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Kroger, PBFA pilot plant-based meat section

60-store test with Plant Based Food Association focuses on burgeoning category

Russell Redman

September 10, 2019

3 Min Read
Beyond Burger_Kroger meat case.PNG
Credit: Beyond Meat

The Kroger Co. has teamed up with the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) to test a plant-based meat concept inside 60 stores in three states.

Kroger and PBFA said Tuesday that the three-foot, plant-based meat sets — located within the meat department — will be piloted for 20 weeks at stores in Denver (King Soopers) and parts of Indiana and Illinois (Kroger Central division).

In the trial, the stores will gauge the concept’s impact on plant-based and conventional meat sales as well as assess customer engagement, Kroger and PBFA said. Also participating in the pilot is 84.51°, Kroger’s data analytics subsidiary, whose suite of tools will be used to translate customer data into actionable information.

“We’re excited to team up with the Plant Based Foods Association to study this category,” Marcellus Harris, assistant commodity manager in the meat department for Kroger, said in a statement. “The test, which emerged from our partnership with PBFA, will allow us to unearth rich insight regarding how to best merchandise the category and connect with consumers.”

Kroger Simple Truth Plant Based Chorizo Sausage.jpg

This fall, Kroger is launching the Simple Truth Plant Based brand, which includes plant-based meat products.

Kroger and Washington, D.C.-based PBFA noted that the selected stores serve “broad and diverse” customer groups, allowing for the capture of representative and scalable results. Based on results of the 20-week test, all retailers and the plant-based foods industry will benefit from detailed research to guide merchandising and marketing decisions, they said.

Related:Kroger unveils Simple Truth plant-based food line

“We are thrilled to partner with Kroger on this innovative and exciting project,” stated Julie Emmett, senior director of retail partnerships for the Plant Based Foods Association, which has 150 member companies. “Plant-based meat sales have been increasing dramatically year over year, even while most of them are placed where only the most dedicated consumers are likely to find and purchase them.”

PBFA and Kroger representatives plan to discuss the study on Wednesday at the Natural Products Expo East trade show in Baltimore.  

“We are confident that this test will demonstrate that plant-based meat sales will increase even more when consumers have easier access to them,” Emmett added. “We applaud Kroger for taking the lead on plant-based meat merchandising, and we are confident that the outcome will be a win for retailers, suppliers and especially for consumers.”

U.S. retail sales of plant-based foods climbed 11% to $4.5 billion over the past year, according to PBFA and The Good Food Institute. Behind dairy, meat is the second-largest plant-based food category, with sales up 10% over the past year to about $801 million and representing 2% of overall retail packaged meat sales. Leading the way are sales of refrigerated plant-based meat, which rose 37% compared with 2% for its conventional meat counterpart.

Related:Retail sales of plant-based foods surge

Last week, Cincinnati-based Kroger unveiled Simple Truth Plant Based, a new line of fresh, meatless burgers and grinds and other plant-based foods under its Simple Truth natural/organic private brand. Rolling out this fall and into 2020, the collection will include meatless burger patties, meatless grinds, deli slices (black forest ham and salt-and-pepper turkey) and sausages (kielbasa and chorizo), among other items. Kroger said the Simple Truth Plant Based products will sport easy-to-identify packaging, including an icon that will make it easier for customers to find the brand on stores shelves and on Kroger.com.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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