The rise and rise of meat free (beyond the veggie burger)
The health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet have been much debated in recent weeks, but for Garden Protein -which makes the Gardein meat-free brand -the goal is not to convert us all to vegetarianism, just to invite us to try meat-free options a couple of times a week, says Thaddeus Thorne, director of foodservice sales, North America.
While the retail side of the business is performing well - with more chains allocating more space to meat-free options - foodservice sales have rocketed in the past couple of years, says Thorne.
"It's not about offering meats and a vegetarian option, it's about offering beef, pork, chicken, fish.. and gardein, as just another protein option."
And it's not just about veggie burgers anymore, with chicken-style tenders, meatballs, and other products gaining momentum as chefs look to cook gardein products in recipe dishes, salads, stir fries and convenience foods in the same way they would cook chicken or other meats, he says.
The products - which combine non-GMO soy, wheat and pea protein - also use ancient grains quinoa, kamut and amaranth, and contain comparable levels of protein, gram for gram, with many meat products, he adds.
"We're also exploring gluten-free products that are bound with quinoa flour rather than wheat gluten."
