Alternative protein is the theme of this week's new product development round-up, with Nestlé launching a 'new and improved' plant-based burger. Meat analogue start-up This has teamed with a Michelin-starred gastro pub in London, and Moving Mountains is rolling out a cook-at-home range in retail. Elsewhere in NPD, Danone is adding to its Aptamil line with organic offerings, and Hunter & Gather is entering the ketchup category.
Image source: Nestlé
Alternative protein is the theme of this week's new product development round-up, with Nestlé launching a 'new and improved' plant-based burger. Meat analogue start-up This has teamed with a Michelin-starred gastro pub in London, and Moving Mountains is rolling out a cook-at-home range in retail. Elsewhere in NPD, Danone is adding to its Aptamil line with organic offerings, and Hunter & Gather is entering the ketchup category.
Image source: Nestlé
Food giant Nestlé has announced a recipe upgrade to its Garden Gourmet Sensational Burger.
According to the Swiss food manufacturer, this latest recipe features ‘the meatiest plant-based flavour yet’ and a ‘juicier than ever texture’.
“The flavour was developed internally and with trusted ingredients suppliers, and then refined using input from consumers in testing,” a Nestlé spokesperson told FoodNavigator.
Further, Nestlé noted it has ‘the crumbly texture and hand-made shape of a great beef burger’, thanks to newly-developed techniques for working with plant-based proteins.
“Natural plant extracts and coconut oil give the Garden Gourmet Sensational Burger its distinctive raw appearance that transforms when cooked, just like a beef burger. A special mixture of plant pigments – beetroot, carrot, apple, and hibiscus – gives the burger its colour,” the spokesperson continued.
“Chopped coconut oil provides the marbled fat appearance and meaty mouthfeel. That is then all combined with a special method to texture the protein which gives it that crumbly, juicy texture.”
The ingredients list is very similar to the previous version, and has kept its Nutri-Score A rating. However, the new burger no longer contains wheat protein and it has some ‘slightly different flavour and colour components’ in it, we were told.
The nutritionals are also similar, with the most recently launched product containing slightly less fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, and sugar. It is slightly higher in fibre than its predecessor.
Nestlé is rolling out the new plant-based burger in Europe from October, kickstarting the launch with Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, and Spain. It will be available in supermarkets, as well as in restaurants and foodservice.
Image source: Nestlé
‘Hyper-realistic’ plant-based food company This is partnering with Michelin star restaurant the Harwood Arms in London.
Best known for its focus on British food and game, the restaurant will use This’ plant-based bacon in a meat-free alternative to scotch egg. The meat-free Glamorgan Scotch egg (£5.50) is made with herbs, leeks, and plant-based bacon, to ‘create a savoury and meaty taste’.
“The venison Scotch eggs at the Harwood Arms have become a much-loved favourite on the menus over the years, so we knew that if we were going to offer a vegetarian version, it had to really deliver on taste and texture,” said Head Chef at the Harwood Arms, Sallly Abé.
“We spent a great deal of time perfecting the recipe and the addition of This has given up just what we were looking for.”
For This co-founder Andy Shove, the partnership represents ‘a major step forward in plant-based food innovation’.
“Meat alternative have often been met with scepticism by Michelin-starred restaurants and chefs so I was actually quite emotional when the Harwood Arms team told us they wanted to put This on their menu.
“Our collaboration represents a major step forward in plant-based innovation where products are now so realistic, they are welcomed into the world of fine dining.”
Image source: THIS
Plant-based meat alternative brand Moving Mountains is rolling out a cook-at-home range across the UK.
The Moving Mountains ‘Bleeding’ Burger was ‘the first of its kind’ to launch in the UK. The vegan burger has been formulated to look, sizzle, smell, and brown like the real thing. It contains 18g of protein and ‘bleeds through the middle’ thanks to the inclusion of beetroot juice.
Moving Mountains’ Mince is ‘perfectly seasoned’ to offer the same texture and taste as beef mince. The range contains zero cholesterol and comes in 100% recyclable packaging. The brand’s plant-based Meatballs can be eaten on their own as a snack, or as an accompaniment to a meal.
The British company is also launching a Sausage Burger into supermarkets. Described as a ‘trailblazing innovation’, the plant-based burgers are made from oyster mushrooms, pea and wheat protein, and can be cooked from frozen in just 12 minutes.
“The plant-based Moving Mountains Sausage Burger combines the look and texture of a traditional sausage patty with the taste of pork,” noted the company. “It is ideal to enjoy at any time of day, whether at breakfast time in a muffin, for lunch in a burger bun or for a delicious roast dinner, alongside apple sauce and all the trimmings.” Each 284kcal plant-based sausage burger contains 11g of protein.
The last SKU in the cook-at-home range is Moving Mountains’ Hot Dog, which the company says is ‘identical to its pork counterpart in taste, smell, and texture’. Its ingredients list includes sunflower seeds, carrots and onions, together with a ‘naturally smoky flavour’.
All products have an RRP of £4.50 and will be sold in a mixture of retailers, including Waitrose, Ocado, and Sainsbury’s.
Image source: Moving Mountains
Hunter & Gather is entering the ketchup space with a new range of unsweetened tomato sauces.
The new line features an Unsweetened Classic Tomato, Unsweetened Barbecue, and Unsweetened Spicy Chipotle sauce. They use organic tomato, which use dates or pears for sweetening. Each product also uses a blend of spices and vinegars to add tang.
According to Hunter & Gather, the sauces are thick and tasty, yet contain 71% less sugar than ‘the leading player’.
Co-founder Amy Moring said the new SKUs respond to growing demand for ‘low total sugar’ products that don’t use sweeteners
“Whilst others might claim that ‘no added sugar’ tomato sauces already exist; a closer inspection of their back-of-pack ingredient decks show an alarming natural sugar presence (around 16.5g of sugar per 100g vs our 6.6g) from added syrups or sugary fruits or a host of sweeteners that coat the palate.
“We wanted to provide true innovation whilst also tasting delicious – like we did with our avocado mayonnaise range for the mayonnaise category.”
The sauces will launch this month in Booths, Amazon, CLF wholesales and The Health Store Wholesale, as well as D2C. The ballpark RRP is £3.59 per 250g bottle.
‘An evolved identity’
At the same time, Hunter & Gathering is launching a new ‘vibrant, all-encompassing’ brand identity across its range – which includes ‘clean-deck’ cooking oils and condiments, supplementary MTC oil, Collagen peptides, raw Icelandic lamb, and real food supplements.
“The recent lockdown provided the perfect opportunity for us to develop a dynamic and cohesive new look, strapline and hierarchy of messages that underpins our stance as an optimal health brand that provides you with the tools you need to thrive,” said Moring.
“Our transition from small start-up to international operator and supermarket stalwarts has come a lot faster than even we could have anticipated, meaning it was imperative we spent time fostering a bold and clear identity, which heightens our shelf presence whilst amplifying key messages; such as our ongoing commitment to best-in-class, ‘real’ food ingredients and a sugar-free, grain-free, seed oil-free lifestyle.”
Lead image source: Hunter & Gather
French dairy giant Danone is rolling out an organic range of milk formula under its Aptamil brand.
The new Aptamil Organic line is made from organic ingredients, as well as Vitamin D, GOS/FOS, Vitamins A and C, Iron, and Omega-3.
The three SKUs include: Aptamil Organic Infant Milk (from birth), Aptamil Organic Follow On Milk (6-12 months), and Aptamil Organic Toddler Milk (from the 12th month).
According to Danone, consumers have responded well to the organic formula. Aptamil Organic Follow On Milk was recommended by 93% of parents who trialled the product, it said, and was rated as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ by nine out of 10 respondents.
“The organic market is…a rapidly growing segment. With eight-year strong growth, it grew 4.5% in 2019 to reach a record of £2.45bn, so there is a clear opportunity for retailers to cater for this increasing demand,” said Sandra Eglau, Marketing Director of Aptamil UK.
“This also further highlights how our new Aptamil Organic range reflects the needs of modern-day parents.”
The organic baby and toddler milk range has been certified by an independent organic certification body. Products are available in all major retailers, with RRP ranging from £12.50 (Stage 3) to £13.50 (Stage 1 and 2) for 800g packs.
Image source: Danone
Illy is bringing a ‘flourish of colour’ to Waitrose shelves from 3 December to 3 January with a limited edition aluminium can designed by Italian illustrator Olimpia Zagnoli.
The 36-year-old artist hails from Milan, and is regarded one of the ‘leading figures’ in the ‘new wave of of Italian illustration that is conquering the world’.
Zagnoli’s collaboration with illycaffè features a carousel of people and colours, designed to ‘bring back freedom’ and colour ‘into our thoughts and future’.
“Olimpia’s extravagant illustrations convey joy and a positive outlook, sharing the message of #LIVEHAPPilly, beginning with that first cup of coffee, enjoyed together.
“Whether buying as a memento for the unique times we all face together and a symbol of hope for the future, a gift or simply for a great cup of coffee, you can be sure you will be buying the iconic 100% ground Arabica illy blend,” noted the Italian business.
The limited edition cans will be available in Waitrose with an RRP of £6.55.
Image source: Illy
A new ‘immunity boosting’ granola from Troo is hitting shelves across the UK.
Troo Boost Granola+ SuperBerry & Vit C is gluten free and low in sugar, with every serving containing 9g of fibre and 15% protein.
The vegan offering is sold in plastic-free pouches, and serves up a ‘fruity flavour’ to health-conscious consumers.
According to IGD, research reveals that 66% of consumers are thinking about, or have already changed their diet, to include healthier options specifically to minimise the risk of illness. Therefore for Troo, its SuperBerry & Vit C product ‘ticks all of the boxes for consumers’.
“We’re really proud of our new Berry Troo Granola, not only it is super healthy, it’s super delicious too, proving that you don’t need to make compromises when choosing a better-for-you-option,” said TrooFoods co-founder Helenor Rogers.
A 350g packet of Troo’s new granola is available in Sainsbury’s supermarkets across the UK at an RRP of £3.99.
Image source: Troo
Kerry Group-owned Strings & Things is launching two new products in time for Halloween and the winter season: Cheesehape Scareshapes and Wintershapes.
Both SKUs come under Strings & Things’ Quirkies range. The limited edition Scareshapes include shapes such as a witch’s hat and a ghost face. The Wintershapes offering will be rolled out from 2 November, and includes snowflake designs.
The new shapes were designed in collaboration with research agency The Pineapple Lounge. The agency engaged with 600 schoolkids across the UK, asking them to draw fun, new shapes that they would love to see as part of a lesson plan.
Cheeseshape Quirkies will also feature games and ‘spooky jokes’ on the inner packaging, which the brand said will help retailers target parents looking for more ways to make playtime fun and engaging.
This, said Kerry Group, “ensured maximum relevancy to the target audience, guaranteed to be a hit with kids and parents across the nation”.
For Melissa Sargeant, Brand Manager at Strings & Things, the new SKUs ‘tap directly into the trend of cheese snacking’, which according to Kantar, has risen by 62%.
Image source: Kerry
