Growing NPD shift from Plant-based Meat to Seafood

Looks like the plant-based alternative segment is shifting or enlarging its category to also include seafood alternatives on consumers’ dining menus. US-based Gathered Foods, the producer of Good Catch® plant-based seafood has recently announced the launch of a new product line in the seafood alternative category. Its exciting line-up includes New England Style Plant-Based Crab Cakes, Thai Style Plant-Based Fish Cakes, and Classic Style Plant-Based Fish Burgers. This product extension is the 2nd evolution from the plant-based seafood brand, expanding beyond its existing portfolio of plant-based tuna, which quickly won over the US consumer palate following its market introduction last year. Over the past 2 years, sales of plant-based offerings that directly replace animal products grew 29% to US$5 billion. Plant-based seafood accounts for only a small fraction of this market total, as such Gathered Foods is bridging this gap with its exciting range of frozen yet delicious appetisers. Good Catch range of seafood alternatives offer a savory combination as they are flavored with spices that include pepper, green onions, celery and parsley amongst others. The crab cakes for example, are suitable for a quick bite while the fish cakes are Asian-inspired appetisers. Meanwhile, the fish burgers have an attractive light whitefish texture and flavor which made one hard to differentiate from the real fish. Chad Sarno, Co-Founder of Good Catch said, “Quality and innovation are essential to the Good Catch culinary journey. Recreating the taste and texture consumers expect from whitefish and crab cakes challenged our team to push our boundaries. We are really proud of the final outcome.” The frozen appetisers are crafted from Good Catch’s proprietary 6-legume blend which includes peas, chickpeas, lentils, soy, fava beans and navy beans. These are high in protein and used as the base of Good Catch products to create the texture that mimics the flakiness of seafood. Good Catch also uses natural vegan flavorings for seafood notes in its products. In addition, the product packaging is environmental friendly with carton made from 100% recycled paperboard. The new frozen appetisers have a recommended retail price of US$5.99. Good Catch is a chef-driven revolutionary food company developing flavorful, 100% plant-based seafood alternatives. In 2020, Good Catch raise US$36.8 million in new Series B Financing Round which included key investors like Greenleaf Foods and 301 INC, the venture arm of General Mills. In January, the brand launched its plant-based tuna in the UK with Tesco, further expanding its distribution footprint on the international market.