CINCINNATI, Sept. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co.
(NYSE: KR) announced today a new collection: Simple Truth® Plant
Based. The collection will include fresh meatless burger
patties and grinds as well as plant-based cookie dough, pasta
sauces, sausages, deli slices, dips and other items.
The Simple Truth collection was announced on stage by
Gil Phipps, Kroger's vice president
of Our Brands, at the Good Food Conference in San Francisco, where he was a featured
speaker. The Conference, hosted by the Good Food Institute, focuses
on accelerating the marketplace for plant-based food.
"Since its launch in January 2013,
Simple Truth has become the leading natural and organic brand in
the country, with annual sales exceeding $2.3 billion," said Phipps. "As more of our
customers embrace a flexitarian lifestyle, choosing to prioritize
healthier food choices and reduce their environmental footprint, we
are excited to meet their needs. We are introducing our Simple
Truth Plant Based collection to offer even more fresh, remarkably
delicious, animal-free food to provide shoppers with a greater
selection of choices that are more accessible and
affordable."
Increasing numbers of U.S. consumers, especially millennials and
women, are following a flexitarian style of eating, as Kroger
reported in its 2019 food trends outlook. Studies show that nearly
one-third of the country's population is integrating more
plant-based food into their lifestyle and reducing their daily meat
and dairy intake.
Kroger's team of chefs, food scientists and nutritionists
collaborated to develop the collection's recipes that offer 100%
plant-based alternatives.
Snapshot of Simple Truth Plant Based
Collection:
- Meatless Burger Patties
- Meatless Grinds
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Alfredo Pasta Sauce
- Bolognese Pasta Sauce
- Deli Slices (Black Forest Ham and Salt & Pepper
Turkey)
- Sausage (Kielbasa and Chorizo)
- Cream Cheese
- Sour Cream
- French Onion Dip
- Queso
"Kroger's commitment to innovating and creating new plant-based
food mirrors the growing number of customers exploring meat and
dairy alternatives," said Nicole
Davis, Kroger's senior category strategy and innovation
manager for Our Brands. "Taste is and will always be our
number one focus, and you can expect Kroger to continue to invest
in this category as we are committed to providing our customers
with products that support their eating preferences and health and
wellness goals."
Health and weight management are key factors that consumers keep
in mind when choosing a dietary lifestyle, and often, promoting
animal welfare and reducing environmental impact are also
commonly-cited reasons. A study published in 2018 by Science
found that plant-based diets can reduce environmental emissions,
including greenhouse gases, from food production by more than 70
percent.
"We are thrilled to see Kroger continue to embrace plant-based
foods, particularly plant-based meat in this way," said
Bruce Friedrich, The Good Food
Institute Executive Director. "It's a defining moment when
America's largest grocer launches an entire collection of
plant-based meat and dairy products and is clear proof that
plant-based has truly gone mainstream. We look forward to other
grocers following Kroger's lead."
"Kroger is at the intersection of plant-based curiosity and
culinary innovation. Our customers are really open right now to
exploring plant-based alternatives, and we're responding with our
new collection," added Phipps on stage.
With new Simple Truth Plant Based products arriving every month
this fall into 2020, the collection will include easy-to-identify
packaging, featuring a distinct icon that will help customers
locate the items as they navigate through store aisles or when
shopping on kroger.com.
The entire Simple Truth portfolio includes more than 1,550
natural and organic products, with new items launching monthly. To
learn more about the brand, visit the Simple Truth page on
kroger.com.
To download pictures of the new Simple Truth Plant Based
collection, visit here.
About The Kroger Co.
At The Kroger Co.
(NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the
Human Spirit®. We are nearly half a million associates who serve
over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping
experience and 2,761 retail food stores under a variety
of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and
uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To
learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor
relations site.
About The Good Food Institute
The Good Food
Institute is a global nonprofit focused on building a
sustainable, healthy, and just food system. Our team of scientists,
entrepreneurs, lawyers, and policy experts are harnessing the power
of food innovation and markets to accelerate the transition of the
world's food system to plant-based and cell-based meat, eggs, and
dairy.
About The Good Food Conference
The Good Food
Conference is the world's leading event focused on accelerating the
marketplace for plant-based and cell-based meat. The event brings
together pioneering food companies, innovators, investors,
policymakers, and scientists who are working to shape the future of
food.
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SOURCE The Kroger Co.