SIAL 2024 live: Finnish start-up targets modern wellness trend with low-carb sushi rice alternative

As regional flavors proliferate in the F&B sector, increasing consumer interest in international cuisines highlights opportunities for manufacturers. Addressing this growing market, Finnish start-up King Konjac’s zero-carb sushi bites meld two elements of Japanese cuisine: sushi and the organically grown konjac plant or konnyaku.

The sushi rice alternative is the winner of a food innovation award at SIAL 2024 in Paris, France, where Food Ingredients First speaks with CEO and founder Sami Gauffin to understand the product’s origin and how it compares with its traditional counterpart.

Gauffin defines the product as a “rice-resembling bite of konjac with zero carbs.”

Konjac is a starchy root vegetable native to parts of Asia. Its high fibrous footprint comes from glucomannan, which makes it lucrative for manufacturers looking for low-carb alternatives.

Modern consumer demands

The rice alternative carries nine calories per 100 g and is “allergen, preservative and colorant-free.”

According to King Konjac, the sushi bite also meets the demand for clean label, organic and natural foods in an increasingly health and sustainability-conscious market.

“We address a consumer interest in a healthy and ecological rice product. Producing a kilo of rice takes about 2,500 to 5,000 liters of water. Konjac is a root vegetable that can be grown with 270 liters of water. So there is around 500 times less water usage. There are also no methane emissions and biodiversity loss compared to traditional rice cultivation,” Gauffin tells us live from the show floor.

The product has three main ingredients — water, konjac flour and oat fiber. It can be integrated into various diets, including omnivore, vegan, gluten-free, diabetic, FODMAP and keto or for anyone seeking a “lighter option.”

“The wellness trend inspired this sushi. It’s incredible to bring something to the market that’s genuinely beneficial, planet-friendly and delicious.”

Texture and taste

The company processes konjac in sterile conditions, using technology Gauffin says is the “actual innovation itself.”

“We use overheated steam, which has the special advantage of inactivating microbes and bacteria if there are any. This is also one of the three things that gives this product a shelf life of six months at room temperature.”

The product has three main ingredients — water, konjac flour and oat fiber.While konjac is well-known for its nutritional content, adapting it to match the taste and texture of sushi rice was the “biggest challenge.”

“Making a nigiri bite out of konjac rice is virtually impossible. If you look up videos on YouTube, you will find people using Philadelphia cheese and other similar things to get it right. This is the core of our invention. We filed for a patent four months ago and received office action. It is clear that we are going to patent the innovation.”

In addition to texture and taste, honoring the cultural heritage of sushi and maintaining the authenticity of the original dish is of “great importance” to Gauffin.

“We have worked with two Japanese sushi chefs, and now, after our trial period, we have concluded that we only use authentic Japanese ingredients. This means that we use Tamanoi rice vinegar [which is first brewed into sake and then matured into vinegar over a long period] and sea salt.”

“And because our product has zero carbs, we cannot use sugar for sweetening. Therefore, there is a small pinch of stevia, which balances the three components.”

Bringing “Sushi 2.0” to France

As convenience trends take over, consumers want a taste of new flavors in more accessible formats. Since making sushi involves a complex, multi-step process of cooking, seasoning, cooling, shaping and storing rice, the start-up aims to “eliminate” the prep for the foodservice sector.

King Konjac is eyeing key European countries by opening a second facility in Finland by the end of the year, allowing it to increase its presence in the Nordic market.

“France is a promising market after the Nordic region as it has Europe’s biggest sushi consumption per capita. French people are very interested in sushi,” says Gauffin.

“Our goal has always been to bring the product to Japan, but we’re taking a detour through France. Both countries value Nordic food quality, health and well-being,” he concludes.

With live reporting from Anvisha Manral at SIAL 2024 in Paris, France