UK supermarket Sainsbury’s is delving deeper into the plant-based market with two new meat alternative products.

The company claims to be the first to release a vegan ‘BBQ Ribz’, which join the supermarket’s vegan range Plant Power.

Sweet ‘n’ Smoky Veggie Ribz cost shoppers £4, are made with tempeh and are covered in a sweet and smoky sauce – the perfect addition to a barbeque as summer arrives. The ribs are also a source of protein and high in fibre.

Lawrence Hill, Founder of Plant Power, said in a statement: “We want to make the plant based lifestyle as convenient as it is delicious, so we’re really excited to be stocking our Sweet ‘n’ Smoky Veggie Ribz at Sainsbury’s. Made from tempeh, our BBQ Ribz not only taste sensational but have some great nutritional benefits too – we can’t wait to hear what customers think this summer!

“We’ve been overwhelmed with the demand for our range of tempeh since we launched Plant Power into the mainstream market this year.”

Frankie Campbell, Plant-Based Buyer at Sainsbury’s, added: “We’re really excited to be working collaboratively with Plant Power to bring more options to the BBQ banquet this summer.

“We’re always looking out for new ways to pioneer with our plant-based products and are thrilled to offer our customers yet another delicious option to suit their lifestyles and tastes.”

Vegan bacon

Sainsbury’s is also launching a vegan fat-free bacon with meat alternative company Vivera. The product aims to mimic the taste and texture of the meat version, but is made just from plants and contains no fat.

Jan Gombert, commercial director of Vivera, said in a statement: “Especially in the British market we foresee a large demand for our fat-free vegan bacon. Traditionally it is one of the product categories where meat has been difficult to replace.

“Our product development team has done an outstanding job in making the bacon pieces as tasty as the available regular bacon while reducing the fat level to zero!

“The overwhelming positive feedback from British consumers for our vegan steak, after its introduction last year, made us decide to give again priority to the British market and have the first launch to market here.”

Will you try the vegan BBQ Ribz? Tell us in the comments below!

Oli Gross

Oli’s career and personal ethical values both help shape his reporting of the diverse world of veganism. His background is in local newspaper and magazine journalism, and his work has included reporting court cases, celebrity interviews, business analysis, food and drink features and government legislation.

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