This week in food news brings a new line of Heinz gravy in three vegetarian flavors. Together with Algae Cooking Club, Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park has been cooking up a line of algae oils for home chefs.
Plus, Blackbird Foods’ meaty plant-based chicken wings just landed at Wegmans nationwide.
Table of Contents
Food news
The holiday season is off to a good start with new products from Heinz, Chef Daniel Humm, and Sweet Lorens.
Heinz
Heinz gravy line
The Kraft Heinz brand continues to evolve its product lines to be more inclusive of consumers looking for plant-based options. In time for the holiday, Heinz has added three vegetarian flavors to its line of gravy products.
While the existing nine gravies are made with “real” chicken, pork, or beef broth, the three new flavors are “made with real herbs” and contain no animal-derived products.
The new flavors are Roasted Garlic & Rosemary, Caramelized Onion & Thyme, and Herbs De Provence. Heinz suggests using the gravy atop your favorite dishes, including mashed potatoes, sautéed broccoli, and your choice of proteins.
The new Homestyle Vegetarian Gravy line is rolling out to retailers such as Walmart and Target.
Daniel Humm’s algae oil
Algae Cooking Club has teamed up with Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park to introduce two new infused oils—Gochugaru Chili Oil and Shiitake Mushroom Oil—crafted specifically for home chefs. Made from algae oil, they are designed to add a Michelin-starred twist to everyday dishes.
Algae Cooking Club
The Gochugaru Chili Oil brings aromatic heat, with layers of flavor from ingredients such as Gochugaru chili, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorn, making it ideal for drizzling over pizza or using in dressings. Meanwhile, the Shiitake Mushroom Oil delivers deep umami with ingredients such as dried shiitake, black garlic, and urfa chili, perfect for enhancing ramen, rice dishes, or roasted vegetables.
“What excites me about working with algae oil is how clean and precise the flavors are,” Humm said in a statement. “Every spice we use in these oils has a voice, and you can taste each one in perfect harmony.”
Designed for versatility, these oils can be used for seasoning, low-heat cooking, or as finishing oils. The oils can be purchased individually or as part of a Holiday Bundle for $60, including the original algae cooking oil.
Sweet Loren’s
Gingerbread cookie dough
Sweet Loren’s is bringing back two fan-favorite seasonal limited-time offers for the holiday season: Chocolate Mint and Gingerbread pre-cut cookie doughs. These vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free cookie doughs are designed for convenience and inclusivity, being top 14 allergen-friendly.
The Chocolate Mint Cookie Dough features the festive flavors of rich chocolate, refreshing mint, and white chocolate chips, evoking the essence of candy canes and hot cocoa. Meanwhile, the Gingerbread Cookie Dough brings a classic holiday flavor with warm spices and a vegan and gluten-free twist, ensuring everyone can indulge in the season’s treats.
The pre-portioned doughs bake in less than 15 minutes, making them a perfect choice for holiday gatherings or quick homemade treats.
Grocery news
New plant-based products are headed to the aisles of Target, Wegmans, and Costco.
Doughlicious
Cookie Dough Gelato Bites at Target
In more cookie dough news, new gelato bites from Doughlicious have hit Target stores nationwide. Following its successful debut in Whole Foods earlier this year, London-based Doughlicious continues to grow its presence in the United States with its Frozen Cookie Dough and Gelato Bites, now available in Target’s freezer aisles.
Known for its indulgent yet better-for-you snacks, Doughlicious uses high-quality, natural ingredients, offering gluten-free options with no refined sugar or white bleached flour. The bites are available in Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Churro, and Mint Chocolate Chip.
“Starting with our launch earlier this year, we’ve seen firsthand how much American consumers love cookie dough and gelato, and this expansion is a step for the category,” Doughlicious Founder and CEO Kathryn Bricken said in a statement.
“We’re passionate about creating indulgent and better-for-you frozen snacks that taste amazing and are made with the highest quality ingredients,” Bricken said.
The frozen treats retail for $6.99 per box and promise to deliver a unique, crave-worthy snack experience.
Blackbird Foods
Meatless BBQ wings at Wegmans
Blackbird Foods, a New York City-based plant-based food company, has announced the nationwide launch of its seitan-based wings at more than 100 Wegmans stores. Available in Buffalo and Korean BBQ flavors, these plant-based wings are crafted from seitan to replicate the taste and texture of traditional chicken wings.
Each package comes with a separate sauce packet, offering a spicy, tangy profile in the Buffalo version, and a sweet-savory balance in the Korean BBQ.
This expansion into Wegmans is a significant step for Blackbird Foods, which has already made its mark with plant-based pizzas and other seitan products. “We’re excited to bring our plant-based wings to Wegmans shoppers,” Blackbird Foods CEO Emanuel Storch said in a statement.
“With comfort food season in full swing, we’re confident that our Buffalo and Korean BBQ wings will quickly become a go-to favorite,” Storch said.
Blackbird Foods’ products are already available in major US retailers, including Whole Foods, Target, and Sprouts, and the brand continues to innovate with two new wing flavors—Thai Chili and Texas BBQ—soon to hit East Coast retailers.
Good Foods
Dairy-free nacho cheese dip at Costco
Good Foods just launched Nacho Cheeze Chip Dip at Woodmans, Cub Foods, and Southeast region Costco locations for a limited time. This dairy-free, 50-calorie-per-serving cheesy dip delivers a rich, ballpark-style cheese flavor without dairy, making it perfect for pairing with snacks or adding to dishes like tacos or baked potatoes.
Made from wholesome ingredients such as cauliflower, pumpkin seeds, and corn, the new Nacho Cheeze dip will also be available nationwide at Target in early 2025.
Restaurant news
New meatless chicken filets, Bitchin’ sauce options, and Holiday Feasts are coming to restaurants.
Swap Foods
“Swap” meatless chicken filets
Plant-based meat company Swap Foods (formerly Umiami Foods) just launched a center-of-the-plate protein in time for the holidays. Swap Chicken, is the company’s new plant-based whole filet designed to replicate the flavor and texture of traditional chicken.
With 19 grams of protein per 90-gram filet and made from a short list of clean ingredients, Swap Chicken is free from GMOs, gluten, and cholesterol. It offers chefs the versatility to marinate, bread, slice, or cube it, making it easy to replace chicken in any dish without altering the menu.
Using a unique “Umisation” protein platform, Swap transforms plant proteins into structured fibers that closely mimic the muscle texture of chicken, giving skeptics and meat-lovers alike a reason to enjoy plant-based meals.
“Swap Chicken’s superior taste, clean ingredients, and unrivaled product versatility finally enable chefs to recreate traditional recipes using only plant-based ingredients,” Swap CEO Tristan Maurel said in a statement.
Already a hit in Chicago’s culinary scene, Swap Chicken has been embraced by popular restaurants such as The Chicago Diner and Spirit Elephant.
Bitchin’
Bitchin’ Sauce in bulk
Popular almond-based dip brand Bitchin’ Sauce has announced its expansion into the foodservice sector through a partnership with Dot Foods. This new distribution deal will allow restaurants, cafés, and foodservice operators nationwide to incorporate Bitchin’ Sauce into their menus.
To meet industry demand, the brand has introduced bulk three-pound packaging in flavors such as Original, Chipotle, and Cilantro Chili, along with convenient 1.75-ounce Chipotle pucks designed for quick-service restaurants and takeout operations.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Dot Foods to bring Bitchin’ Sauce to colleges, quick-service spots, full-service restaurants, and cafes,” Mike DeGrace, VP of Sales at Bitchin’ Sauce, said in a statement.
“With our simple ingredients and key certifications, Bitchin’ delivers incredible flavor without compromising on nutrition,” DeGrace said.
The launch into foodservice also comes on the heels of a successful collaboration with Veggie Grill in 2023, where Bitchin’ Sauce’s versatility was showcased in menu items like the Original Bitchin’ Burger and Chipotle Bitchin’ Nachos.
Next Level Burger
Holiday Wellington feasts
Next Level Burger and Veggie Grill have just opened pre-orders on their plant-based Holiday Feast, a complete vegan meal designed to serve four to six people. The feast features a Holiday Harvest Wellington, filled with a medley of vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and savory mushrooms, wrapped in a flaky pastry and accompanied by spiced cranberry sauce.
Alongside the main dish, you’ll find garlic mashed potatoes with creamy thyme gravy, baked mac and cheese topped with a parmesan crumb crust, green bean almondine with herbed butter and toasted almonds, citrus-glazed carrots finished with toasted walnuts, and savory sage and onion stuffing, a holiday classic with crisp, herby flavors.
Next Level Burger
For those with a sweet tooth, optional desserts include the organic holiday apple crumble, a perfect blend of cinnamon-spiced apples topped with a golden crumble, and the carrot cake with tangy cream cheese frosting. Pumpkin Spice Bundlette Cakes are also available at Veggie Grill locations.
This feast can be picked up from November 8 to December 31 with 72 hours’ notice and costs $129.99. Pre-orders can be made through both Veggie Grill and select Next Level Burger locations in Denver, Seattle, and Portland.
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
Anna Starostinetskaya is the Senior News Editor at VegNews and is always keeping an eye on all things vegan in her home city of San Francisco, CA and everywhere else.
