Natural plant extracts – beetroot, carrot, and bell pepper – help create the look of a beef burger before, during, and after cooking. The Garden Gourmet Incredible Burger will be found in the chilled or frozen aisle, complementing Garden Gourmet’s existing range of products.
Wayne England, the head of Nestlé's food business, said: "These new burgers don’t compromise on flavour, texture and cooking experience. They underline Nestlé's increased focus on tasty, authentic plant-based food. We believe this trend is here to stay, as consumers look at different ways to enjoy and balance their protein intake and lower the environmental footprint of their diets."
The Garden Gourmet Incredible Burger will launch in Europe from this April, initially in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
Later this year, Nestlé will also be rolling out a 'cook from raw' plant-based burger in the United States under the Sweet Earth brand, customised for the American consumer. Called the Awesome Burger, this new product, to be sold fresh, will complement Sweet Earth’s existing veggie-centric burgers.
"Many consumers recognise that less meat in their diet is good for them and for the planet, but plant-based meat alternatives often do not live up to their expectations. The new burgers allow even meat lovers to enjoy a veggie burger that hardly differs from a traditional burger. They even make the sizzling sound of a regular beef burger during cooking," states the company in a release.
The new products are the result of collaboration between culinary chefs, alternative protein researchers and local food experts at both Garden Gourmet and Sweet Earth.
