Clive’s Purely Plants, a UK brand producing plant-based pies and quiches, has announced it is launching twin packs of pies in the frozen aisle at supermarket chain Asda.
The pies come in plastic-free packaging and are available in two varieties — chestnut mushroom with creamy tarragon sauce and saag curry with spicy potato and coconut. The launch comes as shoppers increasingly turn to the freezer aisle in search of longer-lasting and more cost-effective options; according to Clive’s, Kantar data indicates that frozen items are currently outperforming chilled products.
“We wanted to create something that would be a great family meal, straight from your freezer, without compromising on quality — perfect for two people, no matter how big or small!” said Craig Blackborough, NPD manager at Clive’s.
“Shifting shopper attitudes”
Clive’s was founded in 1986 as a vegetarian pie brand, but has seen significant growth since it became fully vegan in 2020. The new launch comes after the company took part in Asda’s incubator program last year, with some of its products launching at 72 of the chain’s stores on a trial basis.
Since then, Clive’s has introduced several new products, including a coronation chickpea puff pie, sausage rolls, and a tofu-based quiche. The brand also launched what was claimed to be the world’s first vegan quiche Lorraine in 2021. The same year, investment fund Veg Capital acquired a majority share in Clive’s.
“With shifting shopper attitudes to frozen food and plant-based food, it’s not just about the frozen peas and vegan sausages in the freezer anymore!” said Esther Pearson, MD of Clive’s Purely Plants. “People want more and we hope our delicious new ‘twinnies’ will create as much excitement in the freezer as they do in the chiller.”
