Food News of the Week: Meatless Brisket, Trader Joe’s Bubble Waffles, and a Lunchables Makeover

Chunk Foods, known for its juicy meatless steaks, is launching a big ‘ol slab of plant-based meat, perfect for making brisket, pastrami, and more. 

Kids and adults alike can now indulge in an even better version of Lunchables courtesy of Mighty Yum, which just improved upon its plant-based Munchables by reformulating the recipes to include even healthier ingredients.

Plus, we already know shopping at Trader Joe’s is always exciting, but this week, our eyes are fixated on the frozen aisle where Bubble Mochi waffles might appear soon. Read on for more. 

Revo Foods

RELATED: Microplastics, Lice, and Overcrowded Farms: Here’s Why You Might Want to Switch to Fish-Free Salmon

Food news 

Fish alternatives are getting better every day. This week, Austria’s Revo Foods unveiled a better way to brunch with its 2.0 iteration of fish-free Gravalax and Salmon slices, both featuring microalgae oils and pea protein for heightened nutrition.

These Omega-3-rich vegan salmon slices are available at European grocers in two flavors: Smokey Style and Dill & Lemon Style.

Oshi

For more salmon news, we turn to Oshi Foods, which will show off its improved fish-free salmon filets at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) show in Chicago starting this weekend.  Oshi’s plant-based salmon filet is created using a patent-pending module layering technology to mimic the fibrous structure of real muscle tissue, incorporating legume proteins and algae extract for a rich protein and fiber content. The updated 2.0 fish-free salmon marks a significant step in Oshi’s US expansion, following its rebranding from Plantish in 2023.

“As we continue to establish our presence in the US market, this event presents an unparalleled opportunity to highlight the versatility and quality of our products to industry professionals and culinary enthusiasts,”  Ofek Ron, co-founder and CEO of Oshi, said in a statement. 

“We remain committed to providing consumers with delicious, sustainable alternatives to conventional seafood, and we look forward to forging meaningful partnerships with US restaurants and foodservice operators,” Ron said. 

Oshi has secured US-wide distribution for its flagship cooked salmon filet through Webstaurant, Earthly Gourmet, and Ace Natural Inc. The company plans further expansion into Europe, starting with a collaboration with Coop Switzerland set for 2025.

Chunk Foods

Plant-based meat company Chunk Foods will also showcase a few new products at the NRA Show. Known for its vegan steaks, the company uses a proprietary fermentation technology to make its meats look, cook, and taste like beef. At the show, Chunk will unveil the largest slab of plant-based meat on the market and a revolutionary cubed product aimed at fast-casual restaurants. 

Chunk’s new Slab, weighing over three pounds, is ideal for briskets, pastrami, smoking, grilling, and tableside carving. The Cubes are designed as a versatile protein addition for dishes like salads and bowls.

“We are proud of how quickly we have grown in the US market, and we can’t wait to show off more of our cutting-edge products to the foodservice space,” Amos Golan, CEO of Chunk Foods, said in a statement. 

“We are continuing in our mission to make plant-based eating accessible and delicious to more people by providing quality cuts of meat and making Chunk a staple protein everywhere in the US,” Golan said. 

Want a dollop of plant-based truffle butter on your meatless steak? That luxury will soon be possible thanks to Japan’s Dr. Foods Co., which introduced its Vegan Truffle Butter. This new product completes the company’s lineup of the world’s top three delicacies made entirely from plants, following the successful launches of Vegan Foie Gras in 2022 and Vegan Caviar in 2023.

The Vegan Truffle Butter uses Italian Summer Truffle from Tuscany, blended with proprietary plant-based butter and extra virgin olive oil from Italy. Dr. Foods has already seen success with its Vegan Foie Gras, selling 160,000 servings at 28 hotels in Japan since September 2023. 

Dr. Foods has held tasting events in the US, Singapore, the Netherlands, Thailand, and the UAE, and aims to distribute its plant-based delicacies to hotels and restaurants globally.

Mighty Yum

For the kids and kids at heart, Mighty Yum just improved its Munchables—a plant-based take on Lunchables lunch kits—by reformulating the recipes to include even healthier ingredients. The Turkey and Cheese and Ham and Cheese Munchables now feature soy-free and gluten-free lunch meat and are certified free of unhealthy additives, including lead and cadmium. 

Mighty Yum’s Munchablescome in three varieties: Ham and Cheese, Turkey and Cheese, and Pepperoni Pizza. The vegan meats are made with real vegetables, and its recipes replace soy and gluten with healthier ingredients such as parsnips, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and tomato puree.

“We’ve always been proud of the Munchables line, which offers nutrition and convenience that pleases parents and flavor that delights kids,” Scott Kerner, Chief Operating Officer of Mighty Yum, said in a statement.

“The recipe reformulation further supports our mission to be the trusted better-for-you brand that offers the most innovative plant-powered ingredients across our product line,” Kerner said. 

To encourage parents to try the new formulations and thank existing customers, Mighty Yum offers exclusive cash-back savings and discounts for those who purchase in retail stores or sign up for subscription delivery.

Retail news

Tabitha Brown’s permanent line at Target continues its triumphant return this week with Onion Garlic Dip & Spread and new flavors of plant-based sausages (jalapeño and cilantro and mango basil). 

Target

New to shelves are two salad kits: Strawberry Balsamic with chopped romaine lettuce, strawberry flavored cranberries, radish, almonds, and puffed quinoa; and Dill Pickle with cauliflower, radish, red and green cabbage, crouton crumbles, green leaf lettuce, kale, and dill pickle seasonings.

“Yeah, I did do a dill pickle salad because I can and that’s my business,” Brown said on social media announcing the product line extension. 

Much like Target, another major retailer, CVS, is digging deeper into the wellness space through the launch of a new in-house brand, Well Market. The line features 40 beverages, snacks, and groceries made to appeal to a variety of wellness segments. While the line is not entirely plant-based, some vegan options include Everything Bagel Pita Chips, Sea Salt Veggie Straws, and Banana Nut Clusters. 

“Our goal at CVS Health is to be the most consumer-centric healthcare solutions company,” Musab Balbale, Chief Merchandising Officer, CVS Health, said in a statement. “Through this repositioning and expansion of our food and beverage portfolio, we are doing more by providing new nutritious options our customers crave.”  

“From the easy-to-understand packaging to the delicious snacks themselves, our customers can feel great about consuming Well Market products as part of their individual wellness goals,” Balbale said.  

Big Box Vegan/Instagram

If you’re headed to Trader Joe’s, keep an eye out for Bubble Waffles in the frozen section, which eagle-eyed Instagrammer Big Box Vegan says will be coming to stores soon. A plant-based take on a classic street foot in Hong Kong, these treats feature crispy edges and chewy, mochi-like centers. 

Business news

This week, dairy giant Lactalis Group made a smart business move by launching its Enjoy! brand of dairy-free milks and beverages through its subsidiary in Canada. 

“We are delighted to make a splash with the launch of Enjoy! which only further complements Lactalis Canada’s wide-ranging portfolio of now 20 iconic consumer brands and expands our plant-based offering to Canadian consumers by leveraging our expertise in this dairy-free category,” Mark Taylor, president and CEO of Lactalis Canada, said in a statement. 

Now on shelves, Canadian customers can choose from six products, each enhanced with pea protein: Unsweetened Oat, Unsweetened Oat Vanilla, Unsweetened Almond, Unsweetened Almond Vanilla, Unsweetened Hazelnut, and Unsweetened Hazelnut & Oat.

New Culture

For the pizza enthusiasts out there, melty dairy-free mozzarella is one step closer to coming to pizzerias thanks to a new partnership between New Culture and its investor CJ CheilJedang, a $23 billion Korean conglomerate. 

New Culture uses a proprietary precision fermentation process to produce animal-free casein, the essential protein for cheese stretch, creating a mozzarella that tastes and melts like traditional cheese. This collaboration aims to reduce production costs and scale up manufacturing, allowing New Culture to hit pizza shops, starting with chef Nancy Silverton’s Pizzeria Mozza—where the company previewed its cheese last year. 

“Bringing our animal-free cheese to pizza lovers everywhere means producing it at a large enough scale and low enough cost so we can compete and win on product performance,” Inja Radman, New Culture co-founder and CSO, said in a statement. 

CJ CheilJedang, with over 60 years of experience in fermentation technology, will provide substantial manufacturing capabilities to support New Culture’s goals of targeting the $9 billion US mozzarella market. 

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.