Baby Got Soy: Juicy Marbles Unveils Plant-Based Baby Ribs on the Bone (Exclusive)

Never did I think I'd be writing a Green Matters story praising a company's tender, succulent, melt-off-the-bone ribs. To halt any confusion, I'm talking about plant-based ribs... on a bone. For artsy, sometimes satirical Slovenian plant-based meat company Juicy Marbles — known for introducing the world's first marbled plant-based steak — honoring the primal food culture that has long been associated with eating meat was important, and that's why its newest offering, vegan Baby Ribs, comes on soy protein "bones."

"Eating with hands is fun, and fun is important. That's what bones kinda suggest," Vladimir Mićković, Juicy Marbles's co-founder and chief brand officer, exclusively tells Green Matters via email.

Juicy Marbles launched its first vegan ribs product in 2023. When it became clear that consumers loved the taste and near-primitive experience of holding a bone, but longed for a healthier version, Juicy Marbles updated its recipe. Now, in July 2024, the company is launching its new ribs formulation, Baby Ribs.

"Brethren and sistren, we give you: Baby Ribs! A compact, updated version of our succulent Bone-In Ribs—made with the cleanest, most nutrient-dense recipe to ever leave the Surreal Kitchen," the website reads.

This new and improved recipe, codenamed “Marble 3.0," features 32 grams of protein per serving; iron, zinc, selenium, B vitamins, including vitamin B12; and no methylcellulose, carrageenan, preservatives, or additives. Plus, Baby Ribs only uses 100 percent non-GMO ingredients and boasts an "A" Nutri-Score rating.

In an exclusive e-interview with Green Matters, Vladimir Mićković got candid about the Baby Ribs launch, how the company practices sustainability, and appealing to a broad group of hungry people.

"Plant-based meats are intrinsically more sustainable than their animal counterparts, above 80 percent for sure, but we also do look further than that," Mićković tells us. "One of our main incentives is the ongoing push to minimize waste from our production process, either by giving away edible cutouts to local social kitchens or by re-using materials."

In fact, those soy protein bones — which are 100 percent compostable — could have been just another waste product.

"The bones are made out of perfectly edible soy protein, which would otherwise go to waste," he shares.

Plus, consumers can also repurpose the soy bones, as Mićković has previously suggested baking, frying, or air-frying the leftover bones into tasty, crunchy snacks with a similar protein profile to beef jerky. If that's not your thing, you can even use them to make a plant-based stock.

"We have also donated a euro from each sale towards re-planting trees with our partners at Ecosia," Mićković continues.

Juicy Marbles isn't solely focused on marketing to vegans and vegetarians.

"Our aim is simply to make food that is compelling, both nutritionally and sensorially, and let people decide with their taste buds (and bellies!)," Mićković tells Green Matters. "Vegans or omnivores are not homogenous groups of people, so categorizing them in such a way provides very little value or understanding."

According to Mićković, Juicy Marbles's non-vegan customers grew from 10 percent to over 50 percent in three years.

"To me, that shows that all sorts of people seek plant-based protein sources," he continues.

Customers based in the U.S. can now purchase Baby Ribs via the Juicy Marbles webshop. A two-pack costs $59 with a $15 shipping fee, a four-pack costs $94 plus a $15 shipping fee, and a six-pack costs $139 with free shipping.