UK plant-based chicken brand VFC has made its debut in the chilled category as it continues on its mission to remove animals from the food chain.
The new range includes a chilled version of the brand’s popular Crispy Chick*n Fillets, along with a brand new product — Piri Piri Chick*n Wings. The wings are said to be “perfect for sharing”, and come with a separate sachet of Piri Piri sauce.
“The chilled meat-free category is worth £275 million and reaches a different consumer to those in the frozen”
According to VFC, the launches are “the first phase of an exciting pipeline of NPD” and are part of a global growth strategy. The brand says it is hoping to bring incremental consumers to its products and to the plant-based category as a whole.
“Natural next step”
The new products follow a highly successful twelve months for VFC, which has included raising £6 million in funding, partnering with pub chain Marston’s to launch at 600 food service locations, and a significant retail expansion in the US.
VFC recently told vegconomist that the funding it has secured will allow for sustainable long-term growth in spite of the current “challenging climate”. The company famously acquired another plant-based meat brand, Meatless Farm, last month, and says the acquisition will increase its R&D, innovation, and NPD capabilities.
“This [chilled launch] is yet another major milestone for VFC and our unrelenting mission to convert more people and spare the lives of more animals,” said VFC CEO Dave Sparrow. “The chilled meat-free category is worth £275 million and reaches a different consumer to those in the frozen, making this launch a natural next step in what is set to be a game-changing series of innovations for the brand. Our fantastic team has developed a wide range of quality-led products which will position VFC at the heart of more meal occasions, bringing in incremental shoppers to the brand and category. We can’t wait to share what else we have in store for our consumers!”
The new chilled products are now available at Asda.
