Nestlé has broadened its selection of plant-based items by introducing shelf-stable products in Chile under the Maggi Veg label.
Included in this lineup is Nestlé’s inaugural shelf-stable plant-based minced meat option.
Nestlé’s recent offerings feature options that blend vegan “mincemeat” with flavorful seasonings, suitable for creating dishes such as tacos, empanadas, or spaghetti bolognese, along with a lentil-based soup.
These plant-based meat alternatives are crafted from soy and bear the “certified vegan” label.
“We continue launching plant-based products in many regions of the world to offer people tasty, nutritious alternatives to meat that they can enjoy with family and friends,” Torsten Pohl, Nestlé’s global head of R&D, said.
“Our new shelf-stable range also makes plant-based alternatives more accessible to a wider range of consumers in Chile. This makes them a delicious, excellent source of protein in many favourite recipes, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”
Nestlé currently offers refrigerated and frozen meat substitutes. Nonetheless, earlier this year, the company withdrew its Garden Gourmet meatless and Wunda alternative dairy brands from the retail market in the UK and Ireland. This strategic move aimed to prioritize its essential product range.
The brands were introduced in 2021. Garden Gourmet featured plant-based burgers, minced meat, and sausages, whereas Wunda offered a milk alternative derived from peas.
Nestlé has kept Garden Gourmet available for the UK’s foodservice sector and for distribution in various other European nations. Additionally, the company provides plant-based choices in the realms of beverages and confectionery.
In June of this year, Nestlé’s Israeli food division, Tivall, joined forces with More Foods, a vegan meat analogues producer based in Tel Aviv.
The exact nature of the partnership is unclear, although, in a joint statement, Tivall and More Foods said they would “create a portfolio of innovative, pumpkin seed, meaty products for main meals”.
The Swiss enterprise has also recently piloted ready-to-heat, shelf-stable plant-based meal kits in China that feature local recipes like Mala Xiang Guo and Curry Chicken.
