ChickP, the First in the World to Launch the Groundbreaking 90% Chickpea Isolate, Successfully Patents Its Brainchild in Israel

Investor Growthwell Group, a Local, Temasek-backed Plant-based Meat Manufacturer, Is Helping the Company Apply for a Patent in Singapore

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• Newly launched in November, the next-generation,
  non-GMO ChickP Native Starch has a narrow granule-size distribution that makes
  it perfect as a thickening or binding as well as anti-caking agent
• Production of the 90% chickpea isolate will increase
  to over 1,000 tonnes per annum in 2021
• Growthwell will open a manufacturing plant in
  Singapore circa Q2 2021, producing a trio of chickpea protein-based seafood
  products

SINGAPORE - Media
OutReach - 26 November 2020 – ChickP Protein (ChickP), the first in the
world to launch the groundbreaking 90% chickpea isolate, has announced that it
has successfully patented its plant-based protein solution in Israel. This
milestone comes after an enduring journey of intensive research and development
that began in 2015. Growthwell Group,
a local investor in ChickP, is helping the company with its patent application
in Singapore. 

“Our successful patent application in Israel has been five years in the
making,” says Ron Klein, CEO of ChickP. “We stand on the shoulders of
researchers and food technologists, without whom this feat would not have been
possible. We are excited to see how our partnership with Growthwell Group can
take our market reach to the next level.”

Chickpea isolate — excelling in taste, texture and function

The 90% chickpea isolate is developed by the faculty of Agriculture,
Food and Environment of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Using
state-of-the-art, patent-pending technology, the faculty is able to extract up
to 90% pure plant protein out of the chickpea seed. As it contains all
essential amino acids, the isolate is considered a complete protein. The
isolate comes in powder form, making it an easy ingredient for food
manufacturers to incorporate into their recipes.

Research has found that products containing the 90% chickpea isolate
consistently excel in taste, texture and functionality. Furthermore, the
chickpea proteins are allergen free and not genetically modified.

• Taste:  As they boast an inherent
  bitter or off flavour, most plant-based proteins require the addition of sugar,
  artificial flavouring or other masking agents to cover the taste. ChickP’s
  proteins however have a neutral flavour, and hence do not require any
  flavouring additive. This allows food manufacturers to achieve a clean
  label. 
• Texture and functionality: Many plant-based proteins have a sandy or chalky
  texture which makes for an unpleasant mouthfeel. ChickP’s proteins, however,
  have a smooth texture and strong emulsion stability as well as high solubility
  and smooth viscosity.
• Allergen-free: Many of the market’s known
  plant-based products are allergenic, as they are made with milk, soy, tree nuts
  or peanuts, which are classified under the Big 8 Food Allergens list. This
  means that people living with these allergens are unable to incorporate the
  plant-based products into their diets. As chickpea allergies are exceedingly
  rare, the 90% chickpea isolate is considered to be free of allergen.
• Non-GMO: ChickP’s proteins are
  also not genetically modified, and do not contain phytoestrogens.

Newly launched ChickP Native Starch — a versatile and useful
ingredient 

In addition, circa mid-November, ChickP launched its next-generation,
non-GMO native starch.  Due to its narrower
granule-size distribution compared with those of pea and potato starches,
ChickP Native Starch boasts better gelling and thickening properties. Hence, it
is a great thickening or binding agent for soups, sauces, confectioneries,
dairy, baked goods, desserts, meat and plant-based meat products. Not only that,
its versatility makes it an excellent ingredient for extruded snacks or as an
anti-caking agent for powdered blends such as instant soups, spices and
premixes.

Scaling up commercial production and launch of seafood alternatives

In 2020, ChickP began the
commercial production of its 90% chickpea isolate. The pilot production saw a
yield of 50 tonnes. By 2021, ChickP is set to augment its production
capabilities, manufacturing over 1,000 tonnes of the isolate. This expansion
will benefit even more food manufacturers who are keen on strengthening their
portfolios of sustainable plant-based meats.

Growthwell, a leading
manufacturer of plant-based alternatives for meat and seafood for the South
East Asian market since 1989, is a significant shareholder of ChickP. It plans
to open a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Singapore by 2021 Q2. The
facility will have the latest food technology applications, high moisture
extrusion (HME) capabilities and a fully automatic manufacturing production
line to scale production and cater to the strong demand for plant-based meat
and seafood alternatives in the region.

“The pandemic has put a crimp
in our plans to launch the manufacturing plant this year,” says Justin Chou,
second-generation leader and Executive Director of Growthwell Group. “But
henceforth, it is full steam ahead. We are confident that the 90% chickpea
isolate is the next frontier in plant-based meat. We are excited about
supporting ChickP in its R&D journey as well as bringing alternative meat
products made with chickpea proteins to the global stage.”

One innovative application
of ChickP’s protein is in seafood and meat alternative products, through
Texturised Vegetable Protein (TVP) and HME. Chickpea-based TVP/HME has clean
label qualities and the potential to be a highly adaptable superfood with its
several nutritional characteristics — high protein, high fibre, low carb and
low sodium. With Chickpea-based TVP/HME, Growthwell is in its
final round of researching and developing a chickpea protein-based seafood
alternative collection — ChickP Squid, ChickP Crab Patty, and ChickP Shrimp —
which will be free of allergens, gluten, lactose, and hormones, making it one of the safest proteins
available for consumption.

With an established supply
network in Asia Pacific, Growthwell is in a unique position to export these
products to more than 10 different countries such as US, Spain, Indonesia,
Malaysia and Australia.

About Growthwell Group

Established in 1989, Growthwell
Group has been the trusted one-stop meat-free solutions provider in Singapore
for F&B businesses and organisations around the world. Armed in research
and development, Growthwell Group is the leading plant-based food solutions
company in Singapore that helps F&B organisations obtain high quality
meat-free products while providing excellent logistics support and customer
service for continual growth and success. With an intention of making the world
a better place, Growthwell Group has evolved from a manufacturer of plant-based
alternatives in Asia to that of an innovative plant-based food technology
company. Equipped with food technology, manufacturing and distribution
capabilities in Asia, the group provides end-to-end plant-based food solutions
directly to their valued partners and consumers globally. 

Website: http://growthwellfoods.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growthwell-group/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growthwellfoods/

Instagram:
@growthwellfoods

Email:
enquiry@growthwellfoods.com

About ChickP Protein Ltd

ChickP Protein Ltd is
the world’s first and only company to produce chickpea protein isolate that is
above 90%, offering a clean, non-allergenic protein isolate that’s also neutral
in taste, functionality and boasts superb nutritional composition. Developed by
faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, ChickP protein undergoes zero genetic modification and contains no
phytoestrogens. It also offers a smoother texture and stronger emulsion
stability compared to most other protein substitutes in the market, presenting
a product that is superior in taste, mouthfeel and nutritional value.

Website: https://www.chickp-protein.com/