“Following the success of our plant-based chicken in restaurants, fans were eager to get their hands on a retail product that’s readily accessible and can be cooked at home anytime,” said Deanna Jurgens, chief growth officer, Beyond Meat.
Beyond Chicken Tenders are currently served at hundreds of US restaurant locations including fast food chains Panda Express and A&W Canada. At the time of its foodservice launch, Beyond Meat noted how its plant-based tenders -- which are made with faba pea protein and contain 19g of protein per serving -- "scored at parity in overall flavor to animal-based chicken tenders," based on taste tests with 200 consumers.
Beyond Chicken foodservice innovation lineup:
- Beyond The Original Orange chicken, a plant-based take on the best-selling menu item at Panda Express.
- Beyond Meat Nuggets, a plant-based chicken nugget that debuted in more than 1,000 A&W Canada locations nationwide for a limited time this summer.
- Beyond Fried Chicken, a plant-based chicken innovation created exclusively for KFC and offered for a limited-time in Atlanta in 2019 and Charlotte, Nashville and Southern California in 2020.
Retail ambitions
Best known for its Beyond Burger, Beyond Meat first introduced a plant-based frozen chicken strips product in 2012, but pulled the product from the market in 2019 because the company said it wasn't providing the same quality experience as its other products.
"[Beyond Meat] has since doubled down on the category with multiple plant-based chicken launches this year. In response to positive taste reviews and consumer demand, Beyond Meat is proud to debut Beyond Chicken Tenders at select retailers nationwide. With crunchy, golden breading and a juicy, tender bite, Beyond Chicken Tenders are designed to offer the same great taste as traditional chicken tenders but with 50% less saturated fat (than traditional breaded tenders)," the company said in a statement. "
Beginning in October, Beyond Chicken Tenders will be rolling out in the frozen food aisle in select Walmart, Jewel-Osco, Safeway NorCal, Harris Teeter, Giant Foods, and ShopRite stores across the US with additional availability expected to be added later this year.
Beyond Chicken Tenders come pre-cooked, ready-to-heat in the air fryer, oven or microwave.
In addition to its Beyond Chicken retail launch, Beyond Meat will be expanding retail availability of its Beyond Breakfast Sausage patties (classic and spicy varieties), Beyond Meatballs, and Beyond Crumbles to 1,300 - 1,500 Walmart stores later this year.
“We’re thrilled to be answering consumer demand by launching Beyond Chicken Tenders at prominent retailers nationwide, continuing our momentum in the plant-based poultry category," added Jurgens.
Interested in meat, dairy, and seafood alternatives?
Checkout FoodNavigator-USA's FREE 'Disrupting the Meat and Dairy Case' 3-part series:
Oct 13 (10am PT/1pm ET): Where next for meat alternatives? From plant-based burgers to fungi-fueled bacon - featuring Kroger, Atlast Food Co, Nature's Fynd, Nowadays, Oterra, and Roquette
Oct 20(10am PT/1pm ET): Where next for dairy alternatives? From oatmilk to ‘real’ cheese (minus the cows) - featuring Danone, NotCo, BioMilk, Change Foods, RSSL, and CP Kelco
Oct 27(10am PT/1pm ET): Where next for seafood alternatives? From tuna to shrimp - featuring the Good Food Institute, Good Catch, Ocean Hugger, New Wave Foods, and Aqua Cultured Foods.
