Cover Photo: Courtesy of OmniFoods

The vegan luncheon meat looks, smells, and feels like the real thing—and now it’s finally available to bring home

After the launch of Omnipork strips in May, OmniFoods’ latest product, Omnipork Luncheon—a plant-based Spam-like product that has the exact look and feel of the canned processed meat—is set to hit the shelves at Green Common stores across Hong Kong on 27 August. 

Founded in 2018 as a food-tech company under David Yeung’s Green Monday brand, Omnifoods launched Omnipork that spring, reinventing ground pork as a plant-based lab-made product. In May 2020, the company debuted Omnipork strips and Omnipork Luncheon as new retail products, and introduced the ingredient to the menu at Green Common’s Kind Kitchen, with dishes such as Omnipork Luncheon and Eggless toast and Omni K-Ramen (Omnipork Luncheon ramen with kimchi). Back in May, we sampled the Omnipork Luncheon, served pan-seared, in the "classic" way. The slices of vegan "spam" were caramelised on the hot pan, releasing a meaty aroma. The product was mildly seasoned, while the texture resembles a soft, loosely-packed meatloaf.

Tatler Asia
Above Kind Kitchen's Omni K-Ramen Photo: Courtesy of OmniFoods
Tatler Asia
Above Kind Kitchen's Omnipork Luncheon And Eggless Toast Photo: Courtesy of OmniFoods

Omnipork Luncheon comes in a 240 gram package, each containing six ‘spam patties’ that are pre-cut and frozen. The product is manufactured in Canada with protein extracted from soy beans, along with wheat and coconut oil to create the firmer texture and meaty aroma, and beetroot for the red colour when the patties are cooked. The vegan spam slices weigh in at 40 grams each and resemble hash browns, and are best pan-fried with a little bit of oil in a hot pan while the patties are still frozen. The vegan spam quickly thaws and starts to sizzle within one to two minutes, releasing an aroma resembling that of pan-frying spam, and users are recommended to cook the other side for a further 2 minutes until caramelised on both sides. The texture is tender and mildly seasoned, like a lighter version of the canned luncheon meat, but the texture is very close to the real thing. 

The Omnipork Luncheon is rich in protein and dietary fibres, with a considerable decrease in nitrates, a common preservative, and fat content compared to regular luncheon meat products. If you ever needed an excuse to indulge in luncheon meat—because we don't—then head to your nearest Green Common outlet from 27 August, 2020.

Green Common, Shops 1-2, 2/F, QRE Plaza, 202 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 3586 1968