Nestlé Professional unveils Garden Gourmet range and consumer dining insight
Nestlé Professional has launched a plant-based product range, Garden Gourmet, to the out-of-home market. It has also published a report showing that over half (51%) of diners would like more meat-free options when eating out, and over seven in ten (71%) would like more healthy options.
Developed by Nestlé Professional’s expert chefs and nutritionists, the Garden Gourmet selection comprises five easy and quick to prepare plant-based products: vegan fillet pieces and mince, a vegetarian burger, vegetarian Schnitzel and a vegan burger. According to the company, the range is created with a significantly smaller environmental footprint than meat-based products. Production uses less energy and land and emits less greenhouse gas.
The launch coincides with the publication of Nestlé Professional’s report, Balancing Plates: Navigating Consumer Dining Demands in 2020, which surveyed 1,000 consumers in the UK. It found that the majority (58%) struggle to maintain a healthy diet when eating out of home, and over seven in ten would like more nutritional information on menus, with 71% asking for more dietary data.
Consumers are also conscious of the sustainability of the food they eat out, with 55% of those surveyed preferring restaurants with better eco-credentials. A third (28%) have also been deterred from returning to a restaurant due to concerns about sustainability.
The report lifts the lid on the dining out sector and provides insights on how to balance the demands of profit and sustainability, the rise of plant-based food and flexible menus, and how to use technology to retain and enhance traditional customer service.
Rohini Alam, savoury food category manager for Nestlé Professional, commented: “The increasing number of flexitarians in the UK reflects the need for more meat-free alternatives. The out-of-home dining sector has evolved over the past few years, but our research found consumers are still looking for more meat-free options on menus.
“We’re excited to launch a truly innovative range of meat-free alternatives that push the boundaries of what vegetarian and vegan options can deliver. From our research, we’ve found that people can be disappointed by the taste or monotony of vegan and vegetarian options when eating out of home, so we’ve worked hard to make tasty, meat-free alternatives that can easily replace many classic meat-based menu items. The texture and taste of the products really make this a versatile and easy-to-use range for chefs.”
Tel: Nestlé Professional (0800) 745845
Published Date: December 2, 2019
