Plant-based food launches this week in the US: from vegan blue cheese to Panda Express’s orange chicken
The latest animal-free products and where to find them, also including vegan deviled eggs, mycelium bacon and more!
Credit: Panda Express
The popularity of plant-based foods is continuing to grow as more and more consumers try products that are kinder to animals and the planet, and are often healthier - and tastier - too.
The plant-based boom has seen many of the world’s biggest brands release animal-free versions of their signature products, as well as a wave of new companies and start-ups that are transforming the industry with innovative new ways to prepare vegetables and grains.
There’s no sign of slowing down, either - just take a look at some of this week’s new plant-based food launches in the US:
Panda Express - Beyond orange chicken returns!
Panda Express’s signature dish receives a plant-based makeover that has the same taste but with no animal-derived ingredients. Crunchy, tangy, and made from plants, the chicken is made with Beyond Meat’s popular plant-based protein.
Credit: Panda Express
The dish originally launched for a limited time back in 2021 after it was the most requested dish on Panda’s social channels. Now, it’s back at hundreds of participating locations nationwide - but for a limited time only. Find a participating Panda Express store near you here.
Mycelium ‘bacon’ strips roll out to the West Coast
MyForest Food’s innovative technology has managed to make animal-free bacon with just five ingredients. The key part is organic oyster mushroom mycelium (the nutrient-rich root structure), which is combined with just salt, organic sugar, organic coconut oil, and natural flavors to create the brand’s flagship MyBacon.
Credit: MyForest Food
The product has a taste, smell, and texture similar to traditional bacon, but the production process uses less land and water and produces less carbon than conventional pork production. And as it’s made primarily from mycelium rather than meat, it avoids the health-risks associated with traditional bacon too.
These crispy bacon strips have been availble at select retailers in the East Coast, but MyForest Foods has now announced a partnership with online grocer Good Eggs to bring the product to the West Coast for the first time. MyBacon is now available via Good Eggs in the Los Angeles and San Francisco markets, which brings its availability to over 500 retailers nationwide.
Plant-based deviled eggs come to Whole Foods
Texas-based food company Crafty Counter has created what it calls a “groundbreaking” new product: a plant-based deviled egg!
Credit: Crafty Counter
Dubbed the Deviled WunderEggs, the product consists of a tray of hard-boiled plant-based eggs made of the “egg” white only, along with a sachet of pre-made egg filling. The filling, known as the Devilish Wunder Mix, is made from aquafaba (the water from cooked chickpeas) and features the creamy, tangy essence of traditional deviled eggs.
The WunderEggs are now available at all Whole Foods Market locations across the US.
Climax’s industry-changing blue cheese launches
California-based company Climax has been wow-ing the food industry with its artisanal plant-based cheeses. Having already won the largest-ever seed raise for a food tech startup, the company is launching one of its incredibly realistic products for retail sale for the first time.
Credit: Climax
Climax Blue - the startup’s blue cheese made from plants - is already available in foodservice operators with Michelin-rated restaurants throughout the US incorporating it into menus. Celebrity chef Matthew Kenney, who uses Climax’s cheeses at his restaurants, described them as “superior to dairy in terms of taste, texture, flavor and Integrity."
But now consumers can try it at home, too, as Climax launches the blue cheese on online grocery service Good Eggs, available in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
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