UK supermarket Sainsbury’s has announced the launch of its Plant Pioneers range to cater to the growing demand for animal free food.

 According to Sainsbury’s, more customers than ever before are choosing cruelty-free alternatives and the supermarket has seen a staggering rise in vegan sales both online and instore.

Sainsbury’s noted that the plant-based market in the UK is now worth a whopping £494 million, rising 18% since 2018.  

The retailer chain has recorded a 45% increase in sales of plant-based products year-on-year and the brand is set to tap into the growing demand for meat-free alternatives by expanding its vegan range.

“In the last 18 months we have introduced over 100 alternative protein products led by our Love Your Veg range. However, we know that we have a role to play in expanding the nation’s diets as the current foods we eat aren’t sustainable for a global population that will increase by 50 percent in the next 30 years,” said Claire Hughes, head of Quality and Innovation at Sainsbury’s.

The Plant Pioneers range

After launching the first vegan ‘BBQ Ribz’ and a vegan fat-free bacon with Vivera, in the UK market earlier this year, Sainsbury’s is set to launch The Plant Pioneers range instore and online on January 1, 2020.

 The new range will introduce 31 vegan delicacies in the fresh, frozen and canned categories.

Fresh 

Customers can choose from a range of fresh plant steaks, rashers, lardons, fishless fingers, goujons, and shrommballs.

Grocery 

An assortment of new deliciously flavoured jackfruit products will be available in the grocery section.

Plant Pioneers Range 

The full range sourced from Vegan Food & Living:

Fresh

• Plant Pioneers 2 Vegan Steaks 227g – £3.00
• Plant Pioneers Smoky Vacon Lardons 100g – £2.00
• Plant Pioneers 8 Smoky Vacon Rashers 88g – £2.00
• Plant Pioneers Shroomballs 246g – £2.50
• Plant Pioneers 6 Vegan Fishless Fingers 210g – £2.75
• Plant Pioneers 6 Hot & Spicy Goujons 210g – £2.75
• Plant Pioneers Southern Fried Bites 200g – £2.50
• Plant Pioneers 6 Cumberland Shroomdogs® – £2.50
• Plant Pioneers 6 Caramelised Onion Shroomdogs® – £2.50
• Plant Pioneers 6 Chorizo Shroomdogs® – £2.50
• Plant Pioneers Smoky ‘Jack’ Quarter Pounder – £2.50
• Plant Pioneers Shroomdogs® & Mash – £3.00
• Plant Pioneers Shroomballs® & Spaghetti – £3.00

Grocery

• Plant Pioneers Peking No Duck Jack Fruit 150g – £2.00
• Plant Pioneers Spicy No Lamb Shawarma Jackfruit 150g – £2.00
• Plant Pioneers Mexican Style Jackfruit 150g – £2.00
• Plant Pioneers Sweet & Smoky BBQ Jackfruit 150g – £2.00
• Plant Pioneers Banana Blossom in Water 400g – £1.20
• Plant Pioneers Young Jackfruit in Water 400g – £1.20

Frozen

• Plant Pioneers 8 Meat Free Burgers 454g – £1.75
• Plant Pioneers 2 Ultimate Plant Burgers 210g – £2.00
• Plant Pioneers Meat Free Chicken Style Nuggets 320g – £1.75
• Plant Pioneers 2 Vegan Cheddar Style Kievs 246g – £1.75
• Plant Pioneers Meat Free Mini Sausage Rolls 494g- £1.75
• Plant Pioneers 20* Meat Free Meatballs 380g – £1.75
• Plant Pioneers Meat Free Mince 500g- £1.75
• Plant Pioneers Meat Free Style Chicken Pieces 300g- £1.75
• Plant Pioneers 10 Cumberland Shroomdogs® 500g – £3.50

Frozen

Meat-free nuggets, burgers, Cheddar Style Kievs, Meat Free Meatballs, and sausages will be stocked at the frozen counter.

With one quarter of the UK population set to ditch meat by 2025 according to Sainsbury’s Future of Food report, the company has geared up to retain its position as the leading provider of plant based foods.

“With more than seven million vegetarians in Britain and the meteoric rise of the flexitarian lifestyle, Britain has certainly got the taste for meat alternatives at mealtimes,” said Charlotte Gledhill, Product Developer for Chilled and Frozen Plant Pioneers, in a statement to Totally Vegan Buzz.

“Our new range of plant-based products provide innovative and truly delicious options to take the hassle out of cooking flexitarian. In 2019 we were awarded Best Vegan Supermarket by Vegan Food UK and Best Vegan Sausage for our Chorizo Shroomdogs by PETA.

“We hope to maintain our position as a leading provider of plant-based alternatives in 2020.”

• Read: Meat consumption drops 80% when sufficient veggie options are available

Will you try Sainsbury’s new Plant Pioneers range? Share your thoughts in the comments below!