Alpha Makes Vegan Nuggets Cheaper As Chicken Prices Spike

With several plant-based chicken companies popping up in the market and traditional chicken wing prices going up in the U.S., alternative protein company Alpha Foods has decided to slash its chicken nugget prices to increasingly be favoured by consumers.

Chicken inflation

Last week, the prices of traditional chicken wings increased considerably, soaring from an average of US$1.50 per pound to between US$3 and US$4. The price increase is linked to male roosters being unable to perform at the level of breeding expectations set by the livestock industry.

Plant-based chicken nugget competition

There are several companies in the market that are making plant-based chicken nuggets. For instance, public company and pioneer of plant-based meat, Beyond Meat launched its vegan chicken tenders in over 400 restaurants across North America. Its rival Impossible Foods is also looking to enter the vegan chicken nugget market with its heme-free chicken nuggets.

And these two are not alone. Plant-based NUGGS brand that calls itself “Tesla of Chicken”, Los Angeles’ Daring Foods and Canadian plant-based meat brand Gardein has entered the alternative chicken nugget market giving tough competition to Los Angeles-based Alpha Foods.

In 2019, the brand had entered the international market with its vegan chicken nuggets in collaboration with Green Monday’s plant-based cafe chain Green Common and restaurant concept Kind Kitchen. The nuggets are mostly made of soy protein and wheat protein and are 100% free from cholesterol, trans fats and antibiotics.

Replicating the increase with a decrease in its prices

Now, to emerge as a top favourite among vegan folks in the U.S. and bank on the chicken inflation by appealing to meat-based consumers, Alpha Foods has decided that for every cent the chicken wings rose, its Chik’n Nugget prices will go down.

Started on National Chicken Wing Day, the company’s new prices aims to capitalize on the rising costs of traditional chicken and encourage more consumers, not just vegans, but even flexitarians and meat-eaters to opt for its products instead.

In a statement, the chief marketing officer of Alpha, Kierstin De West said: “In the past few months, chicken prices have skyrocketed, leaving consumers looking for alternative options. By lowering the price of our plant-based chik’n products in line with chickenflation, we’re encouraging people to try something new, without the pressure of changing their entire diet.”

Vegan nugget campaign

By lowering the price of our plant-based chik’n products in-line with chickenflation, we’re encouraging people to try something new, without the pressure of changing their entire diet

Kierstin De West, chief marketing officer of Alpha

The company has created a campaign along with the creative team Tanner Thompson and Dana Buckhorn. They said: “Using some pretty questionable knowledge of the stock market and a lot of Google searches for ‘big financial words,’ we were able to create a market tracker on the NASDAQ board as well as a market update in the WSJ. It’s not the first time underperforming males have crashed the market.”

The company will be monitoring the crisis on the website called chickeninfaltion.com and as the prices increase, it will offer its plant-based nuggets at a correlating falling price. During this time, those interested can claim coupons to purchase the nuggets from street teams outside Popeyes and select locations throughout Times Square.

In addition, consumers can avail themselves of discounts on the website giving them around 29.5% off on their final purchase.

In an exclusive interview with Green Queen, the co-founder and COO of Alpha, Cole Orobetz, spoke about the plant-based shift taking place. “In my opinion, the world population isn’t yet ready to give up those social traditions and eating experiences to go fully plant-based. That being said, it is now becoming more a part of people’s vocabulary. Even my grandmother who is 83 is sending me articles about plant-based eating! She has been eating steak and potatoes her whole life, so for her to know what plant-based really shows that the world’s consciousness is shifting now. That is where I think we are trying to go with Alpha – to give people one option at a time, whether it is one meal a week or once a day. Our goal is to encourage everyone to move towards more plant-based options.”

To make its campaign reach more people, Alpha has displayed the details of it on the digital billboard at NASDAQ in New York City and plans to have a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal.

Lead image courtesy of Alpha Foods.