5 minute read
Alternativeprotein
by Mediateam
Rootingforyou!
With a growingnumberofpeople nowinterestedinpursuing a plant-baseddiet – whetheron a ‘flexitarian’orfull-timebasis, alternativeproteinsareallowing health-consciousconsumersto pursuetheirnutritionalgoals withouthavingtosacrificeon flavour,writes GillianHamill
As consumer awareness ofthe environmentalimpactsofthemeat industrygrows,so too have demands for plant-basedproteinproducts.Injusta few short years,producershave foundpioneering new ways to supplythegrowingmarket for alternative proteins,from vegan-friendly roasts andsandwich stuffers to barbecue-ready favouritesandbreakfast essentials.
Ingredientssuchas texturedpeaproteins, mungbeansandseaweedare beingutilized alongsidesoy to improve thetaste, texture,
Deliciouslycreamy taste, now plant-based
Dairygold, Ireland’s numberonedairyspread brand, continues to maintainitspositionas marketleaderinthe‘butter, spreadsand margarine’(BSM)category. Now, thebrandis expandingonitsalready vast consumerbase by introducing a new plant-based range.
Appearingonshelvesfrom 4 Aprilonwards, thenew lineofproductswill feature plantbasedcheesealternativesingratedandsliced formatsas wellas a plant-based versionofthe renownedDairygoldspread.
The new range, whichisentirely vegan, dairy-free, gluten-freeandlactose-free, comes asmore andmore Irish consumersseek to reduce theirdairy consumption. Consumers are at theheartoftheDairygoldbrandandit hasalways beenhugelyimportant for Dairygold tocontinue to adapt to their evolvingneedswithinnovative, great tasting products.
Withtheintroductionofthisnew range, Dairygoldbecomesthe first Irishbrand to operate inplant-basedacross multiple functionality, andnutritionalcredentialsofthe meat analogues.
FoodMattersLive reportedon five plantbased foodtrendsandinnovations for 2022 and‘new proteinsfrom vegetables’came top ofthelist.“Soy, peasandbeansare widely usedasthemainproteinsinplant-basedmeat, but food companiesare working towards extractingproteinsfromother vegetables too,” it states. For example, UK-basedpotato supplierBranston announcedinJulythat it was building a £6million facility to extract
categories. The decision to make this momentousleap followed many roundsof opendialoguewith consumersall over Ireland. Feedbackfrom consumersultimately revealed that many struggled to findplant-baseddairy alternativesfrom a brandthey know andtrust withouthaving tocompromiseontaste and functionality. Withtrust andcredibility key to Dairygold’s success, it was instrumental to Dairygoldthat itbecometheIrishbrandthat consumershave beenlooking for, by allowing them to pursuetheir own nutritionalgoals withouthaving to make sacrifices alongthe way.
“Withthelaunchofournew plant-based range, we wanted to acknowledgethe increasingpercentageofthepopulationthat are choosing to incorporate less dairyinto theirdietsandensure they feelseen by the proteinfrompotatoes to beusedinplantbased, vegetarian,clean-labeland starch-based products for othermanufacturingapplications. The new potato protein extractionplantissaid to bethe first ofitskindintheUK.
Cabbageisalsobeing eyedup for theplantbasedproteinmarket, FoodMattersLive reported. At theendofNovember, Naylor Farms,oneofthelargest cabbagegrowersin Europe, applied for planningpermission to build a new processingplantinLincolnshire, to beused to extractplant-basedproteinfromcabbage.
brandsthat have always been a partoftheir lives,” says MichelleDaly Lennon,marketing manager for Dairygold.Dairygoldisproud to say that thenew plant-based rangemaintains thesamedeliciouslycreamy taste whilst expandingitsoffering to become a brandthat fitswiththeidentityofallitscustomers,makes them feelgreat,meetstheirnutritionalneeds and fitswiththeirsustainability expectations.
Dairygoldhasbeen a stapleinIrishhearts andfridges for over 30 years. The brandis worth over €30min retailsales value(RSV)and holds20%marketshare withintheBSM category. The long-termsuccess ofDairygold hasbeenbuiltonthebrand’s ability to continuously connectwith consumersthrough itshigh-qualityproductsand commitment to continuously evolvingthebrand’s communicationsplatform.
Dairygold’snew plant-based rangeis entirelyvegan,dairyfree,gluten-freeand lactose-free
Starttheday right
The Happy Pear ismakingbreakfast something worth wakingup for withthe launchoftwo new tastymueslis to add to its expanding range.
The new SuperMueslis – May’s Originaland Elsie’s Fruit & Nutare bothmadewith a deliciousblendofcrunchy sprouted flakes, oatsandspelt flakes.Elsie’s Fruit & Nuthas theadditionofmixeddriedfruits for added sweetness and texture.
What makes The Happy PearSuperMuesli a littlebitdifferentisthat it’s madewithcrunchy ‘sprouted’or ‘activated’ cereal flakes. Thisis a process where thenaturalgrainisgerminated or ‘activated’,which awakensthenutrition insidethegrain,makingit sweeter, andinthe process,easier to digest,allowingthe nutrients to bemore easilyabsorbed by the body. The Happy Pearhasused a tastymixof buckwheatflakes,brown lentil flakesand red quinoa flakes to givea great crunchy taste experience.
The SuperMueslis containnoartificial colours, flavoursandpreservativesand come in a recyclablepouch,so consumerscaneasily recyclethepackagingintheirbins at home.
“Namedafterourdaughters,thesenew SuperMueslisare especiallyclose to our heart,” say foundersDave and Steve. The Happy PearSuperMuesliMay’s Originaland SuperMuesliElsie’s Fruit & Nut retail at €3.99 each(400g), available exclusivelyin SuperValu, Centra andDaybreak stores nationwide.
For more information,checkoutInstagram: @supervalu_irl @centra_irl @thehappypear #TheHappyPear#eatmoreveg.
Choosegood,dogood
Launchedin2021, Plant-It produces a wide rangeofplant-based food,including100%Irish meat-free, chicken-free, egg-free,fish-freeand veggieproducts,in retailand foodservice. Usingits own in-house texture technology, Plant-Itis confidentithassuccessfully managed to produce deliciousproductsthat mirrorthetaste and texture experience of meat,whilebeing reassuringlyplant-based.
AllPlant-Itproductsare 100% vegan,with noGMO, noartificial coloursor flavoursand are highinplantproteinand fibre. Inaddition, they are fortifiedwith VitaminB12,ironand calcium,whichare traditionallylackingin plant-baseddiets.Plant-Italsouses real choppedandsliced vegetables,frozen at sourceto lockintheirgoodness and avoid unnecessary waste.
Winnerofthe2021 V Awardsand voted by theIrish Foodservice SuppliersAlliance (IFSA) asIreland’s best sustainable food,Plant-Itison a mission: to inspire Irish consumers to choose goodanddogood, by increasingtheappetite for healthy plant-basedchoices (choosegood) andhelpplanttheplanet (do good). The company dedicatesa portionofsalesfrom everyPlant-Itproduct to support reforestation effortsacross Ireland.Alreadythebrandhas planted15,000native treesandaims to plant many more in2022.
Plant-It dedicates a portion ofsalesfromevery producttosupport reforestationeffortsacrossIreland
Fullofwholesomeingredients
Irish vegan company, ThanksPlants, packs a seriousamountofproteininits range. With over 20gofproteinper100g,theseproducts are notonlywholesomebutalso very satisfying. The range comprisesthree flavouredsausagesinApple & Sage, Sundried Tomato & Herband a Frankfurter variant. There isalso a roast dinner centrepiece called the Everyday Roast, stuffedwithwildrice and apricots,and a seasonalSpring Roast outnow, stuffedwith roast potatoesand red peppers.
“Packingourproductsfullofgreat
ThanksPlants’SpringLoafismadefrom tomatoandlentilseitan,with a potato, redpepperandrosemarystuffing
TheThanksPlantsrangeincludesthree flavouredsausagesand a roastdinner centrepiececalledtheEverydayRoast
wholesomeingredientsis reallyimportant to us,” says AislingCullen, ownerandcreator of ThanksPlants.“Ouringredientslist iseasy to understandand we have nonasties,artificial preservativesorbindersaddedin.
“Ourcustomersalsolove how muchprotein theproductscarry, especiallythoseinto sports and fitness,” sheadds.“Having a highprotein contentmeansthat ourproductsare very satiating. They will keep you fuller for longer.”
Cullen explainsthat thehighprotein content mainly comesfromthevitalwheat gluten,aka seitan.“Seitan wasfirst discovered by Chinese Buddhist monks centuriesago,” shesays. “It gives a great meaty texture to ourproducts andissuperhighinprotein.
“We’ve gotmore products comingthis year, includingourNoMooooBurgerandChorizo Crumbles. Thesewillhave thesamegreat proteinlevelsasourotherproducts,plus a wholesomeingredientlist.”
ThanksPlantsproductsare currently availableonline at www.thanksplants.co, in selectSuperValu storesaroundIrelandandin goodindependent storessuchas Lotts & Co, NourishandNolansofClontarf.
Fabulous and fishless
Birds Eye GreenCuisine is a plant-basedbasedbrandwhich consistsof‘veg foods’and‘meat substitutes’. The perfectbrand for vegans, flexitariansand consumerswhosimply want to reduce meat intake intheir familydinners. 2021saw thelaunchofGreenCuisineinto ‘chicken-free’, following successfullaunchesinto red-meat substitutes,and veg foods,which have madegreat inroadsin termsofmarket valueshare for Green Cuisinewhichnow sits at 20.3%*.
The H12022 focus for GreenCuisineistheAprilNPDlaunches with a deliciousaddition to the‘veg foods’sectorthat is a Cauliflower, Sundried Tomato & MozzarellaBurger.
Another excitinglaunch for GreenCuisineutilisestheBirds Eye FishFingerheritage, by tappinginto the‘fish-free’sectorwiththe launchof GreenCuisineFishless Fingers.A tasty, proteinpacked product,with a crispy goldencrumb. Madeupofrice protein,which is a source ofOmega3,thisproductprovidesallthebenefitsof a real fish finger. BothNPDSKUsare availablenow.
With a robust pipelineinplace, integratedwith excitingactivityplans, there is a lotmore tocome for theGreenCuisinebrandin2022. ■
*(Source:Nielsendata(Scantrack)L4Wks. W/C 27 Feb, 2022)
BirdsEye Birds Eye GreenCuisine Green Cuisine Fishless Fishless Fingersare Fingers are madeof made of riceprotein, rice protein, whichis which is a a sourceof source of Omega Omega 3 3
Venue: Royal MarineHotel,DunLaoghaire,Co.Dublin Deadline forentries: May6 Enterornominatehere: www.groceryawards.ie Summer2022
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