This week’s selection of new products includes a duo of chilled meat-free products from the UK’s Quorn Foods and Fray Bentos microwaveable pots from UK food group Baxters.
Kale United launches vegan meatballs using fermented protein
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By GlobalDataSwedish plant-based group Kale United is rolling out a vegan alternative to meatballs made with a “fermentation-derived protein source” the company touts as having a “significantly lower environmental impact than animal or plant-based alternatives”.
The firm has launched vegan Svenska Göttbullar under its brand Astrid & Aporna, which the business says is the oldest vegan brand in Scandinavia.
Swedish food-tech start-up Mycorena, in which Kale United owns a majority stake, supplied the mycoprotein ingredient. The balls are made at Mycorena’s site in Göteborg.
“As one of the very few mycoprotein companies in Europe, Mycorena is clearly the pioneer in Scandinavia,” Kale United Måns Ullerstam said. “Being the oldest vegan company in Sweden, Astrid & Aporna is also known for exploring new possibilities and following the market trend.”
Ullerstam added: “We will start with gourmet restaurants in Sweden and elsewhere who want a Swedish gourmet vegan meatball. But it is ready for retail as soon as the Mycorena factory is scaled up.”
Nestle’s Yiyang Active milk powder arrives in China
Food major Nestlé is launching a powdered milk product in China designed for adults which it claims supports bone health, muscle strength and joint functionality.
Yiyang Active has been “clinically proven to enhance mobility during ageing and it is the first Nestlé product with functional food approval in China”, the company said in a statement.
A Nestlé spokesperson confirmed Yiyang Active will initially be sold via the food manufacturer’s “flagship store” on Tmall, one of the online platforms run by China’s Alibaba Group, and will launch into other channels next year.
Nestlé said Yiyang Active was developed by its own R&D team and underwent clinical tests at the Peking University Third Hospital.
“The results of the clinical study showed that the product, in combination with tailored physical activity, led to a significant increase in mobility of Chinese seniors with joint discomfort and thus improved their quality of life,” said Marie Noëlle Horcajada, the Nestlé scientist who led the study.
Quorn rolls out Makes Amazing range
Quorn Foods, the UK-based meat-free business, plans to launch a new vegan range called Makes Amazing, consisting of Peri Peri Strips and a Turkish Style Kebab.
The company, owned by food and drinks firm Monde Nissin in the Philippines, will roll out the duo of chilled products in Waitrose on 30 December, followed by Sainsbury’s on 2 January and Asda two days later.
Both carry a recommended retail price of GBP3.00 (US$3.99) for a 175-gram pack.
Gill Riley, the marketing director at Quorn Foods, said: “The Quorn Makes Amazing range is all about taste and full-on flavour. With more people than ever now scratch cooking and 80% saying they would consider buying the range, we are confident the Quorn Makes Amazing range will add incremental sales to the category.”
Pladis unveils Jacob’s Mini Cheddars Sticks
Pladis, the UK snacks firm owned by Turkey’s Yildiz Holding, is taking its Jacob’s brand of Mini Cheddars into a stick format.
Jacob’s Mini Cheddars Sticks come in a 150-gram sharing bag in two flavours, Rich & Tangy Cheddar and Grilled Cheddar & Sizzling Steak.
They will be available exclusively in Tesco from January at a recommended retail price of GBP1.99 (US$2.65). The Cheddars Sticks use recyclable packaging in partnership with US firm Terracycle.
Christopher Owen, marketing controller at Pladis for the UK and Ireland, said: “We’re very excited to introduce shoppers to a fresh new format for our bestselling Jacob’s Mini Cheddars brand, taking it beyond its traditional round shape for the first time in its history. With our latest launch, we’re giving shoppers a bold, cheesy taste sensation which they can enjoy across even more eating occasions – particularly those increasingly popular evening sharing moments.”
Baxters’ Fray Bentos brand debuts microwaveable pots
Fray Bentos, the tinned pie brand owned by UK food group Baxters Food Group, has launched a microwavable pot range.
It is available in Vegan Bolognese, BBQ Sausage and Black Bean Stew, Chicken Curry and Meatball Arrabiata variants.
Its Vegan Bolognese Microwave Pot combines soy mince and a tomato sauce containing herbs and spices, including oregano, basil and black pepper.
They have an RRP of GBP1.50 (US$2.01).
