Unilever-owned Dutch brand The Vegetarian Butcher has expanded its vegan chicken range in Germany with a new product launch, the picante ‘Pepperfect Chick’n’.
With the new, spicy vegan alternative to breaded chicken schnitzel, the company says is focusing on the trend towards American fried chicken. The fillets are made from soy proteins and enriched with vitamin B12, in a crispy vegan coating flavoured with black pepper and paprika.
According to reports, spicy chicken products appear to be trending globally, and in the US such foods termed “swicy” (sweet and spicy) were predicted to gain popularity in 2024. In the UK, last year it was revealed that one in five Brits consume Southern fried chicken every week and one in ten do so every month, more than British classics such as fish and chips. Meanwhile, in Japan, consumers are reportedly most likely to eat American-style fried chicken on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Staying on top of food trends
Acquired by Unilever in 2018, the Dutch brand has the capabilities to tap into trends and quickly turn around new products in keeping with market changes and consumer preferences. Last month The Vegetarian Butcher released a plant-based cod fish product, marking its first seafood alternative. And last year, it launched a much-hyped plant-based kebab skewer for food service, in collaboration with Düzgün Food Group, a producer and wholesaler supplying skewers to döner chains, shops, and restaurants in over 15 countries.
Most interestingly, earlier this month, a partnership with The EVERY Co was announced, through which The Vegetarian Butcher is set to enhance the texture and nutritional profile of its products using EVERY EggWhite, created through precision fermentation.
“This breakthrough, clean-label ingredient is a natural fit with The Vegetarian Butcher’s mission to release animals from the food chain. After years of dedicated effort to further veganize our product range, this new collaboration aims to accelerate the final steps of this process while preserving the delicious taste and texture of our products,” said a spokesperson at the time.
