- Kroger has announced it is launching a new Simple Truth Plant Based collection featuring new meatless burger patties and grinds
The Kroger Co. announced it launched a new Simple Truth Plant Based collection. This collection includes new fresh meatless burger patties and grinds along with plant-based cookie dough, pasta sauces, sausages, deli slices, dips, and other items.
The Simple Truth collection was unveiled by Kroger Vice President Branding + Marketing + Our Brands at Gil Phipps at the Good Food Conference in San Francisco. The conference was hosted by the Good Food Institute — which focuses on creating healthy and humane sustainable food supplies.
“Since its launch in January 2013, Simple Truth has become the leading natural and organic brand in the country, with annual sales exceeding $2.3 billion,” said Phipps in a statement. “As more of our customers embrace a flexitarian lifestyle, choosing to prioritize healthier food choices and reduce their environmental footprint, we are excited to meet their needs. We are introducing our Simple Truth Plant Based collection to offer even more fresh, remarkably delicious, animal-free food to provide shoppers with a greater selection of choices that are more accessible and affordable.”
Consumers in the U.S. especially millennials and women are following a flexitarian style of eating as Kroger reported in its 2019 Top Food Trends. And studies show that nearly one-third of the country’s population is integrating more plant-based food into their lifestyles and are reducing their daily meat and dairy intake.
Kroger’s team of chefs, food scientists, and nutritionists collaborated in developing the collection’s recipes that offer 100% plant-based alternatives.
The Simple Truth plant-based collection includes Meatless Burger Patties, Meatless Grinds, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Alfredo Pasta Sauce, Bolognese Pasta Sauce, Deli Slices (Black Forest Ham and Salt & Pepper Turkey), Sausage (Kielbasa and Chorizo), Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, French Onion Dip, and Queso.
“Kroger’s commitment to innovating and creating new plant-based food mirrors the growing number of customers exploring meat and dairy alternatives,” added Kroger Senior Category Strategy & Innovation Manager Nicole Davis. “Taste is and will always be our number one focus, and you can expect Kroger to continue to invest in this category as we are committed to providing our customers with products that support their eating preferences and health and wellness goals.”
Consumers are considering health and weight management as key factors in mind when choosing a dietary lifestyle. And they often promote animal welfare and reducing environmental impact as commonly-cited reasons. It has been proven that plant-based diets can drastically reduce environmental emissions including greenhouse gases from food production.
“We are thrilled to see Kroger continue to embrace plant-based foods, particularly plant-based meat in this way,” explained Bruce Friedrich, the co-founder and the executive director at The Good Food Institute. “It’s a defining moment when America’s largest grocer launches an entire collection of plant-based meat and dairy products and is clear proof that plant-based has truly gone mainstream. We look forward to other grocers following Kroger’s lead.”
The new Simple Truth Plant Based products are arriving every month this fall into 2020. And the collection will include easy-to-identify packaging featuring a distinct icon that will help customers locate the items as they navigate through store aisles or when shopping on kroger.com.
“Kroger is at the intersection of plant-based curiosity and culinary innovation. Our customers are really open right now to exploring plant-based alternatives, and we’re responding with our new collection,” added Phipps while on stage.
Simple Truth’s portfolio also includes more than 1,550 natural and organic products with new items launching monthly.
