Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND) announces the addition of Beyond Nuggets and Popcorn Chicken to its plant-based chicken portfolio. Rolling out at 5,000 Kroger and Walmart stores, as well as select Albertsons and Ahold markets, the new products build on the recent launch of the company’s first steak product, Beyond Steak.
“We’ve been able to create a portfolio of absolutely delicious plant-based chicken products with no added soy, a key differentiator for our Beyond Chicken products”
Made from a blend of pea and faba bean protein, the Nuggets and Popcorn Chicken contain 50% less fat than traditional chicken nuggets with 14 g of protein and no cholesterol. Both products are also made without added soy, GMOs, hormones or antibiotics.
The pre-cooked Nuggets offer a “lunchbox-friendly” option for parents that can be prepared in the air fryer in under five minutes, while the Popcorn Chicken similarly can cook directly from frozen for snacks or appetizers. The innovations expand Beyond’s current frozen chicken portfolio, which includes Beyond Chicken Tenders.
Wins and losses
Last month, Beyond formally launched its novel Beyond Steak into US retailers, marking the brand’s first introduction of a whole cut, non-minced meat product. The seared steak pieces, also made from pea and faba bean protein, appear similar to the plant-based Carne Asada steak currently being tested at select Taco Bell restaurants.
The latest product may cap off a turbulent year for Beyond, which saw its projected revenues decline amid difficult economic conditions and a shift in its top leadership positions. Despite this, the company achieved a number of historic milestones this year, from joining with KFC for the largest-ever US launch of plant-based chicken, to debuting in China and Japan, and becoming the official Plant-Based Meat Partner at Disneyland Paris.
Delivering taste
“We’re always exploring new plant-based protein sources that deliver the taste and texture of its animal protein equivalent and are proud that by using faba bean protein, we’ve been able to create a portfolio of absolutely delicious plant-based chicken products with no added soy, a key differentiator for our Beyond Chicken products within the category,” said Chief Innovation Officer Dariush Ajami.
