After selling its stake in Beyond Meat and signaling its intention to enter the alternative protein space with its own products, the largest meat producer in the US, Tyson Foods, has now officially done just that. Unveiling its alternative protein products and new Raised & Rooted brand to keep pace with shifting consumer preferences, Tyson Foods will debut plant-based nuggets this summer.

The company will now be directly competing with the likes of Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, having responded to retailers and the foodservice sector who want to expand their plant-based offerings.

Tyson Foods says it is “uniquely positioned” to offer plant-based and blended protein products, citing its depth and breadth of experience in protein product development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing.

The US meat giant – which is the worlds second largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef and pork – moving into this space demonstrates just how important the plant-based boom has become and how plant-based food, especially in the fast-growing segment of plant-based proteins, is the direction of the future. 

Most future meat will not come from slaughtered animals – instead, by 2040 the majority (60 percent) will be derived from cultured meat or plant-based alternatives that look and taste like meat, revealed a new report yesterday. As the environmental impacts of conventional meat production, alongside ethical and welfare concerns linked to industrial farming, continue to influence consumers globally, the shift towards meat alternatives will overtake traditionally produced animal meat within 20 years – and novel vegan meat replacements will be essential in the transition phase.

Tyson’s new Raised & Rooted brand was created to provide “great-tasting plant-based and blended foods that are rooted in how people eat today.” The Raised & Rooted nuggets are made from a blend of pea protein isolate and other plant ingredients and contain five grams of fiber and omega 3s and less saturated fat than traditional nuggets. 

Alongside the plant-based nuggets, blended burgers made with a combination of Angus and pea protein isolate, and with less saturated fat than the plant-based burgers sold by several competing companies, will be available in the autumn. In addition, the company’s existing Aidells brand has launched Aidells Whole Blends sausage and meatballs, made with chicken and plant-based ingredients.

“Today’s consumers are seeking more protein options so we’re creating new products for the growing number of people open to flexible diets that include both meat and plant-based protein,” says Noel White, President and CEO of Tyson Foods. “For us, this is about ‘and’ – not ‘or.’ We remain firmly committed to our growing traditional meat business and expect to be a market leader in alternative protein, which is experiencing double-digit growth and could someday be a billion-dollar business for our company.”

The products have been developed by Tyson Foods’ innovation, culinary and consumer insights teams in Chicago and Northwest Arkansas.

“The creation of the Raised & Rooted brand is an excellent example of Tyson’s ability to think big and move fast, capitalizing on our existing infrastructure,” adds Justin Whitmore, Executive Vice President, Alternative Proteins & Chief Sustainability Officer at Tyson Foods.

“We began development of our alternative protein products last year and have succeeded in creating a new brand and bringing those products to market in well under a year.”

While most Americans still choose meat as their primary source of protein, interest in plant and blended proteins is growing significantly, according to Noelle O’Mara, Tyson Foods’ Chief Marketing Officer. 

“These products appeal to a broad cross-section of consumers who enjoy food from a variety of protein sources and we expect interest to continue to grow across protein types. The Raised and Rooted launch and our pipeline of innovation will reflect our consumers’ expectations for 100 percent plant-based, blended, and traditional protein offerings,” she says.

By Gaynor Selby