Nasoya, a top-selling brand of tofu and plant-based foods, will launch its premium Plantspired Steak in US grocery stores beginning this spring.
The plant-based steak, which will initially roll out at Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores, first debuted at more than 200 WaBa Grill locations in 2021, in the fast-casual chain’s healthy rice bowls.
Made from non-GMO soy, Plantspired Steak offers marinated steak-like strips that are char-grilled over an open flame. Containing 14 grams of protein, the plant-based steak can be quickly warmed and served alone or with an endless variety of dishes such as rice, noodles, soup, salad and veggies. The product is available in a Korean BBQ flavor paired with a sweet and smoky bulgogi sauce, and can be found in the produce aisle at a retail price of $6.99.
Leading new trends
The new steak is part of Nasoya’s Plantspired line, which sells pre-cooked and seasoned meal solutions such as tofu Toss’ables, marinated TofuBaked and Superfood Skillets. As vegconomist reported last year, Nasoya’s parent company, South Korea’s Pumulone Foods, is seeking to lead North America’s plant protein trends by offering new vegan meats aimed at American consumers.
Nasoya will showcase Plantspired Steak at this year’s Expo West in California. During the event, the brand will partner with food tech company Yo-Kai Express, known for innovating gourmet on-demand restaurants, to sample Plantspired steak with Nasoya’s Vegan Kimchi, Kimchi Relish and Vegan Dumplings.
“Consumers are looking for sustainable choices when they head to the supermarket and opting for plant-based meats is one of the best choices they can make to reduce their carbon impact,” said Ellen Kim, Director of Strategy and Marketing Communications at Nasoya. “Steak is one of the last categories to present a truly delicious plant-based alternative and we think we have cracked the code and have a product that will deliver in flavor, texture, nutrition and even price.”
Expo West attendees can find Nasoya at Booth #677 in Hall A.