From blended burgers to bug-based snacks, Anuga highlighted a wide range of food innovations.
The Big Al’s brand from Kepak of Clonee, Ireland, now offers Burgers with a Blend. They are 70 percent Irish grass-fed beef combined with vegetables. The line made its debut in Beetroot Burger (with beets and quinoa) and Moo-shroom Burger (with chestnut mushrooms).
Germany’s Frostmeat Fleischhandels-gesellschaft mbH showcased its new Planty of Burger, an extra-large plant-based burger that cooks and looks like a beef burger. Plant protein is combined with coconut fat and seasoned with beetroot, for the same sizzle as beef, including a red center.
Atria Sweden now offers 17 varieties of salami snacks in unique flavor combinations that include beers, spirts, herbs and spices. The two most recent additions are chicken sausages in apple thyme and tomato basil flavors. The snacks come in 40- or 50-gram sticks with select varieties in bite-sized snack packs and on-the-go cups. The company is also now selling a range of savory, sweet and spicy accompaniments to assist consumers with making charcuterie and tapas trays. The pick n’ mix line is intended for single use and includes marinated vegetables, sauces and olives.
New Vegini is a plant-based snack food from VeggieMeat GmbH in Austria. The grab-and-go cups can easily be microwaved and come in three varieties: savory bell pepper balls, mild classic balls, and seasoned mini patties. Based on pea protein, 1 cup contains about 20 grams of protein.
Jan Zandbergen BV, Netherlands, is rolling out an extensive range of products that are half meat and half vegetables, aptly branded FiftyFifty. Products may contain beef, chicken or pork. The range includes balls, burgers, sausages, schnitzel and even cordon bleu.
The Netherlands’ Passion for Meat company now offers a range of Easy Cooking “from freezer to plate” meats, including varied beef steaks, lamb and pork. The consumer does not need to defrost the meat and is guaranteed a consistent end result of rare, medium or well-done. The meat may be cooked in the oven or air fryer.
Bunte Burger claims to offer the first line of vegan organic burgers. Sold exclusively in its namesake Cologne, Germany, vegan restaurant since 2014, the company is now taking the product to retail. Unlike many other meat-free burgers in the market, these organic vegan patties are free from soy, gluten, palm oil, added sugar, GMOs and yeast ingredients. The inventor-chefs said that the goal was not to imitate the taste of beef, rather to make delicious, healthy patties. The Bunte Burger comes in three formulations. The original Super Hero Paddy is based on kidney beans and contains 365 calories, 17 grams of fat and 15 grams of protein. The other two rely on jackfruit. Boom Jack BBQ includes lentils and contains 130 calories, 2 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein, while Jackfruit Vish includes algae and is enhanced with vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. It contains 160 calories, 6 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein.
Linnamäe Lihatööstus AS of Estonia received accolades at Anuga for its new cold-smoked marinated elk meat with roasted onions. The product is fully cooked and canned.
Jackfruit is recognized as a “white” meat substitute, as the fruit has a meaty, dense texture that shreds, much like pulled pork and chicken. It has a slightly sweet taste and when cooked, absorbs spices and seasonings. LPP Lotao Pack und Produktion GmbH of Germany is now using it in a refrigerated deli-style salad. The Flying Jack Vegetable Salad combines chunks of young jackfruit with mandarin oranges and spices, positioning it as a vegan alternative to chicken salad.
Clonee, Ireland-based Kepak is growing its fully cooked microwaveable sandwich line with blended patties on bun. Sold under the Rustlers brand, new Tex Mex is a beef and chickpea burger seasoned with red peppers and onions. It comes with a side of spicy salsa. The all-day breakfast Sausage Muffin is a pork and soy patty topped with a slice of cheese and ketchup on the side.
Micarna, Switzerland, combines 30 percent mealworm larvae with quinoa to make its Pop-Bugs burgers. There’s also new Pop-Bugs Angry Nuggets made with 25 percent mealworm larvae and pea and wheat protein.
Spring has sprung—with new sandwiches.
Innovations across frozen food brands capitalize on popular consumer and restaurant trends.