Haofood says it is the ‘world’s first’ plant-based chicken company to tap peanut protein as its primary ingredient. Globally, an estimated 50 billion chickens are consumed each year. Asia is responsible for more than one-third (37%) of that demand, where fried chicken is a popular food choice. While the dish is consumed the world over – the global fried chicken market is worth an impressive $2.4bn (5.4% CAGR) – founder and CEO of Shanghai-based Haofood, Astrid Prajogo, has noted its particular popularity in China. Of the 150,000 restaurants in the start-up’s home city, for example, Prajogo estimates 20% have fried chicken on their menu. At the same time, a significant number of people in China is interested in plant-based alternatives. An estimated 39% of Chinese are attempting to reduce their meat consumption