This is the second half of the interview with Gardein, in this part they discuss their distribution strategies, their new vegan turkey cutlet product, as well as their favorite recipes for a vegan thanksgiving as well as any other occasion.
Gardein seems to be everywhere, it’s in a lot of conventional grocery stores that normally don’t have a wide selection of vegan/vegetarian foods, what has been the distribution strategy of Gardein?
We’re focused on growth and educating people about the benefits of a plant-based diet.
Today, gardein™ is sold in the produce cooler and freezer section of more than 10,000 natural food and grocery stores across the US and Canada. We also have a Food Service division that serves the needs of this very important market. gardein™ is on the menu at universities and colleges across North America as well as at hundreds of restaurants and corporate campuses for some of the largest organizations in America. In fact, we’re currently testing gardein™ in a few Chipotle locations in New York City, Washington D.C. and Denver as a “Garden Blend” vegan burrito. The feedback to date has been great and more test locations are being added.
Additionally, Yard House, the award-winning restaurant known for its American fusion cuisine, has partnered with us to offer a selection of meatless menu items that mimic some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes using vegetable protein from gardein™. Yard House has since rolled out 25 new gardein™ -made menu items at all of its locations in the US.
Does Gardein have any special products prepared for this holiday season?
Yes! gardein™ was named ‘Product of The Year’ by editors of VegNews magazine and its 2010 VegNews Veggie Awards. As such, we said ‘thank you’ by introducing a limited edition vegan turk’y item perfect for Thanksgiving and holiday meals.
New limited edition gardein™ savory stuffed turk’y is made with vegetables, ancient grains and plant-proteins (soy, wheat, and pea) and is a delicious meat-free main course with 22 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat and 270 calories per serving. The turk’y is breaded with toasted crumbs and is stuffed with celery, onions, cranberries, and bread crumbs. Cooking time is 25-30 minutes in the oven.
To further encourage that Americans enjoy a vegetarian meal this Thanksgiving, celebrity vegan chef Tal Ronnen created “Chef Tal’s Thanksgiving Menu” with recipes to accompany our turk’y. Check out the vegan Thanksgiving recipes below:
Chef Tal’s Vegan Thanksgiving Menu
- Beet and orange autumn salad recipe
- Green beans with fresh cranberries recipe
- Sweet potato biscuits recipe
- Creamy mashed potatoes with chives recipe
- Vegan oven-roasted banana rum cheesecake recipe
gardein™ savory stuffed turk’y, which is available in the freezer aisle at select Whole Foods Markets and natural food stores across the United States, has a suggested retail price of $6.99 to $7.99, each bag comes complete with two 5.3 ounce servings and vegan gravy.
Try these additional vegan Thanksgiving recipes — we know you’ll love them!Beefless soft tacos recipeBeefless stew recipe (featured on Ellen)Vegan fried chick’n (courtesy of chef Art Smith)Gramma’s bok choy and chick’n salad (courtesy of actress Ginny Goodwin)
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