre.”​

The programme’s aim is not to simply provide an alternative to meat, but a substitute which surpasses meat in many of the ways that matter.

“The fact is, in Europe most kids aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables​,” Coloma told us. “By introducing plant-based foods early, we can encourage healthy habits and behavioural change.​

“We give the community an opportunity to try ‘meat successors,’ foods that are superior to animal meat from a nutrition and sustainability standpoint, to break stereotypes about taste and show them that eating animals isn't the only way to enjoy the foods they love​.”

Another key aspect of Heura’s programme is education. It has conducted training workshops, which include both written and video materials on the benefits of eating plant-based meat.

It has also educated the school staff, through a range of training sessions. “Our trainings have been conducted by our Culinary Team​,” Coloma told us, “alongside expert external partners like Mireia Porta, Nutritionist for Football Club Barcelona. ​

“This includes all the information about our ingredients and why plant-based eating is important. This has been a crucial element, to ensure the best cooking and culinary experiences possible with our Heura products​.”

Heura plans to expand the programme to 550 schools. “And while we are starting in Iberia,” ​Coloma told us, “we also hope to expand the program throughout our key regions across Europe, including France, Italy, UK and DACH​.” DACH is Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

Plant-based meat in Spain ​

In Spain, fondness for plant-based diets is on the rise. Heura’s aim to be a ‘successor’ to meat has a lot of groundwork laid by the prevailing trends across Spain, where plant-based diets, and plant-based meat itself, is slowly increasing in popularity.

According to the EU-funded Smart Protein Project, around 30% of Spanish consumers would describe themselves as flexitarian, with 6% following a plant-based diet.

Around 47% of Spanish consumers are at least willing to buy plant-based meat – specifically, 50% want more plant-based burgers to be available, 44% want more chicken alternatives, 39% want plant-based mincemeat, and 34% want plant-based fish sticks. Rice, potatoes and almonds are Spanish favourites for plant-based ingredients.