Sarno, who co-founded Wicked Kitchen and Good Catch and now heads up plant-based innovation at Tesco, believes alt-seafood can taste just as good as the real thing. Lots of seafood items were blended, coated and either baked or fried and were “easily made plant-based with no compromise”, he said. Tesco’s newly stocked products, which include Quorn fishless fingers and a fish burger, would be keenly priced, he said, so would offer customers with “easy swaps”.

On Friday and Saturday the first Plant Based World Europe show was held in London. It was the first trade event of its kind in Europe and more than 100 companies were involved. Jennifer Pardoe, a member of the steering committee who is also the co-founder of Jack & Bry,which developed the fish burgers sold in the Lewis Hamilton-backed Neat Burger chain, said fish was an exciting area because consumption was unsustainable, with the issue brought home to young people this year by Seaspiracy.

For faux fish to really take off, Pardoe said it needed to make it on to menus in high-profile fast food chains and restaurants so consumers could try it first, that way paving the way for supermarket sales. Taste would win out, she said. “You have got to make sure the fish flavour tastes authentic, if there are any off notes, or it tastes fake, people will call it out.”

Faux fish of the day

Vrimp – a plant-based take on shrimp (or prawns depending where you live) is the latest high-profile offering from Nestlé. Made from seaweed, peas and konjac root and shaped using specialist moulds, it is being trialled in its native Switzerland first.

Filet-no-Fish – The British brand Jack & Bry created the £8 filet-no-fish burger sold in the Lewis Hamilton-backed vegan chain Neat Burger. It mimics the taste of cod but is made of jackfruit marinated in seaweed.

Vuna – Tuna is another member of the “big five” most commonly eaten in the UK. Nestlé launched Vuna, made out of pea and wheat protein, last year but it is not yet on sale in the UK. You can buy “tuna-style flakes” from Good Catch, and canned tuna made by the brand unMEAT is coming too.

Smoked Zalmon – The Dutch brand Vegan Zeastar is set to add smoked Zalmon to a range that already includes Shrimpz, Kalamariz and Codd. This realistic-looking take on the upmarket treat is made from tapioca starch, flax and rapeseed oil and a “whole lot of plant-based love”.

Regards Mark

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