Burger King trials Impossible Nuggets, Nestlé unveils plant-based egg and shrimp

07 Oct 2021 --- Burger King has become the first quick-service restaurant brand to test plant-based nuggets from Impossible Foods in the US. Meanwhile, Nestlé is expanding its plant-based offering with two innovations – plant-based alternatives to egg and shrimp.

Burger King diners in Des Moines, Iowa, Boston, Massachusetts, and Miami, Florida, will get a first taste of Impossible Nuggets made from plants starting October 11, available in an eight-piece order with a choice of dipping sauce.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve teamed up with Impossible to make waves in the industry. In 2019, we became the first quick-service restaurant to serve the award-winning, plant-based Impossible patty and offer the iconic Impossible Whopper,” says Ellie Doty, chief marketing officer, Burger King North America. 

“So, it’s only fitting we’re the first global QSR to test the Impossible Nuggets. We’re excited to hear what our guests in the test markets think of this latest innovation.”

Burger King is also rolling out Ghost Pepper Chicken Nuggets in the US for a limited time only. 

Burger King will be the first QSR brand to test Impossible Foods’ plant-based chicken nuggets.Made with white meat chicken with fiery ghost pepper, Ghost Pepper Chicken Nuggets are “the perfect balance between flavor and heat.” 

Nestlé’s next wave of plant-based launches 
Swiss food giant Nestlé has unveiled two innovations – plant-based alternatives to egg and shrimp.

It is part of the company’s strategy to focus its portfolio on high-growth areas and introduce healthy products with solid eco-friendly credentials. 

The plant-based alternatives to eggs offer people a nutritious alternative to conventional eggs that is both sustainable and animal-friendly. 

Launched under Garden Gourmet Veggie, the vegan product contains soy protein and omega 3 fatty acids and achieves a Nutri-Score A in Europe. 

Authentic taste and texture
It is versatile for a wide range of cooking needs and can be scrambled like real eggs, used in a frittata and pancakes or as an ingredient when baking cakes or cookies.

Additionally, Nestlé is expanding its plant-based seafood offerings with the Garden Gourmet Vrimp. It is vegan and made from a combination of seaweed, peas and konjac root. It is a source of fiber and comes with a Nutri-Score B in Europe. 

Vrimp also has the authentic texture and flavor of succulent shrimp and can be used in salads and poke bowls, stir-fried dishes, pasta dishes, or topping for pizzas.

Meanwhile, Garden Gourmet’s vegan tuna, Vuna, has been rolled out in Switzerland, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Plant-based seafood alternatives help to reduce overfishing and protect the biodiversity of our oceans, stresses the company.

Both products were developed with proprietary technologies by R&D experts at Nestlé Research in Switzerland and the R&D Center for culinary food in Germany. They will now be introduced as a test-and-learn in a limited in stores in Switzerland and Germany.

Edited by Elizabeth Green and Gaynor Selby