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In a bid to provide more sustainable and ‘healthier’ options to customers, flat-pack furniture giant IKEA is launching a vegan ice-cream, as well as plant-based caviar and a veggie hot dog. They have also pledged to remove single-use plastic from stores by 2020.
Flat-pack furniture giant IKEA are on a mission to provide a more sustainable option for all shoppers and to demonstrate their dedication to providing health-promoting products.
The company is currently working on creating a 100% plant-based soft ice-cream for their Bistro range in stores, alongside the much-anticipated veggie hot dog.
The creamy vegan dessert is set to be released by summer 2018, and a fruit-based version is currently being tested in Portugal.
Gerry Dufresne, Range Manager at IKEA Food Services said: “We’re working closely with different suppliers to find the right taste and texture and are currently exploring three different alternatives, either based on oats, soy or fruits”
Vegan caviar
The company is now also selling vegan caviar, named “Sjörapport” or “Seaweed Pearls.” The caviar itself is derived from kelp seaweed, which has been “harvested from the seabed, then ingeniously made into shimmering pearls with a fresh taste of sea and saltiness.”
But how does it taste we hear you ask? According to Kevin Pang from The Takeout, the seaweed pearls don’t taste exactly like traditional caviar, but are deliciously salty and perfect for those who enjoy the taste of seaweed.
According to Pang: “When you taste IKEA’s seaweed pearls in isolation, there’s no burst of the bubble – the texture is more apparent when bitten through, a light crunch against the molars. There is a sweetness of the saltwater sea that stands on its own.”
Veggie dog
For hungry vegans looking for a bite to eat to give them energy for shopping, the company will also soon be launching a vegan hot dog in stores, which they describe as ‘a greener version of an icon’.
The veggie hot dog is made from kale, red lentils and carrots, and will be served with red cabbage, crunchy fried onions and mustard, and are rumoured to be going on sale globally this August.
“Every year 660 million people enjoy the IKEA Food offer, and we see this global reach as an opportunity as well as a responsibility to serve food that is good for people and the planet. With the new veggie hot dog, we can inspire and enable customers…to choose a plant-based more sustainable option at an affordable price,” said Michael La Cour, Managing Director at IKEA Food.
Single-use plastic
IKEA has also pledged to phase out all single-use plastic products from its stores and restaurants by 2020 amid growing concern about the effects of plastic on the environment.
Ikea said plastic straws, plates, cups, freezer bags, bin bags, and plastic-coated paper plates and cups would all be phased out and where possible replaced by alternatives.
A spokesperson said: “We don’t have all the answers yet but we are working together with our suppliers to find solutions that are good for both people and the planet.”
The Swedish furniture chain is already committed to phasing out oil-based plastics and is aiming to ensure all its plastic products are made using recycled materials by August 2020. It has invested in a plastics recycling plant to help push the plan forward.
