Nestlé is axing its Wunda and Garden Gourmet retail offering in the UK and Ireland, as it looks to focus investment on its “core” portfolio.

Wunda, a pea-based vegan milk, made its debut in 2021, the same year the Garden Gourmet alt-meat range was reintroduced to UK supermarkets after an initial attempt to crack the market ended in the brand being withdrawn.

Garden Gourmet is also available to caterers and foodservice and will remain part of the Nestlé Professional UK&I offering under the newly announced plans to pull it from retail.

Alongside the plant-based duo, Mezeast, a Middle Eastern-inspired sauce, seasoning and meal kit brand, is also being withdrawn.

“As part of our strategy to address the growing demand for emerging cuisines and plant-based diets, we launched Mezeast, Wunda and Garden Gourmet,” said a Nestlé UK&I spokesperson.

“However, the learnings over the last 20 months confirmed that the scaling of new brands in retail requires significant and sustained investment. 

“We have therefore taken the decision to remove Wunda, Garden Gourmet and Mezeast from retail as we believe it is right at this time to focus our investment and resources on our strong core portfolio, rather than the significant investment required in new brands.”

The spokesperson added: “We believe that a more plant-based diet is the future, and one of our strategic priorities is to expand our vegetarian and flexitarian choices. We are assessing alternative ways to address these strategic priorities, either organically through our established portfolio of brands or via acquisitions.”

Mezeast, Wunda and Garden Gourmet will start disappearing from UK shelves during the second quarter.

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