With health-conscious and sustainable eating trends gaining momentum globally, Hong Kong-based start-up Meat the Next is setting a new benchmark in plant-based nutrition. Combining innovation, technology and sustainability, the company developed Tiga Milk—a low-sugar, low-fat, high-protein, plant-based milk that blends tiger nuts, soybeans and oats. With its creamy texture and rich nutritional value, Tiga Milk offers a new, healthier option for consumers.
Founded in 2020, Meat the Next was awarded HK$1 million in angel fund investment under City University of Hong Kong’s HK Tech 300 programme in 2022. It also joined Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks’ Incubation Programme and more recently, earned First Prize in the Inventions Geneva Award and two Gold Medals at the 2024 Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions.
From Raw Ingredients to a Thriving Start-Up
Edmund Chan, co-founder and chief operating officer of Meat the Next, has spent over 18 years in the food and beverage industry. His entrepreneurial journey began with a challenge—developing a sustainable beverage solution for a café chain. He soon realised that the market lacked plant-based milk options that met consumer expectations for both nutrition and taste.
He explained that most plant-based milk today is either soy milk or oat milk. Soy milk often has a strong beany flavour that requires a lot of added sugar. Oat milk has soluble fibre but falls short on texture and protein content compared to dairy milk. The team saw an opportunity to develop something better by combining the best of both ingredients.
The solution lay in innovation from the source. After eight years of research in organic farming and natural hybridisation, Edmund’s team selected a non-GMO soybean without the beany taste and combined it with a new ingredient – tiger nuts – for additional nutrition and creaminess.
When Science Meets Superfood: Enhancing Plant-Based Milk Nutrition
Tiger nuts, or Cyperus esculentus, are nutrient-rich tubers that thrive in an arid environment. A rising superfood, they are known for their high protein content, Omega-9 fatty acids and antioxidants. “Many plants are highly nutritious but remain underappreciated,” says Edmund.
Meat the Next uses a patented enzyme hydrolysis technology to convert the raw ingredients into water-soluble nutrients. The result is Tiga Milk, a plant-based milk with creamy consistency and an impressive nutritional profile.
“Tiga Milk contains 3 grams of protein per 250ml—almost double that of most plant-based milks—along with calcium, antioxidants and soluble fibre,” said Edmund. “And because it’s naturally sweet, without the beany flavour of traditional soy milk, there’s no need for added sugar. This is a perfect example of how technology can enhance both nutrition and taste.”
Cultivating Tiger Nuts on the Edge of the Desert to Drive Agricultural Sustainability
The plant-based milk produced by the team is a substitute for dairy milk and allows lactose-intolerant individuals to enjoy the taste of dairy products. In addition to improved nutrition, Meat the Next is committed to promoting sustainable agriculture. The company sources tiger nuts from China’s northeastern region, where they are grown on the fringes of deserts with minimal water. Tiger nuts help stabilise the soil, preventing desertification and transforming arid land into fertile farmland.
Edmund recalls when they first planted tiger nuts with local scientists and farmers, the land was dry and barren. In only a year, the soil became oxygen-rich and biodiverse. This ecological transformation made the land suitable for other crops and created new economic opportunities for local farmers.
Expanding Horizons and Driving Changes in Consumer Habits
From revitalising desert landscapes to transforming consumer diets, Meat the Next embodies the journey of a start-up growing from the ground up. “The initial angel investment from HK Tech 300 enabled the team to move from R&D to market testing,” Edmund notes. The team has also applied patented CityUHK technology to research on its product range.
Today, the company’s product line has expanded to plant-based ice cream, and it is actively partnering with distributors, restaurants and café chains. Looking ahead, Meat the Next aims to scale up production and adopt a “l(fā)ocal production, local sales” model in the Greater Bay Area, and plans to expand into Southeast Asia, Japan and Australia to encourage healthier, more sustainable eating habits worldwide.