4 Plant-Based Food Products We're Watching

CHICAGO — As the plant-based food movement continues to flourish, more and more companies are making the green as they sell the green.

The number of operators with plant-based options on their menus has grown 29% in the last five years, according to Technomic, a sister company of CSP. And the market itself is now valued at $5 billion and is growing five times as fast as the total U.S. retail food market, according to the Plant Based Foods Association and the Good Food Institute.

Rich Products, Buffalo, N.Y., recently added nine options to its plant-based pizza and flatbread portfolio. Other companies have added plant-based options as well.

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New plant-based pizza and flatbread offerings at Rich Products are comprised of more than 20% cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini and sweet potato. The expansion brings Rich’s plant-based doughs, crusts and flatbread portfolio to 13 options, enabling convenience stores to meet growing demand.

Rich Products also has offerings that include plant-based cooking cremes, coconut whipped topping, entrees, appetizers such as avocado slices, desserts such as oat milk ice cream, cauliflower and sweet potato roll dough and more.

Additions to Rich’s plant-based pizza doughs include:

• Ready-to-Stretch Cauliflower Individual Pizza Dough (two sizes)

Parbaked Crusts and Flatbread:

• Cauliflower Parbaked Crust
• Zucchini Parbaked Crust (pictured)
• Sweet Potato Flatbread

Gluten-Free Parbaked Crusts:

• Gluten-Free Vegan Cauliflower Crust (two sizes)
• Gluten-Free Zucchini Crust
• Gluten-Free Spiced Sweet Potato Crust

“Our unique portfolio of plant-based pizza doughs, crusts and flatbread provides the most delicious and innovative solutions in the c-store channel,” says Alyssa Barrett, customer marketing manager for convenience at Rich Products. “We have options to fit every kitchen, from parbaked crusts and flatbread to ready-to-stretch dough made with cauliflower. These on-trend offerings will help c-stores compete for the consumer’s share of stomach and wallet.”

Sonoma, Calif.-based Krave Pure Foods offers two flavors in its plant-based jerky: Korean BBQ and Smoked Chipotle. Both offer 8 grams of protein per serving and are made from peas and fava beans.

Korean BBQ’s flavors include toasty sesame oil and subtly spicy garlic.

Smoked Chipotle flavors include roasted chipotle with a hint of smokiness and spice.

“The Krave brand is slightly more female-skewed and also appeals to a younger millennial, young-family consumer,” said Rusti Porter, chief marketing officer for Krave Pure Foods. “From its inception, Krave has always focused on making a jerky product that would bring more women into the category.”

Over in the beverage aisle are Los Angeles-based Koia plant-based drinks, first rolled out in 7-Eleven convenience stores through its Sips & Snacks 2.0 program in summer 2020, and now permanently on shelves.

“Over 60% of our consumers come to 7-Eleven for beverages, making it critical for our portfolio to match their needs of living healthy lives,” said Daniela Field, senior category manager of 7-Eleven, Irving, Texas. “Koia is how we stay competitive and evolve as a broader better-for-you destination, and we wholeheartedly believe it can stand alongside any of the big brands we carry.”

7-Eleven carries Koia’s protein line including flavors such as Vanilla, Cacao and Chocolate Banana. Each drink contains 18 grams of protein with 4 to 6 grams of sugar.

All Koia flavors are 100% plant-based, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, vegan and non-GMO Project verified.

Wawa’s non-meat version of its Sizzli breakfast sandwich is made with Beyond Breakfast Sausage—produced by plant-based manufacturer Beyond Meat. It contains peas, brown rice and other ingredients. The sandwich is served with egg and cheese on a bagel. It is free of GMOs, soy, gluten and artificial additives.

“We’re pleased to offer Beyond Breakfast Sausage, a new and innovative plant-based protein option to our customers to continue fulfilling lives as a food and beverage destination for everyone,” said Mike Sherlock, chief product marketing officer for Wawa, based in Wawa, Pa. “We know that consumers are looking for more plant-based options and we’re proud to partner with Beyond Meat, a leader in plant-based meat, to offer our customers more choice through the Wawa Your Way initiative.”

Chuck Muth, chief growth officer at Beyond Meat, said, “These new on-the-go options not only taste great but will make plant-based meat more accessible to more consumers.”

El Segundo, Calif.-based Beyond Meat manufactures plant-based meat substitutes for more than 53,000 retail and foodservice outlets.