Swiss start-up Planted has expanded its portfolio of clean label meat alternatives with Crispy, a range of plant-based alternatives to ‘comfort food’ breaded meat classics.

While nuggets, schnitzels and burgers are timeless comfort food favourites, traditional varieties often feature long ingredients lists, low-quality animal meat and unnecessary additives, Planted said.

The company aims to fill a gap in the market for healthier alternatives with its new Crispy range. Each of the products in the range combines a crispy, golden-brown coating with a juicy, meat-like texture. Just like Planted’s other products, they are made using no artificial flavours or additives, boasting a short and simple ingredients label.

This launch sees Planted work with mycoprotein for the first time. Planted said its mycoprotein ingredient is a high-quality fungi-based protein obtained from mycelium, the filamentous network that connects mushrooms. The mycelium is cultivated in a gentle fermentation process with water, oxygen and plant nutrients, with no genetic engineering.

The result is a fibrous, meat-like mass that is rich in protein and contains all essential amino acids. Its high fibre content supports digestion and satiety, while the mycoprotein ingredient is also described as ‘heart-friendly’ due to containing little saturated fat and no cholesterol.

Pascal Bieri, co-founder of Planted, said: “Breaded products are one of the strongest categories in the convenience segment. With our new Crispy range, we are showing that enjoyment and healthy, innovative ingredients can go hand in hand: classics such as schnitzel, burgers and nuggets taste super crispy and delicious in the Planted version – only clean, sustainable and much healthier.”

The schnitzel, burger and nuggets are now available at Rewe and Edeka stores in Switzerland and Germany, with more listings to follow in the coming weeks.