The driving force behind the explosion of the plant-based movement can be said to be the paradigm shift from meat replacers to meat analogs. While the die-hard vegetarians and vegans put up some resistance to the idea of mimicking animal protein, the creation of true analogs of meat, poultry, and seafood ushered in the huge plant-based boom driven by now-welcome “flexitarians” who don’t mind cutting back on animal proteins but don’t want to sacrifice flavors and textures they crave.

The key challenges in crafting analogs of animal proteins are matching flavor, texture, nutrition profile, and conformity to the same utility in preparation and cooking as its animal analogs. There are now scores of such analogs on the market, yet few of them manage to hit the center of the target for every one of these parameters. Of all the plant-based meat analogs, bacon has proven to be among the most challenging, yet also subject to some of the earliest modern attempts.

Explore More Plant Based

A good bacon analog especially appeals to a broad consumer demographic, ranging from vegans and vegetarians to persons of the Jewish, Hindu, Seventh Day Adventist, and Muslim religions, among others. Many have tried; many have failed. But one resounding success comes from David Jones, CEO and cofounder of Thrilling Foods, LLC, and creator of the Bakon brand of plant-based thick-cut “bacon” strips.

Jones notes that in addition to flavor, texture, nutrition, and function the overriding quality consumers must experience in a bacon analog is the “irresistible craveability” of bacon. Making that his goal in creating Bakon, he focused on the “sizzle” and the aroma as well. He also realized that he had to “start experimenting from absolute scratch” since he could not find any existing bacon analogs or substitutes that fit the bill.

Jones started out by experimenting with protein powders and isolates, but he was dissatisfied with the aroma and flavor. Hitting a dead end, he decided to “go back to Square One” and research previous vegetarian products from the pastꟷbut well in the past to “traditional whole foods.” “I have to admit, tofu just kept coming up,” he confesses. “No other protein alternative has its lengthy history of feeding entire countries, and all without harm.”

Once he created his “fat-streaked meat” analog, Jones did something unprecedented: He cured it using methods he learned in Texas growing up as well as having studied in Hungary. “The result was truly craveable,” he enthuses. “One bite called for another.”

Jones declares his mission is “creating Vegan 2.0, foods that are healthier for humansꟷnot just healthier than a long list of ingredients found in so many vegan meats, but healthier than eating animal meat.” More than making bacon analogs, he challenges the food industry to “get real and get honest with where food production and consumption is heading – doing more with less.”

Makin' Bakon

Thrilling Foods sets the highest bar for plant-based bacon analogs

Listen to more from The Prepared Foods Podcast.