Caviar’s more casual evolution

Caviar: the epitome of high-end gastronomy. Or at least, it used to be.

A firm blini, topped with créme frâiche, and a dollop of shiny black pearls – a sign that your dinner host had gone the extra mile to impress their guests. And it wouldn’t be your average dinner party. 

Beluga caviar – regarded as one of the most premium caviars in the world – can cost in the region of USD $5,000 per kilo, depending on the retailer and origin. But the caviar market is changing; and it may not remain an elite delicacy. 

The cost of caviar

In the next five years, the caviar market is estimated to grow by $175 million to $547 million, at a CAGR of 7.96%.

That continued market growth means that caviar farmers have to keep up with rising demand. But caviar farming is a lengthy process. The product comes from the sturgeon fish, which have to be at prime maturity for their roe (caviar) to be harvested at the perfect taste profile and consistency to live up to its luxury price tag.

It’s costly too. Harvesting caviar from sturgeon is labour intensive and requires expertise to carefully and safely extract the roe. And once extracted, it goes through a delicate process of sifting, rinsing and filtering to leave producers with the highest quality product. It’s that process that determines the saltiness. 

As with most traditional fishing practices, sturgeon was overfished to keep up with demand. But because sturgeon take so long to reach maturity, wild sturgeon numbers declined at a significantly faster rate than other fish species. The demand for beluga sturgeon eggs almost made that particular species extinct; and in 2004 it was placed on the endangered species list. 

Now, caviar farmers have adopted more sustainable practices – and this is helping sturgeon numbers recover and protecting the future of caviar. 

Interest in caviar alternatives has grown too

The exclusivity of caviar has long been one of its key selling points. The cost of the product meant it became a status symbol; a signifier of wealth for those who could afford it. 

But this is changing. And that’s partly down to the rise in sturgeon caviar alternatives that have been developed to counter the environmental impact of caviar harvesting: including lumpfish roe, salmon roe, and even vegan caviar. 

Instead of heading to a specialist gastronomy shop, fish roe alternatives can be found in some supermarket chains – so keen home chefs can experiment with caviar. 

We’ve spotted: 

• Cavi-art. Winners of PETA’s Best Vegan Luxury Food Item award, this brand made a visually identical caviar from seaweed and kelp. Their focus is on sustainability, and preserving the marine ecosystem for the future.
• Olive oil pearls. Also a vegan alternative, these are versatile, and they adopt different colours depending on the ingredients the olive oil has been infused with. They make a great caviar substitute – but due to their flavour profile, they also work as a garnish for an extra pop of flavour. 
• Avafina. This organic plant-based food manufacturer has created a vegan caviar alternative using chia seeds: Chiaviar. It combines chia, seaweed and lemon to create a spread packed with omega-3, fibre, vitamins and minerals. 

Interestingly, although the caviar market is growing, so is the vegan caviar market – at a similar CAGR of 7%. It’s on track to nearly double by 2033, when it’ll reach around $484.

So has the world moved on from the elitist hors d'oeuvre on silver platters and made the move to a more modest and accessible way for the masses to enjoy caviar? 

Caviar – dressed down

Caviar is a luxury food steeped in history, process and occasion. It’ll always have a place in F&B – but as sustainable food alternatives continue to grow in popularity, we’re seeing more examples of caviar veering away from high-end culture and making its way into everyday eating.

We love these unique caviar use cases:

• Ice cream. Hong Kong-based restaurant Whey has stepped away from caviar as the opening act of a meal, and made it the finale instead – by adding it as a unique topping to ice cream. Head chef, Barry Quek, is passionate about uncommon combinations.
  
• Crisps. In 2023, potato chip brand Pringles launched a partnership with The Caviar Company, and released a Crisps and Caviar collection. It consists of three kits that all have different flavour profiles. They believe their new venture will appeal to seasoned caviar consumers as well as those interested in giving caviar a try for the first time. Either way, customers will need to be ready to part with between $49 - $140 per kit.
  
• Seaweed pearls. Food-art (connected to Cavi-art, which we mentioned earlier) are a vegan alternative to sturgeon caviar – but these seaweed-based caviar pearls are added to salads or desserts. When they pop in your mouth, they taste like lemon or blood orange.
  
• Custard. Sake No Hana has taken a new twist on eggs and caviar – popular with younger customers. Chef Jason Hall has created a three-egg chawan mushi – a traditional Japanese egg custard made with sea urchin and osetra caviar. 

According to one survey, 16% of Millenials have opted for strict veganism at one point in their lives, compared with only 8% of Baby Boomers. And with interesting and innovative fish-free choices in the caviar market, we could be looking at a new era of gastronomy.

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