Tyson launches its first herbal protein brand to compete with meat beyond

Tyson Foods launches the company's first herbal protein brand, Raised & Rooted, featuring chicken-flavored vegetarian nuggets and beef-flavored veggie burgers. Tyson's new brand will compete with Beyond Meat, one of the first companies, with Impossible Foods, to make a full-bodied burger that tastes the same as beef burger.

The news on Tyson, reported for the first time by The New Food Economy, follows the public release of Beyond Meat in May with a valuation of one billion dollars. The stock of Beyond Meat has jumped 500% since its IPO.

"Today's consumers are looking for more protein options, so we are creating new products for the growing number of people who are open to flexible diets including meat-based protein and vegetable protein." said Noel White, president and chief executive officer of Tyson Foods, in a Libération press.

The new Raised & Rooted Nuggets from Tyson will be sold for the first time this summer and hamburgers are expected to be available this fall.

Tyson, the largest meat producer in the United States, says the nuggets and hamburgers are made mostly from pea protein:

Raised & Rooted nuggets are made from a blend of pea protein isolate and other plant ingredients. They contain five grams of fiber and omega-3, as well as less saturated fats than traditional nuggets. The mixed burger is composed of protein isolate from beef and pea Angus and contains fewer calories and less saturated fats than herbal burgers sold by several competing companies.

While the first categories of products for Raised & Rooted are limited to chicken nuggets and hamburgers, the company has hinted that it will soon explore other categories.

"While most Americans still choose meat as the primary source of protein, the interest in vegetable protein and blended protein is increasing dramatically," said Noelle O'Mara, Tyson Foods' director of marketing, in a statement. communicated.

"These products are of interest to a wide range of consumers who enjoy foods from a variety of protein sources and hope that this interest will continue to grow for all types of protein. The Raised and Rooted launch and our innovation pipeline will reflect our consumers' expectations for 100% vegetable, blended and traditional protein.

Tyson was an investor in Beyond Meat until the company recently sold its 6.5% stake in April. This issue would have brought in about $ 79 million.

Tyson's brand of sausages and meatballs, Aidells, is also launching a new brand, Aidells Whole Blends, which will offer chicken and herbal products, in hopes of attracting health-conscious consumers who are looking for to reduce their consumption of red meat.

Tyson is betting that US consumers want to introduce more herbal options, even if they are not vegan or full-time vegetarians.

"For us, it's about" and "- no" or, "said CEO White. "We remain firmly committed to our growing traditional meat sector and we hope to be a leader in the alternative protein market, which is growing at double digits and could one day represent a billion dollars for our company."