Tesco has announced that it is extending its Wicked Kitchen plant-based food range to include pies, ‘sausage’ rolls, sourdough pizzas, chilled desserts, and a range of deli foods.
The retailer said that sales of chilled vegan foods have 'soared' by 25% at Tesco this year, putting the value of the meat-free market in the UK at £310 million.
The Wicked Kitchen range now includes 26 SKUs, featuring All the Rage Rolls, featuring kale, mushroom and garlic, Pesto Lasagne, Packed Puff Pie, with roasted cauliflower and oyster mushrooms, Charred Pineapple Dream Cake, and Spicy Mushroom and Veg Sourdough Pizza.
Flexitarianism On The Increase
“We know from our own data that flexitarianism is on the rise, and many more customers are dabbling in cutting out meat for a day or so during their weekly diet," commented Tesco product development director Kate Ewart.
“With the new range, we’re now hoping to attract an even wider audience, including customers looking for on-the-go delicious snacks, such as a plant-based sausage roll, pie or pasty, as well as dessert lovers,” Ewart added.
Tesco chef and head of plant-based innovation Derek Sarno, who helped create the Wicked Kitchen range, described the response to the assortment as "phenomenal", adding, “At the start of the year, I said that veganism was going mainstream, and, as plant-based options are taking over the supermarket shelves, that belief is fast becoming a reality."
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
