ChickP announces expansion into the Asia-Pacific region

Chickpea-based protein developer ChickP has announced that it is expanding into the Asia-Pacific region with the launch of a new office in Singapore. Alongside the news, the company also announced the appointment of Moy Teo as the company’s new Business Development Director for Asia.

“I’m excited to start this journey with ChickP in the alt-protein ingredient segment,” said Moy. “Chickpea is a well-known and highly venerated crop in Asia. The region makes up more than 85% of chickpea consumption globally, only behind India.”

Teo has 20 years of hands-on experience in the food ingredient arena within the APAC region, joining ChickP with a strong understanding of the market and the cultural demand for such a product. “ChickP’s 90% chickpea isolate has unique functional and organoleptic qualities making it applicable for a full spectrum of food and beverage formulations,” she added.

“We believe in strong customer relations and partnerships in product development,” explained Ron Klein, CEO of ChickP. “While plant-based products pose many functional and flavor challenges, getting closer to your clients advances development, helps control the supply chain, and shortens time to market. Singapore has become the center of plant-based products and alt-protein, and ChickP is there to help its clients.”

The move to Singapore represents growth for the company but also signifies the fast-growing demand for plant-based products in the region. The APAC region is no stranger to meat substitutes and dairy milk analogs from soy. Areas with low social-economic status usually rely on cheaper alternatives to meat, and there are regions that generally discourage the consumption of meat for religious reasons.

“Asia is an important market for ChickP; we already partner with local food companies to advance plant-based innovations,” noted Itay Dana, VP of Sales and Business Development of ChickP. “This move is part of ChickP’s global extension beyond the joint market development agreement with Socius Ingredients, Inc. in the U.S. We also signed a contract with a distributor in South Africa, with the next step in the European market.”

ChickP was founded in 2016 by Ram Reifen MD following 20 years of research at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. Its alternative, non-GMO plant protein is free of allergens and hormones and is neutral in taste and odor, meaning its chickpea isolate and concentrate can be used as a raw material for the food industry.