Our coverage of new products this week includes a plant-based breakfast sausage from Beyond Meat and a host of other dairy and meat alternatives.
Oumph debuts sausage, bacon-alternatives
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By GlobalDataFood for Progress, the Sweden-headquartered vegan food business, has added plant-based sausages and bacon-alternatives to its Oumph range.
The Oumph Banger and Oumph Smoky Bits will launch in the frozen aisle of ICA and City Gross supermarkets in Sweden on 16 March.
Soya beans form the basis for the Banger with a casing made from algae. Food for Progress said the ‘sausage’ has a “smokiness which means it works well as a hot dog, or in pasta dishes and stews”.
“Our aim is that the Oumph Banger and Oumph Smoky Bits will raise the bar for the plant-based category in Sweden”, said Victoria Norviit, the brand and category manager for Oumph and Food for Progress.
Smoky Bits is a wheat-based product that Hans Mathiason, head of taste and texture at Oumph and Food for Progress, said “is a versatile product for anyone who’s been looking for a really good plant-based alternative to bacon or ham, and it works in a range of classic dishes, such as pasta, or for other breakfast, lunch, dinner and party food occasions”.
Beyond Meat launches new breakfast sausage in US retail
Meat-alternative firm Beyond Meat plans to launch its new plant-based breakfast sausage in retail outlets in the US in March to early April.
The Beyond Breakfast Sausage, available in “classic” and “spicy” variants, contains 11 grams of protein per serving “with 50% less total fat, 35% less saturated fat and sodium, and 33% fewer calories than a leading brand of pork sausage patties”, the California-based company said in a statement.
Beyond Meat said it teamed up with cookbook author and TV personality Martha Stewart to create the sausage, which are free-from GMOs, soy, gluten and “artificially produced ingredients”.
The Beyond Breakfast Sausage will be stocked in select outlets of Whole Foods Market, Wegmans, Acme, Albertsons, Key Foods, Kings, Pavilions, Raley’s, ShopRite and Vons in the frozen aisle at a recommended retail price of US$4.99 for a pack of six.
Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat’s founder and chief executive, said: “Our Beyond Breakfast Sausage platform delivers on our promise of enabling consumers to Eat What You Love while advancing health, environmental and animal welfare benefits.
“It has seen early success at some of the most popular and iconic quick-service restaurants and we are excited to introduce the first extension of the platform in retail.”
Better-for-you Haagen-Dazs Heaven range revealed
A healthier version of Häagen-Dazs ice cream has been launched in the US.
Heaven is described as “an indulgent, light ice cream with one third fewer calories per serving than regular ice cream”.
It is available in four flavours – Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel, Strawberry Waffle Cone, Peanut Butter Chip and Cold Brew Espresso Chip – and is made using ultra-filtered milk. The products contain half the fat of regular ice cream, no artificial sweeteners, and no GMO ingredients.
Meredith Saxe, Häagen-Dazs brand manager, said: “This collection offers lower calorie options, while still satisfying a sweet tooth with the deliciously rich flavour you’d expect from a Häagen-Dazs product.”
Heaven ice creams have a RRP of US$5.49.
Nestle owns the US licence to Häagen-Dazs. General Mills owns the brand internationally.
In December, Nestlé struck a deal to sell its ice-cream business in the US to Froneri, the global ice-cream supplier the world’s largest food maker co-owns with private-equity firm PAI Partners.
Ella’s Kitchen rolls out dairy-free range for toddlers
Ella’s Kitchen, the UK-based baby-food firm owned by US major Hain Celestial, is launching dairy-free yogurts, porridge and rice pudding.
Banana Yummy Yogurt Alternative, Pear and Fig Porridge, and Rice Pudding with Bananas and Strawberries make up the range, all using coconut milk as an alternative to dairy.
Mark Cuddigan, the chief executive of Ella’s Kitchen, said: “We recognised that there hasn’t been enough variety for little ones who are dairy-free or have dairy intolerance, so wanted to use our weaning expertise to create a range that was both super tasty and which introduces new tastes and textures to tiny taste buds.
“We hope that by introducing these new creamy tastes into developing palates, parents and little ones across the UK will have even more joy and greater enjoyment during their weaning adventure.”
The range is designed for toddlers of six to seven months and over. The dairy-free pouches will be available at Asda from 9 March and Morrisons from 23 March, while Amazon and Ocado are also stocking the products.
The recommended retail price for the yogurts is GBP0.99 (US$1.28), while the porridge will retail at GBP1.10 and the rice pudding at GBP1.30.
Young’s Seafood adds Lighter option to Chip Shop range
UK-based Young’s Seafood has expanded its frozen Chip Shop range with the launch of Chip Shop Lighter, battered fish with 45% less saturated fat.
Young’s said it has invested “significant time and effort” into redeveloping the recipe for the brand.
The new Chip Shop Lighter cod fillets will hit the shelves in Tesco, Asda and Waitrose this month.
Jason Manley, marketing director at Young’s Seafood, said: “Saturated fat can be a category barrier so we’ve created a great, tasty alternative to the core Chip Shop range, allowing more consumers to enjoy a delicious battered fish fillet, without worrying about the fat content.”
The RRP is GBP2.75 (US$3.58).
Upfield launches Flora Plant cream alternative
Plant-based spreads business Upfield has launched a new whippable cream alternative under its Flora brand.
Targeted at the foodservice channel, Flora Plant is said by Netherlands-based Upfield to be “perfect for cooking, pouring and even whipping” and suitable for sweet and savoury recipes.
The product is vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Alan Black, head of marketing for Upfield Professional, said: “Flora Plant is a game-changer for the foodservice industry. Not only does it cater to those following a vegan diet, Flora Plant helps chefs overcome the challenge of managing allergens, which if not handled extremely carefully, can lead to a loss in customers, or even worse, criminal prosecution.”
Upfield was formed when private equity firm KKR bought Unilever‘s spreads business in 2017.
Kraft Heinz-owned Primal Kitchen debuts ready meals
Primal Kitchen, the US-based better-for-you condiments and snacks business owned by food giant Kraft Heinz, has launched a range of frozen bowl and skillet meals.
The Oxnard, California-based business said the Paleo-friendly and gluten-free meals are made with grass-fed beef or cage-free chicken and vegetables.
They are also made without grains, soy, dairy, refined sugar, or artificial ingredients.
The range, launching with retailers including Publix, Whole Foods Market and Wegmans this spring and summer, is made up of Steak Fajitas, No-Soy Chicken Teriyaki, Chicken Fried Riced Cauliflower, Chicken Pesto Riced Cauliflower Bowl, Beef and Mushroom Bowl and Chicken Panang Curry.
Mark Sisson, founder of Primal Kitchen, said: “I’m confident that Primal Kitchen frozen bowl and skillet meals will be a great solution for busy families and health-minded individuals alike. No sacrificing flavour and no offensive ingredients allowed – just simple, real meals that are uncompromisingly delicious with every single bite.”
The recommended retail price is US$12.99 for skillet meals and $7.99 for bowls.
Rich Products debuts new dairy-free creams for foodservice
Rich Products, the US-based food group, has introduced a new two-strong line-up of dairy-free creams in the UK foodservice channel.
Plant Based Cooking Crème is designed for sweet and savoury hot applications, while Plant Based Whipping Crème provides an alternative for desserts, cakes and beverages.
Both products are 100% vegan and allergen-free, and offer “health benefits such as zero trans-fat or cholesterol, 89% less saturated fat and 12% fewer calories than their dairy alternatives”.
Rich Product’s marketing director John Want said: “We’re delighted to bring these pioneering plant-based creams to market, offering food manufacturers, development chefs, caterers and coffee shops a genuinely healthy, tasty and plant-based alternative to dairy creams.
“With half of UK adults (49%) choosing to avoid certain foods or ingredients, and 39% regularly buying free-from food and drink, it is vital to have dairy alternatives that perform in terms of taste and consumer experience. Ours are the only plant-based cream alternatives that perform and taste just like dairy with no bean, grain or nut backnotes.”
