Strong Roots, a plant-based frozen food brand based in Dublin and reportedly the fastest-growing F&B brand in the UK, is accelerating its expansion in US retail with the launch of its plant-based range in more than 1,000 Kroger shops nationwide, following its launch into more than 2,000 Walmart stores across the USA last September.
34-year-old Samuel Dennigan founded Strong Roots in Ireland in 2015, on a mission to “redefine frozen”. In an interview with vegconomist last year, Dennigan stated that what sets the brand apart is its honesty and transparency: “Simplicity is at the core of our success. You break open our burgers, you see vegetables. When consumers look at the back of our packs, they understand the ingredients and what goes into their food.“
The company, which secured $18.3M in Series A funding in 2019, says it is the fastest-growing food brand in the UK, where its products are stocked by all major UK retailers including Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Coop, Ocado, Amazon, Wholefoods and independent shops.
The announcement comes alongside a number of other milestones and initiatives for the brand. Strong Roots was recently certified as a BCorp – the first Irish plant-based brand to achieve this accreditation. The company has also partnered with Feeding America to address food safety – donating 10 cents for every dollar of sales it makes at Walmart.
Samuel Dennigan commented on the expansion, “We launched in the US just before a global pandemic, with a mission to provide families with better tasting, healthy options from the freezer aisle. We’re very proud to partner with another of the country’s largest retailers in our next phase of growth.”
The products available in Kroger will be Cauliflower Hash Browns and Mixed Root Veg Fries.
