• SIMULATE, a New-York-based startup producing plant-based chicken, announced that it is launching two new plant-based products—strips and crispy cutlets—targeting restaurants.

• The new products are made using high moisture extrusion (HME) technology, which the company claims leads to a real meat-like fibrous structure in the plant-based alternatives by denaturing plant proteins and realigning them with heat and pressure.

• The company previously only sold its products online and at retailers and this development marks its entry into the food service industry.

<ul><li> AnalystQuickTake: High moisture extrusion (HME) technology is increasingly becoming popular among alternative meat producers due to its ability to create meat that better mimics real meats in terms of texture and fibrous structure, as opposed to traditionally used low moisture extrusion (LME) technology. Further, HME is also claimed to be more nutritional due to it being a milder method of extrusion. However, the requirement for high-powered hydrators and temperature controls makes HME more energy intensive and expensive. While SIMULATE is just starting to use HME, companies such as Impossible Foods , Heura , Gathered Foods , and Sophie’s Bionutirents have been using the technology for some time.</ul>