Chicken Nuggets

Dr. Praegers chickenless nuggets

© Dr. Praegers
Society

Chickenless Nuggets Are Unexpected Success in American Schools, Cafeterias Struggle to Keep Up with Soaring Demand

Durham Public Schools (DPS) in North Carolina have observed an unexpected surge in student demand for plant-based chicken nuggets introduced to its lunch program earlier this year. The soy protein-based nuggets, supplied by Dr. Praeger’s, have become a monthly staple, with approximately 1,500 servings—equivalent to 6,000 individual nuggets—distributed across the district. The popularity of these vegan nuggets was spotlighted during a recent joint meeting of the Durham County Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education, published by 9th Street Journal. James Keaten, DPS’s director of school nutrition, shared that demand has outpaced initial expectations. “We never in our wildest dreams could imagine the number of kids that were going to take those vegan nuggets,” said Keaten, adding that maintaining adequate stock has been challenging …

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Impossible Foods lion king nuggets

© Impossible Foods

Products & Launches

Impossible Foods Expands Retail Line with 3 New Products, Including Disney-Themed Nuggets

Impossible Foods has announced the launch of three new plant-based retail products aimed at providing families with convenient meal options. The new offerings include Impossible™ Disney The Lion King Chicken Nuggets, Impossible™ Meal Makers, and Impossible™ Corn Dogs. The company continues to grow its presence in the plant-based meat sector, where it claims to currently hold the second-largest market share in the US. The new Impossible Disney The Lion King Chicken Nuggets feature plant-based nuggets shaped like characters from Disney’s “The Lion King.” The release coincides with the upcoming premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King. According to Impossible Foods, the nuggets offer 10 grams of protein per serving and contain 60% less saturated fat than traditional chicken nuggets. They are also free of cholesterol. Peter …

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McPlant nuggets

© McDonald's
Fast Food

McDonald’s France Launches McPlant Nuggets in Collaboration With Beyond Meat

McDonald’s France has partnered with Beyond Meat to launch a new menu option, Veggie McPlant Nuggets, at its 1,560 restaurants. The nuggets are made from pea protein and coated in a wheat and cornflour breading. They are available at the same price as McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets, and in the same formats (x4, x6, x9, and x20). As reported by Le Figaro, consumers responded very positively to the nuggets in taste tests, favourably comparing them to the meat-based McNuggets. The fast food chain said it was confident that the product would be a success. While McDonald’s has previously offered meat-free options in France, they have often been limited-edition, and unsuitable for vegans due to the inclusion of dairy or eggs. In contrast, the new nuggets are …

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Rebellyous Foods expands its reach into more schools

Image courtesy of Rebellyous Foods
Market & Trends

12.5% Growth Expected for Vegan Chicken Nugget Market

The global vegan chicken nugget market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 12.5% through to 2029, generating a record amount of revenue. According to a report by Orion Market Research, growth will be driven by rising health consciousness among consumers, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic; concerns about the link between animal agriculture and infectious diseases have led some consumers to reduce their meat consumption. The pandemic also led to a long-term increase in online food purchases, which has benefited some vegan chicken nugget brands. Furthermore, many consumers are aiming to lead a more ethical and sustainable lifestyle, while modernization in developing countries is bringing products such as meat alternatives to a wider audience. These factors provide additional market opportunities. Soy-based …

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Nowadays Nuggets

© Nowadays
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Nowadays Ceases Operations After Struggling to Raise Venture Funding

Nowadays, a San Francisco-based alt chicken brand best known for its clean-label plant-based nuggets, has ceased operations. The brand, backed by meat packer Standard Meat Company, was founded by Max Elder and Dominik Grabinski. Grabinski previously worked for DSM as well as poultry giant Cargill, while Elder was advisor to Nestlé, General Mills and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Nutrition Program. Co-founder and CEO Max Elder told AgFunderNews that the products were performing well, with high repeat purchase rates. However, he explained that Nowadays has struggled to raise funding in the current climate, and does not have the economies of scale required to profitably distribute frozen foods. “The economics only work if you have the capital to really push a multi-year brand building and …

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Beyond Meat plant-based chicken burger

© Beyond Meat
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Beyond Meat Launches Plant-Based Chicken Made With Fava Beans in the UK

Beyond Meat is expanding its range in the UK with three new plant-based chicken products, following the success of the brand’s beef and pork alternatives. The new products are: Beyond Burger Chicken-Style — a twist on the classic Beyond Burger, containing 15 grams of protein per 100 grams. Beyond Fillet — a quick-to-prepare option, described as “crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside”. Beyond Nuggets — breaded plant-based chicken pieces, said to be “tasty, convenient, and easy to make”. Beyond’s existing range in the UK includes sausage, beef-style burgers, mince, and meatballs. While the original Beyond Burger is made from pea protein, the new products are made with fava beans and wheat gluten; according to Beyond, the properties of the beans make them …

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Squeaky Bean first frozen range

© Squeaky Bean
Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Squeaky Bean’s First Frozen Range Features Chick*n Nuggets, Dippers, & Poppers

British alt meat brand Squeaky Bean is set to introduce its first frozen range, which features three chicken-style products — nuggets, dippers, and poppers. The chicken alternatives are made with wheat, soy, and pea protein and coated in crispy breadcrumbs. They are suitable for a range of applications, such as snacking, dipping, and wraps. While the nuggets and dippers will be sold in plain varieties, the poppers are hot and spicy, seasoned with a spice blend that includes pepper, garlic, cayenne, and paprika. All three products are high in protein and low in saturated fat, and can be prepared in the oven in just ten minutes. New product launches Squeaky Bean has launched numerous new products over the past year, including chilled seasoned chicken-style pieces, …

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McPlant plant-based burger

© McDonald's
Products & Launches

McDonald’s and Beyond Meat Debut First-Ever Plant-Based McNuggets in Germany

EDIT 27th Feb 2023: it has emerged that these products are unsuitable for vegans or vegetarians. Please refer to our updated article here https://vegconomist.com/gastronomy-food-service/fast-food/social-media-outrage-mcplant-burger-unsuitable-vegetarians/ McDonald’s announces it is launching its first-ever plant-based McNuggets, made in partnership with Beyond Meat (Nasdaq: BYND) in 1,400 restaurants across Germany.  Beginning Feb. 22, German customers can order the new McNuggets along with Beyond’s McPlant burger, which the chain is also adding to the country’s menu.  Successful trial  According to McDonald’s, it worked with Beyond Meat to develop the McNuggets, which were trialed at nine restaurants in Stuttgart last summer. The nuggets are made from peas, corn, wheat and tempura breading.  Availability of the McPlant nuggets and burger in future markets will depend on customer demand, McDonald’s stated.  Latest collaboration …

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Beyond Burger in Store

© Beyond Meat
Company News

Beyond Meat Hires Red Bull Exec as New Head of Marketing, Reveals New McDonald’s Nugget

Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND) announced Thursday it is hiring Akerho “AK” Oghoghomeh, formerly Senior Vice President of Marketing at Red Bull, as its new head of global marketing. In addition, the company outlined a new series of strategic plans, including a more focused US retail strategy, to increase sales in 2023. Leading the brand As the VP of marketing for Red Bull North America, Oghoghomeh led advertising and other initiatives for Red Bull’s US business, a Beyond spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.  Oghoghomeh will join Beyond as the company seeks to reverse sales declines amid a highly challenging economic environment – data from market research firm IRI shows US sales of refrigerated meat alternatives fell by 15% in 2022.  Targeted strategy Seeking to reverse …

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Impossible Burger School Lunch

© Impossible Foods
Society

Impossible Foods Coming to More US Schools As Middletown, CT Adds Burgers to Menu

Impossible Foods announces Middletown Public Schools, a Connecticut district comprising 4,800 students, will soon add plant-based Impossible Burgers across its school menus.  The move comes after the district tested the burger with students at Middletown High School, 75% of whom reportedly gave the burger positive feedback, reports NBC Connecticut. According to Randall Mel, Middletown Public Schools’ food services manager, the district now hopes to expand it across all of its schools over the next few months.  “Most of the students actually said if it wasn’t labeled as the ‘Impossible Burger,’ they wouldn’t have known that it was meatless!” Mel commented. “Most of them said they would be willing to eat it multiple times per week.” Made for lunches Middletown Public Schools also offers Meatless Monday …

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a grilled plant-based salmon fillet on a plate served with lemon wedges made by the dutch company plnt

© PLNT
Products & Launches

PLNT Introduces 100% Plant-Based Salmon, Launches Two New Chicken Products

Dutch plant-based meat and fish producer PLNT announces the launch of three products — Salmon Fillets, Chicken Nuggets, and Chicken Tenders. The company says the new plant-based salmon and chicken developments are part of its ongoing effort to respond to the most critical trends in food: a healthier life and a healthier planet. PLNT’s plant-based salmon is made with pea proteins and is allergen-free, while the new chicken items contain 39 % wheat protein. The brand claims its meats are nutritious — high in proteins and containing vitamins and minerals — and better for the environment. “We source our ingredients as close to home as possible, with wheat from Denmark and the Netherlands and soy from Austria, which are just two examples,” Marleen Kolijn, senior brand …

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flames australian restaurant iconic burger

© FB Flave
Market & Trends

This Week in Australia’s Plant-Based Scene

This week in Australia’s plant-based scene are three noteworthy developments in the plant-based meat and sweets and snacks categories as well as the expansion of a plant-based restaurant set to franchise its concept worldwide. Flave raises $2.5 million to open second restaurant of a future 1000-store plant-based burger chain  Australian plant-based restaurant Flave has secured $2.5 million in a Series A round to open a second Flave store in Darlinghurst in early 2023. $1 million came from board members, and the rest through equity crowdfunding. The company, which started as a subscription service and has since joined the fast-casual food service industry with a 100% plant-based burger restaurant in Bondi, plans to roll out 1,000 stores in Australia, the US, India, China, and other markets …

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Beyond Chicken Cooking in Kitchen

©Beyond Meat
Products & Launches

Beyond Meat Launches Popcorn Chicken and Nuggets into 5,000 Kroger and Walmart Stores

Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND) announces the addition of Beyond Nuggets and Popcorn Chicken to its plant-based chicken portfolio. Rolling out at 5,000 Kroger and Walmart stores, as well as select Albertsons and Ahold markets, the new products build on the recent launch of the company’s first steak product, Beyond Steak.  Made from a blend of pea and faba bean protein, the Nuggets and Popcorn Chicken contain 50% less fat than traditional chicken nuggets with 14 g of protein and no cholesterol. Both products are also made without added soy, GMOs, hormones or antibiotics. The pre-cooked Nuggets offer a “lunchbox-friendly” option for parents that can be prepared in the air fryer in under five minutes, while the Popcorn Chicken similarly can cook directly from frozen for …

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Skinny Butcher Chick'n Patty

©Skinny Butcher
Products & Launches

Skinny Butcher Debuts Crazy Crispy Chick’n Line at H-E-B Stores Throughout Texas

Plant-based poultry brand Skinny Butcher announces it best-selling chicken alternatives are now available at H-E-B supermarkets across Texas. The latest rollout continues strong retail growth for the brand, which launched in US Walmart stores nationwide last May.  H-E-B shoppers can now find Skinny Butcher tenders, nuggets and breasts in their local stores’ frozen aisle. The grocer is also offering $1 off Skinny Butcher items from Nov. 12-16 and then again from Jan. 4-17. Made from pea protein, vegetable fibers, and a proprietary spice blend, Skinny Butcher’s plant-based chicken features extra-crispy double breading and a tender inside. Its soy- and palm oil-free product line includes Crazy Crispy Chick’n Breasts, Tenders, Nuggets and Patties. Popular nuggets Last spring, Skinny Butcher partnered with Netflix’s hit show “Stranger Things” …

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Plantein Chicken Tenders

©Plantein
Gastronomy & Food Service

Canada: Denny’s Restaurants Renews Agreement to Serve Plantein Plant-Based Tenders and Nuggets

Canadian plant-based food company Naturally Splendid announces that Denny’s Restaurants has renewed an agreement to serve Naturally’s Plantein Nuggets and Crumbed Tenders at all of Denny’s Canadian restaurants.  According to Naturally Splendid, the renewed agreement is part of a national program, and Denny’s will continue to offer plant-based chicken items at all corporate and participating franchise locations. Consumers can find the breaded tenders and nuggets under the Plantein brand, with Denny’s recently completing new on-premises advertising and a rebranded restaurant menu.  Plantain’s tenders and nuggets are also available for online retail purchase, along with the brand’s other products, including Plant-Based Schnitzel, Garlic Kievs, the Crispy Burger, and Phishy Fillet.  New additions “In addition to renewing our agreement, we are very excited to report that Denny’s …

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NotChicken US launch

©NotChicken
Products & Launches

NotCo Preparing to Launch First NotChicken Products in US By End of 2022

Food tech startup NotCo announces it will be launching NotChicken patties at US Sprouts Farmers Markets in coming months. In addition, NotChicken nuggets are set to make their US debut in the beginning of 2023, reports FoodNavigator-USA.  Taste test winner The new products, which retail for a suggested price of $7.99/ 4-pack, performed better than competing plant-based chicken brands in a consumer taste test, according to co-founder and CEO Matias Muchnick.  While plenty of plant-based chicken patties and nuggets have appeared on the market, NotCo maintains its products – created by a patented, AI-powered tech platform  – stand apart because the company possesses unique IP and formulations. Special ingredients The brand also says NotChicken’s ingredient formulation differs according to global regional markets, with the US …

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Moving Mountains No Chicken Burger and Nuggets

© Moving Mountains
Products & Launches

Moving Mountains Launches No Chicken Burger and Nuggets for Food Service

UK food tech company Moving Mountains has announced the launch of its latest products — the No Chicken Burger and Nuggets — for food service. According to founder and CEO Simeon Van der Molen, the burger “tastes so much like chicken that it’ll blow your mind”, while the nuggets are “a deliciously dippable treat”. Both products are said to be tender, crunchy, and high in protein. The plant-based burger and nuggets are now available for foodservice outlets in the UK and the EU. Expanding product range Moving Mountains offers a wide and expanding range of alt meat products. The best known is the company’s flagship “bleeding” burger, which has a history of outselling conventional beef burgers. Moving Mountains also produces plant-based pork, fish fingers, fish …

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Plant-based chicken cutlets

© Nowadays
Products & Launches

Nowadays to Launch Whole Cuts and Tenders Created by Ex Wendy’s & Popeyes’ Developer

Nowadays, a San Francisco plant-based meat brand focused on making junk food healthy, announces the launch of its new whole-cut cutlets and tenders in the US market will take place in early 2023. The cutlets and tenders were created by the company’s recently hired Director of Product Development Chris Johnson, who was a former product developer at Wendy’s and Popeyes. Known for its “good for you chicken nuggets,” the company will expand its healthy offering of simple ingredients and high nutritional profile products that bring together “the fried chicken taste and the crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside,” as described by the brand. Nowadays is expanding its offerings in response to consumer demand for clean-label, healthy everyday meals. Cutlets and tenders respond …

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vegan chicken nuggets for kids

© Quorn
Products & Launches

Quorn Adds Unicorn-Shaped ‘UniQuorns’ Vegan Nuggets to Kids’ Range

UK alt-meat brand Quorn recently announced a range of new products, including the addition of unicorn-shaped vegan nuggets, marking the third market introduction of vegan chicken nuggets for kids since April. Quorn is the UK’s leading meat alternative brand, supplying its mycoprotein based chicken to KFC across Europe, and is on its way to developing the world’s first carbon-neutral solution for food services. Most recently, the alt-meat brand announced its second collaboration with BrewDog for its Q-Dog pie and appeared as a guest host on the BBC show Hungry For It. Vegan nuggets for kids Last year, Quorn stepped into the kids’ food category by launching its plant-based Roarsomes Dinosaur Nuggets. The company put high efforts into advertising its new product development with a giant …

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Nowadays Chicken nuggets

© Nowadays
Retail & E-Commerce

Nowadays’ Clean-Label Nuggets Make Retail Debut at Whole Foods Market

Nowadays, a health-focused plant-based meat brand, announces its best-selling nuggets are now available in retail for the first time. Whole Foods stores in the US Southern Pacific region will now carry the brand, with more retailers and locations being added later this year.  “Unparalleled nutrition” According to Nowadays, its “wholesome” simple-ingredient nuggets are the most nutritious on the market, compared to both plant-based and conventional brands. Made with seven ingredients, including non-GMO yellow pea protein, Nowadays nuggets contain 120 calories, 13 grams of protein, 250 mg and no saturated fat per serving.  The nuggets feature a crispy outer coating with classic fried chicken flavor, and can be quickly prepared as a snack, simple meal or healthier comfort food option. Each 16 oz Nowadays pack currently …

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