Gardein Launches the First-Ever Plant-Based Meat Alternative Soups

Gardein, a Conagra Brand company, is moving from the freezer shelves to the soup aisle in supermarkets. They introduced the first-ever plant-based meat alternative soups just in time for the winter months. They are providing consumers with soups that deliver the meaty flavors they want, that are 100 percent vegan.

The brand is introducing five new Gardein Soup flavors. Each soup contains protein sourced from plant-based products. Each serving has 10 to 15 grams of protein. The soup is made with real vegetables and vegan broth bases, highlighting the ingredient list of each soup. The soup is dairy and egg-free, non-GMO and Vegan Action Certified.

“For years, Gardein has been providing delicious foods that deliver the taste of meat in a plant-based offering,” said Tim Nangle, Conagra Brands’ vice president and general manager, Meals and Sides, in a statement. “With plant-based foods gaining broader acceptance, and with so many popular soups featuring meat on the market, extending Gardein into the soups category was a logical next step for the brand.”

The five flavors in the Gardein Soup collection include Chick’n Noodl’, Be’f & Vegetable, Saus’ge Gumbo, Chick’n & Rice and Minestrone & Saus’ge.

“Whether you’ve tried Gardein before or are sampling our food for the first time with these soups, we think you’ll find the taste and texture delivers an experience like you’d find in a meat-based soup,” said Nangle.

Related: Survey: Gen Z’ers Want to Eat More Plant-Based and Vegan Foods

Plant-based diets are known to reduce a person’s carbon footprint and use less water, land and energy to produce these types of foods compared to meat-based diets. According to a recent survey, Gen Z’ers prefer fresh and wholesome foods compared to other generations. 65 percent say they want a more “plant-forward” diet, and 79 percent choose to go meatless once or twice a week.

Gen Z consumers are more likely to integrate vegetarian options into their diets without having to go fully plant-based. According to The Beet, following the peak panic buying period due to COVID-19, plant-based food sales grew 27 percent, which was 35 percent faster than total retail food sales. Furthermore, plant-based meat sales were up 148 percent over the last year. It is at a continued growth rate of 61 percent.

Gardein Soups are available in grocery stores nationwide and through their e-commerce outlets. Each 15oz can has a market suggested retail price of $2.99.