But for Malaysians in general, that seems a little hard to believe. Can Malaysians really say goodbye to their rendang, sambals, and meaty curries?

Here’s some good news – you don’t have to give up all your local favourites to go vegan. At least, that’s what 29-year-old Jessica Yeong, founder of Vegecore, believes.

Vegecore is a local company that started in 2024, and is one of the few in the country offering 100% vegan, ready-to-eat meals inspired by traditional Malaysian flavours.

Yeong, a food scientist, said the idea came to her from her own life experience.

“I’ve been vegetarian since I was born. Growing up, I saw people enjoying our Malaysian food like nasi lemak, but I never got to taste what it was really like,” she told FMT Lifestyle.

“So the inspiration for Vegecore came about when I saw a gap in the plant-based market. I just thought, where are our Malaysian flavours?”

Yeong’s family had been in the restaurant business since her childhood, sparking an early fascination with flavours that led her to pursue food science. While working in food manufacturing, she assembled a team and began experimenting.

The first three flavours they released were “Nenek’s Masak Merah”, “Pakcik’s Dendeng”, and “Mama’s Sambal Sotong”.

Believe it or not, all her meals – which you simply microwave to enjoy – have a shelf life of two years. The best part? They’re completely preservative-free.

“We try to use all natural ingredients which are good for you,” Yeong said.

For example, the “(ayam) masak merah” is made with lion’s mane mushroom, which is a good source of fibre. Others contain shiitake mushrooms, while their “sambal sotong” is made with konjac, a starchy root that is almost calorie-free.

Yeong shared that they partnered with a manufacturer using a specific technology called retort that allows the food to be shelf-stable without any preservatives. This also makes it much more convenient.

“When I travel overseas, it’s often difficult to find vegetarian food. It’s always just instant noodles. So bringing these along has been so helpful,” she added.

“I also wanted our products to be fun and colourful right from the packaging. Vegan food doesn’t have to be boring.”

Each dish comes with a playful name, like “Makcik’s Rendang” and “Amma’s Masala Curry”.

While their best-seller is “Pakcik’s Dendeng”, Vegecore also offers three sambals in jars like “Apak’s Nasi Lemak Sambal”, “Mama’s Sambal”, and “Atuk’s Sambal Cili Hijau”.

“There’s actually a lot of science behind what we do, and our main goal was to maintain the authentic flavours.”

So, did they get it right?

“A lot of people who aren’t even vegetarian or vegan have written in saying they can’t really tell the difference from the meat version, and they love it.

“Some have also mentioned feeling better after trying these plant-based versions, perhaps because meat can sometimes feel heavy or hard to digest,” shared Yeong.

Vegecore, which is halal-certified, has built its own loyal customer base, with some regulars even buying in bulk once a month.

“I think the usual misconception is that vegan food doesn’t taste good. I believe this has changed a lot of people’s perspectives,” she said.

Yeong admitted that the challenge is getting non-vegetarians to try their food. But once they do, they quickly realise how good it is.

“Our ultimate goal is for people to see vegan food differently. And for Malaysians, I hope that when they have a taste of it, they have a taste of home.”

Vegecore could soon be expanding its range, including potential Chinese-inspired flavours, so keep an eye out.

Follow Vegecore on Instagram and check out their website here.