A climate solution you can eat: the world’s first plant-based salmon is made in Toronto

Aiming to reduce the significant impact of food production on the environment, these Toronto innovators have developed the world’s first plant-based salmon, which promises to feel, cook, and even taste like real fish. 

This week, MaRS Discovery District held its annual Climate Impact Conference, bringing together researchers, investors, and entrepreneurs to discuss climate-focused innovations across the globe. 

This year, the conference included a lab where industry leaders and innovators spoke about sustainable alternatives to food. 

“This is an opportunity to have a little panel discussion about the challenges of getting funding and getting adoption of the products in the space, but and also an opportunity to exhibit some of the technologies that are happening in Canada right now, and to talk to some of the entrepreneurs that are leading those developments,” Tyler Hamilton, Senior Director of Climate at MaRS, told Now Toronto on Tuesday. 

Although food might not be top of mind for many when discussing climate solutions, Hamilton explains that its production might have a significant impact. 

“Food has a tremendous impact, particularly the way we eat it today, and it goes throughout the entire supply chain. There are the inputs that go into farming and food production: it’s water, it’s energy, cows burp and release lots of emissions that contribute to climate change. There are all sorts of things,” he said. 

According to Statistics Canada, 10 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions come from crop and livestock production, and that excludes emissions from fertilizer production or the use of fossil fuels. Between 1990 and 2023, the country also saw a spike in greenhouse emissions related to various sectors, including agriculture. 

Besides emissions from food production, Hamilton adds that significant emissions can also come from other steps in the supply chain, including the consumption of energy for packaging and transportation. 

With all this in mind,  innovators have been developing ways to reduce emissions in food production, including the creation of plant-based foods that aim to be just as good as the real thing. 

THE WORLD’S FIRST FAUX SALMON

One of the stars in this year’s MaRS food lab was the world’s very first faux salmon. With unparalleled taste and a flaky texture that truly resembles fish, this plant-based fillet might be a first step into making sustainable eating more enjoyable.  

Aiming to lead the next generation of meat alternatives, in 2021, CEO Chris Bryson founded New School Foods, a Parkdale-based company dedicated to allowing people to eat sustainably while maintaining the enjoyment of having a meal. 

“Most people who tried meat alternatives really haven’t been that happy with it. So we’re trying to create products that really deliver these great experiences and delight people when it comes to the taste, the texture and the whole cooking experience,” he said on Tuesday. 

“We like to joke that the freshest fish in Toronto comes from Parkdale. And the team that’s there, they’re brilliant. We have lots of really talented food scientists and engineers, and every single week, we’re running all these different tests and experiments to really dial in the flavour and dial in the texture.” 

Bryson explains that before the final product, the faux salmon goes through a whole process to ensure its natural texture and nutritional value. 

At first, creators develop what he calls a scaffold, which looks like a sponge, filled with little holes along the side, which allows it to absorb proteins and other nutrients. That process makes the salmon more juicy and tasty, while keeping it healthy. 

Made with water, potato protein, DHA and EPA algal oils, ahiflower oil, sunflower oil, and seaweed extracts, the fillet has the same amount of Omega 3 and protein as a real fish, providing the same nutritional benefits of the real one, while keeping it free of mercury and antibiotics. 

Seeking constant improvement, New School Foods also constantly runs tests and improvements on their inventions, currently working on the 30th version of the project, and counting. 

“We don’t really talk about moving our foods to more sustainable products, because food is so personal and it’s so delicate, and so if we’re really going to ask people to switch to products that are plant-based, they have to be amazing. They have to be really, really, really good. And that’s why we’re so focused on continuously making our product better and better,” Bryson added. 

Those looking to try the new plant-based alternative for themselves can do so at several Toronto-based restaurants that are currently serving the faux salmon, including: 

• andore (1040 Queen St. W.); 
• Joni Restaurant (4 Avenue Rd.);
• One Restaurant (116 Yorkville Ave.); 
• Gia Restaurant (1214 Dundas St. W.);
• Avelo Restaurant (51 St. Nicholas St.)
• Stefano’s Diner (1265 Dundas St. W.)
• IL FORNELLO (multiple locations); 
• Evviva (multiple locations). 

For a full list of restaurants, visit the New School Foods website. 

For Bryson, the faux salmon is only the first step into the future of sustainable food. New School Foods is already in the process of producing other plant-based meats, which the CEO hopes will drive more people to switch to alternatives. 

“If you look at most of the plant-based products that have been launched to date, they really are junk food. So, your burgers, your sausages and your nuggets, the stuff you eat on Friday night, Saturday night, maybe Sunday morning, if you’ve got some leftovers. But what is missing is what we call whole cuts, the stuff you eat Monday to Friday,” he said. 

“We knew that that was the hardest product, and if we can make that, we can make anything else. So, you’ll see a lot of non-fish stuff from us next year.”