USA – The Kroger Co. has launched Simple Truth Emerge: Plant Based Fresh Meats, an expansion of Simple Truth line that offers burger patties, and plans to introduce 50 additional plant-based foods this year.

Available exclusively at Kroger Family of Stores, Simple Truth Emerge joins the Simple Truth Plant Based collection introduced last year, offering vegan chocolate chip cookie dough, oat milk, sour cream, deli slices, sausage and other products.

The Simple Truth Plant Based collection was first announced, last September at the Good Food Conference in San Francisco, by Gil Phipps, Kroger’s vice president of Our Brands.

“Kroger continues to be at the intersection of plant-based curiosity and culinary innovation.

“As more of our customers explore and embrace a flexitarian lifestyle, Simple Truth Emerge is a fresh innovation that provides a flavorful meat alternative that cooks comparably,” said Phipps.

“Kroger believes that everyone deserves to have access to fresh, affordable and delicious food, no matter who you are, how you shop or what you like to eat.

“And Simple Truth Emerge is an illustration of the commitment that Kroger has to providing our 11 million daily customers with new choices that fit their evolving eating styles and preferences.”

Kroger claims that Simple Truth Emerge patties and grinds offer the same taste, texture and sizzle on the grill or in a pan as beef and are free of GMOs, dairy, gluten and soy.

Simple Truth Emerge patties and grinds provide 20 grams of pea-based protein per serving and come in a packaged traditional meat case.

Expanding the Simple Truth Plant Based collection

The company has also unveiled plans of launching 50 additional Simple Truth Plant Based products this year.

Joe Grieshaber, Kroger’s senior vice president of merchandising said: “Kroger anticipates interest in plant-based products to continue to grow in 2020, with the category being one of the key drivers of our natural and organic sales.

“Kroger is excited to launch 50 additional Simple Truth Plant Based products this year, expanding the selection we offer to our customers and growing our Simple Truth brand, which exceeded US$2.3 billion in sales last year,” Grieshaber affirmed.

With new Simple Truth Plant Based products arriving in stores throughout the year, the collection includes easy-to-identify packaging, featuring a distinct plant-based icon.

The entire Simple Truth portfolio includes more than 1,550 natural and organic products, with new items launching monthly.

In December, Kroger launched a merchandising test with the Plant Based Foods Association in a combined 60 stores across two markets to measure the sales and engagement impact of adding plant-based meat sets within the traditional meat set.

In addition to plant-based patties and sausages, the test includes deli slices, roasts, seitan and jackfruit. The test aims to produce actionable data and insights to inform merchandising plans and optimize plant-based food sales.