More people are beginning to adopt plant-based lifestyles. In the US alone, the plant-based alt-meat market was valued at US$1.06 billion last year and was estimated to reach $2.63 billion by 2027.
The rise in numbers could be attributed to increased awareness of the benefits of going plant-based. What started primarily as a way to exclude animal cruelty has now been driven by other causes such as health, sustainability and climate change.
Today, Viable.Earth shares some of the plant-based meat brands you can find in the US.
Plant-based meat companies in the US you should know about
Before the Butcher
Before the Butcher offers one of the largest and most diverse portfolios of plant-based meat alternatives in the market, its alt-meat retail options are currently sold under its subsidiary brands Uncut and Mainstream, while also providing specially-designed meat alternatives such as Italian ground sausage, alt-chicken chunks, alt-chorizo, and other items for professional food services.
All of the brand’s alt-meat products are primarily made from non-GMO soy and are gluten-free.
Products available: Alt-beef burgers. alt-chicken burgers, alt-turkey burgers, alt-sausage, plant-based grounds, plant-based shreds, plant-based chunks.
Beyond Meat
Los Angeles-based Beyond Meat offers plant-based alternatives to poultry, pork and beef.
Its first product was Chicken Strips, made from gluten-free soy powder and had a chicken-like feel thanks to a food extrusion machine. It was, however, cancelled in 2019 after negative feedback.
The company then developed beef and pork substitutes from pea-protein isolates, rice protein, mung bean protein, canola oil, coconut oil, potato starch, apple extract, sunflower lecithin, and pomegranate powder, as well as canola oil, coconut oil, potato starch, apple extract, sunflower lecithin, and pomegranate powder. Finally, the company used beet juice to produce artificial ‘blood.’
This year, the company launched a new alt-chicken product in the form of chicken tenders made from faba beans, pea protein, and wheat gluten.
Products available: Burgers, Ground alt-beef, Sausage, alt-meatballs, Breakfast sausage, alt-beef crumbles, alt-chicken tenders.
MorningStar Farms
MorningStar Farms is a division of the Kellogg Company that produces vegan and vegetarian food. It offers plant-based versions of traditional processed meat products like chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and sausages.
According to the company, it is committed to offering “better-for-the-world” food options using only natural flavours, colours, and non-GMO soy protein.
Products: alt-beef burgers, alt-chicken patties, alt-sausage patties, veggie dogs, popcorn chk’n, veggie chorizo crumbles, vegan cheese, and pizza rolls
Gardein
Gardein is a subsidiary of Congara Brands, offering a plant-based frozen food product line such as alt-chicken strips, alt-beef jerky, and plant-based fillets.
The company was involved in a controversy three years ago where it pleaded guilty for unlawfully discarding vegetable oil into a ditch in the brand’s vicinity, which leads to the Fraser River.
Products available: Chick’n, Turk’y, Fishless, Soups and Chillis, Plant-based jerky.
Tofurky is a brand that offers vegan turkey replacements. Its best selling product, the faux turkey, is made from a loaf of plant-based protein stuffing made from grains and flavoured with vegetable broth, herbs, and spices.
The company has been family-owned for over 40 years, and according to its website, plans to stay that way over the next Millenium. It also added that it takes its pride as a brand focused on purpose over profits.
The Green Stars Project awarded Tofurky 5/5 green stars for overall social and environmental impact.
Products available: Alt-turkey deli slices, burgers, sausages, pockets, tempeh, and alt-turkey roasts.
Field Roast
Founded in Seattle in 1997, Field Roast uses different charcuterie methods to craft plant-based meats and cheeses from vegetables, grains, herbs, and spices.
The brand sources its protein from wheat gluten, wheat protein isolate, and non-GMO peas and says it aims to reduce carbon emissions by using renewable energy sources and investing in reforestation projects.
Products: Plant-based sausages, plant-based burgers, alt-chicken nuggets, plant-based corn dogs, plant-based buffalo wings, plant-based deli slices, and plant-based pepperoni, plant-based roasts, chao shreds, and chao slices
Yves Veggie Cuisine
Based in Canada, Yves Veggie Cuisine offers plant-based deli and frozen alt-meat products made from soy protein.
According to the company, its products require little to no preparation – consumers simply heat and serve.
The 20-year-old company did not disclose if the soy protein used for its products is GMO or non-GMO.
Products: Falfalel balls, Kale and Quinoa Bites, Broccoli Bites, Gluten-free Veggie Burgers, Kale and Root Vegetable Patties, Ground Round, Veggie Taco Stuffers, Garden Veggie Crumble, Veggie Dogs, Tofu Dog, Veggie Bologna, Veggie Ham, Veggie Turkey, Veggie Salami, Veggie Pepperoni, Veggie Bacon, Veggie Breakfast Patties.
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s is an American grocery chain known for its “better” food options and describes itself as “your neighbourhood grocery store”. In comparison, a typical grocery may carry 50,000 items, while Trader Joe’s stocks around 4000, 80 per cent of them under its own brand, it offers its own plant-based meat range.
The company also has its share of sustainability practices, such as recycling packaging and donating unsold products to food recovery partners to help eliminate food waste.
Products: Plant-based burgers, soy chorizo, chickenless crispy tenders, chicken-less mandarin orange morsels, meatless meatballs, jackfruit cakes, Italian sausage-less, vegan Caesar Salad, ground beef-less breakfast patties.
Sweet Earth Natural Foods
Sweet Earth Foods is a plant-based food brand under multinational food company Nestle. Launched in 2017, the brand offers a range of clean-label, meat-free foods in retail stores and through foodservice channels.
The brand uses quinoa, edamame, barley, soy, and sweet potato as alternatives to animal meat.
Some of the brand’s plant-based food products have won awards, like The Food Network’s Best Plant-Based Meat for its deli slices and Progressive Grocery’s Best New Product for its Sweet Quesadillas.
Products: plant-based bacon, plant-based food bowls, plant-based burritos, plant-based pizza, plant-based burgers and grounds, plant-based seitan, plant-based chik’n, plant-based deli slices, plant-based sausages, and plant-based empanada.
Impossible Foods
One of the biggest names in the plant-food sector, Impossible Foods develops its products from genetically altered ingredients – heme (soy leghemoglobin) and soy protein. Its signature product is the Impossible Burger.
To replicate the fat in traditional burgers, the company shares that it uses semi-dried coconut oil mixed with ground textured wheat and potato protein. The potato protein provides a firm exterior like when meat is seared, while the coconut oil stays solid until heated, offering a similar consistency to fat in cooked beef.
The company says on its website that making its alt-meat products uses 95-per-cent less land and 74-per-cent less water and emits 87-per-cent less greenhouse gas than making a beef burger patty from cattle.
Products available: Ground burgers, burger patties, ground sausage, plant-based nuggets, Impossible Beef.
Amy’s Kitchen
Amy’s Kitchen is a family-owned, privately held company that manufactures organic and non-GMO convenience and frozen foods.
Founded in 1987 by former CEO Andy Berliner and Rachel Berliner, Amy’s Kitchen took its name from their then-newborn daughter, Amy.
Its range of plant-based food options use beans, tofu, quinoa, lentils, and peas as main protein sources and use non-GMO ingredients.
Products: Vegan bean and cheeze burrito, organic quinoa, kale, and red lentil soup, bean and rice burrito, black bean veggie burger, vegan Margherita pizza, Indian samosa wrap, tofu scramble, Asian dumpling bowls, chicken-less soup, black bean enchilada.
Incogmeato
Incogmeato is a plant-based meat brand under MorningStar Farms, a division of Kellogg’s.
According to the brand’s website, its products are made from “next-generation” plant-based protein and look, cook, and taste just like real meat. All its foods are made with non-GMO soy, use only natural flavouring, and do not contain dairy or eggs. However, they are not gluten-free.
Products: Sweet BBQ Plant-based Chik’n Tenders, Mickey Mouse Shaped Plant-based Chik’n Nuggets, Plant-based Chik’n Nuggets, Plant-based Chik’n Tenders, Plant-based Ground Alt-beef, Plant-based Burger Patties, Plant-based Italian Sausage, Plant-based Bratwurst, and Plant-based Breakfast Sausage Links.
Lightlife
Lightlife is a Canadian plant-based food brand that boasts simple ingredients and believes that “less process is best”. It launched in 1979 and started manufacturing tempeh, a popular soy-based food commonly used as a meat alternative.
All of the brand’s products use non-GMO ingredients and natural herbs and spices. In addition, the company is certified 100-per-cent carbon neutral.
Products: plant-based burger, tempeh, plant-based hotdog, plant-based grounds, plant-based sausage, plant-based chicken, plant-based breakfast patties.
Quorn
Quorn is a UK brand that uses a meat substitute derived from a natural fungus, Fusarium Venenatum. The fungus transforms carbohydrates into protein, creating the company’s trademarked “Mycoprotein”.
According to the alt-meat company, its products are high in protein, high in fibre, low in saturated fat, and contain no cholesterol.
Products: Meat-free mince, Crispy nuggets, Pieces, Fillets, Sausages, Fishless fingers, Swedish style balls.
The Very Good Butchers
Based in Canada, The Very Good Butcher’s mission is to make plant-based eating as “approachable, nutritious, and delicious as possible”.
The company was founded by two chefs, Mitchell Scott and James Davidson, who believe that most meat alternatives available are overly processed. The duo eventually opened their vegan butcher shop using black beans and jackfruit as the protein source. It is also one of the few brands that offer plant-based steak and plant-based ribs.
All of the brand’s products are gluten-free and use non-GMO ingredients.
Products: Very Good Burger, breakfast sausages, taco stuffers, MMMeatballs, pepperoni, bbq pulled jackfruit, ribz, A Very Good Steak,
Unmeat
The first Filipino alt-meat brand in America, Unmeat‘s range has zero cholesterol and zero trans fats and is billed as a good source of protein and fibre. The brand says its products are sourced from real food and only use natural ingredients.
A subsidiary of Century Pacific Group, a global food company based in the Philippines, the brand seeks to offer consumers affordable alt-meat with transparency over ingredients, all of which are fully disclosed on its labels.
Products: Hungarian sausages, Burger Patties, Giniling (minced meat), Nuggets.
Boca Foods
Boca Foods is a plant-based food brand produced by Kraft in Chicago, Illinois. The company specialises in meat alternatives like veggie patties, meatless burgers, and breakfast products.
The brand boasts having high amounts of protein while keeping the calories low. For example, a Boca burger pattie has 13g of protein at 70 calories. It sources its protein from soy and wheat gluten.
Products: Boca burger, Boca crumbles, Boca chik’n nuggets.
Alpha Foods
Canadian plant-based food company Alpha Foods offers meat alternatives made from soy and wheat protein. All of its products are non-GMO, has zero trans-fat, and use zero palm oil.
Products: Burritos, tamales, Chik’n nuggets, Chik’n patties, alt-beef crumbles, grilled Chik’n strips, meatless sausage, pot pies, alpha burger, alpha pizza.
Loma Linda Foods
Loma Linda Foods is a former food manufacturing company now owned by Atlantic Natural Foods Company. Based in Nashville, North Carolina, Loma Linda manufactures and sells vegetarian and vegan foods.
Founded in 1933, it produced some of the first alt-meat products prepared from soy and wheat to be commercially available in the US. According to its website, all of its products are non-GMO and sustainably sourced.
Products: Sloppy Joe, taco filling, Greek bowl, chilli, Southwest bowl, Pad Thai, green curry, Hawaiian bowl, tikka masala, chunky stew, red curry, Italian bolognese.
Wicked Kitchen
UK plant-based food brand Wicked Kitchen offers “flavour-forward vegan products” using mushrooms as its main protein source. Its range includes convenient breakfast and lunch options, frozen ready meals, meal kits, and sauces.
The company recently raised $14m in funding with Tesco for its expansion into North America.
Products: Breakfast porridge, M’shroom shawarma style shreds, Mexican style M’shroom shreds, Korean-style M’shroom shreds, pumpkin laksa kit, coconut korma kit, shitake ramen broth kit, tofu curry, sriracha tofu and rice, plant-based sausages, plant-based burgers, plant-based meatballs.
Nature’s Fynd
Nature’s Fynd manufactures microbe-based proteins for meat and dairy alternatives called Fy. A fungus produces the protein, Fusarium strain flavolapis, first discovered in geothermal springs in Yellowstone National Park.
According to the company, producing Fy protein uses 99-per-cent less land, emits 94-per-cent fewer greenhouse gases, and uses 99-per-cent less water than traditional animal meat products.
Products: Breakfast patties, maple-flavoured breakfast patties, dairy-free cream cheese.
The future of plant-based food in the US
It’s no doubt that plant-based, alt-meat foods are a booming industry. From startups to multinational companies, food manufacturers are rapidly evolving to adapt to the plant-based market.
According to one survey, more than half (52 per cent) of American consumers see plant-based food as more than just a trend. In addition, 83 per cent of consumers who had already tried plant-based foods say they can be part of their lifestyle and plan to either maintain or increase their consumption of plant-based products.
“Plant-based food eaters are more likely to support local business, minimise waste, support minority-owned business and engage in meditation or mental health exercises,” said Cole Orobetz, CEO at Alpha Foods.
