British Vegan Egg Brand Crackd Expands Distribution & Gears Up For International Launch

British plant-based egg brand Crackd, which was first introduced to stores in November last year, is now rapidly expanding its distribution within the U.K. and gearing up for its international launch plans. The Hertfordshire-based company will bring its “Crackd The No-Egg Egg” product, originally created for baking but which can be used in any liquid egg application, into major multiples this month, including in Morrisons, before its plan to enter global markets in Summer 2021. 

Crackd is extending its distribution with major retail chains in late Spring, including in Morrisons, adding to its existing footprint with M&S, Whole Foods, Selfridges and plant-based e-commerce platform The Vegan Kind. The product, a 100% plant-based liquid egg, first landed in store shelves last year and is available for £3.99 (US$5.18) per 490-gram bottle. 

The brand, which is owned by startup Plant Heads – an independent joint venture between the chefs at Bingham & Jones and Noble Foods owner Sarah Dean – makes its vegan liquid egg using European Food Safety Authority-approved cold pressed pea protein, nutritional yeast and black salt. Each serving of Crackd is a source of vitamin B12 and D, and is free from the main allergens like soy and gluten. 

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We’re creating a new category in the U.K. There is no liquid plant-based egg replacement.

Rik Roberts, General Manager, Crackd

Perhaps the most well-known vegan liquid egg product to date is made by San Francisco-based Eat Just, who pioneered the sector with its JUST Egg. Speaking to Green Queen Media, Rik Roberts, general manager at Crackd, says without competing with the JUST Egg who is “doing an amazing job developing the category” and “highlighting what is possible in plant-based”, Crackd’s version “has no fat, very little salt and [is] allergen free.”

“You can use Crackd The No-Egg Egg to make everything from cakes to frittatas, cookies to quiches, pancakes to pasta. You can even scramble it, even though we made it primarily for baking,” Roberts added. 

As part of its distribution expansion, the company will be running a national television campaign in mid-June with a series of three commercials, including one featuring Great British Menu finalist Ruth Hanson who will showcase her recipes using Crackd The No-Egg Egg.

Increasing the brand’s exposure is core to its strategy to carve out a new category within the U.K.’s plant-based industry, which is growing faster than ever before ever since the pandemic. According to a recent survey, around a quarter of Brits have actively reduced their meat, egg and dairy consumption over the last twelve months.

We will explore international opportunities where we believe there is a clear demand.

Rik Roberts, General Manager, Crackd

“We’re creating a new category in the U.K. There is no liquid plant-based egg replacement,” said Roberts. “We need people to support the vision of what we are trying to achieve, [and] in conjunction with this we need to make as many people aware that we are out there as possible.”

In addition to ramping up its presence within its domestic market, Crackd is planning to launch its product internationally by Summer this year, though few details have been released.

“We have had a significant amount of interest from a huge number of countries,” Roberts told Green Queen Media. “We will explore international opportunities where we believe there is a clear demand, with a partner who has the ability to deliver the execution, to ensure the consumer can get access to Crackd The No-Egg Egg.” 

So far, the company is fuelled using its own funds, but with the demand for plant-based alternatives at an all-time high presenting huge business opportunities, Crackd isn’t ruling anything out. 

“We are not planning a raise at the moment, however nothing is off the table,” said Roberts.

All images courtesy of Crackd.