Nestlé, the world's largest food & beverage company, has recently launched a number of new innovations in Europe, with a range of plant-based alternatives to white fish.
Nestlé is looking to cater for the growing number of people seeking fish alternatives with its new products, including alternatives to breaded fish fillets, nuggets, and fingers. The range stands out for their strong nutrition credentials, as well their great taste and texture that is close to white fish. Each is also certified vegan.
Torsten Pohl, Global Head of R&D for Nestlé's food category, says: "These new fish alternatives are the result of our deep expertise in plant-based proteins and our strong commitment to continue delivering exciting innovations that meet consumers expectations. During consumer testing, our products received high praise for the great taste and texture that is close to white fish. They also come with strong nutritional credentials, making them competitive in the marketplace."
Leveraging its strong plant-based innovation expertise and global reach, Nestlé is launching three different types of fish alternatives across geographies and brands.
In Europe, under the Garden Gourmet brand, Nestlé will launch marine-style crispy fillet and marine-style crispy nuggets. Made with wheat and pea protein, the great-tasting and nutritious products are high in protein and low in saturated fat. They also come with a Nutri-score A in countries that use the Nutri-score front-of-pack labelling system. They will launch both online and in store in countries across Europe, including in Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
In Asia, Nestlé has already launched crispy fish-free fingers for both retail and out-of-home under the Harvest Gourmet brand in Malaysia and Singapore. Made from soy and wheat, the fish finger alternatives are a source of protein and fiber and come in a crispy coating that is infused with herbs like oregano and rosemary.
Massimo Zucchero, Global Category Lead for plant-based meals, Nestlé says: "People continue to seek out plant-based options for their favourite dishes. These new alternatives to fish are a great addition at mealtimes and can also be shared as an appetiser or small meal. They are tasty, nutritious and can also help to reduce overfishing and protect the biodiversity of our oceans."
The new launches complement Nestlé's Garden Gourmet Vuna, an alternative to tuna fish that has been available in Europe since 2020, as well as Nestlé's wide-ranging plant-based portfolio. Moreover, Nestlé is actively exploring cutting-edge technologies for animal-free products such as precision fermentation and cultured meat to further expand its offerings.