UK tofu brand The Tofoo Co has launched two new seitan products in collaboration with London-based vegan restaurant chain Temple of Seitan.
Seitan, a plant-based protein made from wheat gluten, is a popular ingredient across the vegan food category and has seen soaring success in foodservice, well-suited to applications such as plant-based fried chicken.
However, there is a gap in the market for standalone seitan ingredients in retail – Temple of Seitan co-founder Patrick O’Shea believes this demand will drive success for its new brand partnership.
Through the collaboration, Original Seitan, a chicken-flavoured seitan block served in the Temple of Seitan’s restaurants, will hit supermarket shelves alongside a smoky and spicy Pepperoni Seitan NPD this May.
Dave Knibbs, MD at The Tofoo Co, said: “Consumers are looking for products that offer more versatility as to what meals they can cook. The Tofoo Co’s Seitan lines offer shoppers the scratch-based cooking and health benefits they are craving, whilst also providing a meatier texture than tofu and tempeh that will appeal to flexitarians and omnivores.”
He added that the launch represents a “real opportunity in natural, meat-free ingredients” at a time when there has been a “lack of real innovation” within the category, leading to a drop in market penetration to 28% according to NIQ data.
Temple of Seitan’s O’Shea commented: “Over the last year alone we’ve served over 250,000 restaurant customers. There’s a strong demand for seitan as a plant-based protein that delivers a meaty texture and taste. Tofu’s always been a key ingredient in our seitan, and we’re excited to be partnering with The Tofoo Co to bring the product into retail.”
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024
World Beverage Innovation Awards – NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES!
The awards celebrate excellence and innovation across the global beverage industry. Don’t miss out on having your innovations recognised on a global scale.
Deadline for entries 23 July – enter now!
Don’t get left behind
Start your free Foodbev magazine trial today and join thousands of fellow industry professionals in receiving food and drink trends direct to our business.
Click here to start your free trial
Your privacy We use small files known as ‘cookies’ to enhance your experience of the FoodBev website and analyse site-traffic. Read about how we use cookies or how you may control them in our updated privacy policy and cookie policy. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. Click the ‘OKAY‘ button at the top right of this panel to accept or click here for more information.