We’ll explain it to you, quickly and easily. We extract all the protein from the soya beans and peas to create a protein concentrate. We mix this with filtered water to produce a dough which, by means of pressure and temperature changes, creates the texture so characteristic of Heura® products. It seems like science fiction, but it’s a technique similar to that used to make biscuits, cereals, or pasta. ;) Once we get the desired base of the Heura® products, we marinate it with spices and ingredients from our Mediterranean roots. And after all of this, all that’s left is to enjoy your favourite recipes with Heura®.
Our source of protein comes from soya beans (chicken-like products) or peas (beef-like products). The quality of our raw ingredients is something we take very seriously.
Our soya is Identity Preserved (IP) based on HACCP and Diligence principles.
It’s worth noting that most of the land farmed for soya on the planet is used to feed animals. That is, 77% of the soya produced worldwide is used to fatten animals; only 7% of all soya produced is used for typical soya foods such as tofu, soya milk, edamame or Heura®.
Likewise, it is often said that the Amazon is being deforested by soya bean crops, but the main factor in the deforestation of Brazil’s rainforest is cattle grazing. And if that weren’t enough, as we previously mentioned, most of the soya grown in the Amazon and Cerrado areas is used for fattening animals for their meat.
As well as all that, Heura® is produced with soya beans that come from crops that do not encourage deforestation, also ensuring that it isn’t genetically modified. We use white soya protein concentrate. It’s one of the most nutritionally complete legumes due to its high protein, fibre, iron, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals, and its almost non-existent saturated fats.
Although there are no conclusive studies showing negative effects of GMOs on health, we at Heura® are concerned about the consequences of market domination by some multinationals. At Heura® we work for a free and open food system. Additionally, the soya beans we use to make Heura® products come from crops that do not encourage deforestation.
Protein concentrate is obtained from soya beans or peas through a chemical separation process. The protein part of the beans is concentrated by separating the starches and the soya or pea oil.
Mature, white soya beans or peas are dried and ground into flour. The fat and starch portions are then removed.
- Fat: through organic solvents that bind to the fatty part and are thus removed from the flour, which is almost free of fat.
- Starches: a solution is prepared (flour is mixed in liquid) which lowers the pH. At a pH 4–4.5, proteins become insoluble, while starches are soluble. This allows the two portions to be separated and the flour to be re-dried, leaving it almost starch-free.
- All Heura® products are high in protein and have a higher percentage of protein per calorie than animal meat.
- They contain more fibre and iron.
- They have less fat and much less saturated fat.
Most of Heura® products are gluten-free, except for the pizzas and the Chick'n fillet (breaded). The Chick'n Fillet (burger), Nuggets, F'sh Fillets & F'sh Fingers don't contain gluten in the recipe, but may contain traces.
*This information may vary, please always consult the packaging before use.
Currently only two. Soya, and in some cases in our breaded products, gluten. Therefore, if you are allergic to soya or gluten, it is very important that you check the labels carefully to find out which allergens each product contains. We want you to know that, at Heura Foods, we work to create incredible products so that you can enjoy them too. We hope that soon we will be able to share a table.
Heura® is suitable for everyone except those who have an allergy or intolerance to an ingredient, of course. :) They are 100% plant-based products and contain proteins of high biological value, with all the essential amino acids. These products are very rich in lysine, the most difficult amino acid to find in a 100% plant-based diet.
We like foods that bring us together. Heura® is whatever you want it to be!
Our soya beans are not genetically modified and we ensure that this is the case through our traceability policy.
We use vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) in our marinating process to enrich Heura® and make it a 100% nutritious food. We know that vitamin B12 is a very important part of our well-being: 75 grams of Heura® contain 1.87 µg of vitamin B12, which is 75% of the recommended daily allowance. For vegetarians and vegans, a daily intake of 2.5 µg is recommended (in the EU).
We recommend not freezing refrigerated Heura® because it would lose its original texture and juiciness, and become drier. The magic would be lost.
However, once it’s cooked, Heura® can be frozen. That way you can do the normal batch cooking that helps organise your meals for the week.
Once thawed, the product should be consumed within 24 hours.
Yes, once cooked, you can refreeze Heura®. This way it’s much easier to prepare your lunch boxes for work. As they say, batch cooking helps us organise our weeks. :)
Highly recommended. It’s sure to be delicious. However, we recommend that you first sauté them on the griddle (following the instructions on the package) and add them as the last ingredient.
Heura® should be consumed as directed on the package. It should not be eaten raw, it must be cooked before consumption.
It is not necessary to defrost Heura® before cooking. However, if you want to do so, it should be done in the fridge. This is because Heura®, as with any type of meat, has a considerable percentage of water in its composition. If you defrost it at room temperature and don’t use it soon after, it will lose water and dry out.
That and more! We are proud of the nutritional values of Heura®. Our products have a high content of protein, fibre, iron and vitamin B12. They are also low in saturated fats and, being 100% plant-based, are cholesterol-free. So on top of being delicious, they’re good for you. And not to brag, but several nutritionists have told us that Heura® is one of the most complete products they have ever seen.
However, if you have any doubts, please consult your GP for an additional check.
You can rest assured: our product is 100% safe for everyone – including mums-to-be and their little ones! We recommend that you always follow the storage and cooking instructions, and that you don’t exceed the recommend daily amount (as with all packaged foods).
The product label contains all the necessary information. You can find out more about our products at: https://www.heurafoods.com/en-GB/buy-heura-vegan-food
Heura® is suitable for everyone, from children to expectant mothers. But we always recommend consulting your nutritionist, doctor and/or paediatrician.
Short answer: of course!
Long answer: Heura® has a high protein content and is therefore very suitable for muscle building. In addition, Heura® Bites and Heura® Strips are high in iron and a good source of phosphorus and magnesium, two very important minerals during exercise. A new ally for sports addicts!
Cholesterol and cancer: Heura®, being made from soya beans, may help to lower levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad one). Furthermore, the fatty acid profile of Heura® is heart-healthy, as its saturated fatty acid content is very low and its polyunsaturated fatty acid content is high. In addition, most studies conclude that the consumption of soya as a food has preventative effects against the appearance of different types of cancer, such as endometrial, breast and prostate cancer.
Heura® is a protein food which, unlike products made from animal protein, has a high percentage of fibre. This means that when combined with good water intake, it can help people with intestinal transit problems. As a low-fat food, together with a balanced diet, it can help in maintaining a healthy weight.
Heura® contains isoflavones, which can help reduce both the frequency and severity of hot flushes caused by menopause.
Heura® contains no added sugars and is very low in simple sugars: this makes it suitable for people with diabetes, as it causes practically no increase in blood glucose levels. In addition, its high fibre content may improve insulin sensitivity.
Many call Heura® a ‘superfood’, but we don’t believe in miracle foods. The best person to help you plan your diet according to your needs is always a dietitian or a nutritionist.
In any case, we assume that you now understand why nutritionists who are familiar with Heura® are amazed by it.
Yes! You simply have to separate the plastic film, as indicated on the back of the packaging, and recycle the film and the cardboard in their respective bins.
Yes! The casing is made of cardboard and a thin layer of plastic film, which is necessary to preserve the condition of the product and to ensure its quality. You can recycle it in the cardboard bin and the recycler will separate the cardboard from the film.
Our HR team manages all applications through the website. So it would be best if you could apply for the vacancy you’re interested in directly from here (and that way we also make sure we’re GDPR compliant!)
If there’s no published job offer that you think fits your profile and/or interests, you can always register for our generic offer. That way we can save your information for the future!
You can find more information about us and fill in a form so we can contact you here.
It is the only combination of materials we have found that allows us to achieve a more sustainable packaging that, at the same time, guarantees good protection for our products and, therefore, can avoid waste.
However, our goal is to find an even more sustainable solution for this format. We are already working with manufacturers and suppliers of different materials to come up with a 4.0 packaging with a lower impact, more circular than the current one and, as always, ensuring maximum protection for our food.
The new packaging for the refrigerated format has 3 parts: a 92% R-PET tray (minimum guaranteed), a plastic film and an FSC-certified cardboard sleeve.
R-PET is Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate. Basically, it is a type of plastic that is widely used in food products (such as water bottles) and has been recycled at least once. It is a material that can be recycled multiple times and still provide adequate protection for food products.
The materials we use for the film are a combination of several layers of PE and EVOH (two types of virgin plastic). Being less permeable, this solution allows the inside of the packaging to maintain the protective atmosphere (which makes many fridge products healthy) for a longer period of time. This extends the shelf life of the product and therefore avoids wastage.
For film, we tried other 100% recycled options, but found that these were more porous and reduced the shelf life of the products (which is already quite short when you go for a list of ingredients without artificial preservatives and as clean as possible).
Over the last few months we have tested many materials: cardboard other than the current one and plastics made from vegetable cellulose, biodegradable and/or compostable. But the data showed that none of these materials allowed us to reduce the impact on resources and at the same time guarantee adequate protection for our products (which, in their refrigerated format, need a protective atmosphere and refrigeration temperatures to remain in good condition for a long period of days, so that they reach your homes in perfect condition).
Unlike R-PET, celluloses and other plant-based plastics are more permeable and this results in a shorter shelf life (lifetime expiry date), making geographical distribution more difficult and increasing the likelihood of waste.
In addition, most of these materials are currently more difficult to recycle (as there are no recycling lines) and less efficient to produce, which impedes their circularity and makes them less sustainable (at least at present).
Both the tray and the cardboard sleeve are 100% recyclable in their respective containers for packaging (yellow) and cardboard (blue).
The film, on the other hand, is not, as it has to be made of only one type of plastic (mono-plastic) to be recyclable. The problem we have encountered with mono-plastic films is that they were more porous and did not allow us to ensure a good heat seal (key to ensuring food safety).
As with everything here, we are constantly looking for better solutions, so if you know of any below you will find a form where you can give us a hand.
*When you remove the film from the tray, don't worry if there is a bit of plastic sticking to the top of the tray, as recycling plants separate it easily in a high temperature process.
The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is a sustainable forestry certification system promoted by companies that produce and market wood, environmental and human rights organisations concerned about the loss and degradation of the planet's forests.
That the wood, paper and other forest products with this seal come from forests and plantations that are well managed according to strict international sustainability standards and where the raw material comes from forest plantations, where native trees are replanted as part of the process. You may say “sounds great” but what does 'International Sustainability Standards' mean?
- Illegally harvested timber. (Wood that has been harvested in violation of human and labour rights).
- Wood obtained from the harvesting of forests where management activities put their biodiversity and High Conservation Values at risk.
- Wood from natural forests converted to plantations or non-forest uses.
The study was carried out by Inedit, our strategic eco-innovation partner.
Of course! You will also be able to see the results per country (as each country has its own recycling line). The most interesting thing to see is that the results are almost the same in Spain, Italy, France and UK.
We know that plastic and planet may currently seem incompatible, but the change comes about because using recycled plastic for the fridge format in our packaging is currently the least impactful solution we have found.
After conducting the study, we discovered that R-PET was more sustainable to produce and easier to recycle than our cardboard + double film packaging.
From this, we have learned a lot about materials, recycling lines and the difference between newly produced plastic.
The data is clear, when comparing the 2.0 packaging the new R-PET packaging generates 47% less emissions, uses 15% less water and uses 50% less fossil resources.
Plastic has its pros and cons. On the one hand, it is one of the most protective materials for food products and therefore one of the best allies in the fight against waste. But, it is true that in the current system, the waste it generates is a major problem for the environment.
The data as of today (taking into account current systems, recycling and composting lines) reveals the use of recycled plastic can help the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, as 16.3 barrels of oil are saved every time 1 tonne of plastic is recycled. (ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng, 2018)
Using recycled plastic means giving a second life to existing resources already circulating in our economy.
Recycling 1 tonne of plastic saves 5,774 kWh of energy (enough energy to charge a Tesla battery more than 100 times).
For example, if we compare recycled R-PET bottles versus regular PET plastic bottles, greenhouse gas emissions are -82% and fossil fuel consumption is -56%.
In fact, to date, Greenpeace International says that reusable plastic is one of the best alternatives to our current plastic crisis (Greenpeace, 2020).
That is why today we are committed to a circular plastic economy, using R-PET recycled plastic and promoting its recycling. We know it is not the perfect solution, but it is the best solution we have found so far.