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The Beyond Burger is set to launch in 350 Tesco stores across the UK from August after it makes its debut in Tesco’s Cambridge location cafe tomorrow (July 3rd).
The Beyond Burger will soon be available in 350 Tesco supermarkets across the UK from August, the company announced at a press event today. It will also be available for a trial period at Honest Burgers’ Kings Cross location from 10th July
Meat aisle
The product is set to be priced at £5.50 for two-quarter pounder patties, and will be available to purchase from both the fresh and frozen sections of Tesco stores alongside meat products.
In the US, Beyond Burgers are stocked alongside meat products, in a bid to expand the vegetarian and vegan market to flexitarians and encourage them to swap animal meat for plant-based alternatives.
Explaining the decision to place the plant-based patties in the meat aisle, Beyond Meat’s board chairman Seth Goldman said:
“The key for us is we don’t ever want to communicate we are exclusively for the plant-based community. Sometimes being in the meat section can alienate someone who never goes in the meat section.”
Meaty texture
Unlike controversial “lab-grown” meats being developed in the US, the Beyond Burger is made entirely from plants, does not use animal stem-cells in production, and is not tested on animals. Each contains 20g of pea protein, coconut oil and potato starch.
The Beyond Burger has taken the world by storm with its meaty texture and taste, as well as the fact that it appears to ‘bleed’ when cooked thanks to the addition of beetroot to give the burger it’s pink colour.
Discussing their unique texture and Goldman said: “At Beyond Meat we started with a different question. We looked at meat at a molecular level. When you look at it like that, you get a very different answer.
“There is water, and amino acids – you can get many of the same acids from plants as meat. We then assemble the constituents using heat and pressure to ‘stitch’ them together so it retains its juiciness.”
Individual preferences
Many people have questioned why vegans who avoid eating animal products would want to consume a product that closely resembles animal flesh in terms of flavour and texture.
Speaking about the importance of these products for the vegan movement, a spokeswoman for the Vegan Society said: “Anything that gives more choice for people to eat vegan food is a positive move. Whereas sausages can be made both from animals and from plants and it’s a type of food many of us are used to, many vegans appreciate that people may simply want to have vegan versions of foods they grew up eating.
“A number of vegans believe we should move away from the idea of imitating animal products and simply consume plant-based dishes. This is great in theory but, in reality, many people still want to indulge in fatty, satisfying foods. Having vegan alternatives to animal products gives vegans yet another argument as to why there really is no excuse not to be vegan. It comes down to individual preference of vegans as there is no animal use in either case.”
The Beyond Burger will retail for £5.50 for a two-pack at Tesco.
