Sponsored by Tyson® Foodservice
Consumer interest in plant-based protein options is rising steadily. According to Datassential’s 2023 Food Trends Report, as many as 60% of restaurant operators believe plant-based “meat” is a long-term trend, and more than 30% of them expect to add such offerings to their menus.
But realizing such plans requires operators overcome a few hurdles:
- Many chefs lack recipes for scratch-made, plant-based protein options while others are unfamiliar with outsourced heat-and-serve options.
- According to a December 2022 National Restaurant Association poll, 62% of operators are short staffed and paying significantly higher kitchen wages than in the past. Such lean crews and high costs mean long hours for chefs, and that slashes time for creative menu innovation.
- Food costs, worsened by global supply shortages and inflation, also remain high, making chefs less willing to experiment with unfamiliar, hard-to-get, and sometimes pricey ingredients.
- Plant-based products must taste delicious and, for many who prefer them, be meat-like in texture and taste—a difficult aim on many levels.
One solution to this multi-pronged challenge is high-quality, fully cooked plant-based proteins made ready to heat in a fryer or oven. These options reduce food prep and they’re useful across every menu category and daypart.
Problem solver
After several years of research and testing, Tyson® Foodservice has developed a line of plant-based nuggets, tenders, and filets that offers chefs and kitchen managers a truly delicious one-to-one replacement for traditional protein equivalents. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these meat substitutes deliver a previously difficult-to-replicate, chicken-like-eating experience.
Tyson® Plant Based Nuggets, Tenders and Filets provide the deliciously craveable qualities customers demand with no added work for operators. This lineup of delectable bites is easily served as appetizers, on sandwiches, and even atop a golden-brown waffle at brunch. Versatile like their meat counterparts, using these nuggets, tenders, and filets is as simple as swapping out analogous menu applications. Stored frozen and with a 365-day shelf life, they’re easily cooked to crispy perfection in ovens or fryers without extra prep or mess, and with no need for unique staff training.
Taste, texture, and eye appeal
Historically, plant-based alternatives have struggled to mimic the texture and taste of chicken. According to Melissa Bamsey, senior sensory scientist at Tyson® Foodservice, achieving those gold-standard marks of deliciousness was a major goal of the company’s lengthy research and consumer trials.
“Getting the correct texture was a huge focus for us,” Bamsey says. “We were seeking a light crispy exterior, and a firm but juicy interior texture that’s really similar to traditional nuggets, tenders and filets. We wanted audible crispiness, and we got it.”
Flavor was equally challenging, she says, given the mostly neutral taste of plant-based proteins. Simulating chicken took a deeper understanding of its naturally savory characteristics.
“We wanted a product that was more neutral and not overly seasoned” like many meat substitutes, Bamsey says. “Because it is made of soy, we didn’t want it tasting soy forward. We wanted a more meaty, salty and brothy flavor profile.”
Consumer research also revealed that visual appeal was highly important to the chicken-like-eating experience. Here, Bamsey says, is where the R&D team’s work really shone.
“One thing we’re incredibly proud of with this product is the appearance and how it looks like a traditional nugget,” she says. Overall, she adds, “86% of consumers (tested) reported the product met or exceeded their expectations.”
What’s in it for operators?
In addition to matching trending consumer preference, the Tyson® Foodservice team wanted to ease labor burdens on struggling restaurant crews. Using Tyson® Plant Based Nuggets, Tenders and Filets had to be a simple proposition at every level, Bamsey says. Researchers recognized that in fast-food restaurants especially, breading and frying foods to order produced consistent quality challenges. Though a simple to do, fresh breading can be an especially messy and dreaded task for young and inexperienced employees.
“Our Plant Based offerings not needing to be breaded back-of-house also eliminates product variability across an entire restaurant system while saving a ton of time and mess,” Bamsey adds.
The easy exchange of traditional meat items for plant-based proteins is another plus for operators. Wherever boneless, crispy-fried chicken can be found on a menu, Tyson® Plant Based Nuggets, Tenders and Filets can move into the mix, cozy up to any accompanying sauce, garnish, or sandwich bread, and attract the growing number of consumers who seek such products. Even better, Tyson® Plant Based Nuggets, Tenders and Filets are readily available and priced competitively.
Interested in meeting the growing plant-based food trend, saving labor and increasing consistency across your operations? Click here to contact Tyson® Foodservice for product details and recipes that can help grow sales in your operation.
