VeganUS

Plant-based proteins are making a transformative impact on dietary choices, human health, and the environment at large. And it’s happening at scale.

But one thing the alternative protein scene has always been lacking is the flavor and texture of traditional meat products. Replicating taste and texture, especially of chicken, remains an elusive goal for many brands.

This was until VeganUs came into the picture four years ago. Now, there is a promising alternative––one that is flavorful and almost indistinguishable from meat.

For VeganUs, the goal is to debunk a widely held theory that plant-based food can’t taste as great as chicken or beef, or might be difficult to prepare. Founded by vegan masterminds, Jessie J Cheng and her husband, Dr. David K. Mao with active participation from their daughter Joanna Mao, the company has spent years developing and perfecting its products, including the NoChicken Nuggets, NoChicken Burger, NoBeef Burger and NoBeef Crumbles.

The good news is these are just as tasty as meat, look the same and are incredibly easy to prepare while helping people move towards an increasingly natural, healthy and wholesome diet.

Dedicated to giving consumers the best plant-based diet experience, Dr. Mao and Cheng have spent decades researching and studying plant-based nutrition and its direct correlation to overall health. They are joined in their mission by their daughter, Joanna, who has been on a plant-based diet from birth and actively participates in product design, marketing and social media strategy at VeganUs. This dynamic trio is setting the stage for a plant-based revolution with a firm commitment to a growing community of people who care deeply about their health and the Earth.

The Right Type of Plant-Based Meat for Every Need

Be it retailers, foodservice or wholesale customers, VeganUs’ products are the right fit for every client. The VeganUs NoChicken Burger is the result of an unyielding approach to replacing the most consumed meat in the U.S., chicken. Unlike other products in the market that are coated in breadcrumbs to compensate for the lack of texture, VeganUs offers a naked burger with the authentic look, texture and taste of white meat. Adequately seasoned and ready to cook, the patty is infused with seven natural flavors that were optimized to offer the perfect flavor profile. With 13 grams of high-quality plant-based protein in each patty, the VeganUs NoChicken Burger is a true game-changer.

Chicken nuggets, generally regarded as fatty and unhealthy, are a significant part of the American diet, regularly consumed by one in four people in the country. Their popularity among kids presented a critical need for a healthier yet delicious version of plant-based chicken nuggets.

VeganUs NoChicken Nuggets was the answer. Borrowing inspiration from the world-famous McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets, its product replicates the tenderness, texture, and “white meat” flavor of real chicken nuggets. The craveable and nostalgic taste of the product has made it increasingly popular among kids, helping them switch to a healthier option. VeganUs NoChicken Nuggets was a favorite among kids at many trade shows, and a family kept returning to the sampling stall of 2023 Expo West because their kids couldn’t stop gorging on them.

“The family enjoyed the NoChicken Nuggets to the point that they clicked a photograph in front of the stall and shared it with me captioned ‘Ethan Approved.’ They had come to the expo on a full stomach, and yet young Ethan eased his way through almost a dozen pieces,” says Dr. Mao.

After having tasted multiple plant-based beef burgers on the market, VeganUs realized there was a need for a product with the great taste of meat, made from healthy, non-GMO ingredients. The result—VeganUs NoBeef Burger—a juicy patty that sizzles on the grill and tastes incredible from the first bite to the last. Developed to provide a meaty texture and aroma, the product uses natural beet juice-based coloring to achieve the desired pink and red tones of real meat.

Its most versatile product, however, is the VeganUs NoBeef Crumbles. The very aroma of the product, when thrown into a pan, is capable of hijacking one’s mind and taste buds. Used for taco fillings, bread stuffings, soups, or stir-frying with other vegetables, it never fails to amaze.

All of VeganUs’ Non-GMO Project verified and Certified Plant Based products are created without using onion and garlic, making them suitable for consumption by a significant portion of the vegan population, like Buddhists, Jains and yoga practitioners, as well as people on sensitive diet, an increasingly important niche in the marketplace.

The Journey to Creating the Perfect Product

Taking inspiration from thousands of years of plant based food-making processes common in Asia, the company infuses commonly used Asian ingredients like soy sauce and vinegar to enhance the flavors of Western cuisine.

“We are able to achieve realistic texture and taste that satisfy the cravings of our audience by leveraging oriental technology and adding Asian ingredients in our alternative protein products,” says Cheng. “This allows us to replicate flavors that are otherwise impossible when approached from a Western recipe and technology point of view.”

Another interesting aspect is the handcrafted packaging by an international award-winning artist, conceived by Jessie and Joanna to convey the beauty of a plant-based lifestyle. Its vivid, creative packaging designs stand out on the shelves and appeal to a younger audience. The designs are centered around the VeganUs products as a stepping stone toward a new way of life, one that attracts people of various backgrounds who share the belief in the power of a plant-based diet. VeganUs is truly a brand based on a philosophy and a sustainable way of life.

To manufacture its distinct plant-based products, VeganUs collaborated with a strategic partner with decades of experience in developing, producing and distributing plant-based meat products globally. Production capacity of over one million pounds per month and food safety certifications like FSSC 22000 and HACCP make them a reliable partner in supporting VeganUs’ growth every step of the way. Extensive quality and safety tests have been performed to determine a 15-month frozen shelf life for all its products. The vacuum-sealed packaging and zero-degree frozen transportation from the factory to distribution channels ensure that each product reaches the consumer’s table with quality intact.

Currently, VeganUs is engaging with retailers across the country to make its plant-based foods available to a larger population. The goal, however, is not just to be available on supermarket shelves or at restaurants that have a plant-based option on the menu for the sake of it. The company aims to make its products available on premium channels that emphasize quality. Taking progressive steps in this direction, VeganUs aims to become the clear alternative to traditional meat products.

Diverse Individuals Driven by a Passion for Vegan Food

VeganUs is the culmination of extensive research and the undying passion for plant-based delicacies shared by Dr. Mao and Cheng. After arriving in the U.S. to pursue his Ph.D. in chemical engineering at MIT, Dr. Mao had the opportunity to conduct research on diabetes at Harvard Medical School. He started exploring the relationship between chronic disease and diet, and became keenly aware of the ability of plant-based diet in preventing and reversing chronic diseases. Upon completing his doctorate, he worked as a healthcare consultant at the Boston Consulting Group and later as a senior executive at major healthcare corporations. With his years of experience, Dr. Mao reached the conclusion that diet, particularly a plant-based diet, has to be a bigger part of healthcare solutions.

At the same time, Cheng, who was pursuing a master’s degree in marketing from Boston University after a successful career in finance and a short stint in fashion, realized that her true passion was in plant-based food. She then studied plant-based nutrition at Cornell while simultaneously developing a plan to launch their business. A natural cook and an avid vegan chef, she has turned numerous combinations of plant-based ingredients into delicious food offerings.

Actively involved in bringing VeganUs to the market is Joanna, a high-schooler and a young serial entrepreneur. Joanna developed an early interest in plant-based culinary arts, and at the age of 12, went to Hong Kong for intensive plant-based cooking training under the supervision of a French Michelin-starred plant-based chef. Joanna manages creative services and product marketing for the brand, and has been instrumental in developing and executing the brand narratives, product launches, trade show operations, and social media strategy.

The mother-daughter duo also cooks for charity and serves healthy plant-based food to the local universities and community, and recently donated more than $100K worth of VeganUs products to Food Bank in Texas as well as religious organizations in California to help with migrant/homeless crisis.

With Dr. Mao as the strategic and analytical brain, Cheng as the true vegan connoisseur and Joanna as the creative and artistic mastermind, the company brings the goodness of plant-based food to all, for vegans, as well as people who find it challenging to transition toward a plant-based diet.

Driven by their undying zeal to make healthier food options available to all, VeganUs continues to innovate to bring newer and better products to the market. It is currently working on a new range of products as an extension to its classic line, and aims to introduce Asian flavors to its existing products.
Guided by its values and philosophies, VeganUs is helping clients meet the needs of their customers. Its acute sense of market needs, rapid innovation, integrity and transparency, and sustained collaboration efforts are driving the idea of a plant-based diet to new heights previously deemed impossible.