Finnebrogue launches plant-based food range targeting flexitarians

The Northern Ireland artisan food processor, which won Large Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing Company of the Year​​ at the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards in February, called the move “game-changing​”.

The four new products sit under its Naked brand, are designed to appeal to the UK's 20m flexitarians and are billed as “good for you and good for the planet”. ​They will be available initially from Waitrose.  

Naked “made without the moo”​ burgers, meatballs and mince hit in Waitrose stores on 14 ​May. They are stocked alongside Naked “made without the oink”​ sausages, which are made from white and oyster mushrooms. 

Nitrite-free​
 
Finnebrogue’s Naked brand is best known for the launch of its nitrite-free bacon and ham products, made with natural Mediterranean fruit and spice extracts. 

Last year, the company said it would create up to 125 new roles by 2022, thanks to a £17m investment in its nitrite-free bacon facility​​.

“We believe in producing gorgeous food which is good for you and for the planet," ​said Finnebrogue chairman Denis Lynn. "That’s why we made bacon without nitrites or any other nasties – and why we decided to look at what was wrong with veggie food to see how we could make it the best it could be, without being bound by the way that it has always been done.​  
 
“After a lot of hard work, we have now created a delicious plant-based range that is packed with flavour and succulence and provides the no-compromise alternative to meat that so many millions of flexitarians have been crying out for.”​ ​

‘Turbo-charge’​
 
The launch of Naked’s plant-based range will be supported by out-of-home advertising at 100 Waitrose sites in England and a summer print campaign in consumer food magazines.

Finnebrogue said the Naked brand had helped “turbo-charge”​ the company’s growth, with turnover expected to be £120m in 2020, up from £75m two years ago.

In early 2019, Finnebrogue revealed it was to open a £3m meat-free factory​​ to capitalise on the growing demand for non-meat alternatives.