Moscow hosted the largest Russian exhibition for HoReCa industry professionals. Large-scale exposition and busy business agenda. Consultations, presentations, master classes, and tastings. This year, more than 700 companies from Russia and abroad took part in the event.
A gourmet spectacle put up by EFKO FOOD Professional team surprised the exhibition guests. Non-stop master classes presenting Hi! plant-based meat are held at the EFKO stand and at the stand of our partner Vulkan.
Burger with roast beef made from HiBeef mince, crispy mini cheburek, burrito, pie, Caesar salad with Higgets, creamy Tom Yum soup with Hiballs meatballs... Dozens of dishes in a new version.
In addition to experimenting with recipes, our chefs offered three new products.
The first is “chicken” schnitzel, which will soon be available in stores and other plant-based items under the Hi! brand. It contains soy protein, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, B12 and D3 vitamins, citrus dietary fiber, natural flavors, salt, pepper, and spices.
The new products were greeted with enthusiastic praise on behalf of expo attendees. “You’ll never think that there’s not an ounce of meat here!” Anastasia shares. “The taste is very delicate, this is what I prefer in food. I don’t like it when there are a lot of additives.”
All types of sauces under the Hi! brand (vegetable, no egg yolk) and EFKO FOOD (traditional) were presented at the tasting.
Mayonnaise, Caesar sauce, tartare, veganaise, mustard, tomato sauce, cheese sauce, burger... The Cheese sauce is the star of the veggie line and has the creamiest, most delicate flavor but doesn't include any ingredients of animal origin which is truly a miracle. Guests remarked on its color and consistency, but as for the taste, as often happens with our products, did not believe that it was 100% vegetarian.
At the exhibition, EFKO FOOD Professional presented a new product: the Barbecue taste sauce. It can be used to glaze ribs or chicken wings. It bakes perfectly and becomes glossy.
“We wanted to make a bright, rich, recognizable sauce. It seems to me that the technologists simply did the impossible: it has a note of prunes, smoke, and a whole bouquet of spices,” Anton Prokofiev, brand chef of Food of the Future R&D center, said.
Of course, we left the most interesting things for dessert. You could order coffee at the EFKO stand. The secret is in the third new product – Hi Barista plant milk.
Professional baristas were involved in the development of the drink. The milk is easy to whip, forming soft, fluffy foam. The composition is enriched with calcium and vitamins D3 and B12. Hi Barista products are approved by the European Vegetarian Union. The line includes “Coconut” and “Banana” flavors.
“It goes very well with coffee, has a delicate aroma and aftertaste,” expo guest Elena tries the new product. “A very pleasant shade of taste – coconut-vanilla. And the “cap” turned out great, I thought this kind of thing could only be whipped with cream. Thank you, it is delicious!”
Throughout the exhibition, our chefs offered not just specific products, but complex solutions and during master classes showed how it works.
Tasty and bright.
Director of HoReCa Division at EFKO
We continue to study what is happening in the market and science, collaborate with scientists, and improve our products. 1980s recipe book is no longer relevant.
Our entire team of chefs from the R&D center of Food of the Future R&D center is working at the PIR expo. We have more than 600 dishes developed with plant-based alternatives, using various combinations of sauces. Moreover, we are ready to visit a specific restaurant, learn about the challenges it encounters, and assist in finding solutions by developing new items and enhancing ones already on the menu. The specialists of Food of the Future R&D center know everything about the menu, technology, culinary, economics, and business models of various restaurants: from street food to Michelin-level restaurants. And most importantly, we know what we should come to clients with and what benefit should we bring.
We are ready to share our knowledge with partners and everyone who wants to eat delicious cuisine that is beneficial to their health and the environment.”
Tanuki concept chef