Vegan Egg Substitute JUST Egg Increases Restaurant Sales

San Francisco food company JUST has been getting a lot of attention for their unique vegan egg substitute, JUST Egg. Formerly known as Hampton Creek, the company hopes to tap into the growing plant-based trend with their mung bean-based breakfast formulation. Having originally started off in San Francisco restaurants, JUST Egg products have expanded to Hong Kong and Washington DC-based restaurant, Equinox and they have been finding success in sales.

According to the company, they spent several years to develop their innovative egg substitute. However, this isn’t the first vegan product that they have launched; JUST is also known for their vegan mayonnaise, condiments and cookie dough.

JUST Egg has been available at Equinox for a few weeks now and has gained a lot of popularity. On Tuesday, the restaurant held an event to promote JUST Egg and gourmet chef creations were made for customers of the bar. Attendees were able to try English muffin sandwiches, custard, huevos rancheros and bearnaise sauces made with JUST Egg. The variety of food options allowed consumers to see the versatility of the product. According to JUST Chef Kaimana Chee, who was preparing the dishes for attendees, the product tastes quite similar to real eggs.

“Everyone is always looking for differences,” Chee said. “As a chef and as a lover of eggs, I can taste some subtle differences. But the versatility is really what makes it.”

According to research by JUST, restaurants that have incorporated their product into their breakfast menus have experienced a 13 percent increase in total breakfast sales and a 42 percent sales increase in egg-related dishes.

Although JUST Egg is currently only available to restaurants, chefs and food manufacturers, the company is gearing up to debut their product in grocery stores later this year. The product will come in a liquid form and in premade patties. In an effort to take advantage of their popularity in the consumer market, the company has created a website that helps consumers reach out to grocers, such as Walmart, Sysco, Publix and Kroger, to ask them to sell the product. According to JUST, their JUST Egg product will soon be available at certain grocery stores such as Lucky’s, Gelson’s, Wegmans, New Seasons Market, Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, Lunardis and Roth’s Fresh Markets.

JUST is entering a growing market because there is a surge in the demand for plant-based alternatives. The egg industry itself has been experiencing a decline in sales because of the growth in egg alternatives such as ones made with potatoes and tapioca or tofu. JUST Egg stands out in this category because its taste, texture and look imitates real eggs. As the market for meat alternatives grows, JUST could see increasing success from their innovative vegan products.