Wildbrine, the fermented foods brand owned by Fermented Food Holdings (FFH), is ambitiously launching what CEO Jorge Azevedo believes will become an entirely new category: fermented bean salads.
The Madison, Wisconsin-based company is one of the largest manufacturers of sauerkraut, kimchi and fermented pickles in the US. Wildbrine sources most of its cabbage for its certified organic sauerkraut and 95%-organic kimchi from a network of 10 family farms in Wisconsin.
Beyond sourcing from those local farms, Wildbrine also invests in farming practices designed to improve soil health in non-organic fields and reduce glyphosate content. The company provides sauerkraut brine to enrich microbial activity in the soil – a method supported by Purdue University’s research.
While Wildbrine’s fermented vegetables have long carried the brand, rising consumer demand for protein and a lack of protein-rich fermented foods created a new opportunity for the brand to explore fermented chickpeas.
“Consumers have always been asking us about protein, which is one of the things you can rarely find in fermented foods,” he said.
Enter the ‘eclectic’ chickpea
Driven by customer feedback for more protein options, FFH’s R&D team of fermentation specialists experimented with a wide range of ingredients from honey and garlic to peppers and legumes to meet demand, Azevedo said.
After testing many legumes, chickpeas emerged as the standout for the way they held their structure during the fermentation process. The team discovered that the versatile and “eclectic” chickpea also offered a naturally strong matrix of protein and fiber, he noted.
“They don’t go soft as a lot of the other beans … they preserve the taste … and they’re a bean that is fairly well accepted for salads,” Azevedo explained.
“We want to double the number of people in America who eat fermented foods in the next five years.”
Jorge Azevedo, CEO, Wildbrine
Wildbrine launched two flavors – Mediterranean and Kimchi Style. Mediterranean features fermented chickpeas with onions and bell peppers, seasoned with garlic oregano, parsley and lemon. Kimchi Style’s Korean-influenced fermented chickpeas contain green onion, carrot, ginger, garlic and gochugaru chili powder spice blend.
The Mediterranean blend was chosen because of the region’s culinary ties with chickpeas, while Kimchi was made with Wildbrine’s well-established brine to deliver both fermented flavor and heat.
Each chickpea-based salad delivers a “powerful trio” of prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics, according to Wildbrine.
Beginning April 1, both products will be available in Whole Foods Markets’ refrigerated fermented section, right next to sauerkraut and kimchi.
Despite the major account with Whole Foods, Wildbrine has a bigger target: “One of the big things for us is to be able to reach the bean buyer, not just the fermented buyer,” Azevedo said.
Arriving at a moment of shifting eating behaviors
Wildbrine’s fermented chickpea salads enter the market as consumers increasingly seek bold flavored, nutrient dense, convenient and portion-controlled foods, which also aligns with the growing use of GLP-1 medications.
Azevedo said the salads’ versatility makes it ideal for snacking, topping salads or acting as the primary protein source.
“People eat these different than how they eat kimchi or sauerkraut … people put the kimchi as a side. It’s not uncommon for people to eat the bean as the main protein as the salad itself,” he said, noting the snackification of mealtime.
Many GLP-1 users are averse to rich, greasy, fried foods, according to recent research. Fermented foods may serve as a palatable option and provide the gut health benefits that many users struggle with when taking the drug.
A six‑month Whole Foods exclusive focused on education
While a staple food in East Asia, fermented beans are relatively new to the mass market in the US. To fill this knowledge gap, Wildbrine is prioritizing education as part of its retail rollout with Whole Foods. The brand partnered with the retailer for an exclusive six‑month launch nationwide beginning April 1.
“We’re going to have to scream from the rooftops what it is, because it’s so unique,” Azevedo emphasized.
Whole Foods will support staff education, special launch pricing, in-store demos, promotions and influencer partnerships focused on natural and functional foods.
The brand also is developing an advisory board of dietitians, nutritionists, academics and consumers to educate the public about the salads health benefits and about fermented foods more broadly, he said.
“This is part of our mission,” Azevedo said. “We want to double the number of people in America who eat fermented foods in the next five years.”
How Wildbrine plans to measure success
Azevedo said success hinges on one main metric: outperforming the existing fermented set.
“The key KPI for me is how it compares to the rest of the fermentation category in units per store per week. I want it to be the top-performing item within the fermented set,” he said.
Consumer feedback will be critical in future innovations around flavors and packaging formats. The brand aims to look at consumption patterns to determine which formats to launch next, like larger, value sizes or small, portable cups for on-the-go protein boosts.
“If people are going through the jar in a couple of days, we’ll look at larger sizes,” Azevedo said.… “If they want something for work, maybe a smaller format makes sense.”
