Wicked Kitchen CEO gives the scoop on lupini bean ice cream hitting US market

21 Apr 2022 --- Ice cream whipped up from lupini beans is to arrive on US shelves in a bid to accelerate plant-based alternatives in the country as consumer appetites for vegan products continue to gain traction.

The collection of plant-based ice creams and novelties made with the lupini bean is a first-to-market product in the US, according to makers Wicked Kitchen.

“The Lupini bean has a higher creaminess, texture and mouthfeel than other non-dairy frozen treats. They also have zero aftertaste, unlike coconut or soy-based ice creams,” Pete Speranza, CEO, Wicked Kitchen tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

“Lupins contain more protein than peas, chickpeas and even soy. They are also a source of fiber,” says Speranza.

Wicked Kitchen, which has over 200 products on the UK supermarket behemoth Tesco, aims to replicate its success in the US, with ambitions to expand in other markets across the globe, says the company. 

It is arriving at 2,200 Kroger Stores in the US. 

“The US is behind the UK when it comes to consumers seeking out plant-based alternatives, but we think the US is quickly catching up, and the latest numbers surely prove that the proliferation of plant-based products is here to stay,” according to Speranza.

Wicked Kitchen will start with four ice cream flavors: vanilla, chocolate, cookie dough and mint chocolate chip. US consumers most sought flavors, according to the company. 

With birthday cake being the one that they will be launching next.

Wicked Kitchen is launching in the US with four flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Cookie Dough (Credits: Wicked Kitchen).US plant-based ice cream, a maturing market
According to Speranza, “There are more and more competitors in the US every year because of the demand for better quality and better tasting plant-based ice creams.”

The US market is showing signs of maturity with more players, bringing more diverse options that have to prove themselves. 

“Wicked Kitchen is a differentiator thanks to our new innovative products starring the lupini bean,” says Speranza.

FoodIngredientsFirst recently spoke to Synergy Flavours, the US Dairy Export Council (USDEC), Barry Callebaut, Uelzena and Uflex in a special report about dairy ingredients. 

Synergy stated the importance of balancing dairy ingredients’ health and indulgence attributes. Barry Callebaut anticipated pea and potatoes to be two ingredients that would gain popularity in the sector in 2022, adding that 24% of consumers would like plant-based alternatives to taste more like traditional dairy products.

Uelzena remarked on the popularity of vegan alternatives among younger consumers who value healthy eating. Uflex said that soy milk, pea milk, rice milk, coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk and oat milk are gaining traction and will continue to do so. The USDEC commented on the importance of high-quality nutrition using whey protein and milk proteins, milk powders and permeate.

Importantly, halal-based dairy was the fastest-growing positioning tracked in ice cream & frozen desserts in Europe (CAGR 2017-2021), rising 115% over this period, according to Innova Market Insights. 

Eyes on Asia
The recent expansion in the US, where the company has “over 20 products across multiple departments,” is not the only bet from Wicked Foods. The company revealed to FoodIngredientsFirst that itwill be launching in Asia later this year. 

“We are excited about how well our products are performing in the UK and in Finland, where we launched earlier this year, with Asia being next,” says Speranza.

 During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian region has been a popular choice for expanding businesses. Research from UK Food and Drink Federation highlights that Asia was one of the regions with the most “encouraging signs of recovery” together with Africa and South America, with British businesses seeing sales up 62% in those regions.

 Notably, in Asia, the UK-China partnership is worth over £800 million (US$1053 million). With a boom that was, in part, brought by the UK-Japan bilateral deal that entered into effect in 2021. A showing of how promising the growth was in non-established markets.

 By Marc Cervera