Plant-based food brand UNLIMEAT, producer of popular “K-Vegan” products from upcycled, discarded vegetables, has launched five of its products into 149 GIANT and MARTIN’S stores in the USA, as the surge of interest in Korean food continues worldwide.
Following the brand’s retail partnership with Sprouts Farmers Market earlier this month whereby its BBQ products launched into around 400 Sprouts stores, this latest expansion brings further Korean-style plant-based cuisine to the US market. The company has a US office base as well as its Korean HQ and launched an online store last November.
In interview with vegconomist last year, founder and then-CEO Keum Chae Min explained the brand’s strategy and MO: “We believe that the alternative meat market will continue to stagnate unless it also focuses on delivering enjoyment, confidence, and satisfaction in the essential aspect of food: ‘deliciousness.’ It’s the perfect time to enhance the ‘deliciousness’ of alternative meat.”
“Consumers are actively seeking out plant-based alternatives, not just for health reasons, but also due to the delicious and innovative options available,” she added.
The UNLIMEAT products now available at GIANT and MARTIN’S stores include:
UNLIMEAT Korean BBQ Bulgogi – A sliced beef substitute in the style of bulgogi, a traditional Korean BBQ dish.
UNLIMEAT Pulled Pork (Original/Sweet & Smoky) – The Original features traditional BBQ flavors, while Sweet & Smoky offers a char-grilled Korean Galbi flavor.
UNLIMEAT Kimbap (Bulgogi/Tuna) – A rice roll wrapped in seaweed in a similar manner to a sushi roll, a popular family snack in South Korea that contains JUST Egg’s vegan egg product. The kimbap (meaning seaweed / rice) comes in bulgogi variety with Cheongyang pepper, a Korean hot chili pepper, and the plant-based tuna variety with omega-3 DHA, dietary fiber, and other healthy ingredients.
Providing pleasure of taste
“Our goal is to provide consumers with the ‘pleasure of taste’ through K-VEGAN concept products like frozen kimbap, rice balls, and mochi cake. Furthermore, we aim to drive the expansion of plant-based foods by evolving beyond mere ‘meat substitutes’ and emphasizing the ‘convenience’ of easy consumption rather than the pleasure of cooking,” explained Chae Min.
Ryan Chung, current CEO of UNLIMEAT says of the latest retail expansion, “This partnership with UNLIMEAT underscores The GIANT Company’s dedication to delivering sustainable and high-quality food choices conveniently and quickly. We are thrilled to partner with The GIANT Company to bring our plant-based products to more consumers. Since The GIANT Company offers various services such as store pickup and delivery, we expect this partnership to provide an opportunity to access our products more conveniently and quickly.”
More information at unlimeat.co
