Japanese plant-based Next Meats brand continues growth with California expansion

Founded in 2017 by entrepreneurs Ryo Shirai and Hideyuki Sasaki to help the world to eat healthier and lessen traditional agriculture's impact on the environment, Next Meats premiered its cutting-edge products, which include the world's first plant-based short rib and skirt steak, in Japan in 2020 after years of research and development.

Japanese specialty market Tokyo Central is the first grocer in California to offer three Next Meats products—Next Short Rib, Next Skirt Steak, and Next Beef Bowl—at six locations in Southern California and the Bay Area, joining retailers in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Restaurant chefs are also discovering the versatility of Next Meats, which has already debuted at Michelin star Chef Josef Centeno's Tex-Mex Bar Ama in Los Angeles, Ramen Shack in San Juan Capistrano, and J-Spec in New York City, specializing in Japanese A5 wagyu. For the U.S. launch, Next Meats hosted a virtual panel during this year's Consumer Electronics Show and partnered with a number of chefs including Jumoke Jackson (Food Network, ABC, CBS), Food Network Chopped Champion Airis Johnson, Chef Chris Posner of The Seasoned Carte, and Keizo Shimamoto, the famed creator of the ramen burger.