Tyson Foods is expanding its Raised & Rooted line of plant-based meat alternatives with new products suited for grilling season and is rolling them out mainly to traditional supermarkets.
New products include burger patties, bratwurst, and Italian sausage made from pea protein, along with a new ground product.
Asked if the products would be merchandised in the meat case, a Raised & Rooted spokesperson said the new items “can be displayed in both the refrigerated and frozen section of the meat case alongside other alternative protein options.”
“Broadly speaking, demand for all types of protein is growing, including the interest for alternative proteins,” the spokesperson said. “We believe in giving consumers choices when it comes to protein, and our new plant based products are another option.”
Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson Foods, the nation's largest chicken processor and a major supplier of other proteins, introduced the Raised & Rooted brand in 2019 with nuggets and blended burgers made with a combination of beef and plants. The blended burgers were later phased out, and the eggs were removed from the nuggets recipe so that Raised & Rooted would no longer contain animal products, according to reports.
In addition to the newly introduced items, the line now includes nuggets and tenders in the U.S. and nuggets, fries, popcorn, and tortilla nachos in Europe.
The company is emphasizing the availability of the new items in traditional supermarkets.
“No need to search specialty stores,” the Raised & Rooted website states. “You'll find our full lineup of plant based products in the refrigerated and frozen aisles of select supermarkets.”
According to the brand's website, Raised & Rooted products are available in traditional supermarkets such as Kroger, Albertsons, and Safeway, as well as Target, Walmart, and smaller regional stores that include Gourmet Garage in New York City, Dierbergs Markets in St. Louis, Missouri, and Tony's Finer Foods in Chicago.
In announcing the new products, Raised & Rooted touted their suitability for the upcoming grilling season.
“While there are more plant-based options available for consumers today, few are made for those looking to fire up their grills,” the company said in a statement.
An online survey of 1,004 U.S. adults, conducted using Engine Insights CARAVAN, found that nearly half reported that they would like to see more satisfying, plant-based options for the grill, Raised & Rooted said.
Last summer Beyond Meat rolled out a Cookout Classic value pack for grilling season, which included 10 of the company's plant-based patties at a special price. At around the same time, Impossible Foods launched a direct-to-consumer promotional initiative that included various combinations of bulk ground product and patties, including a Grill Pack of 20 quarter-pound patties.
The Raised & Rooted spokesperson said the company was not yet disclosing its specific promotional and marketing efforts, but noted that it was “excited about the response” from retailers about the new products.
Related: Plant-Based Meat, Dairy Drive Category; Tyson Transitions Facility to Case-Ready.
Image: Tyson Foods