Lidl launches hybrid meat, a brand new product that is healthier than the original

Hybrid meat is on the rise; and the interest from producers and retailers is growing.

What Is Hybrid Meat?

Hybrid meat is minced meat that consists of 60% beef and 40% vegetable protein. The mix is intended to offer a sustainable alternative to traditional minced meat, with CO₂ emissions that are up to 40% lower.

Lidl is one of the first retailers  to launch it in Belgium. It fits within their corporate agenda on sustainability. ‘By replacing 40% of the meat with plant-based proteins, the CO2 emissions of this minced meat product are reduced by as much as 40%. Water and land consumption are also significantly reduced. To produce one kilogram of beef for your plate, you need about 12,000 litres of water. For a hybrid variant, that is about 40% less,’ according to Ines Verschaeve, sustainability expert at Lidl.

Moreover, according to Lidl, the product looks and tastes the same as regular minced beef. The supermarket chain promises that the taste and appearance will remain the same as that of classic minced beef. ‘The development of this product took quite a long time, because we were determined to preserve the taste. I would even go so far as to say that even true meat lovers will hardly notice the difference,’ says Sam Van Lier, purchasing manager at Lidl Belgium & Luxembourg.

The retailer sees it as its responsibility to make sustainable choices easier and more accessible. Recent research by Sciensano shows that the eating habits of Belgians are not yet sufficiently in line with the recommendations of the Superior Health Council. Only 54% of Belgians adhere to the advice to consume a maximum of 30 grams of red meat per day. Hybrid meat delivers on the health promise: more plant-based proteins and less fat.

Philip Horemans of Green Seed Belgium adds: “The interest versus a hybrid meat offer is an interesting development, as the whole meat-free sector struggles.  Yes, meat-free consumption is still increasing, but the growth figures are not as spectacular as forecast a few years ago. Green Seed is currently involved in a similar project, whereby a meat-free producer is open for a hybrid proposition, which years ago would never have been an option.”

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