Better Nature, based in the Food Exchange, has partnered up with low-waste and plant-based chef Max La Manna to get people to try tempeh for the first time and guess what they’re eating. Adding their own twist to the taste test concept, instead of trying to get people to think they were eating something else Better Nature focused on the novelty and curiosity that comes from trying a unique food like tempeh. ​ 

Tempeh is a plant-based protein that has been around for over 300 years in Indonesia. It is a naturally nutritious Indonesian food made from cultured soybeans and water and contains around double the protein of tofu. It can be stirred, fried or baked into a wide range of dishes in a matter of minutes. Despite its credentials, tempeh still only makes a very small percentage of the meat-free market; sitting at only 2% in 2019 (Vegan Society). 

With none of the participants having tried tempeh before, the focus of the Tempeh Taste Test was to celebrate the natural reactions to trying a new food for the first time, and to see if they could guess what it was (spoiler: they couldn't). 

“I’m a huge fan of tempeh - it’s nutritious, delicious and incredibly sustainable. It’s just not widely known or available enough right now, so I was very excited to partner up with Better Nature to get the word out there.” Said Max La Manna.

“We want people to embrace this special food but we know we have a long way to go. We hope that working with Max to showcase people’s natural reaction to trying tempeh for the first time will spark some curiosity and encourage people to give it a go.” commented Elin Roberts, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Better Nature. 

Better Nature is supporting this activity with a social campaign and encouraging people to run their own Tempeh Taste Test with friends and family.

Better Nature Tempeh can be bought in their online shop, with free next-day delivery over £15 across the UK.  

Since launching in 2020, Better Nature has developed a tempeh range including Organic Tempeh, Smoky Tempeh Rashers and BBQ Tempeh Strips. The whole range has earned a top rating for its low carbon footprint and Better Nature offsets double the carbon and plastic used to make the tempeh, making it Carbon and Plastic Negative. Better Nature also donates 1% of its sales to the 1000 Days Fund, to improve the wellbeing of families in Indonesia, the home of tempeh. 

Better Nature’s tempeh range is already sold in Mindful Chef, Selfridges, Gopuff, Allplants, The Vegan Kind Supermarket, Amazon, their own online shop and 350 independent stores across the UK. For more information, visit www.betternaturetempeh.co or reach out to Elin Roberts, Co-Founder and CMO, at elin@betternaturetempeh.co