COCONUT MATTER

Founded in 2015 by Diane van Zwanenberg, Hong Kong brand Coconut Matter makes a range of cruelty-free, plastic-free, plant-based products such as natural deodorant, coconut oil lip balm and coconut body butter. Committed to a zero-waste, circular economy, the company sources wild coconut oil that is harvested and processed by hand in the Solomon Islands. The company runs Kickstarter campaigns for new product lines and is sold in health stores throughout Hong Kong, as well as in Singapore, Dubai and New York.

The arguments in favour of cleaner, more sustainable ways of feeding our growing population have never been more obvious. “Animal agriculture has many challenges, from climate change and emissions— being larger as a sector than all of transportation— through to water use, deforestation, pollution and antibiotic overuse, both in land animal and seafood production,” says Simon Newstead, founder of Bite Society and an angel investor who works specifically with start-ups that focus on vegan products. “Clean options, be they plant-based meat alternatives or cultivated meat that doesn’t require the animal and associated pollution and energy, solve all the problems. And what’s exciting is that they are already coming to market, and with enormous rates of innovation.”

Singapore is the clear regional leader in this sector thanks to strong backing from the government. These modern agricultural methods might be high-tech, but the food they produce is as clean as it comes—and people are increasingly willing to pay a premium for food that doesn’t come with a health warning.