A BELFAST-based start-up is in advanced talks with a number of multi-national food companies to manufacture sustainable, plant-based food.
Born Maverick has used seaweed to develop products that replicate the taste and texture of prawns and scallops.
The brainchild of biotechnologist Azhar Murtuza, the company, which operates from the Innovation Factory in West Belfast, has already received interest from the US, Scandinavia and Singapore for its vegan seafood.
Backed by funding from Innovate UK, Invest NI and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Born Maverick is also developing plant-based dairy products and iced lollies.
Mr Murtuza said work on a plant-based milk, cream and yoghurt is also at an advanced stage.
“We are working with one of the biggest dairy companies in the Nordic countries to develop this product. Companies in Scandinavia are very forward-looking, they think on a global scale and are all about sustainability,” he said.
The company’s vegan lollies are billed as a healthy alternative to the traditional sugary treats, with a range of fruit and alcohol-free cocktail flavours such as pina colada and Irish Whiskey.
Born Maverick is currently in talks with a major dairy company in Sweden to manufacture them.
Mr Murtuza has also launched a new venture in collaboration with the University of Greenwich University of Lincoln to extract proteins from seaweed sources.
The food entrepreneur said his dream is to create a food innovation centre in Northern Ireland.
“There is more and more space being taken up on supermarket shelves by plant-based products and that is why companies are showing interest,” he said.
“Why not come up with your own new foods rather than import them from other countries? This is the challenge ahead for the Northern Ireland food industry.”
Stephen Ellis from the Innovation Factory described Azhar Murtuza as a born entrepreneur, inventor and innovator.
“It is very exciting to see him collaborating with companies throughout the world to come up with solutions to sustainable global food production.
“We are fully supportive of his plans to set up a food innovation centre in Northern Ireland,” he added.
