Tesco launches affordable new range of plant-based family favourites to cater for UK’s biggest food trend

A new own-brand range of affordable plant-based foods is to be launched by Tesco on Monday 23 September.

Plant-based food has become the biggest culinary trend of the decade with demand helping to boost the chilled vegetarian/vegan sector by 31% (IRI data Sept 2019).

Now with its new range called Tesco Plant Chef, the supermarket is set to widen that appeal even further by offering easy to prepare plant-based swaps of traditional family favourite dishes.

And to make these foods easier to find, Tesco will for the first time have dedicated plant-based and vegetarian zones in stores.

From 23 September some of the plant-based foods will sit in the meat aisle offering flexitarians an immediate alternative. This will then be expanded out into other parts of the store.

The new Tesco Plant Chef range includes*:

• Butternut Cauli Mac – Macaroni pasta coated in a sauce with cauliflower florets and diced butternut squash
• Breaded Goujons – made from seasoned soya tumbled in crunchy breadcrumbs
• Battered Fish-Free Fillets – made from seasoned soya and coated in a crispy, tempura batter
• Mushroom pizza topped with punchy garlic, spinach and aromatic herbs.

At the same time, Tesco will also add more foods to its existing exclusive Wicked Kitchen range* and have more branded plant based food too.

The new launches mean that Tesco will now have one of the biggest selections of plant-based foods on the UK high street.

In the last two years, 68% of adults have chosen to cut down or cut out meat from their diet (The Source, 2018) and 16% of all food product launches in 2018 were plant-based (Mintel, 2018).

Two years ago Tesco partnered with pioneering chef, Derek Sarno, to launch Wicked Kitchen – the first own-brand plant-based food range to be launched by a UK supermarket.

Derek, Head of Tesco’s plant based innovation, said:

“The biggest impact we can make as individuals, for our health but also that of the planet, is to eat more plants.

“At Tesco we’re making that easier than ever by providing the widest and best range of plant-based options available on the UK high street.

“We’ve turbo charged our innovative original Wicked Kitchen snacks and meals. For those looking for everyday delicious meal swaps, we’re launching the exciting Tesco Plant Chef range.

“To make these foods easier to find we will be launching dedicated plant-based and vegetarian zones in stores.”

The launches will be staggered over the next four months with the first products launching in the meat aisle on 23 September in more than 450 large stores; expanding into the prepared fresh food aisle of nearly 900 stores on 14 October and then into frozen and grocery in January 2020.

Tesco will also be expanding its range of grocery foods and cooking kits to help people make plant-based dishes at home.

These include a wide range of popular sauces, stir-fry kits, snacking pots and trend-leading ingredients such as king oyster mushrooms and cluster mushrooms.

Plant-based foods are a major part of Tesco’s commitment to making its food more sustainable, supporting the UN’s recommendations that eating more plant-based dishes will significantly help towards tackling emissions and climate change.

ENDS

Note to editors:

Hero lines in our own brand ranges include:

Plant Chef*

• Tesco Plant Chef Butternut Cauli Mac (Launching w/c 14 October, in Fresh Chilled aisle)

Macaroni pasta coated in a sauce of Cauliflower florets and diced butternut squash blended with a mix of oat milk, plant-based soft cheese, and a hint of English mustard. £2.50

• Tesco Plant Chef Breaded Goujons (Launching w/c 23 September, in the MFP aisle).

These are 100% plant based made with seasoned Soya protein and tumbled in crispy golden breadcrumb. £2

• Battered Fish-Free Fillets (Launching w/c 23 September – made from seasoned soya and coated in a crispy, tempura batter. £3
  
  
• Mushroom Pizza (Launching w/c 14 October) - topped with punchy garlic, spinach and aromatic herbs. £2.50

Wicked Kitchen *

• Wicked Kitchen Wicked Shredded M’Shroom (Launching w/c 23 September in the MFP aisle) £3

Pulled & roasted mushrooms with a paprika and cumin BBQ rub

• Wicked Kitchen Coconut Crack'd Corn (Launching w/c 23 September in Grocery aisle) £2
  A blend of sweet corn mixed with garlic, ginger, coconut and herbs.

Tesco’s plant-based food journey to date:

2018

January – Tesco becomes the first UK retailer to launch an own label plant-based range, Wicked Kitchen, with 20 plant based meals, sandwiches and salads

March – Innovative Swedish vegan experts Oumph! launch three products at Tesco - all made from a soya-based meat alternative

May – Dutch vegetarian/vegan manufacturer Vivera launches the UK’s first ever vegan steak at Tesco as well as a range of other foods

September – Oumph! extends its Tesco offering and introduces a chilled vegan pizza to UK high street stores

October – Wicked Kitchen launch an additional 26 foods including the UK’s first vegan sausage roll

November – Launch of Beyond Burger

2019

April – Tesco widens appeal of vegetarian and plant-based foods to flexitarian diners by creating new fixture in the meat aisle of some of its larger stores.

September – Launch of new Plant Chef range.

October – Launch of extended Wicked Kitchen range.