Yo-egg, the Vegan Fried Egg!
Yo-egg makes a vegan fried egg that is indistinguishable from chicken eggs. It is 100% plant-based and cholesterol-free. The vegan egg contains the same amount of protein and other nutrients as the original egg.
Although there are numerous plant based egg alternatives on the market today, Yo-egg makes its mark as one of the first to come in fried egg form. Oggs (UK) is a liquid based on aquafaba, or chickpea water, Spero Foods (USA) is also a liquid which provides more protein, omega 3’s, iron, zinc, magnesium and 30x the antioxidants of poultry eggs, and is also 20x more sustainable. There are also alternatives in powder form, but Yo-egg is one of the first on the market to launch an egg alternative in the form of a fried egg.
We had the opportunity to interview Yosefa Ben Cohen, Co-Founder and CEO, to hear about her experience in helping grow Yo-egg. Yosefa participated in Women of Agrifood Nation Competition. The event was created to help female founders of food tech startups by providing business support and promoting investment in their companies.
How have you felt on your journey to where you are today? What were some of the key moments in your journey?
“At first I had concerns about the competition and especially about the need to present Yo-Egg in front of an audience of professionals in the agrifood world, but the encounters with the mentors during the preparation for the finals strengthened me more and more. Each of them has given me new value to my business and my confidence and understanding within what I do.”
What motivates you to keep going when you get turned down, especially as a woman in this sector?
“My motivation comes from believing in my product, my team and the value I bring to the alternative protein industry. Understanding the importance of finding solutions to reduce consumption of animal based products only strengthens me and makes me stronger even when I get turned down or misunderstood as a woman entrepreneur.”
In your experience, what has been the biggest challenge working in a startup as a woman, and how do you find ways to overcome this/these challenges?
"Along the way I came to know that the world of startups is led mostly by men and they often have a different point of view and 'language,' and I learned that precisely when I stay true to my point of view and the way I see fit to do things - that's where my strength lies.”
Anything else you would like to include about women in Food Tech/Agri Food
“I wish to see more & more women lead the entrepreneurship world, especially in Food Tech. Our insensitivity is important!”
The judges were very impressed with the work done by Yosefa and the Yo-egg brand. The company says that after focusing on Israel for a few months, it plans to enter the UK market.
The plant based egg market is one of the fastest growing sectors in the agrifood-tech industry. According to an article from Fi Global Insights, "In the US, the plant-based egg category is already worth $10 million, with dollar sales of plant-based eggs growing 192% between 2018 and 2019 and 228% in the 2017 to 2019 period, according to The Good Food Institute (GFI), a non-profit organisation that works to expand the animal-free food market."
One of the main benefits of plant based egg substitutes is the ability to manufacture and develop the product to meet certain nutritional values. The Yo-egg fried egg is designed to contain the important vitamins and minerals that are in a chicken’s egg, but without all of the cholesterol and unhealthy aspects. This also means that you can use egg substitutes, like Yo-egg, more frequently than a chicken’s egg without worrying about the harm of overeating cholesterol from too many regular eggs.