In this week's NPD round up, we look at two different types of plant-based tuna, a new alcohol-free spirit, and the redesign of a classic chocolate brand.
Image Source: Eoneren/Getty Images
In this week's NPD round up, we look at two different types of plant-based tuna, a new alcohol-free spirit, and the redesign of a classic chocolate brand.
Image Source: Eoneren/Getty Images
The non-alcoholic spirits brand Pentire has launched its new Coastal Spritz in 200 outlets of supermarket retailer Waitrose across the UK.
The Coastal Spritz consists of coastal botanicals blended with Sea Rosemary, Blood Orange and Oakwood. As well as being alcohol-free, the drink is also low-calorie.
“At Pentire we want to create drinks that complement a healthy and active lifestyle by providing premium, plant-based non-alc spirits that are full of flavour,” said Pentire founder Alistair Frost.
“Like all our products the Pentire, Coastal Spritz was crafted in collaboration with some of the world’s best bartenders, who share our love for the outdoors. It’s a naturally bitter and refreshing aperitif made by blending key ingredients such as Blood Orange, Sea Rosemary and Oakwood along with our Pentire Plant Blend.
“Thanks to the support of Waitrose, we’re now able to bring Pentire’s incredible flavours and healthy vibes to an even broader audience, and we can’t wait to hear what our new customers think.”
The brand creates its non-alcoholic spirits by distilling botanicals on the coast of North Cornwall.
Coastal Spritz is available at RRP £27.80 for 70cl.
Image Source: Pentire
Dairy-free milk-brand Koko, which in 2010 was the first UK company to launch a coconut-based alternative to dairy milk, will launch new versions of its ‘m!lk’ and ‘yogrt!’ products in the coming weeks.
Its Original M!lk, for example, is now low in sugar, while the Unsweetened M!lk is high in protein and low in fat. Both have been developed to taste even more like the dairy products that they’re imitating. Both Koko’s m!lk and its yogrt! are enriched with calcium and vitamins B12 and D2.
They’re also free from all 14 major allergens, unlike many other plant-based dairy products. These include soya, oats and of course, dairy.
“Despite having a loyal consumer base, we realised that there was some confusion over the taste of Koko products and what the brand stood for,” said Victoria Eadon, Koko’s marketing manager.
“Fundamentally, we create plant-based products that are made from coconut but taste like dairy. A true dairy alternative.
“Our brand refresh reflects the taste profile of the product, dialling up the dairy like, dairy taste cues and communicating this in a fun, energetic way to mirror Koko’s personality. The dairy alternative category is more competitive than ever with some big players, and as an independently owned business, we are proud to continue to offer a fantastic range of products without compromising on allergens or taste.”
Original M!lk will retail at a price of £1.80 for one litre, while Plain Yogrt! will be £2 for 400g.
Image Source: Koko
Healthy meals brand The Gym Kitchen is releasing new grain and lentil pouches this week. The new pouches are released in two flavours, harissa and sweet & sour.
The new flavours come hot on the heels of The Gym Kitchen’s original grain and pouch range, which was released only last month.
Each 250g macro-counted pouch contains at least one of your five-a-day, is high in protein and fibre, and naturally low in fat and calories. They can be eaten straight away, or steamed for a few minutes in the microwave.
“We’re excited to add to our Grain & Lentil Pouch range in Asda, following consumer demand for more flavours, and we’re delighted to secure new distribution of the core range in Morrisons,” said The Gym Kitchen founder Segun Akinwoleola.
“This NPD is another exciting step in our growth journey and our mission to make healthy eating accessible, affordable and most importantly, tasty across multiple categories.”
The pouches will be hitting the shelves of Asda this week, with an RRP of £2.00.
Image Source: The Gym Kitchen
Ingredients company Loryma has developed a plant-based tuna, which, it claims, has an identical mouthfeel to the fish-based original.
To create the tuna substitute, the brand mixes together Lory Tex Snips and fibres. These are combined with a wheat protein-based binder and modified with a wheat starch, leaving a bound mass with a loose texture. It is then heated in an autoclave under high pressure (in a process similar to that of conventional tuna), which gives it a long shelf-life.
The plant-based tuna is packed in cans, ready to eat. It is also high in protein, with 19g of protein for every 100g, thanks to extruded wheat protein.
“Fish stocks are becoming increasingly scarce due to overfishing of the oceans,” said Nobert Klein, Loryma’s head of research and development.
“Therefore, we offer a sustainable, authentic alternative using wheat, which we source mainly regionally in Germany. The sensory properties of our vegan version are every bit as good as the original. In addition, we are more than happy to support our customers in the development process and to customise the concept according to their own ideas.”
Image Source: Loryma
Umiami, a French food-tech company, has unveiled its new plant-based chicken fillets, releasing them in 165 Coop group outlets in Switzerland.
Using just ten ingredients, and no texturing agents or methylcellulose, Umiami utilises umisation technology to create plant-based fillets that, it claims, mimic meat in every way – texture, taste, colour and even juiciness.
The fillets all have all the flexibility of real chicken, and can be marinated, fried, breaded or turned into a sandwich.
The chicken fillet is the company’s first branded product: previously having been sold as a white label product, its sale in Switzerland will be accompanied by the company’s logo.
“It's a real mark of recognition that our product has been selected by experts in the distribution and retail sectors,” said Tristan Maurel, founder and CEO of Umiami.
“This choice not only proves that our technology meets a real demand, but also that the major Swiss food industries are sensitive to our commitments. This first official partnership motivates us to go even further and to continue to innovate in support of our beliefs and our customers' expectations.”
Healthy snack brand Beam, whose snack bars are free of the top fourteen major allergens, including nuts, dairy and gluten, is launching in 450 Holland & Barrett outlets this month across the UK and Ireland.
Its seed-based snack bars, which come in flavours such as Cranberry Strawberry, Blueberry Lemon, Pineapple and Mint Chocolate, are also vegan and high in fibre. The bars contain ingredients such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds and chickpeas.
Shauna Blair, the brand’s founder, started it up when she found a gap in the market for healthy food brands that were also allergen-free. Her eldest son being allergic to peanuts, she was all too familiar with the anxiety surrounding finding allergen-free foods.
“This marks a significant milestone for our company as we continue to expand our reach and offer more people the opportunity to try our delicious and healthy snack bars,” said Blair
“Holland and Barrett is a perfect partner for us, as they share our values of promoting healthy and sustainable living. We believe that our nutritious allergen free snack bars will be a great addition to their product range and will help us reach a wider audience of health-conscious consumers.
“We are just shy of 1 year since Beam launched last September and this is an excellent opportunity for us to ensure that more consumers have access to healthy allergen free snacks.”
Image Source: Beam
Plant-based brand Squeaky Bean is already known for its meat alternative offerings, but now it has announced the upcoming launch, on 20 and 27 September, of plant-based fish, specifically smoked salmon slices and tuna flakes.
Its Beechwood Smoked Salmon Style Slices will be the first plant-based smoked salmon available in major retailers, and is smoked naturally using beechwood chips.
The Tuna Style Flakes will be high in protein, and much like real tuna, a great source of Omega 3.
Both are ready to eat straight from the pack, both are completely plant-based and both are low in saturated fat.
“We’re on a mission at Squeaky Bean to create great tasting plant-based alternatives that everyone can enjoy, whether they are a vegan, vegetarian or trying to reduce the amount of meat or fish in their diet,” said Becky Youseman, Marketing Controller at Squeaky Bean.
“Eating fish is a popular diet choice because of its health benefits, but as consumers become more concerned over the health of our oceans, we've noticed a rise in demand for good quality fish alternatives. Combine this with the number of vegans and vegetarians saying they miss eating fish, we spotted a natural gap in the plant-based category.
“This is why we’ve created Squeaky Bean’s first ever fish products with our Beechwood Smoked Salmon Style Slices and Tuna Style Flakes, which genuinely taste and look like the real thing. With there being very little innovation in plant-based fish to date, we’re proud to lead the way by launching a great tasting vegan tuna alternative and what will be the first vegan smoked salmon style slices to be available in major retailers.”
Squeaky Bean Beechwood Smoked Salmon Style Slices 80g (RRP £3.50) will be available from Waitrose on 20 September and Sainsbury’s on 27 September. Squeaky Bean Tuna Style Flakes 120g (RRP £3.25) will be available from Sainsbury’s on 27 September.
Image Source: Squeaky Bean
Chocolate brand Love Cocoa have unveiled a new redesign of its chocolate bars, which it describes as the ‘luxe’ look.
Using a new colour palette, a new tagline – ‘The Modern Chocolatier’ – and even a new logo, the B-Corp certified brand has nevertheless retained its classic gold foil.
According to Love Cocoa, it only sources cocoa from farmers who pay their workers fairly, and have a fully traceable ‘farm to bar’ supply chain. The business is also now 99% plastic free.
From September, the new design will be available in the UK from shops such as Anthropologie, Fenwick, John Lewis, Liberty, Next, Ocado, Selfridges and the brand’s own lovecocoa.com, as well as some independent shops.
“This is the start of an exciting chapter for the business,” said founder James Cadbury. “Our sophisticated new packaging has been in the works for over a year and we’re delighted to see it go live, alongside securing our B Corp and joining 1% for the Planet.
“The new designs are reflective of the luxury, high-quality chocolate within the packaging, which we know our customers love, and we believe this new look will give us a unique on-shelf presence and help us achieve £10 million annual sales by 2025. As founder, I’m so proud of how far the business has come in the last seven years, and I can’t wait to see where the next seven will take us.”
Image Source: Love Cocoa
