Rustlers, the £105m*1 chilled ready meals brand from Kepak, is launching a meat mimicking ‘Chick’un’ fillet to meet increasing demand from shoppers following flexitarian diets.
Launching in Tesco on 12th September (RRP £2#, case size 4), the Rustlers Meatless Maverick Chick’un Fillet comprises a plant based ‘chicken’ fillet with vegan mayonnaise in a soft seeded roll – tapping into QSR trends while satisfying taste and convenience needs.
“Coated chicken dishes have long been a staple on the menus of QSRs, with the sector now expanding into offering meat mimicking alternatives to their best sellers. Similarly, chicken is a core protein within the micro-snacking worth £23.5.m*2 identifying an opportunity for the retail channel to compete with QSR.
“Research shows that meat free is evolving. Shoppers are looking for balance between meat and meat free consumption in their diets rather than cutting it out completely. NPD and availability make it easier for consumers to go meat free, emphasising the opportunity Rustlers Meatless Maverick Chick’un Fillet presents,” says Elaine Rothballer, Head of Marketing Consumer Brands, Food Division of Kepak Group.
Meat reducers already make up 19% of the UK population, with the number of consumers identifying as flexitarian seeing significant growth in recent years *3.
“For the growing number of meat reducers, our Meatless Maverick Chick’un Burger provides an easy swap while behaviourally fitting existing habits and overcoming the most prominent barriers to trial for the plant based category – price (33%) and taste (31%)*4,” adds Elaine.
“The Rustlers Meatless Maverick range offers great value within the meat free category whilst still bringing the taste, convenience and quality credentials associated Rustlers,” concludes Elaine.
Rustlers’ latest launch joins the Meatless Maverick Classic Burger to become the second in the Rustlers Meatless Maverick range.
1: Nielsen Micro-Snacking Total Market, 52we 6th August 2022
2: Nielsen Micro-Snacking Total Market, 52we 6th August 2022
3: Attest what are British shoppers hungry for in 2021? January 2021
4: MMR Plant Based Panel Webinar, UK Respondents, March 21
# RRP set at retailer discretion
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