Meat alternative brand Squeaky Bean is injecting innovation into new areas of plant-based food with two first-to-market launches: ready-to-eat Tofu Slices and a fermented rye Super Grain & Vegetable Burger.
Rolling out in stores for Veganuary, the launches are in response to recent consumer demand for healthier, cleaner plant-based foods.
Squeaky Bean’s Tofu Slices come in two varieties – Pepper & Tomato and Spinach & Basil – and have launched in Sainsbury’s (80g, RRP £2.50). The Super Grain & Vegetable Burger is available in Waitrose (2 x 100g, RRP £3.50).
The brand noted that the biggest barrier to the tofu category is that many consumers don’t know how to cook with it. To address this, Squeaky Bean’s new ready-to-eat slices offer a convenient solution, bringing the benefits of tofu to a wider audience in a market still dominated by tofu blocks.
Meanwhile, the Super Grain & Vegetable Burger is Squeaky Bean’s first-ever burger and the category’s first fermented rye burger.
The burger has been created to meet growing consumer demand for cleaner label, whole plant-based alternatives. As 41% of plant-based shoppers cite natural ingredients as their top priority, the Super Grain & Vegetable Burger is said to provide a protein-packed, fibre-rich option.
While the total plant-based market has seen a decline of 10.3% in the last 52 weeks, Squeaky Bean has bucked the trend, achieving 5.5% growth by staying focused on taste, texture, and convenience.
Yvonne Adam, Chief Marketing Officer at The Compleat Food Group, the owner of Squeaky Bean, commented: “At Squeaky Bean, we’re passionate about driving innovation in the plant-based category, which is why we put great emphasis on launching market firsts.
“Our first-ever Tofu Slices are set to shake up the market and draw in new shoppers, tapping into the tofu and tempeh sub-category, which has grown by 10% this year. The Super Grain & Vegetable Burger is another exciting milestone for us as our first burger and the market’s first to use fermented rye grains. Both products deliver on our commitment to exceptional taste, texture, and convenience while helping to drive growth within the chilled meat-free category.”
