Tyson Foods Expands Raised & Rooted With New 100% Plant-Based Meat Products

Tyson Foods has revamped its former “blended” animal meat and plant-based range of alternative proteins under its brand Raised & Rooted with three new completely vegan-friendly products, as the meat giant comes under greater pressure to respond to consumer demand. Made from pea protein, the launch of the new 100% plant-based burgers, sausages and grounds comes after Tyson ditched eggs from its chicken nugget analogue. The company famously sold its stake in Beyond Meat ahead of the plant meat leader’s 2019 IPO in part, according to Reuters reporting, due to tensions between the two companies over Tyson’s foray into plant-based meat production.

American meat giant Tyson Foods has made a second attempt into the alternative protein space, after its initial range of “blended” products launched in 2019 under the Raised & Rooted brand received a lackluster response from consumers. After making clear its intentions to revamp the brand as a 100% plant-based label in December last year, when it dropped eggs from its meatless chicken nugget recipe, it has now added new plant-based meat products to the range. 

The new plant-based burger patties, ground beef and sausages – which come in Italian-style and bratwurst varieties – have hit retail shelves across the U.S. nationwide, with each refrigerated package priced between US$4.99 and US$7.99. Raised & Rooted will also be available across select retailers and foodservice operators in Europe. 

Our products are plants made meatier, and deliver the same delicious flavours, in a better-for-you alternative.

David Ervin, Marketing VP, Raised & Rooted

Made from pea protein, the new soy-free line-up boasts between 17-grams to 21-grams of protein per serving, and claims to contain 75% less saturated fat compared to its conventional counterparts, as the brand seeks to appeal to increasingly health-conscious consumers. 

“Our products are plants made meatier, and deliver the same delicious flavours, in a better-for-you alternative,” commented David Ervin, vice president of marketing at Raised & Rooted. “We are excited to provide people with satisfying alternative protein options perfect for any occasion.”

The three new products will join Raised & Rooted’s expanded plant-based offerings, which include pea protein-based chicken nuggets, spicy nuggets and wholegrain tenders. 

Tyson says that Raised & Rooted will continue to target flexitarians, just this time, without its blended formulas, after data reveals that part-time plant-based folk are major buyers of vegan meat. Statistics collected in the U.S. amid the pandemic show that the bulk of first-time buyers of plant-based meat, many of them flexitarians, are now planning on repurchasing these products in place of animal-based foods well into the future. 

“Raised & Rooted was created to provide plant-based options for everyone, and our new products are the next step toward meeting that goal while remaining steadfast to our commitment to providing great tasting alternative options,” said Ervin, who added that customers can expect further product innovations “later this summer”.

As plant-based retail sales in the U.S. over the past year reaches an all-time high of US$7 billion, Tyson isn’t alone in the race to capture the fast-growing market. In April, fellow American food giant Kellogg ramped up its vegan offerings with a new plant-based chicken tender product launched by its Incogmeato brand, under subsidiary MorningStar Farms. 

The same week saw the world’s biggest meat processor JBS acquire Dutch meatless brand Vivera in the wake of the mainstream shift away from conventionally produced meat – a trend that Ernst & Young experts warn will cause “substantial disruption” for meat giants if they fail to “consider a more diverse portfolio”. 

All images courtesy of Tyson Foods / Raised & Rooted.