Meet Jack
Meet Jack is a Dutch plant-based food company built around young, unripe jackfruit as a meat alternative. The company serves restaurants, caterers, wholesalers, retailers, and home cooks with frozen jackfruit products that are designed to recreate familiar meat dishes while staying 100% plant-based. Founded in 2018 by Kaline van Halder and Marjolein Pleune after they discovered jackfruit in Asia, the company has developed its own supply chain and product range and now sells through wholesale channels, its webshop, and selected resellers in the Netherlands. Meet Jack positions jackfruit as a natural, climate-smart ingredient that is easy to season, versatile in the kitchen, and appealing to both meat lovers and plant-based eaters. Core Values Plant-based eating : Meet Jack focuses on helping people reduce meat consumption by offering a fruit-based alternative that can stand in for meat in familiar dishes. Its products are positioned as vegan and suitable for meat lovers, vegetarians, and vegans alike. Natural ingredients : The company emphasizes that its jackfruit products are made from 100% natural, unprocessed fruit. For the raw chunks, it highlights the absence of preservatives and the use of jackfruit as the only ingredient. Health and allergen awareness : Meet Jack presents jackfruit as a nutritious option and highlights products that are free from gluten, soy, GMO, antibiotics, or common allergens, depending on the product. This supports its appeal to customers looking for simpler, cleaner-label alternatives. Sustainability : The brand links jackfruit to climate-smart agriculture, noting that the crop needs little water, does not require pesticides or chemicals, and can support reforestation and agroforestry efforts. It also frames eating jackfruit as a way to help reduce pressure on meat consumption. Unique Aspects Built around jackfruit as a meat substitute : Meet Jack is centered on young, unripe jackfruit, which it uses for its meaty texture and ability to absorb spices. This gives the company a distinctive ingredient identity compared with broader plant-based brands. Own supply-chain development : The founders say they set up a supply chain for jackfruit after discovering the crop in Asia, sourcing from Thailand and Sri Lanka and using IQF freezing to preserve quality during transport to the Netherlands. Strong horeca focus : The company has a dedicated restaurant and catering offer, including chef ordering, sample boxes, and frozen delivery, and it states that its products are on the menu of 50+ restaurants and caterers across the Netherlands. Local production partnerships in the Netherlands : Meet Jack says its products are produced in two facilities in the Netherlands, including a strategic partnership with a family-run meat production facility that also sells the products as its plant-based vegan line. Retail and wholesale reach : Beyond foodservice, Meet Jack distributes through wholesalers, retail stores, and online stores, giving it a multi-channel presence for both professional and home use.