Alberto and I are two Italian expats who moved to the UK in 2011.
We're passionate about food culture, and it can be reinvented in vegan terms. We are well aware that not everyone feels the same as us when it comes to following a vegan diet. In fact, most of mainstream food culture see plant-based products as being meat-free, lactose-free, taste-free, creativity-free, even pleasure-free replacements of ‘proper food’ - we think it’s time to revolutionise this vision!
Our little food company, Sgaia, was born to take part in the plant-based revolution, to surf the new wave of British vegan living, and to support all herbivorous human beings in their search for tasty, cruelty-free foods that don’t obstruct the possibility of standing by one’s cooking traditions. This is why we take traditional recipes and real ingredients to create all our products.
We believe that if we are to create a vegan world, food culture must come with us and turn vegan with us. We stand by the fact that out Mheat isn’t a fake meat, it’s just vegan. As all meats should evolve to be. We are championing artisanal, handcrafted produce as the future of speciality products (including meats).
MHEAT: NOT FAKE, SIMPLY VEGAN.
One of Hilary and Alberto's most popular products is Mheat - Mheat is a vegan meat made with a uniquely crafted blend of wheat & soya protein and very few other, whole plant-based ingredients. Just like an artisan bakery makes its bread, it all starts from a dough, which is then seasoned and cooked differently according to several carefully devised recipes. We've used Mheat to create a variety of products that authentically reproduce traditionally meat-based foods such as Tyrolean Speck, Rare Roast Beef and Italian Salamino (pepperoni).
Mheat is our own take on a very popular, originally asian food, seitan. Seitan (say-tan) is, essentially, a food made with the protein extracted from wheat flour: gluten. Wheat gluten, as a food product, originated in China sometime around the 6th Century, and was especially popular as a substitute for meat amongst buddhists. Lovingly hand-made by us as per the traditional method, with a few little tweaks here and there, our unique recipe is flavourful, high in protein, low in fat, and features all the knowledge we’ve developed overtime in our little kitchen.
We don't make fake meats: they are real, just vegan.
Our travelling vegan butcher shop is popping up at various festivals and markets across the UK throughout 2016. Check if we'll be coming to any near you!
Why not visit them at one of their Events and Markets? LISTED HERE
