“We’re excited to introduce the latest additions to our Simple Truth Plant Based collection to provide an expanded selection of affordable, delicious and quality products for our customers who live a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian lifestyle.” 

This week, America’s favorite grocer, Kroger announced the expansion of its private vegan food label – Simple Truth.

The supermarket chain is rolling out more than 50 new, fresh and flavorful plant-based foods at affordable prices, including non-dairy cheeses, oat milk ice cream, cauliflower-based dips, almond milk-based yogurt, and more.

The new lineup also features the launch of Simple Truth Emerge Chick’n, a plant-based alternative to fresh chicken patties and grinds.

According to Kroger, the Emerge Chick’n products, free of GMOs, dairy and soy, are designed to offer the same taste, texture and sizzle on the grill or in a pan as chicken.

The retailer added that this ‘Emerge’ range has been created in response to increased demand for the Simple Truth Emerge burger patties and grinds that the retailer launched this January.

Increased demand for plant-based foods

The Simple Truth plant-based collection launched with more than 20 products last September, and the line has continued to expand to meet customer demand. By the end of 2020, the collection is expected to feature more than 75 products.

“We’re excited to introduce the latest additions to our Simple Truth Plant Based collection to provide an expanded selection of affordable, delicious and quality products for our customers who live a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian lifestyle,” Stuart Aitken, Kroger’s Chief Merchant, said.

Based on its 2020 food trends outlook in January, Kroger noted that a growing number of consumers are embracing flexitarian lifestyles in a bid to reduce their intake of meat and dairy products and prioritize healthier food choices.

This changing food landscape has been increasing the demand for plant-based options.

According to the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) and The Good Food Institute (GFI), the US plant-based food market reached $5 billion in 2019, driven by year-on-year sales growth of 11.4%. Kroger, too, raked in more than $2.5 billion in sales within just a year of its Simple Truth brand launch.

‘Unmatched combination of quality and value’  

“As our customers’ eating styles and health and wellness goals continue to evolve, Simple Truth will continue to deliver an unmatched combination of quality and value for natural, organic and plant-based foods,” said Brad Studer, Kroger’s senior director of Our Brands.

“We believe that everyone deserves to have access to fresh, affordable and delicious food, no matter who you are, how you shop or what you like to eat, and we will continue to innovate and inspire our selection of products to deliver on that very promise for our customers.”

• Read: Hooray Foods’ plant-based bacon to launch in US retail on November 1

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