Yo Egg: The Plant-Based Egg That Can Actually Be Poached

In recent years, companies and brands have seemed to perfect vegan alternatives to meat. Today, plant-based burger patties and sausages from big brands, such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, sit right across from their meat counterparts at supermarkets.

However, eggs, in particular, are much more difficult to fully replicate — it simply depends on the dish you're making. Instead, some vegan cooks turn to existing ingredients to replace eggs, such as aquafaba, flaxseed, applesauce, bananas, and even salt that mimics the flavor of eggs. If you want to make an "egg scramble," tofu may be your best bet.

In recent years, vegans have not had to grab tofu to make breakfast. Plant-based companies, such as JUST Egg pioneered vegan eggs. In 2018, JUST Egg came into the market as a plant-based alternative to eggs. Made from mung beans, the brand has since released folded eggs and sous vide bites in addition to its liquid, scrambled concoction. And in 2020, it sold the equivalent of 100 million eggs.

The plant-based egg market continues to boom. The industry is expected to grow about 27% annually by 2027 to "reach just under $800 million in value," according to TechCrunch. Coming into the scene is a plant-based company that claims it has invented the first vegan egg that has a runny yolk.

Yo! Egg has released the first plant-based poached egg. While Yo! Egg isn't the first to release a plant-based egg, the Israeli company is the first to release an egg that has actual runny yolk. The plant-based eggs are made of a blend of soy and chickpea protein. Not only is the poached egg vegan and contains zero cholesterol, but it's also GMO-free, gluten-free, and kosher. Yo! Egg's poached egg contains just 40 calories, with three grams of protein. In comparison, a typical large chicken egg has 72 calories and 6 grams of protein.

As of right now, the plant-based poached egg is not available for purchase. However, if you happen to be in Los Angeles, restaurants are partnering up with the company to feature the poached eggs on their menus. Eateries such as Real Food Daily, Swingers Diner, Coyote Grill, Flore Vegan, Vegan District Asian Eatery, and Junkyard Dog will offer the egg. They will whip up dishes, such as avocado toast, eggs Benedict, ramen, and huevos rancheros, featuring the plant-based poached egg.

Yo! Egg was founded in 2019 and its eggless egg products are already enjoyed in Israel. CEO Eran Groner told TechCrunch that the eggs are also indulged by "major tech companies, such as Google and Facebook, and some hotels and other food service operations." In an interview with FoodEntrepreneurs, Groner said he aims for his company to be the "world's largest most sustainable and ethical egg producer."

In fact, Yo! Egg has its sights beyond just poached eggs; a glimpse on its website suggests the brand will soon release plant-based versions of sunny side up and boiled eggs in the United States. The plant-based egg products are created by chef Yosefa Ben Cohen, who is also the co-founder of the company. The brand's poached egg launched in Los Angeles will be its first debut in the United States, according to TechCrunch. It is unclear when and if the products will be available beyond the Los Angeles area.