Consumers wanting to buy vegan alternatives to meat and dairy products have to date been directed to the specialty section of retailers, such as the free-from, natural or healthy aisles. Brands making these products have had little say in regards to the positioning of their goods, and indeed many are happy to be placed in these separate channels.
Meat-free Canadian company Gardein, for example, which was bought by Pinnacle in 2014, generates 100% of its US retail sales from the specialty frozen grocery section, typically being shelved in the meatless and/or ‘healthier for you’ sections of the store, according to Mike Barkley, president, Boulder Business Unit. “We recognize that plant-based purchases are most often planned shopping occasions, as people are specifically seeking out plant-based and other healthy products as part of their grocery trip,” he says. “We try to make the shopping trip as easy as possible for these consumers by shelving our products along with other healthy lifestyle options that they’re likely to be purchasing. Overall our vision is about making meatless eating accessible and convenient for the most people possible.”
However, there’s now a move by some of the creators of vegan and plant-based burgers, sausages and other alternatives to animal-based food products to encourage retailers to sell their range in the meat case, or alongside meat products in the frozen section.
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