After two years of development and planning, Australian startup Fancy Plants is formally launching a range of plant-based snacks this month, targeting flexitarians
Founder John Foss says the company wanted to create snacks that would address the barriers to consumers taking up plant-based diets – taste and texture, health credentials, and price.
“With Fancy Plants, we’re focussed on delivering plant-based eating that is both accessible and delicious and we have invested significantly in the development of a bespoke plant-based stabilising system. Mainstream adoption of plant-based options comes when taste and texture is as good as the original product, and we have achieved a “dairy-like” mouthfeel, which is unique in this space,” Foss said in an interview with Inside FMCG.
A soft launch of Fancy Plants saw AU$2 million in sales in just 150 days through supermarket chains including Coles and Woolworths, making Foss is confident the brand can achieve its ambition to become the number one plant-based snacking brand in Australia by the end of this year.
“To achieve this, we will focus on increasing customer penetration across our current range and increasing brand awareness. That being said, our team of plant innovators is always working on future innovations whether it be different nutritional benefits, pack formats, or product types, which we hope to launch in Australian supermarkets in the next 12 months. We will also look to grow into new geographies at the end of this year and into 2022.”
Some 45 per cent of Australians consider themselves flexitarians – people who still eat animal products, but consciously enjoy vegetarian meals regularly – which makes for a huge potential market for Fancy Plants.
“Our marketing has targeted the Millennial and Gen Z audiences, who have really adopted flexitarian and plant-based diets. Recent retail insights demonstrate that we are successfully bringing this shopper to a section of the chiller that traditionally has been shopped by budget-driven and retiree shoppers,” said Foss.
Fancy Plants is being positioned as an inclusive brand and created its snacks to meet mainstream taste and nutritional needs, appealing to both plant and dairy lovers alike.
