Dennigan launched Strong Roots in the US market in 2019, and within six months, the brand entered thousands of retail locations including Target, Wegmans, and Whole Foods stores who were eager to stock the company’s plant-based frozen offerings made from seasonal and sustainably-grown vegetables. In the same year, Strong Roots announced an $18.3m Series A funding round led by Goode Partners, whose portfolio of investments includes Dave’s Killer Bread and La Colombe.
Strong Roots forecasts that its sales will reach $100m (wholesale) globally by 2023. To date, the company has sold over 8 million products worldwide, in markets which include the UK, Singapore, Iceland, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar.
"We want a seat at the main table of frozen because that’s occupied by some of the biggest food companies in the market. If you look at the likes of Birdseye, Green Giant, and Morningstar Farms, those brands aren't always speaking to a new generation of shoppers that are coming through," Dennigan previously told FoodNavigator-USA, who added that the new generation of consumers is looking for simple, sustainably-sourced food that is convenient and easy to prepare.
Strong Roots vegetables are frozen within 30 minutes to seal in freshness and nutrition, and are clearly visible when biting into the brand’s products such as its kale & quinoa burger and spinach bites – differentiating itself from other plant-based brands which attempt to mimic the taste, texture, and smell of animal proteins.
“I started this company because I believe in farm to fork. Consumers have embraced our products as they hunt for healthy, easy options in the freezer aisle,” said Dennigan.
US expansion
The Walmart distribution represents a major step towards the brand’s goal of building large-scale consumer awareness in the US, which Dennigan previously said has the potential to become its largest market.
"We want to make sure everybody knows who we are and where we are, and making sure we can back up retailers' efforts," Dennigan said.
To support its distribution at Walmart, Strong Roots has made three significant hires to its team including: CFO Karen Griffin, who has extensive experience in managerial roles at DHL, Coca-Cola, and KPMG; head of Strong Roots USA Craig Bowlin, a 20-year veteran of the CPG and advertising industry at Unilever and Pinnacle Foods; and COO Fergal McGarry, who has held senior leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson and Ornua and most recently at Bewley’s Coffee.
“Walmart is the largest retailer in the country, and we’re incredibly proud to partner with this iconic American company to bring our range of plant-based food to families across the US,” said Dennigan.