Walmart now stocks Mickey Mouse-shaped vegan chicken nuggets.
The Disney-themed nuggets are part of Morningstar Farms’ new Incogmeato range, which also includes plant-based ground beef, burger patties, bratwurst, and Italian sausage, along with conventional-shaped chicken nuggets.
The Kellogg’s-owned company produces an even wider range of vegetarian options. Morningstar Farms has said it plans to transition to fully vegan by 2021.
The Mickey Mouse-shaped vegan nuggets are made with non-GMO soy and contain 10g of complete protein per-portion. They also contain 10 percent of the recommended daily amount for iron and are a source of calcium and potassium. The nuggets come in a 13.5oz bag.
Walmart, the largest retailer in the world, is rapidly expanding its range of plant-based foods.
In July, the Impossible Burger launched at 2,100 stores. In the same month, Beyond Meat began selling limited-edition value packs of its burger patties at the retailer. Also in July, Walmart Canada announced that JUST Egg will be available from fall this year. The vegan egg is already available from certain stores throughout the U.S.
Earlier in September, Walmart launched plant-based seafood—including Crab Cakes and Breaded Shrimp—from Sophie’s Kitchen.
Consumers Demand Vegan Meat
Demand for vegan food has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Nielsen data, plant-based meat sales were up by 279.8 percent in the week ending March 14. While the previous week saw an overall increase of 206.4 percent.
A recent report by food processing company Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) indicated that 18 percent of alternative protein buyers in the U.S. purchased their first plant-based products during COVID-19. Ninety-two percent of those first-time buyers indicated that they would continue purchasing plant-based meat.
Ana Ferrell, ADM’s VP of Marketing, said in a statement: “Consumers’ attitudes, priorities, and behaviors are shifting significantly. This evolution is providing a unique opportunity for forward-looking food and beverage companies to bring a suite of trailblazing new products to market.”
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