A new plant-based brand called The Simple Root is set to launch in the UK, in collaboration with frozen potato product giant McCain Foods. It will offer sauces, dips, and cheeses, all made with potatoes.
Specific products will include pesto, bechamel sauce, cream cheese, truffle and cheese sauce, and dips in flavours like smoky chipotle and roasted garlic and herb. The Simple Root says the products will have the creaminess of dairy while being free of soy, nuts, animal products, and artificial ingredients.
The range will initially roll out in the UK, but it will later be launched in various markets worldwide. All products were developed in collaboration with McCain, which helped create the technology required to turn potatoes into creamy sauces.
In recent years, McCain has been increasingly adapting to meet changing consumer needs — for example, it now manufactures plant-based nuggets for US company NUGGS, and it has also invested in the brand. But potato-based dairy is a new area — not just for McCain, but for the whole industry. Currently, there are few players other than alt-milk brand DUG.
“We are always looking for ways to make our delicious products better for consumers and better for our planet, and the plant-based dairy alternative category is an exciting new space for the business,” Mark Hodge, Marketing Director for McCain, told Potato News Today. “We are pleased to bring our global commercial expertise to The Simple Root team, who share this vision, and to work with them on developing exciting solutions to meet increasing customer demand for plant-based options.”
