Zurich | Reuters — Food giant Nestle is launching a new plant-based tuna alternative in Switzerland this month ahead of a global rollout, hoping that consumers eating at home during the COVID-19 pandemic will stay eager to try new products.
Known for Maggi soups and bouillon cubes, Nestle has been investing in plant-based food to make its prepared dishes unit trendier and more appealing to consumers wishing to lower their meat intake.
Made with pea protein, the new “Garden Gourmet” near-tuna — or “vuna,” as Nestle bills it — will be available in glass jars in the chilled aisle of Swiss supermarkets and can be used in salads, sandwiches and pizzas. Ready-to-eat sandwiches will also be sold in some stores, Nestle said.
Read Also
Dryness poised to threaten Saskatchewan crops
Crops in Saskatchewan are developing in opposite directions, the province’s latest crop report said. Growing conditions in the province vary, with some areas receiving enough rain while other locations are experiencing crop stress due to hot, dry conditions.
Developed within nine months by Nestle’s Swiss research facilities, the tuna is the group’s first plant-based seafood product to hit the market. Soy-based burgers, mince meat, sausages and chicken nuggets are already available.
Nestle said last month that increased at-home consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic boosted demand for its Garden Gourmet plant-based products in the first half of 2020.
The group’s sales of plant-based meat alternatives reached around 200 million Swiss francs (C$289.5 million) last year.
Nestle in January announced an open-ended deal with Canadian plant-based ingredient makers Burcon and Merit Functional Foods for supplies of those companies’ pea- and canola-based plant protein products.
— Reporting for Reuters by Silke Koltrowitz. Includes files from Glacier FarmMedia Network staff.
