Conagra Brands-owned Birds Eye expanded its plant-powered Green Cuisine range with the launch of three more Chicken-Free options. The new Chicken-Free products are Crispy Grills, Southern Fried Grills, and Burgers. Birds Eye has seen over 31% of total Green Cuisine sales come from the three Chicken-Free SKUs launched in 2020 (meat-free Dippers, Nuggets and Strips), according to the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF).
“Our Green Cuisine Chicken-Free products have gone from strength to strength since our first launches in 2020. Shoppers love both our great tasting chicken products and our Green Cuisine alternatives, which makes us proud to be able to cater for all family members. This extension of the Green Cuisine chicken-free range will continue to play off recognisable formats that shoppers already enjoy, but that are powered by plant protein,” Jess Ali, marketing manager at Birds Eye said. “The combination of our heritage in frozen food and our reputation for producing family mealtime favourites such as Chicken Grills and Chicken Dippers has helped to make these products so successful and popular. By recreating mealtime classics using plant power, these new additions to our Green Cuisine range will continue to help shoppers to add meat substitutes to their plates, showing them that plant-based meals can be just as tasty and convenient.”
Birds Eye’s 2020 launch into meat-free chicken alternatives, with plant-based strips, dippers and nuggets, was very popular amongst shoppers – with the dippers winning Product of the Year 2021, according to data from Nielsen quoted by BFFF. The range’s success has also seen the brand expand into frozen bakery products including meat-free sausage rolls and vegan pies.