VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 22, 2022 / Nepra Foods Inc., ("Nepra") (CSE:NPRA)(FSE:2P6.F)(OTCQB:NPRFF), creator of nutritious plant-based and allergen-free food, announces commercial production and in-plant trials of their Essential brand Egg White Replacement Powder (EPB-ER1), a proprietary plant-based egg white powder replacement for use in wholesale bread bakeries where the producer wants to remove or reduce eggs in an existing product formulation.

Most plant-based egg replacements that have recently come to market are designed to replace the taste and texture of a variety of cooked whole eggs, like scrambled eggs. Nepra's EPB-ER1 is specifically designed for commercial bakeries who currently use an egg white powder made from chicken eggs but are looking to switch to an animal-free alternative. Egg white powder is a critical ingredient for commercial bakers who need the functional protein component that is unique to chicken-based egg whites. Nepra's new egg replacement protein creates a great structure in baked goods, like the structure of a meringue. That same structure is essential in many baked goods, especially gluten-free products that don't have any gluten protein present to stabilize their bakes.

Gluten-free bakeries have for years looked for a viable substitute for egg whites. Companies have brought ingredients to market attempting to provide this, but most are starch-based and do not function that well. Nepra Foods has been working on this technology for years and has now proven that their proprietary plant protein-based version is a true replacement for egg whites in most bakery products, more importantly, gluten-free bread. The global gluten-free bakery market size was valued at $1.64 billion in 2021, with gluten-free bread making up 36.3% of the market share. The market is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8% from 2022 to 2030, forecast at a valuation of $4.15 billion in 2030.¹

This technology comes at an opportune time when the global supply of poultry-based products is dropping at staggering rates. As of early October 2022, more than 47 million birds have died due to HPAI infections and the cullings that have happened in the attempt to contain the outbreak.² This sudden decrease in poultry populations has spiked the prices of chicken eggs. This year, the shock to domestic markets has been more severe than in the 2014-15 ‘Bird Flu' outbreak, which is considered the largest HPAI outbreak in history. The wholesale price of dried egg whites has increased 165% since just the beginning of 2022 and over 300% since 2017.³

Gluten-free sandwich bread made with Nepra's Egg White Replacer Powder

"When I talk to bakery colleagues around the world, they are all struggling with the recent spike in egg white prices and reduced supply. Bakeries have gone through these egg price fluctuations in the past with bird flu outbreaks, but there has never been a viable alternative to satisfy their needs. It has taken us a long time to finally get to the point where we have the right combination of different plant proteins, extracted correctly, that create the functionality we need to provide the industry with a true solution. With this new ingredient, bakeries can finally get real eggs out of their formulations for good and not be subject to these extreme market fluctuations in the future. As an added benefit, removing eggs from these products allows most of them to become Allergen-Free and suitable for vegan diets which will expand their market." -Chadwick White, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Nepra Foods.

Nepra Foods is working with partners and suppliers around the world in both short and long-term planning, to secure the necessary supply of these unique plant proteins to meet the increasing demand and create stable pricing for its customers. Nepra is expecting demand for the product over the next 12 months to be in excess of 900,000 lbs.

About Nepra Foods

Nepra Foods Inc. with main offices in Centennial, Colorado. Founded in 2017, Nepra Foods operates as a vertically integrated healthy plant-based food and ingredient company. The Company's products include several products ranging from plant-based meat and dairy alternatives to snacks and baked goods, supported by a lineup of specialty ingredients, and are offered to commercial food manufacturers and directly to consumers under the Company's consumer packaged goods brands.

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