Planterra Foods Expands Line Of OZO Vegan Products In Frozen and Fresh Categories

Alternative protein startup Planterra Foods has expanded its line of OZO products to include vegan frozen nuggets, meatballs and chicken patties. The expansion will further see new versions of the label’s plant-based Smokehouse Burger and Ground Turkey.

Meeting demand for frozen products

Colorado-based Planterra Foods’ new expansion aims to cater to the growing demand for plant-based meals that can be quickly made at home. According to a recent report, the global frozen food market is expected to soar by US$64.69 billion during 2020-2024 with consumers’ rising demand for vegan frozen foods driving this growth.

In addition, OZO’s new vegan alternatives to chicken, turkey, and beef are aimed specifically at flexitarian consumers, especially given that more than half of young consumers in the U.S. identify themselves as flexitarians.

Created with tomatoes and onions, the frozen plant-based Italian Style Meatballs have 12g protein and 30% less saturated fat compared to traditional pork meatballs. According to the company, the fresh vegan Ground Turkey is the only plant-based turkey for purchase offering 22g of protein and the fresh Smokehouse Burger contains 19g of protein.

“We’re continuing to expand the plant-based category by offering family favorites that can easily be introduced into meal routines,” said CEO of Planterra Foods, Darcey Macken in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be adding these new plant-based proteins in the fresh and frozen categories that offer more opportunities for flexitarian consumption through high-quality foods with positive protein solutions.”

Read: This New Vegan Online Shop Is Tackling Food Waste With Frozen Food

The plant-based chicken nuggets and chicken patty contain 14g and 12g of protein respectively. All the new products are created with a fermentation process using only clean and soy-free ingredients.

The products can be purchased online as well as in the fresh and frozen aisles of supermarkets across the country.

We’re thrilled to be adding these new plant-based proteins in the fresh and frozen categories that offer more opportunities for flexitarian consumption through high-quality foods with positive protein solutions

Darcey Macken, CEO, Planterra Foods

Expanding into Canada

To stock its vegan meat in 200+ retail locations across Canada, Planterra Foods signed an agreement with UNFI Canada, a subsidiary of UNFI, the largest publicly traded grocery distributor in North America.

Apart from OZO, the food-tech startup responsible for the famous plant-based JUST Egg launched a frozen version of its product amid its massive success and expansion into Asia. California company Zouz along with pioneering plant-based meat makers Beyond Meat unveiled its new line of ready-made, plant-based frozen foods.

To capitalise on the US$62 million frozen pizza category, One Planet Pizza raised £360,000 (US$490,000) to drive massive production of its vegan frozen pizzas.

Read: 80% of Groceries Controlled By 5 Multinational Food Corporations, Report Finds

Lead image courtesy of Planterra Foods.