What Tastable does

Tastable Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo-based food technology company established in September 2021 with capital of 500 million yen, operating as a subsidiary of Unitec Foods Co., Ltd. and Sojitz Corporation. The company develops and sells NIKUVEGE, a plant-based meat product line that uses no animal ingredients while reproducing a meat-like texture through proprietary blending technology. The product portfolio includes frozen formats such as hamburger patties, mini balls, plant-based cheese-in hamburg steak, marinated beef short rib-style slices, and bacon-style products, plus an in-development plant-based octopus alternative called Altaco. NIKUVEGE's formulation emphasizes Japanese-palate seasoning using kelp and mushroom extracts (savory amino acids) and charcoal-flavor aroma to evoke familiar Japanese tastes.

The company operates a hybrid go-to-market model spanning B2B and B2C channels. B2B distribution flows through parent company Unitec Foods Co., Ltd. for bulk commercial orders and ODM/custom product development, while consumer purchases are fulfilled via a direct e-commerce storefront (with single-bag minimum orders) and through the Fuji Oil-operated Soya Farm Club marketplace. The company pursues a partnership-led food-service strategy, co-developing menu items with high-profile restaurant operators such as Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu (plant-based Menchi-Katsu) and a Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan / Royal Holdings joint venture called Lounge & Dining at the Osaka/Kansai Expo. Marketing is centered on industry trade-show presence (e.g., HCJ2025 at Tokyo Big Sight) and a bilingual corporate website.

Effective July 1, 2025, Tastable transferred a portion of its plant-based meat business to parent Unitec Foods Co., Ltd., and current product inquiries are directed to Unitec Foods. All NIKUVEGE product sales, B2B bulk orders, and customer relationships now route through the parent, indicating a structural consolidation rather than a discontinuation. Operations remain Japan-only, focused on the Tokyo headquarters and the Kansai region through Expo-linked partnerships.

Name

Tastable

Legal name

Tastable Co., Ltd.

Website

https://tastable.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Tastable is a Tokyo-based food-tech subsidiary of Unitec Foods and Sojitz that develops and sells NIKUVEGE, a plant-based meat line using proprietary blending technology, serving B2B food-service operators and B2C consumers in Japan through parent-company distribution channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Plant-based Meat Alternatives

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Finished Meat-Alternative Prepared Foods (Nuggets, Burgers, Sausages, Ready Meals) (AFANAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Texturization & Structuring Technologies (Extrusion, Shear-Cell, Spinning, 3D Printing) (AFANAKAI), Frozen Prepared Meat & Seafood Meals (AFANAFAC)

Keywords

• Plant-based meat
• Meat alternatives
• Food technology
• Frozen food products
• Food manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. NIKUVEGE Product Sales: Sale of plant-based meat products in frozen belt format including ready-to-heat products and uncooked products. Available in commercial (B2B bulk) and consumer (online store) formats.
2. B2B Custom Product Development: Development and manufacture of fastening type and ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) products to meet specific customer requests.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Tastable develops and manufactures NIKUVEGE, a line of frozen plant-based meat products that reproduce the texture and taste of animal meat using proprietary blending technology, with no animal-derived ingredients. The portfolio spans ready-to-heat items (hamburger patties, mini balls, plant cheese-in hamburg steak, marinated beef short-rib style, bacon-style) and uncooked formats, sold via B2B bulk channels for food service operators and an online store for individual consumers. The company also offers ODM/custom fastening-type product development for commercial customers.

Product overview

Tastable offers NIKUVEGE, a plant-based meat product line that uses no animal ingredients, as its core offering. The portfolio consists of commercial frozen products (hamburger patties, mini balls, hamburg steak with cheese, marinated beef short rib-style, bacon-style) plus ODM/fastening type products for B2B customers, and household products sold via e-commerce. Recent additions include Altaco (plant-based octopus alternative under development). NIKUVEGE products are also featured as menu items at partner restaurants including Lounge & Dining and Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NIKUVEGE: Plant-based meat product that does not use animal ingredients. Includes various frozen products such as hamburger patties, mini balls, plant cheese-in hamburg steak, marinated beef short rib-style, bacon-style, and Altaco (tentative name, a plant-based alternative to octopus).

Products and services

• NIKUVEGE Plant-Based Meat Line Frozen plant-based meat product line that uses no animal ingredients, offered in ready-to-heat and uncooked formats. Features proprietary blending technology for juicy texture, charcoal flavor, and Japanese soup stock seasoning using kelp and mushrooms. Sold via online store to individual consumers and in bulk through Unitec Foods to commercial food service operators.
• NIKUVEGE Hamburger Patty (50g) Plant-based hamburger patty featuring charcoal flavor and seasoning with Japanese soup stock (kelp, mushrooms). Achieves juicy texture close to animal meat through proprietary blending technology. Nutrition: 275 kcal, 11.7g protein, 19.5g fat, 13.1g carbohydrates per 100g.
• NIKUVEGE Mini Balls Mini ball product featuring the natural sweetness of Hokkaido-grown onions and soy sauce-based seasoning enhanced with mushroom and kombu flavors, tailored for Japanese palates and infused with charcoal grilling aroma.
• NIKUVEGE Plant Cheese-In Hamburg Steak Plant-based hamburger steak with a cheddar cheese-like cream that melts when heated. Pre-seasoned and ready to enjoy by warming in a microwave or on a griddle; can be paired with sauces or used in simmered dishes.
• NIKUVEGE Marinated Beef Short Rib-Style Thinly sliced plant-based meat marinated in sweet and savory sauce, versatile for sukiyaki, stir-fried dishes, twice-cooked pork, and Hayashi rice.
• NIKUVEGE Bacon-Style Plant-based bacon alternative that can be enjoyed thawed or cooked for crispy texture, with chewiness and flavor reminiscent of bacon.
• ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) Custom Plant-Based Product Development B2B custom development and manufacturing service that produces fastening-type and ODM plant-based meat products tailored to specific customer requirements, handled through parent company Unitec Foods Co., Ltd.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significantly reduced water consumption compared to meat production
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Unitec Foods Co., Ltd.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 July 2025Parent company and recipient of business transfer for plant-based meat business effective July 1, 2025. Handles inquiries for relevant products going forward and manages bulk commercial purchases. Located at 14-4 Nihonbashi Kodemmacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.
• Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan and Royal Holdings (Lounge & Dining Joint Venture)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2025NIKUVEGE-based menu featuring three dishes (Plant-Based Meat Curry, Plant-Based Mini Burger with Teriyaki Sauce, Plant-Based Lasagna) at Lounge & Dining, a joint venture dining facility at the Osaka-Kansai Expo. Combines Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan's beverage service expertise with Royal Holdings' central kitchen expertise.
• Gyukatsu Kyoto KatsugyucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2025Co-developed new plant-based Menchi-Katsu using NIKUVEGE as a base for the Osaka/Kansai Expo flagship store. This juicy, umami-rich patty is made from a unique blend of multiple plant-based ingredients, served as the Plant-Based Menchi-Katsu Set Meal. Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu is Japan's and the world's largest gyukatsu (beef cutlet) specialty chain.
• Fuji Oil Soy Farm ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEC site for plant-based foods operated by Fuji Oil Holdings Inc., offering plant-based products including soy protein, DHA oil, chocolate, drinks, and supplements. References NIKUVEGE purchasing options.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NH Foods (Nippon Ham): Japan's largest meat processor, which has been actively developing plant-based product lines. Comparable as a broad incumbent moving into the same plant-based meat category Tastable targets, with far greater scale and distribution.
• Impossible Foods: US-based plant-based meat company with foodservice and retail reach. Comparable as a global alt-protein incumbent whose technology trajectory and foodservice wins influence Tastable's opportunity set.
• Maruha Nichiro: One of Japan's largest seafood and food companies, with an emerging alt-protein portfolio and extensive foodservice distribution. Comparable because it competes for the same foodservice protein budgets as NIKUVEGE, though from a much broader portfolio.
• Beyond Meat: Global plant-based meat leader. Comparable as the category-defining incumbent whose performance sets the demand trajectory and competitive benchmark for Japanese alt-protein players like Tastable.

Emerging players

• Starzen: Japanese meat processor that has expanded into plant-based and alternative protein products. Comparable as a Japanese mid-cap food company pursuing the same alt-meat pivot, though with a more traditional protein base.

Direct peers

• DAIZ: Japanese plant-based meat pioneer using its proprietary 'Ochiai' germination technology to produce alt-meat analogs. Direct competitor to NIKUVEGE in the Japanese market with overlapping foodservice and retail channels.
• Next Meats: Japanese alt-protein startup producing plant-based 'NEXT Beef' and related meat substitutes for foodservice and retail. Closely comparable business model, customer base, and product positioning to Tastable.

Others

• Fuji Oil Holdings: Japanese specialty oil and plant-protein ingredient company (operator of the Soya Farm Club that resells NIKUVEGE). Comparable as both a soy-protein supplier and channel partner; adjacent rather than directly competitive.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tastable