NotCo expands in LATAM with new NotCheese products for the Chilean market and a partnership with Burger King Peru for a plant-based version of the chain’s iconic Whopper.
The Chilean food tech, which recently acquired B Corp certification, has announced two innovations for its plant-based cheese portfolio — NotCheese Merkén and NotCheese Ahumado that “melt stretch and gratin.”
Merkén (dried chili) and Ahumado (smoked) debut a new wedge presentation in 200g format, both available at JUMBO, a famous Chilean hypermarket chain, not related to the Dutch supermarket JUMBO.
Huge consumer demand for NotCheese
Last November, the unicorn company launched its first-ever cheese offering in Chile with NotCheese slices buttery and cheddar, breaking into the vegan cheese category and expanding its plant-based portfolio.
“95% of consumers’ requests were related to cheese,” Matías Muchnick, NotCo’s CEO, told Diario Financiero. Instead of developing other meat alternatives, the company focused on NPD for cheese in different presentations, such as slices, wedges, and grated cheese, to target different consumption occasions.
Previously, in October 2022, NotCo and Kraft Heinz joined to launch NotCheese — co-branded with Kraft’s famous logo — in a limited trial at 30 Cleveland, Ohio supermarkets, with a US national launch planned for this year.
NotCheese is made from coconut butter, tapioca starch, pea protein, and turmeric, offering a similar smell, texture, and flavor as traditional cheese.
Plant-based Whopper arrives in Peru
Burger King Peru announced the arrival of plant-based Whopper in the country just last month; several years after Burger King’s iconic burger was introduced in Brazil in 2019.
NotCo, which had previously partnered with Burger King Chile to introduce plant-based chicken sandwiches and nuggets to the chain’s menu, entered another collaboration with BK Peru to bring its plant-based burger patties to the country.
NotCo continues to drive the plant-based market’s regional growth. According to a Boston Consultancy Group report, food service is crucial to attracting mainstream consumers.
Angela Jiménez Burneo, head of marketing at Burger King, said: “At Burger King, we love to surprise our guests, whether through disruptive campaigns or new products. On this occasion, it was not only to amaze the entire Peruvian market but also to satisfy these guests looking for new alternatives with plant-derived ingredients and without altering the delicious taste of the original Whopper”.
