Dutch retailer Albert Heijn has announced plans to add around 70 SKUs to its private-label vegetarian, vegan and vegetable products range to meet increasing demands from customers.
The new range, which will be rolled out in autumn of this year, includes items that are suitable for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The consumption of vegetable and vegetarian products among Dutch consumers is on the rise with more than 50% of the Dutch adopting a flexitarian diet, the retailer added.
Anita Scholte Op Reimer, director of quality and sustainability at Albert Heijn, stated, “For a while, meat played the leading role on our plates and that has changed in recent years.
"If we eat vegetarian and plant-based foods more often, we can jointly reduce a lot of CO2 emissions. That is better for the animals and healthier for ourselves."
New Products
The new additions will include, among others, vegan cheese, vegetable spreads and vegan meat products.
The vegan meat products range will comprise grilled sausage, roast chicken fillet and vegan frikandellen, boneless wings, and burgers.
Albert Heijn has partnered with the Green Protein Alliance to promote plant-based diets.
The alliance has pledged to ensure that the Dutch consume a minimum of 50% of proteins from plant-based sources and a maximum of 50% from animals by 2025. It also aims to achieve an overall 5% reduction in protein consumption compared to 2015.
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.