With taste and texture as primary goals, real ingredients pioneer and maker of popular gluten-free pastas is showcasing how to Eat Like It Matters^™ with their plant-full approach to everyday eating.

ANAHEIM, CA – March 6, 2023 – From March 8 to 10, real ingredients pioneer ZENB will be featuring their plant-full approach to pantry staples and introducing new innovations at Natural Products Expo West. Makers of popular gluten-free pastas and veggie-rich gourmet sauces, ZENB exists to cultivate more conscientious eating, in our meals, for our bodies and in the world around us, and is committed to helping people Eat Like It Matters.

With plant-based food sales expected to increase fivefold by 2030 and specific health and wellness benefits top of mind for consumers in 2023, brands like ZENB are at the forefront of the next wave of plant-based innovations. Leveraging over 200 years of food development expertise via parent brand, Mizkan, ZENB is reinventing everyday foods using only real ingredients. They take a plant-full approach when developing new offerings, using parts of legumes and vegetables that are typically discarded (skin, seeds, stems and all) to produce nutrient dense products with appealing textures and packed with flavor. By adding less and wasting nothing, ZENB unlocks what plants can do.

“At ZENB, we embrace the Japanese concept of whole – zenbu (全部) – and a nature-driven, upcycling approach to create our whole food products,” said Taichi Sakabe, Chief Operating Officer, ZENB U.S. “Through our focused and intentional innovative approach to food development, we’ve set out to disrupt the gluten-free and plant-based categories giving consumers foods that are better for them and the planet.”

Made with a single ingredient – whole yellow peas – ZENB Pasta delivers the classic texture pasta lovers expect with a subtle taste and delicious flavor. The small but mighty legume and budding superfood has a lower carbon footprint and uses less water and fertilizer to grow than the durum wheat used to make traditional pasta. In fact, ZENB is one of the first to pioneer such food innovations using pulses like yellow peas which, as a protein source, are expected to be worth over $500 million globally by 2032.

With 20 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber per 3.5 ounce serving, ZENB Pasta also delivers key macronutrients that are important dietary components. While protein has long been a popular topic of discussion in the health and wellness community, plant-based protein pastas, like those made by ZENB, continue to grow within the category and are also forecasted to be a trend through the coming year.

“We believe in the power of plants to transform our nutrition and yellow peas play a crucial role,” added Hugo Pérez, ZENB U.S. Head of Marketing. “By harnessing the goodness of nature, we’ve created products that allow people everywhere to enjoy the nostalgic meals they crave without having to compromise on taste, texture or flavor.”

A global brand with vast presence in Japan and the U.K., ZENB debuted in the U.S. in 2019 with offices based in Chicago and offers a rapidly growing portfolio of products. ZENB Pasta comes in a variety of shapes including Elbows, Penne, Rotini, Spaghetti and quick-cooking Agile, a new shape first introduced in 2022 and developed with precision-cut surfaces to retain a toothsome, al dente texture in under three minutes of preparation. ZENB’s latest product innovation, Agile Bowls, were launched in late 2022 and take the quick-cooking pasta to a new level with wholesome meals ready in less than 3 minutes with globally inspired flavors and real veggie pieces. ZENB’s gourmet, chef-inspired sauces come in three veggie-full flavors – Roasted Tomato, Creamy Mushroom, and Sweet Carrot. ZENB products are also vegan, non-GMO and have no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

ZENB plans to introduce other yellow pea-based pasta shapes and products in the months ahead, including Cavatappi, Lasagna, Linguini and Ramen, and expand into the snack food category with exciting non-pasta innovations in 2023. Currently sold direct-to-consumer on ZENB.com and Amazon, ZENB will be entering retailers nationwide this year. 

ZENB will be sampling their gluten-free, yellow pea spaghetti with roasted tomato sauce at Booth #8216 during Natural Products Expo West. James Beard award-winning chef and New York Times best-selling author Chef Rocco DiSpirito will be joining the team to prepare original recipes during several demos on Wednesday, March 8 and Thursday, March 9, as well as signing copies of his cookbooks. To learn more or to schedule a meeting with ZENB leadership during Expo West, please visit ZENB.com/expowest. 

About ZENB 

ZENB (pronounced ZEN-bee) is a plant-based food company committed to helping people Eat Like It Matters. We exist to cultivate more conscientious eating… in our meals, for our bodies, and in the world around us. A global brand with vast presence in Japan and the U.K., ZENB debuted in the U.S. market in 2019 with domestic headquarters in Chicago. We take a plant-full approach as we reinvent everyday food using only real ingredients. Embracing the Japanese zenbu (全部) concept of WHOLE, we add less and waste nothing to unleash the flavor & nutrients of plants. ZENB offers a range of products that elevate deliciousness, including ZENB Pasta, ZENB Gourmet Sauces, and on-the-go ZENB Agile Bowls, with an ongoing pipeline of products launching regularly. Our food development legacy stretches back over 200 years with a nature-driven, upcycling approach. To reinforce the importance of plant-forward fuel for high performance lifestyles, ZENB is the first ever gluten-free food partner in the U.S. of the world’s most famous sports team, FC Barcelona. For more information about ZENB and to join the community, visit ZENB.com or follow along on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.